PAGE_HEADER

This is a 10* play on the LAK.

I had the Kings to win this series versus the Sharks, and I was a little surprised when San Jose won both games in LA. That being said, one of the reasons why I liked the Kings was that the Sharks have a history of choking, most famously their first round series loss to LA two years ago. The Kings have a chance to tie the series heading home after Game 4, and I still believe they will get it done.

Here is what I said before the pucked dropped in Game 1: "They say that in life that the only things that are certain are death and taxes. In the NHL playoffs, nothing is certain, but perhaps the closest thing to "death and taxes" is early exits for the San Jose Sharks. This team is legendary for it's playoff futility, and the last time they faced the Kings in a playoff series, they blew a 3-0 series lead in 2014. The Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. This year's Kings squad appears to be primed for another cup run, with the same core group that won two championships since 2012. Drew Doughty is still the best defenseman in the league, and LA can roll four lines that can all skate, score and hit (boy can they hit). I don't expect it to be easy, but when the dust settles, I think the Kings come out on top. "

Take LAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

The Astros were the favorite to win the AL West this year, but so far it's the other Texas team doing all the damage. The Rangers are in first, while Houston sits in the division cellar, coming off a loss in Texas in Game 1. The bullpen was a strength for Houston last year, but the Astros relievers rank 23rd in the majors with a 4.71 ERA so far in 2016. They relied heavily on the long-ball last year, ranking second in the majors in homes runs with 230, just two fewer than the Blue Jays. It's going to be difficult for them to keep that kind of pace again this year. 

Prince Fielder ranks second in the American League with 13 RBIs, but he's really struggled at the plate hitting just .167 before this series.  He hit .305 with 23 home runs and 98 RBIs in 158 games with Texas last season. He might just get back on track this week against the Astros, as he's hitting .374 lifetime versus the Houston pitching staff. He's 2-for-2 with a home run lifetime versus Doug Fister, who starts Game 2 for Houston. 

Fister has struggled, allowing nine runs on 14 hits in 10 2/3 innings for far this season. Cole Hamels will go for Texas, and he's 2-0 with a 2.97 ERA, and Texas has won all three of his starts so far. 

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Pistons made 15 three-pointers in Game 1, shooting a staggering 51.7 percent from beyond the arc. They shot better than 50% from the field, hanging around in a close game decided by just five points. I don't like their chances of scoring 100 here in Game 2, or for the rest of the series for that matter. The Cavs were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this season, holding opponents to well below 100 points per game. The trend so far in these playoffs has been that points have been hard to come by. The under is 9-4 through the first 13 post-season games, and only one of five Game 2s has gone over. In fact, we've seen fewer points scored in Game 2 than in Game 1 in all five series that have played twice so far. The Pistons led by seven points early in the fourth quarter of Game 1, and that should be enough to convince the Cavs that they need to be a lot better defensively here in Game 2. The Pistons still think they can win this series: "We don't care who you put in front of us," Reggie Jackson said. "We fear nobody and experience is going to be our best teacher. We're going to learn on the fly. We think we have a chance." I expect a battle here in Game 2, with both teams grinding it out for every possession.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Capitals -1.5. 

The Capitals were the best team in the NHL this season, and so far in the post-season it's been more of the same. They've out-scored Philly 12-2 while winning the first three games of this series, with the most lopsided game coming in Game 3 here in Philadelphia. The Flyers deserve credit for battling hard in the second half of the season, sneaking into the playoffs, but it's clear that they are over-matched here in this series. 

"It's a huge opportunity for us to come back home with the win and see what's going to happen and who's going to be next," - said Alex Ovechkin. The Caps NHL best power-play was firing on all cylinders in Game 3, with five goals on the man advantage. Braden Holtby has stopped 72-of-74 shots so far in this series, while Steve Mason has been torched for 10 goals in the last two games. 

I think this Flyers team is completely demoralized, and has little desire to prolong the inevitable by forcing a Game 5 in Washington. I'll take the Caps to complete the sweep here at the Wells Fargo Center. 

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SEA@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Mariners lost a low scoring game in Cleveland on Tuesday, and they've failed to reach the total in all four games on this road trip so far. We should expect another pitcher's duel in Game 2, with a pair of quality starters facing two of the American League's worst offenses. 

Danny Salazar will toe the slab for the Tribe, and he's still undefeated in 2016. Salazar (2-0, 0.79 ERA) tossed six scoreless innings, striking out nine in a 6-0 win over Tampa his last time out. He's 13-6 with a 3.31 ERA in Cleveland over the last three seasons, and he was 7-2 in Cleveland last year. 

The Mariners hand the ball to Taijaun Walker, who is coming off a solid performance. Walker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) allowed one run on five hits over six innings in a no decision versus Texas his last time out. The 23 year old was 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against the Indians last year, and he pitched a gem in Cleveland. 

The Indians have failed to reach the total in five of their last seven overall, and Seattle is trending in the same direction. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

The Rangers are still sitting in first place in the AL West, and they be just a slight favorite against the cellar dwelling Astros in Texas tonight. Houston is off to an unexpected slow start, and this looks like another tough spot for the Astros. 

Derek Holland will toe the rubber for the Rangers, and he's off to a hot start in 2016. The veteran southpaw is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA, and he tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a win over Seattle his last time out. He has been good in previous meetings with the Astros, going 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven appearances over the last three seasons. 

The Astros hand the ball to Scott Feldman, who has not looked sharp since joining the team. Feldman (0-1, 3.48 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 loss to the Royals his last time out. He got really roughed up by the Rangers last season, going 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA in two starts. 

Prince Fielder is batting .313 with a pair of doubles, a home run and seven RBIs lifetime versus Feldman. 

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BOS@ATL to go UNDER the total. 

The Hawks did everything I expected them to do in Game 1, until they nearly collapsed in the fourth quarter allowing Boston to get back into the game. Boston only managed to score 34 points in the first half, and the Celtics might struggle again in Game 2 without Avery Bradley, who is second in the team in scoring behind Isaiah Thomas. Bradley scored 18 points before getting injured in Game 1. 

So far in these playoffs seven of 11 games have failed to reach the total, including Atlanta's win in Game 1 of this series. These are two of the best defensive teams in the playoffs, and I expect to see an even lower score than what we saw in Game 1 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TB@DET to go UNDER the total.

The Red Wings got back into this series with a home win in Game 3, and Peter Mazrek stopped all 19 shots he faced earning the shutout. The 24 year old Czech has a history of playing well against Tampa, and he gave the lightning fits in the first round of last year's playoffs. Tampa is getting great goaltending as well, with Bishop a solid 2-1 with a 2.00 GAA in the series so far. Game 4 is huge, and with so much at stake I expect scoring chances to be hard to come by, just as they were in Game 3. The Lightning own the NHL's 28th ranked power-play, and they could struggle if they can't find a way to score on the man-advantage. The Red Wings only averaged 2.5 goals per game during the regular season, ranking 23rd in the league.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on NYM@PHI to go UNDER the total. 

The Mets and the Phillies both rank near the bottom of the major leagues in runs scored, and each team will send a hot pitcher to the mound in Game 2 of this series in Philadelphia today.

Vincent Velasquez will toe the slab for the Phillies, and he's coming off a complete game shutout in his last start. The 23 year old struck out 16 in a 3-0 win over the Padres, and he has 25 total over 15 scoreless innings this season. 

The Mets hand the ball to Logan Verrett, who is also coming off a stellar performance. The 25 year old allowed just three hits over six scoreless innings in a win over Miami his last time out. 

This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams this season, and they've scored seven runs on less in three of the previous four. Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a big favorite in their first round series versus Detroit, and they will be asked to cover a double-digit spread in Game 1. The Pistons aren't going to lay down though, and I expect this to be a battle, with both teams playing tough defense from the opening tip off. 

The Pistons beat the Cavs in overtime in a meaningless game in the season finale, with both teams resting their starters. Prior to that, the Pistons won in Cleveland by a score of 96-88 in February. The Cavs were the 4th best defensive team in the league this season, and they've been particularly strong defensively when coming off a few days of rest. The under is 5-0 in Cavaliers last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.

It wasn't that surprising that all four playoff games on Saturday failed to reach the total, as history tells us that scoring does down in the post-season. The defenses tighten up, and you just don't see that many easy buckets. I don't think the bookmakers have properly adjusted here with a number higher than 200 for Game 1. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LA Kings. 

They say that in life that the only things that are certain are death and taxes. In the NHL playoffs, nothing is certain, but perhaps the closed thing to "death and taxes" is early exits for the San Jose Sharks. This team is legendary for it's playoff futility, and the last time they faced the Kings in a playoff series, they blew a 3-0 series lead in 2014. The Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. This year's Kings squad appears to be primed for another cup run, with the same core group that won two championships since 2012. Drew Doughty is still the best defenseman in the league, and LA can roll four lines that can all skate, score and hit (boy can they hit). I don't expect it to be easy, but when the dust settles, I think the Kings come out on top. 

Take LAK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks. 

The Celtics won the first meeting between these teams this season at home by a score of 106-93. The Hawks though won the next three, including a 109-101 win in Boston in December. Both games in Atlanta were blowouts, with the Hawks winning by a combined 35 points. Atlanta finished the season strong winning 15 of it's last 21, and 10 of it's last 12 at home. The Hawks final home game was a 118-107 win over the Celtics, and Paul Millsap scored 31 points and pulled in 16 rebounds in that game. The Celtics have had no answer for Millsap in the season series, as he's averaged 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in the four games. 

Boston had a losing record overall on the road this season (20-21), and down the stretch the Celtics lost six of their last 10 away from the Garden. They've only covered the spread twice in their last 14 road games against a team with a home winning percentage of .600 or better. Famously one of those two occasions was a shocking upset win at Golden State. I think this may be a contributing factor to Boston being one of the more overrated teams heading into these playoffs. 

The Celtics rely heavily on PG Isaiah Thomas for offense, and if Atlanta can shut him down, it will spell trouble for Boston. Atlanta led the league in defense in the second half of the season, and Thomas struggled in Atlanta in the last meeting scoring 16 points on 6-of-19 shooting. The Hawks have superior depth and talent, and I expect them to take care of business in Game 1. 

Take ATL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Seattle Mariners. 

The Mariners bats came alive in the series opener in the Bronx, and they won Game 1 by a score of 7-1. With a favorable matchup on the mound, I like Seattle in Game 2 as well. 

Felix Hernandez is still looking for his first win of the season, despite a minuscule 0.69 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 13 innings in his first two starts. He's had plenty of success against New York, and he's 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three starts in the Bronx. 

The Yankees hand the ball to C.C. Sabathia, who was not all that sharp in his season debut. This looks like a tough spot for the veteran, who is trying to earn a spot at the back end of the Yankees rotation. He's coming off a horrible 2015 season, and he was winless with an ERA over 7.00 in five starts in day games last year. 

Veteran Adam Lind has owned Sabathia, batting .467 with four RBIs in 15 career at bats. He's coming off a monster game in the Bronx last night, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. 

