Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
08-29-19 | Cardinals v. Broncos -1 | Top | 7-20 | Win | 100 | 13 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* on DENVER The Broncos won the Hall of Fame Game, coming from behind to defeat Atlanta 14-10. But they haven't won since. It's been three straight losses and they haven't scored more than 15 points in game. While that may not sound like a rousing endorsement, luckily they'll face a downtrodden Arizona team here. The Cardinals haven't done much in the preseason either nor should they be expected to do much in the regular season. Like Denver, the Cards won their first preseason game, but haven't won since. Last week they could manage only nine points in a loss to Minnesota. Rookie Kyler Murray has struggled. But the defense could be a greater concern as it has given up 366 yards/game including 166 on the ground, which is the most any team has allowed. They've sustained some injuries too; on both sides of the ball. Denver has an ongoing battle for the backup QB job, which means there's motivation. Drew Lock will get the start, followed by Brett Rypien and Kevin Hogan. With a rookie head coach (Vic Fangio) looking to impress the home crowd, that's another reason the Broncos will care more. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
08-29-19 | Dolphins v. Saints -3.5 | Top | 16-13 | Loss | -103 | 12 h 16 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on NEW ORLEANS Were these teams to play in the regular season, the line would obviously be a lot higher. While we're not getting nearly the same Saints team here, we'll still gladly lay the points. The Saints' backups looked pretty impressive in last week's 28-13 win over the Jets. Miami is very likely to be the worst team in the league this year. So a game featuring nothing but their reserves figures to be a very unimpressive performance. The Dolphins have yet to decide on a starting QB for the regular season. It will end up being either Josh Rosen or Ryan Fitzpatrick, neither of whom figures to perform well for a bad team. The Saints backup QBs - Taysom Hill and Teddy Bridgewater - figure to do a better job here than their Miami counterparts. The Saints ran for over 300 yards in the first two preseason games and should be effective doing that again here. Play on NEW ORLEANS AAA | |||||||
08-29-19 | UCLA +3.5 v. Cincinnati | Top | 14-24 | Loss | -115 | 629 h 18 m | Show |
This is an 8* Play on UCLA You may be surprised by how short this line is, not to mention the way it has been bet, but don't be. Yes, UCLA won just three games in year one under Chip Kelly. But Kelly can take solace in the job his colleague Luke Fickell did last year with Cincinnati, taking them from 4 to 11 wins. No one saw that coming from the Bearcats and while they look good on paper entering 2019, UCLA has the most returning starters in the country (19) and should be a whole lot better in Kelly's 2nd year. The Bruins have had problems winning away from the Rose Bowl in recent season, but look for that to change this year. Something to keep in mind is that these teams opened last season against one another as well. Cincinnati won 26-17, as a 14-point underdog. A couple key differences here for UCLA is that Dorian Thompson-Robinson is the starting QB (wasn't the case last year) and the emergence of RB Joshua Kelley. Look for the Bruins to put up a lot more points in this year's meeting. Similarly, their defense is better than it was a year ago now that 10 starters are back. Cincinnati's offensive line is down two starters from last season. The Bearcats have failed to cover six of the last seven times they've been a home favorite of three points or less. Play on UCLA AAA | |||||||
08-29-19 | Steelers v. Panthers +4 | Top | 19-25 | Win | 100 | 11 h 16 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on CAROLINA Carolina has been bet from favorite to underdog in this final preseason matchup and we don't have the foggiest idea why. It's not like Pittsburgh has any special motivation to win tonight. Sure, a win tonight would mean a perfect 4-0 preseason for the Black & Gold, but it's not like that means anything. The last two weeks have brought low-scoring victories over Kansas City (17-7) and Tennessee (18-6). We don't expect much more in the way of scoring from Pittsburgh here, so laying points with them isn't a great idea. They haven't been favored since failing to cover against Tampa Bay in the first preseason game. The Panthers got a scare last week with Cam Newton hurting his ankle in an ugly 10-3 loss to New England. Newton should still be good to go for the regular season opener, but the rest of the team will be motivated here to erase the memory of last week's poor effort. Play on CAROLINA AAA | |||||||
08-25-19 | Steelers v. Titans -2.5 | Top | 18-6 | Loss | -110 | 82 h 5 m | Show |
This is a 10* Play on Tennessee Look for the Titans to handle their business at home in this preseason affair. This will be their last home game before the regular season. Last week they lost to New England 22-17 as three-point favorites. There's a very real QB competition here in Tennessee with Marcus Mariota trying to hold off Ryan Tannehill. Both will be motivated to look good in this dress rehearsal game. Pittsburgh is 2-0, coming off two wins at home. They beat Tampa 30-28 and Kansas City 17-7. They're feeling pretty comfortable heading into the regular season and really have nothing to prove here. The Titans did win the preseason opener, 27-10 over the Eagles, and should have a performance more closely resembling that one with starters playing longer this week. Look for Tennessee to move to 14-6-1 ATS their L21 preseason home games. Play on TENNESSEE AAA | |||||||
08-24-19 | Hamilton v. BC +3.5 | Top | 13-10 | Win | 100 | 98 h 10 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BRITISH COLUMBIA British Columbia is having a rough year. The Lions are 1-8 and in last place in the Western Division. Their only win was 18-17 over Toronto, thanks to a rouge. The Argos were winless at the time and sport the same 1-8 record as the Lions. While things won't get any easier for B.C. (hosting East-leading Hamilton) this week, we believe they're up for the challenge. Just two weeks ago, they only lost by one point to the Ti-Cats and that was in Ontario. B.C. outgained Hamilton in the contest, 437-355 and even led 34-19 at the start of the 4th quarter. But it was not to be as the Ti-Cats mounted a tremendous comeback. That was Hamilton's first game without QB Masoli and the offense didn't look too good last week in a 21-7 win at Ottawa. It didn't help British Columbia that they were -3 in turnovers in that last game vs. Hamilton. Look for them to play a cleaner game at home with the revenge angle still fresh in their minds. Hamilton is just 1-4 ATS its last five visits to British Columbia. Grab the points! Play on BRITISH COLUMBIA AAA | |||||||
08-24-19 | Saints v. Jets +3 | Top | 28-13 | Loss | -105 | 77 h 2 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the JETS Given how the Saints tend to treat these preseason affairs, we're not sure why they are now road favorites against the Jets. New Orleans did win last week's game, 19-17 over the Chargers, but it was hardly an impressive effort as they had to rally late from a 17-3 second half deficit. Needless to say, the Chargers best defensive players weren't on the field when the comeback took place. Now the Jets' first-teamers won't be out their late either, but whomever is should at least be able to hold a lead. This is the Jets' first official home game under Adam Gase, though they did play the Giants here at the Meadowlands in Week 1 and lost 31-22. Things went better last week in a 22-10 win over Atlanta, but Gase is still probably focused on getting that first win in front of the Jets faithful. New Orleans is on a much shorter week here with two less days to prepare. Though the Jets offense hasn't looked great thus far, starters are going to play more this week. That includes center Ryan Kalil, who will be making his debut. The Saints were lucky to win last week. They won't be so lucky here as they drop to 0-6 ATS their last six preseason affairs. Play on the JETS AAA | |||||||
08-23-19 | Diamondbacks +1.5 v. Brewers | Top | 1-6 | Loss | -140 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on ARIZONA +1.5 We'll grab Arizona on the run line here as they'd won three in a row prior to Wednesday's home loss to Colorado. Meanwhile, Milwaukee had lost three in a row prior to winning Wednesday in a rain-shortened game. The Diamondbacks actually play better on the road as their scoring average jumps to 5.5 runs/game from 4.9 at home. This is a huge series with both teams desperately trying to get into Wild Card position. Run differential says - that despite an inferior record - Arizona has played better this year as they have outscored opponents by 64 runs. Milwaukee has a -35 run differential. Brewers starter Lyles has a 7.23 ERA in 20 previous appearances vs. Arizona. Merrill Kelly was quite decent in his last start for the Dbax, pitching five-plus innings and allowing only one run. Play ARIZONA +1.5 AAA | |||||||
08-23-19 | Browns v. Bucs +3 | Top | 12-13 | Win | 100 | 56 h 36 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TAMPA BAY As if it weren't already patently obvious, the Browns are officially now this year's "trendy" team with their appearance on this week's cover of Sports Illustrated. Bettors have actually lined up to bet against the Browns in each of the first two weeks of preseason, but both times that proved to be ill-advised. Cleveland is 2-0 with wins over Indianapolis and Washington. The public has taken notice, betting the Browns to road favorites for this week's tilt with Tampa Bay, who won but did not cover last week in Bruce Arians' home debut. Interestingly enough, the Bucs rallied late in both games so far. The first week, they did not win, but did steal the cover in Pittsburgh. Starters see their most action in the third game, which may seem to favor the Browns here, but don't disregard how hard Tampa Bay has been playing late in these games. They've ended up outgaining both previous opponents, something that the Browns can't say as they were outgained last week. Four turnovers aided them in the Washington game as well. Look for the Bucs to play cleaner and harder and to move to 6-1-1 ATS their last eight preseason contests. Play on TAMPA BAY AAA | |||||||
08-21-19 | Indians +1.5 v. Mets | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 21 h 4 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on CLEVELAND +1.5 Don't be fooled by the Indians losing 9-2 to the Mets on Tuesday. An embarrassing error (aren't they all?) in the outfield turned out to open the flood gates for Mets in the sixth innings and they took complete advantage. With the game tied 2-2, Cleveland's Oscar Mercado dropped a fly ball. The next at-bat saw Michael Conforto homer and from there, the Mets would tack on five more runs. Who knows how last night's game would have turned out had Mercado simply made the routine play. It's water under the bridge now, but don't expect Cleveland to forget easily. We can't endorse the Mets going from underdogs last night to favorites here as the price change simply doesn't make sense to us. Marcus Stroman has a 3-0 TSR for the Mets, but his ERA and WHIP in those three starts are 5.17 and 1.85. So it's not like Stroman has pitched well for his new team. Here's a tidbit for you: the Indians have not lost consecutive games by multiple runs this month. With Adam Plutko on the mound Wednesday night, look for that streak to continue as the Tribe either win or lose by just a single run. The offense was just 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position last night and should fare better in that situation tonight as well. Play CLEVELAND (+1.5) on the RUN LINE AAA | |||||||
08-20-19 | Liberty +5 v. Fever | Top | 82-76 | Win | 100 | 9 h 54 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on NEW YORK New York lost its eighth straight game on Sunday, falling to the short-handed Phoenix Mercury by a score of 78-72. Equally as bad is that they just missed out on getting the cash as five-point underdogs. It was a similar story two nights prior when they lost in Dallas by six and were getting four from the oddsmakers. The last game saw the Liberty fall apart in the fourth quarter, getting outscored 28-18. But that's nothing compared to what happened to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. The Fever lost 107-68 to the Mystics, allowing a WNBA record 18 made three-pointers. It was the latest disastrous defensive effort for a team that has dropped 7 of 10 overall. We don't like the notion of Indiana laying this many points, given the recent defensive ineptitude. Also, what happened defensively in that last game also masks the fact the Fever scored only 68 points. Play on NEW YORK AAA | |||||||
08-18-19 | Liberty +5.5 v. Mercury | Top | 72-78 | Loss | -103 | 8 h 30 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NEW YORK The Liberty have the second worst record in the league right now. They are 8-17 after taking seven straight losses. They're 0-6 ATS in August. They're 1-10 straight up since beating Phoenix 80-76 on July 5th as 7.5-point underdogs. The Mercury are a short-handed bunch right now with Brittney Griner still suspended and Diana Taurasi still injured. If not for an 18-4 second half run Friday, they probably would not have beaten the Atlanta Dream, who have the worst record in the league. The Mercury have not won back to back games in over a month. They'd dropped three in a row before the win over Atlanta. Only one day of rest between games isn't an idea situation for Phoenix either. They are just 3-7 ATS the last 10 times in that role. The Liberty are in the same spot, with just one day of rest between games, but they should come out more desperate. Play on NEW YORK AAA | |||||||
08-17-19 | Cowboys v. Rams +3.5 | Top | 14-10 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 23 m | Show |
