TOP RATED 10* NBA MONEYLINE MONEYMAKER

The Boston Celtics are going for a fourth consecutive win when they visit the Heat at American Airlines Arena Saturday night. They're 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS on the season and they've won seven consecutive head-to-head meetings and four in a row in Miami. I really like the Celtics in this matchup. 

Miami is 2-2 but just 0-3-1 ATS on the season, but star center Hassan Whiteside (knee) has missed three straight games and remains day-to-day. The Heat took a 117-100 beating by San Antonio their last time out and I think they'll struggle here as well against another solid defensive team. 

Celtics are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games. Heat are 0-7-1 ATS in their last eight home games.

My selection is a 10* play on Boston Celtics. 

CFB 3-PACK

Two teams that are 6-1 on the season will do battle at Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana, Saturday afternoon when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the NC State Wolfpack. I think this looks like a great spot to take the points on the visitors. 

Notre Dame is coming off a huge 49-14 win against USC which must have taken a lot of energy, while the Wolfpack will be well rested since their 35-17 win at Pittsburgh on October 14. They've now won six straight games since a season opening loss to South Carolina. NC State has a terrific rush defense (6th in the country) allowing just 91.3 ypg and should be able to slow down Notre Dame on the ground. 

The Fighting Irish are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

My selection is an 8* play on NC State Wolfpack. 

CFB 3-PACK

The Northwestern Wildcats will entertain the Michigan State Spartans Saturday afternoon, and I think this looks like a good spot to back the visitors on the moneyline at a reasonable price. 

The Spartans are 6-1 SU (5-2 ATS) on the season and they're unbeaten 4-0 in Big Ten play. They're coming off a 17-9 victory against Indiana as they scored two touchdowns in the final six minutes to erase a 9-3 deficit. Michigan State has a solid D allowing just 16.9 ppg (No. 4 in the country by allowing just 262.3 yards of total offense per game) and it has held three of its last four opponents to 10 points or fewer. 

Northwestern is hot as well as it's going for its third consecutive victory, but that does not take away the fact that the Wildcats are struggling to move the ball. Note that QB Clayton Thorson has thrown more interceptions (9) than touchdown passes (8) this season. 

The Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings at Northwestern and the road team is 13-3 ATS in their last 16 meetings.

My selection is an 8* play on Michigan State Spartans. 

CFB 3-PACK

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs look like a solid favorite when they visit the Rice Owls at Rice Stadium Saturday afternoon. Rice is just 1-6 SU (2-5 ATS) on the season and had just seven first downs in last week's 20-7 loss at Texas-San Antonio. That was not the first time the Owls have struggled on offense this season as they've averaged just 11 points per game, dead last in the nation. 

Louisiana Tech meanwhile is averaging 27.9 ppg and needs a win here got get back to the .500 mark. The Bulldogs held a 27-16 lead with under two minutes to go against Southern Missisippi last week, but gave up 11 points in 52 seconds to force overtime (where they lost). I expect a much more focused performance from them in this matchup. 

The Bulldogs won last season's meeting 61-16, and they've destroyed Rice three years in a row. 

My selection is a 10* play on Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (EPL) 

Watford took a 4-2 beating at Chelsea their last game but defeated Arsenal 2-1 their last time out in front of the home fans at Vicarage Road. I think they look good to pick up another home win here as they host Stoke City who have lost three and picked up just one point in their four games on the road so far (they have won just one of their last 12 Premier League away games dating back to last season (D3, L8)). 

Stoke have lost six of their last seven games all competitions included and they have the worst defensive record in the English top flight with 20 goals conceded.

My EPL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Watford. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Purely a stat driven play. EPL games involving Watford this season have witnessed 32 goals at 3.55 a game while games involving Stoke have seen a total of 30 goals at 3.33 per game.

Over/Under 2.5 goals 6-3 for both teams on the season.

My selection is an 8* play on Over.

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

We lost with under 7.5 runs in Game 2 of this series, despite heading into the 9th inning with a 3-2 Dodgers lead. I'm however not afraid to back the under again here Friday night in the first of three matchups at Minute Maid Park. 

The Dodgers' Yu Darvish (2-0, 1.59 ERA) has been excellent in the postseason and he has posted a 2.16 ERA in six career outings against Houston. 