Take SEA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

It's been a disappointing start to the season for Arizona, and newly acquired ace Zack Greinke. The good news is that they in San Diego on Friday Game 1 of a new series versus the Padres. Outside of a couple of high scoring games at Coors Field, the Padres have been unable to manufacture runs. San Diego has lost seven of 10, and five of those seven losses were shutouts. 

Greinke allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings in a loss to the Cubs his last time out, but he did strikeout eight in the loss. He's owned the Padres in previous meetings, and he's 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his last seven starts at PETCO. 

The Padres hand the ball to James Shields, who once was known as Big Game James. The 34 year old is 0-2 with a 4.85 ERA so far, and he's 2-2 with a 4.97 ERA in his last four starts versus Arizona. 

Paul Goldschmidt is 4-for-8 with a home run and three RBIs lifetime versus Shields. 

Take ARI. 

GL, 

This is a 10* play on the Anaheim Ducks. 

There's a lot to like about the Nashville Predators, and if it wasn't for the fact that they play the Ducks in the first round, they might have been primed for a long playoff run. The Ducks finished with five more win in the regular season, which doesn't make a bit of difference here in the playoffs. What does make a difference though is that Anaheim allowed fewer goals than any other team in the league, and had by far the best special teams unit with the league's #1 ranked power play and top penalty kill. 

Home ice could be huge in this series, as Nashville is a far better team at home than it is on the road. The Preds have lost five of their last six visits to the Duck Pond, and nine of the last 12 overall in this series. The Ducks have won 12 of their last 16 at home, and they have won six straight playoff games in the conference quarterfinals. 

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry finished he season firing on all cylinders, and when those two are on top of their game the Ducks are tough to beat. Nashville will put up a good fight, but I just don't think the Preds have the talent to hang with the Ducks, especially on the road. 

Take ANA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the KC Royals. 

The defending champions have won six of their last seven, and they play Game 1 of a new series in Oakland Friday. The Athletics are one of the lowest scoring teams in the majors, and they are coming off three straight losses in LA. 

Rich Hill will toe the slab for A's, and he's off to a decent start for a guy with just six major league starts in the last three seasons. He's facing a Royals team that is notoriously tough at the plate, so he could take a step back here tonight. 

The Royals hand the ball to Edinson Volquez, who has been brilliant in his first two starts. Volquez allowed a pair of runs on eight hits, striking out 10 in 5 2/3 innings in a win over Minnesota his last time out. He has only faced Oakland once over the last three seasons, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings in a victory. 

The Royals have a better lineup, a better bullpen, and a superior starter. I think Kansas City should be a much bigger favorite in this game. 

Take KC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule  

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Blackhawks. 

The Blues really had to win Game 1, and they just barely escaped with a 1-0 victory in overtime. The Blackhawks out-shot the Blues 35-18, dominating the play for most of regulation and overtime. It was a lucky bounce that resulted in the game winner, and I wouldn't count on the Blues getting lucky twice in a row. Chicago didn't have it's top defenseman Duncan Keith, who will return from a suspension and will be available for Game 2.  

Patrick Kane led the NHL in scoring during the regular season, becoming the first American born player to win the Art Ross Trophy. He's the type of player that has the talent to take over a game, or even a series. He's not the only such player in the Chicago lineup, as Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith are also capable of being that guy. This is something the Blues just don't have. 

Their leading scorer Vladimir Tarasenko can put the puck in the net, but he's not of the same caliber of Kane and Toews. The only other player in the lineup with at least 20 goals was the captain David Backes who scored 21. Chicago is deeper, more talented and has the experience of winning multiple championships. 

I'll take the better team as an underdog here, not only to draw level in Game 2, but to go on and win the series. 

Take CHI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

Most teams have a few big bats in the lineup, but as the old saying goes ... "everything is bigger in Texas". So far the duo of Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre have combined to drive in 19 runs. The Rangers play a four game series at home versus Baltimore this weekend, and Chris Tillman will go in Game 1. Beltre is 6-for-12 with a home run and three RBIs lifetime versus Tillman. Fielder is 4-for-9 with a home run and three RBIs versus Vance Worely, who will start Game 2. 

Worely allowed three runs on seven hits, including a home run over just 4 2/3 innings in his season debut. This is a tough spot for the 28 year old who is battling for a spot in the rotation. He's 3-9 with a 4.50 ERA in 20 starts on the road since 2013. 

The Rangers hand the ball to Martin Perez, who has delivered a pair of quality starts so far this season, but has yet to pick up a win. The southpaw is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA in three starts versus Baltimore over the last three seasons. 

The Orioles have lost five straight in Texas. 

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule  

This is a 10* play on the CWS. 

With seven wins in their first eight games, the Cubs have matched their best start in franchise history. This really comes as no surprise, as the Cubs came into the season as one of the favorites in the National League. Few expected the White Sox to start the season in similar fashion, and Chicago's other team sits in first place in the AL Central with a record of 6-2 after it's first eight games. The White Sox play a three game series in Tampa this weekend, and the Rays are sitting last in the AL East, and rank dead last in the AL in runs scored. 

Chris Sale will toe the slab for the Sox in Game 1, and he's coming off back to back wins. Sale (2-0, 3.86 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits while striking out six over seven innings in a home win over Cleveland his last time out. He pitched well at Tropicana Field, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out 21 over 13 2/3 innings in two starts since 2013. 

The Rays hand the ball to Jake Odorizzi, who is coming off a loss at Baltimore his last time out. The right-hander allowed four runs on nine hits over six innings in that game. He was roughed up by the White Sox the only time he faced them, surrendering four runs on eight hits over just 4 1/3 innings. 

The Tampa lineup has struggled mightily against Sale, batting .172 with 28 strikeouts over a combined 64 at bats. 

Take CWS. 

GL, 

This is a 10* play on the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Wings came up just short losing Game 1 in Tampa by a score of 3-2. The good news is that this series is far from over, and if they can find a way to win tonight and go back to Detroit with a split, they will seize all the momentum and be in the driver's seat moving forward. 

Here is what I said prior to Game 1: "You would be hard pressed to find a team in this year's playoffs with more experience than the Detroit Red Wings. In the regular season, players on the wrong side of 30 can be considered a liability, but come playoff time, there's no substitute for experience. Detroit has made the playoffs every year since 89-90, and they won the Cup in 2002 and 2008. Only Pavel Datsyuk remains from the 2002 team, but he along with Henrik Zetterberg and Niklaus Kronwall were all key players in the 2008 championship run"

"Last year the Wings shocked a heavily favored Lightning team by winning Game 1, and nearly pulled off the first round upset. Tampa went on to win the series in seven games, but it could be a lot tougher this time around without leading scorer Steven Stamkos and top defenseman Anton Stralman. Tampa faded down the stretch, losing 10 of it's final 17 games, while the Red Wings battled their way into the post-season by winning seven of 10 prior to April 7th"

I like Detroit to battle back and win Game 2. 

Take DET. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LA Kings. 

They say that in life that the only things that are certain are death and taxes. In the NHL playoffs, nothing is certain, but perhaps the closed thing to "death and taxes" is early exits for the San Jose Sharks. This team is legendary for it's playoff futility, and the last time they faced the Kings in a playoff series, they blew a 3-0 series lead in 2014. The Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. This year's Kings squad appears to be primed for another cup run, with the same core group that won two championships since 2012. Drew Doughty is still the best defenseman in the league, and LA can roll four lines that can all skate, score and hit (boy can they hit). I don't expect it to be easy, but when the dust settles, I think the Kings come out on top. 

Take LAK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Florida Panthers. 

The Panthers have a huge edge in this series, with Roberto Luongo between the pipes. The 37 year old has a ton of playoff experience, and he's been brilliant all year for Florida all year, going 35-19-6 with a 2.35 GAA. The Islanders will have to rely on backup goaltender Thomas Greiss, who has never started a playoff game. The 30 year old hasn't played that bad since replacing Jaroslav Halak, but it's a tough ask to come in and handle the pressure of a playoff series that starts on the road in the other team's building. The Panthers took 2-of-3 in the season series, and have won four of their last five versus the Isles. Jaromir Jagr is still one of the best players on the ice at age 44, and you can expect him to play a big role here the post season. Jagr is a cool customer, a champion that knows what it takes to win. The Panthers might not be the sexiest pick in these playoffs, but with a few savvy veterans and an elite goaltender, this young team shouldn't be taken lightly. 

Take FLA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

The Orioles finally lost their first game of the season at Texas last night, and they might have a tough time avoiding another loss against Rangers ace Cole Hamels tonight. 

Hamels (2-0, 2.08 ERA) allowed one run on four hits over six innings in a 4-1 win over the Halos in LA his last time out. Prior to that he struck out eight in six innings in a home win over Seattle. He's only faced the Orioles once over the last three seasons, but he delivered a dominant performance, allowing one run on two hits while striking out 10 in eight innings. 

The Orioles hand the ball to Chris Tillman, who was sharp in his season debut. Tillman was just 5-5 with a 5.53 ERA on the road last year, and he has been hit hard by the Rangers. 

Adrian Beltre is 6-for-12 with a home run and three RBIs lifetime versus Tillman.

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on SD@PHI to go UNDER the total.

The Padres and the Phillies will wrap up this series at Citizen's Bank Park today, in a battle of two of baseballs least talented teams. Outside of a few high scoring games at Coors Field, the Padres offense has done next to nothing.

San Diego will hand the ball to Drew Pomeranz, who looked good in his season debut in Colorado. He allowed just a pair of runs on four hits while striking out seven in five innings.

The Phillies will counter with left-hander Vincent Velasquez, who tossed six scoreless innings striking out nine against the Mets in his debut.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ARI@LAD to go OVER the total. 

The Dodgers lost Game 1 of this home series versus Arizona by a score of 4-2, but I expect to see more of a slugfest here in Game 2. 

Alex Wood will toe the slab for the Dodgers, and he looked pretty shaky in his season debut. Wood was lit up, surrendering five runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings in a loss at San Francisco. The 25 year old was 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three starts versus the D'Backs last year. 

The D'Backs hand the ball to Rubby De La Rosa, who was also roughed up pretty good in his first start this season. The 27 year old right-hander gave up seven runs on six hits and three walks over just 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Cubs. He's been hit hard in previous meetings with the Dodgers, going 0-3 with a 11.21 ERA in three starts since 2013. 

Howie Kendrick is 10-for-18 with a home run lifetime versus De La Rosa. 

Take OVER .

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIA@BOS to go UNDER the total. 

The playoffs haven't started yet, but the atmosphere at the Garden should resemble a playoff game tonight when the Celtics host the Heat in the final game of the season. Home court advantage is up for grabs, and we should see both teams play with an added intensity tonight.  These teams have a history of playing defensive games, with five of the last six meetings going under. Only once in the last 10 meetings have we seen a total over 200, and they came up well short in that game with Boston winning 101-89 at home. Miami comes in as winners of four of it's last five, holding opponents well below 100 points in all four of those wins. The Celtics have failed to reach the total in nine of their last 12 when playing on one day's rest, and the Heat have gone under in four of their last five when playing on back to back nights. Miami has gone under in seven of it's last 10 overall. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on IND@MIL to go UNDER the totaL.

