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Rivalry matchup here today in the Hawkeye State as Iowa States hosts their rivals, Iowa. This game usually invokes big emotions on both sides, just ask Iowa State HC Matt Campbell who got very emotional the last time these teams met in 2019. The Cyclones led that contest at the half, but Iowa rallied in the 2nd half the win, 18-17. This will be the first time these teams have met with both being ranked in the AP top 25. Iowa State beat Northern Iowa last week, 16-10, holding NIU to just 275 total yards. Meanwhile, Iowa dominated Indiana last week, 34-6. With the fans back in force this should be one for the books today. I'm taking the Cyclones here today and laying the small price.

Clash of top 25 teams here on Saturday as No 12 Oregon travels to No 3 Ohio State to take on the Buckeyes. Oregon opened their season last week with a win at home over Fresno State, 31-24. Oregon had a tougher time last week against Fresno then many expected. However, I think they were looking ahead to this matchup with Ohio State, a team they haven't faced since the 2015 National Championship that Ohio State won, 42-20. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud made his Buckeyes debut, completing 13-of-22 for 294 yards and four TD's. Oregon has an excellent defense that should keep them close in this game. With the big line that Ohio State has to lay, I'll take that number early in the season and see if Oregon can't slide inside the number. Play Oregon. Ohio State dominated Minnesota on the road last week, 45-31.

 Western Kentucky opened their season with an easy win over Tennessee-Martin, 59-21. The Hilltoppers racked-up 587 total yards in the win. Army was on the road last week and beat Georgia State, 43-10. Army dominated the time of possession with a 42:07 to 17:53 advantage. Army used three QB's in that game and all of them are excellent at running. Both teams will get their first real test of the season here today. This will be a contrast of styles as W.Ky will look to move through the air and Army will look to ground and pound the Hilltoppers. Army has a excellent defense and W.Ky won't have the luxury they did last week. I'll take Army here on Saturday.

Tampa Bay begins its defense of their Super Bowl win with tonight's opening game of the 2021 NFL season. The Bucs host the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys looking to turn around what was a very disappointing season from last year. It all started going downhill in week four when QB Dak Prescott went down with that season ending nasty ankle injury. Dak is Back! Well, hopefully at full strength. There is some question as to whether he's nursing that ankle and he also had some should issues during the preseason. For me, I like betting against the previous NFL SUper Bowl champs in week one. I feel the lines are inflated by the oddsmaker and I believe the Cowboys will give a good account here tonight. Take the generous points with the Cowboys.

Giants came out of the weekend with the Dodgers and are still 1-game ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West. They have won two straight games as they continue to keep the Dodgers at bay. The Rockies are 25-games back of the Giants and have lost two straight games. The Rockies have been a very good home team, but have lost two straight at home and three of their last five. Logan Webb starts for the Giants with a 8-3 record and 2.59 ERA. He's been very good of late, going 4-0 with a 1.39 ERA over his last seven starts. Chi Chi Gonzalez starts for the Rockies with his 2-5 record and 6.20 ERA. Despite the Rockies decent home record I'm taking a very good Webb here today on the Run Line.

Notre Dame coming off a fine 2020 campaign, posting a 10-2 record. Can't say the same for Florida State that recorded just a 3-6 mark last season. FSU begins their second season under HC Mike Norvell. You can't find much fault with the Irish numbers from last year, scoring 33.4 ppg and 448 ypg while allowing 19.7 ppg and 343 yards. Kyren Williams returns at QB after leading Notre Dame with 1,100 yards rushing and 13 TD's. Jack Coan, a Wisconsin transfer, will take over at QB. Florida State averaged 25.8 ppg and 396 yards while allowing 36 points and 456 yards. The Seminoles return QB Jordan Travis who had six TD's and 1,000 yards passing. Florida State had a horrible season, but this team always has quality players and should rebound this season. This will be a night game at Florida State and the Seminoles receiving around a touchdown here tonight. I'm going to take the points with the home team. Play Florida State.

 The Yankees have won just five of their last 10 games and because of that have slipped to 7.5-games back of 1st place Tampa Bay after having close to 5.5-games. The Orioles are one of the worst teams in baseball, yet they beat the Yankees on Saturday 4-3, thus splitting the first two games of this series. Keegan Akin starts for the Orioles today. Keegan is 2-8 with a 7.33 ERA and that goes up to 8.55 on the road. Corey Kluber makes his second start for the Yankees since coming off the disabled list. Kluber didn't fare to well in his first outing, going just four innings vs the Angels and allowing five hits and five runs. Still, the Orioles are just horrible with a terrible starter today. I'll take another shot with Kluber today on the Run Line.

Week 1 action of the college football season here on Saturday has BYU taking on Arizona at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. BYU was an offensive powerhouse in 2020, averaging 43.5 ppg and 522 yards per game. The defense was very good, allowing 15.3 ppg. Baylor Romney looks to be the heir apparent to Zach Wilson who graduated to the NFL. Back is RB Tyler Allgeier who had 1,100 yards and 13 TD's last year. Arizona had a bad season, especially on offense where they average just 17.4 ppg and 369 yards. The defense was also horrible, allowing almost 40 ppg and 473 yards. Arizona is 0-5 ATS in their last five neutral site games and 0-4 ATS their last four games overall. While BYU can't be expected to be the same team from last year with a new QB, they are far and above the better team here tonight. Play BYU.

Tampa Bay has extended its lead in the AL East over the NY Yankees to 6.5-games, thanks in big part to a 8-2 run over their last 10 games. The Twins, well they are in last in the AL Central and that doesn't look to change. They have lost three straight games and six of their last 10 games. The Twins start Andrew Albers here today for just his second start of the season. Albers did well in his first start, going 5 1/3 innings vs the Brewers, allowing three hits and no runs. Chris Archer makes just his third start since returning from the IL list. Archer has allowed just two runs over his six innings with 10 KO's and just two walks. Rays just too tough to pass on here today. Lay the Run Line with the Rays.

Stanford had a Covid shortened PAC-12 schedule last year and went 4-2 S/U. They begin the new season today under 11-year HC David Shaw. Shaw has been a winner, producing 71% winning games. Kansas State struggled last year, going 4-6 S/U and are in their third year under HC Chris Klieman. Klieman is 12-11 in his first two seasons. Stanford average 29 ppg and 420 yards per game last season. The defense was the problem, allowing 31.7 ppg and 438 yards per game last year. Kansas State average 26.6 ppg and 337 yard last season. The defense was also a problem, as they allowed 32.2 ppg and 444 ypg. Will Howard is back at QB. His freshman year last year he had 1,100 yards passing and eight TD's. I expect a close game here on Saturday, but it's hard to pass up on points with the Cardinal. Play Stanford.

Reason: Conference play starts right away for the Big 10 and today Northwestern hosts Michigan State. Northwester had a fine year last season at 7-2 despite the Covid schedule. They lost in the Big 10 Championship to Ohio State despite leading 10-6 at the half. Meanwhile, Michigan State has something to prove under second year head coach Mel Tucker after finishing last in the Big Ten East with a 2-5 record. Michigan State still is looking for a QB to take over the starting spot vacated by Rocky Lombardi, who transferred to Northern Illinois. Northwestern has had a great defense, but they will be without their coordinator Mike Hankwitz who retired. Michigan State has done well in this series, with the Spartans winning the last two meetings. Both teams have a lot of holes to fill especially for Northwestern that returns only five defensive starters. I look for this game to be very close and with that I'll take the points here today. Play Michigan State.