The Astros' Lance McCullers Jr. (0-0, 2.08 ERA) was mediocre at best during the regular season, but he's been much better here in the playoffs. We can also note that he posted a 3.04 ERA home at Minute Maid Park during the regular season (compared to a 5.14 ERA on the road). 

Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Houston and 5-1 in the last six meetings overall. We have a great umpire angle as well with under 8-2-1 in Gerry Davis' last 11 games behind home plate in games involving the Astros. 

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 115-113 home loss to the Timberwolves and Andrew Wiggins 3-point buzzer beater on Sunday, but I think they look good to execute a quick revenge here at Minnesota Friday night. 

The Timberwolves have played two games since that victory, and this will be their third game in four nights. They've lost big against both Indiana (23 points) and Detroit (21 points), two teams I don't rate highly at all. We can also note that Minnesota is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

The Thunder meanwhile have played just one game since their setback to the Wolves and cruised to a 114-96 victory over Indiana as a 13-point favorite. Do not underestimate the revenge angle in the NBA. 

My selection is an 8* play on Oklahoma City Thunder. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

The San Antonio Spurs head to Orlando with a perfect 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) record on the season, and I think they'll defeat the Magic fairly easy here. 

Orlando is coming off a hard-fought 125-121 victory against the Nets as they managed to revenge a loss at Brooklyn from earlier in the season. Now the question is; how much gas is left in the tank for this one? The Spurs are coming off a rather comfortable 117-100 win at Miami as they pulled away big in the third quarter (as per usual). The Spurs are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Orlando and might very well win this one by double digits. 

My selection is a 10* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights could not have asked for a better start, entering Friday with a 7-1 SU record. Star netminder Marc-Andre Fleury is out injured but Oscar Dansk has been brought up and is 2-0 with a 2.43 GAA in two career games (one start). He made 29 saves in Tuesday's 4-2 win against the Blackhawks and here he'll face an Avs team that has averaged just 2.20 gpg on the road this season. Hardly a surprise as Colorado was one of the worst teams on the road last season.  

This is Vegas' last game before heading out on a six-game road trip, and I think they'll say good bye to the home town crowd with another spectacular performance. 

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

LATE NIGHT PELS/KINGS HARDWOOD HAMMER

Two teams with a 1-3 record will clash at Golden 1 Center Thursday night when the Sacramento Kings host the New Orleans Pelicans. 

I'm not a big fan of this "two-man team" which New Orleans could be described as, but I sure give the Pels the advantage in this matchup. Their All-Star Anthony Davis tweaked his left knee five minutes into the first quarter in a 103-93 loss at Portland on Tuesday and he's questionable for this game, but Davis' front-court companion DeMarcus Cousins is ready to go. 

Cousins will no doubt have the visitors pumped up help him beat his old team. "My representatives, they told me I shouldn't stay," Cousins said of refusing "an opportunity to leave" when the team hired George Karl in 2015 to coach the team. "But, you know, I guess being stubborn or loyal, I wanted to make things work. How you going to be loyal to something that ain't loyal to any player that's ever played the game? I was a fool." Cousins shared with ESPN.com's Marc Spears on Wednesday. 

No love lost there, and I like Cousins to get out of Sacramento victorious. 

My selection is an 8* play on New Orleans Pelicans.

TOP RATED 10* THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - MIA@BAL

The Miami Dolphins will visit the Baltimore Ravens Thursday night, and I'm well happy to take the points on the visitors in this matchup.

The Ravens have lost four of their last five games and were outgained by a total of 149 yards in last week's 24-16 loss at Minnesota. They gave up 169 yards on the ground in that contest and they have the worst run defense in the NFL this season, giving up an average of 145.3 yards rushing per game. That will surely spell trouble here against the Dophins and Jay Ajayi who must look forward to run against Baltimore after a slow start to the season. 

QB Jay Cutler is out injured for the Dolphins, but Matt Moore is a capable backup. He came off the bench last week to help Miami rally from a 14-point deficit and record a 31-28 victory over the Jets. We can also note that the Ravens have even bigger injury woes with 15 players listed on their injury report, and QB Joe Flacco is struggling to find his targets. 

The Dolphins are 0-7 ATS in their last seven meetings, but this is a great spot for them to end that streak. 