The Indiana Pacers have nothing to prove in their final game of the season, as they already know where they will play in the first round of the playoffs. We should expect the Pacers to rest their starters here in Milwaukee, but don't expect the Bucks to treat this like a meaningless game. After a frustrating season, finishing at home on a positive note would be big for the Bucks. They have a solid 23-17 home record, and should be more than capable of beating the Indiana bench players. Even at full strength, the Pacers aren't a great road team with a record of 18-22 outside Indiana. They've failed to cover the spread in four of their last five road games, and they have gone under in six straight when playing on back to back nights. The Bucks have gone under in seven of their last nine in Milwaukee. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Cincinnati Reds +1.5. 

The Cubs are off to an impressive 6-1 start, but the Cincinnati Reds aren't far behind, surprisingly winning five of their first seven games. The Reds are a huge underdog at Wrigley today, and I think this is a great spot to take the underdog on the runline. 

Alfredo Simon will toe the slab for the Reds, and he's coming off a solid season debut. The veteran right-hander struck out seven while allowing a pair of runs on five hits in five innings in a no decision versus Pittsburgh. He has owned the Cubs in recent years, going 4-0 with a 1.41 ERA in five starts since 2013. He's 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in his last three starts at Wrigley. 

The Cubs hand the ball to John Lackey, who did not look very sharp in his season debut. He was torched for six runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs in six innings at Arizona. 

Both Joey Votto and Jay Bruce have homered twice off Lackey in past meetings. 

Take CIN. GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Detroit Red Wings (Best of Seven Series & Game 1)

You would be hard pressed to find a team in this year's playoffs with more experience than the Detroit Red Wings. In the regular season, players on the wrong side of 30 can be considered a liability, but come playoff time, there's no substitute for experience. Detroit has made the playoffs every year since 89-90, and they won the Cup in 2002 and 2008. Only Pavel Datsyuk remains from the 2002 team, but Henrik Zetterberg and Niklaus Kronwall were all key players in the 2008 championship run. 

Last year the Wings shocked a heavily favored Lightning team by winning Game 1, and nearly pulled off the first round upset. Tampa went on to win the series in seven games, but it could be a lot tougher this time around without leading scorer Steven Stamkos and top defenseman Anton Stralman. Tampa faded down the stretch, losing 10 of it's final 17 games, while the Red Wings battled their way into the post-season by winning seven of 10 prior to April 7th. 

There's little doubt that Detroit is the team with all the momentum, while the Lightning are trying to pick up the pieces after a disastrous end to the season. 

Take DET. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on OKC@SA to go UNDER the total. 

Coming off three straight losses, you have to think Spurs coach Greg Popovich wants to give his team something to be positive about heading into the playoffs. They host Oklahoma City tonight, and the Thunder are expected to rest their starts. The last time Oklahoma City played at San Antonio, the Spurs won by a score of 92-85. 

The Thunder shot just 38.3 percent from the field in that game, and were just 2-of-18 from beyond the arc. I don't expect their backups to have any more success at the AT&T Center tonight. The Spurs have won three of their last four home meetings with Oklahoma City, and they held the Thunder to an average of just 88 points in those wins. 

The Spurs #1 ranked defense held Golden State to just 92 points on Sunday, but they couldn't stop the Warriors from winning their 72nd game of the season. I expect a similar effort on defense tonight, which should result in a convincing win over a short-handed opponent. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SD@PHI to go OVER the total.

The Phillies host the Padres in Game 2 of a three game set Tuesday, and both teams will turn to starting pitcher's that don't inspire much confidence.

Charlie Morton will toe the rubber for the Phillies, and he was roughed up pretty good in his first start of the season. Morton was torched for six runs on five hits and three walks in just 3 2/3 innings in a loss to Cincinnati. He didn't look good this Spring, and is coming off a brutal 2015 campaign.

The Padres hand the ball to Robbie Erlin, who will come out of the bullpen to replace the injured Tyson Ross. Erlin was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in just three starts last season.

Neither of these starters is likely to go deep into the ballgame, and that leaves us with two of the worst bullpens in the majors likely to get plenty of work.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Nationals -1.5. 

The Atlanta Braves were swept at home by the Nats in a two game series to start the season, and they followed that up by losing three more games in a home series versus St. Louis. Four of Atlanta's five losses this year have come in games decided by more than one run, and given the mismatch here in tonight's game, we should see another lopsided loss. 

Max Scherzer will toe the slab for the Nats, and he went seven innings, surrendering a pair of runs on just three hits in Atlanta on Opening Day. He didn't factor in the decision in that game, but he should pick up a win here tonight. He has owned the Braves lineup, as they are hitting a combined .214 with 66 strikeouts in 224 at bats against him. 

The Braves hand the ball to Bud Norris, who allowed three runs on six hits over six innings in a loss to Washington in his debut. He was 2-8 with a 6.70 ERA on the road last year, and he's 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA against the Nats since 2013. 

Ryan Zimmerman is 6-for-17 with three home runs and nine RBIs lifetime versus Norris. 

Take WAS. GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Philadelphia Phillies. 

They were one of the worst teams in the majors last year, and expectations aren't much higher for the Phillies in 2016. They have a favorable matchup at home against another National League bottom feeder this afternoon, and I like the Phillies in Game 1 versus San Diego. 

Aaron Nola will toe the slab for the Phillies, and he was sharp in his season debut. The 22 year old allowed one run on four hits, striking out eight in seven innings in a no-decision versus Cincinnati. He was 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA in six starts in Philly as a rookie in 2015, and he has the advantage of facing one of the worst lineups in all of baseball today. 

The Padres hand the ball to Andrew Cashner, who was a complete disaster in 2015. So far this season it looks like more of the same, as he was torched for five runs on six hits over just four innings in a loss to the Dodgers in his season debut. What little success Cashner has had in the major league's, it's all been at pitcher friendly PETCO. He was 3-8 with a 4.74 ERA in 17 starts on the road last year. 

Odubel Herrera hit a home run off Matt Harvey in a 5-2 win over New York on Sunday, and the 24 year old is 2-for-3 with a home run lifetime versus Cashner. 

Take PHI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on Baltimore +1.5. 

The Red Sox are a huge favorite at home to the undefeated Orioles today, and I just don't think the "Price" is realistic. The Orioles send a capable pitcher to the mound opposite David Price, and they have a heavy hitting lineup that is in the zone right now. 

Price was not exceptional in his Opening Day start in Cleveland, and he has a history of starting slow. He's just 5-5 with a 4.74 ERA in the month of April since 2013. He hasn't had a lot of success silencing the Orioles in his career, as Baltimore's lineup is batting a solid .280 over a combined 236 at bats against him. 

The Orioles hand the ball to Yovani Gallardo, who was sharp in his season debut. Gallardo gave up just one run on a pair of hits over five innings in a 4-2 win over the Twins. The veteran is 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox over the last three seasons. 

The Orioles are 10-1 in their last 11 overall, and I just can't pass up on a hot team getting such a big price. 

Take BAL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Blue Jays. 

The Blue Jays will look to avoid a sweep as they host the Red Sox in the final game of a three game set in Toronto on Sunday. After opening the season with consecutive wins, they've since lost four straight. This looks like a good spot for the defending AL East champs to get back on track. 

Marco Estrada will toe the slab for Toronto, and he had an impressive 2015 campaign with the Blue Jays. He was 6-4 with a 2.95 ERA in 13 starts at Rogers Center, and 2-1 in three starts versus Boston. He was at his best in day games, going 5-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 10 starts in the afternoon. 

The Red Sox hand the ball to Steven Wright, who was clobbered in his only appearance versus Toronto last year. He gave up three runs on four hits, including a home run in just two innings. He appeared in just 16 games last season, half of his appearances coming out of the bullpen. 

Last year's MVP Josh Donaldson has picked up right where he left off last season, batting .280 with three home runs and eight RBIs in just six games. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Colorado Rockies. 

The Rockies started the season by taking two of three from the D'Backs in Arizona, but they dropped the series opener at home versus San Diego last night. They should have a great chance to get back on track tonight with a favorable pitching matchup. 

Jorge De La Rosa didn't factor in the decision in a win at Arizona on Opening Day, and he wasn't spectacular allowing five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings. He owns an incredible record in Colorado over the last three seasons, going 23-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 41 starts at Coors Field. 

The Padres hand the ball to Drew Pomeranz, who worked out of the bullpen for Oakland last year. He' 0-2 with a 4.61 ERA in two starts at Coors Field since 2013. He didn't have a great Spring, going 0-2 with a 6.50 ERA in seven appearances. 

San Diego failed to score in it's first three games of the season, and I think this light-hitting lineup is going to struggle to match the big bats of the Rockies tonight. 

Take COL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Arizona D'Backs. 

Arizona split the first two games of this home series versus the Cubs, and they look good in the rubber match with ace Zack Greinke making his second start of the season. 

Greinke was roughed up by Colorado on Opening Day, giving up seven runs in just four innings. He was battling a flu bug prior to the game, and probably never should have pitched. Greinke won 19 games with the Dodgers last year, and only poor run support prevented him from an even better showing. He's likely to have a little more runs to work with here in Arizona, but we'll see how he adjusts to a more hitter friendly park. He certainly didn't mind pitching here in 2015, tossing 15 scoreless innings in a pair of wins.

The Cubs will hand the ball to Kyle Kendricks, who was hit hard in his final start of the Spring. The 26 year old was 6-4 with a 4.47 ERA in 17 starts on the road last year. 

Chicago will be without slugger Kyle Schwarber for the rest of the year, after he suffered a season ending knee injury in Game 1. 

Take ARI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BOS@ATL to go UNDER the total. 

The Celtics will play in Atlanta in the second game of a back to back, after beating up on Milwaukee at home last night. This is a huge game for both teams, with home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs up for grabs. The Celtics will have their work cut out for them, as Atlanta has really been on a roll. The Hawks have won 14 of their last 18 overall, and they held opponents under 100 points in 11 of those 14 wins. They rank 6th in the NBA with an opponent's scoring average of just 98.9 points per game, and they've held Boston below 100 points in three of their last four home meetings with the Celtics. These two teams have failed to reach the total in nine of the last 13 meetings in Atlanta. The Celtics have failed to reach the total in seven of their last nine overall, while the Hawks have gone under in nine of their last 12 home games. With such high stakes in tonight's game, we should expect to see both teams fighting hard on defense.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on STL@ATL to go UNDER the total. 

The Cardinals have struggled at the plate so far, coming into Game 2 of this series versus Atlanta batting just .204 through their first four games. It won't get any easier tonight, facing Atlanta's ace. 

Julio Teheran allowed a pair of runs on five hits over six innings in a no decision versus Washington on Opening Day. He's been brilliant in Atlanta, going 22-10 with a 2.66 ERA in 49 starts at Turner Field since 2013. He's also been great in previous meetings with the Cardinals, going 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts versus St. Louis during that span. 