The Seattle Storm are the defending champions, but they are in the middle of a fight here in the WNBA. They trail first place Connecticut by 3.5 games, 2nd place Las Vegas by 2-games and are ahead of 4th place Minnesota by just a half game. Then they have Phoenix just 1-game back. So every game as we head down the stretch is important. They win here tonight.

The LV Aces know that in order to win the WNBA they have to be more focused early in games. Lately that hasn't been the case as they have gotten off to some slow starts and found themselves fighting from behind late in the game. They trail Connecticut by just 1.5 games for the WNBA's best record. They know what they need to do and they get it done here tonight.

Week 0 had a few teams playing last week, but the full schedule gets underway here in week one. South Florida visits Raleigh here tonight to play NC State in both team's opening game of the season. NC State had a nice 8-4 record last year, though they lost to Kentucky in the Gator Bowl. South Florida had a horrid season at 1-8 as Jeff Scott's took over the helm in his first year last season. USF QB Cade Fortin should be familiar with NC State as he transferred from North Carolina where he faced the Wolfpack. NC State QB is Devin Leary, a fourth-year sophomore who started three games last year. This Wolfpack team should be even better then their eight wins last year and that means problems here tonight for South Florida. Take NC State in what should be a Wolfpack blowout.

UAB won the USA Championship last year, the second time in the last three years. The Blazers beat Marshall in the Championship game and finished 6-3 overall but passed on a Bowl game. Jacksonville State didn't even begin play until October last year and eventually lost in the quarterfinals to Delaware, 14-20. They finished a very good 10-3 overall. They did beat Florida International last year, 19-10. This Blazer team is pretty good and proved they can beat an FBS team. I'll take the generous points here today. Play Jacksonville State.

The Connecticut Sun are the best team in the WNBA with a 20-6 record as we head toward the end of the regular season. Home court is important and they currently lead 2nd place Las Vegas by 1-game. The Sun have won nine of their last 10 games. The Sun have covered five of their last six games (all as a favorite). Washington Mystics are in 9th place, one game back of the 8th and final playoff spot. The Mystics are just 2-8 S/U over their last 10 games. The issue for the Mystics are injuries. Washington F Elana Delle Donne is questionable today with a back injury and C Tina Charles is out with another injury. Playing Connecticut is tough enough, playing without two key players is a huge handicap. Take Connecticut here today.

The Tampa Bay Rays have won 6-straight games and nine of their last 10 games. They have needed it too in order to hold off the surging NY Yankees that have closed the gap in the AL East to just 5-games. The Orioles snapped their 19-game losing streak last week and now have another two-game losing streak started. The O's have dropped the first two games of this set with the Rays, 3-6 and then last night 3-4. The Rays have welcomed back Chris Archer to the rotation. Archer has no record after his one start since April 10th. That was just two innings, but he allowed just one hit and no runs. The O's will start Spenser Watkins who is 2-6 on the season with a 7.24 ERA. He's been slightly worse lately with a 1-6 record and 8.81 ERA over his last seven starts. Archer likely won't go to much farther today, but the O's are bad and they have a bad starter on the hill. Play Tampa Bay on the Run Line.

The Houston Astros have opened up a 6.5-game lead in the AL West thanks in part to 2nd place Oakland slumping to 2-8 over their last 10 games. The Rangers are last in the division with a 44-84 record and have lost three straight and eight of their last 10 games. Framber Valdez starts for the Astros today. Valdez is 8-4 on the season with a 2.94 ERA. Kolby Allard starts for the Rangers with his 2-10 record and 5.29 ERA. He's been even worse of late, going 1-4 with a 6.87 ERA in his last seven starts. I'm going to lay the Run Line here today with the Astros.

First college games of the season kickoff on Saturday and we get Nebraska vs Illinois in a Big 10 matchup. Nebraska won just three games last season and still haven't had a winning season under HC Scott Frost. Illinois won just twice last year, but welcome new HC Bret Bielema who was at Wisconsin last year. Nebraska returns QB Adrian Martinez for his fourth year as signal caller. Martinez was the team's leading rusher last season. Illinois returns Brandon Peters at QB. They also return their leading rusher in Chase Brown. Nebraska laying a TD on the road here on Saturday is a lot for a team that has had a difficult time winning straight-up. I look for Illinois to be improved this year and won't be surprised by a straight-up win here on Saturday. Play Illinois.

The Baltimore Orioles snapped their 19-game losing streak with a win over the Angels on Wednesday. Now, they have won two straight games after beating the Angels twice. Tonight they face AL East leader in Tampa Bay. The Rays need to win since the Yankees have won 12 games and shaved four games off the Rays lead here just recently. Shane McClanahan starts tonight for the Rays. He's 8-4 on the season with a 3.63 ERA. Matt Harvey will start for the Orioles. Harvey is 6-13 with a 6.27 ERA. He's 2-8 at home with a 6.62 ERA. I look for the Rays to take these games serious and therfore I'll lay the Run Line here tonight with Tampa Bay.

The LA Angels are now sitting in 4th in the AL West, 11.5 games back of the 1st place Houston Astros. The Angels beat the Orioles in game one of this set, 14-8. that win snapped a three game losing streak to the Indians. What can you say about the Orioles. They have now lost 19 straight games as they go for number 20 tonight. The Orioles look to start newly acquired pitcher Chris Ellis. The O's claimed Ellis off waivers from the Rays. Ellis wasn't very good at the Triple-A level with a 6.32 ERA in 57 innings. The Angels will start Shohei Ohtani who is 8-1 on the season with a 2.79 ERA. Ohtani hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his last six starts. I'll lay the Run Line here tonight with the Angels.

How bad have things been for the Baltimore Ravens? How about 16-straight losses and a MLB worst 38-83 record. The Braves have won the first two games of this series, 7-2 and then last night 3-0. Drew Smyly will start today for the Braves. Smyly is 8-3 on the season with a 4.50 ERA. HE's 5-2 on the road with a 4.52 ERA. Veteran Matt Harvey will toe the rubber tonight for the Orioles. Harvey is 6-12 on the season with a 6.25 ERA. Harvey hasn't been horrible, but with these Oriole bats behind him he has to almost be perfect to get a win these days. I'm going to stick with the play I've made the last two nights and that's the Braves run-line.

Week 2 of the NFL preseason 3 week schedule. The Ravens opened week 1 of the preseason with a win over the Saints 17-14 at home. The Panthers lost to the Colts in game one, 18-21. Lamar Jackson didn't suit up last week due to Covid protocols. Not sure if he will yet be cleared to play here in week two. Trace McSorely and Tyler Huntley are battling for the backup spot and should both see plenty of action this week. RB Justice Hill likely will see the bulk of the running action with both Dobbins and Edwards not getting much of any play here today. QB Sam Darnold will make his Panthers debut here on Saturday, though in limited action. PJ Walker and Will Grier are contesting for the backup spot at this point. The Ravens have always been a good preseason team, but the Panthers have more to prove here on Saturday. I'll take the points at home with Carolina.

Rockies are one of the best home teams in baseball with a 41-21 record at Coor's Field. In fact, they are coming off a 3-game home sweep of the Padres, scoring 20 runs in the 3-game set. Today they face one of the worst road teams in baseball in the Arizona Diamondbacks who are just 14-45 away from home. Tyler Gilbert makes only his second start here for the D'backs. In his first he threw a no-hitter for the Diamondbacks. What a way to make your debut. However, that was at home and now he has to go to the unfriendly pitcher park of Coors. Austin Gomber will start for the Rockies. He's 9-7 on the season, but 5-1 at home with a great 1.70 ERA. I think Gilbert will find life less enjoyable here today in this park. Play Colorado on the Run Line.

