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 Notre Dame is a heavy favorite here on Saturday as they welcome Northern Illinois to South Bend. Notre Dame, ranked No. 5, enters the contest after a hard-fought victory over Texas A&M, while Northern Illinois comes in after dominating FCS opponent Western Illinois. Notre Dame's offense is led by dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard, who transferred from Duke. Leonard had 158 passing yards and 63 rushing yards in the opener. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for over 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns in their victory. On defense, Notre Dame boasts two All-Americans in safety Xavier Watts and defensive tackle Howard Cross III. Northern Illinois, on the other hand, comes in with a strong run-heavy offense, led by quarterback Ethan Hampton, who had an impressive five-touchdown performance against Western Illinois. Notre Dame should win this one without much trouble, but I believe this is too many points to lay a decent N.Illinois club. Take the points with Northern Illinois.

 One of the early games on the college football slate in week 1 as Syracuse hosts Georgia Tech at the JMA Wireless Dome in an ACC contest. Georgia Tech, ranked No. 23, comes into the game with a 2-0 record, while Syracuse is 1-0 after their season opener. Georgia Tech is slightly favored, with a 3-point advantage. The Yellow Jackets have shown a solid offense, averaging 29.5 points per game, led by quarterback Haynes King, who has 421 passing yards and two touchdowns through two games. Their defense has also been resilient under new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci, allowing only 16.5 points per game. Syracuse, meanwhile, will rely on quarterback Kyle McCord, who threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns in their opening win. The Orange are also strong offensively, averaging 38 points per game. Syracuse's defense, led by players like DE Fadil Diggs, has been relatively stout, allowing 22 points per game. I expect a close back and forth contest here on Saturday. Considering I'm getting three points at home with Syracuse and I can see them winning outright, I'll take the points. Play Syracuse.

The CFL week begins here on Thursday night as the BC Lions travel to Montreal to face the Alouettes. The Alouettes are currently the league's top team with a 10-1 record and are looking to extend their dominance. They boast a potent offense led by quarterback Cody Fajardo, who recently returned from injury and has shown great form. Montreal's defense has also been solid, allowing only 21.1 points per game. The BC Lions have struggled lately, losing five of their last six games. Despite a strong offensive showing in their recent 38-12 victory over Ottawa, BC's defense remains a concern, particularly against the pass. They rank near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories, making this road game against the Alouettes a tough challenge. I'll take the best team in the league at home tonight. Play Montreal.

 The WNBA matchup between the Seattle Storm and the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday features the 2nd place Sun vs the 5th place Storm. Both teams have already secured playoff spots. The Sun are 2.5 games back of first place NY Liberty for the top spot and a half game ahead of 3rd place Minnesota. The Connecticut Sun are known for their strong defense and balanced scoring. They have consistently been a playoff contender and are looking to solidify their position in the standings as the regular season winds down. The Sun are particularly tough at home, where their disciplined play and deep roster give them an edge over most opponents. The Storm are one game back of the LV Aces for 4th place in the standings but a comfortable 2.5 games ahead of 6th place Indiana. Both teams are good defensively, but the Sun are the top defensive team in the league and I look for that to be the key here today as they shut down the Storm. Play Connecticut.

We get one Monday Night Football game in the colleges before the pros start up this week and it's a good one as Boston College takes on Florida State. The Florida State Seminoles are coming off that last second loss in Ireland to Georgia Tech, 21-24. One thing was evident in that loss and that was the lack of offense by the Seminoles. Monday, we get some ACC action under the lights. The Seminoles' offense, led by DJ Uiagalelei, struggled in that game, particularly in the second half, raising concerns about their ability to finish strong. Boston College, on the other hand, comes into the game with some momentum after a solid but unspectacular 2023 season, where they finished 7-6 and won the Fenway Bowl. The Eagles are led by dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who, despite some turnover issues, brings excitement to their offense. Boston College's offensive line is expected to be strong, and they have several reliable options at running back. Defensively, Boston College made some key additions through the transfer portal to address their weaknesses, but this unit remains a concern. They'll face a Florida State team that, while talented, has shown vulnerability. Florida State's defense allowed 336 yards in their opener, and their inability to dominate on third downs was a key factor in their loss. For Boston College to pull off an upset, they will need to capitalize on Florida State's offensive inconsistencies and protect the ball better than they have in the past. Florida State, favored by 16.5 points, will look to re-establish their offense and prove that their Week 0 loss was a fluke. However, given the Seminoles' recent struggles and Boston College's ability to cover the spread in similar situations, this game could be closer than expected. I'll take the big points here on Monday night with Boston College.

The Calgary Stampeders come into this game vs the Edmonton Elks with a 4-6 record. The Elks are in last place in the West with a 3-8 record. The Elks may have just three wins but they have been in just about every game. Their offense, led by quarterback Tre Ford, has shown flashes of potential. The Elks will need a big game from their running back Kevin Brown and a disciplined performance from their defense. The Stampeders are having a challenging season but have managed to win just one more game than Edmonton. The Stamps' defense, anchored by linebacker Cameron Judge, has been a strong point, consistently applying pressure and creating turnovers. Calgary does have home field here today, but that hasn't seemed to faze Edmonton this season. Calgary has a -44 point differential compared to just -7 for Edmonton. Edmonton getting a few points here today but I look for them to win this game at Calgary. Play the Elks.

The Seattle Mariners look to keep their playoff hopes alive as they slip in the AL West standings. The Mariners are 4-games back of the Seattle Mariners but have won two straight games. They are 4.5 games back in the Wild Card race with four teams ahead of them. The LA Angels are just looking to play spoiler at this point. The Angels have lost eight of their last 10 games are are just 55-80 on the season, 18-games back of the Astros. The M's will start Bryan Woo who is 6-2 on the season with a 2.05 ERA. Woo has been excellent, allowing two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts and three runs in the other. Tyler Anderson will counter for the Angels with a 10-12 record and 3.41 ERA. Anderson has allowed 13 runs over his last 16 2/3 innings with 10 walks and just 13 KO's. The Angels have also lost three of his last five starts. M's need this game bad and can't afford to lose to a last place team like the Angels. Take the Mariners and lay the run line.

The Ottawa Redblacks head west to face the BC Lions in a crucial CFL showdown on Saturday. Ottawa is 7-2-1 and in 2nd place in the East while BC is in 3rd place in the West with a 5-6 record. The Redblacks have shown resilience this season, and their recent performances suggest they could pose a serious challenge to the Lions. Ottawa's quarterback has found his rhythm, leading an offense that has steadily improved and is capable of keeping pace with BC's explosive attack. The Lions, while strong at home, have shown vulnerability in recent weeks, particularly against teams that can control the tempo and limit turnovers—something Ottawa has focused on. If the Redblacks can establish their ground game and protect the football, they have a solid chance of keeping this game close and potentially pulling off the win here on Saturday. Take Ottawa

The First full Saturday of College football is here as Penn State takes on West Virginia. Penn State comes into this contest around a 8 1/2 point favorite. So how can West Virginia get the cover here on Saturday. First, they need to control the clock with the Running Game. West Virginia's best chance to keep the game close lies in their ability to control the tempo and dominate time of possession. If they can establish a consistent running game, led by their top backs, they can keep Penn State's explosive offense off the field. This not only limits the opportunities for Penn State to score but also keeps the Mountaineers' defense fresh. Next, the Mountaineers have to limit turnovers and capitalize on opportunities. West Virginia must play a clean game with minimal mistakes. Turnovers can quickly shift momentum in Penn State's favor, leading to a deficit that might be difficult to overcome. They will also have to exploit Penn State's Defensive Weaknesses. While Penn State has a strong defense, no unit is without its vulnerabilities. If West Virginia's coaching staff can identify and exploit any weaknesses in Penn State's secondary or front seven, they can find success in moving the ball. And finally, it will take Special Teams. Field position will be crucial in this game. West Virginia can use special teams to their advantage by pinning Penn State deep in their own territory and forcing them to drive the length of the field. Additionally, a big play on special teams—such as a punt or kickoff return—could provide the spark needed to swing momentum and keep the game within reach. While Penn State is the clear favorite, West Virginia can cover the spread by controlling the tempo, avoiding costly mistakes, capitalizing on opportunities, and exploiting any defensive weaknesses. If the Mountaineers execute these strategies effectively, they can keep the game competitive and cover the spread as a nice home dog with the home crown behind them. Take West Virginia.

Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt square off in an intriguing non-conference matchup to open the 2024 season. The Hokies, under Head Coach Brent Pry, are looking to build on last season with a strong showing at home. Known for their aggressive defense, Virginia Tech will aim to disrupt Vanderbilt's offense early and often. The Commodores, led by Clark Lea, bring a disciplined, physical style of play typical of SEC teams, and they'll look to establish their ground game to control the clock and keep the Hokies' offense off the field. While Vanderbilt's toughness could make this a close contest, Virginia Tech's experience, particularly on defense give the Hokies the upper hand in what could be a gritty season opener. FirstBank Stadium is the site here on Saturday but Tech looking to get their season off to a fast start against a mediocre Vandy team. Play Virginia Tech.

WNBA matchup here on Friday between the Atlanta Dream and defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces. The Aces, led by MVP candidate A'ja Wilson, are looking to bounce back from a recent slump. The Aces have dropped to fifth in the WNBA standings with a 18-12 record. However, they are coming off a loss at Dallas, 90-93 and have lost three of their last four games and five of their last seven games. Despite their offensive struggles, they remain a strong team with solid contributions from Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. The Dream, plagued by injuries throughout the season, are fighting to stay in playoff contention. Atlanta has lost three straight games and are 3-7 their last 10 games. They have dropped to 9th in the WNBA standings, one game back of Chicago for that final playoff spot. These are two teams struggling. Vegas laying a lot of points here on Friday and for me I'll take those points with Atlanta even though they likely will lose outright. Play Atlanta.

Thursday, college football fans will witness a fascinating matchup as the North Dakota State Bison take on the Colorado Buffaloes. North Dakota State, a perennial powerhouse in the FCS, is known for its dominant run game, stifling defense, and a tradition of winning that includes multiple national championships. Under head coach Matt Entz, the Bison will be looking to demonstrate that they can compete against any opponent, including a Power Five team like Colorado. Their physical style of play, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines, will be key as they aim to control the game's tempo and impose their will on the Buffaloes.