The Cardinals hand the ball to Carlos Martinez, who is coming off a fantastic 2015 campaign. The right-hander was 8-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 14 starts on the road, and he tossed eight innings of shutout ball in his only start versus Atlanta last year. 

Atlanta is batting a major league worst .181 so far this season, which is familiar territory, as they were dead last in batting average for the entire 2015 season. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on PIT@CIN to go OVER the total. 

We saw a slugfest in Cincinnati on Friday, with Pittsburgh winning by a score of 6-5. The bookmakers come back with a really low total in Game 2 this afternoon, but with the weather conditions favoring hitters, my money is on the over. 

Gerrit Cole will toe the slab for the Pirates, and he was dominant in 2015. An interesting note about Cole, it seems that the Reds have been his Kryptonite. The right-hander was 0-3 with a 5.95 ERA in four starts against the Reds last year. 

The Reds hand the ball to 26 year old right-hander Raisel Iglesias, who was fortunate to face Philly in his first start of the season. He was 1-1 with a 6.52 ERA in two starts versus the Pirates in his rookie season. 

The Reds lineup is hitting .311 over a combined 74 at bats versus Cole, and Brandon Phillips is 6-for-14 with a pair of RBIs. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on NYY@DET to go OVER the total. 

We saw a pitcher's duel in the Motor City on Friday, with the Tigers winning 4-0. I think today's game will turn into a slugfest, with two struggling pitchers starting in a hitter's park, with weather conditions that favors the bats. 

C.C. Sabathia will start the season as the Yankees fifth starter, but whether or not he can hold his spot in the rotation remains to be seen. He didn't look all that impressive in Spring Training, going 1-3 with a 5.51 ERA. He was brutal in 2015, especially in day games, posting a 7.36 ERA in five starts in the afternoon. 

The Tigers counter with Mike Pelfrey, who makes his debut for Detroit after coming over from the Twins in the off-season. Pelfrey had a decent Spring, but gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings in his most recent outing. He was 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in two starts at Comerica Park last year. 

The Yankees lineup has seen plenty of Pelfrey, and he hasn't fooled anyone. They are hitting .366 over a combined 123 at bats versus the right-hander. Brian McCann is hitting .452 with eight doubles, two homers and 11 RBIs in 42 career at bats against Pelfrey. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oakland A's +1.5. 

The Seattle Mariners will host the A's in the opening game of a three game set at Safeco on Friday, and the Mariners are a pretty big favorite with Taijuan Walker on the mound. The 23 year old is highly touted, but has yet to develop into a dependable starter. 

He won 11 games in 2015, and seven of those wins came on the road. He certainly didn't fool Oakland, going 0-1 with a 12.96 ERA in two starts. He allowed 16 runs on 31 hits over just 22 innings this Spring, and doesn't appear comfortable with his pitches heading into the season. 

The A's hand the ball to 28 year old southpaw Eric Surkamp, who has just seven career starts under his belt. He looked really sharp this Spring, going 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA, striking out 19 batters in 20 innings pitched. 

Oakland's lineup is batting .364 over a combined 55 at bats versus Walker, and Mark Canha is 3-for-3 with a home run against him. 

Take OAK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MEM@DAL to go UNDER the total. 

The Mavs winning streak is now at five games heading into tonight's home game against Memphis. They have been dominant on defense during that span, holding opponents to just 86 points per game. The bookmakers have been slow to adjust to the fact that teams playing for playoff spots tend to tighten up the defense, and the total was over 200 in each game during the Mavs run. It appears that they've spotted the under trend, and have adjusted by shaving a few points off the number. I don't think they've adjusted enough though, as not one of the Mavs last five games has reached tonight's number. 

Their opponent tonight is down three key starters, including their PG Mike Conley. Memphis is not a great offensive team at the best of times, as one of just half a dozen NBA teams that fail to average 100 points per game. The Mavs are also down a starting PG, although J.J. Barea has been brilliant filling in for D-Will. Dirk Nowitzki is really struggling offensively, shooting just 23-of-84 over his last five games. Backup center Salah Mejri has been a defensive dynamo, with seven blocks in his last three games, despite averaging less than 20 minutes. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Cleveland Indians. The Cleveland Indians had to settle for split in a four game series versus the Red Sox, as two of the four games were rained out. Yesterday's scheduled starter Danny Salazar will get the call today in Chicago, and he has a favorable matchup opposite veteran John Danks. 

Salazar pitched well against the White Sox last season, allowing just two runs while striking out 16 over 12 2/3 innings in two starts. He was a solid 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA on a pretty average team in 2015, and half of those 14 wins came on the road. 

Danks did not impress last year, going 7-15 with a 4.71 ERA. He was clobbered by Cleveland, going 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in four starts versus the Indians. If his performance this Spring is any indication, he's likely in for a rough ride here in his season debut. He surrendered a half a dozen home runs in seven appearances during Spring Training. 

Chicago has lost six of Danks' last eight starts, and they have lost seven of his last nine home starts against Cleveland. 

Take CLE. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the NYM -1.5. 

The Mets are coming off a split of their two game series at Kansas City, and they return home for what should prove to be a very favorable matchup in their home opener. They host the lowly Philadlphia Phillies, who are already 0-3 after being swept in Cincinnati. I won't get any easier for Philly, as they face Jacob deGrom in a Matinee at Citi Field. 

deGrom was 6-4 with a 1.99 ERA in 15 starts in New York last season, and he's 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA in five starts against Philly lifetime. He's coming off a fantastic Spring Training, going 1-0 with a 1.62 ERA, striking out 15 batters in 16 innings. 

The Phillies counter with Jerad Eikoff, who had his worst numbers in day games last year. He surrendered a pair of home runs, losing his only start at New York last season. He got rocked this Spring, giving up eight runs on 15 hits, including four home runs in just nine innings. 

The 25 year old only reach 100 pitches once last year, and never went past the 7th inning in any of his nine starts. Even if he has himself a good day, the Mets should get a good look at one of baseball's worst bullpens. 

Take NYM. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* (GOW) play on CHI@MIA to go UNDER the total. 

Last week's big bet in the NBA was on the under in a game between the Bulls and the Pistons, and that Bulls lost that game at home by a score of 94-90. They now sit 2.5 games back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, and whatever slim hopes they have will end tonight if they lose in Miami. The Heat are in a battle for one of the top four spots, trailing Boston by just half a game. Miami is coming off a 107-89 home win over the Pistons, putting on another defensive clinic. The Heat rank 4th in the NBA in opponent's scoring average, surrendering just 98.3 points per game. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in six of the last eight. Nine of those 10 games saw a total below 200, and tonight's total is far higher than it was in any of those previous games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Houston Rockets. 

The Rockets are down, but they aren't dead yet! They put up a hell of a fight last night in Dallas, but came up just short losing 88-85. That score fell well short of the inflated total, and here is what I said prior to tip off: "Houston is one of the league's highest scoring teams, but as they've been battling for a playoff spot, they've trended toward lower scoring games, failing to reach the total in six of their last eight." They played pretty well defensively last night, holding the Mavs to 88 points on 41.3 percent shooting. They should continue to play strong defense against Phoenix, a team that has scored an average of 96 points per game while losing six straight. PG Brandon Knight is done for the season, and that's not going to help the Suns offense any. The Mavs are two games clear of Houston after last night's win, and Utah is one game up on the Rockets. The two teams play each other before the end of the season, ensuring that one of the two will lose ground. The good news for the Rockets is that they have a much easier schedule than the two teams ahead of them, so we should still see a solid effort here at home tonight. 

Take HOU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@BOS to go UNDER the total. 

The Red Wings take on the Bruins in a Titanic matchup at TD Garden tonight, and the Bruins trail Detroit by two points in the Eastern Conference standings. A loss tonight would make it highly unlikely that he Bruins would make the playoffs, and I expect Boston to play like a desperate team facing elimination. The Bruins last game against Carolina was a very tightly contested battle, with the Hurricanes winning 2-1 in a shootout. With so much at stake for both teams tonight, we should expect another low scoring affair. The Bruins haven't gone over in any of their last five home games, and Detroit has gone under in four of it's last five when playing one one day's rest. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Philadelphia Flyers -1.5. 

The Flyers have been one of the league's hottest teams in recent weeks, and their strong play has them in position to make the playoffs. A 3-0 loss to the Red Wings last nigh is a serious setback, but they have the good fortune to be hosting Toronto tonight. The Leafs were blown out 5-1 by Columbus on home ice, and there's not much for Toronto to prove with just a few games left in the season. The Leafs should come with a half-hearted effort here on the road in the second game of a back to back. Philly on the other hand has to treat this game as a "must win", and we should see the Flyers really take it to the Leafs tonight. 

Take PHI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on HOU@DAL to go UNDER the total. 

The Rockets and the Mavericks will play a Titanic game in Dallas tonight, with the eighth and Final playoff spot in the West up for grabs. The Mavs have won four straight, putting them in seventh in the West, one game ahead of Houston. During that span they've put on a defensive clinic, holding opponents to an average of just 86 points. The Rockets are on the outside looking in, sitting in ninth. Houston is one of the league's highest scoring teams, but as they've been battling for a playoff spot, they've trended toward lower scoring games, failing to reach the total in six of their last eight. They don't score quite as much on the road, and they've gone under in four straight away from Houston. We should see a cautious approach from two teams fighting for their lives, and tonight's total appears to be a little inflated. As I have said several times this week: "I think the bookmakers have failed to take this into consideration when they come out with such a high total. Teams battling for survival tend to play a lot tougher defense, and both these teams have been playing low scoring games of late." 

Take UNDER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on WAS@ATL to go OVER the total. 

The Braves couldn't hang on to a 3-2 lead on Opening Day, allowing the Nats to tie the game in the ninth, and win 4-3 in the 10th inning. Atlanta's bullpen was a disaster in 2015, and so far it looks like this year isn't going to be any better. That combined with a struggling starter taking the mound for the Braves today, and I expect the Nats to score plenty of runs in Game 2 of the series. 

Stephen Strasburg will toe the slab for the visitors, and he owned the Braves last year. He hasn't always been successful against Atlanta though, and the Braves best player has hit him hard. Freddie Freeman is batting .429 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 28 career at bats. The 27 year old right-hander also has a history of slow starts and strong finishes. April has not been his best month, going 5-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 16 starts since 2013. 

The Braves hand the ball to Bud Norris, who was downright terrible in 2015. He didn't look any better in Spring Training, going 1-3 with a 6.46 ERA in six appearances. The 31 year old is 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA in four appearances versus Washington since 2013. April is also his worst Month, going 4-7 with a 6.44 ERA in 13 starts in April over the last three seasons. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@ORL. 

After a lopsided loss at Miami last night, the Pistons have slid all the way to eighth in the Eastern Conference, clinging to the final playoff spot. They have a two game lead on the ninth place Bulls, but they can't afford to keep losing or they could miss the playoffs all together. A win in Orlando tonight would give them plenty of breathing room, and I expect to see a solid effort. Detroit has failed to score 100 points in five straight games, and it has only surrendered an average of 97.8 points during that span. These two teams have a history of playing high scoring games, going over the total in six of the last seven meetings. Tonight's total is significantly higher than it was in any of those games, and there's a lot more at stake for the Pistons here tonight. The Pistons have gone under in nine of their last 11 road games, and five straight overall. They have won three straight in this series, holding the Magic to an average of 96 points in those games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on STL@PIT to go UNDER the total. 

