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

The playoffs have been very profitable for The Iceman so far, and much of the success has come with totals. Those who have followed would know that The Iceman plays a lot more unders than he does overs, but he's changing things up here in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. While he Warriors failed to reach the total in five of their seven games in the Western Conference Final, only two of those games saw fewer points than the total here for Game 1. When these two teams met in the Finals last year, we saw tight, low scoring games. The series opener went just over, only because of overtime. Things have changed here in 2016, with a healthy Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, these Cavs can score with the best of them. The Warriors certainly are the best of them, averaging 111 points per game in the playoffs. The Cavs come in averaging 107 points per game. The Warriors didn't play particularly well against the Thunder, but with Klay Thompson making 11 three-pointers in Game 6, and the Splash Bros hitting a combined 13-of-23 from downtown in Game 7, they survived. I think if they play that way against the Cavs they could be in for a tough series. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Miami Marlins. 

The Fish lost the opening game in this home series versus Pittsburgh, but have since won games 2 and 3. They wrap things up tonight, and I like Miami in the series finale. 

Wei Yin Chen will toe the slab for the Marlins, and he's pitched well of late. Chen (3-2, 4.37 ERA) allowed one run on two hits over five innings in a 2-1 loss at Atlanta his last time out. The Fish have prevailed in each of his last three home starts, and he struck out 12 in a 3-2 win over Milwaukee three weeks ago. 

The Pirates hand the ball to Juan Nicasio, who has struggled on the road so far. Nicasio (4-4, 4.79 ERA) allowed four runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs over 4 2/3 innings in a loss at Texas his last time out. He's 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts on the road. 

Giancarlo Stanton returned to the lineup last night, going 0-for-3. He's 2-for-6 lifetime versus Nicasio. 

Take MIA. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

We've seen three straight slugfests at Coors Field, and with a pair of struggling starters and two below average bullpens in tonight's game, the over looks like an easy call. 

Jon Moscot will toe the slab for Cincinnati, and he's coming off a shoulder injury. Moscot (0-2, 4.02 ERA) allowed three runs on four hits and four walks over just five innings in a loss to the Mets his last time out. His nine walks in three starts are three more than his six strikeouts, and a rate like that could spell disaster in a hitter's park in Colorado. 

The Rockies hand the ball to Jon Gray, who has won two of his last three starts. Gray (2-2, 5.95 ERA) gave up a pair of runs on five hits and three walks over 7 1/3 innings in a win over Boston his last time out. He struck out eight, allowing a pair of runs on five hits in seven innings in a win over the Mets in his last home start. 

The Reds bullpen is a complete disaster, ranking dead last in the majors with an ERA of 6.49. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Brewers lost Game 1 of this home series versus St. Louis by a score of 6-0, but I expect a higher scorer here in Game 2. 

Mike Leake will toe the slab for St. Louis, and he's given the Cardinals four consecutive quality starts. Leake (3-4, 3.90 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on seven hits, striking out five in seven innings in a 2-1 loss to Washington his last time out. He had won four straight prior to that, and he should look forward to more run support tonight in Milwaukee. He may need it, as the Brewers have hit him pretty hard in the past. 

Milwaukee hands the ball to Wily Peralta, who has not missed many bats this season. Peralta (3-5, 6.62 ERA) gave up two runs on seven hits and a pair of walks over 5 1/3 innings in a win over the Braves in his last start. He's been brutal at Miller Park, posting an ERA of 8.76 in five starts. Facing the Cardinals won't help, he's 4-8 with a 4.74 ERA in his last 13 starts against St. Louis. 

Matt Carpenter is hitting .457 with three home runs lifetime versus Peralta, and Matt Holliday is batting .357 with a pair of home runs against him. 

Take OVER. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

The Warriors have won back to back games to force a Game 7 at Oracle Arena, but neither of those wins were particularly convincing. They trailed 53-48 at halftime in Game 6, and they have trailed at the half in three of the last four games in this series. The only thing that saved them from elimination in Game 6 was the red hot shooting from Klay Thompson, who hit 11 three-pointers. If the Warriors are counting on Thompson (not Curry) to carry the load here in Game 7, they could be in trouble. 

The Thunder have really turned up the defensive intensity in the playoffs, not just in this series, but also in their semi finals series versus San Antonio. Steven Adams continues to own the boards, and he had three blocks in Game 6. These teams have failed to reach the total in five of the last six meetings at Golden State, and the Warriors have failed to reach the total in eight of their last 11 Conference Finals games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Sharks come into Pittsburgh well rested after dispatching of the Blues in six games. The Penguins have only had one day off after escaping with a 2-1 win in Game 7 versus Tampa Bay. The opening game of the Stanley Cup Final goes tonight, and I expect a cautious approach from both teams here. Both these teams have been riding hot goaltenders, as Martin Jones sports a record of 12-6 with a 2.13 GAA in the post season, and he had a pair of shutouts in the Western Conference Finals. Matt Murray has played well for the Pens, and was only asked to face 17 shots in Game 7 versus Tampa. These teams have a history of playing low scoring games, as five of the last six meetings have gone under, and the under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Pittsburgh.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas City Royals. 

The World Series hangover might be over for the Royals, who have seized control first place in the AL Central after winning five of six. They host the Tampa Rays at Kauffman Stadium tonight, and my money is on the defending champs. 

Ian Kennedy will toe the rubber for the Royals, and he's been a great pick up for Kansas City. Kennedy (4-3, 3.38 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings in a no decision versus Minnesota (rain delay) his last time out. Prior to that he allowed a pair of runs on six hits while striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings in a home win over Boston. He's 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in three home starts. 

The Rays hand the ball to Matt Andriese, who wasn't very sharp last time out. Andriese (3-0, 2.63 ERA) gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings in a home loss to Miami. He isn't likely to get a lot of run support from the Rays 22nd ranked offense, with a team batting average of .238. 

The Yankees beat Tampa with just one hit yesterday, handing the Rays their fourth loss in five games. 

Take KC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Diego Padres. 

The Padres are sitting dead last in the NL West, but they are just a game and a half back of Arizona. These teams have split the first two games of this series at Chase Field, and I like the visitors in the rubber match. 

Drew Pomeranz will toe the slab for San Diego, and he's been pitching far better than his record indicates. Pomeranz (2-3, 1.70 ERA) tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just a pair of hits in a no decision versus San Francisco his last time out. He's now blanked the opposition in three of his last four starts, but has just two wins to show for it. 

The D'Backs hand the ball to Archie Bradley, who makes just his third start of the season. The 23 year old right-hander surrendered nine runs on 14 hits over 10 1/3 innings in his previous two outings. 

Bradley rarely goes deep into ballgames, so the Padres should get a good crack at Arizona's 27th ranked bullpen. 

Take SD. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

The Warriors are down, but not out. After getting throttled in back-to-back games in Oklahoma City, they face elimination once again, but this time on the road. Steph Curry said after Game 4: " this is not how we're going to go out." Head coach Steve Kerr insists that Curry isn't injured, but then goes on to say that "it's the playoffs, everyone is a little banged up". 

Curry was 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in Game 4, and 3-for-11 in Game 3. He's only averaged 24 points per game in the series, well below his regular season average of 30.1 PPG. We've seen three of the first four games in this series fall well below these inflated totals, and we only saw a combined 85 points in the second half of Game 4. In an elimination game, I expect both teams to go all out on defense from start to finish. The Warriors haven't taken a lead to the locker room at halftime in any of their road games in these playoffs.
Despite scoring 31 points in Game 5, Curry was just 3-for-8 from beyond the arc. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the NYM. 

The Mets hung on to win 6-5 in the series opener at Citi Field last night, and they are a favorite here in Game 2 on Saturday. 

Noah Syndergaard will toe the slab for the home team, and he's having a fantastic 2016 campaign. Syndergaard (5-2, 1.94 ERA) has allowed just one unearned run while striking out 21 batters in 14 innings in his last two starts. He allowed a pair of runs on six hits over eight innings in a win over the Dodgers earlier this season. 

The Dodgers hand the ball to Kenta Maeda, who has really fallen apart after a successful start to his career in the majors. Maeda (3-3, 3.29 ERA) allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over five innings in a no decision his last time out. The Dodgers have lost four of his last five starts, and he's 0-3 during that span. 

Not only was Maeda out-pitched the last time these two starters went head to head, but Sydergaard hit a pair of home runs off him. 

Take NYM. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Real Madrid. 

Atletico has had the better of this series in recent meetings, conceding just one loss in the last 12 matches versus Real Madrid. It was Zidane's men that finished with a superior record in the Spanish league this season though, and it was Real Madrid that won when these teams met in the Final two season's ago. Christiano Ronaldo suffered a minor injury that kept him out of the first leg of the semi final versus Manchester City. He returned in the second leg to score two goals, and he's been cleared to start in the Final. Ronaldo is the tournament's all time leading scorer, with a whopping 93 goals. He's scored 15 goals in 19 career games against Atletico. I expect the best player in the world to be the difference here, as he goes for his third European crown. 