The Atalanta Braves are in 1st place in the NL East, thanks in big part to their six-game win streak and winning nine of their last 10 games. Today, they play an IL Game against the worst team in the junior circuit. Baltimore is just 38-82 on the season and has lost 15 straight games. Max Fried gets the start for the Braves with a 10-7 record and 3.86 ERA. He's been even better of late, going 5-2 with a 2.36 ERA over his last seven starts. Keegan Akin still looking for his first win of the year for the O's with a 0-7 record in his 10 starts. He has a lofty 9.29 ERA and as hard as it is to believe it's even worse of late with a 0-6 record and 12.67 ERA over his last seven starts. Braves should feast on this team and pitcher here today. Lay the Run line with the Braves.

Patriots and Eagles kickoff week 2 of the NFL preseason. Pats QB Mac Jones looked really good in the Patriots win last week at home, 22-13. Jones was the 15th overall pick and looks to already be challenging Cam Newton for the starting role. Expect to see a lot more of Jones here tonight. Damien Harris and Sony Michel are battling for the Number 1 RB and both should see plenty of action tonight. Jalen Hurts looks to have the starting QB role at Philly. Eagles 10th overall pick was Devonta Smith at WR, but he's nursing a knee sprain. The Pats are 4-1 ATS in their last five preseason games while the Eagles are just 1-4 ATS. Pats looked good last week and I'm taking them here tonight. Play New England.

The Twins and Yankees begin a four game set here on Thursday. The Twins enter tonight's game having won seven of their last 10 games. They just took two of the three games from Cleveland and have won four of their last five games and six of the last eight. The Yankees have gotten hot, sweeping the Red Sox and holding them to five total runs over three games. They have won six straight games and eight of their last 10 games. The Twins will start John Gant tonight. Gant is 4-6 on the season with a 3.76 ERA and a 5.93 ERA over his last seven starts. Jameson Taillon is 7-4 on the season with a 3.89 ERA. He's been very good of late, going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA over his last seven games. I'm taking the Yankees here on Thursday.

The Blue Jays are 4th in the AL East, 8-games back of 1st place Tampa Bay. The Jays took the final game of their three game set with the Mariners, 8-3. They will play this IL contest here today at Washington. The Nationals Have lost seven straight games and nine of the last 10 games. Toronto starts Alek Manoah today who is 5-1 in his 11 starts this year. Manoah has a nifty 2.59 ERA and 1.017 WHIP. Erick Fedde is 4-8 in his 19 starts for the Nationals. Fedde has a 5.12 overall ERA and a 6.25 ERA over his last seven games. I'm going to lay the Run Line here today with the Blue Jays against a poor Washington team. Play Toronto on the Run Line.

The Oakland A's have won eight of their last 10 games as they now sit just 2.5-games back of 1st place Houston Astros. The A's need to win games like today against last place Texas, who is just 2-8 over their last 10 games. The A's lost last night's opening game of this series to the Rangers, 6-8. James Kapreilian starts for the A's with his 6-4 record and 3.22 ERA. He's coming off a very good start vs these Rangers, allowing just two runs over six innings in the win. Jordan Lyles will toe the rubber for the Rangers. Lyles is 5-9 with a 5.58 ERA. He's been slightly worse of late with a 2-4 record and 6.15 ERA over his last seven starts. Furthermore, he's allowed 12 runs over his last 11 innings. Take the A's today on the Run Line.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were the worst team in the NFL last year. They drafted first and got QB Trevor Lawrence to fill a void at QB and then also got Travis Etienne, RB from Clemson in the first round. They also had two second round picks. Motivation plays a large part in winning preseason games. The Browns have no motivation. They are set at QB, RB and WR. The Jags will want to give Lawrence plenty of action here in game one along with Etienne. The Jaguars will want to get these draft choices and young players lots of playing time and install a winning attitude early on. No so for the Browns, they will just look to stay healthy this preseason. Play Jacksonville here on Saturday.

 AL West clash here today has the 3rd place Mariners taking on the last place Rangers. The Mariners still in the hunt with a 59-54 record and 7.5-games back of the Astros. The Rangers are done, now 27-games back after losing their 6th in a row last night. Kolby Allard will start for the Rangers with a 1-10 record and 5.69 ERA. Logan Gilbert will start for the M's with a 5-3 record and 4.14 ERA. I'll lay the run and half here with the Mariners. Play Seattle -1.5 runs

The Giants continue to lead the NL West, now 4-games ahead of the Dodgers. They have won two straight and seven of their last 10 games. They get to feast on the D'backs right now who are a whopping 36.5-games back in the West. Zac Gallen will start for the D'backs with his 1-6 record and 4.62 ERA. He's been worse of late, posting a 0-4 mark and 5.18 ERA over his last seven starts. Alex Wood will start for the Dodgers with a 9-3 record and 4.03 ERA. He's got a 3-0 record and 3.93 ERA over his last seven starts. Giants should have no trouble here tonight. Lay the Run Line with SF.

The Oakland A's are closing the gap between themselves and the 1st place Houston Astros. The Astros lead the A's by 3-games, but have seen two games shaved off that lead here lately. The A's have won three straight and seven of the last 10 games. The Rangers are in last place in the division and have now lost five straight games. Jordan Lyles will start for the Rangers. Lyles is 5-8 with a 5.37 ERA. James Kapreilian will go for the A's with his 5-4 record and 3.23 ERA. He's been very good at home with a 3-2 record and 1.13 ERA. I like the A's a lot here today. I'll lay the Run-Line with the A's.

AL West game here today as the Oakland A's host the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are dead last in the division with a 39-70 record and 26-games back of the Astros. The Rangers have lost three straight games and six of their last 10 games. The A's are holding strong in 2nd place, just four games back of the Astros. Mike Foltynewicz starts tonight for the Rangers with a 2-10 record and lofty 6.00 ERA. But it gets even worse on the road where he is 1-6 with a 8.38 ERA. Chris Bassitt will start for the A's with a 11-3 record and 3.28 ERA. He's been very good at home with a 2.70 ERA. I'm going to lay the Run Line here with the A's.

Game four of the NBA Finals as the Milwaukee Bucks look to even this series at 2-2 here on Wednesday. The Bucks made some adjustments in game three and they paid off big. Milwaukee won game three 120-100. The Bucks fell behind 25-28 after one quarter but used a 35-17 2nd quarter to get the lead and cruised the rest of the way. I expect the Suns to be more focused here on Wednesday. However, I still believe Milwaukee will win this game, though not by the game three margin. Home court means a lot in this series and this one is looking more and more like a 7-game series. I'll take the Bucks here today. Play Milwaukee Bucks.

It's the final of the 2020 EURO Futbal championship as Italy takes on England for the title. Home advantage here today to England as this game will be played in Wembley Stadium. Italy got here via a penalty shootout with Spain. England was tied with Denmark, 1-1 after regulation and that game too 120 minutes of play for England to come out on top, 2-1. England hasn't played in a major tournament final for 55 years. Italy bring a 33-game unbeaten streak into today's contest and a +76-goal differential. England had five clean sheets in a row before Denmark broke that streak early in their semifinal game. That's a testament to this English defense, which has been great. I expect to see a close, low scoring game. I'll take Italy plus the half goal and lay the small price. Play Italy +.5 or +1/4 goals

The Connecticut Sun sit in third place in the WNBA standings with a 13-6 record, just 1.5-games back of the Seattle Storm. The Sun have been very good at home, 8-1 on the season, but just average (5-5) on the road. They will face the 6th place NY Liberty, who are 10-10 on the season. The Sun are just 1-5 ATS in their last six road games. The Liberty are 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings with the Sun at New York. I'll take the points with the home team here today. Take NY Liberty.