The Colorado Buffaloes, led by 2nd year head coach Deion Sanders, shocked the college football world last season with their fast start and top 20 ranking. However, the 2nd half of the season turned into a nightmare for the Buffs. They enter this season with a fresh sense of optimism and a desire to return to prominence. Coach Sanders, known for his charisma and football acumen, has brought in a host of new talent, including a highly-touted quarterback, to revitalize the program. Colorado's offense is expected to be dynamic and fast-paced, testing the Bison defense early and often. However, the Buffaloes' defense will need to step up to the challenge of stopping North Dakota State's powerful ground game, which is known for wearing down opponents over four quarters.

This game is a true test of styles, with North Dakota State's methodical, physical approach going up against Colorado's speed and athleticism. For the Buffaloes, this is a chance to showcase their new direction under Coach Sanders, while the Bison will look to add another FBS scalp to their impressive resume. Colorado is around a 9 to 9 1/2 point favorite here today. The Buffs have home field but I expect a close game with the Bison defense keeping them in the game. I'll take the points here today with ND State. 

The Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes conclude week 12 in the CFL here on Sunday. Montreal has been dominant this season, with a 9-1 record and a strong defense that ranks second in the league in points allowed. However, they have struggled to start games, scoring only three total points in the first quarter over their last three contests. The Edmonton Elks, meanwhile, have revived their season with a three-game winning streak and are riding high on recent strong performances. Despite their struggles earlier in the season, the Elks have been competitive, with six of their seven losses being within a touchdown. Their quarterback situation remains uncertain due to injuries, but McLeod Bethel-Thompson has been performing well in relief. The Elks seem to hang around in every game and have been winning of late. I expect another close game here on Sunday and therefor will take the points with the Elks in this matchup. Play Edmonton.

The BC Lions travel to Ottawa on Saturday to take on the Redblacks. Ottawa is 6-2-1 on the season and in 2nd in the East behind Montreal. They also have a +9 run differential. BC is 5-5 and in 2nd place in the West Conference. The Lions have a 15-point differential. The Redblacks are coming off a thrilling 31-29 victory against the Calgary Stampeders, where Jeremiah Masoli had a strong performance, supported by a robust running game led by Ryquell Armstead. On the other hand, the BC Lions have struggled recently, losing their last four games and failing to score more than 16 points in their last three outings. Despite starting the season strong, they now sit at 5-5 and are in desperate need of a win to stay competitive in the West Division. On paper the Redblacks look to be the play here today as a 1 or 1 1/2 point home dog. Yet the oddsmaker is daring us to take them and that to me is one of those traps they set. They want us on the Redblacks. Lets go against the grain here today and take BC and side with the books in this one.

 First game of the 2024 College football season has Florida State taking on Georgia Tech in this opening game. Florida State a good sized favorite here in this one after finishing last year undefeated in the regular season. Transfer QB DJ Uiagaleli will take over for the Seminoles. Georgia Tech will show off their new Defensive coordinator in Tyler Santucci. Santucci comes over after being at Texas A&M and Duke. The Yellow Jackets made big improvements in the defense by building up the unit in the transfer portal and should have plenty of depth to go with the new DC. While the big line on FSU is warranted, have to keep watch on injuries for FSU and possible suspensions. Furthermore, expect the Tech defense to give FSU more issues then they would have in the past. With a unit rebuilt from the portal transfers and the new coordinator, expect to see a much more aggressive unit this season. I'm taking the points in this opening game with Georgia Tech.

The Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics face off today in the WNBA. The Storm are 5th in the WNBA standings with a +5.5 point differential. They have also won six of their last 10 games. The Washington Mystics are tied for last in the WNBA with the LA Sparks at 6-21. The Mystics have a -5.2 point differential and have lost their last four games and eight of their last 10 games. The Storm will try to snap their two game losing skid since returning from the Olympic break. They are coming off a loss to the Indiana Fever, 75-92. The Mystics have dropped four straight and allow a whopping 90.8 ppg during this four game losing streak, up from their season average of 84.2 ppg. The last time these clubs met back on May 25th the Storm trounced the Mystics, 101-69. The Storm are in need of a win and this Mystics club looks like the team that will provide it. I'm taking Seattle here against a very bad Washington defense.

 Week 11 of the CFL finishes up with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the BC Lions today. The Blue Bombers had last week off after thrashing of these Lions the week before, 25-0. The Winnipeg defense limited BC to just 129 yards and four first downs. The Lions have lost three in a row and needed some help so they went out and acquired former NFL QB Nathan Rourke. Rourke is familiar with the system and should settle in quickly for BC. Winnipeg has been great at home but not so good on the road and will find it even tougher here today with having to face Rourke. How much impact did Rourke make before even stepping on the field? Well, prior to his acquisition, the Lions were a 3.5-point dog. After the news broke the Lions went to a 2.5-point favorite. I look for Rourke to infuse this Lions offense with much needed jolt here today. I'm taking BC in what should be a big offensive game. Play British Columbia.

 First week back for the WNBA after nearly a month off for the Olympics. We have the Seattle Storm at 17-9 with a +6.4 point differential. Storm are fourth overall in the WNBA Standings. The Storm are coming off a loss at Atlanta in their first game back, 81-83. Indiana came out fast and furious in its first game back, running wire-to-wire in their win over Phoenix, 98-89. The Fever are 7th in the WNBA standings with a 12-15 record and -4.9 point differential. Seattle is third in the league in scoring with a 84.2 ppg average. They are also 4th in scoring defense as they allow 77.8 ppg. Indiana won its third game in the last four. They led by 17 over Phoenix at the half. They are 5th in scoring offense with a 82.4 ppg average. Indiana seems to be playing well out of the break with rookie Caitlin Clark developing into a excellent leader on the court. Fever are a small home dog here on Sunday and I'll be taking those points. Play Indiana.

 It's already been a nightmare preseason for the Vikings and we are only in week 2. They lost their 1st round QB pick in J.J. McCarthy who will have knee surgery and be out for the year. Then Jordan Addison was seen wearing a boot after Wednesday's practice. Have to wonder if any starters will see action now against a very deep Browns roster. The Vikings did win their game last week, but the losses were far greater. Sam Darnold will now be the starter for the club. For me, I see the Vikings throwing all the lower end players out there this week that likely wouldn't make the roster anyways. They can ill afford more injuries like they already have suffered. I'm taking the Browns here on Saturday.

The WNBA returns from their Olympic break as Washington Mystics take on the Minnesota Lynx tonight. The Lynx are 3rd in the WNBA with a 17-8 record and +6.2 point differential. The Washington Mystics have had a terrible start to their season but have played better in recent weeks before the break. They are 6-19 and tied for last in the WNBA. This will be the first game of a two game series between these clubs with the next meeting on Saturday. The break allowed teams to get healthy and both teams will be at full capacity tonight. The Lynx Cheryl Reeve was the head coach for the women's Olympic team as they returned with the Gold Medal. The Lynx will finish the regular season with nine of their final 15 on the road and against teams with winning record. Washington is a decent dog here tonight and with everyone having had time off you have to feel it will take a few games for the players and coaches to get back into the flow. I'm taking the points in this one with Washington.

These clubs were rained out on Tuesday so will play a double bill here on Wednesday. This is game one between the teams. With the Orioles loss on Tuesday the Yankees are now in first place by a half game with their 67-46 record. They have a MLB best run differential of +121. They have also won two straight games and seven of their last 10 games. The LA Angels are in 4th in the AL West with their 49-63 record. The Halos have won two straight games, but only four of their last six. They also have a very poor -96 run differential. The Angels will start Davis Daniel in game one. He's 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA. Daniels has had two good and two bad starts. In his bad starts he has allowed 11 runs over nine innings or work. In his good games he has allowed one run over 13 innings. Luis Gil will start for the Yankees in game one. He's 11-5 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Gil has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. He also has 30 KO's to just five walks over his last four starts. I'm sticking with the Yankees today and will lay the Run Line.

The Toronto Argonauts and Calgary Stampeders finish week 9 in the CFL here on Sunday. Toronto is 3rd in the East with a 4-3 record and +12 point differential. Calgary is 3rd in the West with a 3-4 record and -32 point differential. Toronto has been shuffling QB's as they await the return of Chad Kelly from his suspension. However, they haven't really needed him all that much since they have the CFL's best ground game with 124.4 yards per game on the ground. Ka'Deem Carey has been leading that rushing attack behind a very good Argos offensive line. He should get plenty of yards today against a Calgary team that has allowed 6.2 yards per rush attempt this year. The Argos also lead the CFL with in sacks and have the best defensive line in the CFL. They also hold the advantage today in special teams as they lead the league in punt return average and are 2nd in kickoff return average. Expect plenty of ground game here today from Carey and the Argonauts. I'll take the points with Toronto in this one.

It's Week 9 of the CFL and the Edmonton Elks are still looking for their first win of the season. Now they hit the road to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Elks benched starting QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson last week trailing Hamilton 8-41 as they went to Tre Ford. Ford brings more mobility to the position but he also faces the best run defense in the CFL with Saskatchewan. Will Ford be good enough throwing the ball against the Roughriders? I doubt it as Ford will face a very good run defense and that will put a lot of pressure on him to throw the ball. Edmonton is last in the CFL in yards allowed and 2nd to last in scoring defense. Edmonton is 0-11 S/U and 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games while the Riders are 5-2 S/U and ATS in their last seven games. I don't expect much from the Elks here on Saturday against this tough defense. Take Saskatchewan.

Eastern Conference clash here today has the Penthouse vs the Outhouse. It's first place Montreal, 6-1, taking on last place Hamilton, 2-5. Hamilton is riding a two-game win streak after starting the season 0-5. However, the Alouettes will welcome back starting QB Cody Fajardo who missed last weeks game with a hamstring injury. Fajardo has a 113.3 passer rating in his six games. He will face a Tiger-Cat defense that has allowed the second most points in the CFL. Montreal also boasts one of the best defenses in the CFL, especially their pass defense which has allowed just a 80.4 passer rating this year. Montreal is 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games vs Hamilton. I like Montreal here today as they have the much better defense and Fajardo returning to a high powered offense. Play Montreal.

Winnipeg has underperformed this entire season and as such is one of the biggest disappointments of the CFL. The Blue Bombers are just 2-6 S/U and 1-7 ATS as we head into week 9 of the CFL. Meanwhile, the BC Lions are one of the best teams in the CFL as they lead in points scored (29.4 ppg), yards per game (406.6) and average yards per play (7.24). Winnipeg has a defensive line that is hurting and that will be exploited here today by the Lions. Winnipeg also has the 2nd worst offensive line in the league. QB Zach Collaros has struggled, tossing just three TD's and eight INT's this year. He's also missing four starting receivers, including a pair of All-Star caliber players. The Bombers are averaging just 20.4 ppg this season. I'll be laying the points with British Columbia here in this opening game of week 9.