Take RM. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

After three of the last four games in this series went under, the bookmakers adjusted with a much lower total for Game 6 in Toronto. I think this was an over-correction, and this of all games looked like one that should see more scoring. Sure enough Game 4 went over (105-99). None of the three games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 6. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to close out the series, but I think the better bet is on the total. The trends show that the over is 7-3 in the Cavs last 10 road games, and 12-6 in their last 18 Conference Finals games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Tampa Rays. 

The Rays lost three of four in a home and home series versus the Fish, but they send their ace to the mound at home in Game 1 of a home series versus the Yankees tonight. 

Chris Archer (3-5, 5.16 ERA) was roughed up by the Tigers in his last start, giving up six runs on eight hits over just three innings in a loss at Detroit. He's been dominant in his last two home starts, giving up just two runs on six hits with 14 strikeouts over 12 2/3 innings in a pair of wins over Toronto and Baltimore. He's had plenty of success against the Yankees, going 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA in his last 10 starts against them. 

New York will hand the ball to their ace, Masahiro Tanaka. The 27 year old is undefeated with a record of 2-0, 3.24 ERA. The Yankees have lost two of his last three starts on the road though, despite how well he's pitched in those games. 

With a nickname like "Bronx Bombers", you expect the Yankees to score their fair share of runs. That hasn't been the case this year, ranking 24th in the majors in runs scored, with a team batting average of .238. 

Take TB. 

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

The Warriors are down, but not out. After getting throttled in back-to-back games in Oklahoma City, they face elimination at home in Game 5 tonight. Steph Curry says: " this is not how we're going to go out." The Warriors are asked to cover a bunch of points here, and I just can't bring myself to bet on a team that has already displayed an inability to stop Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Head coach Steve Kerr insists that Curry isn't injured, but then goes on to say that "it's the playoffs, everyone is a little banged up". 

Curry was 2-for-10 from beyond the arc in Game 4, and 3-for-11 in Game 3. He's only averaged 24 points per game in the series, well below his regular season average of 30.1 PPG. We've seen three of the four games in this series fall well below these inflated totals, and we only saw a combined 85 points in the second half of Game 4. In an elimination game, I expect both teams to go all out on defense from start to finish. These teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings at Oracle Arena, and the Thunder have gone under in four straight road games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Penguins host Tampa in a deciding Game 7 in Steel Town Thursday, and history tells us we should expect tight defense in this elimination game. Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead into the third period in Game 6, but four more goals in the third pushed the total over. Since the 2006 season, studies show that referees call roughly 50% fewer penalties in Game 7s, in comparison to the regular season. This means fewer power-plays, and often fewer scoring chances when the refs let the defenders get away with more physical play. "The numbers do seem to support this theory. Since 2006, the Under has gone 20-14-7 in Game 7’s for an 11% ROI (going under the total by an average of 0.3 goals per game)." These stats are based on totals of 5 goals or lower, which would mean that all seven of those pushes would have fallen below 5.5. It's also likely that the 14 games that went over would also include a few games that finished with five goals, with a total of 4.5. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks can punch a ticket to their first ever Stanley Cup Final with a win at home in Game 6 of the West Final tonight. The Sharks suffered a let down at home in Game 5, after out-scoring the Blues 7-0 in consecutive shutout wins in Games 2 & 3. After more than a decade of disappointment in the playoffs, this year's squad appears destined to hoist Lord Stanley's Mug.

Joe Pavelski leads all scorers in the post-season with 12 goals, and he's just one of three Sharks that rank in the top 5 in points scored. The old saying goes like this: "To win in the playoffs, you need your best players to be your best players." That's certainly been the case for the Sharks, but Blues leading scorer Vladimir Tarasenko has been held off the scoresheet in this series so far.

Take SJS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

After the first three games of this series went under, the bookmakers adjusted with a much lower total for Game 4 in Toronto. I think this was an over-correction, and this of all games looked like one that should see more scoring. Sure enough Game 4 went over (105-99). None of the first two games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 5. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a pair of losses, but I think the better bet is on the total. The trends show that the over is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record, and 12-5 in their last 17 Conference Finals games.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Raptors.

Niether of the first two games in Clevleand were close, but I expect a better effort from a confident Raptors team here in Game 5. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a pair of losses, but I think the better bet is on the Raptors getting a bunch of points at the half. Toronto opened up a big lead in the first half of Game 2, before a complete collapse in the final two minutes before the break. This team has a lot more poise and swagger heading into Game 5.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the San Diego Padres. 

The Padres will take on the Giants in a matinee at AT&T Park on Wednesday, and I like San Diego as an underdog with it's ace on the mound. 

James Shields will toe the slab for San Diego, and he's pitched far better than his record would indicate. Shields (2-6, 3.07 ERA) allowed three runs on nine hits, striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to the Giants his last time out. He's 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts against San Francisco over the last three seasons. 

The Giants hand the ball to Jake Peavy, who couldn't even get out of the second inning in his last start. Peavy (1-5, 8.21 ERA) allowed five runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in just 1 2/3 innings in a loss to the Cubs. He's been torched for 11 runs on 18 hits over 11 innings in two day games this season.

The Padres are just 2-6 in their last eight games, but during that span they've lost by more than one run just twice. 

Take SD. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Despite the fact that the Thunder lead this series 2-1, and a coming off a dominant win at home in Game 3, they remain the underdog. We've seen the Warriors deal with their fair share of adversity in this post-season, and they've made a habit of playing poorly in the first half on the road. They haven't led at the half in any of their road games so far in the playoffs. 

Steph Curry continues to make incredible shots night in and night out, but after dropping 40 points on the Blazers in Game 4, he's been held under 30 points in four straight. He's admitted his knee is still not 100%, and he injured his elbow late in Game 2. You could see his elbow was quite swollen while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter, and the injury was on his shooting arm. 

When the Warriors visited Oklahoma City in the regular season, they went to halftime trailing 57-46. They went on to win that game in overtime 121-118. These come-from-behind wins are so common for the Warriors, there really isn't a lot of urgency for them to try to win the game in the first half. That's not the case for the Thunder, who really need to take advantage of the energy from the home crowd. A fast start is crucial for Oklahoma City. 

Take OKC. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

After the first three games of this series went under, the bookmakers have adjusted with a much lower total for Game 4 in Toronto. I think this is an over-correction, and this of all games looks like one that should see more scoring. None of the first three games were close, but I expect the Cavs to respond after an embarrassing loss in Game 3. The Raptors should continue to play well, behind the solid play of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the dominance on the boards by "Big Business" (Bizmack Biyombo). Many betters will be taking the Cavs to bounce back after a double-digit loss (the Zig Zag Theory), but I think the better bet is on the Cavs to simply be more competitive, thus pushing the total over. The trends show that the over is 9-3-1 in Cavaliers last 13 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

Take OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals have underachieved so far, but they still come into Game 1 of a new series in Minnesota with a winning record. They took two of three in Chicago over the weekend, and I like KC here in tonight's contest.

Ian Kennedy will toe the rubber for the Royals, and he's been solid since signing a big contract in the off-season. Kennedy (4-3, 3.24 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on six hits, striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings in a win over the Red Sox his last time out. He faced Minnesota in his season debut, tossing seven scoreless innings and fanning seven in a win.

The Twins hand the ball to Ricky Nolasco, who hasn't missed many bats lately. Nolasco (1-2, 4.74 ERA) gave up four runs on nine hits over just five innings in a loss to the Tigers his last time out. He's 2-3 with a 4.33 ERA in his last six starts versus the Royals.

The Twins rank 28th in the major leagues in runs scored, with a team batting average of just .231.

Take KC.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Francisco Giants. 

After getting throttled by the Cubs in Game 1, the Giants came back to even the series with a 5-3 win at home last night. I like San Fran in the rubber match with their ace on the mound. 

Madison Bumgarner (5-2, 2.45 ERA) went the distance in a 5-1 win at San Diego his last time out. He gave up just one run on five hits, striking out 11. The Giants are 5-0 in his last five starts, and he has a whopping 42 Ks in those games. 

The Cubs hand the ball to Kyle Hendricks, who is coming off back to back losses. Hendricks (2-3, 3.51 ERA) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Brewers his last time out. He lost his only previous start at AT&T Park, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks over six innings. 

Brandon Belt is 3-for-5 with a home run lifetime versus Hendricks. 

Take SF. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on GS@OKC to go UNDER the total 1st half.

Do you remember when the Thunder upset the Warriors in Game 1? Perhaps the Warriors convincing 118-91 win in Game 2 has made us forget about how well the Thunder have played. Oklahoma City returns home with the series tied 1-1, and they are an underdog in Game 3. We've seen the Warriors deal with their fair share of adversity in this post-season, and they've made a habit of playing poorly in the first half on the road. They trailed at the half in both of their games in Portland, and they failed to get to the locker room with a lead at the half in both road games in their first round series versus Houston . 

