Winning Sports Picks

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Houston Astros -1.5 (-123)

The Houston Astros are putting up the best offensive numbers in baseball this season.  They are hitting .276 as a team and scoring 5.6 runs per game, including .284 and 5.8 in road games.  They have won nine straight games coming in while scoring 6 or more runs in seven of those victories.

Now they take on a Baltimore Orioles team that is just 1-12 in their last 13 games with nine losses by two runs or more.  They should feast on Tom Eshelman, who will be making just his second start of the season for the lowly Orioles.

Jose Urquidy has been a solid starter for the Astros this season at 5-3 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 12 starts this season.  He will shut down this weak Baltimore lineup that is scoring just 3.7 runs per game vs. right-handed starters this season.

Houston is 13-1 after allowing 4 runs or less in four straight games over the past two seasons.  It is winning by 2.6 runs per game in this spot.  Baltimore is 2-17 vs. AL teams that average 4.9 or more runs per game this season.  It is losing by 2.5 runs per game in this spot.  Roll with the Astros on the Run Line Wednesday.

15* Clippers/Suns ESPN Total DOMINATOR on OVER 222.5

The Los Angeles Clippers have embraced their small ball lineup and it is paying dividends while also resulting in high-scoring games.  The OVER is 5-1 in Clippers last six games overall with combined scores of 222 or more points in all six games and an average of 233.7 combined points per game.

The Phoenix Suns are without Chris Paul, which hurts them defensively but it makes them play at a faster pace offensively.  So this series should be an OVER series until he returns.  And that was the case in Game 1 which saw 234 combined points despite only 26 combined free throws attempted.  There will surely be more foul calls in Game 2 tonight.

The OVER is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings in Phoenix.  The OVER is 4-0 in Clippers last four games as underdogs.  The OVER is 12-4-1 in Suns last 17 games following an ATS win.  The OVER is 25-12-1 in Suns last 38 games overall.  Roll with the OVER in this game Tuesday.

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Houston Astros -1.5 (-125)

The Houston Astros are putting up the best offensive numbers in baseball this season.  They are hitting .277 as a team and scoring 5.7 runs per game, including .285 and 5.9 in road games.  They have won eight straight games coming in while scoring 6 or more runs in seven of those victories.

Now they take on a Baltimore Orioles team that is just 1-11 in their last 12 games with eight losses by two runs or more.  And they should feast on Jorge Lopez, who is 2-8 with a 5.95 ERA and 1.492 WHIP in 14 starts this season.  Lopez allowed 6 earned runs and 3 homers in 2 1/3 innings of a 9-0 loss to the Astros in his only career start against them.

Zack Greinke has been solid this season at 7-2 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.139 WHIP in 15 starts.  Greinke has been at his best on the road, going 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA and 0.867 WHIP in seven starts away from home.

Baltimore is 0-11 after a five-game span where the bullpen had a 7.00 ERA or higher this season.  It is losing by 3.3 runs per game in this spot.  Houston is 12-1 after allowing 4 runs or less in four straight games over the last two seasons.  It is winning by 2.6 runs per game in this spot.  Take the Astros on the Run Line Tuesday.

25* Interleague GAME OF THE YEAR on Chicago White Sox -158

The Chicago White Sox are now 33-5 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons.  They are scoring 6.3 runs per game against left-handed starters in 2021.  And they will be highly motivated to get back in the win column today after losing four straight coming in.

Now they take on the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, who have gone just 2-11 in their last 13 games overall.  They should feast on left-hander Tyler Anderson, who is 3-7 with a 4.89 ERA in 13 starts this season.

Lucas Giolito is back to being his dominant self after a slow start to the season.  Giolito has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his last nine starts and hasn't been shelled in any of them.  He fired a no-hitter against the Pirates in his last start against them last season in a 4-0 victory.  Bet the White Sox Tuesday.

20* MLB TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Brewers/Diamondbacks OVER 9.5

The Arizona Diamondbacks have allowed 9 or more runs in five of their last six games.  They have allowed 5 or more runs in nine of their last 10 games as well.  The Brewers have allowed 5 or more runs in four straight games.

These are two terrible starting pitchers going today.  Brett Anderson is 2-4 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.393 WHIP in 11 starts for the Brewers, including 1-3 with a 5.47 ERA and 1.460 WHIP in seven road starts.  Anderson is 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA in his last two starts against the Diamondbacks, allowing 8 earned runs, 3 homers and 20 base runners in 9 innings.

Merrill Kelly is 2-7 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.366 WHIP in 14 starts this season, including 0-1 with a 7.07 ERA and 1.429 WHIP in his last three starts.  Kelly is 0-1 with an 8.71 ERA in his last two starts against the Brewers, allowing 10 earned runs, 3 homers and 19 base runners in 10 1/3 innings.

