Things could get out of hand in this Game 6 matchup with the Blues on the verge of elimination trailing 3-2 in the series. There were seven goals scored in the last game with Vancouver winning, 4-3. Play opened up and game flow should stay up-tempo for this matchup.  The Blues have scored three goals in each of the last four games. St. Louis has fired 37, 39 and 49 shots on goal during the past three games.  Vancouver has netted at least three goals in six of its last eight games. The Canucks are a top-eight scoring team with a below average defense. So it's not surprising the Over is 19-8-1 in the Canucks' last 28 games. 

The Giants' offense has been better than advertised. San Francisco ranks 11th in the majors in runs scored. The Giants are averaging 6.7 runs in their last seven games.  Now the Giants get to face erratic Robbie Ray, who has been dreadful this season with an 8.59 ERA. Ray had a 5.40 ERA versus the Giants in three starts last season.  The Giants are pitching youngster righty Logan Webb. He has a respectable 3.54 ERA, but only once has he reached five innings in five starts. So the horrific Giants bullpen figures to see plenty of work.  The Diamondbacks hit righties far better than lefties. They have the fourth-highest batting average in the NL going against righthanders. Arizona is averaging 7.6 runs in its last eight games when facing a righty starter.  Normally a pitcher's park, Oracle Park has been a hitter's paradise this season. The Over is 9-0-1 during the last 10 games in San Francisco. 

All the A's do is win when Mike Fiers is on the mound. They are 22-6 in his last 28 starts. The righthander is off his best start of the year, giving up two runs in six innings against the Giants. The A's have been extremely tough, too, at home the past few seasons. This year is following that pattern. Oakland is 11-3 at RingCentral Coliseum.  Andrew Heaney is in bad form allowing nine runs in his last two starts spanning 9 1/3 innings. He doesn't go deep into games either averaging fewer than five innings per start. The Angels are 1-4 in his past five starts.  Like most clubs, the Angels have problems in Oakland dropping six of their last seven there. The Angels also are 6-20 in their last 26 road matchups versus righty starters.

Let's go back to early in the second half of Game 1 with the Mavericks leading the Clippers by five points. It was at that point that Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavericks' best big man and second-best player, was unfairly ejected. That cost Dallas the game. The Mavericks then whipped the Clippers, 127-114, in Game 2 on Wednesday. It was clear Dallas was the superior team.  Keep in mind there is no homecourt advantage because these games are all inside the Orlando bubble. This reduces the zig-zag theory of situational basketball where the losing team comes back to win. Now the matchups and coaching are more pure.  So just where are the Clippers' advantages that justify them being made a mid-sized favorite for this Game 3? I can't find them. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. OK, two superstars. Luka Doncic and Porzingis give the Mavericks two stars, too, with Porzingis being the best big man on the court. You can make the argument that Doncic is as valuable as Leonard.  Coaching? I'll take Rick Carlisle over Doc Rivers especially when it comes to matchup strategy. I consider Carlisle one of the more underrated coaches in the league, while the media-savvy Rivers gets far more publicity.  Scoring? The Mavericks had the most efficient offense in NBA history.  Bench? The Clippers are supposed to have the best bench in the league. But key reserve Montrezl Harrell isn't in full shape yet having just played two games since being out and starting point guard Patrick Beverley likely remains out due to a calf strain. Dallas' reserves outscored the Clippers' bench by 30 points in Game 2.  Beverley's absence is huge. He's an ace defender. The Mavericks are guard heavy and tall in the backcourt.  

The Flyers came back from an embarrassing, 5-0, loss in Game 2 to defeat the Canadiens in the next game. I expect the Flyers to follow that same winning pattern after losing, 5-3, on Wednesday in a physical and emotional game. Philadelphia is 6-0 the past six times after laying five or more goals in its previous game. Montreal scored five goals in each of its victories. But in the other three games in this series, the Canadiens have produced only one goal. The Canadiens also will be without injured Brendan Gallagher, who tied for the team lead in goals during the regular season. 
 

You can pull out the fork. The 76ers are finished. Mentally fragile, missing star Ben Simmons, unable to win away from Philadelphia and totally outcoached by the Celtics, the 76rs aren't rising to upset Boston in this Game 3 after losing by eight points and 27 points during the first two games of this series.   Minus Simmons, a tremendous two-way player, the 76ers are not only lost on offense but clueless defensively. They don't have the answers, nor the coaching acumen to stop the Celtics' pick-and-rolls and accurate perimeter shooting.  It doesn't matter if the Celtics are minus Gordon Hayward. They are a deep team and the 76ers can't slow down Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker.  The 76ers are 12-28 away from home. They quit in Game 2. They don't have the matchup answers, nor ability to come up with an effective defensive game plan to stop the Celtics.  Maybe the 76ers put forth a supreme effort here down 0-2 in the series. Maybe. But the Celtics still have way too many things in their favor to not cover this mid-range point spread number. 

This is a real even series with a seven-game feel to it. So I'll take a plus price on Calgary believing the Flames will extend the series to seven games being down three games to two. The underdog has won eight of the last 11 between these two teams.  The Flames were extremely close to opening a 3-1 lead in the series, but they gave up a late game-tying goal in Game 4 and then lost in overtime.  I respect the Stars' defense, but I would give a strong nod to Cam Talbot over Anton Khudobin in net. Talbot is in a tremendous groove.  The Flames need to do a better job of testing Khudobin especially Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. They are all overdue to produce better scoring performances. 

The Capitals displayed their firepower in the last game firing 28 shots during the last two periods while producing three goals. I see the Capitals carrying that over into this game. The Islanders haven't been able to slow down superstar Alex Ovechkin. 

 Washington, though, has a slightly below average defense that the Islanders can dent. The Capitals are on the brink of elimination so they would have to take plenty of chances if trailing in the third period, which could lead to empty net goals.  The Over is 5-1-1 the past seven times the teams have met. 

Nothing against righthanded Brandon Woodruff, a pitcher I like. But I'll lay a short home price with the much more powerful Twins and All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios. Berrios hasn't pitched like an All-Star this season. Note, though, this is just the righthander's third home start. The Twins won both of his previous starts at Target Field.  Berrios has always pitched much better in Minnesota. Here's a comparison of his home/road ERA: At home - 2.41 ERA in 2017, 3.03 ERA in 2018 and 3.51 ERA in 2019. On the road - 5.17 ERA in 2017, 4.85 ERA in 2018 and 3.84 ERA in 2019.  Berrios takes on a Milwaukee offense that so far has been way down. The Brewers rank 27th in batting average, 24th in runs and 24th in homers.  The Twins led the majors in homers last year setting a record. They are seventh in homers this season.  The Twins have won their last seven home games when facing a righty starter. Milwaukee is 6-13 the last 19 times going against a righty starter. 

Whenever the Thunder are underdogs they get my first look - and in this case last look.  I want the Thunder going for me today after the Rockets ambushed them, 123-108, on Tuesday.  Oklahoma City is 41-20 ATS as an underdog. That's a long-term covering rate of 67 percent. The Thunder also are 10-2 ATS the past 12 times they played after losing by more than 10 points.  Houston was an underdog in Game 1. The Rockets have failed to cover eight of the last 11 times they've been favored.  The Rockets fired 52 shots from 3-point range in Game 1. They connected on 38 percent. Houston shot 48 percent from the floor and made 89 percent of its free throws. The Rockets live-and-die with the 3-point shot. But Oklahoma City is ranked No. 3 in the NBA in 3-point defense holding foes to 34 percent.  On the season, the Rockets shot 45.1 percent from the floor and made 34.5 percent of their 3-pointers. They also are a 79 percent shooting free throw team. So the Rockets were hotter than normal in Game 1.  I see the Thunder being more prepared for the Rockets' various perimeter looks and for Houston to not overachieve with its shooting like it did in the opener. The Thunder surrenders six fewer points per game than the Rockets.  Remember, too, that Russell Westbrook is out with a right quad injury. While Westbrook is sidelined, the Thunder could get back defensive ace Lugentz Dort. He's been out with a knee injury and is questionable for today's game. That would just be an added bonus if he were to play. 
  