Steph Curry continues to make incredible shots night in and night out, but after dropping 40 points on the Blazers in Game 4, he's been held under 30 points in three straight. He's admitted his knee is still not 100%, and he injured his elbow late in Game 2. You could see his elbow was quite swollen while he was sitting on the bench in the third quarter, and the injury was on his shooting arm. 

When the Warriors visited Oklahoma City in the regular season, they went to halftime trailing 57-46. That's well short of the number for the first half of Game 3. These teams have failed to reach the total in four of the last five meetings, and the Warriors have gone under in six of their last seven Conference Finals games.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Jose Sharks. 

The Sharks were a little unfortunate to lose Game 1 of this series in St. Louis. Martin Jones let in a soft goal that proved to be the difference in a close game. I took San Jose in Games 2 & 3, and here is what I said prior to Game 2: "The difference in the game was a bad goal against allowed by netminder Martin Jones, who has been stellar so far in these playoffs. I expect a much better effort from Jones tonight, and the Sharks are likely to come out flying." Jones was brilliant, stopping all 26 shots he faced. He's since recorded consecutive shouts, and has only allowed two goals in his last four starts. Joe Pavelski leads all scorers in the post-season with nine goals, and he's just one of three Sharks that rank in the top 5 in points scored. The Blues leading scorer Vladimir Taresenko did not play particularly well in Game 1, and he's been unable to solve Martin Jones so far in this series. The Sharks should prove to be an Apex Predator here in Game 4, moving in four the kill when they smell fresh blood. 

Take SJS. 

GL,  

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Jose Sharks. 

The Sharks were a little unfortunate to lose Game 1 of this series in St. Louis. Martin Jones let in a soft goal that proved to be the difference in a close game. I took San Jose in Game 2, and here is what I said prior to opening faceoff: "The difference in the game was a bad goal against allowed by netminder Martin Jones, who has been stellar so far in these playoffs. I expect a much better effort from Jones tonight, and the Sharks are likely to come out flying." Jones was brilliant, stopping all 26 shots he faced. The Sharks owned the puck in the 4-0 win, controlling the play for the entire 60 minutes. Joe Pavelski leads all scorers in the post-season with nine goals, and he's just one of three Sharks that rank in the top 5 in points scored. The Blues leading scorer Vladimir Taresenko did not play particularly well in Game 1, and he's been unable to solve Martin Jones so far in this series. The Sharks have complete control of this series heading back to San Jose, and I don't like the Blues chances in Game 3. 

Take SJS. 

GL,  

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Nobody gave the Raptors much of a chance at winning this series prior to Game 1, and after Cleveland mopped the flour with them in the opener, most are expecting a sweep. There's no denying that Toronto is out-gunned, and Cleveland is the more talented team, that should win the series. The fact is, Toronto finished the regular season with an almost identical record (1 game back), and won two of three in the season series. 

The Raptors were terrible offensively in Game 1, shooting just 5-of-24 from beyond the arc. Kyle Lowry scored eight points on 4-of-14 shooting, and was 0-for-7 from three-point range. It would be difficult for the Raptors to play that bad again in Game 2, and an improved performance from Lowry is almost a guarantee. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland come out a little sluggish, as this appears to be a let down spot coming off such an easy win. In the Cavs previous series, they beat Atlanta by a whopping 25 points in Game 2, but then trailed at halftime in the next game. They went on to sweep the Hawks, but that's even more reason why they might be complacent early on in Game 2. I'll take a tab at the Raptors getting a whole whack of points on this inflated line. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Warriors got off to a great start in Game 1, but they struggled in the second half allowing Oklahoma City to come from behind to record the upset. Stephen Curry still isn't 100%, and he was just 1-of-1 from the field in the fourth quarter. The Warriors have a habit of slow starts to games, and I really think these teams will struggle to reach this enormous number in the first half of Game 2.

Steph Curry returned to action in Game 4, and he scored 40 points (a record 17 in overtime) en route to a 132-125 victory. He made his first three-pointer in the third quarter, and he did the bulk of his scoring after that. After seeing so many high scores in Golden State's series versus Portland, the bookmakers have come out with an astronomically high total for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. 

While there were several high scoring games in the Thunder's series versus San Antonio, not one of those games saw enough points to reach the total in tonight's game. In fact the Thunder held the Spurs to 100 points or less in five of the six games. It's not going to be easy to duplicate that success against the Warriors, but I wouldn't be surprised to see another close game at Oracle Arena. 

Take UNDER .

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

The Rangers are tied with Seattle at the top of the AL West, and they will look to bounce back after losing Game 1 in Oakland last night. Texas should be able to exploit a mismatch on the mound tonight. 

Cole Hamels will toe the rubber for the Rangers, and he's looking to bounce back from a rough start. Hamels (4-0, 2.95 ERA) was torched for five runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings in a no decision versus Chicago his last time out. He's 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts on the road this season, and he was dominant in his only start against Oakland in recent seasons. 

The A's hand the ball to Jesse Hahn, who makes just his third start of the season. Hahn (1-1, 3.00 ERA) gave up five runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Baltimore his last time out. He hasn't had much success against the Rangers, with the Texas lineup batting a combined .324 against him. 

Prince Fielder is 2-for-3 with three RBIs lifetime versus Hahn. 

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Cavs have been unstoppable so far in these playoffs, but they come into Game 1 versus the Raptors off a long layoff. It's been nine days since they closed out the Hawks in a four game sweep in the Eastern Conference Semi Final. Game 4 of that series failed to reach 200 total points, as have five of Cleveland's last seven games in these playoffs. The Raptors are also trending toward the under, with six of their seven games against the Heat failing to reach a total of 200 points. Toronto finished the regular season with the NBA's 3rd best defense, allowing opponents to average just over 98 points per game. The emergence of center Bizmack Biyombo may make them even tougher, and they held the Heat to an average of 93.7 points in their last series. Biyombo isn't as much of a scorer as the injured Jonas Valancunias, but he's a dominant defender and an excellent rebounder. The Raptors have gone under in eight of their last nine on the road, and Cleveland has failed to reach the total in six of it's last seven when playing on three or more days of rest. The Cavs could be a little sluggish to start tonight's game, given the nine day layoff. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Jose Sharks. 

The Sharks came into this post-season with a lineup loaded with veteran players and a ton of playoff experience. They also bring a reputation for choking under pressure, and a long history of post-season failure. This might well be the last kick at the can for players like Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, and so far we've seen a team that appears to be focused on putting it's previous failures behind them. 

They lost Game 1 in St. Louis by a score of 2-1, but they dominated play in the third period, and out-shot the Blues 32-23 in the game. The difference in the game was a bad goal against allowed by netminder Martin Jones, who has been stellar so far in these playoffs. I expect a much better effort from Jones tonight, and the Sharks are likely to come out flying. 

Joe Pavelski leads all scorers in the post-season with nine goals, and he's just one of three sharks that rank in the top 5 in points scored. The Blues leading scorer Vladimir Taresenko did not play particularly well in Game 1, and he missed the pre-game skate because of the birth of his child. He's expected to play, but might have other things on his mind, and likely hasn't gotten much sleep. 

Look for this series to be tied heading back to San Jose. 

Take SJS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TEX@OAK to go OVER the total. 

The Rangers are coming off a wild come from behind win over the Jays in the series finale in Texas yesterday. Ian Desmond and Adrian Beltre each hit home runs, and the Rangers won 7-6. We might see another slugfest in Oakland tonight, with a pair of struggling pitchers on the mound. 

Derek Holland will toe the rubber for the Rangers, and he's coming off a couple of disastrous starts. Holland (3-2, 6.09 ERA) was torched for five runs on eight hits over just 2 1/3 innings against the White Sox his last time out. Prior to that he was hammered for 11 runs on 11 hits in just 2 2/3 innings in a loss at Toronto. He hasn't had much success against the A's, going 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA in his last five starts against them. 

The A's hand the ball to 24 year old rookie Sean Manaea, who is coming off a brutal performance. The leftie was torched for eight runs on 10 hits in just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Boston his last time out. He's 0-1 with an 11.37 ERA in three appearances, and his time in the rotation may be coming to an end if he can't turn things around. 

Texas has gone over in seven of it's last eight games overall. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked everyone with a stunning upset win in their second round series versus San Antonio. As impressive as they have looked, I still think they're going to be in way over their heads in the Western Conference Final. The Warriors had some ups and downs in their series versus Portland, but in the end they were able to overcome slow starts, closing out the Blazers in five games. 

Steph Curry returned to action in Game 4, and he scored 40 points (a record 17 in overtime) en route to a 132-125 victory. He made his first three-pointer in the third quarter, and he did the bulk of his scoring after that. After seeing so many high scores in Golden State's series versus Portland, the bookmakers have come out with an astronomically high total for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. 

While there were several high scoring games in the Thunder's series versus San Antonio, not one of those games saw enough points to reach the total in tonight's game. In fact the Thunder held the Spurs to 100 points or less in five of the six games. It's not going to be easy to duplicate that success against the Warriors, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Golden State struggle to shake off the rust coming off a layoff. The Warriors came out flat a few times in their series versus Portland, and it could take a while to get going in Game 1. 