The Cardinals will look to avoid the sweep in the series finale at Pittsburgh tonight, and we should be in for a pitcher's duel with Mike Leake starting opposite Juan Nicasio. 

Leake was light's out in Spring Training, going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA, striking out a whopping 24 batters in 20 innings. He's always been a better pitcher on the road than he was at home, although that might change now that he got out of Cincinnati. He was 5-6 with a 2.91 ERA in 15 starts on the road last year, and he was 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in four starts versus Pittsburgh. 

Nicasio was untouchable in 15 innings this spring, holding the opposition scoreless while striking out 24 batters. The 29 year old is making his Pirates debut, and he's got a chance to pitch in a more pitcher friendly environment after spending the last five years in Colorado. 

Cold weather in Pittsburgh is expected to make it more difficult for hitters hear, as the ball shouldn't have a lot of carry on it. The Pirates have failed to reach the total in four of their last five at PNC Park. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAD@SD to go OVER the total. 

So much for PETCO being a pitcher's park. It was once thought to be the most pitcher friendly park in the majors, but that all changed last year. The over is 42-18-3 in the Padre's last 63 overall. Last night the Dodgers ran roughshod scoring a whopping 15 runs. Given tonight's pitching matchup, I think we should see a few runs scored here in Game 2. 

Big Game James, at least that's what they used to call him. James Shields was supposed to be the ace of the staff in San Diego, but he gave way to Tyson Ross on Opening Day, and that says a lot about where he's at in his career. He was horrible this Spring, going 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA. He's been mediocre at best at PETCO, and the over is 12-3-1 in Shields' last 16 home starts.

The Dodgers hand the ball to Scott Kazmir, who makes his Dodgers debut. He didn't miss many bats this Spring, surrendering 12 runs on 25 hits over 16 innings. He hasn't had much success against the Padres lineup, as San Diego is batting .329 over a combined 76 at bats against the southpaw. 

The Padres have seen the total go over in five straight versus left-handed starters. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is an 10* play on the Milwaukee Brewers +1.5. 

The Brewers got worked over on Opening Day, losing by a score of 12-3 to San Francisco. Game 2 of this series features a more favorable pitching matchup for Milwaukee, and I like their chances of evening the series. 

Johnny Cueto will make his debut for the Giants, and this looks like a tough situational spot for 30 year old. Cueto is a pitcher who has more dramatic splits than most, and his comfort zone is at home during the day. He was just 5-9 with a 3.80 ERA on the road last year, and 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA at night. He didn't look overly sharp in the Spring, surrendering 11 runs on 17 hits in just 10 innings. 

The Brewers hand the ball to 26 year old Jimmy Nelson, who showed some signs of greatness last year. He was better at home, going 5-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 14 starts at Miller Park. That's not bad when you consider how bad the Brewers were last year. The right-hander looked very sharp this Spring, going 2-1 with a 1.17 ERA in four appearances. 

The Giants are just 9-19 in their last 28 road games. 

Take MIL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on DET@MIA to go UNDER the total. 

The Heat host the Piston tonight in a game with massive playoff implications. The Heat are fighting for home court advantage in the first round, while Detroit still needs to clinch one of the last spots in the East. The Pistons have won each of the previous two meetings this season, and both those games went under the total. I bet on the under in Detroit's last game, a 94-90 win over the Bulls in Chicago. 

Here is what I said prior to tip off: "I think the bookmakers have failed to take this into consideration when they come out with such a high total. Teams battling for survival tend to play a lot tougher defense, and both these teams have been playing low scoring games of late. The Pistons lost at home to Dallas last night, three days after beating the Thunder 88-82. Detroit has failed to reach the total in seven of it's last nine on the road, while the Bulls have gone under in five straight. The total for tonight's game is significantly higher than it was in any of the previous 10 meetings" 

It's a similar situation here tonight, and we see another inflated total in a game that appears to feature two teams trending toward low scoring games. The under is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings in Miami. The Heat have failed to reach the total in four of their last five, while Detroit has gone under in eight of it's last 10 road games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on STL@PIT to go OVER the total. 

The Pirates beat the Cardinals by a score of 4-1 on Opening Day, but I expect a different outcome here in the second game of the series. The Pirates hand the ball to veteran southpaw Jonahton Niese, and he has a history of struggling against St. Louis. 

Niese was lit up for eight runs on 16 hits over 12 2/3 inning in two starts versus the Cards last year. He's also making the move away from pitcher friendly Citi Field, and hasn't had much success in his new home at PNC Park. He's posted a 6.75 ERA in five starts in Pittsburgh since 2013. The 29 year old got shelled in four appearances this Spring, going 0-2 with an 8.40 ERA. 

The Cardinals counter with Michael Wacha, who was 2-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four starts versus the Pirates last year. Wacha was also good on the road, going 10-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts. 

Matt Carpenter drove in the Cardinals only run in Game 1, and he's 4-for-8 lifetime versus Niese. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on HOU@NYY to go UNDER the total. 

The Bronx Bombers were rained out yesterday, but they are all set to host the Houston Astros in what we expect to be a pitcher's duel at Yankee Stadium this afternoon. Dallas Keuchel will start opposite Masahiro Tanaka on a sunny but cold day in the Bronx. These conditions should favor the pitchers. 

Keuchel certainly likes pitching in the afternoon, he was 6-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 11 starts in day games last year. He also loves pitching against the Yankees, as he was 2-0 versus New York last year, tossing 16 scoreless innings against them. If Spring Training is any indication, the Bronx Bombers are in for a rough day. Keuchel was flawless this Spring, striking out 16 in 17 scoreless innings of work. 

The Yankees hand the ball to Masahiro Tanaka, who has been a far better pitcher at home than he has been on the road. Tanaka is 13-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 24 career starts at Yankee Stadium, and he's another pitcher that doesn't mind a matinee. 

Keuchel and Tanaka were the starters the last time these teams faced each other (AL Wild Card Game), and the Astros won 3-0. I expect a similar result here today. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the LAA. 

The Chicago Cubs come in to the 2016 season as the favorite to win the NL Central. They will be a favorite on the road at Los Angeles on Opening Day, and I think the bookmakers are showing this young Chicago team way too much respect. 

Jake Arietta will get the start for Chicago, and he was the NL Cy Young Award winner in 2015. There is no guarantee that he can replicate the amazing season he had a year ago, and he certainly didn't inspire much confidence this Spring. He posted an ERA of 5.56 over 11.1 innings in four appearances. 

The Angels hand the ball to Garrett Rickards, who was 10-4 with a 2.92 ERA in 17 starts at home last year. The 27 year old also has favorable day/night splits for this spot, as he's 29-16 with a 3.49 ERA at night over the last three seasons. The Angels have won 13 of his last 18 home starts. 

The Angels have won five of their last six at home, and they are 9-1 in Richards last 10 starts against NL teams. 

Take LAA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on VILL@UNC to go UNDER the total.

Both the Wildcats and the Tar Heels were executing on offense in their final four wins, and each team put plenty of points on the board. Still, neither team came even close in their respective Final Four games to reaching the inflated total for Monday's Final. When you get deep into the tournament, the stakes get higher, and that usually means the defense clamps down even more. The Wildcats defense has been particularly impressive, allowing opponents to average just 60.6 points on 42 percent shooting in the tournament so far. This will be the third time since 2010 that the Championship Game will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston. Because these games are being played in a football stadium, it is thought to change to the depth perception of the shooters, bringing down scoring averages. This is what's known as the "Dome Effect". Both ESPN and the New York Times published articles discussing this phenomenon over the last few days, and I noticed one interesting stat from ESPN. According to their FiveThirtyEight article, in 12 NCAA Tournament games played at NRG Stadium, teams have scored an average of 65.4 points ON 44.5 percent shooting. In order to reach tonight's total, both teams would have to eclipse that average by at least 10 points.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAD@SD to go OVER the total. 

The Dodgers are a huge favorite on the road at San Diego on Opening Day, and it's worth remembering that Clayton Kershaw cost bettors more money than any other pitcher in the majors last season. He still had a fine year, going 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA. The problem is that he's such a huge favorite every time he takes the mound that those few losses combined with a couple of blown leads by his relievers, and bettors are out a fair chunk of change. 

It's also worth noting that throughout his career, Kershaw has been a slow starter. His numbers are lights out in June, July and August, but since 2013 he's just 4-4 with a 2.59 ERA in 11 starts in April. 

The Padres will counter with Tyson Ross, who was just 4-9 with a 3.70 ERA at home last year. The 29 year old was roughed up this Spring, going 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA in five appearances. He's 0-6 with a 2.68 ERA in eight starts versus the Dodgers since 2013. 

Another interesting note is that while PETCO Park had been rated as one of the most pitcher friendly venues in the majors, that changed last season. The over is 41-18-3 in Padres last 62 overall. The Dodgers have gone over in seven straight when Kershaw pitches versus San Diego. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on WAS@ATL to go UNDER the total. 

The Washington Nationals will be in Atlanta to take on the Braves on Opening Day, and we should be in for a classic pitcher's duel here at Turner Field. Mad Maz Scherzer will start opposite Julio Teheran, and both aces looked sharp this Spring. 

Teheran was 8-2 with a 2.89 ERA in 17 home starts in 2015, and he's 22-10 with a 2.66 ERA in Atlanta since 2013. Theu nder is 8-3 in Teherans last 11 home starts, and the Braves have failed to reach the total in 11 of their last 12 home games. 

Scherzer has been particularly sharp on the road, going 25-11 with a 2.68 ERA in 52 starts away from home over the last three years. His day/night splits are even more encouraging, as he's 21-6 with a 2.64 ERA in 37 starts in day games since 2013. 

The Nationals have failed to reach the total in six straight road games, and the under is 3-0-1 in Scherzers last 4 road starts.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Edmonton Oilers. 

The Flames are coming limping into Edmonton off a pair of ugly losses to Anaheim and Los Angeles on back to back nights. They were out-scored 11-3 in those two games, and they appear to be in rough shape heading into this season's final edition of the Battle of Alberta. I bet against the Flames in each of their last two games, and here is what I had to say before the puck dropped: "The Flames rank dead last in the NHL in goals against, and own the league’s most futile penalty killing unit. Goaltending certainly isn’t a strength, and last night we saw Jonas Hiller pulled after surrendering three goals on five shots. Niklas Backstrom didn’t do any better, as he was torched for five goals on 22 shots. We could see Joni Ortio tonight, who is 5-8-4 with a 2.76 GAA this season. He’s lost two of his last three starts, surrendering seven goals in those games." The Oilers are 8-8 in their last 16 games overall, and goaltender Cam Talbot has won three of his last five starts, and stopped 40 shots in a 2-0 shutout win over Vancouver two weeks ago. 

Take EDM. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* (GOY) play on DET@CHI to go UNDER the total.