Arizona is 7-0 OVER in home games after batting .200 or worse over a three-game span this season.  The OVER is 15-5-3 in Brewers last 23 road games with a total of 9 to 10.5 runs.  The OVER is 9-1 in Diamondbacks last 10 games with a total set of 9 to 10.5 runs.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

20* Hawks/76ers TNT No-Brainer on UNDER 217.5

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  We are now into Game 7 so the Hawks and 76ers are very familiar with one another.  And these Game 7's always seem to be lower scoring with the season on the line for both teams, so the pressure ramps up and the game slows down.

The UNDER is 3-0 in the last three meetings in this series from Games 4 through 6.  They combined for 203 points in Game 4, 215 points in Game 5 and 203 points in Game 6.  And now we have another total that is set way too high here at 217.5 for Game 7.

Atlanta is 16-1 UNDER in its last 17 games when attempting to close out a playoff series.  The Hawks are 17-5 UNDER in their last 22 games when facing elimination in a playoff series.  The UNDER is 9-2 in Hawks last 11 playoff games as underdogs.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Hawks last nine games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.

Plays on the UNDER on any team (Atlanta) - in the 7th game of a playoff series are 52-22 (70.3%) since 1996.  Game 7 UNDERS have been money in the bank for years.  Bet the UNDER in this game Sunday.

15* NL Undervalued Underdog on Cincinnati Reds +136

The Cincinnati Reds will be highly motivated for a victory Sunday to avoid the sweep after losing the first three games of this series in San Diego.  I like the value we are getting with the Reds today as I believe they have the advantage on the mound.

Luis Castillo has finally turned the corner and gotten back to how dominant he was last season after a slow start this season.  Castillo is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in his las three starts.  He is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last two starts against the Padres while holding them to just 2 earned runs in 12 innings.

Dinelson Lamet just hasn't been extended this season as he is averaging just 3.1 innings per start.  Lamet is 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.409 WHIP in his seven starts, in which the Padres are just 2-5 (-6.3 units).  He has been grossly overvalued all season and is again today as a -160 favorite.

Cincinnati is 8-0 in its last eight road games when playing with triple revenge, coming back to win by 3.3 runs per game in this spot.  Roll with the Reds Sunday.

15* AL Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Tigers +148

The Detroit Tigers will be highly motivated for a victory today to avoid the sweep after losing the first three games of this series to the Los Angeles Angels.  The Tigers finally have the advantage on the mound today and should get a win because of it.

Casey Mize is one of the best young starters in baseball for the Tigers.  He is 4-4 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.073 WHIP in 13 starts this season, including 3-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 0.968 WHIP in eight road starts.

He'll be opposed by Dylan Bundy, who is 1-7 with a 6.98 ERA and 1.365 WHIP in 12 starts this season.  That includes 1-2 with an 8.56 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in his last three starts.  Bundy has never beaten the Tigers, going 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.462 WHIP in two career starts against them.

Bundy is 0-7 (-9.1 units) against the money line following a team win this season.  The Angels are losing by 2.5 runs per game in this spot.  Take the Tigers Sunday.

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on New York Mets -103

The New York Mets have a big advantage on the mound today and should be bigger favorites because of it.  Taijaun Walker is 6-2 with a 2.12 ERA and 1.000 WHIP in 12 starts this season.  Walker is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against the Nationals.

Walker fired 7 shutout innings in a 4-0 victory over the Nationals in his lone start against them this season.  He'll be opposed by the inconsistent Pat Corbin, who is 4-5 with a 5.60 ERA and 1.458 WHIP in 13 starts this season.  Corbin is 4-7 with a 4.53 ERA in 17 career starts against the Mets as well.

Walker is 11-1 as a favorite over the last two seasons.  Corbin is 0-9 as an underdog of +100 to +150 over the last two seasons.  Bet the Mets Sunday.

20* MLB Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 (-119)

The Baltimore Orioles are 1-9 in their last 10 games overall with seven losses by two runs or more.  Chalk another one up today as the Blue Jays have a big advantage on the mound over the Orioles.

Hyun-Jin Ryu is 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.131 WHIP in 13 starts this season.  Ryu is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against the Orioles over the past two seasons, allowing just 3 earned runs in 12 innings.

He'll be opposed by Matt Harvey, who is one of the worst starters in baseball.  Harvey is 3-8 with a 7.76 ERA and 1.724 WHIP in 14 starts this season.  Worse yet, Harvey is 0-6 with a 14.09 ERA in his last seven starts, allowing 36 earned runs and 7 homers in 23 innings.  Take the Blue Jays on the Run Line Sunday.

20* MLB Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-127)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost 15 straight games and are 2-29 in their last 31 games overall.  They have lost 20 of those 29 games by two runs or more.  And they will get blown out by the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight as well.

The Dodgers are 8-2 in their last 10 games overall with seven wins by two runs or more.  They have the advantage on the mound tonight in Walker Buehler, who has not gone 22 consecutive starts without suffering a defeat.  He has never lost to the Diamondbacks, going 2-0 with a 2.47 ERA and 0.922 WHIP in nine career starts against them.

