36 Expert Picks
Tyrese Haliburton has been quiet through two games of this series. Haliburton had a fantastic regular season that saw him average 20.1 PPG and we're getting a sizable discount on this scoring prop. The Bucks really struggle defending opposing PGs and I believe the combination of going back to his home court will help Haliburton. I also believe Milwaukee has to adjust for Pascal Siakam which should help open things up for Haliburton from a spacing standpoint. Either way, I love his chances of bouncing back tonight at home and scoring at least 18+ points in the process.
Talk about two contrasting lineups. The Orioles have scored the fifth-most runs and hit the most home runs in baseball. The Athletics have scored the second-fewest runs and struck out the second-most times. As if that wasn’t going to make things difficult enough for the Athletics, the Orioles will start their ace Corbin Burnes. This has the makings of a decisive win for the Orioles.
With Kawhi Leonard out for Game 1, Russell Westbrook chipped in 13 points and four rebounds over 23 minutes off the bench. He played 24 minutes despite Leonard returning in Game 2, finishing with seven points and nine rebounds. During the regular season, he averaged 11.1 points and 5.0 rebounds over 23 minutes per game. This line is set too low, considering that Westbrook is a key member of the Clippers’ second unit. Take the over.
Unless Bell's palsy affects the ability to run, shoot or jump -- I thought it was a green pepper species -- then it should not matter Joel Embiid apparently had/has it. Clearly didn't in Game 3. And he basically just Namath-ed the series, so his legacy is on the line at least in Game 4 now. The only guarantee I have made in my life? That I meet Katarina Witt. Still waiting yet somehow I have met Tonya Harding in person. What else should I expect at a monster truck rally? (Not usually my thing but long story. Yes, I did ask her to hit my leg and she did. No interest in meeting Nancy Kerrigan.) Philly should be up 2-1.
The Phillies have pen issues. The Phillies paid this guy a boatload of money for years to come to be an ace and that requires you - gasp - pitching into the 7th inning sometimes. I know, crazy right? This to me is one of those spots. His last two starts have totaled 15 1/3 and his arm hasn't fallen off despite registering 46 outs in that span. He's plenty stretched out and I like this payout
Nola has been awesome the last two times out and seems to have found his form from a rough spring. Phillies healthier and hitting the ball well lately. The league is batting .324 off Joe Musgrove in innings 1-5, and he sports a FIP of 5.84 in those innings. I like the momentum the Phils are building, while the Padres tend to be their own worst enemy and have some holes in the lineup with Manny Machado on the IL.
Eflin has been pitching like an ace, as we mentioned in our game analysis. Flexen has been horrible and the Pale Hose have been out-scored 37-1 in his stats this season. Yeah, it really is that bad.
This sweet-swinging lefty bat is getting to play everyday for the first time and looking like the AL ROY favorite. I like him to mash Ross Stripling tonight. Cowser at Camden Yards this season (39 ABs) - 2 HR 5 RBI .379/.419/.690 - 1109 OPS Cowser vs RHP (45 AB)- 4 HR 15 RBI .356/.423/.756 - 1179 OPS Cowser at home vs RHP has a wRC+ of 210 (Gunnar Henderson is actually ahead of him on the team at 254) Get ready to moo with delight when he milks a ball to right field and cashes for us tonight. I'll stop short of saying that will be udderly delicious. Or maybe I won't.
The A's are a scrappy bunch, we will give them that. Cost us on this play last night at Yankee Stadium but man tough spot here with Ross Stripling (0-5, 5.34) opposed by Corbin Burnes (3-0, 2.76). The O's also were off on Thursday.
No lead is safe for the O's with the state of their middle relief. Lately leads of 8, 7 and 6 runs have still required the use of all their best high leverage relievers. Can't keep doing that. They are renting Burnes for 1 year and need him to provide length and quality - he's been good not great but this park plays well for him and it's a lineup he should shred. Skipper needs him to get into the 7th; with a great D behind him Burnes smart enough to lean into ground balls and let the gloves do the work.
The MVP candidate is leading MLB in triples, SLG, OPS+ (+199) and total bases and also has 8 HRs. He's scalding right now and eats suspect righties like Ross Stripling for lunch and the forecast looks good and he had a day off yesterday and that flag court in right field isn't any deeper today than it was last homestand when the O's were wearing it out.
Everything I thought about this series was wrong, and I'm looking to cash differently now. KD is not the defensive length monster he was vs MIN regular season, Wolves have adjusted and Suns lack of any inside presence other than Nurkic is a major problem, as is Grayson Allen's injury and KAT rounding back to form. KD had 6 games in reg season where he was +21or better and 3 were against MIN (+79 in total). He's -44 after 2 games! ANT was 13/33 from floor in those 3 reg season games and couldnt get shot off; he's 17/36 thru 2 games and +34. Wolves bench been way better and switch to a road venue doesn't scare me as much with how well they defend.
Some ominous signs for the Caps, who face almost certain extinction in this series if they fall behind 3-0 after tonight. Elsewhere in the East last night, neither the Lightning nor Islanders could hold serve at home and are now in desperate trouble in their first-round matchups. Moreover, Alex Ovechkin, who can't be invisible for the Caps to succeed, has been just that in the first two games, with a mere one shot on goal. But Washington proved resilient down the stretch, Charlie Lindgren is still performing admirably in goal, and the first two games were challenges for the Rangers. NY will still be in control of this series after tonight, though it might be a bit closer. Play Caps on Money Line
Considering that the Chisox are on a 20-win pace (really!), have lost 22 of 25, with 16 of the last 19 of those defeats by more than one run, you might think that even the Run Line price against them would be sky-high. That might be coming soon, but we're still in the reasonable range tonight with the Rays and Zach Eflin, who hasn't allowed a run across 12 IP in his last two starts. Meanwhile, Pedro Grifol is so desperate for pitching on the Sox side that he is giving ex-Mariner Chris Flexen another chance in the rotation after demoting him to the bullpen two weeks ago, all following an 8.78 ERA across his first three starts. Play Rays on Run Line
We're seeing something in this matchup that's making us back off of the venerable zig-zag, which has risen once again in the playoffs and definitely kicked on in Game 2 of this series when the Pacers rolled by 17 om the road. But aside from Dame Lillard's unconscious first half (35 points) in Game 1, Indiana has been outplaying Milwaukee, continuing a regular-season trend that saw the Pacers win four of the five meetings. The Bucks haven't yet figured out a way to slow Pascal Siakam, scoring at a brisk 36.5 ppg clip in this series, and now Khris Middleton (ankle) is also hurting on the Milwaukee side, which could be minus Giannis (strained calf) once again. Play Pacers