Las Vegas Aces in 2nd place in the WNBA Standings with a 14-6 overall record. They are one-game back of the Seattle Storm. The Aces have lost two straight games but have won seven of their last 10. The Aces aren't the best road team at covering spreads, going 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight as a road favorite. The Dallas Wings are in 8th place with a 9-11 record. They have also lost two-straight games. The Wings are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a underdog. I'll take the points at home here with the Wings.

The Giants have won two straight games and extended the NL West lead over the Dodgers to 2-games. The Giants will start Anthony Desclafani today who is 9-3 with a 2.84 ERA. He's been even better his last seven starts with a 1.99 ERA and 5-1 record. The Nationals are in 4th place in the NL East with a 42-45 record. They have lost two straight and seven of their last 10 games. Veteran Jon Lester will start today with a 2-3 record and 5.34 ERA this season. The Giants should take this game as Lester is on the downside of his career. Play Giants -1.5 runs.

The semifinals of Euro 2020 here has Denmark taking on England for the right to play Italy for the Championship. England has had an easy time getting to this point in the tournament and easily took care of the Ukraine in the quarterfinals. England is 4-0-1 in the tournament thus far. Denmark lost their opening match to Finland, but has risen to the cause since by scoring 10 goals over their last three matches. England has a huge advantage by playing at home here today. No wonder then why the line has Denmark at +4.15 on the money line. England has held their last three opponents to no goals and scored six times themselves. So this game will have the Denmark hot offense against this England defense. Denmark has the 2nd most goals in the tournament. Should be a great game and if Denmark can get a lead, they have a great chance to win. I'll take the Danes on the goal line at +.5 and +1.30. Play Denmark.

The Washington Mystics currently sit in 9th place in the WNBA with a 7-9 record. They are riding a 3-game losing streak as they travel to New York to take on the Liberty. The NY Liberty are in 7th place with a 8-9 record and are 3-7 in their last 10 games. The Mystics have done well as a dog, evidenced by their 10-4 ATS mark their last 14 games. The Liberty are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite and home favorite. Mystics have covered four of the last five meetings both overall and in New York. I'll take the Mystics plus the points today.

The NBA Eastern Conference finals have the Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Game five here tonight sees this one all tied up at 2-2 after the Hawks took game four, 110-88. Now tonight the Bucks could be without their best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was downgraded to doubtful tonight. Antetokounmpo averages 28.1 points per game. The Hawks could also miss their best player in Trae Young. Young is questionable tonight with an ankle injury. Bucks are still a favorite, though a slight 2-point chalk. For me, with Antetokounmpo likely out I'll have to take the few points with the Hawks. Play Atlanta.

Game 6 of the Western Conference Championships tonight have the LA Clippers once again looking to stave off elimination and the Phoenix Suns trying to get to the NBA Finals. LA likes living on the edge, having trailed 1-3 in three straight playoff series. Yet again they won when down and forced another game. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard again tonight, something they have had to learn to live with. Once again this should be a good defense contest. The Clippers have dominated on the glass and they will need to limit Phoenix 2nd chance shots again tonight. I am going to take the Clippers here tonight, even without Leonard. They seem to have a knack of making big comebacks and I'm looking for another here tonight. Play the Clippers.

Connecticut Sun are 10-5 on the season and in 3rd place. The Sun have won two straight games and have a +5.0 point differential. The Washington Mystics are in 9th place with a 7-7 record. The Mystics have lost two straight games and are 5-5 over their last 10 games. The Suns have been a very good road team, posting a 9-4-1 ATS record over their last 14 away contests. They are also 5-2 ATS their last seven games when installed as the favorite. Suns have all the edges in this one tonight. I'm taking the visitor. Play Connecticut Sun.

Game one of the Stanley Cup finals has the Montreal Canadiens taking on the defending Cup Champions, Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning needed seven games to dispose of the NY Islanders, winning game seven 1-0. The Canadiens defeated the highly favored Vegas Golden Knights in six games, the last a OT win. In fact, three of the games in that series went to OT. The Canadiens rode the back of goalie Carey Price who saved them on many occasions and held one of the best offenses in the league in check. Price was brilliant between the pipes for the Habs. I will be taking the Lightning here in game one and laying the 1.5 goals.

After stealing game one against the Milwaukee bucks, the Atlanta Hawks had a horrid game two, losing 91-125. Now they return to their home court State Farm Arena for game three with the series tied 1-1. The Bucks put together a complete game two, something we haven't seen from them in these playoffs. Good news for the Hawks is that whether they lost by 1-point or 25-points, it's still just one loss and they are tied in the series. This is a key game for Atlanta as they need to stop the team they saw in game two. Atlanta really needs this game as they have to put that last game behind them. Nate McMillan has this team playing well and I believe he will have them ready for a great effort here tonight. Getting 4.5 points is a nice bonus. Take the points with the home Hawks here tonight.

The Clippers look to even this series here tonight, trailing 1-2 in this best of seven Western Conference Championship. The Clippers lost games one and two at Phoenix and bounced back in game three with a win 106-92. The Clippers have covered two of their three with the Suns and six of their last seven games overall. It looks like the Clippers will once again be without Kawhi Leonard who is still nursing that knee injury. The Clippers proved last game they can win vs the Suns without Leonard in the lineup. I look for the Clippers to event he series here tonight. Play LA Clippers.

The Phoneix Suns look to put the LA Clippers on the edge of extinction in these playoffs with game 3 here tonight at the Staples Center. The Suns took games one and two in Phoenix. For the Clippers, this is just deja vu all over again. The Clippers have trailed 0-2 in both their previous playoff series. The problem this time is that Kawhi Leonard is out and that's a big difference. The Clippers just came up short in game two, losing 103-104 at Phoenix. The failure of the Suns to cover that game was their first non-cover in the last nine games. Tonight, the Suns welcome back Chris Paul, who had missed the previous games with Covid Protocols. Clips on the ropes here again tonight. Do they have another miracle comeback in them again? I think they have to put it all together tonight or they will be going home. Play LA Clippers.

The Clippers look to even their series tonight with the Phoenix Suns at 1-1 after dropping game one of the series, 114-120. Paul George did his part for the Clippers, hitting seven, 3-point shots for 34 total points. The Sun won despite playing without one of their stars in Chris Paul. The Clippers have covered four of their last five overall games while the Suns are 25-10 ATS at home their last 35 games. Kawhi Leonard remains out for the Clippers tonight as does Chris Paul for the Suns. I'll take the Clippers to bounce back here in game two tonight. Play Clippers.

The Sixers forced this game seven here on Sunday as they look to advance in the playoffs. The Sixer blew 18-point leads in back-to-back games so they have no one to blame but themselves. The Hawks blew a half time lead in game six or they wouldn't even need this game today. The Hawks now need a upset win on the road to advance. Star players on both teams are having up and down series from game to game. So who will show up today is the question. With the Sixers showing they have trouble holding big leads, I'll take the generous points with the Hawks here in game seven. Play Atlanta.