This is a 10* on the RAMS We know the Rams basically showed up to Oakland only because they had to last week, turning in a non-existent effort in a 14-3 loss to the Raiders. But the line for this week's game with Dallas (in Hawaii) has jumped the fence and moved dramatically more than what you typically see for any NFL contest - regular season or preseason. It's opened up some nice value on the Rams as their opponents this week, the Cowboys, haven't won a preseason game since 2017. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has a 12-22 SU record in the preseason, so him being bet to the role of favorite seems confusing. Rams coach Sean McVay didn't play a single starter last week. Because of the poor effort, we're likely to see some this week, even if it's not the Pro Bowlers. Dallas didn't score a touchdown in its preseason opener. QB Dak Prescott may be limited here due to injuries on the offensive line. Ezekiel Elliott remains a hold out and WR Amari Cooper is injured. Take advantage of this line move, which makes no sense. Play on LA RAMS AAA | |||||||
08-16-19 | Bears v. Giants -2 | Top | 13-32 | Win | 100 | 23 h 33 m | Show |
This is a 10* on the GIANTS The Giants certainly looked impressive in the first preseason game. They racked up over 400 yards in the annual tussle with the Jets, which they won 31-22. Perhaps most notable was rookie QB Daniel Jones leading the offense into the end zone on his only drive. If not for a weather delay, Jones very well may have stayed in the game longer. Regardless, it was still a much better showing than what the Bears delivered in their preseason opener. They lost to Carolina 23-13 at home. QB Mitchell Trubisky also played just a series, but accomplished nothing as it was a three-and-out with all handoffs. Trubisky isn't likely to see a ton of action in Friday's game either. Jones will likely play more for the Giants. For Chicago, there just aren't many positional battles (outside of kicker!) and thus the reserves won't be as motivated. Going into the regular season as healthy as possible is priority #1 in the Windy City. The Giants will want this one more. They are 5-2-1 ATS their last eight preseason games. Play on NEW YORK AAA | |||||||
08-15-19 | Jets v. Falcons -1 | Top | 22-10 | Loss | -125 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
This is a 10* on ATLANTA The Falcons have played two games, but have zero wins as they dropped the Hall of Fame Game to Denver, 14-10, and then lost 34-27 to Miami last week in a sloppy effort. That makes it 10 straight preseason losses under Dan Quinn, which might seem to demonstrate a whole new level of apathy towards these preseason affairs. However, with Matt Ryan scheduled to take a few snaps this week (his 1st action of the preseason), we are expecting a more inspired effort as the Falcons play at home for the first time. They led the HOF Game with under two minutes to play, but a Matt Schaub interception led to the game winning score for Denver. Last week, it was tied going into the final two minutes. So both games have seen Atlanta lose late. Schaub looked better last week (172 yards), which is important seeing as Ryan won't be on the field long. The Jets lost last week as the defense gave up 31 points and over 400 yards to the Giants. Adam Gase chose to rest a number of his starters and the same should hold true again this week. We believe that the Falcons are really eager to snap this preseason losing streak of theirs. Play on ATLANTA AAA | |||||||
08-14-19 | Sun v. Mercury +5.5 | Top | 78-71 | Loss | -103 | 12 h 38 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on PHOENIX Connecticut has the second best record in the league right now at 16-8 straight up, but they're caught laying a pretty big number in Phoenix tonight. Now the Mercury will be without leading scorer Brittney Griner (suspended), a big loss, but it's not something they can't overcome with a little help here from the oddsmakers. While only 11-12 SU overall, Phoenix is 7-3 SU at home. Connecticut has dropped two in a row and this will be their 4th straight road game. This trip began 10 days ago in New York and ends tonight in Phoenix and the last two games have each seen the Sun give up 89 points, the most they've allowed in any game all year. Note that Phoenix played the Sun tough earlier this month, with Griner missing the entire second half and only lost by six points. That was up in Connecticut. It should be a more competitive game tonight in the desert as the Mercury have covered four straight against the Eastern Conference (including that game in Connecticut) and are 7-1 ATS their last eight games vs. the Sun. Connecticut is 2-8 ATS its last 10 road games. Play on PHOENIX AAA | |||||||
08-13-19 | Cubs v. Phillies +1.5 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 11 h 11 m | Show |
This is an 8* Run Line play on PHILLIES +1.5 This is a great price to grab an extra 1.5 runs against the Cubs, who have proven to be not very good on the road. They could only manage a split with the feisty Reds over the weekend and were actually outscored over the four games. They're only 23-35 for the year on the road and have a losing record (5-6) as a favorite of -125 to -175. As for the Phillies, they are badly in need of a victory after dropping five of their last six. This slide has them down in fourth place in their own division, but they're still only two back of the Wild Card. They'll be going up against Jose Quintana tonight and he has a 5.29 ERA in three previous starts in Philadelphia. His ERA (surprise, surprise) is higher on the road than it is at home. Jason Vargas will be making his third start for the Phillies since being traded from the Mets and he is 3-0 lifetime vs. the Cubs. The Cubs have not won any of their last 11 road series, by the way. Play PHILADELPHIA +1.5 AAA | |||||||
08-09-19 | Ottawa +9.5 v. Edmonton | Top | 12-16 | Win | 100 | 13 h 29 m | Show |
This is a 10* Play on OTTAWA The Redblacks got a much needed win last week by going into Montreal and coming out ahead 28-27 as 6.5 point underdogs. That snapped a four-game losing streak. We believe that it's critical to point out that three of those four losses came at the hands of Winnipeg or Calgary, arguably the two best teams in the league right now. All three Ottawa wins this seasons have come by four points or less, but they're underdogs again this week and that's a role that has suited them quite well. The Redblacks are 3-1 ATS as dogs this season and won two of the games outright. Here they'll be catching Edmonton one week removed from losing to provincial rival Calgary in a hard fought game. Could this be a "letdown" spot for the Eskimos? We're willing to bank that it will be. Three of Edmonton's four wins this year have come against Toronto and B.C., who are a combined 2-12 straight up and the other was in Week 1 against a Montreal team that was the worst in the league last year. Grab the points in this one. Play on OTTAWA AAA | |||||||
08-09-19 | Vikings +2.5 v. Saints | Top | 34-25 | Win | 100 | 11 h 24 m | Show |
This is a 10* on MINNESOTA The Vikings will never forget their 2017 playoff win over the Saints. A Google search of "The Miracle of Minneapolis" will quickly remind you of what transpired there. The Saints did gain a measure of revenge by coming here last year and winning a regular season game 30-20, but once again their season ended in heartbreak thanks to some questionable officiating in the NFC Championship Game. New Orleans plays host to the latest Vikings-Saints tussle and far less is on the line compared to two years ago as it's only preseason. That means no Drew Brees for the Saints (hasn't taken a preseason snap since 2016) and little of Kirk Cousins for the Vikings. But we look for the Purple People Eaters to get the job done Friday as the Saints are unlikely to take this game very seriously. NO has failed to cover all four preseason home games the last two years. The two years before that saw them go a combined 0-8 in preseason games. Play on MINNESOTA AAA | |||||||
08-08-19 | Broncos v. Seahawks +3 | Top | 14-22 | Win | 100 | 22 h 59 m | Show |
This is a 10* on SEATTLE Our favorite play on the Thursday NFLX card is Seattle, who is now GETTING points at most shops for some reason. Denver did win the Hall of Fame Game, but was largely unimpressive in doing so. They got a late turnover and converted it into a game-winning touchdown with less than 90 seconds left. Prior to that, the Broncos offense had gained just 150 total yards. Seattle was winless in the preseason last year, so expect them to be motivated. Last year aside, Pete Carroll has been a great bet in these preseason games, going 22-14 SU including three perfect years, the most recent coming in 2017. This game is in Seattle, so the Seahawks ought to be more motivated to win one in front of the fans. We just don't think the Denver QB situation is very good right now behind Joe Flacco and quite honestly, we're not sure Flacco is any good. The Seahawks have strong group of running backs, which means they should be able to move the ball throughout the game, no matter whom is in at quarterback. Play on SEATTLE AAA | |||||||
08-08-19 | Mercury v. Sparks -6 | Top | 74-84 | Win | 100 | 11 h 14 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on LOS ANGELES The Sparks (LA) come into this one on a three-game win streak. They've covered in all three wins as well. The last two have come at home where they'll play again Thursday, hosting Phoenix. The visiting Mercury come in on a 5-game ATS win streak. They've lost two of those games though, both on the road. Phoenix has lost eight straight here at the Staples Center, a terrible sign for tonight. They did play their best game of the season over the weekend, beating Washington 103-82. But don't look for the Mercury to be that hot again as they shot 58.2% from the field in that easy victory. For the year, they shoot barely 40% on the road. This is a revenge spot for the Sparks after losing by 10 early in the season at Phoenix. They've gone 8-3 ATS the last 11 games and are 22-8-1 ATS when playing with three or more days rest. Play on LOS ANGELES AAA | |||||||
08-08-19 | Redskins v. Browns +1.5 | Top | 10-30 | Win | 100 | 19 h 29 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on CLEVELAND Few teams come into the 2019 season with more hype than the Browns. When's the last time anyone said that? But given how the team improved over the 2nd half of the 2018 season and the addition of Odell Beckham Jr (plus several key additions on the defensive side of the ball), the optimism surrounding the team is probably justified. Freddie Kitchens was largely credited with the improvement we saw from QB Baker Mayfield throughout his rookie season and that earned him the head coaching job. Tonight is Kitchens' 1st home game as Browns coach. It comes against a Redskins team that has more questions than answers right now. We're not sure what the reason is for the substantial swing in the line here, but there's definitely value on the Browns now. Washington doesn't really have a starting QB right now as the job will go to either Colt McCoy or Case Keenum before rookie Dwayne Haskins eventually takes over. The Browns have won 7 of their 8 preseason games the last two years and will be motivated to win this one for Kitchens. Play on CLEVELAND AAA | |||||||
08-07-19 | Liberty +8 v. Sky | Top | 92-101 | Loss | -112 | 9 h 13 m | Show |
This is a 10* on NEW YORK The Liberty have lost six of their last seven coming into tonight, so they're big underdogs in Chicago. This is a revenge game as the lost here in the Windy City, 99-83, last month. But they were only 3.5 point underdogs for that game. The line is much higher now. Why? Well, they did lose by 16 in that last meeting and also lost to the Sky by eight at home earlier in the season. Then you have the losing streak. Chicago has won five of its last six, the only loss coming at Connecticut as seven-point underdogs. However, we feel this is an inflated number. The Sky actually trailed by double digits in the first half of their last game, which ended up being an 87-75 win over a bad Atlanta team. But laying this many points to a desperate NY team seems like a bad idea. Play NEW YORK AAA | |||||||
08-07-19 | Cardinals +1.5 v. Dodgers | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 6 h 27 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on ST. LOUIS +1.5 Needless to say, this series has gone a lot differently for the Cardinals than the one where they hosted the Dodgers back in April. We can't say we're surprised by that. After all, we did win with the Dodgers on Monday. Tuesday's game was another win for LA, this time 3-1, as they improved to 76-40 overall and 45-15 at home. When these clubs met back in April, the series was in St. Louis and the Cards won all four games. Now they are just trying to avoid getting swept. Taking them +1.5 on the run line today seems like a good call to us. The Dodgers are great, but they've got a weak starter going this afternoon in Dustin May, who has made just one prior start (last week) and it didn't go too well with the team losing 5-2 to San Diego. Jack Flaherty threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball his last start as he continues to be lights out for the Cardinals. Flaherty's last five starts have seen him give up a total of just four runs in 31 1/3 innings on only 15 hits. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of the five starts and four of them have seen him allow 0 or 1. So getting an extra run and a half here seems like a nice deal. Play ST. LOUIS +1.5 (RUN LINE) AAA | |||||||
08-06-19 | Angels +1.5 v. Reds | Top | 4-8 | Loss | -143 | 10 h 35 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on LA +1.5 The Angels tasted defeat at the hands of the Reds last night in Cincinnati, losing the opener 7-4. If you look up the definition of "mediocrity" in the dictionary, there might very well be a picture of the Angels logo next to it as this team perennially hovers around the .500 mark. They've now lost five in a row coming into Tuesday. While not the worst stretch of the season, one more loss and it will match it (they lost six in a row back in April). We like them getting 1.5 runs tonight at Great American Ballpark as the Reds have struggled to put together win streaks this year in spite of being a pretty underrated team. They are only 22-31 off a win. Part of the problem is they don't score a ton of runs. Only eight teams have scored fewer. The Angels rotation may not be in good shape overall, but Jose Suarez is likely to pitch better than you might think tonight. For Cincy, DeSclafani still has pretty mediocre numbers, including a 2-6 team start record at home. Play LOS ANGELES +1.5 AAA | |||||||