Buehler is 6-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 0.936 WHIP in 13 starts this season, including 2-0 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.844 WHIP in five road starts.  He'll be opposed by Matt Peacock, who is 1-4 with a 4.55 ERA and 1.590 WHIP in six starts, including 0-3 with a 7.14 ERA and 2.469 WHIP in his last three.

Arizona is 1-15 as a dog of +175 to +250 this season and losing by 2.8 runs per game on average.  The Diamondbacks are 2-26 vs. a starting pitcher that averages 5 or more K's per start this season.  Bet the Dodgers on the Run Line Saturday.

20* Bucks/Nets TNT No-Brainer on UNDER 215

Familiarity favors defense and low scoring games.  We are now into Game 7 so the Bucks and Nets are very familiar with one another.  And these Game 7's always seem to be lower scoring with the season on the line for both teams, so the pressure ramps up and the game slows down.

We've seen 211 or fewer combined points in four of the six meetings in this series as the UNDER is 5-0-1 thus far.  They have averaged just 203.3 combined points per game in this series, so we are still getting a ton of value on the UNDER 215.

James Harden is banged up and playing through a hamstring injury.  Kyrie Irving remains out with an ankle injury.  The Nets just aren't the same offensive juggernaut that they were when their Big 3 were healthy.  And the Bucks have been struggling offensively all series and that won't change tonight.

Milwaukee is 14-3 UNDER when playing against a team that wins 60% to 70% of their games this season.  The UNDER is 7-0-1 in Bucks last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  The UNDER is 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings.  The UNDER is 7-0-1 in Nets last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Cincinnati Reds +166

The Cincinnati Reds were on an 11-2 run in their last 13 games heading into this series with San Diego.  But after losing the first two games of this series to the Padres, they come back highly motivated for a victory here in Game 3.

I love the value with the Reds considering I actually think they have the advantage on the mound.  Vladamir Gutierrez has been awesome this season at 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in four starts.

Dinelson Lamet just hasn't been extended this season as he is averaging just 3.1 innings per start.  Lamet is 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.409 WHIP in his seven starts, in which the Padres are just 2-5 (-6.3 units).  He has been grossly overvalued all season and is again tonight as a -180 favorite.

The Reds are 10-1 in their last 11 games vs. a starting pitcher with a 1.30 WHIP or higher.  Cincinnati is 8-2 in its last 10 road games.  The Padres are 1-5 in their last six games vs. a right-handed starter.  Roll with the Reds Saturday.

20* MLB DOG OF THE WEEK on Chicago White Sox +112

No team has been better against left-handed pitching over the last two years.  The Chicago White Sox are 33-4 against left-handed starters over the last two seasons.  They are 18-4 against left-handers this season alone and winning by 3.7 runs per game on average.

The White Sox will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after dropping the first two games of this series to the Astros.  I like their chances of bouncing back against Houston left-hander Framber Valdez, who is being overvalued due to putting up great numbers in just four starts this season.

I have no doubt Lance Lynn is the better starter in this game and shouldn't be an underdog to Valdez.  Lynn is a Cy Young contender due to going 7-2 with a 1.63 ERA and 0.949 WHIP in 12 starts this season, including 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA in three road starts.  Take the White Sox Saturday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Tampa Bay Rays -104

The Tampa Bay Rays have lost three straight games coming into this contest with the Seattle Mariners tonight.  It's safe to say the Rays will be highly motivated for a victory.  And I like their chances considering they haven't lost four games in a row since April 3-7 in the first week of the season.

Michael Wache has been solid this season for the Rays at 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in seven starts.  He'll be opposed by Yusei Kikuchi, who is 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA in five home starts for the Mariners this season.

The Rays are 11-2 in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a losing record.  Tampa Bay is 24-8 in its last 32 games overall.  Seattle is 18-44 in its last 62 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Roll with the Rays Friday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-124)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost 14 straight games and are 2-28 in their last 30 games overall.  They have lost 19 of those 28 games by two runs or more.  And they will get blown out by the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight as well.

The Dodgers are 7-2 in their last nine games overall with six wins by two runs or more.  They have the advantage on the mound tonight with Trevor Bauer, who is 6-5 with a 2.64 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in 14 starts this season.  Bauer is 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 0.831 WHIP in three career starts against Arizona as well.

Caleb Smith is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA and 1.443 WHIP in four starts for the Diamondbacks this season while averaging just 4.3 innings per start.  Smith is 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers as well.

Arizona is 2-25 vs. starting pitchers that average 5 or more K's per start this season and losing by 3.1 runs per game in this spot.  Take the Dodgers on the Run Line Friday.

20* 76ers/Hawks ESPN Total DOMINATOR on UNDER 221.5

Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.  As a series goes on, teams become more familiar with one another.  And that's the case here for the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers in this Game 6 elimination game.

After combining for 203 points in Game 4, the Hawks and 76ers combined for 215 points in Game 3.  And both teams shot very well in that game with the 76ers are 45.9% and the Hawks at 46.7%.  They also attempted 66 combined free throws, yet that game still saw just 215 combined points.  So I like the chances of Game 6 staying well UNDER 221.5 points.