It's the last place team in the East vs the last place team in the West to finish up week 8 of the CFL here on Sunday. Hamilton is 1-5 and last in the East. They have a -42 point differential. Edmonton still looking for its first win of the season after a 0-6 start and last place in the West. They have been competitive though with a -26 point differential. Hamilton got its first win of the season last week over Toronto, 27-24 as 3-point dog. QB Bo Levi Mitchell leads the Tiger-Cats with 12 TD's and only six INT's. Difficult to understand how a winless team is a 3-point favorite here on Sunday. Yes, Edmonton has been competitive, but they have not won a game and now are asked to cover as a favorite. Even if the Elks win today, I don't see them winning by four points or more. Mitchell should have little problems getting plenty of yards vs this Elks defense. I'm taking Hamilton plus the points.

CFL Week 7 action begins here on Friday with this East vs West clash between the Edmonton Elks and Ottawa Redblacks. The Ottawa Redblacks are 3-2 after their win last week over this Edmonton team on the road by three-points. The Elks are still looking for their first win after starting 0-5. However, they have been close in every game and have QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson as their offensive star. Ottawa returns home on Friday as they sit in third place in the East, tied with Toronto and behind first place Montreal. Ottawa is a perfect 2-0 at home this season. Ottawa had 520 total yards in their win over Edmonton last week, 37-34. QB Dru Brown leads this Redblacks team. He had 400 yards and two TD's last week in their win. While Ottawa has the better record, you have to be impressed with this Edmonton offense and how close they are in every game. I expect the Elks to be close again here on Friday and even pick up their first win of the season. Play Edmonton.

The Chicago Sky have lost two straight games but still won five their last 10 games to climb into the final playoff spot in the WNBA with a 9-14 overall record. The Sky average 78.7 ppg while allowing 81 ppg for a -2.3 point differential. The defending WNBA Champion Aces are not having as successful a season as in the past few years but still are in 3rd overall with a 16-7 record. They are 3.5 games back of first place NY Liberty. The Aces average 88.9 ppg while allowing 82.6 ppg for a +6.3 point differential. This will be the final game for both teams before the WNBA ALL-Star break. This will also be the 2nd meeting of the season between the teams with the Aces having won the first meeting by 12 points in Chicago. Chicago will have rookie Angel Reese as their only representative at the All-Star game. She leads the league in rebounding with a 12.0 rpg average. Reese also averages 13.5 points per game and her streak of 16 consecutive double doubles came to end in her last game. The Aces are led by A'ja Wilson's 27.2 ppg and 11.2 rebounders per game. The Aces have four players going to the All-Star game. Aces shouldn't have any issues getting the "W" here on Tuesday. However, 13 points or thereabout might be a bit high. I'll take the points and look for Chicago to slide in under the number. 

Early action here on Tuesday in the WNBA slate has the Phoenix Mercury playing at the Washington Mystics. The Phoenix Mercury are in 6th place in the WNBA standings with a 12-12 record. They have lost two straight games and have a -2.5 run differential. The Mystics average 83.3 ppg while allowing 85.8 ppg. The Washington Mystics are 5-18 on the season with a -4.3 point differential. They average 79 ppg and allow 83.3 ppg. The Mystics have split their last two games, losing to Las Vegas last time out 89-77 and winning the game before at Indiana, 89-84. They are led by Ariel Atkins who averages 15.9 ppg. The Mercury had a three-game win streak and now they have lost two straight. The Mercury looks to have turned things around when they won three games in a row and maybe even a dark horse. They have come back down to earth now and here they are laying points at Washington. The Mystics have the offensive power to stay with this poor Mercury defensive team. I'll take the points in this early game on Tuesday. Play Washington.

 Two of the historically worst CFL teams face off today as the Edmonton Elks host the Ottawa Redblacks. The Elks have started the season 0-4 but all four games they have been close by three points or fewer. So here they are on Sunday laying three points after not having won a game outright. The defense has been terrible this year. They are 7th in opponent passer rating and yards allowed per rush attempt. The Redblacks are 2-2 on the season and have a -29 point differential. Ottawa got good news when they found out that QB Dru Brown passed his concussion protocol this week. Brown should be more than good enough to move the ball vs this poor Elks defense. The Redblacks offensive line continues to improve, ranked fifth in the CFL after being last in 2023. The Elks are 0-4 S/U but 3-1 ATS on the season. Ottawa has seen seven of its last nine games on the road go over. The Redblacks are 5-2 ATS in their last seven trips to Edmonton and I fully expect them to cover if not win outright here today on Sunday.

 Winnipeg finally got off the loss column and put up a straight line in the win column with their win over Ottawa at home last week, 25-16. This first win coming after a 0-4 start to the season. They limited Ottawa to just 280 of offense and had three sacks. Meanwhile, Calgary is 2-2 to start the season winning both home games and dropping both road contests. Calgary QB Jake Maier has struggled vs the Winnipeg defense in recent games. Winnipeg ranks first in opponent completion percentage and second in opponent passing yards allowed. Winnipeg is 4-1 ATS in the last five following an ATS win. They are also 35-15-1 ATS in their last 51 home games. I look for Winnipeg to pick up its second win of the season here tonight. Calgary hasn't been very good on the road and that will show here against still a very good defensive Blue Bomber squad. Take Winnipeg.

The Phoenix Mercury take on the Indiana Fever here on Friday. The Mercury are in 6th place overall in the WNBA with a 12-10 record and have won three straight games. They also have a -1.1 point differential. The Indiana Fever are just barely holding onto that 8th and final playoff spot with their 9-14 record. They lead 9th place Atlanta by just one game. They also have a -6.6 point differential. This will be the second meeting between these teams since June 30th when the Fever upset the Mercury in Phoenix, 88-82. The Mercury are 3rd in the league in shooting but their defense is not good as the are 9th in scoring defense. The Fever are led by rookie sensation Caitlin Clark who is averaging 16.7 ppg and also leads the team in assists with 7.6 per game. Indiana is 7th in scoring this season and fourth in 3-point field goals. Clark's assist leading on this team has gotten her team mates much more involved and has led to a resurgence by the Fever as they are 5-5 their last 10 games. The Mercury will likely be without Guard Diana Taurasi tonight. I'm taking the Fever in this rematch tonight.

 Early schedule today in thee WNBA and this is one of the later afternoon games as the Dallas Wings face the Seattle Storm. The Wings are tied for last in the WNBA with the Mystics and Sparks with a 5-17 record. All three teams are four games back of the Chicago Sky for that final playoff spot. The Mercury are 6th with a 11-10 record and -1.9 point differential. The Wings have split their last two games, beating Atlanta 85-82 and then losing their lats game to Las Vegas, 85-104. They are led by Arike Ogunbowale who averages 23.1 ppg on the season. The Mercury bring a two game win streak into today's contest with wins over the LA Sparks, 84-78 and this Dallas club, 104-96. Neither of these teams are very good on the defensive side of the ball. And with Phoenix just covering vs the Dallas team a few games ago, I look for the Wings to rebound here today and get the cover. Play Dallas.

CFL week 5 action continues here on Friday as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Ottawa Redblacks. Winnipeg has really struggled this year, yet to win a game against four losses. The 0-4 start for the Blue Bombers is the worst start since 2012. The Blue Bombers had been to the Grey Cup for four consecutive years, but that string looks to be in jeopardy this season. Injuries have been the big issue. WR Kenny Lawler broke his arm in the season opener. WR Dalton Schoen is out for the year and WR Keric Wheatfall is out with a leg injury. If that wasn't bad enough, two-time MOP QB Zach Collaros went down in week 4 after taking a big hit before halftime. His replacement, Chris Steveler struggled to a 14-for-24 in his place. Ottawa is 2-1 after three games. They have an excellent rushing defense that is allowing just 70.3 ypg rushing this year. The Redblacks have already beaten Winnipeg this year in week 2, 23-19 as a 7-point dog. This game looks to be lower scoring with the injury issues the Blue Bombers are having. Winnipeg QB could play this week and that would be big for this team. I don't see this Grey Cup caliber team starting 0-5 on the season. I'll take Winnipeg here on Friday, despite their injury issues. Take Winnipeg.

The Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants play the 2nd game of their set here on Wednesday. The Giants took game one last night, 5-3. That makes two straight losses for the Braves who are in 2nd place in the NL East, now 9-games back of the first play Phillies. The Giants have won two straight games and six of their last eight games. They are in third in the NL West, 11-games back of the 1st place Dodgers. The Giants will start Jordan Hicks today who is 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA. Hicks been hit hard the last two starts, allowing 11 hits and eight runs over his last nine innings. Chris Sale will start for the Braves. He's 10-3 this year with a 2.79 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. Since his worst start of the season where he allowed eight runs over four innings to the A's, he's since been very solid once again. Sale has allowed six total runs over his last four starts (26 innings). Sale has also been great at home, going 7-0 with a 2.86 ERA. I'm going to take the Braves here tonight and lay the Run Line.

Two of the bottom teams in the WNBA meet here today as the LA Sparks host the Washington Mystics. The Sparks are 4-14 and in 10th place in the standings. The Sparks have lost seven straight games and have the second worst point differential in the WNBA with a -7.5 mark. The Mystics are 4-15, a half game back of the Sparks and in 11th place. They have a -3.7 point differential. Even though the Mystics have lost two straight to two of the better WNBA teams, they covered both of those games. And, before that they won four out of their last five games. So the Mystics have definitely been playing better of late. Can't say the same for the Sparks. They have lost their last three games by a margin of at least 10-points and their last five by at least nine points. Yet, here tonight they are a small home favorite to the Mystics. I'm sticking with the Mystics in this one as they have shown me much more of late and have done all their winning in the last seven games. Take Washington.