The Dodgers are within 1.5 games of first place in the NL West after winning two straight and eight of their last 10 games. The Dodgers have the highest run differential in the National League at +102 runs. They face one the worst run differential team in the NL in the Arizona Diamondbacks at -1.06. The D'backs are done and we aren't even to the All-Star break yet. Arizona has lost 16 straight games and are 25.5 games back of the Giants. What else can you say about this Arizona team, they are just bad. The Dodgers are hot and I really don't care who they have on the mound today, I'll lay the run line in this one. Play LA -1.5 runs.

Game 7 here today between the Bucks and the Nets from Brooklyn. The Bucks staved off elimination at home in a game 6 blowout win, 104-89. The Nets won the first two games of this series and then have lost three of the last four games. However, the Nets have not lost at home and today they are just a 1 1/2 to 2 point favorite so they need to do little more than win. The Nets will have to win without one of their Big Three in the lineup. Kyrie Irving looks to miss this game with an ankle injury. Even without Irving, I like the Nets to hold home court and win the series today. Play Brooklyn.

Game six here in the Western Conference Semifinals as the Utah Jazz look to stave off elimination at LA and force a game seven back in Utah. The Jazz opened this series with a pair of wins at home then went to LA and lost both in blowout losses. They returned home where they lost game five, 111-119. It's always about injuries and tonight there are a few key ones. The Jazz have guard Donovan Mitchell (ankle) who is listed as questionable for this game. The Clippers look to be without Kwahi Leonard tonight who has a knee injury. The Clippers won game five without Leonard and look to have to do so again tonight. Jazz are a one-point road favorite here tonight. I look for them to win this game and force that game seven. Leonard's loss will be hard for the Clippers to survive for a second straight game. Play Utah.

This best of seven semifinal series has the Nets up 3-2 after taking game five on Tuesday night, 114-108. The Nets played without two of their big three stars and were trailing at the half but rebound behind 49 points from Kevin Durant. Tonight, Nets guard Kyrie Irving is now questionable with an ankle injury. James Harden looks to be back here tonight. Nets head coach Steve Nash could give some of his oft injured stars some extra time off here in game six with the thought of returning home and having fresher players for a game seven on their home court. Either way, I look for Milwaukee to take game six here tonight on their home court. Play Milwaukee.

The Connecticut Sun are in third place in the WNBA with a 8-3 record. They are coming off a loss to the Seattle Storm, 66-89. However, they have won seven of their last 10 games. The Suns are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 road games. They are also 4-1-1 ATS in their last six road games as a dog. The Chicago Sky are 9th in the league with a 5-7 record. The Sky have won three straight games after a seven game losing streak. The Sky also have a poor home record at 1-5. The Sky are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven games as a favorite and 1-10 ATS in their last 11 home games. The Sun are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games at Chicago. I'll be on the Sun here tonight. Play Connecticut.

Vegas dominated game one of this semifinal clash, 4-1. The score could have been a lot higher if not for Carey Price and some great saves for the Habs. Still, game one the Knight dominated every facet of the game and had three of their goals scored by defensemen. Vegas has arguably the best defense in the NHL and offensive minded defensemen. Their speed was too much, their forchecking too much, they bottled up the Canadiens in their own zone. And of course Marc-Andre Fluery was great between the pipes again. Unless Montreal turns things around, this could be a quick series. Our under in game one was a nail biter as the Habs pulled their goalie with nearly five minutes to play and had numerous scoring chances. Plus the Knights missed two or three empty net goals by mere inches. Still I don't see Montreal scoring much more than they did in game one. As for today, unless something drastic changes for the Habs, they are just overmatched in this series at this point. I'll lay the puck line with Vegas here tonight. Play Vegas -1.5 goals.

The Clippers look to even this best of seven series here tonight in LA at 2-2. After a pair of loss in Utah, the Clipper had a blowout win in game three over the Jazz at the Staples Center. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 65 points in game three for the Clippers. The line here tonight has moved to Clippers -5 points. For me I feel this is a bit too high as the Jazz can win this one outright. I'll take the points with the visitors here today. Play Utah.

New York Liberty are 4th in the WNBA with a 5-4 record. However, they started the season 5-1 and have lost three straight. The Phoenix Mercury are 6th with a 5-5 record. The NY Liberty have not been a good covering team in recent seasons, going 15-34-2 over their last 51 games vs the spread. They are also 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games. Phoenix has covered the last four in this series. Take The Phoenix Mercury here on Sunday.

 The Washington Mystics are 7th in the WNBA standings with a 4-5 record. They have been better of late, winning two straight games over the LA Sparks (89-71 and the Minnesota Lynx (85-81). The Atlanta Dream are 4-6 on the season but have lost four straight after a 4-2 start. They are also 1-4 at home this season. The Mystics are now 5-0 ATS in their last five games and 7-1 ATS in their last eight road games. The Dream are just 1-5 ATS in their last six home games. The Mystics are 6-0-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with the Dream and 5-1 ATS in the last six at Atlanta. Play Washington.

The Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks had a rare low scoring affair in game three as neither team looked very sharp in the Bucks win, 86-83. The Bucks didn't get the cover though as most numbers were 3.5 on Milwuakee. Still, the Bucks were lucky to survive as they trailed 83-80 last in the fourth before take a 84-83 lead with 11 seconds left. A Nets three-point miss led to a pair of foul shots and the final 86-83 Milwaukee win. Sunday the Nets could have James Harden back who has not played since the opening minute of game one with a hamstring issue. The oddsmaker must expect Harden back as the Nets went from a 3.5 dog to a 2-point favorite here in game four. I didn't like the way the Bucks have looked in any of the three games. With or without Harden I'm on the Nets here in game four. Play Brooklyn.

The LA Sparks sit in 7th place in the WNBA standings with a 4-4 record. The Sparks are coming off a loss at the Washington Mystics, 71-89. Minnesota Lynx are in 10th place right now with a 3-5 record. The Lynx also coming off a loss at the Washington Mystics, 81-85. That loss broke a three-game win streak by the Lynx. The Sparks are not the best road team, evidenced by their 3-7 ATS mark on the road as a dog. They are also 0-4 ATS in their last four Western Conference games. This series looks to be one that the home team is the one to play. Play Minnesota.

The Denver Nuggets in desperate need a win here in game three as the venue returns to the Mile High City. It's been two blowout victories for the Suns thus far, including Wednesday night's 123-98 mismatch. Chris Paul has been the catalyst for the Suns in the playoffs, with 26 assists and just one turnover in the first two games of this series. The Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokic has been excellent, averaging 23 points and 11 points through the first two games. However, after Jokic, there hasn't been much help. Home court can definitely help and the Nuggets know they can't go down 0-3 and have any chance. This is their best effort game right here. Play Denver.

 This Eastern Conference series moves to Atlanta tonight for game three as the Hawks look to take 2-1 advantage and hold home court against the Sixers. The Sixers rebounded from their game one loss at home with a 118-102 win in game two. The Hawks find themselves a 1.5 point home dog here tonight. Atlanta has been a good covering team at home, going 25-13 and 20-6 ATS over their last 26 at home. Philly forward Joel Embiid always seems to be the focal point with his injuries. Embiid is questionable with a knee injury tonight. The Hawks have only trailed at the half in one playoff game and that was game two vs Philly. This is a team that gets out of the gate fast and I look for that again here tonight. This Hawks team very good at home and I'll take them as a short home dog. Play Atlanta.