08-02-19 | Brewers +1.5 v. Cubs | Top | 2-6 | Loss | -160 | 4 h 34 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on MILWAUKEE +1.5 The Cubs have lost ground in the NL Central by dropping six of nine on the just completed road trip, which had them make stops in both Milwaukee and St. Louis. They now trail the Cardinals by a game in the race for first place and are just a game up on the Brewers entering this weekend's all-important rematch. The series starts with a day game Friday and we like Milwaukee getting the +1.5 here as Chicago has really struggled to score runs of late, averaging only 3.3 the last seven games while batting .187. Zach Davies did not fare well against them this past Sunday, but we like his chances this afternoon given those Cubs struggles at the plate. Davies has had great stretches this year, like when he went 5-0 with a 1.54 ERA through his first nine starts and when he allowed just one run in his first three starts of July. Chicago's Jose Quintana was hardly sharp when he beat Davies Sunday and he's actually posted a 5.68 ERA his previous seven starts. The Brewers won't do any worse than a one-run loss today. Play MILWAUKEE +1.5 AAA | |||||||
08-01-19 | Hamilton +3 v. Saskatchewan | Top | 19-24 | Loss | -113 | 30 h 25 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on HAMILTON Hamilton picked up a huge win last week, beating Winnipeg 23-15. That was a 10* winner for us on the Ti-Cats and the first straight up loss of the year for the Blue Bombers. But it came with a cost as QB Masoli was injured and now out. Backup Dane Evans may not have looked all that great in relief last week, but he was facing an undefeated team with little prep. The Ti-Cats defense was able to slow down the Bombers, which is no small feat, and thus can carry the team moving forward. Evans should also play better with a week of prep. The Roughriders are coming off back to back wins over a bad British Columbia team and are playing on only five days rest here. Given how good Hamilton has looked this year, we think they absolutely should still be looked as the favorite going into this one, even on the road. The last time Saskatchewan played on a short week like this was Week 4 vs. Calgary and they lost 37-10, at home. The QB situation has "over-influenced" this line in our opinion as the Ti-Cats are 5-1 and have the best point differential in the league so far. Grab the points! Play on HAMILTON AAA | |||||||
08-01-19 | Broncos v. Falcons +3 | Top | 14-10 | Loss | -125 | 12 h 29 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on ATLANTA As per usual, the NFL season kicks off in Canton with the Hall of Fame Game. This year's participants are Denver and Atlanta, two teams coming off losing seasons and hoping for better things in 2019. The Broncos made several major changes in the offseason with Vic Fangio replacing Vance Joseph as head coach and QB Joe Flacco being signed in free agency. The Falcons largely bring back the same group as last season. It's a pretty talented roster, one that should have better results this season. Being that the Falcons are 0-8 in the preseason the last two years, we expect them to be a little more motivated than the Broncos Thursday night. Starters won't see the field much, if at all, for either team. But Denver is still trying to figure things out under a new regime. With the line move, we're getting a good value on Atlanta, who top to bottom has a better roster. Denver did not tear it up in the preseason last either, going 0-4 ATS. Play on ATLANTA AAA | |||||||
08-01-19 | Winnipeg v. Toronto +14.5 | Top | 27-28 | Win | 100 | 28 h 25 m | Show |
This is a 10* on TORONTO Being the league's only winless team, 0-6 Toronto had to make a move. They did just that by bringing back QB Zach Collaros in a trade that was announced Wednesday afternoon. Collaros began his career with the Argonauts before stints with both Hamilton and Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, his time spent in Regina was limited to less than a game as Collaros got injured in the Roughriders' Week 1 game against Hamilton and he's been on the injured list ever since. That allowed for the emergence of Cody Fajardo for the Riders and thus Collaros became expendable. The Argos will take anything at this point, but most of all a win. They are getting two touchdowns at home this week against Winnipeg, who just lost for the first time this year, last week to the Ti-Cats. Kind of a letdown spot for the Bombers, who are dealing with injuries. We definitely wouldn't want to lay the points in this one and in fact will take 'em as the Double Blue were "only" as 16-point dog when they visited Manitoba less than two weeks ago. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
07-31-19 | Astros v. Indians +1.5 | Top | 4-10 | Win | 100 | 9 h 57 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on CLEVELAND +1.5 (run line) The Indians made headlines yesterday by trading Trevor Bauer to the Reds, which may seem strange for a team in playoff position, but Bauer was highly unlikely to stick around Cleveland anyway and truthfully hadn't been as effective as he was in 2018. They got multiple players in return, one of them being Yasiel Puig, who was ironically involved in that wild Pirates-Reds brawl yesterday when news of the trade broke. All this was far more exciting than the performance the Indians put forth on the diamond last night as they lost 2-0 to Houston. The Astros represent a lot "stiffer" competition than what Cleveland has generally seen recently, but given that the Indians have only lost six times all month, backing them at home +1.5 (run line) seems to be a wise decision. Zach Plesac will now get the start, taking Adam Plutko's spot, and that's just fine by us. Plesac has a 1.12 ERA and 0.94 WHIP his last three times out. Houston will go with Urquidy, who has looked good his last two outings after struggling some in the first two. The Indians are a perfect 7-0 at home this season in games where the total is 10 or 10.5. We think they'll do no worse than a one-run loss here and probably win. Solid value! Play CLEVELAND +1.5 (Run Line) AAA | |||||||
07-26-19 | Winnipeg -2 v. Hamilton | Top | 15-23 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 49 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on HAMILTON This is an early season showdown between the top team in the West (Winnipeg) and top team from the East (Hamilton). The line has "jumped the fence," meaning Winnipeg is now favored after opening as the slight dog. With the Blue Bombers unbeaten it's understandable that bettors would want to side with them, but this is a road game and the Ti-Cats have been really good in their own right to start the year. They're 4-1 with an explosive offense that has scored no fewer than 29 points each of the last four games. Furthermore, they are coming off a bye here! Thus, it's pretty shocking to see them now getting points. Winnipeg has not started a season 6-0 since 1960 and since the turn of this century, only seven CFL teams have done it. Hamilton has won all three of its home games, doing so by an average of almost 21 points per game. This isn't your average dog. Play on HAMILTON AAA | |||||||
07-25-19 | Calgary v. Ottawa +6 | Top | 17-16 | Win | 100 | 24 h 28 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on OTTAWA This is obviously a very big revenge spot for Calgary. Not only were they upset by the Redblacks in last year's Grey Cup, they also lost to them 32-28 in Week 1 of this season. But this number is inflated. Ottawa is 0-4 ATS since that Week 1 upset, which required a fourth quarter comeback. The last two weeks have been grim with a 17-point loss to Montreal and a 30-point loss to Winnipeg. But Calgary is also just 1-4 ATS this year, the lone cover coming as an underdog. Both teams are dealing with injuries at the QB position. The Stampeders actually struggled to get by winless Toronto last week, so Ottawa definitely has hope here. They were nine-point underdogs when they pulled the upset in Week 1. Getting this many at home seems like a steal by comparison. Play on OTTAWA AAA | |||||||
07-24-19 | Rangers v. Mariners +1.5 | Top | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 8 h 43 m | Show |
This is an 8* run line play on SEATTLE +1.5
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07-23-19 | Storm v. Aces -5 | Top | 62-79 | Win | 100 | 10 h 24 m | Show |
This is an 8* Play on LAS VEGAS Revenge spot! Las Vegas just lost up in Seattle 69-66 on Friday. But it should be a different result Tuesday night in Sin City. The Aces have already beaten the Storm once this year at home, holding them to a season-low 56 points. We continue to be astounded at how Seattle has persevered this season in the wake of such heavy attrition. They are down three starters, their head coach is dealing with a cancer diagnosis and the latest hit is the distraction surrounding forward Natasha Howard, who was accused of spousal abuse. Eventually, this will all catch up with them. We'll call for the four game SU and ATS win streak to end here. LV beat Minnesota 79-74 here at home Sunday and should win this one by a larger margin. The three-point loss in Seattle last week is the only loss the Aces have taken in their last seven games. Play on LAS VEGAS AAA | |||||||
07-21-19 | Lynx v. Aces -5.5 | Top | 74-79 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 37 m | Show |
This is a 10* on LAS VEGAS Las Vegas is off a very disappointing loss to Seattle. Disappointing in the sense that it snapped the Aces' five-game win streak and Seattle was really shorthanded. But for the second time this year, LV failed to score 70 points against the Storm. Perhaps they can swap stories about losing to Seattle with tonight's opponent as Minnesota also lost to the Storm in their last game. Their loss came Wednesday and saw them allow 90 points, a troubling sign. Las Vegas was a five-point winner up in Minnesota last month, so beating the Lynx here in Sin City shouldn't prove too difficult. Yes, forward A'ja Wilson was injured in the loss to Seattle. But we like how the Aces held the Storm to 27% shooting. They may not have won, but that kind of defense is what you like to see. The Lynx are 3-7 ATS their last 10 road games. Play on LAS VEGAS AAA | |||||||
07-20-19 | Edmonton v. Montreal +6 | Top | 10-20 | Win | 100 | 8 h 54 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on MONTREAL Montreal is going for its first three-game win streak since the end of the 2016 season here. The oddsmakers don't like their chances, installing them as underdogs at home vs. Edmonton. That's certainly understandable given what the expectations were for the Als coming into the season. But in their only home game so far, the Als pulled what is probably the biggest upset of this CFL season to date, handing Hamilton its only loss and doing so as 12.5-point underdogs. We took them in that game and then they followed with a second straight 36-point effort, this time beating Ottawa. We like them plus the points again here as Edmonton is highly unlikely to play as well as they did last week vs. B.C. That was a spirited game when they faced former QB Mike Reilly and emotions were running high. Two of the Eskimos three wins this have been at BC's expense. The other was an opening week win over the Als, 32-25. Montreal covered the eight-point spot in that game and is now getting a similar number at home. An easy call here. Play on MONTREAL AAA | |||||||
07-19-19 | Aces -2.5 v. Storm | Top | 66-69 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 23 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on LAS VEGAS (10*) Seattle has survived a bevy of turmoil to win three straight, their longest win streak of the season. They're now 11-8 overall and 7-3 at home and tonight finds them hosting Las Vegas, the first of two meetings that will take place between the teams over the next five days. Las Vegas is even hotter though as they've ripped off five straight wins and have been off since Saturday. Seattle just played two nights ago in Minnesota where they won 90-79. But with the ongoing off-court distractions involving Natasha Howard (domestic violence allegations) as well as already being out three starters, we can't see this run continuing for the Storm. Las Vegas already beat Seattle once this season, holding them to a season-low 56 points, and is now in an excellent spot to beat them again. The Aces are 5-2 ATS the last seven times they've taken the court on three or more days rest. There's a reason they are the favorite here. Play on LAS VEGAS AAA | |||||||
07-18-19 | Toronto +12.5 v. Calgary | Top | 16-26 | Win | 100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on TORONTO Toronto is the only team in the CFL yet to taste victory this season as they're 0-4 and really reeling. Three of their four losses have been by 25 points or more and the one that wasn't was a heart-breaking one-point defeat to B.C. on a rare walkoff rouge. Calgary figures to be in an ornery mood this evening as they are off a 30-23 loss to Hamilton last week. Three of the Stampeders four games so far have been decided by a TD or less. So while we understand why the line is as large as it is, we wouldn't want to lay it. Calgary has failed to cover four of the last five times it has been off a SU loss. Remember that starting QB Bo Levi Mitchell is still on the injured list. Argos quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for 388 yards last week vs Winnipeg last week, in addition to three touchdowns. The underdog will not go down quietly in this one as they are desperate for a win. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
07-18-19 | Wings v. Sparks -7.5 | Top | 64-69 | Loss | -107 | 5 h 25 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on LA The Sparks are playing short-handed here due to the 10-game suspension of Riquna Williams. In the games that Williams has started, LA has gone 5-1. They are just 4-6 with her not in the starting five. But we believe they'll have little difficulty defeating Dallas by a wide margin Thursday as the Wings have not only yet to win on the road this season (0-8), they're being outscored by 11.6 points in those games. The Wings have lost three straight and five of six, the only win coming as a five-point home underdog against LA. So the Sparks are out for revenge here and thus won't be lacking for any motivation in the wake of the Williams suspension. Ironically, the Sparks only loss in their last six games was the one at Dallas. They've won three straight home games, averaging almost 93 points/game in the process. The home team is undervalued here. Play on LOS ANGELES AAA | |||||||