A pair of East teams close out week four of the CFL as Ottawa hosts Hamilton. The Hamilton Tiger Cats are 0-3 to start the season and have scored 74 points again 101 points allowed for a -27 point differential. Ottawa is 1-1 and has 44 points and allowed 66 points for a -22 point differential. Despite their 0-3 record, Hamilton is coming off a strong game, especially on offense where they have been decent all season. These teams are pretty evenly matched with Hamilton avearg9ng 24.67 ppg and allowing 33.67 ppg. The Redblacks average 22 ppg and allow 33 ppg. Big edge in passing yards to the Tiger Cats who average 322.6 yards per game compared to the Redblacks 248 yards per game. Rushing edge to Ottawa with their 92.5 ypg vs Hamilton's 71.67 ypg. Hamilton has won the last five matchups between these clubs dating back to October 2021. Hamilton took the last meeting at Ottawa on Sept 8, 2023, 27-24. Ottawa is 2-12 S/U in its last 14 games and 1-5 ATS the last six games. The Redblacks are also 6-13 ATS in their last 19 home games. Hamilton seems to have Ottawa's number in recent years and I don't see that changing here on Sunday. Play Hamilton.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers still seeking their first win of the CFL season as they head to Calgary to face the Stampeders. The Blue Bombers started the season as one of the favorites to win this year's Grey Cup. Their offense has struggled, posting just 55 points in three games. The defense has allowed 76 points in three games for a -21 point differential. They also lost the best WR in the CFL in Dalton Schoen who went on the IL. Their offensive line has also been banged up. The Calgary offense has been very good. QB Jack Maier leads the league in completion percentage at 86.4%. He should do well against a Winnipeg defense that is last in the CFL in pass rush and has allowed the most completions this year of 30 yards or more. Both these defenses have struggled, but I have to give the offensive edge to Calgary here. Too much to pass on getting points at home with Calgary against a injury plagued Winnipeg team. Play Calgary.

The two-time defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces have struggled a bit this year, at least for them. They are 9-6 and have just a +3.2 point differential. They average 87.7 ppg while allowing 84.5 ppg. They will face the last place Washington Mystics. The Mystics are 4-14, but find themselves just three games back of the last playoff spot at this point. They also have a -3.3 point differential. The Mystics have played much better of late. They have won four of their last six games and covered five of those games. Las Vegas is coming off a win over Chicago in their last game, 95-83, covering the 10.5-point line. Meanwhile, Washington lost to the Connecticut Sun in OT, 91-94. The Aces are 2nd in the WNBA in scoring but 8th in the league in defense. Washington lost its first 12 games this season but has come on strong of late. They are a double digit home dog here today and I look for them to stay close to the Aces. Play Washington.

A battle of last year's East Final has Toronto Aronauts taking on the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. This is the marquee matchup of the week as the 3-0 Montreal team hosts the 2-0 Toronto squad. Montreal has a excellent +44 point differential as they have scored 97 points and allowed just 53. Toronto has a +11 differential, scoring 74 and allowing 63 points. Montreal is already looking like a repeat Grey Cup Champion after winning the title last season. The Montreal defense is the best, allowing just 17.6 ppg. QB Cody Farjardo is having a great season too, completing 73.1% of his passes for 305 yards per game. Toronto is playing with their best offenseive player in Chad Kelly who has been replaced by QB Cameron Dukes. Dukes has led the Argos to a 2-0 start completing 81% of his passes with five TD's and no INT's. The big difference here is defense. The Argos defense has not been very good allowing a lot of yards through the air this year. Montreal's offense should have little trouble moving the ball tonight. In addition, Montreal is 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven games vs the East. Take Montreal here on Friday.

Week 4 of the CFL begins tonight as the BC Lions host the Edmonton Elks. Jim had a perfect week 3, going 4-0! The Edmonton Elks are still looking for their first win after a 0-3 start. However, the offense has been effective under QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson. The BC Lions have started their season 2-1, scoring 79 points but allowing 76 points. The defense has been a point of contention since the middle of last season. The have allowed 374.5 yards over their last two games. The defense is last in the league in first downs allowed and opponent completion percentage. They are second to last in opponent passer rating. That's not good news for this unit tonight as they face an Elks offense that leads the league in first downs and has been very potent through the air with Bethel-Thompson. Bethel-Thompson completed 73% of his passes last week vs the Argos and passed for 326 yards per game this year. They also play the fastest pace in the league with their up-tempo attack. The one thing this Elks team lacks is a defense, which is worse than the BC defense. Since the Elks are getting just over a TD here today, I expect the offense to keep them close enough to cover this spread. Play Edmonton.

Commissioner's Cup on the Line today as the top two statistical teams meet up as the NY Liberty take on the Minnesota Lynx. Each player on the winning team gets $20k each, which in the WNBA is a large amount of incentive to win this game. The Liberty won this Cup in 20203. The NY Liberty come in with the best record in the WNBA at 15-3. The Minnesota Lynx are tied for second with a 13-3 record. The Liberty average 88.1 ppg while allowing 78.4 ppg for a +9.7 point differential. The Lynx average 84.5 ppg while allowing 73.8 ppg for a league best +10.7 point differential. This game features the best team in the East Conference vs the best team in the West. Minnesota has the third best scoring offense in the league and are first in field goal percentage and first in 3-point shooting. The Lynx are also 2nd in the league in defense. The Liberty will be playing their fourth game in the last six nights and that could play a factor here tonight. The Liberty league the league in scoring and are third in defense. The Lynx won the other matchup between these teams this year, 84-67. The Lynx, which are 1st in 3-point defense, held the Liberty to just 7-of-29 from the 3-point arc in that win. I also give the edge here tonight to the Minnesota bench. Big test here for the Lynx tonight. I like the points though and will take them. Play Minnesota.

The Connecticut Sun sit atop the WNBA standings with their 13-2 record. They are coming off only their second loss, that coming at defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas, 74-85. They will face Seattle Storm here today for the first time this season. The Sun are a very small road dog in this one. The Sun average 80.5 ppg while allowing 71.7 ppg for a +8.8 point differential. They will face a 9-6 Seattle Storm here today that sits in fourth in the WNBA, 4.5-games back of the Sun. The Storm have actually lost two straight games. They lost at Phoenix, 78-87, and then lost at Las Vegas, 83-94. They return home here today where they are 4-1 on the season. They average 83.1 ppg while allowing 79.7 ppg for a +3.4 point differential. I'm sticking with the Sun here today as they look to make up for that dismal performance at Vegas in their last game. Take Connecticut.

The Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts meet here in week 3 CFL action. The Elks are 0-2 to start their season while Toronto is 1-0. Edmonton may have started 0-2 but they are much better then their record shows. They have scored 41 points while allowing 52 points. They opened their season with a loss to Saskatchewan, 21-29, and then lost last week to Montreal, 20-23. They led Saskatchewan in the fourth quarter but let that lead get away. Then they lost a competitive game to Montreal by just a field goal. Toronto opened their season in week one with a win over the BC Lions, 35-27, then they had last week off. The defense lost six starters from last year and that could be an issue today against Elks QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson who has looked very good thus far. Having these off weeks this early in the season I believe is an issue for a team. They are still fresh with the season just underway and it can hurt chemistry this early. Bethel-Thompson returns to play his old team in Toronto, a place he spent four years and led the CFL in passing yards in 2022. He returns to the CFL after a season in the USFL where he led that league in passing yards. He's a huge boost to this Elks offense and will keep them competitive all season. I'm taking the points in this as I look for the Elks passing game to keep them close. Play Edmonton.

Saturday WNBA action has a trio of games on tap and today I'm focusing on the Dallas Wings vs the Washington Mystics. These are the two worst teams in the WNBA with the Dallas Wings at 3-11 overall and the Mystics coming in at 2-13. The Wings are 2-6 on the road while the Mystics are 1-5 at home. Washington has a -6.2 point differential and the Wings come in at -5.9. Dallas brings a nine-game losing streak into today's contest at Washington. Yet, the Wings are still a small road favorite. This is a back-to-back spot as the teams will meet again on Sunday. Dallas also got bad news as Maddy Siegrist (14.6 ppg) will be out indefinitely with a broken finger. They will also be without starting center Kalani Brown. The Wings defense ranks 11th with a 86 ppg average. Washington started the season 0-12 and while they are the worst team in the WNBA right now, they won back-to-back games here recently. With injuries for the Wings I'm not sure how they are favored on the road here today. I'm taking Washington who has been playing with much more confidence of late.

Great matchup here tonight on the hard wood as this year's best team so far, the Connecticut Sun, take on the two-time defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces. The Sun are 13-1 and have won four straight after their lone loss of the season. They are 5-0 on thee road and have an overall +10.2 point differential. The LV Aces have struggled out of the gate, at least for them. They are 7-6 and have just a +1.9 point differential. They did however get back Chelsea Gray last game though she is being eased back into the lineup after a long injury absence. The Sun have the best defense in the WNBA, holding opponents to just 70.7 ppg. They are led by DeWanna Bonner, who averages 17.5 ppg and 6.1 rebounds per game. The LV Aces have the top ranked scoring team in the WNBA with a 87.4 ppg average. However, they defense has allowed 85.5 ppg, ranking them ninth in the league. Vegas is just 4-9 ATS on the season while the Sun are 7-7. Should be a great game tonight but I will take the points with the Sun as they look the better option as they can win this game outright. Play Connecticut.

 A pair of CFL West teams meet here today as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the BC Lions. The Lions are 1-1 and have scored 53 points while allowing 52 points. The Blue Bombers are 0-2 and have scored just 31 points while allowing 50. Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros has not been good after two games, as he has yet to throw a TD pass with three INT's. Winnipeg has also allowed the third most sacks thus far in the season. BC lost its opener to Toronto but rebounded last week with a win over Calgary. WR Alexander Hollins leads the league thus far in targets and is tied in receptions and WR Justin McInnis leads in receiving yards. While BC hasn't been flawless, they have played much better than Winnipeg thus far. I'm taking the BC Lions here tonight.

Game 5 of the NBA playoffs as the venue moves back to Boston for this game with the Mavericks. The Celtics took a 3-0 series lead but couldn't close out game four at Dallas, losing 84-122. The Celtics were never in the game and in fact looked like a team just playing the game out for game five back in Boston. The 38-point margin was the third largest ever in an NBA Final. The Mavs stars were sitting down and resting by the fourth quarter. Luka Doncic had 29 points and Kyrie Irving had 21. I have to take the Celtics here in game five. They had little effort in game four and look like they want to wrap this up at home here tonight. Take the Celtics.

The St Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins play game one of a three game set here on Monday. The Cardinals are coming off a set with the Cubs where they took two of three games. The Cards have also won four of their last five games. The Cardinals are 35-35 and in 2nd in the NL Central, 6.5-games back of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals also have a -38 run differential. Sonny Gray starts today for the Cardinals. He's 8-4 in his 12 starts with a 3.01 ERA. Gray is coming off a start vs the Pirates where he allowed four hits and one run for the win. The Marlins have lost five straight games and 11 of their last 13 games. The Marlins are in last in the NL East with their 23-48 record. They have the 2nd worst run differential in baseball with a -116 mark. Braxton Garrett will start today for the Marlins with his 2-2 record in six starts. Garrett also has a 6.10 ERA and a 11.68 ERA at home. I'm taking the Cardinals here on Monday and laying the Run line. Play St Louis -1.5 Runs.