Atlanta is 15-1 UNDER in its last 16 games when attempting to close out a playoff series.  The Hawks are 24-7 UNDER in their last 31 playoff games when leading in the series.  The UNDER is 15-7 in 76ers last 22 road games.  The UNDER is 10-3 in Hawks last 13 games overall.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Detroit Tigers +183

The Detroit Tigers are a solid 20-15 in their last 35 games overall so they have been playing well for over a month.  Most of these wins have been as underdogs, including their three-game sweep of the Royals last series.

Now we get the Tigers as nearly 2-to-1 underdogs to the Angels tonight.  This is an Angels team without two of their best hitters in Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon as well, so there's no way they should be this big of favorites.

Los Angeles is a woeful 4-9 (-15.7 units) as a favorite of -200 or more over the last three seasons.  Roll with the Tigers Thursday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Nets/Bucks UNDER 220.5

This has been a very low scoring series with the UNDER going 4-0-1 in the first five games.  They combined for 222 points in Game 1, 211 points in Game 2, 169 points in Game 3, 203 points in Game 4 and 222 points in Game 5.  That's an average of just 205.4 combined points per game, so we are getting a ton of value with this UNDER 222 tonight.

Game 5 only saw 102 combined points at halftime but 122 after intermission.  Both teams shot lights out as the Bucks and Nets both shot exactly 49.4% from the floor.  That is unlikely to happen again, especially for the Nets with Harden basically a non-factor and Irving still out.

Familiarity favors defense and lower scoring games.  As a series goes on, teams become more familiar with one another.  And this is an elimination game with everything on the line.  It will be played at a slower pace which was the case in Game 5 with the slowest pace of the series.  That's especially the case without Irving and with a slowed Harden for the Nets.

Milwaukee is 12-2 UNDER in its last 14 home games following an upset loss as a road favorite.  The UNDER is 6-0-1 in Nets last seven games as underdogs.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Bucks last six games following a loss.  The UNDER is 6-0-1 in the last seven meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals +168

The St. Louis Cardinals have won three straight and now send one of the most underrated starters in baseball to the mound in John Gant.  He is 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 12 starts this season, including 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven road starts.

The Atlanta Braves are just 1-6 in their last seven games overall and shouldn't be this big of favorites.  Charlie Morton has had a down year with a 4.36 ERA in 13 starts and a 4.65 ERA in eight home starts.  Morton is 2-13 with a 5.53 ERA and 1.686 WHIP in 19 career starts against the Cardinals as well with his teams going 3-16 in those starts.

St. Louis is 15-4 in its last 19 road games following a one-run win.  St. Louis is 11-4 in its last 15 meetings in Atlanta.  Take the Cardinals Thursday.

20* Hawks/76ers TNT No-Brainer on Philadelphia -6.5

The Philadelphia 76ers played their worst game of the series in Game 4 and still nearly won in Atlanta.  Joel Embiid had been dominant for three straight games before going 4-for-20 in Game 4, including 0-for-12 in the 2nd half.  He'll be much better at home in Game 5 and lead the 76ers to a win and cover.

Philadelphia had won Games 2 and 3 by 16 points each before their 3-point loss in Game 4.  The Hawks just don't have an answer for Embiid, and he opens everything up for everyone else to hit open shots.  This is just a tough team to tame offensively, and defensively they have been solid in holding the Hawks to 103, 111 and 102 points in the last three games despite playing at a fast tempo.

Atlanta is 5-18 ATS in its last 23 road games as an underdog of 6.5 to 12 points.  Philadelphia is 10-2 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite this season.  The 76ers are 11-2 ATS in home games off a loss this season.  Philadelphia is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 home games.  The 76ers are 33-8 SU at home this season.  Bet the 76ers Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Chicago White Sox -132

The Chicago White Sox are 32-4 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons.  Now they get to face Tampa Bay lefty Ryan Yarbrough, who is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in nine starts this season with 11 homers allowed in 54 innings.

The White Sox have the advantage on the mound tonight with Lucas Giolito, who is pitching like the ace of this staff over the last couple months.  He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts, including one run or fewer in five of them.

Giolito is 1-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.822 WHIP in three career starts against the Rays with the White Sox going 3-0 in those games.  He has allowed just 3 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings with 25 K's in those three starts.  Take the White Sox Wednesday.

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

The Milwaukee Bucks have a golden opportunity here to take control of this series with all the injuries to the Brooklyn Nets.  They came back from a 2-0 deficit and won Games 3 and 4 at home, and now I expect them to get the win and cover on the road here against the depleted Nets.

Brooklyn just isn't going to be the same dominant team it was during the regular season and early on in these playoffs when they had the Big 3 of Durant, Harden and Irving healthy.  Now they will be without both Harden and Irving for Game 5 Tuesday night after Irving suffered an ankle injury in Game 4.  Durant is one of the best players in the world, but the Nets just don't have much they can count on outside of him.