07-12-19 | Toronto +15 v. Winnipeg | Top | 21-48 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 25 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO The Argos are the only winless team in the CFL, but at least they were able to play a competitive game last week. We said that would be the case and took the points with them at home against B.C. The result was a wire to wire cover with the Argos losing by just a single point, 18-17 as 7.5-point pups. That was a far cry from what happened the first two weeks as they lost 64-14 to Hamilton and 32-7 to Saskatchewan. It'll be another hard game this week as they head to Manitoba to play the Bombers. Winnipeg is the only unbeaten team in the league, but the oddsmakers are being more than generous here. The Bombers have not won by more than 15 this year and have not been favored by more than five points in any game. It's unlikely they'll win big here considering QB Matt Nichols isn't 100 percent (will start though) and neither is top defensive player Adam Bighill (status is questionable). The Argos are still hungry for that first win and thus won't be throwing in the towel here. We'll grab the big number. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
07-12-19 | Pirates +1.5 v. Cubs | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 4 h 5 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on PITTSBURGH +1.5 Taking Pittsburgh on the run line (+1.5) here as they were just able to defeat the Cubs three times in a four-game set played right before the All Star Break. Given that, we see no reason why they couldn't win here, even though the Cubs have proven to be a much better team at home. The last three starts for Yu Darvish have not been good as the Cubs have lost all of them with the Japanese native posting a 6.62 ERA. He has a very similar ERA for the year here at Wrigley (6.23), so that's another poor sign. Meanwhile, the Pirates have won the last four times Chris Archer has started, including a 6-5 decision against Darvish and the Cubs back on July 3rd. In the final week before the break, Pittsburgh went 5-2 and averaged 8.0 runs/game. We think they'll score enough here that the worst-case result for them is a one-run loss. Play PITTSBURGH on the run line (+1.5) AAA | |||||||
07-06-19 | BC v. Toronto +8 | Top | 18-17 | Win | 100 | 31 h 52 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on TORONTO The Argos are 0-2 and haven't looked good in either game, losing 64-14 to Hamilton and 32-7 to Saskatchewan. But they're getting a more than generous number tonight at home against a B.C. team that also comes in winless on the year. The Lions are 0-3, so laying more than a score on the road with them doesn't sound like the best idea right now. This will be their third road game in as many weeks and we worry about the team's psyche after blowing a double digit lead last week to a backup QB in Calgary. The Lions have given up an average of 36 points through three games so don't be surprised if Toronto gets on track on offense here. While it's due to injury, we think the change at the QB position will prove fruitful for the Argos as Opening Day starter James Franklin simply was not getting the job done. It'll be only the 8th career start for McLeod Bethel-Thompson, but that's more experience than Franklin had. Bethel-Thompson led two come from behind wins in limited action last season. British Columbia will be without its top receiver tonight as Bryan Burnham (280 yards) is hurt. Look for the Argos to grab the cash tonight at BMO Field. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
07-06-19 | Lynx v. Sun -8 | Top | 74-71 | Loss | -115 | 3 h 20 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on CONNECTICUT A quick note if you're wondering about last night's WNBA selection: It was suspended due to the earthquake felt in Vegas and thus obviously "no action." We expect no such problems this afternoon in Connecticut where the Sun host the Lynx on ESPN2. Connecticut is a perfect 6-0 at home this year and happy to be back at the Mohegan Sun Arena after being absolutely humiliated in their most recent game, a 102-59 loss to Conference-leading Washington. Look for the Sun to take their frustrations out on the Lynx, who are not the same team they once were. Connecticut has actually lost three in a row, obviously all on the road, but they're a much different team at home where they average 85.2 points/game and are outscoring teams by nearly 12 points/game. The Sun have had a full week to recover from the debacle in D.C. while the Lynx played earlier in the week. While the Lynx won by 17, it was at home against the team with the worst record in the league (Atlanta). We have no hesitation laying the number here as Connecticut has won six straight times over Minnesota, including one on the road last month. The Lynx are 1-6 ATS their last 7 road games. Play on CONNECTICUT AAA | |||||||
07-05-19 | Mystics v. Aces -1 | Top | 51-36 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 13 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on LAS VEGAS The pointspread has treated these two teams quite differently of late. Washington has not only won, but also covered, five straight games. This has them on top of the WNBA standings and they are leading the league with 86.8 points/game. Over in the West, you'll find Las Vegas in first place despite the Aces failing to cover four in a row. They did win on Tuesday, 90-82 over Chicago, but were nine-point favorites in that game. This is a big revenge spot for LV as they lost by 23 here at home to Washington late last month. You can bet that result hasn't been forgotten. This now looks to be a great value play on the Aces in Sin City as they certainly deserve to be the betting favorite here as they've won the last four at home since the blowout loss to the Mystics. Washington can't possibly play as well as it did in a 102-59 beatdown of Connecticut last Saturday. We're laying the small number. Play on LAS VEGAS AAA | |||||||
07-05-19 | Winnipeg v. Ottawa -3.5 | Top | 29-14 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
This is an 10* play on OTTAWA We are guaranteed at least one unbeaten team left in the CFL after Week 4 as both Winnipeg and Ottawa are 2-0 heading into this cross-division showdown. The Bombers have beaten both British Columbia (33-23 in Week 1) and Edmonton (28-21 in last week's home opener). This will be the first time they're playing without a bye. Ottawa happens to be coming off a bye here after downing Calgary and Saskatchewan by a combined seven points. A win here would give them an impressive 3-0 mark against the West, which would be very impressive considering it's perceived to be the league's stronger division. The Redblacks have put up 76 points in two games. That 38.0 point per game average is #1 in the league and a full 7.5 PPG more than #3 Winnipeg. QB Davis looked much better in his second start with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Plus, he connected on 6 of 9 deep throws for 176 yards. Ottawa didn't cover last week, but they are 13-6 ATS following an ATS loss and should prove to be too tough at home this week. We'll lay the short number. Play on OTTAWA AAA | |||||||
07-04-19 | Hamilton v. Montreal +12.5 | Top | 29-36 | Win | 100 | 20 h 54 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on MONTREAL "Hamilton is humming" they say and it's tough to disagree at this point as the Ti-Cats have started the year 3-0 and have outscored those three opponents 128-41. They're 3-0 ATS in those games as well. After an underwhelming performance in Week 1 where they scored only 23 points, the Taibbis have put up 105 points in just the last two games, beating Toronto 64-14 and Montreal 41-10. The Als are again the opponents this week and after they lost by 31 last week, this may seem like a "tough sell." But this is way too high of a number for Hamilton to lay on the road. They were only -3.5 in Toronto and last week's number was very similar, only that was at home. There's value to be had here, even though Montreal is 0-2. Hamilton is 0-6-1 ATS their last 7 July games. Play on MONTREAL AAA | |||||||
07-02-19 | Sky v. Aces -9 | Top | 82-90 | Loss | -107 | 5 h 41 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on LAS VEGAS With Seattle losing on Sunday, that means Las Vegas has moved into first place in the Western Conference. The Aces are 7-5 and just percentage points ahead of the Storm, who are eventually going to succumb to all the absences from their lineup. So LV is in a good spot right now. Something definitely worth mentioning here is that the Aces have been favored in all 12 games this season. Make it 13 here as they draw a Chicago team that has lost three straight, including a 25-point defeat out in LA on Sunday. Las Vegas needed OT to get by Indiana on Saturday, winning 102-97, and thus didn't cover as huge 13.5-point favorites. The Aces are now just 1-5 ATS their past six games. But the number isn't nearly as high as it should be for this tilt as LV has won six of eight overall and three in a row at home (straight up). Play on LAS VEGAS AAA | |||||||
07-01-19 | Giants +1.5 v. Padres | Top | 13-2 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on San Fran +1.5 Both of these teams have excelled in one-run games this year with the Padres going 18-9 and Giants at 17-9. Those are actually the two best records in the league in one-run affairs, so both teams have to be a little upset with where they stand currently. We won't be upset if this is a one-run game though as either way it would be a win for us as we're playing the run line. San Diego had a four-game win streak stopped yesterday by St. Louis. San Francisco won its game Sunday, 10-4 over Arizona. While Padres starting pitcher Allen has accounted well for himself in his first two starts, we're not ready to put our money on him. Jeff Samardzija has an 8-3 career record vs. the Padres with some of the best starts coming here in Petco. He's held the Padres to a .197 batting average in nine previous outings here. San Diego doesn't score enough at home (just 3.9 runs/game) to be trusted to win by multiple runs here. The Giants could very well take this game outright considering they have won six of their last eight series openers. Play San Francisco +1.5 on the RUN LINE AAA | |||||||
07-01-19 | Toronto +11 v. Saskatchewan | Top | 7-32 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 33 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on the ARGOS The Argos lost their opening game 64-14, so oddsmakers set the line high for this first away matchup, which takes place at Saskatchewan Moday. It's actually comes down some though, showing that most CFL bettors feel the 50-point loss to Hamilton was more "blip" than "trend." We're inclined to agree. While it's never good to lose by that many points, especially after getting a Week 1 bye, we expect Toronto to play a lot better this week. The Roughriders have also yet to taste victory this season, losing their first two games by a combined nine points. So they'll take a win any way they can get it and we don't see this turning into a blowout. Recall that the Riders are without their starting QB Zach Collaros. A repeat of last week's 41 point effort seems unlikely today as WR Emmanuel Arceneaux is still not ready to return from an ACL injury. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
06-26-19 | Rockies v. Giants +1.5 | Top | 6-3 | Loss | -130 | 5 h 14 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on San Fran RUN LINE (+1.5) The Giants evened up this series with a 4-2 win yesterday, getting a strong outing from Madison Bumgarner. It's been a low scoring series so far and armed with an extra run and a half in their pocket, I think the home team is the right call here. The last time Jeff Samardzija faced the Rockies, he shut them out for seven innings and the Giants won that game 1-0. Now the last time German Marquez (today's starter for Colorado) faced the Giants, he shut them out as well (it was the same series). But Colorado just isn't as potent at the plate when they're on the road and we don't see them scoring too many runs in this game. Then there is the matter that they are 5-14 the L19 times they've been off a game where they score two runs or fewer. They are also only 6-15 the L21 games at San Francisco, including 1-4 when Marquez is on the mound. Play SAN FRANCISCO +1.5 (RUN LINE) AAA | |||||||
06-26-19 | White Sox v. Red Sox -1.5 | Top | 8-7 | Loss | -167 | 4 h 20 m | Show |
This is an 8* on Boston Run Line (-1.5) This should be a very easy win for Boston, so we're not hesitating to lay the -1.5, even at the unusually high price. The Red Sox have taken the first two games, 6-5 and 6-3, and now send out Chris Sale to finish the sweep. While one of the two prior wins did come by just one run, this should be the most lopsided game of the series. The last time Sale faced his former team, he shut them out for six innings in what ended up being a 6-1 Boston victory. It takes a heck of a pitching effort to beat Sale and quite frankly we don't think Chicago's Reynaldo Lopez is up to the challenge. He comes in with a 6.23 ERA and 1.57 WHIP, the kind of numbers you never see from Sale. Also, in addition to being 1-5 vs. the Red Sox this season, the White Sox are just 12-23 in day games. Sale has 106 strikeouts in his last 10 starts, a span of 65 1/3 innings. Chicago lost Tim Anderson to a sprained ankle in yesterday's game and he'd been one of the team's top hitters. No chance for the White Sox in this one. Play on BOSTON -1.5 (RUN LINE) AAA | |||||||
06-15-19 | Winnipeg v. BC -1 | Top | 33-23 | Loss | -100 | 31 h 36 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BRITISH COLUMBIA British Columbia is hosting Winnipeg in the final matchup of CFL Week 1, an all Western Division battle. B.C. is looking to improve upon last season's .500 record while Winnipeg feels like it can win the division after going 10-8 and winning its first round playoff game. But the Lions are a strong home team (went 7-2 here last season) and should take this season opener. The home team captured both meetings in 2018. B.C. definitely improved in the offseason. We like the coaching change and nabbing QB Mike Reilly away from Edmonton was the biggest free agent move in the division. Reilly is now the highest paid player in the entire CFL, making $725K annually. The Blue Bombers seem a little overhyped to us as we don't see the ground game being quite as effective as it was last year. Again, B.C. is a much better team at home. Play on BRITISH COLUMBIA AAA | |||||||