The Seattle Storm travel to Phoenix today to take on the Mercury. The Storm are having a fine season as they are in 4th overall in the WNBA standings with a 9-4 record. They average 83.5 ppg while allowing 78.1 ppg for a +5.4 point differential. The Storm have won two straight games and eight of their last nine games. They are coming off a win over the Dallas Wings, 92-84. They have also beat Phoenix at home this year, 80-62. The Phoenix Mercury are in 6th in the WNBA with a 6-7 record. They average 81.8 ppg but allow 85.8 ppg for a -4 point differential. They have lost six of their last nine game, including their last game at home to Las Vegas, 103-99. Seattle playing well both on offense and defense. They hold opponents to the second lowest field goal shooting in the league and they lead the league in rebounding. Seattle had no trouble with this team in their first meeting and I don't see that changing here in the second meeting today. Seattle just has too much on both ends for this Mercury team. Play Seattle.

The NY Liberty are the 2nd best team in the WNBA this season and having a great year with a 11-2 record. They only trail the Connecticut Sun by a half game for the best record in the WNBA. They also have the 2nd best point differential with a +9.9. The Liberty have also won seven straight games. The defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are in 5th right now with a 6-5 record. They have a +2 point differential. This is a rematch of the WNBA finals from last year in which Las Vegas won 3 games to 1. New York is the second best scoring team in the WNBA and are second in field goal percentage and sixth in 3-point shooting. They have an excellent defense, ranked 2nd in the league. The Aces have struggled at this year so far. They lost to Minnesota last Tuesday, 86-100 and then won over Phoenix, 103-99. That win snapped a three-game losing streak by the Aces. New York is just the better team at this juncture of the season. And as such, I'll take the few points with the Liberty here today.

Chicago Sky travel to Washington to take on the Mystics here on Friday. The Sky are in 8th place in the WNBA with a 4-7 record. They have a -1.5 point differential, scoring 78.5 ppg and allowing 80.0 ppg. They actually have a winning road record at 3-2 on the season. The Mystics are dead last in the WNBA with a 1-12 record and -6.8 point differential. They average 75.6 ppg (lowest in the WNBA) and allow 82.4 ppg. They are 0-5 at home looking for that first road win of the season. This will be the second meeting between these teams this year. Chicago took the first game, 79-71 at Washington. The Mystics are coming off their first win of the season last Tuesday in a 87-68 road win over Atlanta, ending that 12 game losing streak to start the season. The Sky are very good at defending, in particular the 3-point shots. With the Mystics relying on their 3-point shooting that will be difficult tonight. I'm taking the Sky here on Friday night.

Game three of the NBA Finals as the venue moves from Boston to Dallas. The Celtics easily took game one, 107-89 and then too a much tougher game two, 105-98. The Celtics Jrue Holiday had 26 points to lead to Boston to a 2-0 series lead. The Mavs Luka Doncic was listed as injured but played and still scored 32 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists. However, Doncic missed a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left that ended the Mavs comeback hopes in game two. The Mavs led after one quarter, 28-25 and trailed at the half 51-54. A much more competitive game for the Mavs. And, with the extra time off between games, game three not playing until Wednesday, this gives the Mavs and Doncic time to heal up any injuries. The Mavs in a must win spot here in game three as they can ill afford to go down 0-3 in the series. I'll take another shot with them here on Wednesday. Take the Dallas Mavericks.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals here on Sunday from Boston. Gone are days of old when they played back to back game, now it seems there has to be many days off between games. That's both good and bad. It extends out the Finals for maybe weeks but it can also take away momentum one team might build up. The Celtics had little issues in game one of the Finals, beating the Mavs 107-89. Jaylen Bowen led the Celtics with 22 points and Kristaps Prozingis added twenty more. Dallas never got closer than eight points in the third quarter but the Celtics answered that with a 14-0 run. It seems in this modern age of the NBA that teams do what's called "punting" or giving up to rest players when they feel they have no chance of getting back in the game. This allows their star players more rest. And as such, not overcorrection from Vegas on the line. What was a seven point spread by the Celtics in game one is about the same here in game two. Dallas will have to defend the perimeter better in this game as Boston has many players that can hit from the 3-point arc. Dallas star Luka Doncic said his team wouldn't get down after that game one blowout loss. And Doncic is arguably the best player in the league and I look for him to step up here in game two and be the leader that he is. I'll take the points with the Mavericks on Sunday.

 Week one action in the Canadian Football league has British Columbia taking on Toronto here on Sunday evening. The BC Lions had a good season in 2023, finishing the regular season strong before winning their first playoff game and losing in the West Finals. Toronto had a great regular season last year, with a 16-2 record. However, they were embarrassed at home by Montreal in the East Finals. The Toronto Argonauts will be without last year's starting QB Chad Kelly, who is serving a nine game suspension. The oddsmaker has responded by making Toronto a 5-point or better home dog here tonight. I personally think they over corrected for Kelly being out. Cameron Dukes will have to take over at QB and while he doesn't have the name or pedigree of Kelly, he's look sharp in limited action. BC had the best defense for the first half of last season but struggled in the 2nd half, allowing 31.8 ppg their final nine regular season games. With their best defensive player, Mathieu Betts, now playing in the NFL I look for that unit to not be even as good as last year. Bottom line, Toronto is still a very good team and Dukes will fill in fine for Kelly. I'm taking Toronto has a home dog here on Sunday night.

Opening game of the season for both teams tonight as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats open at Calgary Stampeders. Hamilton was 8-11 S/U and 9-9-1 ATS last season after acquirin former Calgary starting QB Bo Levi Mitchell in what turned out to be a average season. A lot is expected from Mitchell this season who will have one of the best WR in the CFL in Tim White and an excellent running back in James Butler. Calgary was 6-13 S/U and 9-10 ATS last season. The Stampeders had their first losing season in 16 years and not much more is expected this year with a win over/under of just 6.5 games. This is a Calgary team that didn't really improve over the offseason and isn't expected to do much this year. Conversely, the Tiger-Cats are expected to be better with a healthy team. Play Hamilton.

It's game one of the NBA Finals as the Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in their series to win the West. They pummeled the Wolves in game five at Minnesota, 124-103. Luka Doncic had 20 points in the first quarter and 36 for the games to go with Kyrie Irving's 36 points. The Mavs had a 29-point halftime lead. The Mavs will get a full 7 days of off time to prepare for the Celtics. The Celtics swept the Paces in the Eastern Finals, though they covered just one of the four games. They also saw three of the four games go over the total. The Pacers played them tough but just couldn't close out the games as they lost three of the four games by five points or fewer. Many can argue that the Mavs Doncic is the best player right now in the NBA and the World. At 6-foot-8 he's tough to guard, kind of like Magic Johnson back in the day. He's likely the MVP this year and would love to add a NBA title. The Celtics have had 10 days off before game one. Could they come out flat or a bit rusty? We'll see. You can make a case for either side in this game, but for me I'm taking the points with the Mavericks and won't be surprised if they steal game one straight up. Play Dallas.

The Connecticut Sun look to stay unbeaten in the WNBA as they host the Washington Mystics tonight. The Sun are 8-0 on the season and in 1st place by 1.5-games over the NY Liberty. They average 80.8 ppg while allowing 70.6 ppg for a +10.2 pint differential. The Sun have the top ranked defense in the league and the 6th ranked offense. The Washington Mystics are 0-8 and looking for their first win of the season tonight. Likely won't happen against this Sun team. The Mystics average 74.4 ppg and allow 83.8 ppg. The Mystic are getting 13.5 points here tonight. Question is will the Sun be motivated to do much more then get the win. The Sun won't lose but I'm looking for the Mystics to slide in under the point spread. Take the points with Washington.

The Minnesota Lynx are in 2nd place overall in the WNBA, 1.5-games back of first place Connecticut Sun. The Lynx have won both games at home and have a +10.2 point differential. They average 88.6 ppg while allowing 78.4 ppg. They will face the defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces. The Aces are 3-1 and in 3rd place, two games back of the Sun. The Aces lead the WNBA in scoring with a 81.3 ppg average while they allow 85 ppg. Both teams playing very well but the Lynx getting 4.5 or 5 points at home where they are 2-0 is more than I can pass on here tonight. I'll take the Lynx plus the points.

Two teams both looking to get off the one win they have will meet here tonight as the Indiana Fever host the LA Sparks. The Indiana Fever have been the talk of the league and have generated more interest then ever seen in the league with Caitlin Clark coming on board. The Number One pick is averaging 15.4 ppg, 5.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Both teams have just one win this season and the Fever beat the Sparks in LA. The Sparks coming off a loss to Dallas, 83-84, despite outscoring the Wings 20-14 in the 4th quarter. The Sparks average 77.8 ppg while allowing 82.2 ppg. Indiana averages 77.4 ppg and allows 90 ppg. I believe this is way too many points for the Fever to lay in any game. They have just one straight up win and now you are asking them to cover this game by six points. I look for a close game that the Fever can win, but not cover this number. Play Los Angeles.

Game three of this best of seven series of the NBA Eastern Conference moves over to Indiana tonight. The Pacers have their backs up against the wall as they are down 0-2 in this series. They hung in there in game one and really should have won that game but lost in OT, 128-133. Game two wasn't close as the Celtics cruised to a 126-110 win. The Pacers have shot well, hitting 53.5% in game one and 52.4% in game two. However, it's their defense that hurts this team. They allowed Boston to hit over 40% from the three-point arc in game two. Tonight is really do or die for the Pacers. They can't go down 0-3 if they hope to have any chance, slim as it may be. So expect their best effort tonight in what should be another high scoring game. The Pacers haven't had much trouble making baskets, they just need to stop Boston from making so many. I'll take the home dog here tonight and see if they can steal game three. Play the Pacers.

 The Caitlin Clark saga continues in Indiana as the first year rookie continue to garner much attention. However, despite her average this year, the Fever are 0-5 on the season. The Fever to hope to get their first win of the season tonight against the 1-2 LA Sparks at the Crypto.com Arena in LA. Clark put up 21 points in their last game, a loss at Seattle, 83-85. Though the Fever did cover the spread in that game. The offense is ranked 11th overall with a 76.8 ppg mark but is giving up 91.6 ppg. Clark is averaging 17.8 ppg and 5.8 assists per game. The Sparks finally got their first win after losing their first two games of the season. They allowed only 68 points in their win over the Washington Mystics. I know the Fever will have to win eventually, but they are favored on the road and haven't won yet. I'll have to see that first win before I can fade points on the road. Play the LA Sparks.