The Canucks nearly went up 3-0 in the series. They won the first two games and led in the third game before losing in overtime.  Sparked by backup goalie Jake Allen, the Blues have evened the series.  But now it's Vancouver's turn to win.  The Canucks own an edge in firepower especially now that it's for certain that explosive winger Vladimir Tarasenko is done for the series because of a shoulder injury. 
  

Diana Taurasi is rounding into shape and Phoenix doesn't lack for talent. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Mercury make a move starting with this game.  LA is fat and happy right now. Derek Fisher is my least favorite coach in this league.  Phoenix outscores LA on the season and has a strong inside presence with Britney Griner.  The Mercury also is coming off their first two-day break since having three days in between their first and second games of the season. That extra day of rest should help them mentally and physically. The Sparks last played this past Saturday. That's too long of a break so they could be rusty. 

The Diamondbacks are an above .500 team, have won six in a row and are going with their best pitcher this season, Merrill Kelly.  Kelly has allowed just one run in his last 12 2/3 innings. He has a 1.71 ERA and 0.91 ERA on the season.  The A's are going with Jesus Luzardo, a highly-promising rookie who has been up and down. He has a 4.79 ERA. He's coming off a game where he allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Giants. 
 

The Mavericks are a dangerous team. Their record is 43-32. They have lost 13 times since Feb. 7 with more than half of those defeats occurring by 4 or fewer points.  The Clippers beat the Mavericks, 118-110, this past Monday to open this series. Dallas lost by eight points despite opening the game being outscored, 18-2. The Mavericks lost despite a bogus ejection of Kristaps Porzingis, their second-best player and top big man, less than three minutes into the third quarter.   LA has the better defense and more bench strength. However, the Mavericks finished with the highest-rated offense in NBA history. The Clippers are still working a number of their players back into the rotation after they missed the final regular season games in the bubble. This list includes Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverley. 
  

So much for the conservative Coyotes keeping the lid on Colorado. The Avalanche exploded for seven goals in their last game. They have fired 81 shots on goal during the past two games. Colorado was the fourth-highest scoring team in the league during the regular season. The Avs aren't going to be held in check any more by the Coyotes.  This game could feature a lot of penalties with a much faster tempo than earlier in the series. Arizona faces elimination with a loss so there could be a lot of late scoring action. 

Even though Boston can close out the series with a victory here leading 3-1, I'm not convinced the Bruins are the superior team. If you discount a late empty net goal, every game has been decided by one goal. The Bruins have managed to win three of those four games. If the Hurricanes didn't blow a two-goal lead in the last game, the series would be even at 2-2 and this betting line might be different.  Yes, it's a blow that the Hurricanes lost rising star forward Andrei Svechnikov. But he also had missed time when the Hurricanes met the Capitals in the first round last season. The Hurricanes won that series.  The Bruins are not unscathed. Their leading scorer, David Pastrnak, has not played in the last three games and starting goalie, Tukka Rask, opted to leave the team. 

Forget the Nuggets' 135-125 overtime victory against the Jazz two days ago. This game should go back to being playoff-style, defensive-minded basketball.  These are a pair of top-11 defenses who play slow, preferring a half-court style.  Both are minus key offensive players. Missing for Utah is Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic. The Jazz failed to convince anyone that they adequately replaced Bogdanovic's much-needed perimeter shooting.  The Nuggets have been without underrated Gary Harris and sparkplug Will Barton.  Rudy Gobert is one of the best defensive centers in the NBA. He'll be motivated to do better against Nikola Jokic, who outplayed Gobert in the opener. Same with the Nuggets defense clamping down on Donovan MItchell, who went off for an embarrassing 57 points against them in Game 1.  Torrey Craig had defended Mitchell well during the regular season when none of the three meetings went above 210 in regulation. The Nuggets may decide to give reserve defensive specialist Monte Morris more playing time in an effort to combat Mitchell. That would be another plus for the Under. 

The oddsmaker has reacted to the Raptors' 134-110 Game 1 victory against the Nets by adjusting the total four points.  I don't believe that's warranted.  The Raptors rank either first or second in the NBA in fewest points allowed, defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defense. This is the best defense in the NBA and the scrappy, but scrub-type Nets aren't going to be able to dent it.  The Nets know they have to play more intense defense. It was too much culture shock for them going from just playing the Trail Blazers to the Raptors' tight defense. I think they will be better prepared. I also don't expect Fred Van Vleet to put up a career playoff-best 30 points when he hit 8 3-pointers against the Nets in the opening game.  The Raptors-Nets met four times during the regular season. The total never was this high in any of those games. The teams averaged 216 points in those games.

Tampa Bay led the NHL in scoring this season at 3.5 goals per game. The Lightning have the firepower and motivation to steamroll the Blue Jackets after Columbus stunned them  in the playoffs last season with a first-round sweep. Columbus finds itself on the verge of elimination down 3-1 in the series. The Blue Jackets have managed just three goals in the last two goals. They are overdue to score more. Both goalies have played well, but goalie fatigue could factor now. An early start time won't help.  The Blue Jackets will have to open up and take more chances if they fall behind as expected. This could mean extended open net time, too. 

The total during this series has gone from a high of 6 1/2 down to 5 1/2 with juice at some books for this Game 5 matchup.  Perhaps 6 1/2 was a stopping point. But even though the last two games have fallen well short of going Over, I still believe Over is the way to go with these two teams especially now where 5 1/2's were still available.  I don't see 35-year-old Corey Crawford finding the fountain of youth and stringing together two straight monster performances. The Golden Knights played well in Game 4 and fired 49 shots on Crawford. He stopped 48 of them. Now two days later, Crawford has to stand tall again against a peaking Golden Knights team and a leaky, mistake-prone defense.  Golden Knights Coach Pete DeBoer said he wasn't worried about his team's offense. I'm not either. The Golden Knights will get their share of goals. They could come close to exceeding this total just by themselves.  The Blackhawks, with their style of favoring speed over physical play, is built for higher-scoring games. Chicago has produced 3 or more goals in seven of its last nine games. 
 

The Blackhawks have nothing to be ashamed of. They made the playoffs taking out the Oilers in round-robin play. The Blackhawks also didn't get swept by the Golden Knights during this Stanley Cup playoff series because they won Game 4 two days ago. But now the clock has struck midnight for Chicago.  The Golden Knights could be the best team in hockey. They out-chanced the Blackhawks, 41-4, in losing this past Sunday despite playing perhaps their best game of the series. There is a huge class and depth difference in this series. The Blackhawks have some great veterans, but they also have a lot of youth and their third line can't compete with the Golden Knights' third line.  Las Vegas is up 3-1 in the series despite not scoring a single power-play goal. That's due to change. The Golden Knights had the ninth-best power play during the regular season.  Now the Golden Knights have added motivation after losing in their last game. The edges are all there, so I feel confident in backing the Golden Knights at a plus price laying 1 1/2 goals rather than laying heavy juice. 
 
   

The Aces were fortunate to play the sinking Mystics during their last game this past Saturday. Perhaps bothered by an early start time, they didn't play well. But now the Aces are fully rested and have revenge for their most frustrating defeat of the season - an 88-86 loss to Chicago on July 26. The Sky scored the final 11 points in that contest to pull out the victory. Las Vegas has won seven in a row. The Aces are the second-best team in the league right now behind only Seattle. The Aces lead the league in scoring and can take advantage of the turnover-prone Sky. 