06-15-19 | Dream v. Wings +3 | Top | 61-71 | Win | 100 | 10 h 45 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DALLAS Dallas plus the points represents our only loss of the WNBA season and it came by just half of a point! The loss took place Thursday and kept the Wings as the league's only winless team (0-5). This is a team certainly playing shorthanded right now as its two best players - Skylar Diggins (maternity leave) and rookie Arike Ogunbowale (sprained ankle) - have missed time. But those absences haven't kept the Wings from being competitive. Three of the five losses, including Thursday's, have been by four points or less. This is as favorable a matchup as any they can ask for as they suit up Saturday to take on Atlanta. The Dream have just one win on the season and are the only team with a worse point differential than Dallas. That lone win did come at the Wings' expense, back in the season opener, but was also at home and saw them have to rally late (outscored Dallas 29-17 in 4th quarter). Not that Dallas needed the added motivation, but we'll take the revenge angle. Reports are that Ogunbowale could return here as well. Play on DALLAS AAA | |||||||
06-15-19 | Blue Jays v. Astros -1.5 | Top | 2-7 | Win | 100 | 17 h 35 m | Show |
This is a 10* on Houston -1.5 The Astros absolutely trashed the Blue Jays Friday night (won 15-2!) and should be able to do it again this afternoon. The Blue Jays are pretty much one of the worst teams in baseball right now. Only two teams have been outscored more runs over the course of the season: Baltimore and Detroit. The only real reason to follow the team, Vlad Guerrero Jr, has been a disappointment (thus far) and had to leave last night's game after taking a fastball to the hand. His status for Saturday is unclear, but even with him in the lineup, Toronto has the worst batting average in all of MLB. They probably won't be getting good pitching today either as Clayton Richard has a 7.04 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in his four starts. He gave up seven runs in only 2 2/3 innings in the last one. The Jays' closer (Ken Giles) is also on the DL. Houston has injuries up and down its lineup right now, but last night proved that hardly matters. Framber Valdez looked good in his first start even though the Astros lost the game. He went seven innings and allowed just a run. Play Houston -1.5 on the Run Line. AAA | |||||||
06-14-19 | Montreal v. Edmonton -10 | Top | 25-32 | Loss | -104 | 10 h 9 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on EDMONTON Edmonton kicks off the 2019 season with a home game against Montreal. Last season was not a good one for the visitors as it included a failed experiment with Johnny Football (imagine that!) and a 5-13 record. The Eskimos may have finished last in the Western Division with a 9-9 record, but that was a better record than all but one team in the Eastern Division. The fact that they were the only Western team not to make the Grey Cup Playoffs will have them motivated in this season opener. We look for the Eskimos to roll here as Montreal is just 1-4 ATS its last five season openers. The Alouettes also have so many question marks with the league having to take over ownership of the team and a new head coach just named six days ago. Edmonton has no such issues and far more stability. They beat Montreal by 16 and 19 points in the two games played last season. Play on EDMONTON AAA | |||||||
06-11-19 | Padres v. Giants +1.5 | Top | 5-6 | Win | 100 | 14 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on SF -1.5 If any two teams were "destined" to play a one-run game today it would be these two. Both have done quite well for themselves in one-run games this year with the Padres at 16-6 and the Giants 14-6. All we need is a one-run game and it's a win for us either way as we'll be playing the run line (Giants +1.5) in this one. Chris Paddack has started to slow down for the Padres, giving up 10 runs in his last two starts. He's only 4-4 on the year. The Padres have only two wins in the last six games overall and both came by one run. Four of the seven times they've won with Paddack on the mound this year have been one run affairs. The Giants could very well win this game as well. Beede is starting for the first time at home. Play San Francisco RUN LINE (+1.5) AAA | |||||||
06-10-19 | Warriors +3.5 v. Raptors | Top | 106-105 | Win | 100 | 47 h 58 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on GOLDEN STATE It's do or die time for the Warriors on Monday. They hope to accomplish what the Bruins did last in NHL; that's stay alive by winning on the road. Of course, they're task is a whole lot tougher than the Bruins as they trail in this series 3 games to 1. In the entire history of the NBA Finals, only one team has ever come back to win after trailing 3-1. Golden State knows this very well as it happened to them back in 2016 against Cleveland. The big news is that Kevin Durant has practiced and is listed as questionable for Game #5. Even if he doesn't end up playing, we're still taking the Warriors. They're too good to go down without a fight. Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney both returned for Game 4. Before the last two games, they'd never lost two in a row at home in the playoffs under Kerr. Their only three-game playoff losing streak under Kerr came in that 2016 Finals vs. LeBron and the Cavs. Could Toronto be too "amped up" for this? We look for this to be a big bounce back game offensively for Golden State with or without Durant. Play on GOLDEN STATE AAA | |||||||
06-10-19 | Rangers v. Red Sox -1.5 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -119 | 19 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BOSTON using the Run Line (-1.5) We don't see Texas being any match for Chris Sale and Boston Monday night. Sale has pitched much better than a 4-9 team start record shows. He has a sub 1.00 WHIP, including 0.76 the last three times he's started. His last start was a gem as he tossed a complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts, giving up only three hits along the way. In his last seven starts, he's struck out 10+ six times. Somehow Sale has yet to win a decision this year at Fenway, but look for that to change here - in a major way - as the Red Sox should win this game by multiple runs. Texas lost yesterday - as they ended up splitting a four game series against Oakland. They have Mike Minor pitching today and he has pitched well. But we're looking for the Boston offense (5th in scoring) to break out against him. The Red Sox are 11-2 vs. the Rangers since 2017, winning six of the last seven meetings. Sale is 7-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 14 career starts vs. Texas. Play on TEXAS AAA | |||||||
06-08-19 | White Sox v. Royals +1.5 | Top | 2-0 | Loss | -135 | 5 h 14 m | Show |
This is a 9* play on KANSAS CITY on the RUN LINE The Royals beat the White Sox last night and we believe they're more than capable of doing the same today. Just to be safe, we'll grab them on the run line though. After all, KC's record in one-run games is a very poor 4-12. Playing the run line will cover us were that situation to arise. Friday's win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Royals while sending Chicago to its third straight defeat. There's been no better pitcher for the White Sox than Lucas Giolito, who gets the starting nod here. The team is 9-2 in his 11 starts this season, including 7-0 the L7. The majority of those games have been low-scoring though, which again brings the +1.5 possibly into play. Chicago is only 12-19 on the road and 10-21 in day games, so even with Giolito on the mound, it seems like a good time to fade them. Brad Keller has been fairly solid for Kansas City in 2019 and has faced the White Sox three times already. He's allowed a total of six runs in 18 innings. Only one of those was at home though and he threw seven scoreless frames. Play KANSAS CITY on the RUN LINE AAA | |||||||
06-07-19 | Raptors v. Warriors -4.5 | Top | 105-92 | Loss | -109 | 26 h 28 m | Show |
This is a 10* Play on GOLDEN STATE Golden State's string of less than enthralling performances continued in Game #3 as they lost 123-109. The defeat of course comes with some major caveats, those being the absences of both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson (not to mention reserve Kevon Looney as well). The seriously short-handed Warriors ended up shooting just 39.6% from the field (a playoff low) and really had no answer for Toronto defensively, allowing them to shoot 52.4% from the field and make 17 three-pointers. We look for the Warriors to rebound in Game #4. Thompson will be back after missing a playoff game for the first time in his career. Toronto isn't going to shoot that well again as all five starters were in double figures as was reserve Fred Van Vleet. Remember that they shot just 37.2% in Game #2 after being right above 50% in Game #1. Steph Curry went for 47 points in Game #3, but won't need to match that production with Thompson back in the lineup. The Warriors are 13-5 ATS off their previous 18 ATS defeats and have dropped consecutive games in the playoffs just once, both coming in Houston. They have never dropped consecutive home playoff games under Kerr, so we will lay the points Friday. Play on GOLDEN STATE AAA | |||||||
06-05-19 | Raptors +6 v. Warriors | Top | 123-109 | Win | 100 | 47 h 0 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO The bodies are certainly starting to pile up for Golden State. Already without Kevin Durant, they've now lost reserve forward Kevon Looney for the remainder of this series and Klay Thompson is injured too. Though Thompson has vowed to play in Game #3, we still don't like the idea of the Warriors laying this many points to a revenge-minded and healthy Raptors squad. Toronto has been the underdog five times in the playoffs. They've won three of the games straight up and it should have been four (blown Gm 1 lead vs. Milwaukee). They'll shoot better than 37.2% from the field here (FG% from Game 2), that's for sure. Golden State has been down by double digits in five straight games now. They're the ones who will struggle to score here, not just because they aren't close to 100 percent, but also because the Raptors play great defense. They held Golden State under their season average in Games 1 & 2. There have been only four games this entire postseason run where they've allowed more than 109 points. So taking the points would seem ideal here. Golden State is also 1-7-1 ATS off its last nine straight up victories. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
06-02-19 | Warriors v. Raptors -2 | Top | 109-104 | Loss | -106 | 12 h 9 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO Toronto probably surprised a lot of people by winning Game 1, but not us. They had the home court advantage and with Golden State playing without Kevin Durant, the Warriors were ripe for the picking. Look for the Raptors to continue to ratchet up the defense here as they are giving up less than 97 points/game at home in the playoffs and there have been just eight games total where they've allowed more than 100 points. Game 1 was one of them, but that's to be expected vs. the Warriors. Still, without Durant, Golden State was held below its season average in scoring. They have lost all three games to Toronto this season, two of them taking place in Canada. The Raptors have covered the spread in their last four home games and last five games overall. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
05-25-19 | Bucks +2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 94-100 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 47 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on MILWAUKEE The Bucks find themselves facing elimination tonight, which is certainly NOT a position they expected to be in after taking the first two games of the series. But they were a little lucky to win Game #1 remember (outscored Toronto 32-17 in 4th Quarter) and definitely lucky to cover. They rolled to a wire-to-wire 125-103 win and cover in Game #2, but then basically never led in either game in Toronto (even though Game #3 went to double overtime). Things figured to return to normal in Game #5, which was back at home, and they did look good early with Milwaukee taking an early 12-point lead. But then it was the Raptors turn to pull off an impressive comeback as they held the Bucks to just 67 points over the last three quarters. After the home team started the series 4-0 SU/ATS, not many are going to expect the road team to win two straight. But we wouldn't make the mistake of giving up on the Bucks, who we still feel are the better team and are also a perfect 9-0 against the spread this season on the road when coming off a straight up loss as a favorite. Play on MILWAUKEE AAA | |||||||
05-21-19 | Bucks -2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 102-120 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 45 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on MILWAUKEE Milwaukee has turned in one dominant game in the Eastern Conference Finals (Game 2), but mostly trailed in the other two, so in some regards they should feel fortunate to be up in the series. They did have a golden opportunity to "steal one" on the road Sunday, which would have given them an insurmountable 3-0 series lead, but they ultimately lost in double overtime. With Golden State having swept its way into the NBA Finals, there's a little bit of pressure on the Bucks now to end this series quickly. We should obviously not discount the Raptors, but a win here by the Bucks and this series goes back to Milwaukee for Game 5 with a chance to close it out. Defensively, Milwaukee continues to do a great job as it is allowing less than 40% shooting for the entire playoffs. Perhaps even more impressive is their 21-5 ATS record coming off a SU loss. They are the better team here. Play on MILWAUKEE AAA | |||||||