Take UNDER .

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

The D'Backs have lost three straight at home to San Francisco, and they wrap up this series versus the Giants on Sunday. I like Arizona to avoid a sweep here in Game 4. 

Rubby De La Rosa will toe the slab for Arizona, and he's been in a groove of late. De La Rosa (4-4, 3.93 ERA) allowed one run on four hits over 7 1/3 innings in a win over the Rockies at Coors Field his last time out. He's been dominant in his last two home starts, allowing just one run on five hits with 16 strikeouts. 

The Giants hand the ball to Matt Cain, who is still winless in 2016. Cain (0-5, 6.69 ERA) allowed a pair of runs on six hits over eight innings in a 4-0 home loss to Toronto his last time out. He allowed three runs on five hits and four walks over just 4 2/3 innings in a home loss to Arizona earlier this year. 

Cain has been brutal in day games over the last three seasons, going 2-10 with a 5.35 ERA in 18 starts. 

Take ARI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Seattle Mariners. 

The Mariners blew a 5-1 lead in Game 1 of this home series versus LA, but I like Seattle to bounce back in Game 2 at Safeco. 

Hisashi Iwakuma will toe the slab for Seattle in Game 2, and he's pitched better than his record would indicate. Iwakuma (1-4, 4.19 ERA) allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out eight in five innings in a loss at Houston his last time out. He looked great against the Angels earlier this year, allowing a pair of runs on six hits over eight innings in a no decision. He was 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts versus LA last year. 

The Halos hand the ball to Jhoulys Chacin, who is coming off a disastrous performance. Chacin (1-2, 5.40 ERA) was torched for eight runs on seven hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Mets. 

Iwakuma is 8-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 14 career starts versus the Angels. 

Take SEA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Angels come into Seattle on Friday as losers of six straight, and they face a hot Mariners pitcher in Game 1. 

Nathan Karns will toe the slab for Seattle, and he's coming off his best start of the season. Karns (3-1, 3.38 ERA) allowed one run on six hits, striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings in a win at Houston his last time out. He's facing an Angels lineup that ranks 25th in the majors in runs scored, and has been held to two runs or less in five of it's last six games. 

The Halos hand the ball to Nick Tropeano, who has pitched far better than his record would indicate. Tropeano (1-2, 3.69 ERA) allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out 10 batters in a 3-1 loss to Tampa his last time out. He's 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in three career starts against the Mariners. He didn't factor in the decision in a 5-2 home loss to the Mariners earlier this season, and he's a combined seven runs or less in five of his six starts in 2016. 

Four of the last five meetings between these two teams have failed to reach the total, and the Mariners have gone under in eight of their last 11 home games versus a right-handed starter. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

It's rare to see The Iceman change strategy in the middle of a playoff series, and even after just missing the under in Game 5, he's firing right back with "under" in Game 6. The officials are clearly giving the Heat the benefit of the doubt on every close call, and Toronto is really going to struggle to score with a banged up DeMar Derozan and and DeMarre Carroll. Bizmack Biyombo has been great, but he doesn't pose as much of a threat as the injured Jonas Valancunias. 

Patrick Patterson started at PF in Game 5, and he scored just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. He's having a terrible series, shooting just .335 and averaging just six points per game. The Heat could be without Loul Deng in Game 6, and Hassan Whiteside remains sidelined with a knee injury. Toronto has failed to reach the total in eight straight road games, and 10 of it's last 13 overall. The under is 8-2 in Miami's last 10 overall. 

Take MIA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs are on the ropes, facing elimination in Game 6 in Oklahoma City tonight. This is a similar spot to Game 3, coming off a tough home loss in Game 2, they were able to come up with a big 100-106 win on the road. I think history is going to repeat itself here, with the Spurs coming off a home loss in a game that they led almost the entire way. Kawhi Leonard was dominant in Game 5, scoring 26 points on 12-of-21 shooting. He also had five steals. He was even better in the Spurs Game 3 win at Oklahoma City, scoring 31 points and pulling in 11 rebounds. He's going to need to be big for the Spurs here in Game 6. Greg Popovich has no shortage of playoff (and championship) experience, and I think he's going to have his squad well prepared for this elimination game. The Thunder have a history of playoff collapses, and they were ousted at home in Game 6 versus the Spurs two seasons ago. In 2013 they were ousted at home in Game 5 versus the Grizzlies, and I still think the Spurs are likely to come back and win this series. 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Louis Blues. 

The Blues failed to close out the Stars at home in Game 6, but they get another crack at it tonight in the series finale in Dallas. The Stars jumped out to an early lead in the last game, but St. Louis carried the play, out-shooting them 37-14. Brian Elliot was beaten three times on just seven shots, which was totally unexpected after he stopped 27-of-28 shots in a 4-1 win at Dallas in Game 4. He should be able to bounce back here in Game 7. 

Dallas has really missed Tyler Seguin in this series, and leading scorer Jamie Benn has only found the net once heading into Game 7. Dallas was 0-for-2 on the power-play at home in Game 5, and they have only scored twice in 17 opportunities with the man-advantage in the series. The Blues are bigger, stronger and far better defensively, and Dallas is lucky to have lasted this long. St. Louis should be able to escape with a win here in Game 7.  

Take STL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Raptors blew a late lead in Game 4 in Miami, and they return home deadlocked at 2-2 in their series versus the Heat. Coming off such a tough loss, I expect Toronto to come out strong with a big first half in Game 5. Both teams have lost their starting center, but Toronto is in far better shape with Bizmack Biyombo scoring 13 points and pulling in 13 rebounds in 31 minutes in Game 4. The Raptors are also getting big minutes off the bench from Cory Joseph and Terrence Ross, who combined to score 28 points in the loss at Miami. With DeMar DeRozan battling a thumb injury, the pressure is on Kyle Lowry to carry the load. He scored 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in Game 3, but he fouled out with just 10 points in Game 4. Expect a bounce back performance from the Raptors PG at home tonight. Four of five games in this series have gone to overtime, and still the total has gone under in each of the last three games. The Heat have gone under in eight of their last nine overall, and Toronto has failed to reach the total in 10 of it's last 12.

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Caps avoided elimination with a 3-1 home win in Game 5 of this series versus Pittsburgh, but the Pens get another chance to close out the series on home ice tonight. The President's Trophy winners have lost both games in Pittsburgh, although each game was close. Matt Murray stymied the Caps in Game 3, stopping 47-of-49 shots. He was great again in Game 4, and I expect he'll rebound from a shaky performance in the last game in Washington. He's 9-2-1 with a 2.00 GAA since stepping in to replace Marc Andre Fluery, and he's won four of five starts at home. The Pens are tough to beat on home ice, and they've won 21 of their last 26 games at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins dynamic duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been pretty quiet in this series so far, but that should be of little comfort to the Caps, who still find themselves on the verge of being ousted from the post-season. You can bet that Crosby will have his best game of the series here in Game 6. 

Take PIT. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs return home with their second round series versus Oklahoma City deadlocked at two games a piece. While the Thunder did steal a game in San Antonio in Game 2, they know it isn't going to be easy in this pivotal Game 5. This Spurs team was 40-1 at home during the regular season, and they held the Memphis Grizzlies to just 71 points per game in their first round series. Kevin Durant went off for 41 points in Game 4, but he was held to just 22 points per game in the two games in San Antonio. The Thunder had no answer for LaMarcus Aldridge in the first two games in San Antonio, he scored 38 points in Game 1, and 41 in Game 2. The series opener was a blowout, and the Thunder scored just 40 points in the first half, trailing by 33 points. I expect a similar outcome in Game 5, with the home team winning by double digits. 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers.

I had a big bet on the Blazers in Game 3, and I am going back to the well here in Game 4 in Portland. Portland got off to a good start in the last game, and they remain undefeated at home in these playoffs. They have led at the half in all four of their home wins, and yet they are getting a handful of points against the wounded Warriors tonight. The Blazers looked dangerous in Game 2, opening up a huge early lead. Portland led by 11 after the first quarter, and went to the locker room at the half up by eight. The Warriors didn't appear to be concerned, after all, they've been able to come from behind to win games late all year long. If this game is close at halftime, Golden State will probably be saying "we've got them right where we want them". A good start is an absolute must for the Blazers here, and they've been great at home. Portland is 12-1 in it's last 13 home games. Damian Lillard was lights out in the last game, going off for 40 points. This is a confident young team and I expect them to make life difficult for the Warriors here. 

Take POR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Louis Blues. 

St. Louis is a defensive powerhouse, ranking 4th in the league in goals against, boasting the NHL's 2nd best penalty killing unit. Brian Elliot has been solid between the pipes for the Blues, and I am expecting scoring chances to be far and few between here in Game 6. Dallas has really missed Tyler Seguin in this series, and leading scorer Jamie Benn has been held scoreless in three of five games heading into Game 6. Dallas was 0-for-2 on the power-play in the last game, and they have only scored once in 16 opportunities with the man-advantage in the series. The Blues are bigger, stronger and far better defensively, and Dallas is lucky to have lasted this long. St. Louis should be able to close out the series on home ice tonight. 