 Game two of the NBA Eastern Conference Championship has the Indiana Pacers looking to regroup after giving away game one of this series in OT to the Celtics, 128-133. The Pacers gave the ball away late leading 117-114 and Jayson Tatum hit the game tying three-point shot with 6.1 seconds to play in regulation. Then Tatum scored 10 points in OT, part of his 36 for the game to give the Celtics the win. The Pacers have to be smarting knowing they were just one turnover away from leading this series 1-0. The Pacers used their high paced offense to scored 117 in regulation against the stingy Boston defense. The Pacers will need to clean up those 21 turnovers they have in game one if they hope to win here tonight. They shot almost 54% from the field in game one and 37% from the 3-point arc. The Pacers were red hot from the field and won the rebounding in game one. They did turn the ball over seven more times and only had 10 free throws. Still, they should be up 1-0 here in this series. I will take the points here in game two as the Pacers have proved they can play with the Celtics. Play Indiana.

The Pirates blew a late inning lead on Wednesday after leading 5-3 and giving away the lead to be tied at 5-5 in the 8th. The Giants then scored four times in the 10th to break open the game and even this best of three series at 1-1. The loss dropped the Pirates to 23-27 and fourth in the NL Central with a -30 run differential. The Giants are tied for 3rd with Arizona, both teams 8-games back of the Dodgers. The Giants will start Mason Black today who is 0-1 in his three starts with a 7.72 ERA. Paul Skenes will toe the rubber for the Pirates with a 1-0 record in his two starts and a 2.70 ERA. I don't expect the Pirates to blow another late lead here on Thursday, especially with Skenes on the hill. Take the Pirates on the Run Line. 

 Caitlin Clark has been the talk of the WNBA this season. After her big run with Iowa in the Women's NCAA Championships, she moved right over into the pro circuit with the Indiana Fever. While Clark's presense might take some time to turn into wins for the Fever, her impact on the seats has been immediate. Not only has she energized the WNBA but the Indiana Fever are drawing fans. However Clark and the Fever are still looking for that first win of the season after an 0-4 start. Tonight could be the night though as they face the 1-3 Seattle Storm. The Fever should have won last game on Monday as Clark scored 17 points to bring the Fever back in the 4th quarter to tie the game with seconds to play. However, a questionable coaching move had Clark on the bench after hitting that game tying layup. The Fever ended up losing in the final seconds despite Clark's excellent second half. So will tonight be their first win? I don't know if they will win, but I'll take the 5.5-points with the Fever against a Seattle team that has just one win and a -6 point differential. Take Indiana.

The NBA Western Conference Finals begin here tonight as the Mavs travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves. The Mavs dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games, winning the last two of the series including the final game, 117-116. The Mavs had to rally from 17-points down in the 3rd quarter and 9-points down in the 4th quarter to get the win. The Timberwolves beat the defending Champion Denver Nuggets in seven games, having to come back from a 2-3 deficit to win games six and seven. They held Denver to 99, 80, 70 and 90 points in their four wins. The Minnesota defense has been key to their success this postseason. They were one of the best defensive teams in the regular season, holding teams to just 105.7 ppg. However, that number has been even more impressive in the playoffs with a 99.6 ppg point allowed average. The Mavericks will once again be the lower seed here in this series, as they have been their first two series. They have the best backcourt right now in basketball with Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Doncic will be a tough matchup for the Timberwolves in this series. The Timberwolves have one concern on the injury front in Michael Conley Jr, who is questionable tonight. Jaylen Clark remains out for the Wolves. Should be a great series. The Mavs have been great in the dog role and have won on the road in the playoffs. The Minnesota defense will be tough, but this backcourt of the Mavs should find a way to lead the team tonight. I'm taking the points with the Mavericks in this game one.

There has been a common theme in the NBA this postseason, and it's called "punting." That's when a team gets down big in a non-elimination game and they pretty much give up. They pull their starters and let them rest even if they lose huge. We've seen that a lot in this Pacers vs Knicks series. The Knicks winning game six by 13 while the Pacers won game five by 31-points and then the Knicks winning game four by 32-points. Now today, this is an elimination game, it's game 7 and the loser is done. The Knicks got blown out in game six knowing they return home. They have bad a lot of injuries this postseason so for them, resting players has been a priority. The Knicks are about a 3 1/2 point favorite here on Sunday. The Knicks have beaten the Pacers in all three games at Madison Sq Garden. They won by 4-points, 9-points and 31-points. With rested stars here today and home court, I'll be on the Knicks in this game seven. Play New York.

Game six of this NBA Western Conference 2nd Round series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder are down 2-3 and in a must win spot here on Saturday. They are coming off a loss at Oklahoma City in game five, 92-104, as a 4.5 point favorite. Four of the five games in this series have gone UNDER as we've seen the total start at 218.5 and slowly drop to today's lowest total of 209.5. The Thunder averaged 118.5 ppg during the regular season and have dropped to 104.6 ppg in the playoffs. They have also seen their defense go from allowing 111.2 ppg to just 97.4 ppg. Dallas averaged 116.4 ppg during the regular season and 105.5 ppg in the playoffs. They have allowed 114 ppg in the regular season to 102 ppg in the playoffs. This has been a low scoring series and I don't see much to change that outcome here on Saturday. Expect to see defense continue to shine here in game six on Saturday. The Thunder have proven they can win on the road in this series winning game four, 100-96. With this game being a defensive battle, I'll take the points with the dog here in game six. Play the THUNDER. 

The NY Liberty are coming off a strong start to their season with a 85-80 win over the Washington Mystics. The Liberty were 32-8 last season and 16-4 in the East. The Liberty have it all, scoring, rebounding and defense and that will make them one of the favorites to win it all this year. The Liberty will face Indiana and Caitlin Clark. Clark scored 20 points but the Fever were beat by Connecticut, 71-92 in their opening game. While the team had impressive offensive numbers they will have to improve on defense as they allowed too many easy scores in their loss. Another tough opponent for the Fever here. I expect the Fever to improve as the season goes along, but against a seasoned, well balanced team like the Liberty they will likely face another double digit loss here tonight. Play New York.

Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals today and this is a pivotal battle between the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The winner will be in the key position to move on to the Conference finals. The teams have split the first four games with the Mavs winning games two and three and dropping games one and four. The Mavs led game four at home 54-43 at the half but they could score just 15 third quarter points and then got outscored 27-35 in the 4th by the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points for the Thunder in the win. I have no issues taking the points here tonight with the Mavericks. They have already proved they can win at a tough OKC, by taking game two of the series, 119-110. Momentum has gone back and forth and tonight I see it switching back to the Mavs. Take the points here in game five. Play Dallas.

Game five of this NBA Eastern Conference matchup between the Indiana Pacers and NY Knicks returns to New York on Tuesday. The Knicks led 2-0 as they headed to Indiana, but the Pacers took games three and four to even the series at 2-2. The Pacers blew out the Knicks in game four, cruising to a 121-89 win. The Knicks have been shorthanded due to injuries and it showed in the loss. The Pacers were to top scoring team in the regular season and now also in the postseason. They shot a blistering 56.8% from the field in game four and also hit 45.2% from the 3-point arc. The Knicks were shorthanded in game four, still they shot a dismal 33.7% from the field and 18.9% from the 3-point arc. Their stars, Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo had horrible games. They need them to play well if they hope for rebound win in game five. You have to throw out game four. Everything went right for the Pacers and everything went wrong for the Knicks. Don't expect that again here before the home crowd at Madison Square Garden. I look for the Knicks to rebound here in game five and take a 3-2 series lead. Play New York.

The Indiana Fever were the highlight of the draft when they picked Caitlin Clark overall 1st. Clark made headlines with Iowa in the NCAA tournament and went right into the WNBA with little time off. Does Clark have the Fever on track to win a WNBA title in the next four years. Consider that the the three times in WNBA history that a team has had back-to-back No 1 picks (as the Fever did this year and last) they have won a WNBA title within four years. Now that the preseason is over and the regular season is starting, all eyes will be on Clark. There is no place but up for a Fever team that won 13 games last year. So whatever hype Clark has generated, they will be better. Not Championship better, but much better. The Fever are still a young team and will take time to gel and mature into a possible Championship team. As for the Sun, they are a well oiled machine that has made the playoff semifinals in each of the last five years. They return their core players this year and will be even stronger as they return Brionna Jones from an Achilles injury. They added depth in the off season and should challenge the top teams in the league. The Fever will one day be good, but not good enough right now for this seasoned and deep Sun team. Play Connecticut.

Game four of this NBA Western Conference second round matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder took game one at home, 117-95, but then lost game two 110-119 and then game three at Dallas, 101-105. The Thunder were the top ranked Western conference team and face going down 1-3 in this series with a loss here on Monday. The Thunder swept their opening round set but face a rough road if they lose here tonight. The Thunder have also remained healthy, so that's not an issue. The Thunder ranked third in field goal percentage and first in three-point percentage. Their shooting has dropped off, especially in the two losses. They need to find that offense that was so good. The Mavs know the importance of going up 3-1 in the series too. The pressure is on the Thunder here tonight. However, I feel they are up to the challenge as they get better production from their frontcourt. The last two losses have been two of the worst for the Thunder this season so they really have to improve here today. I look for the bounce back in game four tonight . Take Oklahoma City.

 After a pair of lackluster games in Denver, the Nuggets finally had the breakout game many thought would come in games one and two. The Nuggets left Denver down 0-2 in the series and facing the possibility of a horrible 0-3 series deficit. But they came out gangbusters in game three, going to wire-to-wire for the win over the Timberwolves, 117-90. The Nuggets experience shined through along with their determination in game three. The defending NBA champions quieted the raucous crowd in Minnesota. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 24 points. Nikola Jokic, three time league MVP also had 24 points and 14 rebounds to go with nine assists. It also marked the first time in three games that the Nuggets broke the 100 point mark. Denver can take back home court with a win here on Sunday. Minnesota has a very good defense, but they are young and that youth showed in game three. I look for the Nuggets to get this win and take back home court here on Sunday. Play Denver.

Game four of this best of seven series between the Knicks and Pacers has the Knicks up two game to one. The Knicks took the first two games of the series back in New York, 121-117 and then 130-121. The Pacers got the win in game three, 111-106, but failed to cover the the 7-point favorite line. The Knicks led going into the fourth quarter of game three before the Pacers outscored them 26-16. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 35 points though he was limping at the end of the game. Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 35 points. The Knicks have been great from the 3-point arc in this series, hitting 39-for-80 (48.8%). If the Pacers can't stop that high number of 3-pointers they won't run away from the Knicks in any game. The Knicks have also owned the better numbers from the free throw line. I expect another close game here on Sunday and as such I'll take the points with the Knicks.