6/10 07:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET

NBA   (523) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS (524) UTAH JAZZ

Take: (523) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Reason: The LA Clippers lost game one of this Western Conference semifinals at Utah, 112-109. The Jazz trailed 47-60 at the half but rallied in the third quarter to tie the game heading into the fourth. The Jazz held a large lead but the Clippers closed the final to three points, right on the number. Donovan Mitchell scored 45 points for the Jazz in the win. The Jazz did this without their star player in Mike Conley, who missed the game with a hamstring injury. Conley is questionable for tonight's contest. Despite the loss, the good news for the Clippers was that DeMarcus Cousins made his postseason debut and finished with six points in four minutes. Whether or not Conley is able to go tonight I expect the Clippers to come back and take game two. Play LA Clippers.

The defending champion Seattle Storm are off to another good start this season at 7-2 and just a half game back of WNBA leader Connecticut. The Atlanta Dream are 4-4 to start their season and have a -2.6 point differential on the year. The Dream are looking to snap a 2-game losing streak which came on the heals of a four-game win streak. This team can score, evidenced by their 90+ ppg average during that four game win streak. Yet here are the Storm, laying 8.5 points tonight on the road. Not sure why the line is that high with the Dream being a very competitive team. Plus, the Storm have just a +4.8 point differential. I'll take the home team here plus these generous points. Play Atlanta.

The LA Clippers had to survive seven games to advance to this stage of the playoffs. Dallas turned out to be much more difficult then the Clippers might of thought as they lost three home games and faced two elimination games. Now they have to face the top seed in the West, Utah. The Jazz have the third best defense in the league thanks to Rudy Gobert, likely the top defensive player in the league. The Clippers will have to do a better job defensively or Utah will kill them from 3-point arc, as Dallas did. Dallas allowed the second fewest 3-point attempts in the league and that could be an issue for a Clippers team that doesn't drive the paint all that much. A lot of questions should be answered here in game one. For me, I'll take the Jazz against a Clipper team that was very inconsistent. Play Utah.

The Philadelphia 76ers look to even this best of seven series at 1-game apiece here on Tuesday. The Hawks stole game one in Philly and now can at least know they go back to Atlanta tied at worse. The big question here in game two is the health of Sixer's Joel Embiid. It was Trae Young that stole the show in game one, scoring 35 points and having 10 assist. Embiid played game one and played well with 39 points and nine rebounds, though he was only on the floor for 38 minutes. Officially, Embiid is questionable tonight with that bad knee. Despite being way down, the Sixers showed heart in coming back to make the final more respectable and after sleepwalking through most of game one, I expect to see a different Philly team here in game two. Look to see a different attitude starting this game tonight. Play Philadelphia.

Game one the NBA Western Semifinals here as the Suns host the Nuggets tonight. The Nuggets got past the stubborn Trailblazers while the Suns downed defending Champion LA Lakers. The Nuggets are led by star player Nikola Jokic who had a great first round. Michael Porter also emerged as a breakout player in their first round series. The Suns will rely more on Devon Booker in this series as Chris Paul has been banged-up but should play tonight. And of course the Nuggets again will be without star player Jamal Murray who is out for the rest of the playoffs with a ACL injury. This is going to be a tough series, one that could easily go seven games. Tonight, Booker leads the way for the Suns as they cover game one. Play Phoenix.

Game two in the NBA 2nd round between the Bucks and Nets as Milwaukee looks to even the series at 1-1 before returning home for game three. The Nets took game one, 115-107 in a low scoring game for two of the highest scoring teams in the NBA. The line has dropped from game one as the Nets now a 1.5-point favorite and the total at 234.5 in this Eastern Conference Semifinal. One big loss for the Nets is that of James Harden. Harden pulled up lame in the opening minute of game one with a hamstring issue and will not play here in game two. Both these teams have been hot with Brooklyn winning 10 of the last 11 and the Bucks going 12-2 their last 14. I don't expect the Bucks offense to be flat like it was in game one as they scored 12 fewer points then their season average. Even with their poor shooting they weren't too far off in game one. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 34 points and 11 rebounds. I fully expect a big rebound game here tonight out of the Bucks, especially with Harden on the shelf for this one. Play Milwaukee.

The Indiana Fever are dead last in the WNBA with a 1-8 record. They have lost four straight games and have the worst point differential in the WNBA with a -12.7 ppg. Now they have to play the 7th place LA Sparks team that is 2-3 on the season. The Sparks had one two straight games over the Chicago Sky before losing time out to the Dallas Wings, 69-79. The Fever have lost their last four games by an average of 22.5 ppg. Don't expect much fight out of the visiting Indiana Fever tonight either. Play LA Sparks.

It took two OT periods, but the Denver Nuggets took game five, 140-147 as Denver is one game away from the series win. The Nuggets had numerous leads of 9-points or more in game five including the first OT, but Portland kept coming back and back. The Nuggets even led by 20-points in the 2nd quarter, only to see the Blazers rally. Denver continues to be without Jamal Murray who is done for the rest of the playoffs. Portland has their back to the wall here tonight and I like them to respond and even the series at 3-3. Play Portland.

It looked like the Dallas Mavericks were going to walk away with this series after taking both games 1 and 2 in LA. Then the series moved to Dallas where the Clippers returned the favor, stealing games 3 and 4 on the Mavs home court. Now we go back to the Staples Center all tied at 2-2. Dallas could be without Luka Doncic who is battling a neck injury. Doncic looks like he could play tonight, but how effective he will be remains to be seen. With Doncic hurting in game four the Mavs offense sputtered. Leonard has been great for the Clippers this playoff series. These teams are slower paced teams and that remains so in the playoffs. Still, the seven points may look like a lot for the Clippers to lay here tonight. But not for me, with Doncic likely not near 100% and the Clippers riding a two-game win streak I'll take them here tonight. Play LA Clippers.

Game five of this Western Conference playoff matchup between the Portland Trailblazers and the Denver Nuggets. The series is tied at 2-2 as the Nuggets host this pivotal game five. The Blazers won game four to tie the series in a blowout victory, 115-95. The Nuggets will need a more inspired effort here on Tuesday. With Jamal Murray out until next season, that means the role players need to step up their efforts. Denver couldn't play much worse then they did in game four, hitting a dismal 29% from the 3-point arc and 34% overall from the field. Michael Porter was the person Denver looked for to pick up the Murray void and that didn't happen. Porter had just three points in game four in his 22 minutes of action. I'm taking Denver to bounce back here before the home crowd on Tuesday. They know what needs to be done and it has to be done tonight. Play Denver.

 The Dallas Wings host the LA Sparks tonight in WNBA action. The Sparks are currently 7th in the WNBA standings with a 2-2 record. The Sparks opened the season with a pair of losses to this Wings team, 71-94 and then to the LV Aces, 69-97. They then bounced back with wins at the Chicago Sky, 76-61 and 82-79 to even their record at 2-2. The Dallas Wings are 1-4 on the season. Despite their losing record they still have a positive point differential of +0.6. All four of their losses have been by seven points or fewer. The Wings opened the season with a win over the LA Sparks, 94-71 and have since lost four straight. I look for the Wings to get back in the win column tonight against a team they dominated on the road to start the season. Play Dallas.