The starting pitching choice is Austin Voth, or Josh Tomlin followed for sure by a bevy of Atlanta relief pitchers. In other words, this is an Atlanta bullpen game. I'll take Voth, a promising pitcher with a good history against the Braves. Voth holds a 2.70 lifetime ERA versus Atlanta in 16 2/3 innings.  Tomlin has a 4.61 career ERA against the Nationals in eight appearances. This will be his first start since last season. Tomlin probably isn't going to pitch more than three or four innings putting the Braves' middle relievers into action.  The Nationals' offense has picked up with a healthy Juan Soto. The blossoming superstar is batting .433 with six homers in his last eight games. Washington is averaging 7.5 runs in its last four games. 

The Canadiens certainly caught the Flyers' attention when they whipped them, 5-0, in Game 2 of this series. The Flyers came back to nip Montreal, 1-0, on Sunday.  The Flyers are the superior team and they reinserted themselves with that victory. I don't see this series going more than five games so I like the Flayers. The lay price isn't too high to back the better team.  Philadelphia is 12-2 following a victory and has beaten Montreal in nine of the last 13 meetings. 
 

Now it's time for the Bucks to get serious. The Raptors and Celtics, their main competitors for the Eastern Conference crown, each won their opening playoff games on Monday. Both covered the spread, too. A combination of urgency, Orlando injuries and the Magic's poor history of stepping up versus strong competition bodes well for the Bucks covering even as double-digit favorites. The Magic are 3-12 ATS the last 15 times going against above .500 opponents. The Bucks owned the Magic this season going 4-0 with a winning average margin of 17 points. The Bucks not only led the NBA in points per game at 118.7, but also gave up the fewest points in the paint. The formula to beat the Bucks is to be hot from 3-point range and be able to control Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Magic rank 25th in 3-point accuracy and lack a defensive stopper to deal with Antetokounmpo.  Aaron Gordon is best suited to guard Antetokounmpo. Gordon, however, is doubtful due to a hamstring injury. Even if he plays, he won't be 100 percent. Not ideal when taking on arguably the NBA's best player. Gordon isn't the only player hurt for Orlando. Jonathan Isaac is out as is backup point guard Michael Carter-Williams. Both are strong defenders.  The Magic are likely to fall behind and they lack the necessary firepower to get back into the game. This hurts them, too, if things turn into a fourth quarter garbage affair because the Bucks have an excellent bench. So I doubt Orlando's back-door capability. 
  

This series has the makings of going the full seven games. There have been three close games and the Bruins have managed to win two of three.  I see the Hurricanes evening the series here. I'm not buying into the perception that Boston is the better overall team.  The Bruins are 1-7 the past eight times they've been playoff chalk. The Hurricanes have won seven of their last nine games.  There have been significant developments since the series began. The Hurricanes have lost Andrei Svechnikov, their No. 2 goal scorer and a rising star. The Bruins are without their starting goalie as Tuukka Rask decided to leave the bubble to be with his family. It's 50-50, too, if the Bruins get back injured David Pastrnak.  Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak was up to the task in Boston's Game 3 victory, 3-1, stopping 29 of 30 shots. Halak may not be that effective in this next matchup. 

No more hearing about Matthew Boyd being underrated because he isn't. He shouldn't even be in a starting rotation anymore with how poorly he's pitched this season. Boyd is 0-2 with a 10.24 ERA. He hasn't reached the sixth inning during any of his four starts.  The White Sox just faced Boyd this past Wednesday. They tagged him for seven earned runs on seven hits - including two homers - and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.  If you discount a 5-1 loss to the Cardinals, the White Sox are averaging 6.2 runs in their last four games. Their bats are heating up and their ballpark, Guaranteed Rate Field, is a real hitter's park this time of season when the weather is hot.  The Tigers hit lefties much better than righthanders and draw past-his-prime southpaw Gio Gonzalez, who has a 6.61 ERA. Detroit just saw Gonzalez six days ago, although Gonzalez limited the Tigers to two runs in 4 2/3 innings. On the season, though, Gonzalez has surrendered 34 baserunners in 16 1/3 innings.  The Tigers are averaging 6.7 runs in their last eight games, not including a 3-1 loss to the Indians. 

The feeling here is the Celtics have been laying in the weeds. They are going to be dangerous in these playoffs and are a much better team than the 76ers especially with Philly missing injured Ben Simmons and with Joel Embiid once again not 100 percent.  Boston is 22-14 away from home. Philadelphia is 12-26. But the 76ers' problems don't end there. The Celtics own edges at four of the five starting spots with Simmons out. Philly's lone matchup edge is Embiid against Boston's lunch-pail centers Daniel Theis and Robert Williams. Embiid suffered a bruised hand last Wednesday, too. So he might be hampered.  The Celtics are loaded with athletic wing players. Simmons was the 76ers' best defensive player. Boston can set up mismatches all across the court and savvy coach Brad Stevens knows how to do that especially given extra time. The 76ers can't counter a playmaker like Kemba Walker, nor do they have the scorers to match Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Haywood.  The 76ers didn't have enough time in the bubble to build the on-court chemistry needed to beat a high caliber opponent with their new starting lineup of Tobias Harris, Al Horford, Embiid, Josh Richardson and Shake Milton. Those five had limited minutes together during three of their last four seeding games.  It doesn't bode well for the 76ers that they surrendered 53 points to T.J. Warren and 51 to Damian Lillard during the seeding games. 

The Blue Jackets are a tough out with proven resiliency. They are 3-0 in the postseason following a defeat.  So I see value at this price taking the underdog Blue Jackets and their red-hot goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who has a 1.51 GAA and .956 saver percentage in seven playoff games. Tampa Bay is 3-7 the last 10 times it has been favored.  It's an added bonus for the Blue Jackets if Cam Atkinson returns to the lineup. He's missed the last two games due to an undisclosed injury. 

The Flyers are far superior to the Canadiens. I thought the Flyers could sweep their series against Montreal. That's not going to happen after the Canadiens embarrassed Philadelphia, 5-0, on Friday.  The Flyers are not happy with that defeat especially after the Canadiens still used their top power play unit up 5-0 in the third period.  Carey Price is stepping up for Montreal. But I still like youngster Carter Hart more as Price is past his prime.  Even with that stinging loss, the Flyers are 20-6 in their last 26 games. Their top five scorers have yet to produce a goal in the series. They are way overdue for a breakout performance. I see that happening here. 
 

I don't see the Rangers sweeping the Rockies at Coors Field. That could happen, though, if Colorado starter Jon Gray doesn't pitch better.  If there's one area Gray does well, though, is beat American League teams at home. He is 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six career interleague starts at Coors. American League batters are hitting only .159 against him at Coors.  Youngster Kolby Allard goes for the Rangers. He's never pitched at Coors Field. 
 The Rockies have been held in check for two games now scoring six runs against the Rangers. Their bats have yet to be held in check for three straight games all season. Colorado ranks first in batting average and has scored the third most runs in the majors.  

The Mariners are back to being who we thought they would be. They are 3-12 in their last 15 games.  Seattle has managed only nine runs in its last five games and just three runs during its last three games.  Lance McCullers Jr. should be set up for success against the Mariners. McCullers looked great in his comeback from Tommy John surgery during his last start. That came against the Giants this past Tuesday giving up just one hit in seven scoreless innings. McCullers also is 7-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 12 lifetime starts versus the Mariners.  The Astros draw Seattle rookie Justus Sheffield. He has a high ceiling, but is being force-fed this season and taking his lumps. His ERA sits at 5.27.

Lance Lynn isn't pitching this game for Texas. That's a buy sign on Colorado especially with German Marquez taking the mound.  Marquez tamed the Rangers when he faced them opening day limiting Texas to one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. But Lynn beat the Rockies that day, 1-0. Lynn also defeated the Rockies, 3-2 on Friday.  Marquez has been solid all season not giving up more than two earned runs during any of his four starts. He has a 2.08 ERA and knows how to pitch at Coors Field.  The same can't be said for Kyle Gibson, who is scheduled to make the start here for Texas. Gibson is 4-11 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 20 career interleague starts. This horrible mark doesn't include any games at Coors Fields either. This is the first time Gibson will pitch at the best hitting park in the majors.  Gibson surrendered four runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Mariners during his last start five days ago. The Mariners rank 26th in scoring averaging fewer than four runs per game. The Rockies lead the majors in runs scored at 5.5. They also are No. 1 in batting average. So Gibson is stepping way up in class. The Rangers by the way, rank 28th in runs at 3.6.   The Rockies are 9-4 during their last 13 home games while the Rangers are 3-9 in their past 12 road contests. 