I'll back the team basketball of the Bucks, who have been able to get to the rim at will these past two games and should continue to do so tonight with tons of easy buckets.  The Nets' only chance here is to shoot great from 3-point range with a bunch of role players, but the looks won't be nearly as good without Harden and Irving facilitating, so I don't like their chances.

The crazy part is that Milwaukee has yet to shoot the ball to its potential, but it is coming in this series at some point.  They are just 36-of-135 (26.7%) from 3-point range in this series.  Milwaukee is 30-14-1 ATS in the last 45 meetings.  The Bucks are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 meetings in Brooklyn.  Bet the Bucks Tuesday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on St. Louis Cardinals -117

The St. Louis Cardinals had lost nine out of 10 games to some great competition before this series with the Marlins.  They got right with a Game 1 victory and I look for them to follow it up with another win in Game 2 tonight as short home favorites.

The Marlins are just 5-12 in their last 17 games overall and struggling to score runs.  They have been held to 4 runs or fewer in 15 of their last 19 games overall.  They just can't be trusted with that kind of poor production at the plate despite having a decent starting staff.

Kwang-Hyun Kim has held his own for the Cardinals this season with a 4.05 ERA in nine starts.  Kim has been at his best at home with a 3.06 ERA and 1.075 WHIP in four home starts this season.

Miami is 4-16 after scoring two runs or less this season.  The Marlins are 1-9 in their last 10 road games.  St. Louis is 4-0 in the last four meetings.  The Cardinals are 17-5 in their last 22 games as favorites.  Roll with the Cardinals Tuesday.

20* AL GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago White Sox -109

The Chicago White Sox are 31-4 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons.  Now they get to face Tampa Bay lefty Shane McClanahan, who is 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA and 1.367 WHIP in eight starts this season, including 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA in his last two starts.

Dallas Keuchel has been solid this season for the White Sox at 5-1 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.284 WHIP in 13 starts.  He is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last two starts as well while allowing just 3 earned runs in 12 innings.

The White Sox are 13-5 in their last 18 games overall and have only lost two in a row once during this stretch.  They'll be motivated coming off a loss to the Rays in Game 1 of this series yesterday.  Take the White Sox Tuesday.

20* Jazz/Clippers TNT No-Brainer on Los Angeles -4.5

The Los Angeles Clippers let the Utah Jazz off the hook in the first two games in this series. They put it all together in Game 3 and won 132-106. Now I look for them to even this series with a win and cover at home tonight.

The Jazz made a franchise record 20 3-pointers in Game 2. They came back and made 19 3-pointers in Game 3 and still lost by 26 points. That's a bad sign for them moving forward in this series. The Jazz miss Mike Conley a lot and will be without him again Monday night.

Utah is 1-11 ATS in its last 12 games after trailing its previous game by 15 points or more at halftime. The Jazz are 0-5 ATS in their last five games as underdogs. Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a favorite. Bet the Clippers Monday.

15* NL PLAY OF THE DAY on Cincinnati Reds +131

The Cincinnati Reds are 10-3 in their last 13 games overall and have scored 5 or more runs in seven of their last nine games overall, including 6 or more in six of those.  They should not be this big of underdogs to the Milwaukee Brewers tonight.

That's especially the case with how great starter Vladimir Gutierrez has been.  He is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.118 WHIP in three starts this season.  One of those starts came against the Brewers last time out as he held them to two runs in 7 innings of a 7-3 victory on June 9th.

Eric Lauer is 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA and 1.474 WHIP in four starts this season for the Brewers.  He just allowed 7 earned runs and 3 homers in 2 innings to the lowly Detroit Tigers on June 1st in his last start.  Lauer allowed 6 earned runs in 3 innings of a 3-8 loss to the Reds in his last start against them.  Take the Reds Monday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago White Sox +101

The Chicago White Sox have won four straight games and are 6-1 in their last seven games overall.  They should not be home underdogs to the Tampa Bay Rays in Monday in what is a battle for first place in the American League.

The White Sox have the advantage on the mound tonight behind Lance Lynn, who is an AL Cy Young contender.  Lynn is 7-1 with a 1.37 ERA and 0.898 WHIP in 11 starts this season.  He is 1-1 with a 2.36 ERA in five career starts against the Rays as well.  He has allowed just one earned run in 15 innings in his last two starts against Tampa Bay.

Chicago is 14-2 in home games vs. an AL starting pitcher with a 3.70 ERA or better over the last two seasons.  The White Sox are 6-0 in their last six during Game 1 of a series.  Chicago is 41-15 in its last 56 home games.  Roll with the White Sox Monday.

20* Interleague GAME OF THE WEEK on Los Angeles Angels -127

The Los Angeles Angels have gone 10-3 in their last 13 games overall. They have now scored 5 runs or more in seven straight games. They take on an Arizona Diamondbacks team that has lost nine straight and is now just 5-32 in their last 37 games overall.

The Angels have the advantage not only at the plate but also on the mound today and should be bigger favorites as a result. Patrick Sandoval has posted a 3.15 ERA in four starts this season for the Angels.