Down but not out, the Chicago Bulls have shown a lot of character winning back-to-back road games to keep their playoff hopes alive. They host the Detroit Pistons tonight, and the Pistons are one of the teams they are trying to catch. They trail eighth place Indiana by one game, and they are 1.5 games back of Detroit. That means that tonight's game might as well be a playoff game, because the stakes don't get any higher.

I think the bookmakers have failed to take this into consideration when they come out with such a high total. Teams battling for survival tend to play a lot tougher defense, and both these teams have been playing low scoring games of late. The Pistons lost at home to Dallas last night, three days after beating the Thunder 88-82. Detroit has failed to reach the total in seven of it's last nine on the road, while the Bulls have gone under in five straight. The total for tonight's game is significantly higher than it was in any of the previous 10 meetings.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* (GOM) play on the Villanova Wildcats. 

The Oklahoma Sooners have had an impressive journey to the Final Four, and there's no denying that they deserve to be here. They have yet to play an opponent as dangerous as Villanova though. Oregon's a great team, but the Ducks don't play defense like the Wildcats, and their schedule in the Pac12 isn't as challenging. Prior to beating Oregon, the Sooners had failed to cover in seven of their previous eight. 

They played close games against the likes of VCU, Hawaii and failed to dominate versus California Bakersfield. They've survived mostly due to Buddy Heild, who has averaged 30 points over his last three games. This is something that won't be unnoticed by Villanova, and if the Cats can slow down Heild, they'll likely be booking a ticket to the championship game. West Virginia held Buddy to just six points on 1-of-8 shooting in the Big12 tournament, and I expect Villanova to try to replicate that performance. They certainly executed their defensive game plan against Kansas, completely shutting down Perry Ellis in their Elite 8 victory. 

Villanova has been clinical at the free throw line in the tournament so far, hitting 82.7 percent. That could be the difference in this game, as the Sooners have hit below 70 percent from the charity stripe over their last five games. The Wildcats are holding opponents to just 64.2 points per game over their last five, pretty impressive when you consider they played Kansas, Miami, Iowa and Seton Hall during that span. The Sooners are 3-11 ATS in their last 14 games versus teams with a winning record, and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 NCAA Tournament games. 

Take VILL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Tottenham. 

Tottenham heads into this weekend's match at Anfield sitting in second place in the Premier League table, five points back of leaders Leicester City. The Spurs are the only team with any real hope of catching Leicester, but a win here over Liverpool is an absolute must. If this match was earlier in the season, Tottenham would likely be satisfied to come away with a draw, but anything short of a win simply won't do Saturday. 

The good news for Spurs is that Liverpool looks extremely vulnerable. They blew a 2-0 lead in their last match, losing 3-2 to Southampton. Tottenham has eight wins away from home this season, and that's three more than the Reds have at home. Liverpool's defending has been shocking most of the year, while Tottenham has registered consecutive clean sheets while winning it's last two league games. 

Liverpool will also be shorthanded, as striker Christian Benteke suffered a knee injury in during the international break. 

Take SPURS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIN@UTAH to go UNDER the total. 

This is an absolute do or die game for the Jazz, and I expect them to put on a defensive clinic against a Minnesota team that is just going through the motions. The Timberwolves are coming off a 99-79 home loss to the Clippers, and they lost at home to Utah by a score of 93-84 last Saturday. These teams have gone over the total in three of the last seven meetings, but only one of those games saw enough points to reach tonight's total. That game was a 106-104 overtime win for Minnesota last March. The Jazz have failed to reach the total in eight of their last 10 overall, and six of their last eight at home. They held the defending champions Golden State to 89 points in regulation in their last game, and they've held five of their last seven opponents to fewer than 90 points. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Celtics are coming off a blowout loss at the Staples Center, losing to the Clippers by a whopping 24 points. They will face the Blazers in Portland tonight, in their first game of a back to back. This is a terrible spot for Boston, as they will undoubtedly be looking ahead to tomorrow's game against the NBA's #1 team at Golden State. As difficult as it is for opposing teams at Oracle Arena, playing in Portland is no picnic. Boston hasn't had much success on the road lately, going 1-6 ATS in it's last seven road games. The Celtics are also a woeful 2-12 ATS in their last 14 road games versus teams with a winning home record. The Blazers are 24-12 in Portland this season, and that comes after a slow start. Boston has struggled offensively without Jay Crowder, averaging just 100.7 points per game while going 4-5 since his injury. The Blazers have won five straight at home, scoring an average of 112 points in those victories.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CHI@HOU to go UNDER the total. 

The Houston Rockets have a reputation for playing high scoring games, but we normally see teams tighten up come playoff time, and that's certainly been the case for Houston. The Rockets are currently in a three way tie with Utah and Dallas, with all three teams battling for the final two spots in the Western Conference. The Rockets have struggled, winning just twice in their last six games. They failed to reach the total in all but one of those games. 

They host the Chicago Bulls, who are also fighting for their lives. Chicago is still two games back of Indiana for the last spot in the East, but they kept their hopes alive with a 98-86 win at Indiana on Tuesday. The Bulls have gone under in six of their last seven overall. Chicago has won three of the last four in this series, and Houston has scored an average of just 98 points in those games. 

This is essentially a do or die game for both teams, which should mean no easy points. Expect both teams to play intense defense on every possession, and with a sky high total, I expect them to come up well short of the number. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIA@LAL to go UNDER the total. 

After a string of uncharacteristically high scoring games, the Miami Heat got back to business on Friday, defeating the Orlando Magic by a score of 108-97. They followed that up with another under in a home win over Brooklyn three days later. I cashed in with the winning total in both those games, and I still think bookmakers are offering an inflated total in tonight's game at LA. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, failing to reach the total in four of the last five meetings, and nine of the last 11. Most of those games saw a total below 200, and only once did we see a number as high as we see tonight. They've failed to reach the total in four straight meetings at the Staples Center, and the Lakers failed to score 100 points in all of those games. The Heat only broke the century mark once during that span, and that was a 101-95 win on Christmas Day 2013. Miami's defense is ranked 4th in the NBA, allowing opponents to average just over 98 points per game. The Lakers offense is ranked 29th, and they scored just 70 points on 30.6 percent shooting in a home loss to the Wizards on Monday. Rumors of a divided locker room have surfaced, and a rookie PG DeAngelo Russell is at the center of the controversy. The 19 year old appears to be responsible for secretly recording a private conversation with a teammate, and the embarrassing contents of that conversation have since become public. This is a complete disaster for the Lakers, and a situation that isn't going to go away any time soon. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on HOU@CLE to go UNDER the total. 

The Rockets head to Cleveland in a desperate situation, currently in an eighth place tie with the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The good news is, they've actually owned the Cavs in recent years, winning six of the last seven meetings. More good news is that the Cavs have decided to rest LeBron James tonight. They recently rested James in a home game against Dallas, and just barely beat the Mavs by a score of 99-98. Cleveland hasn't done well at all when James doesn't play, failing to cover in 14 of 15 games since 2014. They failed to reach the total in 12 of those 15 games. Despite that, tonight's total is sky high, in fact higher than any of the previous 10 meetings between the two teams. Houston has been playing low scoring games lately, failing to reach the total in four of it's last five overall, and four of it's last five on the road. The Cavs have gone under in five of their last six when playing one two day's rest. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CHI@MIN to go UNDER the total. 

The NHL Playoffs are still a couple weeks away, but we'll see the next best thing to a playoff game in Minnesota tonight. The Wild are fighting for their lives, just three points clear of Colorado, and currently holding down the final playoff spot in the West. Chicago is in a dog fight with Anaheim and Nashville for fourth in the West, and they need to win if they want to avoid playing on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota is riding a red hot Devan Dubnyk, who is coming off a 29 save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Avs. He's won five straight starts, surrendering seven goals during that span. He's owned the Blackhawks this year, going 4-0 with a 1.98 GAA in four starts. We should get a preview of what playoff hockey looks like, and that means tight checking, down and dirty low scoring games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BOS@NJD to go UNDER the total. 

The Bruins snapped a five game losing streak with a 3-1 win at Toronto on Saturday, but they are still just a point clear of the ninth place Red Wings. There is no margin for error here with just six game remaining, and tonight's game at New Jersey is a "must win". Tuukka Rask has owned the Devils, posting a 1.51 GAA in seven career starts versus New Jersey. The Devils will counter with rookie netminder Scott Wedgewood, who is 2-1-1 with a 1.25 GAA in four career starts since taking over for Corey Schneider. These teams have only pushed the total over the number in one of the last six meetings, and I expect another low scoring battle tonight. We should get a preview of what playoff hockey looks like, and that means tight checking, down and dirty low scoring games.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Valparaiso Crusaders. 

Valparaiso stunned the St. Mary's Gaels in a 60-44 win in the NIT quarterfinals last week. It was the lowest point total of the year for a St. Mary's team that finished at the top of the WCC standings. The Crusaders will face the third place team from the WCC in the NIT semifinals, and I think the BYU Cougars are a little overrated coming into MSG. The Cougars just barely escaped with a home win over Creighton on Tuesday. The Crusaders don't mind playing away from home, boasting a road record of 12-4. One of those losses was a close game at Oregon, and impressive result considering the season the Ducks had. Last week's impressive defensive effort against the Gaels shouldn't really be a surprise, as they've held opponents to an average of just 63.5 points on 38.9 percent shooting this season. That's 10 points less than the Cougars have given up, and opponents are shooting 42 percent against BYU. The Crusaders have been far better from the free throw line all season long, and they average over 75 percent at neutral sites. They also have an edge in rebounding, and I think this is going to create all sorts of problems for the Cougars. 

Take VAL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on LAL@UTAH to go UNDER the total. 

The Jazz are coming off a commanding 93-84 win at Minnesota, and they'll need to keep the ball rolling tonight as they are just one game ahead of the 9th place Dallas Mavericks, and half a game up on Houston. They will host the struggling LA Lakers, who have lost seven of their last eight. The Lakers are playing on back to back nights, coming off a 101-88 home loss to the Wizards last night. Both Kobe Bryant and DeAngelo Russell are playing through injuries, and playing on no rest isn't going to be easy, especially against one of the top defenses in the league. Utah is the second lowest scoring team in the NBA, but it makes up for it with stellar defense. The Jazz have held opponents to an average of just 89.7 points and 7.0 makes from 3-point range over it's last nine games. The Jazz have failed to reach the total in six of their last seven overall, and five of their last six at home. Utah has trended under at a rate of 28-13-1 in it's last 42 home games versus teams with a losing road record.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Memphis Grizzlies. 

The Grizz are all banged up, missing starters Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Even with their thin lineup, they gave the Spurs a run for their money in a 110 -104 loss at San Antonio on Friday. LaMarus Aldridge proved to be the difference in that game, as the Grizzlies simply couldn't stop him. He scored 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting, and pulled in a dozen rebounds. Greg Popovich rested his starters in a 111-92 loss at Oklahoma City on Saturday, and we don't expect to see the starters log a lot of minutes here in Memphis. The visitors are asked to cover an awful big spread here in a meaningless game, and I think Memphis is very likely to win this game outright. The Spurs are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games versus teams with a winning home record. The Grizz are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games.