Chicago has an up-tempo, attack mentality and proven offensive stars in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Kane.  The Blackhawks also have too much youth and playoff inexperience, which leads to mistakes on defense. Las Vegas goes four lines deep. The Golden Knights have the depth to always apply offensive pressure on the Blackhawks. Las Vegas' second line of Jonathan Marchessault, Paul Stastny and Reilly Smith have been particularly effective in this series.  The Blackhawks are giving up 3.8 goals in their last six games. The Golden Knights are averaging 4.4 goals in their last seven games. Las Vegas has scored 4 or more goals in all but one of its past seven games.  Chicago is averaging 3.7 goals in its last seven games. The Over has won eight of the last 11 times these teams have met.  

The Golden Knights took the Blackhawks' best punch in Game 2 on Thursday and still won, 4-3 in overtime. The Golden Knights blew a multiple goal lead in that game. I don't see that happening here.  The Golden Knights' depth, playoff experience and defense is too much for the Blackhawks' mix of a few stars, playoff newcomers and lack of defense.  So I'm going to take a plus price on the Golden Knights winning by more than one goal rather than lay heavy juice.  When the Golden Knights win, it's often by more than one goal. That has been the case in eight of their last 11 victories. 

The Liberty are without their offensive key, injured guard Sabrina Ionescu.  The Lynx are without Sylvia Fowles, who is the WNBA's all-time leading rebounder. Fowles was a major part of the Lynx's offense. Minnesota is a very good defensive team. So I expect a strong defensive effort from the Lynx knowing Fowles is out. The Liberty should have a lot of intensity, too, as their coach is a former assistant coach for the Lynx and the team has short revenge.

This is a big revenge game for New York coach Walt Hopkins, who was a former assistant for the Lynx.  Hopkins is a good coach and should have the Liberty fired up after they lost, 92-66, to Minnesota 10 days ago.  The Liberty has looked better the last few games as they adjust to being without Sabrina Ionescu.  The Lynx are without a key player, too - Syliva Fowles. She suffered a calf injury during an 87-77 loss to the Aces two days ago. That's a huge loss for Minnesota. 
  

Sparked by one of the top No. 1 lines in hockey, the Avalanche finished with the fourth-highest scoring offense in the NHL. They have scored 3 or more goals in 11 of their last 14 games.  So Colorado is going to produce its share of goals here. But what about the more conservative Coyotes? They've played a tight-checking style during the first two games of the series. It hasn't worked. They are down 2-0 in the series after losing 3-0 and then 3-2 on Friday.  I see Arizona coming out more aggressive, trying to open things up because they lack Colorado's depth. Down 2-0, the Coyotes can't afford to play tight anymore.  This is the third time in four days the teams are meeting. So there's a fatigue factor, which could lead to sloppiness and more blueline mistakes than usual. 

Portland can be a dangerous No. 8 seed. But the Trail Blazers are not at their best when laying mid-range points. They are 6-13-1 ATS the past 20 times laying points to a below .500 opponent.   So I'm liking underdog Memphis in this point spread range. The Grizzlies are in must-win mode and have the young talent to pull off the upset. They lack Portland's experience. That negative, though, is reduced by the matchup being played at a neutral site with no fans.  If the Trail Blazers lose, they are not eliminated like the Grizzlies would be with a loss. As the No. 8 seed, the Trail Blazers would get another chance on Sunday to play the Grizzlies. Only then would Portland be eliminated if it were to lose.  This is going to be the Trail Blazers' third game in five days. They have played three close games beating the shorthanded 76ers, Mavericks and depleted Nets by a combined seven points. Brooklyn nearly upset the Trail Blazers on Thursday, losing 134-133. The Grizzlies are more dangerous than the Nets.  Memphis also will be in action for the third time in five days. However, the Grizzlies are younger and off a confidence-boosting victory against the Bucks on Thursday.  The Grizzlies give up three fewer points per game than the Trail Blazers. 

The Sun is playing much better and has short revenge. Connecticut is 3-1 in its last four games after opening 0-5.  The Sun's lone defeat during their past four games was against Chicago. The Sky defeated the Sun, 100-93, this past Saturday. The Sky made 55.2 percent of their shots from the floor yet still won by just seven points. On the season, the Sky shoot 49 percent. That leads the league, but still is much lower than 55.2 percent.  
 

Watch out for Vancouver. The Canucks have won four in a row. Their speed and scoring depth was on display in Game 1 of this series when the Canucks defeated the Blues, 5-2. The Canucks are peaking while the Blues have serious problems. So while I respect the defending Stanley Cup champions, I believe the wrong team is favored here.  St. Louis has yet to win since hockey resumed going winless in the four-team round-robin tournament. The Blues have key injuries and Vladimir Tarasenko hasn't been 100 percent following a shoulder injury suffered this past October. Alex Steen and Sammy Blais missed Game 1 against Vancouver due to injuries.  Another problem for the Blues is the subpar play of goalie Jordan Binnington. He was great last season. Not now, though. He's struggling and his GAA of 3.6 during his last five starts reflects that. 

Arizona's style is to hang around hoping for a break since the Coyotes can't come close to matching Colorado's firepower.  The Coyotes were heavily outshot in Game 1, but that strategy was working because the score was 0-0 going into the final seven minutes. Then a controversial interference penalty was called on the Coyotes. Colorado scored on the power play and then added two more goals to win, 3-0.  The Avalanche is content to play Arizona's conservative, tight-checking style hoping to wear out the Coyotes like they did in Game 1.  Colorado held Arizona to only 14 shots on goal, but Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said his team is capable of playing better defense.  Note this game starts early - noon Edmonton time. Early starts often are a plus for the Under. 

Each team has gone a surprising 5-2 during the reboot. The line is large here because the Trail Blazers clinch the No. 8 seed in the West with a victory while the Nets' playoff spot is locked at No. 7 in the East. The Nets will meet the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs.  So the assumption is the Trail Blazers will bury the Nets. That's an assumption I'm not buying into.  First, let's examine Portland. The Trail Blazers are in the eighth spot in the West. They are 34-39, which is one-half game ahead of the Grizzlies and Suns. Those two teams are 33-39. The Spurs are still in the hunt at 32-38.  The Grizzlies, Suns and Spurs all play afternoon games. The Trail Blazers-Nets is the lone night matchup. So there's a chance the Trail Blazers may already have clinched a playoff spot before they even play. The Grizzlies are facing the Bucks. The Suns are taking on the Mavericks. The Spurs draw the Jazz. Portland's intensity would go way down if its playoff spot already is determined. Portland coach Terry Stotts would likely heavily reduce the playing time of his starters, too, especially CJ McCollum, who is playing with a broken bone in his back.  But let's say that scenario doesn't happen. The Nets still are very live here. They have gelled under interim coach Jacque Vaughn producing strong efforts while displaying excellent chemistry. Brooklyn has beaten both the Bucks and Clippers in the Orlando bubble.  The Nets held out Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen during their victory against the equally depleted Magic two days ago. Word is all three of those players will be back against the Trail Blazers.  Vaughn was quoted as saying, "We talked about having some rhythm going into the playoffs. So all guys in that starting unit will be available to start. We'll see how the game progresses, but I'm looking forward to getting some rhythm back on the floor."  Damian Lillard draws all the publicity. But LeVert is an excellent player. Harris is underrated and Allen has thrived with increased minutes. The Nets also have been getting a major contribution from unheralded guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. He scored 26 points against the Bucks hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers.  The Trail Blazers, even with motivation, aren't some dominant team that can easily cover double-digit spreads against spunky underdogs. They beat the Mavericks by three points and 76ers by three points in their last two games. The 76ers played without Ben Simmons and lost Joel Embiid in the first quarter. 
     