05-20-19 | Warriors -3.5 v. Blazers | Top | 119-117 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 21 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on GOLDEN STATE The Warriors broke the hearts of the Blazers with a come from behind victory in Game #2 and they may very well have broken their spirit by doing the same in Game #3. Both instances saw the reigning champs battle back from a double digit halftime deficit. Blowing leads like that - in consecutive games - is really tough to battle back from and down 0-3 in a series would seem like the ideal spot to fade such a team as no team in history has come back to win a series down 0-3, so Portland basically knows its season ended Saturday night. Unlike Game #2 (when we cashed the Blazers plus the points), they could not even cover the spread in Game #3, losing by 11 as their poor shooting continued. Assuming Golden State does not fall into yet another early hole, covering the spread here should not be a problem at all. They have incentive to sweep as it will give them more time off before the NBA Finals and maybe Kevin Durant can return for that series. Play on GOLDEN STATE AAA | |||||||
05-18-19 | Warriors v. Blazers -2 | Top | 110-99 | Loss | -113 | 23 h 49 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on PORTLAND Despite not playing all that well in Game #1, Portland was very much alive going into the fourth quarter. They only trailed by six. Golden State took it from there, outscoring the Blazers 39-23 the rest of the way for a comfortable 116-94 win and cover. We were happy with that result seeing as we'd laid the points with the Warriors. But for Game #2, we took Portland and the points. That proved to be the absolute right call as the Blazers led outright almost the entire way. They were up by 15 at halftime and up eight with just 4:30 left in the game. But as we all now know, they lost 114-111. That's a bitter pill to swallow, but at least Portland is back at home for Game #3, which helps soften the blow. They are 37-10 SU at home for the year, including 5-1 in the playoffs. Their scoring average jumps to 118.1 points/game at the Moda Center. Let us not forget the Warriors are still playing without Kevin Durant. They've gone 3-0 since his injury, but they're more likely to miss him on the road. After Game #2's non-cover, the Warriors are now 3-8 ATS following a their last 11 straight up victories. Portland HAS to have this one. Play on PORTLAND AAA | |||||||
05-16-19 | Blazers +7.5 v. Warriors | Top | 111-114 | Win | 100 | 13 h 16 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on PORTLAND Portland probably couldn't have played any worse in Game 1. Yet they were only down six going into the fourth quarter. Golden State took it from there, outscoring the Blazers 39-23 the rest of the way for a comfortable 116-94 win and cover. We were happy with that result seeing as we'd laid the points with the Warriors. But Portland obviously wasn't and to make this a series they're going to need to start shooting a lot better than they have recently. They have a field goal percentage of only 41.3 the last five games, including a playoff low 36.1% in Game 1. Three-point shooting in particular is due to improve. History is on the Blazers side as well, at least this season, as they are a perfect 8-0 against the spread seeking revenge for a double digit road loss. Remember that this team won twice in Denver last round and the Nuggets had the league's best home record. Play on PORTLAND AAA | |||||||
05-15-19 | Raptors +6.5 v. Bucks | Top | 100-108 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 56 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO Neither Eastern Conference Finalist had a very hard time in Round 1 with the Raptors advancing after only five games against the Magic and the Bucks sweeping the Pistons. Toronto needed seven games to get rid of Philadelphia in Round 2, however, with the series coming down to a heart-stopping shot by Kawhi Leonard. It was the first playoff buzzer beater in a winner take all game since the infamous Michael Jordan shot over Craig Ehlo 30 years ago. While the Raptors were playing until Sunday, Milwaukee has enjoyed a full week off since eliminating the Celtics in five games. They are 8-1 SU and ATS in the playoffs and have the home court edge in this series. But history shows they might come out a bit rusty for this one. Coming off similar rest between the first two series, they lost Game 1 to Boston here at home, dropping them to 2-4 ATS this season playing with three or more days rest. They are just 5-14-1 ATS their last 20 games in this situation. With the Raptors allowing less than 100 points/game in the playoffs, our recommendation is to take the points in Game 1. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
05-14-19 | Blazers v. Warriors -7.5 | Top | 94-116 | Win | 100 | 13 h 2 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on GOLDEN STATE Golden State is making its fifth straight Western Conference Finals appearance while Portland is here for the first time since 2000. The experience edge should ultimately prevail here in Game 1 and we're going to lay the points. It's easy to forget, but the Blazers were down 17 in the first half of their eventual Game 7 victory against Denver on Sunday. The Warriors, playing without Kevin Durant, eliminated Houston on Friday. The couple of extra days between series is a nice edge for Golden State as they have to keep going on sans Durant. They've got the edge in rest and home court. We have Houston rated stronger than Portland so this is one of those rare times a team (Golden State) is actually facing a weaker team after advancing. Even though they did win Game 7 in Denver, the Blazers are still only 24-23 SU on the road this season. They are 1-5 ATS following their last 6 straight up victories. They are just 9-22 ATS their last 31 trips into Oakland and that includes a 28-point loss earlier in the season. Play GOLDEN STATE AAA | |||||||
05-12-19 | Blazers v. Nuggets -5.5 | Top | 100-96 | Loss | -107 | 16 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DENVER Going into each of Denver's two series thus far, we've stated the fact they had the home court advantage would be vital. Once again, we find them hosting a Game 7. The first round series against San Antonio ended with the Nuggets winning 90-86 here at the Pepsi Center. Though they won, it ended up being a terrible beat (we had Denver) as they blew the cover late (were -6.5). It was a game they led wire to wire and were up double digits much of the way. The reason the home court edge has been so crucial in these first two series is not only because Denver has such a dramatic home vs. road split, but so too have each of their opponents. The Nuggets have the best home record in the league at 39-9 straight up, but are just 22-23 on the road. San Antonio had the second best home record in the league in the regular season, but was just 16-25 on the road. Portland isn't quite as dramatic, but they are 37-10 at home vs. just 23-23 on the road. Denver has lost one home game in each round, but notable is that they have given up 98 points or less four of the last five games here. They'll shoot a lot better today than they did in Game #6 simply because of the return home. Portland has followed up its last five SU wins with an ATS loss. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
05-10-19 | Warriors v. Rockets -7 | Top | 118-113 | Loss | -109 | 33 h 9 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on HOUSTON We'll look to stay perfect in this series by going with the Rockets in Game #6. Now laying points may not seem like an especially fruitful venture, considering the way this series has gone so far. All five games have been decided by six points or less, however, the home team is 5-0 straight up as well. The Rockets won Game #3 by five points (OT) and Game #4 by four points. But they are this big a favorite for a reason and that reason is Kevin Durant's calf injury, which will almost certainly keep him out of Game #6. No one should ever root for a player to get injured, but Rockets fans have to feel like this is a bit of "poetic justice" considering this is exactly what happened to them with Chris Paul in last year's Western Conference Finals. After losing Paul, the Rockets lost the next two games and the rest is history. Now they'll hope history repeats itself with the Warriors and Durant. This is the most points Golden State has ever gotten under Steve Kerr in the playoffs. Durant was leading the league in scoring in the playoffs at 35.4 points/game, so the loss of him can't be overstated. The Warriors did not look like the same team once he went down. The Rockets are 4-1 ATS in this series and 9-1-1 ATS their last 11 home games. Play on HOUSTON AAA | |||||||
05-09-19 | Nuggets v. Blazers -4 | Top | 108-119 | Win | 100 | 15 h 5 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on PORTLAND Look for a big time rebound from the Blazers at home in Game #6 Thursday night. They were blown out in Game #5, losing 124-98. It was easily their worst game in the playoffs and it put them behind the proverbial 8-ball as they'll now have to win the next two games to make the Western Conference Finals. But winning here at home should come pretty easy. Our feeling, much like Denver's first round series against San Antonio, is that home court advantage would play an extremely important role in this series. The Nuggets have the best home record in the league, but are a below .500 team on the road. The Blazers are 36-10 SU in home games this year, though they did lose Game 4 here. But we should see across the board improvement from Game #5 where they only shot 36.7%, easily their worst field goal percentage of any playoff game yet. Something we've harped on previously is that Denver is way worse defensively on the road. They allow less than 103 points/game at the Pepsi Center. On the road, that number jumps to 110.8. The Blazers are a perfect 7-0 ATS this season when seeking revenge for a double digit road loss. Play on PORTLAND AAA | |||||||
05-08-19 | Celtics v. Bucks -9 | Top | 91-116 | Win | 100 | 11 h 26 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on MILWAUKEE It's all over but the shouting in Boston as the Celtics are falling apart before our very eyes. Kyrie Irving seems to have lost the trust of his teammates as he's shot them right out of this series. Not that the rest of the team is doing much. In the last three games, Boston has shot 103 of 257, which is barely above 40%. That simply won't get it done against a team like Milwaukee, who just put up 123 points in both games at Boston. The Bucks have clearly emerged as the better team here and may very well be getting Malcolm Brogden back for Game #5 as well. With the series back in Milwaukee, what chance do the Celtics really have. The Bucks are already a league best +12.1 points per game at home this season. This has all the makings of the Celtics waving the proverbial white flag. Milwaukee's superiority just wasn't taken seriously enough. This team is legit. They've gone 38-18-2 ATS their last 58 games. Play on MILWAUKEE AAA | |||||||
05-06-19 | Bucks v. Celtics -1.5 | Top | 113-101 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 10 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BOSTON Boston may have looked like the better team in Game 1, but since then Milwaukee has taken control of the series with back to back wins where they scored 123 points. The Celtics shot poorly in both losses, but we'll back them here in a must win spot in Game 4 at home. You not only have to expect better shooting here, but better defense as well. Yes, the Bucks were #1 in the league in scoring in the regular season and have had their way offensively the last two games. But the three-point shooting we've seen from them in the last two games is bound to "taper off." They were north of 40 percent from behind the arc in Games #2 and #3, going 35 of 84. That's high volume, which is not new for them, but the percentage and number of makes is more than usual. There have been only four times all season where Boston has lost three or more straight games. All we have to do here is basically lay a bucket in order for them to avoid doing so in what is obviously their biggest game all year. They've lost consecutive home games just twice all season. Play on BOSTON AAA | |||||||
05-05-19 | Nuggets +3 v. Blazers | Top | 116-112 | Win | 100 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DENVER Nobody wants to lose in the NBA Playoffs, but going down in four overtimes is particularly gut-wrenching. As difficult to "swallow" as Game 3's loss may be for Denver, we like them to bounce back on Sunday. We did have the Nuggets in Game #3 and sure enough they did cover for us, losing by only three points (140-137) as a 4.5-point underdog. Obviously, Friday's game going four overtimes is going to have an effect on both teams here. At least it's a night game, so there will be about 48 hours to recover. Portland is 0-4 ATS off its last four SU wins here in the playoffs. The underdog has also gone 5-2 ATS the past seven meetings between them and Denver. The Nuggets are 4-0 ATS their last four visits to the Moda Center. They've also been the ones to cover five of the last seven meetings and the only two exceptions were Game 2 (shot poorly) and a game back in January where they won by three, but were caught laying -4.5. Take the points. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
05-05-19 | Raptors v. 76ers -1.5 | Top | 101-96 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 52 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on PHILADELPHIA The line has jumped the fence for Game 4 (Philly now favored). While that might mean "less value" on the 76ers, it also means public sentiment has now clearly swung against the Raptors, a team whose past playoff failings may be set to catch up with them again. The 76ers obviously outplayed the Raptors in Game 3, beating them 116-95 and looking like a completely different team on offense than what we saw in the first two games. Perhaps that should have been something we all saw coming as the Sixers do average 118.5 points/game at home, which is noticeably higher than their scoring average on the road (which is just 111.8 points/game). You won't be surprised to learn that the results have been much better for Philly at home compared to the road. At home, they have gone 34-11 and outscored opponents by 8.6 points/game. On the road, they have gone just 23-22 while actually being outscored over the course of the season. Philly has gone 6-1 straight up and against the spread since losing Game 1 in the first round. The line jumping the fence is also notable because the favorite has covered in 21 of the previous 30 meetings. The home team has covered seven of the last nine. Play on PHILADELPHIA AAA | |||||||