Take MEM. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BKN@MIA to go UNDER the total. 

After a string of uncharacteristically high scoring games, the Miami Heat got back to business on Friday, defeating the Orlando Magic by a score of 108-97. I bet on the under in that game, and here is what I had to say prior to tip off: "The Heat rank 4th in the NBA with an opponent's scoring average of just 98.2 points per game. They are particularly strong at home, boasting a record of 23-13. These two teams have gone over the total in six of the last 10 meetings, but the total for tonight's game is about 10 points higher than it was in any of those previous contests."

We see a similar situation tonight, as the Heat will host bottom feeders Brooklyn. Seven of the last 10 meetings have gone over, but the total in those games was at least 10 points lower than tonight's number. Only one of those 10 games saw enough points to reach tonight's total, and that game was a home win for Brooklyn. The Nets are coming off back to back home wins, setting them up for a let down here in Miami. The Under is 7-3 in Heat last 10 home games versus teams with a losing road record. Sitting just half a game behind Boston, and a half game ahead of the surging Hornets, this is a key game for Miami in the playoff race. We should expect the Heat to put on a defensive clinic here tonight. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas Jayhawks. 

I have a ton of respect for the Villanova Wildcats, who have played as well as anyone in the tournament so far. The fact is, I know the Wildcats have weaknesses, and the same is a lot more difficult to say about Kansas. As well as Villanova played in their blowout win over Miami, they did allow the Hurricanes to shoot 52.3 percent from the field, and 58.8 percent from three-point range. They got away with a less than stellar defensive effort because they barely missed a shot themselves, and they dominated Miami on the boards. They won't get away with that here against Kansas, a team that is perhaps the biggest, most athletic in the country. The Jayhawks aren't just winning, they are covering the spread as well, going 14-3 ATS in their last 17 overall. Kansas is cruising, coming off 17 straight wins, 11 of those in games decided by at least 10 points. Kansas is 9-1 ATS in it's last 10 neutral site game, and has won 10 of 11 at neutral sites this season. The Jayhawks are 19-6 ATS in their last 25 non-conference games.

Take KAN. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on North Carolina. 

The ACC is still the strongest conference in the country, and that's not even debatable. Last year's Champions Duke were on of three ACC teams to reach the Elite 8, and this year the ACC will send five teams to the Sweet 16. Four of those five teams will be a favorite in their next game, and one of those is the Tar Heels who play Indiana on Friday. 

The Hoosiers showed a lot of grit beating Kentucky, but they could be due for a let down here against a tougher opponent. It will be an even tougher task if sophomore guard Robert Johnson isn't healthy. Johnson left the last game with an ankle injury, and it looked pretty ugly. Early reports suggest that he's going to try to play through the pain, but this has been a lingering injury that caused him to sit out of the BIG10 Tournament, and Indiana got knocked out in the first round by Michigan. 

The Tar Heels physically dominated Providence, out-rebounding the Friars 42-24. They shot 52.5 percent from the field, and scored 19 of their 85 points at the free throw line. North Carolina is significantly better from the charity stripe, hitting 78.9 percent over it's last five games, and hitting 77.8 percent at neutral sites this year. If Indiana commits fouls, the Tar Heels will make them pay. 

Take UNC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ORL@MIA to go UNDER the total. 

The Magic come into Miami as losers of five in a row, and they'll have a tough time here against one of the top defensive teams in the league. The Heat rank 4th in the NBA with an opponent's scoring average of just 98.2 points per game. They are particularly strong at home, boasting a record of 23-13. These two teams have gone over the total in six of the last 10 meetings, but the total for tonight's game is about 10 points higher than it was in any of those previous contests. They've scored fewer points in Miami, as the under is 7-3 in Orlando's last 10 trips to American Airlines Arena. The Magic have also been riding an under trend on the road, failing to reach the total in six of their last seven away from Orlando. The Heat managed just 88 points in a loss at San Antonio in their last game, their lowest points total in 27 games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Virginia Cavs (GOW). 

The ACC is still the strongest conference in the country, and that's not even debatable. Last year's Champions Duke were on of three ACC teams to reach the Elite 8, and this year the ACC will send five teams to the Sweet 16. Four of those five teams will be a favorite in their next game. I think the strongest of the five might be the Virginia Cavs, and I bet on Virginia in their last game against Butler.  

Here is what I had to say before the game: "The Cavs are one of the hottest teams in the country, coming off a blowout win over the Hampton Pirates in the first round of the tournament. They finished second in the ACC behind North Carolina with a record of 13-5, and they lost a close game by a score of 61-57 to UNC in the ACC Championship Game. They had won five in a row prior to that, and one of those was a home win over North Carolina by a score of 79-74." 

Virginia will face Iowa State in Chicago on Friday, and the Cyclones did not finish the season strong at all. They lost their last five games away from home to Texas Tech, Baylor, West Virginia, Kansas and Oklahoma. They had a pretty soft start to the tournament, with wins over 13th seeded Iona, and 12th seeded Arkansas Little Rock. One of the biggest weaknesses for Iowa State is a lack of depth, as they really don't get much production from their bench. While it didn't hurt them against lesser opponents, it's very likely that it will be a factor against the best defensive team remaining in the tournament. The Cavs have allowed opponents to average just 58.2 points per game, while winning eight of nine games at neutral sites. 

Take UVA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Duke Blue Devils. 

The ACC is still the strongest conference in the country, and that's not even debatable. Last year's Champions Duke were on of three ACC teams to reach the Elite 8, and this year the ACC will send six teams to the Sweet 16. Four of those teams will be a favorite in their next game. The defending champions Duke will actually be getting points against the Pac12 champs Oregon, and I strongly disagree with the line here. 

In my opinion people are failing to account for the fact that Duke had a much tougher schedule, playing the likes of Louisville, Virginia and North Carolina. Oregon's wins over the likes of Utah, Arizona and California pale in comparison. Duke lost 10 games during the season, but seven of those 10 losses came in games decided by five points or less. They lost by two versus Syracuse and losses to Notre Dame and North Carolina came by just four points. 

One game in particular stands out, and some might see their 77-75 loss to the Utes as evidence that they could struggle against an even better team from the Pac12. I think they've grown as a team since then, and it's also important to remember that Grayson Allen only scored seven points in that game while playing through flu-like symptoms. 

Allen has stepped up his game in the tournament, much like he did last year in the championship game versus Wisconsin. Duke has the highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament history, and you have to give plenty of credit to Coach K. The Blue Devils are 7-1 ATS in their last eight tournament games, and they look good as a dog to an Oregon team that has failed to cover in four straight versus the ACC. 

Take DUKE. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma Sooners. 

The Aggies have no business playing in the Sweet 16, after being out-played badly by Northern Iowa for all but the last 44 seconds on Sunday. While it was a miraculous comeback, I am not going to give Texas A&M much credit for pulling it off. The fact is they just didn't play well at all. They missed 11 free throws, and only connected on 7-of-31 three-point attempts. Leading scorer Danuel House was terrible all night (until the final minute). He finished the game with 22 points on 6-of-17 shooting. There's no doubt in my mind, that if the Aggies play anything like they did on Sunday, this game will be all Oklahoma. 

The Sooners will go as far as Buddy Hield can take them, and so far in the tournament he's delivered. Hield scored 36 points and made six three-point shots in the win over VCU. He leads the country with 137 made three-pointers, and when he's in the zone he's the best player in the nation. Oklahoma comes in shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc over it's last five games, while the Aggies have struggled from the perimeter, hitting just over 29 percent during that same span. The Sooners have also been better at the free throw line, hitting 72.5 percent over those last five games. 

Take OKLA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on ATL@WAS to go UNDER the total. 

The Wizards are hot, coming into tonight's home game versus the Hawks as winners of four straight. They've surrendered an average of just 95 points per game during that span, and their last win came on the road at Atlanta. The Hawks are looking to avenge that loss in the second game of this home and home set tonight, and Atlanta is one of the league's best defensive teams. Atlanta ranks 6th in the NBA limiting opponents to an average of just 99.1 points per game. Prior to being upset by the Wizards, they had won five straight, and allowed less than 100 points in four of those five wins. These teams have actually gone over in seven of the last 10 meetings, but that stat is a little misleading. Seven of those 10 games saw a total below 200, and not one of those 10 games saw a number as high as tonight's total. Only twice in the last 10 meetings did they score enough points to reach this inflated total. The Hawks have failed to reach the total in eight of their last 10 when playing on one day's rest, and four straight when coming off a loss. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIL@DET to go UNDER the total. 

The Bucks lost 94-85 at home to Utah last night, and they'll be hard pressed to earn a better result on the road in the second leg of a back to back. They struggle to score at the best of times, as one of just a handful of teams that average less than 100 points per game. The total for tonight's game looks a little inflated, as the two teams haven't scored a combined 200 points in any of the last seven head to head meetings. The Pistons are on a roll, coming into tonight's game off back to back home wins. They rank among the top defensive teams in the Eastern Conference, allowing opponents to average just over 100 points per game. The Bucks have failed to reach the total in eight of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record. The Bucks average just 5.4 made three-pointers per game, only Minnesota is worse with 5.2 per game. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Xavier Musketeers. 

The Musketeers finished just behind Villanova in the Big East, and they split the season series with the Wildcats, winning the most recent meeting at home by a score of 90-83. They are a well balanced team that can do it all, on offense, defense, on the boards and boy can they score. This should give them a massive edge against a Wisconsin team that struggles to score points. The Badgers just don't have the shooters they had last year, and often they have a tough time putting the biscuit in the basket. Xavier has averaged 84.6 points per game over it's last five, while the Badgers have scored just 63 points on 40.1 percent shooting during that span. Xavier also owns the boards, averaging just short of 40 rebounds per game in it's neutral site games, and 37.2 rebounds per game over it's last five. Superior free throw shooting, three point shooting, scoring and rebounding should prove to be far too much for a Badgers team that has scored 60 points per game on 36.2 percent shooting while going 2-2 at neutral sites this season. Xavier is 13-3 in it's last 16 versus the Big10, and the Musketeers won their last game against Wisconsin by a score of 60-49. 

Take XAV. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on UTAH@MIL to go UNDER the total.

The Jazz are back on track, coming into tonight's game versus the Bucks in Milwaukee as winners of four of their last five. They've played stellar defense, allowing an average of 87.6 points per game during that span. The Jazz own the league's 2nd ranked defense, allowing an average of 96.7 points per game. They face a Milwaukee team that averages under 100 points per game, ranking 23rd in the NBA in scoring. The Bucks are much better defensively than they are on offense, and they have failed to reach the total in four of their last five home games. Utah's leading scorer Gordon Hayward has missed two of the last three games with plantar fasciitis. He played 37 minutes against the Bulls last night, scoring just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting. These teams have failed to reach the total in six of the last nine head to head meetings, and the Bucks lost 84-81 at Salt Lake City in the most recent meeting.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Manchester City.