 These two teams are at the next tier below Seattle. Minnesota is the better rebounding team and gives up 4 1/2 fewer points per game than Las Vegas. The Lynx also are better coached. I can see them frustrating the Aces. The Lynx are 5-1 when Sylvia Fowles plays and she is back healthy. The Lynx have covered six of their last nine regular season games as an underdog.   

 Not only do the Lynx rank No. 2 in fewest points allowed per game at 75, but they also are second in defensive field goal percentage. They are well coached under Cheryl Reeve and won't get into a track meet with the Aces. Quite the opposite as they will slow down the pace.  The Aces are a top-four defensive team. They have a strong perimeter defense. So the Lynx will be going deep into the shot clock. 

The Bruins weren't sharp during the round robin series. They were able to get past the Hurricanes, 4-3, in double overtime on Wednesday, though. The Hurricanes hadn't played in seven days after sweeping the Rangers in a qualifying series. The rust showed because the Hurricanes were sluggish. Yet they nearly won. Expect a much better effort from the Hurricanes today. Fatigue shouldn't factor for them either since they had been idle for so long prior to yesterday.  The Hurricanes haven't forgotten the Bruins sweeping them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Carolina has better scoring depth than Boston and its top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen can match the Bruins' powerful No. 1 line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.  Carolina swept the Rangers despite not having key defenseman Dougie Hamilton. He played Wednesday, though. So that's a major plus for the Hurricanes.  The Bruins have yet to convert a power play opportunity this month going 0-for-13. 
 

Since there were just five goals scored in Game 1 of this series, the oddsmaker opened the total at 6 with juice to the Over instead of 6 1/2.  I think that's a mistake.  This is going to be a high-scoring series just like the Blackhawks had against the Oilers.  I respect the Golden Knights' defense. They were impressive in Las Vegas' 4-1 Game 1 win keeping the Blackhawks bottled up in their own end most of the game. The Blackhawks are playing on house money. They really shouldn't be here. So I see them playing even more loose than normal. They know they can't win a tight, defensive game. They have some outstanding offensive players. Chicago has scored 3 or more goals in 10 of its last 12 games. Expect an up-tempo game.  The Golden Knights have scored 3 or more goals in 12 of their last 14 games. They have produced 4 or more goals in five of their last six games against much better defenses than Chicago. The Blackhawks lack the defensive depth to counter Las Vegas' outstanding line depth. 

The Blackhawks upset the Oilers in their qualifying series. But they are very much outclassed in this series. That showed in the Golden Knights' 4-1 victory in Game 1.  Look for the Golden Knights to roll to another multiple goal victory aided by their top goal and point scorer, Max Pacioretty. He missed Las Vegas' three round-robin games, but played in Game 1. Pacioretty should play better in this game.  The Blackhawks don't play clean enough on the backend to keep the Golden Knights from scoring. Las Vegas is averaging 4.5 goals in its last six games. The Golden Knights also have a huge defense advantage with Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, Alec Martinez and Nate Schmidt. 

The Mets are a below average team both offensively and pitching-wise. The Nationals have begun the season slow, but now their offense is healthy. I expect them to make a move. Having Juan Soto back in the lineup makes a difference. Washington is averaging 8 runs during its last three games. I like Nationals starter Austin Voth. I think he's below-the-radar. He had a 3.30 ERA and 1.05 WHIP last season. He has a 1.80 ERA this season while entering his prime.  David Peterson hopes to show he can be a reliable starter for the Mets. Peterson is getting a chance because Marcus Stroman, Michael Wacha and Noah Syndergaard are all out.  My preference is Voth. It's a bonus to get him at a plus price in this matchup.

Maybe the Blues can just turn it on. But I'll take a plus price to fade the defending Stanley Cup champions in this Game 1 playoff matchup. The Blues went 0-3 in their round-robin postseason games. They are 6-13 the past 19 times facing an above .500 opponent.  Goalie Jordan Binnington, who was so instrumental in the Blues' capturing the Stanley Cup last season, isn't playing well with a 4.10 GAA and .895 save percentage during the round-robin competition.  The Canucks have their confidence up after beating the Wild in four games during their qualifying series. They have played the Blues strong this season winning twice while losing once, which came in overtime. 

Atlanta's Star rookie guard Chennedy Carter suffered an ankle injury on Monday. The Dream's offense is going to suffer especially against the defensive-minded Storm, who rank either first or second in fewest points allowed, defensive field goal percentage and 3-point defensive percentage.  Carter is leading the Dream in scoring and assists.  Seattle has held four of its last five foes to 75 points or fewer. 

Kudos to the Canadiens for taking out the Penguins during the qualifying rounds. But now reality strikes for the Canadiens. They draw the Flyers. The Flyers are deserving of being the top seed in the Eastern Conference.  But are they deserving of laying 1 1/2 goals against Montreal in this first game matchup?  Put it this way: Each of the Flyers' last 10 victories have been by more than one goal.  If you discount a 2-0 loss to the Bruins, the Flyers are averaging 4.2 goals during their last 17 games. They are giving up 1.2 goals in their past seven games.  The Canadiens have surrendered three or more goals in eight of their last 11 games. They are averaging just 1.8 goals during their past seven games. Clear class difference. So I'm going to turn a high lay price into a huge plus price by banking on the Flyers to win by more than one goal. 

I don't see the Angels sweeping the A's after winning the first two games of this series. Oakland is the far superior team so I'm attracted to the A's at this short price.  A's starter Chris Bassitt is underrated. The righthander has pitched very well with a 1.08 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Oakland is 6-0 in Bassitt's last six starts. The Angels are 4-8 versus righties. They also have a losing record in day games.  This isn't a fade on Angels starter Griffin Canning. He's coming off a tough start in a loss to the Rangers this past Friday. But he's a promising pitcher. I just like Bassitt, the situation where the A's are trying not to get swept and Oakland being the better team. 

The Golden Knights are not the Oilers, the team the Blackhawks took out to reach this point. Unlike the Oilers, the Golden Knights are not brain dead.  Las Vegas' case to bury the defensively-challenged Blackhawks is the return of Max Pacioretty, the team's leading scorer. He makes the Golden Knights' power play more deadly and helps Las Vegas field three strong attacking lines.  I see a big disparity between these two teams, so I'm laying 1 1/2 goals and taking the Golden Knights on the run line. 

The Blackhawks are on house money after upsetting the Oilers to reach this stage. They are offensive-oriented and make mistakes defensively.  The Blackhawks averaged 4 goals per game in beating the Oilers in four games. Chicago has scored 3 or more goals in 10 of its last 12 games.  The Over has cashed in 16 of the past 21 instances when the Blackhawks have played on 3 or more day's rest. The Golden Knights are averaging 4.6 goals in their last six games. They led the league in shots on goal. The Over has cashed seven of the last nine times these teams have met. 

 

 Derek Fisher likes to talk defense. Well now his LA Sparks actually have a decent chance of playing defense. The Liberty have managed 67, 66, 74 and 76 points since losing star rookie and sparkplug Sabrina Ionescu to an ankle injury. New York has had to step up defensively in the wake of Ionescu being out. They've done that in their last two games holding the Mystics and Aces to an average of 72 points.  The oddsmaker is starting to adjust to Ionescu's absence. Just not enough. 