05-04-19 | Warriors v. Rockets -3.5 | Top | 121-126 | Win | 100 | 13 h 55 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on HOUSTON This is obviously as close to must win as it gets for Houston. No team has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a series. But lots of teams have won when down 0-2 and they return home. That's the situation for the Rockets here. The good news is James Harden is fine after sustaining an eye injury in Game #2. Despite missing time, Harden still had his best shooting night of any playoff game. It's not as if the Rockets were outclassed in either game at Golden State. Both losses were by just six points. Remember that they took three of four from the Warriors in the regular season and were up three games to two in last year's Western Conference Final. They beat Golden State both times here at home in the regular season. They're also 7-1-1 ATS the last 9 home games. They won the three first round home games by a combined 59 points. The Warriors have failed to cover off any of their last five ATS wins. They are also 1-6 ATS off their last 7 SU wins. Play on HOUSTON AAA | |||||||
05-03-19 | Nuggets +4 v. Blazers | Top | 137-140 | Win | 100 | 15 h 40 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DENVER Coming into this series, we said that home court advantage would play a big role, just like it did in the Nuggets' first round series against the Spurs. There, Denver did drop Game 1 at home, but won its next three at the Pepsi Center and wound up advancing after the series went a full seven games. Despite a quick turnaround between series, Denver was able to beat Portland in Game #1, 121-113. But then they lost Game #2, 97-90, so we're all squared up going back to Portland. Homecourt is still important, but it's difficult to imagine Denver playing any worse than it did in Game #2. They shot jut 34.7% overall and were a hideous 6 of 29 from behind the three-point line. They even missed 10 of 26 free throw attempts. We like them getting points in Game #3 as they have covered five of their last seven trips here and they are 6-2-1 ATS the last nine matchups with Portland, no matter the location. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
05-02-19 | Raptors -1 v. 76ers | Top | 95-116 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO Toronto and Philadelphia had very similar Round 1 experiences. Both lost their respective Game 1's, on their home floor. But then both bounced back to win the next four games and advance. Toronto did so with defense, holding Orlando to an average of 89 points/game in the four wins. Philadelphia did so more with offense, averaging 127.5 points/game vs. Brooklyn. Through two games, this second round series has more closely resembled Toronto's style of play. The Sixers have failed to score 100 points in either game, though they did take Game 2 in Toronto by a score of 94-89. That was their first win in 15 tries up in Canada. Now we move to the City of Brotherly Love. While the 76ers may now have homecourt advantage, we believe the Raptors are still the better team. Philly is a little banged up in the frontcourt as both Joel Embiid and Mike Scott continue to battle injuries. The Raptors have now allowed fewer than 100 points in six straight games. We expect players such as Danny Green and Marc Gasol to play a lot better than they did in Game 2. Those two combined to make only 2 of 14 field goal attempts and the Raptors bench totaled only five points on 2 of 11 shooting. Should be a much better team effort tonight. Toronto is still on a 14-5 ATS run vs. Philadelphia and the last time they dropped back to back games ATS was late March (10-4 ATS overall since). Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
04-29-19 | Blazers v. Nuggets -4 | Top | 113-121 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DENVER Denver dropped Game 1 of the last series (vs. San Antonio), but we don't see that happening here. Like the Spurs series, home court advantage figures to play a key role here in Round 2 vs. Portland. The Nuggets had the best home record in the league during the regular season and are now 37-8 straight up at the Pepsi Center. The got "backdoored" in Game 7 by San Antonio, winning by only four in a game they were favored to win by 6.5 points. But don't let that unlucky ATS result cloud the fact they led that game by double digits most of the way. Denver plays a lot better defense at home too. They gave up only 86 points in Game 7 after giving up only 90 in Game 5. For the year, they give up just 102.9 points per game at home, which is more than seven points less than what they give up on the road. Portland isn't quite as subpar as San Antonio on the road, but the Blazers record away from home is only 22-21. The Nuggets were 3-1 against the Blazers in the regular season, although every game was close. But the only time they lost to them was in the second game of a home and home, in Portland. The Trail Blazers are just 1-5-1 ATS the past seven meetings and they now have a problem in the frontcourt. Jusuf Nurkic is already out for the year and now Enes Kanter is dealing with a separated shoulder. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
04-28-19 | Rockets +6 v. Warriors | Top | 100-104 | Win | 100 | 8 h 41 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on HOUSTON It's a familiar matchup on the Western Conference side of the draw, only this year the Rockets and Warriors are playing a round earlier. Last year, the Rockets took the Warriors to the brink of elimination and had a lead at home in Game 7 before wilting. Remember they also didn't have Chris Paul for the final two games of that series. Houston may not have the home court advantage this time around, but they do have Paul back in the lineup and come in as the hotter team. While Golden State surprisingly needed six games to eliminate the Clippers in the first round, the Rockets vanquished the Jazz in just five and are now 10-2 SU/9-3 ATS the past 12 games. One of the two straight up losses was by one point (regular season finale). The Warriors have not been a good team to bet on this season and they are 17-26-1 ATS at home. Taking the points in Game 1 looks to be the way to go. Play on HOUSTON AAA | |||||||
04-27-19 | Spurs v. Nuggets -6 | Top | 86-90 | Loss | -109 | 14 h 19 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DENVER Historically speaking, home teams enjoy a decided edge in Game 7's in the NBA Playoffs (101-27 straight up record in shot-clock era). Look for that trend to continue with our lone Game 7 of this year's 1st round as Denver hosts San Antonio. The Nuggets are off a 17-point loss in Game 6. But before that, they'd won the last two games by a combined 32 points. Only one game in the entire series has been decided by less than nine points and each of the last three have been decided by 14 points or more. Being able to get a Game 7 at home is what Denver worked for in the regular season. They have the best home record in the league at 36-8 straight up and the numbers confirm they are a much better team here. Not only does scoring jump 6.2 points/game from road to home, their number of points allowed drops by 6.8 points/game. San Antonio (17-27 SU) happens to have the worst road record of any playoff team. We look for bench scoring and three-point shooting to be the key edge for the Nuggets in this winner take all game. Lay the points. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
04-25-19 | Yankees v. Angels +1.5 | Top | 5-11 | Win | 100 | 13 h 1 m | Show |
This is an 8* RUN LINE play on the LA ANGELS +1.5 For the second straight series, the Angels find themselves in an unenviable position. As the home team, they've lost the first three games of a four game series. Now in this exact same scenario, we played them Sunday against Seattle and they won. It was an easy win too as they coasted to an 8-6 victory (led 8-1 going into the 9th) behind Jaime Barria. But tonight they face the Yankees. As daunting a prospect as that may sound, two of the Angels three losses in this series have come by one run. Last night was brutal as they blew a 5-run lead and lost 6-5. Now 1-9 the L10 games, five of those losses for the Angels have come by exactly one run. So with the +1.5 now an option (wasn't Sunday vs. Seattle), we'll take it. Look for Trevor Cahill to pitch better than he has recently while we expect the opposite from Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka. Three of the Yankees last four wins have been by one run. At this price, the run line is a tremendous value Thursday. Play on LA ANGELS +1.5 AAA | |||||||
04-25-19 | Nuggets +3.5 v. Spurs | Top | 103-120 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 3 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on DENVER The Nuggets were very fortunate not to be down 3-0 in this series as not only did they drop two of the first three games, but their one win (Game 2) saw them erase a 19-point second half deficit, mostly in the 4th quarter where they outscored the Spurs 39-23. But since falling behind by double digits again, early in Game 4, Denver really seems to have taken control of this series. They've won the last two games by a combined 32 points and now have a shot at closing out the Spurs tonight in Game 6. It is a road game, but the Nuggets have already won once here in San Antonio. Game 5 on Tuesday was definitely Denver's best showing in the series. They led by as many as 30 points. Nikola Jokic is almost averaging a triple double in his first ever playoff series and the Spurs appear to have no answer for him. Denver has pretty clearly been the better of these two teams most of this year. The Spurs are only 1-6 ATS their last 7 home games. Play on DENVER AAA | |||||||
04-24-19 | Jazz +8 v. Rockets | Top | 93-100 | Win | 100 | 12 h 48 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on UTAH Utah stayed alive by winning Game 4, handily. They beat the Rockets 107-91 and that margin of victory should have them confident enough to head into Game #5 with a sense that further extending their season is a possibility. We're not saying the Jazz will win this one, but taking the points is the right way to go. Houston did not shoot the ball well either game in Salt Lake City. They shot 38.4% as a team in Game #3 with James Harden missing his first 15 attempts from the field. Then they shot 35.4% in Game #4, collectively missing their final 13 attempts from three-point range. Yes, the series now shifts back to Houston. But the Jazz are going to compete here a lot more than they did in either Games #1 and #2. This is too many points for Houston to lay to a desperate Utah team. Play on UTAH AAA | |||||||
04-23-19 | Thunder +3.5 v. Blazers | Top | 115-118 | Win | 100 | 14 h 26 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on OKC It's probably fair to say that the majority of first round series in the NBA Playoffs have gone "according to script." The way the Rockets handled the Jazz in the first three games of that series was maybe a little surprising. But probably not as surprising to most as the fact that it's Portland up three games to one on Oklahoma City. This was a series where the lower seeded team was actually favored to advance. The Thunder swept the regular season series, winning all four times against the Blazers. Portland also has a key player injured (Jusuf Nurkic). Game 4 is what probably jumped out to most as the Blazers became the first road team to win a game in the series. They held Russell Westbrook without a basket in the second half, which is really stunning. We know that the Thunder have lost the public's trust, but not ours as we like them plus the points facing elimination. Remember they actually closed as the favorite for Game #2 here in Portland, so there's some good value. Play on OKC AAA | |||||||
04-22-19 | Rockets -2.5 v. Jazz | Top | 91-107 | Loss | -106 | 23 h 28 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on HOUSTON We also look for Houston to close out Utah Monday night. It's pretty clear that the Jazz are overmatched in this series and Game #3 was basically their "death knell." Losing at home on a night where James Harden shot the ball horribly is not something that can be overcome nor is a 3-0 series deficit. Going back to the end of the regular season, the Rockets have won and covered 9 of the last 10 games. The only loss was by one point to Oklahoma City, which in retrospect was the worst possible thing to happen to the Jazz. That loss caused Houston to drop a spot in the standings, setting up this matchup. Utah would have been a lot better off playing Portland. The Jazz did beat the Rockets in a couple of early season meetings, but have since dropped five straight to them. Like the Pistons, they have shot very poorly in the playoffs (40.1 FG%) and are averaging less than 100 points/game (96.3). We don't even have to lay a big number here like we do with the Bucks. You can bank on Harden having a better shooting night than he did in Game #3. The Rockets look like one of the best teams in the league right now. Play on HOUSTON. AAA | |||||||
04-22-19 | Bucks -12 v. Pistons | Top | 127-104 | Win | 100 | 21 h 3 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on MILWAUKEE We expect both series to close out tonight, starting in Detroit where the Pistons appear as ill-prepared for the playoffs as any team in recent memory. They have been completely dominated by the Bucks, losing all three games by 16 or more points and there's no reason to believe Game #4 will be any different. Milwaukee is completely superior in every way here and not even the return of Blake Griffin can change that as he's not completely healthy. In the series, the Pistons have been held to an average of 96 points per game on 38.0% shooting, showing that Milwaukee (the East's highest scoring team) can also play some defense. The Bucks are #1 in defensive efficiency in the league in addition to being #1 overall in scoring. They have outscored the Pistons by 72 points through three games. Giannis Antetokounmpo only scored 14 points Saturday, his fewest in any game since January and the Bucks still won by 16. Detroit hasn't won a playoff game since '08 and that certainly won't change here. Play on MILWAUKEE. AAA | |||||||