Bad blood spilled over into the stands in the last game between these teams with the fan and Kyrie Irving getting into some post play fun. That could come back into tonight's game as the venue returns here to Brooklyn after a Nets blowout at the TD Garden in game four, 141-126. The Nets shot 57.8% from the field and 59% from the 3-point stripe. The Nets can wrap up this series here tonight as they lead 3-1 in the best of seven match. The Celtics will be without guard Jaylen Brown who is out with a wrist injury. Center Robert Williams was downgraded to doubtful with a ankle injury as was Kemba Walker also downgraded to doubtful with a knee injury. WIth all the hurts going on with Boston and the Nets flying high after game three, this has all the markings of blowout win and series clicher by the Nets. Play Brooklyn.

Memphis stole game one of this best of seven series in Utah and since then it's been all Utah as they now lead 2-1 and have regained home court advantage. Tonight's game could be the end for the Grizzlies. A Utah win means the Jazz return home with a 3-1 lead and likely the end to this series. While the Jazz started slow in game one they came back late to make it close. Then the Jazz won games two and three by double-digits. The Jazz leading scorer in Donovan Mitchell missed game one but returned in game two and that made a world of difference. Memphis has played well, but I'm afraid not well enough. I'm going to take the Jazz vs the spread (-5.5 points) and also lay the -2.20 on the Money Line with the Jazz.

The Connecticut Sun are the top team in the WNBA after a few weeks of play. The Sun are 6-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of defending WNBA Champion Seattle. The Sun average 83 ppg this year and have a +9.4 point differential. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx are still looking for that first win of the season to go with their four losses. The Lynx are 0-2 on their home court and have a -8.8 point differential this season. Don't think the Lynx will get that first win here today against the top team in the league to this point. Take Connecticut.

The Chicago White Sox have won three straight games and now sit atop of the AL Central by three games over the Indians. The Orioles, well they are in a free fall. The O's have lost 12 straight games and now are in last place in the AL East, 15.5 games back of first place. Not surprising, the O's will send Keegan Akin to the hill for his first start of the year. Akin was called up from Triple-A Norfolk on May 10th. Akin was 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in August 2020, his first showing in the majors. The White Sox will counter with Lucas Giolito. Giolito is 4-4 in his 10 starts with a 4.04 ERA. He's been slightly better at home with a 3.19 ERA. Giolito has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five starts. I like the White Sox in a romp here today. Play White Sox -1.5 Runs.

Memphis stole game one of this best of seven series from the Jazz in Utah, 112-109. However, the Jazz pounded them back in game two, scoring 141 points en route to a 141-129 victory. The Grizzlies did whittle that down to just two points before the Jazz pulled away late. Memphis plays their first game of this series at home tonight and they are getting 5 or 5 1/2 points. The Grizzlies have covered their last five home games as a dog. This Grizzlies team won't go down without a fight and while the odds are against them to win the series, I believe they will cover a lot of these spreads. I'm taking Memphis on their home court plus the points tonight. Play Memphis.

This best of seven series heads South to Atlanta with both teams having gained a win in New York. The Knicks need to find a way to defend Hawks guard Trae Young who has scored 62 points and hit over 51% from the field. The one thing the Knicks have is depth as the Hawks lack that experience coming off the bench. The Knicks have played well on the road, going 23-13 ATS this year. They have also covered nine of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record. The Knicks have still done well vs the Hawks, going 15-5-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings and 18-7-1 ATS in the last 26 meetings at Atlanta. Take the Knicks plus the points here in game three.

This best of seven series is now tied at 1-1 after the Lakers took game two. This might be the most evenly matched series in the NBA playoffs. Chris Paul got hurt for the Suns in game one and that was a big issue as he played just 23 minutes in game two. With the day off the Suns are hoping Paul can get healthy for game three here. Paul will play here tonight but how healthy is he? This series looks to be a seven-game series as both teams are toss-ups in a game-to-game issue. For me the points look to be the way in this series and I'm going to take the Suns plus the points here on Thursday, hoping also that Paul will be back to full strength. Play Phoenix.

The Miami Heat have their collective backs against the wall as they return to Miami here on Thursday down 0-2 in this best of seven series. If they have any hope to make this a series they need a win here in game three. The Bucks blew out the Heat in game two, opening up a huge lead and never looking back. They led by 26 points at the end of the first quarter. Jimmy Butler has also struggled in the first two games of this series. Butler was 4-for-22 in game one and 4-for-10 in game two. Butler not playing a leadership role in this series thus far. The Heat coaches will have to put a fire under the Heat here tonight if they hope to avoid doing down 0-3 in this series. I'll take a shot as the Heat play for some pride after the demolishing they took in game two. Miami in a situation where it's now or never. Play Miami here in game 3.

The Connecticut Sun are the surprise team of the NBA this year. The Sun are a perfect 5-0 on the season and have a whopping +12.8 point differential. The Sun are coming off a nice road win at Las Vegas, 72-65. The defense has allowed just one opponent to score more than 67 points this season. The defending WNBA Champion Seattle Storm are 3-1 thus far and have a +3.3 point differential. The Storm opened the season with two games vs the Las Vegas Aces and split those two games. They have since won two more in a row over the Wings (100-97) and the Lynx (90-78). This should be a great game, but I can't pass on taking the points here with Sun. Play Connecticut Sun.

Game 2 of this best of seven series between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Heat lost game one, but it took OT from the Bucks to take it 109-107. The Heat got the cover though as a 4.5-point dog. Here again tonight the oddsmaker has installed the Bucks as a 4.5-point favorite. Game one was filled with some impressive defense and neither team really held big leads. Miami's Jimmy Butler made the buzzer-beater to send the game to OT, though Butler did struggle offensively hitting just 4 of 22 from the field for 17 total points. I look for another strong defensive game here on Monday. I took the points in game one and I'll do that again here in game two. Play Miami.

Milwaukee likely will remember being bounced from the buble last year in the playoffs by the Miami Heat. The Bucks own a 2-1 record over the Heat this season. However, Heat star Jimmy Butler was missing in both of those losses. Miami had an excellent March, going 11-4-1 ATS. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled this year vs the Heat, averaging just 16.7 ppg. I expect a very close series here as the Heat seem to dial up the temperature in the postseason. Milwaukee not as good as last year either. I'll take the points here in game one. Play Miami.

The Las Vegas Aces opened the season with a pair of games at defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm. They dropped game one, 83-97, but then won game two, 96-80 for their first win of the season. The LA Sparks have just one game this season and that was a loss at home to the Wings, 71-94. Their one preseason game was against Vegas and that ended in a 85-85 tie. The Sparks hit the road tonight and it won't be easy at Vegas. Vegas can score lots of points and I don't see the Spark being able to keep pace in this one. Play LV Aces.

Both teams limped into this Western Conference play-in game tonight. The Grizzlies got dismantled by Stephen Curry and the Warriors last game, 101-113. The loss snapped a five game win streak by the Grizzlies. The Spurs look to snap a four-game losing streak here tonight. They lost back-to-back games to the Suns their last two games. The Spurs have been a great road team this year, going 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 away games. They are also 4-0 ATS their last four time they have got two days rest. The Grizzlies are 0-4 in their last four games as a home favorite. They are also 1-4 ATS in their last five overall. I'm going to take the points here with the Spurs as I look for them to win this game outright. Play San Antonio.

The Indiana Fever come into tonight's game at Connecticut 0-2 to start the season. Both their losses came at the hands of the NY Liberty, losing the first game 87-90 and the last one, 65-73. Conversely, the Connecticut Sun are 2-0 to start the season. The offense has been clicking, averaging 82 points per game while the defense has held their opponents to 72.5 ppg. I can't see the Fever being able to stay with the Sun team offensively. Look for the Sun to run up this score. Play Connecticut.