NBA Western Conference Game three here today as the venue shifts to Dallas for the Mavericks hosting the Thunder. The teams split the first two games at Okc with the Thunder winning the opener, 117-95 and the Mavs coming back in game two, 119-110. The Mavs hit a blistering 48.6% from the 3-point arc, their best since March 31. This number sitting as high as OKC +3.0 but seems to have settled at +2.5. Dallas was a 5.5-point dog in game two, so the line has shifting by 8 points. Oklahoma City was the top-ranked team in the Western Conference, so they know how to win and come back off a loss. You may lack experience, but Coach Mark Daigneault has this young team playing great defense. In the regular season, the Thunder were ranked fourth in defensive efficiency. The Mavericks were 16th in defense, sitting at 112.4 points per 100 possessions. As we have seen all postseason, defense has been ramped-up and the Thunder are the much better defensive team. P.J. Washington scored 29 points in game two, and he definitely won't be doing that again when he averaged just 12.9 points per game this season. I'm taking the Thunder here in game two today.

The defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets have their collective backs up against the wall here today in game three of their NBA West 2nd Round matchup with Minnesota. The Nuggets lost both home games and are down 0-2 as they return to Minnesota today for game three. The Nuggets can ill afford to go down 0-3 in this series so they better bring their A game today. What they have in their corner is experience against this young Wolves club. Denver lost game one, 99-106 and then were neve in game two as they dropped that one, 80-106. They looks tired in that game two loss as they shot just 34.9% from the field and allowed 50% shooting. No NBA team has come back from a 0-3 deficit so the Nuggets know they are in a must win situation. Nikola Jokic was named MVP and will have to play like it today. Anthony Edwards has become a star in the NBA as he's averaging 32.3 ppg in the playoffs. I believe Denver still has a spark in them. They need Jokic and Murray to step up and lead this team. Denver is the correct play here today plus the points. Play Denver.

 Game 2 of this Western Conference Semifinal from Oklahoma City has the Thunder looking to take a 2-0 lead over the Mavericks. The Thunder took game one, 117-95, as a 4-point favorite. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder. Dallas cut the Oklahoma lead to 66-65 early in the second quarter but the Thunder responded and never looked back. Dallas had one of their worst shooting games in a while, hitting just 39.3% from the field and 68% free throws. The oddsmaker has pumped up the line here today to 5 or 5.5 points. Both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving had sub-par games for the Mavs in game one. These two average over 50 ppg together. They have 63, 46, 62, 50, 58 and 59 together in their previous six games. I expect a better performance out of the Dallas veterans and the Mavericks overall. While this isn't a must win for Dallas, you know they would love to steal one of these games in Oklahoma City and go back home with home court in hand. I'll take the inflated point spread here today. Take Dallas.

 Game 2 of this Eastern Conference Round 2 clash here between the Indiana Pacers and NY Knicks. Game one went back and forth before the Knicks finally pulled out the win, 121-117 to take a 1-0 series lead. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 43 points. Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history with 40 or more points in four straight playoff games. Donte DiVincenzo hit the go ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds to play to lift the Knicks to the win. The Pacers led at half, 55-46. They have the advantage with a deeper bench and that led to the halftime lead. But Brunson scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Knicks back. The Pacers like the fast pace and the Knicks would rather slow things down. But the Pacers have got the Knicks to play fast which they wanted. The Knicks have a pair of four-point wins over the Pacers this year and two losses. The Pacers have covered three of the four matchups. The Pacers also don't turn the ball over much. I took the Pacers in game one and I'll be on them again here in game two. Play Indiana.

 The NBA Second round opening game here on Tuesday between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. So far in this second round it's been a dog feast as dogs have been covering. In the case of the T'Wolves and Nuggets the Wolves won both games straight up at Denver. Will that continue here today? The Mavericks took six games to dispose of the LA Clippers, winning and covering the last two in the series. The Mavs averaged 117.1 ppg during the regular season and thus far just 107 ppg in the playoffs. They allowed 114.6 ppg in regular season play and 100.3 in the playoffs. The Thunder swept the New Orleans Pelicans in four games, covering three of those games. In fact, the Thunder bring a nine game winning streak into this game and a 7-2 spread mark. Today, the Thunder are about 3.5-point favorite. The Thunder have been one of the best home teams this season and I don't see that changing in the postseason. There is some good news for the Mavs as Doncic and Hardaway Jr both have been upgraded to probable for today. Still, this is a very balanced OKC team that is hot both winning and covering. I'll take them here today in game one with the short line. Play Oklahoma City.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics begin their 2nd round Eastern Conference match here today. The Cavaliers needed seven games to dispose of Orlando. In fact, it didn't look too good in game seven on Sunday as they trailed 43-53 at the half. However, a 33-15 third quarter propelled them to the lead and they never looked back. Donovan Mitched scored 39 points for the Cavs. They covered three of the seven games. The Boston Celtics took five games to beat the Miami Heat. They lost game two, 94-111 and then beat the Heat by 20, 14 and 34 in the final three games as they covered four of the five games. The Celtics held the Heat to just 92.2 ppg in the playoff fist round. While Cleveland had to play Sunday, the Celtics have been off since their win to clinch the series on May 1st. The Celtics are rested and ready for this game one. They will dominate at the forward positions while the Cavs will not matchup well at all in this series. While the Celtics should have little trouble in the series, I expect a blowout here in game one. Take the Celtics.

 The Indiana Pacers and NY Knicks begin their second round playoff set of the Eastern Conference. The Pacers dispatched the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. The highest scoring team in the NBA during the regular season averaged 123.3 ppg. However, like all NBA teams they saw that lofty average drop in the playoffs with a 113 ppg average. They allowed 119.6 ppg during the regular season and 110.2 ppg in the playoffs. The Knicks also took six games to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in round one. The Knicks averaged 112.5 ppg and allowed 108.2 ppg during the regular season. Those numbers dropped to 108.3 ppg for and 108.2 ppg allowed during the playoffs. They also went over in 80% of their playoff games thus far. The Pacers finished the regular season first in scoring, second in offensive rating and second in pace. They will face a Knicks team that allowed the second fewest points per game this year. However, they are one of the few teams that allowed as many points in the regular season as they did in the postseason. The Knicks beat the Sixers despite a injury plagued run that included just seven players rotating in and out in the playoffs. The Knicks had the slowest pace this season and know they face the high paced Pacers. Jalen Brunson averaged 41.2 ppg and 10.3 assists in the last four games. The Knicks will still be without Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic in this round. I look for the high scoring Pacers to wear down this Knicks team that won't go deep into their bench. The Knicks will try to slow the pace and user rebounding but that likely won't last long. I look for the Pacers to give the Knicks all kind of issues in this series. Take the Pacers in game one.

Game one of the NBA West Semifinals has the Minnesota Timberwolves travelling to Denver to face the defending champion Nuggets. The T'Wolves finished off Phoenix in a four game sweep. They also covered all four games of the series. Anthony Edwards emerged as a star for the Wolves in that first round, averaging 31 ppg and 8 rebounds over the four games. He also shot 43.8% from the 3-point arc. The Denver Nuggets took the Lakers in five games, but failed to cover three of those games including the last two. Had the Lakers lost their play-in game they could have avoided the Nuggets in the first round. The games were closer then many expected. The Wolves will put three-time defensive player of the Year Rudy Cobert on Denver superstar Nikola Jokic. Jokic has looked unstoppable but will now face one of the best defenders. The Wolves rank 1st in the NBA in defensive efficiency and should be able to put some stops to Jokic. Anthony Edwards will be an issue to guard for Denver as they really don't have anyone to stop him. I like defense and the Wolves have it. Take the points in game one.

The New York Knicks will try again to close out this best of seven series against the 76ers. They had a great chance in game five but gave up a last second long three pointer that forced OT. Tyrese Maxey had a great night for the Sixers with 46 points including that game tying shot in regulation and scoring seven points in the final 25 seconds of OT for the 112-106 win. The Knicks might have been looking forward to game 1 of the Eastern Finals but now have to go back to Philly and try again to close out this series. Jalen Brunson was excellent again for the Knicks with 40 points. The Knicks took one of two games in Philly thus far, winning game four, 97-92. Josh Hart has also been very good filling in for injured Julius Randle. He's the Knicks second leading scorer and top rebounder during the playoffs. I look for the Knicks to brush off that game five finish and get things done here tonight in Philly. Take the Knicks.

The Denver Nuggets are looking for the sweep of the LA Lakers here in game four of their best of seven Western Conference series. The Lakers were in a must win spot in game three and came out like gangbusters leading the Nuggets 33-23 after one quarter. However, the Nuggets chipped away at that lead in quarter two with a 26-20 win and trailed at halftime, 49-53. It was the third quarter where the Nuggets flexed their muscles with a 34-22 margin. They never looked back as the teams played even in the fourth quarter and the Nuggets won, 112-105. Aaron Gordon had 29 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 more. The Nuggets are the Pro version of the Connecticut Huskies. Both are running roughshod over their opponents and looking for repeat Championship seasons. The Lakers missed 15 of their first 16 3-point shots in game three with over a 33-minute drought between three-point makes. Davis and James where excellent for the Lakers and they still lost. The Lakers blew that 20-point lead in game two and a 10-point lead here in game three. Can they do anything to beat these Nuggets? I don't think so. The Nuggets are just too tough and they will get the sweep here tonight. Play Denver.

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat play game three of their best of seven series. The venue now moves to Miami as the Heat stole home court with a win in game two at Boston, 111-101 on Wednesday. Tyler Herro led the way for Miami with 24 points and 14 assists. Miami hit a franchise record 23 3-point shots in the game. Miami rebounder after trailing by as many as 34 points in game one. But Boston star Tatum went down hard in that game one win after having a triple-double, the first of his playoff career. Tatum looked good in game two, but a 10-0 run by Miami propelled the Heat to a 82-70 lead in the third quarter. Boston could only cut that lead to six with three minutes to play and that was the closest they would get. The Celtics had the best regular season record in the NBA and home court throughout the playoffs. But now Miami has wrestled that away and must hold in game three. The Celtics are a huge 9.5-point road favorite here today. That means the oddsmaker not giving much respect to the Heat. I believe the Heat will put up a better game then what's expected of them. Sure Boston will come out angry and if the Heat can hold off the initial onslaught then I look for them to cover here on Saturday.