He'll be opposed by John Duplantier, who is 0-2 with a 10.03 ERA and 1.799 WHIP in three starts this season for the Diamondbacks. He has already allowed 13 earned runs and 4 homers in 11 2/3 innings. Take the Angels Sunday.

20* Nets/Bucks ABC No-Brainer on Milwaukee +2.5

The Milwaukee Bucks won Game 3 86-83 despite shooting just 37.8% from the field and 6-of-31 (19.4%) from 3-point range. That was an incredible effort to gut out that win, and it gives them a ton of confidence heading into Game 4.

In fact, the Bucks have shot poorly all series, which is an aberration based on the fact that they were one of the best shooting teams in the NBA during the regular season. They went 8-of-27 (29.6%) from 3 in Game 2 and 6-of-30 (20%) from 3 in Game 1.

It's safe to say the Bucks are due to shoot to their potential in Game 4. And from a line value perspective, this is a 6-point adjustment from Game 3. They go from being 3.5-point favorites in Game 3 to 2.5-point underdogs in Game 4. There is a ton of value with the Bucks as home underdogs today.

Plays against all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Brooklyn) - off a road cover where they lost SU as an underdog, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 34-11 (75.6%) ATS since 1996.

Plays against road teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Brooklyn) - after beating the spread by 54 points or more total in their last 10 games against an opponent that went under the total by more than 24 points in their previous game are 25-6 (80.6%) ATS since 1996. Bet the Bucks Sunday.

15* MLB Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Orioles/Rays OVER 8

The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the Orioles and Rays with combined scores 9 runs or more four times. That includes 19, 16 and 11-run efforts in three of them.

Michael Wacha is only averaging 4.4 innings per start this season for the Rays, so the Orioles should get to their bullpen early. Bruce Zimmerman is 3-3 with a 5.21 ERA and 1.572 WHIP in 10 starts for the Orioles, including 1-1 with a 5.78 ERA and 1.585 WHIp in five road starts.

Zimmerman allowed 5 runs in 3 innings for a 15.00 ERA in his lone career start against the Rays, which resulted in a 6-10 loss and 16 combined runs. Wacha is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in two career starts against Baltimore which both saw 13 combined runs. Roll with the OVER in this game Sunday.

25* NBA 2nd Round GAME OF THE YEAR on Los Angeles Clippers -4.5

The Los Angeles Clippers will be highly motivated for a victory in Game 3 tonight after losing the first two games of this series to the Jazz.  They blew a double-digit lead in Game 1 and lost by 3 points, then lost by 6 points in Game 2 as both games went to the wire.

It's amazing Game 2 went to the wire when you consider how well Utah shot the ball.  They shot 55.3% from the field and 20-of-39 (51.3%) from 3-point range and broke some franchise records in that category.

The Jazz won't shoot that well again as the Clippers are one of the better defensive teams in the NBA.  They will give a big effort in Game 3 at home this time around with their fans behind them.  And it should be enough to cover this 4.5-point spread.

The Jazz are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Utah is 0-4 ATS in its last four games as an underdog. The Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as favorites. Bet the Clippers Saturday.

15* MLB Saturday Undervalued Underdog on St. Louis Cardinals +164

Analysis will be posted shortly.

15* MLB Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Astros/Twins OVER 9

The Houston Astros are hitting the cover off the ball right now. They have scored 6 runs or more in 5 straight games. They are averaging 7.1 runs per game during this stretch.

The Twins have been a great OVER bet all season due to having a great lineup but a terrible staff. They have scored 4 runs or more in seven of their last eight games. They are 40-20-3 OVER in their 63 games this season. The Astros are 37-24-2 OVER in their 63 games.

The OVER is 20-6-1 in Twins last 27 games vs. a team with a winning record. The OVER is 20-4-3 in Twins last 27 games when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game. 

Finally, the wind will be blowing out to right field at 10 MPH tonight with temperatures in the 80's to help aid this OVER bet. Roll with the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* Suns/Nuggets ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 223.5

I cashed in the UNDER 223 in Game 2 by the narrowest of margins. But that was a dead nuts UNDER until the backups got in in the 4th quarter.

It was 52-42 Phoenix at halftime for 94 combined points. Then they went off for 127 points in the 2nd half, including 68 in the 4th quarter when the backups were in and there was no defense being played.

Game 3 is expected to be close with the Nuggets currently 1.5-point favorites. The defensive intensity should be high for four quarters, thus giving us an easy winner on the UNDER. 

The Suns are an elite defensive team and the Nuggets are struggling to find offense outside Nikola Jokic. And after two huge offensive performances by the Suns, I have to think the Nuggets will improve defensively in Game 3 with their season on the line at home.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Phoenix) after four or more consecutive wins, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 51-19 (72.9%) over the last five seasons.