I can't help but be attracted to the better team getting a solid plus price. That's the case here.   The A's are much superior to the Angels. They have been solid on the road, too, winning 12 of their last 16 away games.  The Angels are favored being at home and because of how well Dylan Bundy has pitched this season. Bundy always flashed, but he never was this consistent when he was with the Orioles. The Angels are a much better fit for Bundy. I've always liked his potential. Perhaps, however, there is some regression coming.  The basis of my handicap is a play on the A's and Mike Fiers at this 'dog price. All the A's do when the righthander pitches is win. They are 21-5 during Fiers' last 26 starts for 81 percent! This includes a 3-0 mark this season.  The Angels have lost 39 of the last 52 times when they faced a righty starter. 

The Padres nipped the Dodgers, 2-1, on Monday night. The Dodgers have followed up their last four defeats by winning their next game by multiple runs.  San Diego is improved this season. But they are at least two tiers beneath the Dodgers' "A" level.  The Padres are 4-13 the last 17 times they've been a road 'dog.  Dodgers starter Ross Stripling is solid. He would be a No. 2 type starter on some clubs. I expect him to come in with a solid effort.  Garrett Richards continues on his comeback trail. He's 0-1 with a 4.60 ERA. The Dodgers just saw him this past Wednesday and got to him for four runs on five hits in five innings. 

Ordinarily it would be dangerous to go Under in a game involving these two teams. Neither team plays defense and neither's team coach is any good. But these are unique and different circumstances.  Both teams are out of the playoff chase now after being eliminated on Sunday.  So concentration could be an issue. More important, though, for the Under is the number of important scorers who are not going to play.  The Pelicans are holding out Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jrue Holiday. Those are their three best offensive players. The Kings won't be playing De'Aaron Fox, Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III. Kent Bazemore might not play either. The key is Fox. He's the Kings' main offensive guy and sets a fast tempo for them. His absence really hurts their offense. 

This is one of those risk vs. reward matchups. If healthy, Max Scherzer versus Rick Porcello is a monster mismatch, far higher than what the lay price is now. But is Scherzer healthy? He only pitched one inning during his last start six days ago because he tweaked his hamstring.  Indications are he is fine. He had a bullpen session on Sunday and everything went well. I don't think the Nationals would risk Scherzer if they weren't totally convinced he was 100 percent.  The other hesitation I had was about Washington's hitting. But the Nationals broke out of their hitting slump in a big way on Monday scoring 16 runs against the Mets. Their lineup is healthy again. Juan Soto makes a huge difference.  Porcello is nothing but a glorified innings-eater. His ERA on the season is 6.92. 

Bad spot for the Blue Jackets and a monster revenge spot for Tampa Bay. That combination makes me lay this price with the Lightning. The Lightning were shockingly swept by the Blue Jackets last season after a dominant regular season. They will have tremendous motivation.  The Blue Jackets took out the Maple Leafs in five games during their series. The finale of that series was Sunday. This is an early start time. So the turnaround is very short for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have struggled to score averaging just 2.1 goals per game during their last eight games. Tampa Bay is unlikely to have Victor Hedman, one of the better defensemen in the league. But the Lightning have the depth to overcome his loss. This is the Lightning's season as a Game 1 upset loss could send them into the type of tailspin they experienced last year in the Stanley Cup. 

Look at the National League standings and you'll find a surprise leader: the Colorado Rockies. They have the best mark in the NL at 11-4. 

 The Rockies may be playing above their heads, but I like them to win here at home against the 6-10 Diamondbacks.  Colorado is pitching its ace, Jon Gray. Arizona is going with lefty Robbie Ray. The Rockies are 7-0 the past seven times facing a southpaw starter. Ray is a great strikeout artist, but a mediocre pitcher. He's never been able to harnas his control and it's evident again this season. He has a 9.45 ERA and 1.95 WHIP. He doesn't go deep into games either because he throws so many pitches.  Ray has a 5.20 career ERA in 17 starts against the Rockies. Current Rockies are batting a combined .328 against him in 214 plate appearances.  Gray's .694 home winning percentage is second-best in franchise history.  Arizona has lost 10 of the last 12 times it has been a road 'dog. Colorado has defeated the Diamondbacks six of the past eight times at Coors Field. 
 

The Heat are going to be healthy for this matchup getting back Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic. 

 The teams last met on Jan. 14 and the Heat won by 14 points. There was bad blood in that game between Butler and T.J. Warren.  The Heat are in bounce back mood after losing to the Suns while missing Butler and Dragic. Miami has covered 20 of the last 27 times following a loss. Indiana, on the other hand, is off a victory against the Lakers. 

There's a class difference between these two teams. Given that and the starting pitching matchup, I'm going to back Tampa Bay at this short lay price. The Rays' Ryan Yarbrough is a dependable starter. The Red Sox are likely to use this matchup as a bullpen game. That's fine if you have a good bullpen. The Red Sox don't. Tampa Bay is 8-2 the past 10 times facing Boston. The Rays have won during each of their last four games in Boston. 

This is a battle of two disappointing teams.  Atlanta has lost five in a row. The Dream players hate their co-owner Kelly Loeffler because of off-court issues.  I trust Connecticut more. The Sun have begun to play better going 1-1 in their last two games. They looked very good in beating Dallas, 91-68, this past Thursday. There was no shame when they lost 100-92 to Chicago on Saturday as the Sky could be the most improved team in the league.  The Sun took three of four from the Dream last season. 

The Rockets are 3-1 since play resumed. They are playing for playoff seeding and aren't going to give up a game to the Kings, who aren't playing defense and haven't looked good. The Kings realistically know their playoff hopes are gone since they've gone 1-4 in the bubble.  The Kings gave up 140 points in a loss to the Pelicans this past Thursday and then lost to the short-handed Nets on Friday. This is their third game in four days. They are dazed and demoralized.  Houston has too much firepower and incentive for the Kings to stay close.

The defending WNBA champion Mystics are in stop-the-pain mode losing three in a row with the latest loss being an embarrassing defeat to previously winless New York. Washington is down from a year ago, but the Mystics are better than this and will be highly motivated in this matchup after probably their most humiliating loss ever in the Mike Thibault era. Injuries have prevented the Fever from being any good. Victoria Vivians, Natalie Achonwa and Stephanie Mavunga are all dealing with injuries and Erica Wheeler is in COVID-19 protocol. 

Since losing rookie guard and key to its offense, Sabrina Ionescu, New York has scored 66, 67 and 74 points. The Liberty are heavy on rookies and lack a focal point on offense. I see the Liberty as a dead nuts Under team until they show more firepower. The Liberty know to have any chance they must play extremely tough defense. They did that in their last game holding Washington to just 66 points. That was 20 points Under the Mystics' scoring average. The Aces are a decent defensive team. They rank in the top four in defensive scoring, field goal percentage and 3-point defensive percentage.

The Aces are playing their best ball with consecutive victories against Dallas, Washington and Los Angeles.  The Liberty is a huge letdown spot after stunning the defending WNBA champion Mystics in their last game two days ago. The Liberty pulled off the upset as 16 1/2-point 'dogs. Las Vegas has won the last two games in the series, winning those matchups by an average of 33 1/2 points. 

The prideful Spurs aren't giving up on trying to make the playoffs for a record 23 consecutive seasons. They are still alive, but can't afford to take a loss to the Pelicans.

 I don't see that happening. San Antonio has a better record than New Orleans. The Spurs have covered four of the last five times they've been an underdog.  The Spurs are capable of playing much better than they did in their last game, a 119-111 win against the short-handed Jazz this past Friday.  The Pelicans have talent. But they are not well coached. There is a huge coaching disparity between Gregg Popovich and Alvin Gentry.  The Pelicans are heavily reliant on Zion Williamson. They have a minus 10-point difference when he's not on the court. Williamson has averaged fewer than 20 minutes a game during the resumption of the season.  New Orleans has played a weak schedule. The Pelicans' last three games were against the Wizards, Kings - who they lost 140-125 to - and Grizzlies. They are 1-4 ATS following a victory. This marks their third game in four days. 