Take STL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Raptors are back in the driver's seat after winning Game 3 in Miami, and they have to be encouraged by the play of Kyle Lowry. Their star PG has broken out of a slump, scoring 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the last game. He's going to need to carry the load with DeMar DeRozan banged up, and Jonas Valanciunas sidelined with an ankle injury. Toronto's center had been dominant in this series, scoring 55 points and pulling in 38 rebounds in 2.5 games. His replacement Bizmack Biyombo is also an excellent defender, but is nowhere near as dangerous offensively. Still this leaves the Raptors in better shape than Miami, who will really miss Hassan Whiteside. We've seen a trend of close, low scoring games so far in this series, with all three decided by six points or less. Two of the three games went under, with the only exception being Game 1, when Kyle Lowry hit a miracle shot from half court to force overtime. The Raptors have failed to reach the total in seven straight on the road, and the Heat have gone under in seven of their last eight overall. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

The Raptors are back in the driver's seat after winning Game 3 in Miami, and they have to be encouraged by the play of Kyle Lowry. Their star PG has broken out of a slump, scoring 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the last game. He's going to need to carry the load with DeMar DeRozan banged up, and Jonas Valanciunas sidelined with an ankle injury. Toronto's center had been dominant in this series, scoring 55 points and pulling in 38 rebounds in 2.5 games. His replacement Bizmack Biyombo is also an excellent defender, but is nowhere near as dangerous offensively. Still this leaves the Raptors in better shape than Miami, who will really miss Hassan Whiteside. We've seen a trend of close, low scoring games so far in this series, with all three decided by six points or less. We should expect another competitive game here. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the SJS Sharks.

The Sharks were ever so close to taking a commanding 3-1 series lead in Game 4, but the Predators managed to eke out an overtime win to even the series at 2-2. Heading back to the Shark Tank, I like San Jose to win big here in this pivotal Game 5. San Jose was very impressive in a first round series versus the LA Kings, and this team appears to be destined to put an end to a long history of disappointing exits in the playoffs. While the home team has won all four games in this series, the Sharks still dominated play in Nashville, only to be stymied by Pekka Rinne. He faced 47 shots in Game 4, and I don't like his chances if he sees that much rubber here in San Jose. The Preds are 7-21 in the last 28 meetings in San Jose. The home team is 40-18 in the last 58 meetings.

Take SJS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Portland Trailblazers 1/H.

The Warriors head to Portland with a commanding lead in this series, but the Blazers looked dangerous in Game 2, opening up a huge early lead. Portland led by 11 after the first quarter, and went to the locker room at the half up by eight. The Warriors didn't appear to be concerned, after all, they've been able to come from behind to win games late all year long. A good start is an absolute must for the Blazers in Game 3, and they've been great at home. Portland is 11-1 in it's last 12 home games. They won all three home games in their first round series versus the Clippers, and they led at halftime in all three of those games. The Blazers are actually getting points in tonight's game, and if this game is close at the half, the Warriors would think they have the Blazers right where they want them. Expect Portland to get off to a good start.

Take POR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the San Antonio Spurs. 

After crushing the Thunder in Game 1 of this series, the Spurs may have been guilty of taking their foot off the gas in Game 2. The Thunder won by a score of 98-97 and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 41 points in a losing effort: "It feels horrible," Aldridge said. "Feels like it was wasted. I've never been about trying to get points and not win; I always try to do things to win. If you win, it's totally a different feeling, but losing like that hurts."

The series shifts to Oklahoma City for a pivotal Game 3, and the Spurs can't afford to let the Thunder seize control of this series. San Antonio didn't have much trouble winning on the road this year, going 27-14 during the regular season. They've won twice in their last four visits to Oklahoma City, and they are 17-6 ATS in their last 23 when coming off a loss. 

The Thunder are tough at home, but they have already lost once at home in the playoffs, losing 84-85 in Game 2 of their first round series with Dallas. I expect San Antonio to play more like they did in the series opener, rather than how they played in Game 2. It's going to be quite difficult for the Thunder to match their defensive intensity 

Take SA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

After a low scoring battle in Game 1, the Cavs came out and set an NBA record with 25 made three-pointers in Game 2. You might as well just completely disregard what happened in the last game in Cleveland, and I think it's far more likely that Game 3 will be a lot more like Game 1. 

Three of Cleveland's last four games at Atlanta have failed to reach the total, and the only exception was a 110-108 overtime win for Cleveland. The first half of that game only saw a combined 96 points, and I don't expect any more scoring here in Game 3 in Atlanta. 

The Hawks were the best defensive team in the NBA after the All Star break, and they've gone under in seven of their last eight when coming off a loss. The under is 5-1 in Atlanta's last six home games, and 8-2 in the Hawks last 10 overall. 

Both of Cleveland's road games in these playoffs have gone under, and LeBron struggled in Detroit, scoring a total of 42 points on 17-of-43 shooting. He was just 2-of-12 from beyond the arc in those games.  

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

Toronto came out like gangbusters in the first half of Game 1, but despite a solid effort, Miami was able to keep it close. The Heat trailed by just two points at halftime, and they dominated play in the second half of Game 1, and then again in overtime. Now the Raptors are on the ropes, needing to salvage a split to stay in this series. It seems like Toronto has been in this same situation since the playoffs started, and so far they've managed to play their best basketball when their backs against the wall. We saw the Raptors drop Game 1 in their 1st round series versus the Pacers, only to win Game 2 in a rout (98-87). They out-scored Indiana 27-16 in the first quarter of that game, and took a five point lead to the locker room at the half. The Heat were brutal on the road all season long, and they lost two of three at Charlotte in the first round. They knew they needed to win in Toronto, and they should be quite content to go back to Miami with the series tied 1-1. The Raptors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven coming off a loss, and the Heat are just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Seattle Mariners. 

The Athletics opened the season with a three-game sweep over the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners can return the favor with a third straight win at Oakland today, and with Felix Hernandez on the mound I like the odds of a Mariners win. 

Hernandez (2-2, 1.38 ERA) has dominated the A's throughout his career with a 22-8 record behind a 2.58 ERA. The Mariners ace is off to an excellent start to the season holding opponents to a .165 batting average and he tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Royals his last time out. 

Oakland will hand the ball to 24 year old rookie Sean Manaea (0-0, 7.20) who is set to make his second start in the majors. He was lit up for four runs on four hits and as many walks over five innings in his debut and could be in for another sweaty afternoon against the surging Mariners. 

The A's lost last night's contest 8-2, and they're 1-5 in their last six after scoring two runs or less in their previous game. Runs will surely come at a premium today against Hernandez. 

Take SEA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Padres have failed to go over the total in each of their last four games, including a 2-1 win over the Rockies in the opening game of this home series last night. The last time we saw San Diego involved in a slugfest, Andrew Cashner was getting roughed up in a 13-9 loss at San Francisco. 

Casher will take the mound again tonight, and we could see a high scoring game at pitcher friendly PETCO. Cashner (1-2, 4.94 ERA) only made it through 2 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs on four hits and four walks in the loss to the Giants. He's 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA in his last six starts versus Colorado. He hasn't fooled the Rockies, who are hitting .333 over a combined 84 at bats against him. 

Colorado will hand the ball to Eddie Butler, who makes just his second appearance of the season. The right-hander allowed a run on two hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief in a loss to the Pirates last week. He allowed five runs on four hits in just four innings in his only previous meeting with the Rockies. 

Given the current form of the scheduled starters, this total looks far too low. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Chicago White Sox. 

The White Sox have been one of the biggest surprises early in the season, sitting in first place in the AL Central, three games clear of Detroit. They host the Red Sox jn a new series starting Tuesday, and I like Chicago in Game 1. 

Jose Quintana will toe the slab for the Sox, and he's off to a great start in 2016. Quintana (3-1, 1.47 ERA) tossed six scoreless innings, striking out 10 in a win over Toronto his last time out. He's 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts versus Boston over the last three seasons. 

The Red Sox hand the ball to Steven Wright, who is coming off consecutive wins. Wright (2-2, 1.37 ERA) allowed just three runs on seven hits over 13 2/3 innings against a pair of last place teams in Atlanta and Houston. 

Chicago's bullpen ranks 1st in the majors with an ERA of 1.60. 

Take CWS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Raptors finally got the monkey off their backs, ending a 15 year run of playoff disappointment by escaping their first round series versus the Pacers. They overcame adversity, with stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan struggling with their shot through the entire series. It was strong defense and key contributions off the bench that powered the Raptors past Indiana. Only one of the seven games in that series went over the total, and we are likely to see more defensive battles in this series versus the Heat. 