Plays on the UNDER on road teams where the total is 220 or higher (Phoenix) - a well rested team playing 4 or less games in 10 days, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 37-12 (75.5%) over the last five seasons. Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

20* NL GAME OF THE WEEK on Atlanta Braves -116

The Atlanta Braves will be highly motivated for a victory today after blowing late leads to the Phillies each of the last two days in walk off fashion. Now they take on the lowly Miami Marlins in Game 1 of this series Friday.

The Braves have the advantage on the mound behind Charlie Morton, who is better than his season long stats suggest. Morton is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.072 WHIP in four road starts this season. He is 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA in his last four starts while allowing just 6 earned runs in 23 innings.

Sandy Alcantara is getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers today due to his 3.30 ERA in 13 starts this season. But Alcantara is 5.84 ERA in his last two starts against the Braves, allowing 8 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings.

The Braves are 38-15 in the last 53 meetings. Atlanta is 59-28 in its last 87 meetings in Miami. Take the Braves Friday.

15* AL PLAY OF THE DAY on Chicago White Sox -155

The Chicago White Sox improved to 30-4 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons with their 5-2 victory over the Blue Jays Thursday. They are winning by 3.8 runs per game against left-handed starters over the last two seasons.

Now the White Sox take on left-handed Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers. Skubal is 3-6 with a 4.47 ERA and 1.407 WHIP in 10 starts for the Tigers this season. He is 1-1 with a 6.43 ERA and 2.143 WHIP in two career starts against the White Sox as well.

Lucas Giolito has returned to ace form in recent weeks. He has allowed one run or fewer in five of his last seven starts. Giolito should be more than a -155 favorite against Skubal and the Tigers today. Roll with the White Sox Friday.

20* MLB DOG OF THE WEEK on Chicago White Sox +104

The Chicago White Sox are 29-4 vs. left-handed starters over the last two seasons and winning by 3.8 runs per game in this spot.  They are scoring 6.8 runs per game in these 33 games against left-handers as well.

Now the White Sox take on lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, who has struggled of late for the Blue Jays.  He just gave up 7 runs, 6 earned, and 2 homers in 5 2/3 innings of a 13-1 loss to the Astros in his last start.  The White Sox will get to him as well.

Dallas Keuchel has been solid this season for the White Sox at 4-1 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.279 WHIP in 12 starts.  He is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in his last three starts as well.  Kuechel has never lost to the Blue Jays, going 4-0 in his six career starts against them.  Take the White Sox Thursday.

20* Nets/Bucks ESPN No-Brainer on Milwaukee -3

The season and pride is on the line for the Milwaukee Bucks tonight.  It's safe to say they will give their best effort of the season, and it should be good enough to get a win and cover and get back in this series against the Brooklyn Nets.

After losing by 8 points in Game 1, the Bucks were absolutely embarrassed with a 39-point loss in Game 2.  That's why their pride is on the line here, and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder.  I also expect the Nets to take their foot off the gas after how easy Game 2 came for them.

The Nets aren't going to continue shooting this well all series.  They made 15-of-40 from 3-point range in Game 1 and an even better 21-of-42 in Game 2.  Conversely, the Bucks made 6-of-30 in Game 1 and 8-of-27 in Game 2.  

The Bucks are a much better shooting team than they've shown and should be better where they are comfortable at home, especially their role players.  They shoot 39.6% from 3 on the season while the Nets are at 38.3%, so it has been an aberration.  Plus, being without James Harden will catch up with the Nets sooner rather than later.

Milwaukee is 12-3 ATS after losing two of their last three games this season, coming back to win by 14.7 points per game.  The Nets are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games as playoff underdogs.  Milwaukee is 6-1 ATS in its last seven home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The Bucks are 29-13-1 ATS in the last 43 meetings.  Bet the Bucks Thursday.

15* MLB Thursday Early ANNIHILATOR on Atlanta Braves +131

The Atlanta Braves come back highly motivated for a victory today after blowing a one-run lead in the 9th inning last night to the Phillies, losing on a two-run homer with two outs.  I think there's tremendous value with the Braves here as underdogs when they are simply the better team.

Ian Anderson has been solid this season for the Braves at 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.230 WHIP in 11 starts.  Anderson has a 4.41 ERA and 1.286 WHIP in three career starts against the Phillies as well with the Braves winning his last two starts against them.

Zack Wheeler is getting way too much respect from oddsmakers today.  Wheeler gave up 3 earned runs and 11 base runners in 4 2/3 innings in his last start against the Braves on April 9th, which resulted in an 8-1 victory for Atlanta.

Atlanta is 24-8 in its last 32 games after scoring two runs or less last game.  Wheeler is 1-10 (-10.1 units) in June home games in his career.  The Braves are 49-24 in their last 73 during Game 3 of a series.  Roll with the Braves Thursday.

15* MLB Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Kansas City Royals +135

The Kansas City Royals will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have lost four straight including the first two games of this series to the Angels.  They desperately want to avoid the sweep with a victory in Game 3 tonight, and I like the value we are getting on them.

Brad Keller has been at his best on the road this season, going 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA in six starts away from home.  Keller is 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his last three starts as well.  He is 2-2 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.191 WHIP in four career starts against the Angels.