04-21-19 | Warriors v. Clippers +9 | Top | 113-105 | Win | 100 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on LA CLIPPERS The Clippers have trailed big in all three games so they should feel lucky to only be down 2-1 in the series. Game 2 saw them pull off the greatest comeback in NBA Playoff history, at least in terms of margin overcome (31 points). But they were never really in Game #3. Golden State led by 17 after one quarter and was up 33 entering the fourth. The Warriors have enjoyed a lead of at least 19 points in all three games. But Game #4 should be different. The Clippers shot poorly in Game #3, especially from deep where they went 7 of 32. They shot 37.2% overall, which won't cut it against the Warriors. That's surprising too as LA has been a strong home team all season. Golden State was obviously motivated going into Game #3 after blowing the 31-point lead in Game #2. Will that same motivation be present today? The Warriors are 4-10 ATS off a their previous 14 ATS victories. Play on LA CLIPPERS AAA | |||||||
04-21-19 | Celtics -2 v. Pacers | Top | 110-106 | Win | 100 | 6 h 31 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on BOSTON We look for Boston to finish off the sweep Sunday. It's pretty clear to us at this point that Indiana just can't get consistent scoring nor can they beat Boston. It's not just this series you see. There were also two meetings late in the regular season where the Celtics dominated. Four of the five losses have seen the Pacers held under 100 points. Now they have held the halftime lead in two of the three games in this series and only trailed by two in the other. But they are averaging only 35 points in the second half and that will obviously not cut the mustard. Indiana has only won 4 of its last 12 games overall, so in a way you could see this early playoff flameout coming. In the regular season, it was the defense that was costing the Pacers down the stretch. They allowed 11 of their last 13 opponents to score at least 102 points. Now its the offense that is averaging only 87 points per game in the playoffs/ The Celtics underachieved in the regular season, but are clearly hitting their stride now. Play on BOSTON AAA | |||||||
04-18-19 | Nuggets v. Spurs -3.5 | Top | 108-118 | Win | 100 | 13 h 5 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on SAN ANTONIO San Antonio very easily - and probably should - be up 2-0 in this series. After a superb defensive effort allowed them to take Game 1, the Spurs were up by 19 in Game 2 and appeared well on their way to taking both games in Denver. But then Jamal Murray went off for the Nuggets, scoring 21 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter (had started the game 0 for 8). The Nuggets outscored the Spurs 39-23 in the 4th and now we head back to San Antonio tied at one game apiece. While having the league's best home record, Denver is below .500 on the road. San Antonio's home vs. road split is even more pronounced. They should actually be thrilled to have earned a split in Denver, given a 16-25 SU road record. At home they are 32-9 and shoot 41.9% from three-point range. Defensively, the Spurs have made major strides the last couple months. Before the 4th quarter happened Tuesday, it looked like they might hold Denver under 100 pts in two straight games. Going back to 2012, the Nuggets have lost 13 straight here in San Antonio. Play on SAN ANTONIO AAA | |||||||
04-17-19 | Pistons +15 v. Bucks | Top | 99-120 | Loss | -103 | 12 h 50 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on DETROIT The Pistons appeared ill-prepared for their 1st postseason game since 2016. Playing without Blake Griffin, they were no match for top seed Milwaukee, who thumped them 121 to 86 as 15-point favorites. Detroit last won a playoff game in 2008. If they continue to play the way they did Sunday, that streak will continue into next year. It's not a shocker to see the number at where it is for Game 2. Few will give the Pistons a shot Wednesday, let alone the rest of the series. They've played the Bucks five times this year and five times they have lost, four of those coming by 10 or more points. The three games in Milwaukee have seen them lose by 35, 23 and 23 points. But as the Clippers showed Monday, anything is possible in the playoffs. After a blowout loss is often the best time to bet on a team (zig zag theory!) and while we don't see Detroit winning Game 2, we do expect them to cover. While Griffin seems unlikely to play, Andre Drummond won't be ejected again like he was in Game 1. Generally speaking, this is too many points to lay in the playoffs and the Pistons will play better this time. Play on DETROIT AAA | |||||||
04-16-19 | Magic v. Raptors -9.5 | Top | 82-111 | Win | 100 | 12 h 14 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on TORONTO Toronto's atrocious history in Game 1's continued with a shocking 104-101 loss to Orlando on Saturday. With that result, the Raptors are now 2-13 SU all-time in Game 1's, including 1-10 in Round 1. Kyle Lowry pulled another playoff "disappearing act," in being held SCORELESS for the game on 0 for 7 shooting (all but one attempt was a three-pointer). But that's all water under the bridge now and history suggests the Raptors bounce back Tuesday in Game 2. Outside of series against LeBron James' Cleveland teams, Toronto has won four straight Game 2s. All four were played at home. Lowry has his own personal history of following terrible playoff performances with a good one. The Raptors actually outshot the Magic overall in Game 1, but were worse from behind the arc and at the free throw line. You can't deny that Orlando has been "better than advertised" in the second half of the season, however, they got their road win. The zig zag theory isn't perfect, but I'll side with Toronto here. Remember they have Kawhi Leonard this year. Play on TORONTO AAA | |||||||
04-15-19 | Nets v. 76ers -7.5 | Top | 123-145 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on PHILADELPHIA Forget about the talk about cell phones, Philadelphia was flat out embarrassed on its home court in Game 1, losing to the Nets 111-102. Aside from early in the 1st quarter, the Sixers never led and were down by as many 17. They should bounce back for Game 2. They certainly aren't likely to miss 22 of 25 three-pointers again like they did Saturday. Joel Embiid's knee remains a question mark, but it's hard not to like the Sixers in this spot considering a 31-11 SU home record and they are 31-15 ATS L46 here against teams that have losing road records. Brooklyn is still only 20-22 straight up on the road this year and is probably "content" having taken Game 1. The Nets got 59 points from their bench in Game 1. Similar to Philly's woeful three-point shooting, that is unlikely to be repeated tonight. The 76ers are still the better team and should win comfortably at home. Play on PHILADELPHIA AAA | |||||||
04-14-19 | Jazz v. Rockets -6 | Top | 90-122 | Win | 100 | 13 h 17 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on HOUSTON Houston ended up finishing fourth in the Western Conference, but this was one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch. They'd won and covered six in a row before losing by one to Oklahoma City in the final regular season game. That one loss is what dropped them from third to fourth and while it means playing a gritty Utah team, the Rockets simply have too much talent to falter here. No team was better in the second half of the season. They went 20-5 posting the best net efficiency rating (+10.7) as they were second overall in both offensive and defensive efficiency. James Harden leads all players in scoring with a 36.1 points per game average this season. Remember the Rockets eliminated the Jazz from last year's playoffs, winning in just five games. The four wins were all of the double digit variety and came by an average of 14.5 points per game. Play on HOUSTON AAA | |||||||
04-09-19 | Blazers -9.5 v. Lakers | Top | 104-101 | Loss | -103 | 14 h 15 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on PORTLAND The Lakers are 2-1 against the Blazers, but that's with LeBron James playing all three games. The King was officially shutdown for the year last week and his teammates packed it long before that. Though they've won two straight, beating the Clippers by five and Jazz by four, the Lakers have been a terrible team to bet on this season. Only the Knicks have a worse ATS mark. Four would-be starters, including James, aren't playing anymore. Without Jusuf Nurkic, the Blazers are a little shorthanded as well, but they just got back C.J. McCollum and will be looking to clinch homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs tonight. All they need is a win. While covering the spread might seem like more of a challenge, Portland is 10-2 ATS its last 12 road games against teams that give up 110 or more points per game. They win big tonight. Play on PORTLAND AAA | |||||||
04-08-19 | Texas Tech v. Virginia -1 | Top | 77-85 | Win | 100 | 29 h 8 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on VIRGINIA We are guaranteed to have a first time national champion on Monday when Texas Tech takes on Virginia. Texas Tech beat Michigan State 61-51 in one national semifinal while Virginia outlasted Auburn 63-62 in the other. It should be pointed out that Virginia led their game by as much as 10 points before watching that lead go away and then needing the refs to bail them out in the end. We think that due to the nature of the win against Auburn, Virginia isn't getting the proper credit here. Our own line was between 4.5 and 5 points, so there's value on the favorite. The Cavaliers spent much of the year ranked #1 in the country and when they weren't, they were close to the top. Texas Tech has saved its best basketball for the right time, but Virginia will be the toughest opponent they've faced all year. Virginia may not have covered Saturday, but they are 16-5 ATS the 21 times they have been coming off an ATS loss. Texas Tech is just 1-6 ATS vs. the ACC. This will be an ugly game, but Virginia will be the winner. Play on VIRGINIA AAA | |||||||
04-07-19 | Nuggets v. Blazers -3 | Top | 108-115 | Win | 100 | 13 h 42 m | Show |
This is a 10* on PORTLAND This line has already risen quite dramatically, but we're still anticipating a big Portland win. This is the second leg of a home and home between the Blazers and Nuggets. Denver won at home, 119-110, on Friday as Portland was short-handed. They played without Jusuf Nurkic, C.J. McCollum and Seth Curry. Damian Lillard was held to 14 points on 3 of 14 shooting. Even without the some of those key players still, the Blazers should bounce back at home. Denver could rest some of its starters, which is why the line is on the move. Portland is also 30-9 at home this season and hoping to avoid what would be a season sweep by the Nuggets. The first three games have all been decided by single digits with two of them by a total of 4 points. So it's not as if Portland hasn't been competitive. They need a strong finish to the regular season to clinch home court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. Play on PORTLAND AAA | |||||||
04-06-19 | Texas Tech +2.5 v. Michigan State | Top | 61-51 | Win | 100 | 14 h 43 m | Show |
This is an 8* play on TEXAS TECH Playing both Michigan State games last weekend worked out well for us as we hit the Under in both. After having little difficulty in defeating Minnesota and LSU, Duke was obviously going to present Sparty with a much greater challenge and sure enough that was a one-point win (68-67) where MSU only shot 42.9% from the field. That was the 1st time they had been matched up against a team on par with them defensively and it resulted in a Tournament-low for points scored. When it comes to defense, no team has a better efficiency rating than Texas Tech, who just held the #1 offensive team in the country (Gonzaga) to 69 points on 42.4% shooting. Before that, the Red Raiders held Michigan to 44 points (32.7 FG%), Buffalo to 58 points (36.5 FG%) and Northern Kentucky to 57 points (37.1 FG%). So tonight should be another new low in points for Michigan State in the Tourney. Texas Tech is a perfect 4-0 ATS in this Tournament, winning the last two games as underdogs, so they're used to being in this position. Before upsetting Gonzaga in the Elite Eight, they'd won by 15 or more in each Tourney game with the showings against both Buffalo and Michigan being especially exemplary. Both teams have been great against the spread of late. But Texas Tech is the call here thanks to that defense. Play on TEXAS TECH AAA | |||||||
04-06-19 | Auburn v. Virginia -5 | Top | 62-63 | Loss | -115 | 52 h 0 m | Show |
This is a 10* play on VIRGINIA It's certainly going to be a contrast of styles in this first Final Four matchup with the high-flying Auburn attack going against the methodical pace Virginia likes to set. Ultimately, something has to give and we believe defense will win out in the end. That means Virginia, who has been one of the top teams in College Basketball all season, as opposed to an Auburn team that saved its best basketball for the Tournament. The Tigers have already downed Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky thanks to an incredible display of three-point shooting. But they have not yet had to go against a team that guards the three-point line as well as Virginia does (28.7 3-pt % allowed). Remember Auburn lost one of its top scorers - Chuma Okeke - in the Sweet 16. Without him, they were still able to defeat Kentucky, but that's an opponent they are very familiar with. Virginia is a different story. Lost in the shuffle here is the fact the Cavaliers have a higher offensive efficiency rating than Auburn. They also only turn it over nine times per game and do a good job of getting to the free throw line. When they get to the FT line, they convert at a 74% clip. Virginia also actually shoots a better percentage from three-point range (for the season) compared to Auburn. The lone 1-seed still standing gets the job done Saturday night. Play on VIRGINIA AAA |
Service | Profit |
---|---|
Steve Janus | $751 |
Chip Chirimbes | $636 |
Rocky's Lock Club | $630 |
Pure Lock | $473 |
Marc Lawrence | $380 |
Mike Lundin | $340 |
Jack Jones | $305 |
Rocky Atkinson | $291 |
Dave Price | $274 |
R&R Totals | $265 |