Miami is coming off a blowout win in Game 7 over Charlotte, and they held the Hornets to just 74 points on 32.1 percent shooting in the series finale. The final four games of that series went under the total, and the Heat have failed to reach the total in five straight on the road. We've seen roughly 65% of the games in these playoffs go under, and the bookmakers have not been able to adjust quick enough. In fact, in games with a total of 195 or less, the under is 12-2-1. The total for tonight's Game 1 is still higher than it has been in two of the last three meetings between these two teams. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

It was a slugfest in Cincinnati in Game 1 of this series, with San Francisco winning by a score of 9-6. We will see a pair of struggling pitchers on the mound in Game 2, and another high score seems likely. 

Jeff Samardzija will toe the slab for San Fran, and his last start came at home versus San Diego. The Padres roughed him up a little, scoring five runs on five hits and a pair of walks in 5 2/3 innings. He's 0-4 with a 4.10 ERA in his last eight starts versus Cincinnati. Reds leadoff man Billy Hamilton is 5-for-10 with a home run lifetime versus Samardzija. 

The Reds hand the ball to Jon Moscot, who is still looking for his first win of the season. Moscot (0-2, 4.02 ERA) allowed three runs on four hits and four walks over five innings in a loss to the Mets his last time out. He's been bothered by a sore shoulder, but it isn't expected to prevent him from making his next start. 

The Giants are trending over in a big way, with 10 of their last 11 exceeding the total. They've gone over in 18 of their last 28 versus the Reds. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

I took the under in Game 1, and here is what I said pregame: 

"The Oklahoma City Thunder had little trouble getting past the Mavs in the first round, winning the series in five games. The final three games in that series all went over, and the Thunder averaged 122 points in those games. They can't expect to enjoy that same success in San Antonio, where they lost both meetings during the regular season. Three of the four games in the season series went under, and the Spurs won 102-98 in overtime in the last meeting. San Antonio is by far the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing opponents to average just 92.9 points per game. They only allowed the Grizzlies to average 71 points in their two home games in the first round. The Thunder played well defensively in the first round, holding the Mavs to 93.8 points per game." 

While the Spurs defense was as good as I expected it to be, the Thunder just couldn't stop San Antonio from scoring. Oklahoma City will need to tighten things up here in Game 2, and I expect a much slower pace after the Thunder make adjustments. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Cavs have won seven straight against Atlanta, and they've held the Hawks to fewer than 100 points in regulation in all seven of those games. Both teams were impressive on defense in their respective first round matchups. The Hawks allowed Boston to average just 93.8 points per game, while the Cavs held Detroit to an average of 95 points per game. Atlanta has failed to reach the total in eight of it's last 10 overall, while the Cavs have gone under in five of their last six when coming off at least three days rest. The under is 23-11 in Cavaliers last 34 Conference Semifinals games. These teams played a low scoring contest in Game 1 of the East Finals last year, with Cleveland winning by a score of 97-89. I expect a similar looking score in Game 1 of this series. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on IND@TOR to go UNDER the total. This series has seen more than it's fair share of low scoring games, with five of the six games going under the total. We saw just 184 points scored in Game 6, and I really don't think we can expect more than that tonight in Game 7. Toronto did a decent job defending Paul George, holding him to 21 points on 5-of-14 shooting in Game 6. Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and five of six games going under in this series, we still saw a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan is averaging just 15.8 points per game on 32.8 percent shooting in this series, while Kyle Lowry has shot just 27 percent from the field in three home games against the Pacers. Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

Texas has taken the lead in the AL West, with a half game lead on Seattle, and two games up on the Angels. I like the Rangers with their ace on the mound on Sunday. 

Cole Hamels (3-0, 2.52 ERA) allowed one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a win over Houston his last time out. He's only faced LA once over the last three seasons, and he went the distance allowing a pair of runs on three hits with eight strikeouts in a victory. 

The Angels hand the ball to Garrett Richards, who is coming off his first win of 2016. Richards (1-3, 2.35 ERA) allowed one run on three hits over 6 2/3 innings in a home win over Kansas City. He had appeared in four straight losses before that, and he allowed four runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to Texas. Adrian Beltre is hitting .300 with three home runs in 30 career at bats versus Richards, while Prince Fielder is batting .391 lifetime versus the right-hander. 

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Leicester City +0.5. 

Leicester City was on the verge of relegation this time last year, and just one year later the Foxes are in a position to clinch the Premier League title with a win at Old Trafford. They are 17 points clear of Manchester United in the Premier League standings, and the two clubs are 1-1-1 in the last three meetings. Leicester has a road record of 11-4-2, which is identical to Manchester United's record at Old Trafford. Leicester is 7-0-2 over it's last nine matches, with it's last loss coming at Arsenal, conceding a late goal while playing shorthanded with 10 men. The Foxes wouldn't mind a draw here, as any points will put them that much closer to the title.  They've scored first in nine of their last 10 matches, and they look good as an underdog Sunday. 

Take Leicester. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Oklahoma City Thunder had little trouble getting past the Mavs in the first round, winning the series in five games. The final three games in that series all went over, and the Thunder averaged 122 points in those games. They can't expect to enjoy that same success in San Antonio, where they lost both meetings during the regular season. Three of the four games in the season series went under, and the Spurs won 102-98 in overtime in the last meeting. San Antonio is by far the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing opponents to average just 92.9 points per game. They only allowed the Grizzlies to average 71 points in their two home games in the first round. The Thunder played well defensively in the first round, holding the Mavs to 93.8 points per game. 

Take UNDER GL, Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Detroit Tigers. 

The Tigers crushed the Twins by a score of 9-2 in Game 1 of this series in Minnesota, and they look good in Game 2 with a hot pitcher on the mound. 

Jordan Zimmerman will toe the slab for Detroit, and he's still undefeated in 2016. Zimmerman (4-0, 0.35 ERA) allowed three runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings in a home win over Oakland his last time out. Those are the only runs he's given up in his four starts, and two of them were unearned. 

The Twins hand the ball to Tyler Duffey, who has been battling a shoulder injury. Duffey (0-0, 2.25 ERA) allowed one run on five hits and a pair of walks in four innings in his only previous appearance this season. The 25 year old has a career record of 5-1 with a 3.05 ERA, but he faces a tough Tigers lineup today. He's also likely to exit early coming off an injury, and that will give the Tigers a chance to get a crack at the bullpen. 

Runs haven't come easy for the Twins, who rank 24th in the major leagues in scoring, and are batting a combined .241. 

Take DET. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Heat appeared to have complete control of this series, winning the first two games in Miami by a combined 44 points. The Hornets though are on the verge of eliminating Miami after winning three straight, including a 90-88 win at Miami in Game 5. The series shifts back to Charlotte, where the Hornets boast a 30-11 record this season. Miami has really struggled to be competitive on the road all year long, and have only covered once in their last nine away from home. Kemba Walker did not shoot the ball well in Miami, scoring just 14 points on 4-of-18 shooting. He scored 34 points in the last game in Charlotte though, and he should be a big factor tonight. Hassan Whiteside is banged up, and he only played 25 minutes in Game 4. The Hornets have been incredible defensively over the last three games, holding Miami to 84.3 per game on 38.6 percent shooting. Dwyane Wade only scored a total of 29 points on 11-of-31 shooting in the two games in Charlotte. This series should come to a conclusion here in Game 6. 

Take CHA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Toronto Raptors. 

The Raptors head back to Indiana with a chance to close out the Pacers in Game 6. So far home court hasn't been much of an advantage in this series, with both teams winning once on the road. The Pacers came very close in Game 5, but blew a 13 point lead in the fourth quarter. I think that such a demoralizing loss sets up Indiana for an emotional let down here tonight. The Raptors haven't had any trouble winning at Indiana, and they've covered the spread in nine of their last 11 at Bankers Field House. 

Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and four of five games going under in this series, we still see a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the last game, after struggling earlier in the series. This is a good sign moving forward for the Raptors, and I like their chances of eliminating the Pacers tonight. 

Take TOR. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@IND to go UNDER the total. 

The Raptors head back to Indiana with a chance to close out the Pacers in Game 6. So far home court hasn't been much of an advantage in this series, with both teams winning once on the road. The Pacers came very close in Game 5, but blew a 13 point lead in the fourth quarter. I think that such a demoralizing loss sets up Indiana for an emotional let down here tonight. The Raptors haven't had any trouble winning at Indiana, and they've covered the spread in nine of their last 11 at Bankers Field House. 

Indiana scored just nine points in the fourth quarter in Toronto in Game 5, but the total did go over for the first time in the series. Despite a heavy trend of low scoring games in these playoffs, and four of five games going under in this series, we still see a higher total in Game 6 than we saw in Game 5. DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points on 10-of-22 shooting in the last game, after struggling earlier in the series. This is a good sign moving forward for the Raptors, but still they've failed to reach the total in five straight road games. Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks. 