It's enticing to see a total of less than double-digits when the Twins are involved against a rookie pitcher.  The powerful Twins face Brady Singer, who is stepping up in class and has been prone to the long ball giving up four homers in his last 10 innings.  The weather conditions are favorable for plenty of runs to be scored. Temperatures will be in the 90's with the wind blowing out to left at 13-15 mph.  So why did the house open with such a low total?  There is respect for Twins starter Jose Berrios. However, Berrios has been far less effective when pitching on the road and has a 4.29 ERA in 13 career starts versus Kansas City. The Royals also are swinging hot bats averaging 8.3 runs in their last three games. 

This is not the season to be backing the pitching-less Red Sox. Boston has lost 11 of the last 16 times it has been a home favorite. At this price, I'm going to make a value play and take the Blue Jays, who have a better record than the Red Sox.  Boston has a terrible bullpen and its starting pitching rotation has been decimated by injuries, trades and defections. Nathan Eovaldi, who gets the start here, could be the Red Sox's best starter. Eovaldi throws hard, but always has been inconsistent. He had a 7.71 ERA in two starts against Toronto last season.  I believe Toronto's Matt Shoemaker can pitch well now that he has gotten the rust off. This will be his third start. He is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four lifetime appearances versus the Red Sox, which includes three starts. 

OK, I'm on the Suns' bandwagon. Phoenix is the lone unbeaten team in the Orlando bubble. The Suns suddenly are live for a playoff spot. They are playing at a high level and will have the best player on the court with Devin Booker as Jimmy Butler is out. The Heat are 6-7 this season when Butler hasn't played. The Heat also likely will be without Goran Dragic. He's not 100 percent recovered from an ankle injury. This has put added pressure on rookie Kendrick Nunn, who is struggling without Butler and Dragic out. Nunn has missed 23 of his last 30 shots.  The Heat have clinched their playoff berth so they don't have the incentive and intensity the Suns have. 

The world champion Nationals were embarrassed, 11-0, by the lowly Orioles on Friday in the first game of this rivalry interleague series.  Look for the Nationals to get their revenge today.  Not only were the Nationals humiliated at home, but there is a strong sense of urgency. That loss dropped the Nationals to 4-6. The regular season is just 60 games.  Baltimore is 32-82 in its next game following a victory.  The Nationals are finally at full strength and have the superior starting pitcher going in a matchup of Thomas Eshelman versus Austin Voth. Eshelman is a fill-in for John Means. So this could turn into a bullpen game for the Orioles.  Voth had tremendous success in his previous start against the Orioles. That came last July when he beat them, 8-1, giving up one run on four hits and one walk in six innings.
  

Chicago is much improved, improved enough to be a contender to win the WNBA title. The Sky, though, are coming off a 96-86 loss to Phoenix from Thursday. So I see a focused, intense effort from Chicago. The Sky also have back Sydney Colson. She had missed the first five games due to COVID-19. The Suns halted their five-game losing streak by rolling past Dallas, 91-68, this past Thursday. So their intensity could be down a notch. 

I'm not sold on the Golden Knights' defense right now. Las Vegas has given up at least three goals in four of its last five games. The Golden Knights have had problems with Colorado this season giving up 13 goals in two games.  The Avalanche have produced three or more goals in eight of their last 11 games. But I also envision the Golden Knights getting their share of goals. It's a plus if their leading scorer, Max Pacioretty, is ready to return to the lineup. He has yet to play since the season resumed. 
 Las Vegas notched five goals versus Dallas and six against St. Louis in its two games following the layoff. 

The Dodgers are one of the best teams in the majors. The Giants are one of the worst.  LA has nine victories, eight of them by more than one run. San Francisco has eight losses, seven of them by more than one run. So I feel confident in laying 1 1/2 runs on the run line to reduce the heavy juice.  Dodgers starter Julio Urias has been living up to his considerable promise so far this season. He has a 1.16 lifetime ERA versus the Giants in seven career starts. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija is nothing more than an innings-eater. He's been bad again this season with a 9.31 ERA. 

Credit to the Blackhawks for pulling out a victory on Wednesday to take a 2-1 series lead on the Oilers. But I'm still convinced the Oilers are the better team. So I'm behind them in this do-or-die spot.  Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who led the league in points, are too much for Chicago. Both have been hot in the postseason with Draisaitl producing six points and McDavid seven points. They've combined for eight goals. McDavid is the most dangerous offensive player in the NHL. 

The teams have played three games in their series. All three have gone Over with 10, 9 and 7 goals being scored. Perhaps the streak ends here. But I'm going to keep riding the Over. These are two offensive-minded teams. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are superstars and at the top of their games. Neither team has featured good goaltending. The Blackhawks live and die by attacking and being aggressive. This can lead to mistakes. But they are not all of a sudden going to get cautious. So the pace should remain fast.  The Oilers have scored at least 3 goals in 12 of their last 17 games.  It's not difficult to envision each team scoring at least three goals. 

New York hasn't broken the 67-point barrier since losing star rookie Sabrina Ionescu to an ankle injury in the second quarter two games ago. The Liberty are just lost offensively without Ionescu ranking last in all of the major offensive categories while also committing the most turnovers.  The Liberty have the misfortune of catching Washington off consecutive losses. So the Mystics should have their defensive intensity up. 

New York hasn't broken the 67-point barrier since losing star rookie Sabrina Ionescu to an ankle injury in the second quarter two games ago. The Liberty are just lost offensively without Ionescu ranking last in all of the major offensive categories while also committing the most turnovers.  The Liberty have the misfortune of catching Washington off consecutive losses. So the Mystics should have their defensive intensity up. 

Now that the Panthers got their victory, Iook for the Islanders to close out this series with a victory today. New York is the better team. The Panthers nipped the Islanders, 3-2, on Wednesday because the Islanders made uncharacteristic mistakes and stupid plays. Expect a much cleaner effort from them as they thrive on discipline and defense.  The Islanders had defeated the Panthers six straight times until that loss. The Panthers could be missing Jonathan Huberdeau, who is their leading scorer. He missed the last five minutes of Wednesday's game with an injury. 
 

Calgary can finally get a five-year bad taste out of its mouth. All the Flames have to do is beat the shorthanded Jets today since they lead their best-of-five series 2-1. The Flames haven't eliminated a playoff opponent since 2015. So years of pent-up frustration could occur with the Flames producing six goals like they did in their 6-2 victory on Tuesday in the previous game. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was tremendous during the regular season. But he was not sharp on Tuesday. So now his reliability comes into question especially with Calgary's top two lines playing well.  It's a plus if the Jets get back some of their injured offensive stars. I'm not counting on that happening, though. But I do believe the underdog Jets will play this game aggressively and open their play up. 

This is a high total especially as the teams play more games inside their bubble and fatigue builds up. The Sky are 12-5 to the Under when playing on one day's rest.  Chicago is shooting a league-best 48.6 percent from the floor. The Sky are improved this season, but I doubt they can keep up that high of a percentage.  Phoenix has clamped down defensively giving up an average of 70.5 points in its last two games.

Had a big underdog winner with the Mariners on Wednesday. And am coming back on them today as a big underdog again in a pitching matchup of Dylan Bundy versus Taijuan Walker. I just don't see the Angels being that much better than Seattle especially on the road. The Angels are 9-25 in their last 34 away games.  So this is another value play.  I think Bundy is better with the Angels than he was with the Orioles. The Mariners, though, just saw him last Sunday. Bundy gave up three runs on four hits in six innings in that game, which the Mariners won, 8-5.  Walker always has shown promise, but his career has been derailed by injuries. Walker is healthy now and coming off an impressive 5-3 victory against the A's six days ago where he threw seven scoreless innings giving up only one hit with eight strikeouts and two walks.  The Angels are at less than full strength with underrated shortstop Andrelton Simmons out with an ankle injury. 
    