The Western Conference first round continues here on Saturday as Oklahoma City travels to New Orleans to face the Pelicans in game three of their best of seven series. The venue moves to New Orleans after the Thunder took both home games for a 2-0 series lead. That includes their blowout win in game two, 124-94. The Thunder hit a blistering 59% from the field and 48.3% from the 3-point arc. Game three for the lower seed is a must win if they can't steal a game on the road in games one or two. That's the case here on Saturday. The Pelicans can ill afford to go down 0-3 in the series, which makes this a pretty much, must win spot. The Thunder are tied for 5th in the league in scoring offense as they average 109 ppg. The Pelicans didn't shot badly in game two, they just couldn't stop the Thunder. They need to find a way to slow the Thunder down and defend the perimeter better here on Saturday. Even though Williamson remains out here today, I'm taking the Thunder as they play their best to avoid a 0-3 series deficit. Play New Orleans.

Minnesota and Phoenix play game three of their best of seven series in the West conference 1st round. The Wolves took both games back in Minnesota and have put the Suns into a must win situation here on Friday. The Wolves coming off a 105-93 win over Phoenix as a 3.5-point favorite. Still, the Suns have owned a 7-3 record vs the Wolves their last 10 meetings. The Wolves dominated the first two games, winning by a 18.5 point average. They have allowed the Suns just 106.2 ppg, well below their 115.7 ppg average during the regular season. If there is one game the Suns need to get back to regular season for, it's this one. They can ill afford another loss and go down 0-3. I'll take the Suns here on Friday in a must win spot.

The Western Conference 1st round matchup has the Dallas Mavericks taking on the LA Clippers in game three of their series. The venue moves to Dallas here on Friday. The series is tied 1-1 and this game holds a key for both teams as they set the tone in this series. The Clippers dominated game one back in LA, 109-97, as a 3-point dog. Then they lost game two, 93-96, as a 1.5-point favorite. The Clippers were without star Kawhi Leonard for the first two games. However, he's been upgraded to questionable. Even if Leonard doesn't go they are still loaded with offense in the form of Paul George and James Harden. The Dallas Mavericks return home but will be dealing with a host of injuries. Tim Hardaway Jr who will miss this game. The Mavs have lived and died by the 3-point shot this year and without Hardaway that will put a dent in that average. Both teams could be missing key cogs here tonight, but Leonard could play. I'll take the points with Clippers to bounce back here in game three.

 The Orlando Magic pretty much in a must win spot if they hope to stay alive in this best of seven series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have taken the first two games, including game two 96-86 on Monday. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 23 points and Jarrett Allen added another 20. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 21 points. The Magic hope home court cooking will improve on their dismal 36% from the field and 9-of-35 from the 3-point arc. These teams split the the four regular season games so Orlando does know they can beat the Cavs, they just need to make more shots. If Suggs is healthy enough then he can control Mitchell and the home court should be buzzing tonight. The Cavs have not shot well from 3-point land in either game so that's also a positive for the Magic. Orlando is in a must win spot here today and I expect their best performance. Take Orlando.

NBA Western Conference action here tonight has the New Orleans Pelicans taking on the Thunder from Oklahoma City. This is game two of the series as the Thunder look to hold home court advantage and go back to New Orleans up 2-0. The Thunder took game one in a very close matchup, 94-92 on Sunday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points in the win. Thunder CJ McCollum missed a 3-pointer as time ran out for the possible win. New Orleans led at half and had chances to take game one despite a raucous crowd all wearing white. The Pelicans will have to shoot better than their 38.5% in game one if they hope to steal a game in OKC. Game one left a lot to be desired for offense on both sides. Both teams shot poor from the field and the 3-point arc. The Pelicans did control the glass in game one and will have to do so again here tonight. The youth of the Thunder showed in game one with a sub-par performance. Still a lot of points tonight as I expect another close game down to the wire. Take New Orleans.

The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks play game two of their first round series here on Monday after the Knicks took game one, 111-104. The surprise star of the game was Deuce McBride off the bench for New York who scored 21 points. The Sixers Joel Embiid left the game in the 2nd quarter when he appeared to have reinjured his surgically repaired knee. However, Embiid returned and rallied the Sixers to a lead in the 2nd half. Embiid finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Tyrese Maxey led the team with 33 points. This game really comes down to how healthy Embiid will be. It's obvious when he's on the court he makes things happen for the Sixers. The Knicks might be more balanced, with more off the bench. However, I'm sticking with the 76ers on Monday as long as Embiid is in the lineup, which I believe he will be. Play Philadelphia.

 The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers play game two of their first round playoff series here on Monday from the Rocket Mortgage fieldhouse in Cleveland. These teams split their four games during the regular season but the Cavs took game one of the series the other day, 97-83. Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points for the Cavs. The Magic were led by Paolo Banchero who scored 24 points in his first playoff game. The Magic cut the lead to just 60-56 with 4:24 left in the third quarter. However, a 13-2 run by the Cavs ended the Magic hopes. The Cavs also made their first five 3-point shots of the game. These teams are very close in talent and coaching and while the Cavs pulled away in game one I expect a much closer game here on Monday. I'll take the points with a much more focused Magic team today. Play Orlando.

 Eastern Conference first round series has Indiana Pacers taking on the Milwaukee Bucks. The biggest news though is that the Bucks will be without their star Giannis Antetokounmpo. His status is out indefinitely with a strained calf. Their other star, Damian Lillard is also battling injuries with a sore left adductor, however he is expected to play. Even before these key injuries the Bucks have been struggling, losing two games in a row and six of their last eight both S/U and ATS. The Pacers come into this game 5-2 in April. The fact that Milwaukee is struggling and hurting is reflected in the line as they are home dogs of 1-point here today. The Bucks might have trouble keeping up offensively with the high scoring Pacers. Indiana led the league in points with a 123.3 ppg average, over two-points per game higher then second place Boston. With both Bucks' stars hurting or missing time here I'm taking the Pacers in game one.

Game 1 of this Western Conference series as the Suns travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves. Yes, the Suns have dominated the Wolves winning nine of the last 10 meetings and sweeping the regular season series, 3-0. However, this is the playoffs and we can throw out those regular season stats. The Suns avoided the Play-In tournament by winning their last three games of the season. The Wolves enter the playoffs after their best regular season in 20 years with a 56-26 record. Karl-Anthony Towns missed most of the second half of the season, though he came back the last two games of the season. His being healthy is big for the Wolves since he averages 21.8 ppg and 8.3 boards. The Wolves have the best defense in the NBA, allowing just 106.5 ppg thanks in part to their 7-1 center Rudy Cobert. While the regular season stats point to the Suns, I'm taking the Timberwolves with this very short home price with Towns back in the lineup. Play Minnesota.

The Pelicans will host the Kings in another Play-In game here on Thursday. This will be an elimination round game so the loser will go home. The winner will take the No 8 seed in the Playoffs and face No 1 Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. The Pelicans won all five of their regular season games vs the Kings. The Pelicans coming off a loss in their first Play-In game vs the Lakers, 106-110, as a 1-point favorite. The big news was the exit of Pelicans star Zion Williamson in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and he didn't return. Sacramento cruised to a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors in their elimination round game on Tuesday. While the Pelicans did sweep the season series, if they are without Williamson here on Thursday that will be of utmost concern. The Pelicans have the second fewest home wins of the remaining teams and even if Williamson does go, which doesn't look good right now, how effective will that hamstring let him play. Take Sacramento.

 The Eastern Conference Play-In is on tap here on Wednesday as the Miami Heat take on the 76ers from Philadelphia. This is a matchup of the 7th seed Sixers and 8th seed Heat. Both of these teams were riddled by injures for a big part of the season. The Sixer had to play with their All-Star and MVP Joel Embiid for 43 games. The Heat were in this position last year having to advance from the Play-In game and reached won the Eastern Conference title. This Miami team is playoff savvy after last year and led by Jimmy Butler. As for Embiid, he's a game-time decision, though some injury reports have him as probable. The question is how game ready will he be even if he does play after missing so many games. The Heat are about a 5-point dog here on Wednesday and that's likely because oddmakers expect Embiid to play. I just don't know how game ready he will be here tonight. I'll take the points with Miami and a team that has proven they can navigate this play-in scenario. Play Miami.

GAME 2: The Royals and White Sox got postponed on Tuesday so lets try this again today in a twin bill. The Kansas City Royals continue to impress everyone, especially with their pitching. They shut out the White Sox two nights ago in game one of this three game set, 2-0. The Royals have now won nine of their last 11 games. Moreover, during that streak they have allowed more than three runs just two times in those 11 games. The Royals are 11-6 and just one game back of Cleveland in the LA Central. Pulling up the bottom rung in the AL Central are the White Sox. The Sox are 2-14 and have the worst Run differential in baseball at -53 runs. The White Sox will send Erick Fedde to the hill today. Fedde is 0-0 in his three starts with a 4.29 ERA and 1.431 WHIP. He's coming off a no decision at Cleveland where he allowed four hits and four earned runs over five innings. Michael Wacha will start game two for the Royal and is 1-1 in his three starts with a 4.00 ERA. I'm sticking with the run line here today on the Royals in game two of their doubleheader.

The Golden State Warriors had quite the ride this season and just did qualify for the postseason with the 10th spot. They won four of their final five games and 10 of their last 12 games to finish strong. This team is full of veterans that know how to play and win in the postseason. The Sacramento King struggled down the stretch, losing three of their last four and five of their last seven games. They have been just ok at home with a 24-17 S/U and 18-23 ATS marks. They also haven't beaten a playoff teams since April 2nd when they beat the Clippers. This Kings team is not postseason savvy as the Warriors are. I'm taking the Warriors here tonight with a big edge in veteran and postseason talent. Play Golden State.

The Miami Marlins continue to flounder as they are off to a 1-10 start after losing to the Yankees on Monday, 0-7. The Marlins also have a AL worst -32 run differential. They did finally win a game on Sunday at St Louis with a 10-3 win, but have gone right back to losing. A.J. Puk will make his third start after a 0-2 start. Puk has a lofty 9.00 ERA and 2.833 WHIP. He's allowed eight hits and eight runs after only 6 innings of work. Bad news today as they face the 9-2 Yankees who have won three straight after Monday's shut-out win. The Yankee also have a +17 run differential. Soto and Volpe both hit 3-run home runs to boost the Yankees to the lead in the AL East. Carlos Rondon makes his third start of the season. Rondon is 0-0 but has a nifty 2.80 ERA. He's allowed 12 hits and three runs over just 9 2/3 innings. Have to lay the Run line here today as the Yankees blowout the Marlins again. Play NY Yankees -1.5 runs.