After watching the Hawks just annihilate the Celtics in Game 5 in Atlanta, I think Boston is in big trouble heading back home for Game 6. Celtics leading scorer Isaiah Thomas scored just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting in 29 minutes in Game 5, and he is battling an ankle injury that will prevent him from being 100% for tonight's game. With second leading scorer Avery Bradley out with a hamstring injury, Boston really needs Thomas to carry the load offensively. The Hawks on the other hand have a ton of scoring depth, and they had five players score in double digits on Tuesday night. The Hawks had by far the best defense in the NBA since the All Star break, and the Celtics have averaged just 94 points in the first five games. Boston was very fortunate in Game 4, tying the game late to force overtime, but I think their luck is set to run out here in Game 6. 

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

Take ATL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on POR@LAC to go OVER the total. 

The last time I watched the Clippers play without Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, they won at Utah by a score of 102-99. That was a road win against one of the best defensive teams in the league, in a game that Utah needed to win in order to make the playoffs. Jamal Crawford led the way with 30 points on 9-of-20 shooting. It appeared that the Clippers strategy without their stars was to play a fast paced, high energy game, shooting a ton of threes. They were quite successful going 13-of-29 (44%) from beyond the arc.

Paul Pierce scored 18 points in 33 minutes in that game, and he was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. The veteran has seen limited action so far this post-season, but expect to see more of "The Truth" tonight. These teams have failed to reach the total in five straight meetings, and seven of the last eight overall. The number in all of those games was well over 200, and tonight's total is roughly 10 points lower than it would be in normal circumstances. That may prove to be a case of the bookmakers over-compensating. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Rangers rocked the Yankees last night, winning 10-1 in Game 2. The series is tied at 1-1, and we will see a pair of struggling pitchers here in the rubber match. 

C.C. Sabathia will toe the slab for the Yankees, and he's coming off another poor performance. Sabathia (1-1, 5.28 ERA) allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks in just 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Rays. His numbers against Texas are downright ugly, going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in two starts since 2013. 

The Rangers hand the ball to Martin Perez, who is also coming off a tough outing. Perez (0-2, 4.50 ERA) allowed five runs on five hits and a pair of walks over five innings in a loss to Chicago his last time out. He's only faced the Yankees once over the last three seasons, and he managed to give up eight runs in just one inning. 

The over is 8-2 in the Rangers last 10 in Arlington, and Sabathia has gone over in eight straight starts. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Phillies upset the Nats in Game 1 of this series, beating Max Scherzer last night. I like Washington to bounce back with a blowout win in Game 2. 

Gio Gonzalez will toe the slab for the home team, and he's coming off another solid start. Gonzalez (1-0, 1.42 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits, striking out eight in six innings in a win over Minnesota his last time out. He was 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA in four starts against the Phillies last year. 

The Phillies hand the ball to Jeremy Hellickson, who has been brutal. Hellickson (1-1, 5.21 ERA) allowed four runs on 10 hits over just 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision versus the Mets his last time out. He's 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in two starts versus the Nationals the last three seasons. 

Bryce Harper leads the major leagues in home runs with nine, and RBIs with 24. He's 3-for-5 lifetime versus Hellickson. 

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Giants beat the Padres by a score of 5-4 in the series opener, and I think we could see a similar scoreline in Game 2. San Francisco comes in as winners of three of their last four, and the Giants have gone over in five straight. 

Johnny Cueto will toe the slab for San Francisco, and he's off to a stellar start to the season. Cueto (3-1, 3.49 ERA) allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings in a home loss to Arizona his last time out. The Padres have really had their way with Cueto, batting a combined .351 over 94 at bats. Matt Kemp and Jon Jay have both hit better than .400 against him, with a combined five home runs between them. 

The Padres will hand the ball to "Big Game James", although he's hardly lived up to the moniker. Shields (0-3, 4.15 ERA) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks over six innings in an 11-1 loss to the Pirates his last time out. He's struggled with his command, dishing out a total of eight free passes in his last three starts. 

The veteran has only had one start in San Francisco over the last three seasons, and that was a disaster. He was torched for seven runs on nine hits in just four innings in that game. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Hawks took a 2-0 series lead to Boston, and after failing to reach the total in each of the first two games, the number in Game 3 was still over 200. The under is trending huge in these playoffs, and while the bookmakers have made some slight adjustments, I still think this number is way too high, especially when you consider that they only combined to score 161 points in the last game. 

The Hawks had by far the best defense in the NBA since the All Star break, and the Celtics have proven to be more than capable of playing defense as well. These teams have failed to score 200 points in three of the four games so far, and those were all regular season games. With an increased emphasis on defense in the post-season, they are even less likely to reach that number. 

Boston is missing second leading scorer Avery Bradley, and leading scorer Isaiah Thomas was held to just 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting in Game 2. The Under is 9-3 in Hawks last 12 Conference Quarterfinals games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Arizona Diamondbacks came into 2016 with high expectations, but things didn't look great after losing seven of their first 10 games. They've since turned things around, and they come into Game 1 of a home series versus St. Louis as winners of six of their last eight. Slugger Paul Goldschmidt is swinging a hot bat, hitting .360 with a pair of home runs and six RBIs the last seven days. The Cardinals have won five straight at Arizona, but they will be an underdog in Game 1 with Arizona sending ace Zack Greinke to the mound. 

Greinke's career in Arizona got off to a rough start, as he was torched for seven runs on nine hits in a home loss to Colorado in his Diamondbacks debut. He followed that up with another home loss to the Cubs, but has since delivered consecutive dominant performances in a pair of road wins. He will get a chance to pick up his first home win of the season against the Cardinals, and he's 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts versus St. Louis since 2013. 

Take ARI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blues just barely escaped with a 1-0 victory in overtime in Game 1. The Blackhawks out-shot the Blues 35-18, dominating the play for most of regulation and overtime. It was a lucky bounce that resulted in the game winner, and we saw Chicago bounce back with a commanding victory in Game 2. The Hawks went on to lose back to back close games, but down 3-1 in the series showed plenty of character battling back to force a Game 7.

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

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

It was Kane that was the difference in Game 5, scoring the game winner in overtime. That could well prove to be the turning point in the series, and I expect the Hawks to come in with all the momentum.

Take CHI.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Charlotte Hornets. 

So far in this series between Miami and Charlotte, it looks like it's going to be very difficult for either team to win on the opponent's home floor. The first three games have all been blowouts, with Miami winning both home games by double-digits, only to lose by 16 in Game 3 at Charlotte. The Hornets were one of the hottest teams in the NBA in the second half of the season, and they were 31-11 at home. The Heat have really played poorly on the road all year long, but they know that as long as they can protect their home court advantage, they will win this series. That puts Charlotte in a must win situation here, and the Hornets should prove to be the more motivated team in Game 4. The home team has won eight of the last 10 in this series, and the Heat have failed to cover in seven of their last eight road games. After playing a limited role in the first two games of the series, rookie Frank Kaminsky stepped up in Game 3 scoring 15 points and pulling in half a dozen rebounds. 

Take CHA.

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks. 

The Celtics got back into this series with a home win over the Hawks in Game 3, behind a 42 point effort from Isaiah Thomas. While Boston got off to a quick start in that game, it was still quite close in the end. If Boston is going to need 40+ points from Thomas, I don't like the Celtics chances here in Game 4, or for the remainder of the series. 

The Celtics won the first meeting between these teams this season at home by a score of 106-93. The Hawks though won the next three, including a 109-101 win in Boston in December. Both games in Atlanta were blowouts, with the Hawks winning by a combined 35 points. Atlanta finished the season strong winning 15 of it's last 21, and 10 of it's last 12 at home. The Hawks final home game was a 118-107 win over the Celtics, and Paul Millsap scored 31 points and pulled in 16 rebounds in that game. The Celtics had no answer for Millsap in the regular season series, as he's averaged 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in the four games. The loss of second leading scorer Avery Bradley has put even more pressure on Thomas, and he could have a tough time carrying the load here tonight. Atlanta led the league in defense in the second half of the season, and they have had some success slowing him down. He scored just 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting in Game 2. 

Take ATL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the St. Louis Cardinals. 

These two teams have split the first two games of this series, but the Cards have all the momentum coming off an 11-2 win at PETCO yesterday. The Padres just don't score a lot of runs, and I think they'll be hard pressed to come back here in Game 3. 

Mike Leake will toe the slab for St. Louis, and he's still in search of his first victory of the season. This figures to be a good spot for the right-hander, as he's pitched very well against the Padres, posting a 2.14 ERA in his last five starts against them. San Diego relies heavily on the bat of Matt Kemp, but the slugger is just 2-for-12 with five strikeouts lifetime versus Leake. 

The Padres will hand the ball to Colin Rea, who has failed to impress so far this season. Rea (1-1, 5.51 ERA) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings in a home win over the Pirates his last time out. His only career start versus the Cardinals wasn't pretty, getting torched for five runs on five hits over four innings in a loss. 

The Cardinals are swinging hot bats, ranking second in the major leagues in runs scored behind the Cubs, who have played more games. 

Take STL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Warriors looked unstoppable of Game 1 of this series, beating Houston 104-78. They followed that up with another double-digit win at home in Game 2, despite the absence of MVP Steph Curry. It was a different story back in Houston for for Game 3, and the Rockets pulled off the upset winning 97-96. With Curry set to return for Game 4, the bookmakers have Golden State heavily favored this afternoon. 