 It's been a disappointing season for both Manchester clubs, but City is a lot closer to where it wants to be than United. The Citizens still own the second best home record in the Premier League, and United is coming as winners of just one of their last eight away from Old Trafford. The home side will be missing star defender Vincent Kompany, but United comes limping in without Wayne Rooney and Ander Hererra. City has won four of the last six Manchester Derbies, and they've outscored United 5-1 winning the last two home matches. The Red Devils were blanked in their last two away matches, losing 2-0 at Liverpool, and 1-0 at West Brom. Shoddy defense has been a problem all year for United, and we could see a blowout here against one of the highest scoring teams in the Premiership. 

Take CITY. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

his is a 10* play on GS@SA to go UNDER the total.

The Spurs are the NBA's best defensive team, holding opponents to an average of just 92.5 points per game. They are still undefeated at home, and they host the League's top team in a marquee matchup on Saturday night. This is a revenge spot for the Spurs, who lost 120-90 at Golden State earlier this year. Note that even that high scoreline wasn't enough to reach the total for tonight's game. In fact, not one of the last 10 meetings between the two teams has seen enough points to reach this inflated number

The Warriors are gunning for a record, but this might be one game that they are willing to concede. If things get out of hand early, I think it would be wise for Steve Kerr to rest his starters here in the second game of a back-to-back. If the roles were reversed, you can bet that's would Greg Popovich would do.

The under is s 9-3 in Spurs last 12 overall, and four of the Warriors last five visits to San Antonio have failed to reach the total. The Warriors have failed to reach the total in five straight versus teams with a winning record.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Duke Blue Devils.

The Yale Bulldogs played about as well as they can possibly play in their opening round win over Baylor, but I think they'll be in way over their heads against Duke on Saturday. We saw Duke handle a bit of adversity overcoming a halftime deficit to beat UNC Wilmington by eight points in their first game, and the Blue Devils are a short favorite here versus Yale.

These teams played early in the season, and Duke won that game 80-61. This Blue Devils team has the highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament history. They have covered the spread in five straight versus the Ivy League, and they are 6-1 ATS in their last seven NCAA Tourney games.

After a slow start against the Seahawks, Marshall Plumlee opted to discard his protective mask, playing with a broken nose fully exposed. He took over down low, scoring 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Grayson Allen didn't have a great night shooting, but he scored the majority of his 23 points at the free throw line, going 15-of-17. In the end, Duke just had too much firepower for the Seahawks, and I expect it to be the same story here against Yale.

Take DUKE.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Leicester City.

The Foxes are in the driver's seat in the English Premier League title race, and they come into Saturday's match versus Crystal Palace as winners of seven of their last 10 matches. The bookmakers still don't give them much credit, and we get a far better price on Leicester than we would get if we wanted to back any of the other top clubs in the league. Playing away from Kings Power Stadium hasn't slowed down the Foxes, who have as many wins on the road (9) as they do at home. Crystal Palace has lost five straight home games, and has been out-scored 7-4 while losing two of it's last three league games. A draw would be a great result for the home team here, but I think Palace will be lucky to avoid another loss

Take Leicester

GL

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the VCU Rams. 

The Oregon State Beavers somehow found their way into the NCAA Tournament, much to the dismay of St. Mary's, Valparaiso and a handful of other more deserving teams. Their tournament run is likely to come to an end pretty quickly though, facing VCU in the first round. The Beavers finished in the middle of the pack in the Pac12, with a 10-10 conference record. They were not a great team away from home, going 4-7 on the road, scoring an average of 68.7 points on 43.3 percent shooting in those games. 

VCU won seven of it's last 10 overall, and six of those seven wins came by a double digit margin. They finished tied with Dayton and St. Bonaventure at the top of the A-10 with a 14-4 record. Unlike the Beavers, the Rams had no trouble winning on the road, with a record of 7-4. The Rams should have a big edge in both free throw shooting as well as rebounding, and it's tough to beat teams that hit their free throws and win the battle on the boards. 

Oregon State will really miss forward Trey Tinkle, who is one of the team's top scorers: "He's doubtful," Wayne Tinkle said. "The timing of his injury is very unfortunate. He was having an incredible freshman season for us. We'll miss his toughness and playmaking ability for sure."

Take VCU. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on PHX@UTAH to go UNDER the total.

The Jazz are back on track, coming into tonight's home game versus Phoenix off three consecutive wins. They've played stellar defense, allowing an average of 92 points per game during that span. The Jazz own the league's 2nd ranked defense, allowing an average of 97 points per game.

The Suns aren't exactly a prolific scoring team, ranking 22nd in the NBA in scoring. Three of the last four meetings between these two teams have failed to reach the total, and the under is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings. The Jazz may need to be even better defensively tonight, missing their leading scorer Gordon Hayward. The under is 27-13-1 in Jazz last 41 home games versus teams with a losing road record.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schue

This is a 10* play on the Baylor Bears.

We've seen Harvard come out of the Ivy League and shake things up when playing teams from the bigger conferences in the NCAA Tournament. I don't expect this Yale team to compete at that level though, not against a high scoring Baylor team that has been battling it out with the Big Boys of the Big12. Keep in mind that three of the nation's Top 10 teams come from this conference (#1 Kansas, #7 Oklahoma and #8 West Virginia).

The Bears last game was a 70-66 loss to #1 ranked Kansas in the Big12 tournament. They had previously beat Texas by double-digits, and I think it's not asking to much of Baylor to beat the Ivy League champs just as easily. Yale doesn't match up well against Baylor's size, with senior forward Justin Sears their tallest starter at 6"8. The Bulldogs have held their own, out-rebounding Ivy League teams by a a double digit margin. It's likely to be a different story against a Baylor team that ranks 15th nationally in rebound margin.

Baylor went out early last year, but I don't think they'll let this game get away. They should be able to dominate against an overrated Yale team that faced just one ranked team this season, losing to Duke by 19 points.

Take BAY.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Buffalo Sabres. 

The Sabres lost at Montreal just last week, and I bet on the Habs in that game. At the time they were still battling for one of the final playoff spots in the east, and they did pull out a narrow 3-2 win at the Bell Centre in that game. Things have changed since, as Montreal has lost back to back games by a combined margin of 8-2. All Star defender P.K. Subban was carried off the ice on a stretcher in the win over the Sabres, and he hasn't played since and did not travel with the team to Buffalo. He's not the only injury concern for Montreal, as they are without eight other regulars, and their backup netminders continue to disappoint in the absence of Carey Price. 

Any talk of a playoff run is no longer realistic for the Habs, and they face a young Sabres team that has plenty of reason to be excited about their future. Jack Eichel leads the team with 22 goals, and the 2nd overall pick in the 2015 draft has five goals and two assists in his last six games. The Sabres will also welcome back Ryan O'Reilly tonight, and he leads the team with 49 points this season. Buffalo has actually had Montreal's number, winning four of the last six meetings. 

Take BUF. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@UTAH to go OVER the total.

I bet on last night's Jazz game to go over in Sacramento, and here is what I had to say prior to tip off:

"Because the Jazz are one of the top defensive teams in the NBA, we often see the bookmakers adjust with a lower number, even in games against teams like Sacramento that tend to play a lot of high scoring games. I don't think they have paid enough attention to Utah's home/away splits though, as clearly their road record of 10-22 would indicate that their defense isn't that strong away from Salt Lake City."

The Jazz return home to play their second game of a back to back against the surging Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have won six of their last seven overall, scoring an average of 114 points in those victories. They've won five of their last six versus the Jazz, and they've scored an average of 108 points in those five wins.

These two teams have gone over the total in eight of the last 10 overall meetings, and eight of the last 10 at Salt Lake City.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Leicester City.

If the Foxes can hold on and win the Premier League, it could prove to be the biggest Cinderella story in recent sports history. In a sport that's notorious for teams buying titles, Leicester is sitting in the top spot, nine points clear of big spenders Manchester City. The pressure is on though, with Tottenham trailing by just two points.

The Foxes host Newcastle tonight, and the Magpies are trying to fight off relegation. They've lost five of their last seven games, and have recently parted ways with manager Steve McLaren. Former Real Madrid Manager Rafeal Benitez has taken over, but it's likely to take time for him to get the house in order.

The Foxes have out-scored Newcastle 6-0 winning the last two meetings, and we should expect another commanding win for Leicester.

Take Leicester.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Texas A&M crushed LSU in the SEC Semi Final yesterday, winning by a whopping 33 points. The Tigers set a new mark for futility, as their 38 total points was the fewest scored by a Power 5 team this season. While it was an impressive performance by Texas A&M, beating up on an a vulnerable LSU team is perhaps not the best way to warmup for a clash with the Wildcats.

Kentucky started slow this season, but they come into this game playing as well as anyone. The Wildcats have won five of their last six, with those wins come by an average margin of over 17 points. They shot out the lights against Georgia yesterday, battling back after trailing 49-44 at halftime. They shot 50 percent from the field, and 26-of-30 from the free throw line in the win.

The Aggies shot just 56.3 percent from the foul line in their win over LSU. This looks like the type of game that could be decided at the free throw line, and that should favor the Wildcats.

Kentucky comes in red hot, shooting better than 50 percent from the field over it's last five games, and better than 45 percent from beyond the arc. I think the Aggies are going to struggle as they step up in class after their easy win yesterday. They've failed to cover in 10 of their last 13 coming off a win of more than 20 points.

Take UK.

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 10* play on the Utah Utes. 

Two of the hottest teams in the Pac12 will meet in the conference tournament in Sin City tonight, when the 14-5 Utah Utes take on the 13-6 California Golden Bears. The Utes come in as winners of eight straight, while the Bears have won nine of their last 10 overall. I've been far more impressed with Utah though, as they manhandled a very good USC team last night. The Bears looked a little sloppy in a 76-68 win over Oregon State. Utah has been excellent at neutral sites, winning four of five. Who can forget the Utes 77-75 upset win over Duke at Madison Square Garden. They've been far better shooting free throws than Cal, hitting 71.1 percent overall this season, and 74.8 percent in five games at neutral sites. The Bears have shot a dismal 62.9 percent from the line while losing two of three at neutral sites. The Utes have won four of the last five in this series, and they look like the hotter team heading into tonight's contest. 

Take UTAH. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas Jayhawks.

Kansas crushed BIG12 rivals Kansas State on Thursday, and they are the team to beat, ranked #1 in the country. They take on the inconsistent Baylor Bears tonight, and I think the price to back the Jayhawks is more than reasonable. Kansas comes in as winners of 12 straight, and they covered the spread in 10 of those 12 games. They swept the season series with Baylor, and they've won and covered in seven straight against the Bears since 2013.

The Bears finished the season as losers of three of their last four games before beating Texas yesterday. They lost 66-60 at home to Kansas during the regular season, and they shot just 36.1 percent from the field in that game. Kansas has plenty of experience playing neutral site games this season, winning five of six. They scored an average of 80.4 points on 48.6 percent shooting in those games. Opponents have averaged just 63 points on 36.7 percent shooting in the Jayhawks last five games.

Take KAN.

GL,

Jesse Schule