Griffin Canning is 3-4 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.537 WHIP in nine starts this season for the Angels.  He has been at his worst at home, going 2-2 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.765 WHIP in four home starts.  Canning is 1-2 with an 8.74 ERA and 1.853 WHIP in his last three starts as well.

Kansas City is 6-0 (+8.8 units) revenging a blowout road loss by 6 runs or more over the last two seasons.  Keller is 14-7 (+12.2 units) in all starts over the last two seasons.  The Angels are 1-7 (-8.5 units) after a win by 6 runs or more this season.  Roll with the Royals Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Nuggets/Suns UNDER 223

The Phoenix Suns are a great UNDER team because they are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA and they play at a slow tempo.  I'll come back with the UNDER in Game 2 after Game 1 saw 227 combined points and went over the 222.5-point total.

The Suns had a great shooting game in Game 1 scoring 122 points and making 54.1% from the field.  I don't see that happening again here.  The Nuggets only scored 105 points but still shot a decent 46.7% from the field.  I don't foresee either team topping 110 points in Game 2 tonight.

Plays on the UNDER on road teams where the total is 220 or higher (Denver) a well rested team playing 4 or less games in 10 games, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 36-12 (75%) over the last five seasons.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (Phoenix) - after four or more consecutive wins, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%) are 50-19 (72.5%) over the last five seasons.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* MLB Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on New York Yankees -1.5 (-115)

The Minnesota Twins have been huge money burners this season at 24-36 (-21.7 units) on the season.  They have a terrible pitching staff and aren't hitting the ball as well as they have the past few seasons.  I'll gladly fade them tonight considering the Yankees have big advantage on the mound.

Gerrit Cole has been on top of baseball when it comes to the best starting pitchers the last handful of years.  He is 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.872 WHIP in 12 starts this season with 104 K's in 75 2/3 innings.  Cole fired 7 shutout innings in his lone career starts against the Twins in an 11-0 victory.

Randy Dobnak is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA and 1.415 WHIP in three starts this season.  He has allowed 9 earned runs and 20 base runners in 11 2/3 innings in losing each of his last two starts to the Royals and Orioles.  Dobnak gave up 4 earned runs in 2 innings in his lone career start against the Yankees in a 2-8 defeat.

Cole is 32-10 as a favorite of -125 to -175 with his teams winning by 2.2 runs per game in this spot.  The Twins are 4-13 in their last 17 games as home underdogs.  The Yankees are 21-7 in their last 28 vs. AL Central opponents.  New York is 64-21 in the last 85 meetings, including 37-16 in the last 53 meetings in Minnesota.  Take the Yankees on the Run Line Wednesday.

15* MLB Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Kansas City Royals +142

The Kansas City Royals had won five straight games and scored 5 runs or more in seven straight games prior to their current three-game losing streak.  They'll be motivated to get back in the win column today and I like their chances here at a great value against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Royals have the advantage on the mound tonight behind Kris Bubic, who is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA in four starts this season.  He'll be opposed by Andrew Heaney, who is 3-3 with a 4.77 ERA in 10 starts, including 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in five home starts.

The Angels are 2-10 after a win by 4 runs or more this season.  Los Angeles is 1-9 vs. an AL starting pitcher with a 3.70 ERA or better this season.  Take the Royals Tuesday.

15* Hawks/76ers TNT ANNIHILATOR on Philadelphia -6

The Atlanta Hawks jumped on the 76ers early and held on late for the upset win in Game 1.  I fully expect the 76ers to have their revenge, and it's a great sign moving forward for them that Embiid looks healthy after his big performance in Game 1.

The Hawks shot 51.2% from the field and 20-of-47 (42.6%) from 3-point range in Game 1.  They won't have that big of an offensive performance again, and they really don't have an answer fro Philadelphia defensively with so many weak defenders in their lineup.

Philadelphia is 10-2 ATS in home games following a loss this season.  It is coming back to win by 10.6 points per game on average in this spot.  The 76ers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  Philadelphia is 32-8 SU at home this season and 10-1 SU in its last 11 home games.  Roll with the 76ers Tuesday.

20* MLB Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Cincinnati Reds -132

The Cincinnati Reds have won four straight and six of their last seven games to pull within one game of .500 on the season.  They will be motivated to get to .500 especially with the rival Milwaukee Brewers coming to town tonight.

The Reds have the clear advantage on the mound tonight and should be bigger favorites because of it.  Sonny Gray has posted a 3.64 ERA with 60 K's in 47 innings in nine starts this season.  Gray owns the Brewers, going 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 career starts against them.

Adrian Houser is 3-5 with a 4.07 ERA in 10 starts for the Brewers while averaging just 4.9 innings per start.  Houser has never beaten the Reds, going 0-3 with a 7.59 ERA and 1.641 WHIP in five career starts against them.

Gray is 19-5 (+13 units) with a total of 8.5 to 10 over the last three seasons.  Cincinnati is 9-2 following an off day this season.  Bet the Reds Tuesday.

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.