I'm expecting Washington star defenseman John Carlson to play after he missed Monday's loss to the Lightning. Carlson practiced on Wednesday.  But even if Carlson is a no-go, I still like the Capitals in this spot. The Capitals were frustrated in a shootout loss to the Lightning. The Flyers are going to be rusty. They last played on Sunday when they defeated the Bruins, 4-1, in an underdog role. Flyers rookie goalie Carter Hart was outstanding in that win. However, the Flyers are going with 35-year-old Brian Elliott in net for this matchup. That's a break for the Capitals. 

The Suns are always live for going Over the total with their up-tempo pace and bottom-12 defense. Now the Pacers are playing much faster, too. They've adjusted their offense to feature T.J. Warren with big man Domantas Sabonis sidelined.  Warren is averaging 39.6 points in Indiana's three games in Orlando. Victor Oladipo also is rounding into shape. He's averaging 18.3 points since the season resumed.  Both teams rate in the top eight in offensive efficiency since play started again. 

Both teams are 3-0 since the NBA has resumed. The Pacers are a legitimate playoff team. The Suns are not. Phoenix still could be on Cloud 9 after upsetting the Clippers, 117-115, on Tuesday.  T.J. Warren has emerged as a star during bubble play. He'll be sky high to duplicate his huge scoring against the Suns, his former team.  The Suns are heavily reliant upon Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. The Pacers have a tough frontline to combat Ayton, an excellent defender in Malcolm Brogdon to help bother Booker and are a much deeper team. 
 

The class difference between these two teams is greater than the lay price in my view. Edmonton has too much offense for a mistake-prone Blackhawks defense. Connor McDavid is at the top of his game. There is no one better in the NHL.  The Blackhawks caught the Oilers napping in the first period of Game 1 scoring four goals. Since then during the past five periods, the Oilers have outscored the Blackhawks, 9-5.  Chicago has not done well in quick turnarounds going 9-25 the past 34 times when playing on one day rest. 

The oddsmaker set a total of 6 with juice on the Over in Game 1 of this series. The result was a 6-4 Chicago victory.  Undaunted, the oddsmaker kept the total at 6 with juice to the Over in Game 2. The Oilers won, 6-3.  Now the oddsmaker isn't being so stubborn. He's opened this Game 3 with a total of 6 1/2 with juice to the Under.  But these teams aren't changing their styles. Connor McDavid is at the top of his superstar game and the Blackhawks lack the defense to keep the Oilers from putting up multiple goals.  The Blackhawks have enough offense to contribute their share of goals.  I had easy wins with the Over in the first two games of this series. So I see no reason to change at this point. 

I don't get the oddsmaker's love of the Angels when meeting the Mariners.  I get that Seattle is bad and playing for the future. But the Angels aren't good either especially on the road where they have lost 24 of their past 33.  In this matchup, the Mariners are not only home but have the superior starting pitcher. Marco Gonzales is their No. 1 starter. He's 6-1 in 13 career starts versus the Angels. He faced them six days ago in Anaheim limiting them to three hits and two unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Seattle won that game, 8-5. Julio Teheran is set to make his Angels debut. He's been out after testing positive for COVID-19. He is making the conversion to being an American League pitcher having spent his nine-year big league career with the Braves. He's likely to be on a pitch count. 
  

This is a case of slow-starting Mike Clevinger pitching at home against Tejay Antone, who is making his big league debut.  Clevinger is better than he has shown. I'll back him against the unknown Antone and a Reds squad that has been disappointing so far this season.  Antone isn't a premier prospect. He's ranked as the Reds' 24th best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.  The Indians have been a reliable home favorite winning 10 of the last 12 times in that role. 

The Liberty lost the one player they couldn't afford to lose - star rookie guard Sabrina Ionescu. The Liberty is extremely young with seven rookies. Their offense totally was geared for Ionescu. They are rudderless without her. It doesn't help either that they are playing a very strong defensive opponent. Minnesota gives up the second-fewest points per game in the WNBA. The Lynx are not an up-tempo team. They are strong defensively, weak offensively. So they'll look to just grind things out in their usual style. 

This will be the winless Liberty's first game since star player and No. 1 draft pick guard Sabrina Ionescu suffered a serious ankle injury. I don't see the Liberty overcoming her absence, especially leaning so heavily on first-year players. New York managed only 67 points against Phoenix in the game Ionescu was injured in. The Mercury buried the Liberty by 19 points. The Liberty managed just seven assists in that game.  Minnesota ranks No. 2 defensively. The Liberty's whole offense was built around Ionescu. So the Lynx should have a much easier time defending. 

The Rays are another reliable home favorite. They are 20-6 (77 percent) the past 26 times as home chalk. Tropicana Field is a very tough road venue for opponents because of its Field Turf and odd configurations. The Red Sox have lost in five of their last six visits. Boston also is 1-7 the past eight times meeting the Rays.  Boston is down this season due to horrible pitching. The Red Sox are going with Martin Perez, who has an 8.39 ERA at Tropicana Field in five appearances, including four starts. He doesn't figure to be aided by one of the worst bullpens in the league.  The Rays are going with Ryan Yarbrough, who is pitching extremely well with a 1.54 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Tampa Bay owns the far superior bullpen, too. 
 

I expect a strong effort from the Stars after they blew a 3-1 lead to the Golden Knights on Monday in a 5-3 loss. The Stars got soft in the third period giving up four unanswered goals.  The Stars have yet to lose to Colorado in four games this season. The Avalanche escaped with a 2-1 victory against the Blues in their first game since play was halted.  I prefer Ben Bishop against any of Colorado's goalies. 

The Jazz don't have the urgency the Grizzlies do because their playoff ticket is punched. The Grizzlies are putting their postseason chances in peril having gone 0-3 since play resumed. The Grizzlies blew a game to San Antonio, losing by two points. They lost a matchup to Portland in overtime and fell to New Orleans by 10 points two days ago. The Grizzlies got good looks at the basket against the Pelicans. They just couldn't hit their shots. Memphis has the talent and coaching to adjust and fix that.  Utah is 2-13-2 ATS the past 17 times it has been favored. That's not a good role for them. The Jazz also have been having problems with their perimeter shooting. They've yet to adequately replace their second-leading scorer and top outside shooter, injured Bojan Bogdanovic. 

The Canucks were unexpectedly shut out in Game 1 on Sunday, losing 3-0. Look for the Canucks to make the necessary adjustments and get their offense rolling. Minnesota's defense and goalie Alex Stalock played over their heads in that opening series victory.  The Canucks go four lines deep. They had five players who produced 21 or more goals during the regular season. I expect a much better result from Vancouver down 0-1 in the series. 

Minnesota held up its end of the scoring producing three goals in Sunday's Game 1 of this series. Vancouver, though, was shut out by Alex Stalock. Credit to Stalock and the Wild's defense, but I don't see that happening again.  The Canucks came out tight. They have too many dangerous scorers and now have had a look at Stalock.  The Over is 11-3-1 the past 15 times the Canucks have scored two goals or less during their previous game. The Over also is 18-7-2 the past 27 times the Wild have allowed two goals or less in their past game.  The Canucks had just one power play opportunity in Game 1. That's extremely rare. Expect more 5-on-4 opportunities this time around for them. 

The Mets are likely down four starters against Patrick Corbin, who has been one of the best lefthanders in the National League during the past two seasons. Dangerous righthanded DH Yoenis Cespedes left the team and Robinson Cano, Amed Rosario and Jeff McNeil all were injured in the Mets' victory against the Braves Monday. Cano and McNeil are the Mets' two leading hitters this season. 

 The Under is 16-6-2 (73%) the past 24 times the Mets have gone against a southpaw starter.  The Nationals figure to be swinging rusty bats as they've been idle the past four days. Washington's offense has been slow during the early part of the season ranking 26th in the league in runs scored.  Mets starter Steven Matz's velocity is up this year. He should be able to handle a rusty and slow-out-of-the-gates disjointed Nationals lineup that remains without their most feared hitter, Juan Soto.