I think it's important to remember that Curry played every game when these two teams met in last year's playoffs, and that series was a lot closer than most expected. Those games were for the most part quite close, and the scores were much lower than anticipated as well. The Warriors were held to 43 percent shooting in Game 3 without Curry, but they shot an even lower 42.9 percent in Game 1, and Curry scored 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting in that game. Coming off an injury, he may not be at 100 percent, and it could be a tough ask for him do any better than that here in Houston in Game 4. 

The Warriors have failed to reach the total in six straight road games, and they've gone under in 11 of their last 16 in Houston. They've also gone under in six of their last eight when coming off a loss. This is a huge game for both teams, and we should expect a solid defensive effort all the way around.

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Houston Rockets. 

The Warriors looked unstoppable of Game 1 of this series, beating Houston 104-78. They followed that up with another double-digit win at home in Game 2, despite the absence of MVP Steph Curry. It was a different story back in Houston for for Game 3, and the Rockets pulled off the upset winning 97-96. With Curry set to return for Game 4, the bookmakers have Golden State heavily favored this afternoon. 

I think it's important to remember that Curry played every game when these two teams met in last year's playoffs, and that series was a lot closer than most expected. Those games were for the most part quite close, and the scores were much lower than anticipated as well. The Warriors were held to 43 percent shooting in Game 3 without Curry, but they shot an even lower 42.9 percent in Game 1, and Curry scored 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting in that game. Coming off an injury, he may not be at 100 percent, and it could be a tough ask for him do any better than that here in Houston in Game 4. 

The Rockets are 20-6 in their last 26 games when playing on two days rest, and they are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 Conference Quarterfinals games.

Take Houston. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks got off on the wrong foot losing both Games 1&2 on home ice. A change between the pipes has flipped this series on it's head though, as Fredrick Anderson has come in and stopped 56-of-57 shots in back to back wins. The Ducks appear to be back in control heading home for Game 5.

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

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

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry finished he season firing on all cylinders, and when those two are on top of their game the Ducks are tough to beat.

Take ANA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TOR@IND to go UNDER the total. 

After two low scoring games in Toronto, we saw these teams combine to score just 186 points in Game 3 in Indiana. The bookmakers adjusted with a lower opening total for Game 4, but public money has caused some late line movement, pushing the number right back up to where it was in Games 1 & 2. The trend throughout the playoffs so far has been low scoring games, and I see no reason for either of these two teams to open things up here tonight. With the Raptors up 2-1 and the series heading to Toronto for Game 5, a loss here would likely be the end for the Pacers. We should expect this to be another gritty defensive battle. The way DeMarre Carroll has played defense against Paul George, the Pacers might struggle on offense. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan continue to struggle with their shooting, and I just don't see anybody picking up any easy buckets here in a pivotal Game 4. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Washington Nationals. 

The Nats took Game 1 of this series versus the Twins by a score of 8-4, and I like Washington as just a slight favorite in Game 2 versus a Twins team that lost nine straight games to start the season. 

Tanner Roark will toe the slab for the home team, and he's pitched well in Washington throughout his career. The 29 year old right-hander is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA at home this year, and he was 12-7 with a 2.84 ERA in Washington over the last three seasons. 

The Twins hand the ball to Phil Hughes, who has a history of struggling on the road. Hughes (1-2, 4.42 ERA) lost his only start on the road so far this year, and he was 2-6 with a 5.10 ERA in a dozen starts on the road last year. 

Daniel Murphy was 2-for-4 in Game 1 of this series, and he's batting a major league best .411 so far. 

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LAK.

I had the Kings to win this series versus the Sharks, and I was a little surprised when San Jose won both games in LA. That being said, one of the reasons why I liked the Kings was that the Sharks have a history of choking, most famously their first round series loss to LA two years ago. The Kings showed a lot of character battling back from a 3-0 deficit in Game 4 to score two quick goals to get back into the game. While the rally fell short, I still think this series is far from over.

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

Take LAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Seattle Mariners. 

The Mariners bats came alive last night, scoring 10 runs in a win over the Indians in Cleveland. They are on the road in Los Angeles tonight, and I like their chances with ace Felix Hernandez on the mound. 

Hernandez (1-1, 1.00 ERA) allowed one run on five hits over five innings in a win over the Yankees his last time out. He's owned the Angels throughout his career, going 8-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 16 starts since 2013. He's 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last eight starts in Anaheim. 

The Halos hand the ball to Nick Tropeano, who is off to a good start. The 25 year old has surrendered just 1 run on 11 hits over a total of 10 2/3 innings in two starts so far this season. As well as he's pitched, he's facing a daunting task trying to out-duel the King. 

Tropeano doesn't often go deep into ballgames, and that is a big concern for an Angels team who's bullpen ranks 20th in the majors with a 4.07 ERA. 

Take SEA. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

Arizona got off to a bit of a slow start, but they appear to have hit their stride, coming off a four game series sweep of the Giants in San Francisco. They are back home to host the Pirates, and they should be in good shape with Patrick Corbin on the mound. 

Corbin (1-1, 2.75 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits, striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings in a win over the Padres his last time out. He's 10-7 with a 3.01 ERA at home in Arizona over the last three seasons. 

The Pirates hand the ball to Jonathon Niese, who is coming off back to back victories. Niese (2-0, 3.50 ERA) blanked the Brewers through seven innings in his last start. He's made two starts in Arizona over the last three seasons, surrendering seven runs on 13 hits over a dozen innings. 

The Pirates had one of the better bullpens in the majors last year, but so far this season their relievers are struggling, with an ERA of 4.21. 

Take ARI. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SA@MEM to go OVER the total. 

The Spurs are in complete control of this series heading into Game 3 in Memphis, and I am not convinced that will change simply because Memphis is at home. That being said, they scored an average of just 71 points in the two games in San Antonio, and I expect them to show at the very least a modest improvement on offense. The under has been really trending in these playoffs, as 14 of 19 games so far have failed to reach the number. This has prompted the bookmakers to adjust, and we see a total in Game 3 that is 10 points lower than it was in Game 1. 

The over has been a good bet after the Grizzlies have suffered a double-digit loss, trending at a rate of 7-1-2. They've also played higher scoring games in Memphis, going over at a rate of 20-8-2 in their last 30 home games. The Spurs are still scoring their fair share of points, averaging 100 per game in the post-season. They are smoking hot from beyond the arc, hitting 19-of-39 three-pointers in Games 1-2. 

Take OVER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

The Hawks take a 2-0 series lead to Boston, and after failing to reach the total in each of the first two games, the number in Game 3 is still over 200. The under is trending huge in these playoffs, with 14 of the first 19 games failing to hit the total. While the bookmakers have made some slight adjustments, I still think this number is way too high, especially when you consider that they only combined to score 161 points in the last game. 

The Hawks had by far the best defense in the NBA since the All Star break, and the Celtics have proven to be more than capable of playing defense as well. These teams have failed to score 200 points in three of the last four meetings in Boston, and those were all regular season games. With an increased emphasis on defense in the post-season, they are even less likely to reach that number. 

Boston is missing second leading scorer Avery Bradley, and leading scorer Isaiah Thomas was held to just 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting in Game 2. The Under is 8-2 in Hawks last 10 Conference Quarterfinals games. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on CLE@DET to go UNDER the total. Here is what I said prior to Game 2: "The Pistons made 15 three-pointers in Game 1, shooting a staggering 51.7 percent from beyond the arc. They shot better than 50% from the field, hanging around in a close game decided by just five points. I don't like their chances of scoring 100 here in Game 2, or for the rest of the series for that matter. The Cavs were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this season, holding opponents to well below 100 points per game. The trend so far in these playoffs has been that points have been hard to come by. The under is 9-4 through the first 13 post-season games, and only one of five Game 2s has gone over. In fact, we've seen fewer points scored in Game 2 than in Game 1 in all five series that have played twice so far. The Pistons led by seven points early in the fourth quarter of Game 1, and that should be enough to convince the Cavs that they need to be a lot better defensively here in Game 2. The Pistons still think they can win this series: "We don't care who you put in front of us," Reggie Jackson said. "We fear nobody and experience is going to be our best teacher. We're going to learn on the fly. We think we have a chance." I expect a battle here in Game 2, with both teams grinding it out for every possession." The Pistons three-point shooting cooled off significantly in Game 2, hitting just 4-of-17 from beyond the arc. They were held to just 37 points in the second half, and I expect another defensive battle in the Motor City tonight. 

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LAK.

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

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

Take LAK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

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

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

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

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

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

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

Take WAS. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

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

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

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

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule 

This is a 10* play on the Texas Rangers. 

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

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

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

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

Take TEX. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

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

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

Take UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

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

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

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

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

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

GL, 

Jesse Schule

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

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

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

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

Take UNDER. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the LA Kings. 

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

Take LAK. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Atlanta Hawks. 

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

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

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

Take ATL. 

GL, 

Jesse Schule