The Chicago Sky look to go 2-0 to start the 2021 WNBA season here tonight at Atlanta. The Sky are coming off a win over the Washington Mystics, 70-56. Candace Parker, obtained in the offseason, chipped-in 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the win. Atlanta lost its opening game of the season to the Connecticut Sun, 67-78. Different starts for each team and I think this tells us a lot about what direction each team will take this season. The Sky had a great defensive game while Atlanta shot poorly in its opener, hitting just 35.9% from the field. I look for another blowout win here by Chicago.

Milwaukee and Kansas City begin their series here tonight. The Brewers 4-6 record over their last 10 games has seen them slip to 2nd in the NL Central, two-games back of the Cardinals. The Royals have been in a slide for a while now, the latest a 2-8 mark over their last 10 games. The Royals are in 3rd in the AL Central, but seven games back of division leading Chicago White Sox. The Brewers will start Brandon Woodruff tonight. Woodruff is 2-1 in his eight starts with a 1.64 ERA and 0.730 WHIP. Woodruff has put up even better numbers on the road, posting a 0.70 ERA over his four away starts and a 0.506 WHIP. Kris Bubic will get another look as the No. 5 starter here on Tuesday. Bubic has worked out of the pen but this will be his first major league start. I will stick with a very good Woodruff today against a struggling Royals team. Play the Brewers -1.5 Runs.

The New York Liberty have opened their season with a pair of wins, one home and one away. They will play the Minnesota Lynx tonight who are 0-1 after their initial game. The Liberty won both games against the Indiana Fever. Sabrina Lonescu has been the standout thus far for the Liberty, hitting the game winning buzzer beater in the second game. The Lynx have a very good offense and that will test this Liberty defense here tonight. I'm not putting much into those two wins by the Liberty since they came at the expense of the Fever. Play Minnesota.

The Connecticut Sun opened their season in fine form with a blowout win over the Dream, 78-67. The Phoenix Mercury also opened with a win, though theirs was a bit more dramatic over the Lynx, 77-75. Early in season hard to get a good grip on these teams. I was much more impressed with the Sun and their front court of DeWanna Bonner and Jonquel Jones who combined for 49 points. Phoenix had to score with just one second left for their win and now they play a much better team. Take the Sun here today. Play Connecticut.

The San Francisco Giants two-game losing streak has seen their NL West lead go from 2.5 games to just 1/2 game as of today. No team in the West is really hot, with none winning more than six games in the last 10. Still, the Giants face dropping out of the lead today with a loss and Padres win. Alex Wood looks to stem the tide here today. Wood is 4-0 in his five starts with a nifty 1.80 ERA and 0.800 WHIP. The Pirates are in last place in the NL Central with a 17-22 record. They have won two straight games though. The Bucs have the worst run differential in the National league at -41 runs. Mitch Keller will toe the rubber for Pittsburgh. Keller is 2-4 after seven starts with a lofty 7.81 ERA. It doesn't get any better at home where he is 1-3 in four starts with a 12.22 ERA. The Giants get back in the win column here today. Play San Francisco -1.5 Runs.

The Kansas City Royals looking for an answer to their recent slide which has seen the team lost nine of their last 10 games. Won't get any easier today against the AL Central leading White Sox. The Sox have won eight of their last 10 games and have arguably the best AL pitcher on the hill today in Carlos Rondon. Rondon is 5-0 in his five starts with a amazing 0.58 ERA and 0.677 WHIP. No need to look any further than that for this game. I can't lay the money line, but I will lay the run line here today. Play Chicago -1.5 runs.

Coming down to the last few games in the NBA regular season. The New Orleans Pelicans in desperate need to win out if they hope to even make 10th place and a play-in game. They sit in 11th place, two games back of the Spurs. The Warriors have have clinched a play-in berth as they sit in 8th place, tied with the Grizzlies for 9th. Other than 8 or 9th place the Warriors are pretty much set. Maybe that's why Stephen Curry will miss tonight's game, though he is listed with an injury. The Pelicans will also be without one of their stars in Zion Willamson, who has a finger injury. Forward Brandon Ingram is questionable for the Pelicans with a ankle injury. Despite the injuries, this game has more meaning to the Pelicans who can still make the postseason. Take New Orleans.

The Connecticut Sun and Atlanta Dream tip off the season tonight from the Gateway Center in Atlanta. Atlanta finished the 2020 season at 7-15 and in 4th place in the East. One of their best players from that club, Betnijah Laney, left in free agency. They did pick up Odyssey Sims and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough through free agency. The Sun finished 10-12 last season. They lost in the playoffs to the Las Vegas Aces. Most of their team will be back except for Bria Holmes (free agency) and Alyssa Thomas (Achilles). For me the fact that the Dream have new players that have to fit in and that will take some time. The Sun return mostly intact. Those are keys in early games like this. Play Connecticut Sun.

The Philadelphia 76ers look to have the East best record tied up as they sit in 1st place, 1.5 games ahead of second place Brooklyn. The Miami Heat are in 5th place tied with the Knicks and just a half game back of the Hawks. So the Heat have a lot more on the line here tonight then do the Sixers. The Sixers' Joel Embiid is questionable tonight with an illness. The Heat guard Jimmy Butler is also questionable with an eye injury. Philly is coming off a loss at Indiana on Tuesday, 94-103. The loss snapped a 7-game winning streak. Miami has won three straight and six of the last seven games. They have also covered three in row and six of seven. I expect Butler to play tonight as the Heat have more to do before the end of the regular season. Play Miami.

The NBA down to just a handful of regular season games. The Dallas Mavericks are in 6th place and have not clinched a regular playoff spot just yet. They are 1 1/2 games ahead of 7th place LA Lakers for that 7th spot and a play-in game. Meanwhile, Memphis sits 9th place, just a half game back of Golden State for the 8th spot and two games ahead of San Antonio for the 10th spot. Dallas has won and covered their last four games and are 10-2 S/U their last 12 and 8-3 ATS their last 11. Memphis has won three of the last four games but are just 2-4 ATS their last six games. Dallas laying just a point or two on the road here tonight. I'll take the Mavs who look to lock up that final regular playoff position. Play Dallas.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off a loss on Sunday at home to Dallas, 97-124. They were never in the game from the beginning and now have to turn around and play back-to-back nights. Cleveland has now lost 10 straight games both S/U and ATS. They look to have packed-in their season as the final games of the regular season playout for them. The Indiana Pacers still have something to play for. The Pacers hold onto that last and final 10th spot play-in position. They lead 11th place Chicago by 2 1/2 games but trail 8th place Charlotte by just 1 1/2 games and 9th place Washington by a half game. For the Pacers they can improve their chances with a win tonight. The Cavs don't look to be playing even for pride at this point. Take the Pacers as the Cavs have their eyes on the last game and a vacation. Play Indiana.

 Time running out for the New Orleans Pelicans as they trail 10th place San Antonio by two games in the West. The Pelicans are just 5-5 over their last 10 games so that hasn't helped their cause, especially when the Spurs are just 4-6. The Charlotte Hornets sit in 8th place in the East, three games back of 6th place Miami. Looks like the Hornets will have to settle for one of those playin spots. The Hornets are 12-4 in their last 16 games when installed as the favorite. Hornets are an excellent home team and with the Pelicans struggling a bit over their last 10 games I'll lay the small price here with the host. Play Charlotte.