My selection is a 10* play on Miami Dolphins. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH

The Boston Celtics took a 108-100 loss to the Bucks in their home opener (2nd game of a back-to-back after a 3-point loss at Cleveland), but they've won two straight games since covering the spread against both the 76ers and the Knicks. I like the Celtics here in a classic revenge spot as they're 32-23-2 ATS since the start of the 2015/2016 season when revenging a loss. 

Milwaukee has won three of four to start the season with a 116-97 home loss to Cleveland the lone setback. Are the Bucks a serious contender in the East? Too early to say, and I think they're still not quite on the same level as Boston. 

Boston won in its only trip to Milwaukee last season, 112-108 in overtime back in January and the Celtics are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Milwaukee. We can also note that the underdog is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.

My NBA Game of the Month is a 10* play on Boston Celtics. 

NHL POWER PLAY

The Detroit Red Wings have lost five straight and scored just a total of nine goals during that stretch. They'll no doubt have their work cut out for them here at Amalie Arena Thursday night, facing a Tampa Bay team that has allowed just a pair of goals through its last three games. Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy has posted a 2.22 GAA on the season and he's 4-0 with a 1.82 GAA in his career against the Red Wings. 

The Lightning are second in the league at 4.10 goals per game while the Red Wings are in the bottom third at 2.6 goals per game. Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard has a solid career GAA of 2.21 in 12 career games against the Lightning though, and I think he'll do his part to keep this a low-scoring game.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB GAME OF THE WEEK

The LA Dodgers took command of the World Series with a 3-1 victory last night, and I think we'll see another low-scoring affair here in Game 2 of the series. 

Justin Verlander (4-0, 1.46 ERA) has been absolutely outstanding for the Astros since coming over from Detroit. He took on the Dodgers back in August while still in a Tigers uniform and was terrific, conceding only one run in eight innings.

The Dodgers turn to Rich Hill (0-0, 3.00 ERA) who has allowed just three runs on six hits in nine innings of work here in the postseason. He has solid career numbers against the Astros, posting a 3-1 record behind a 2.68 ERA. He'll also be backed up by an absolutely phenomenal bullpen. 

Each of the last four meetings between the Astros and the Dodgers have gone under the total. 

My MLB Game of the Week is on HOU/LAD Under. 

NBA 3-PACK

The San Antonio Spurs are 3-0 SU (2-1 ATS) on the season despite playing without MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard who remains out for this matchup with the Miami Heat Wednesday night. The Spurs are 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings overall and a perfect 5-0 through the last five at Florida, and I predict another relatively comfortable Spurs victory tonight.

Miami is 2-1 SU but 0-2-1 ATS on the season, but beating Indiana and Atlanta is not all that impressive. Heat center Hassan Whiteside expected to miss his third straight game with a bone bruise on his left knee and Goran Dragic (quad bruise) and Dion Waiters (ankle) are also hurting for Miami. 

My selection is an 8* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

The Houston Rockets had opened the season perfect 3-0 before taking a 98-90 home loss to Memphis their last time out. The Philadelphia 76ers are in the opposite situation, picking up their first win at Detroit their last time out after starting the season with three straight losses. Classic let down spot here for Philly after winning outright on the road as a 3.5-point dog. 

Houston has been able to win despite shooting just 27.5 percent from 3-point range but, it's only  a matter of time before they start dropping bombs like last season. This is no doubt a good time to back the Rockets to get back on track and cover a low spread. 

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Rockets. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BOOKIE BREAKER

The Portland Trail Blazers will play their home opener when they host the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday night. They've still managed to compile a 2-1 SU (2-0-1 ATS) record through three games on the road, and I think they'll win this one big coming off the lone loss at Milwaukee.

Note that the Blazers are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings with the Pelicans home at Moda Center and Damian Lillard averaged 27.7 points in three games against New Orleans last season.

The Pelicans picked up their first win of the season by defeating the Lakers 119-112 at LA on Sunday. They did however blow a 20-point lead late in the third quarter and fell behind before rallying down the stretch, and they're still struggling to get big men Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins to click. 

Portland has a huge advantage with Lillard and CJ McCollum in the backcourt, and I don't think New Orleans' small edge in the paint will make up for it. 

My selection is a 10* play on Portland Trail Blazers. 

TOP RATED 10* WORLD SERIES GAME 1 BIG HITTER

The LA Dodgers will host the Houston Astros for Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium Tuesday night. This will no doubt be an exhilarating series, and I like the underdog to make this a very close game. 

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (2-1, 2.60 ERA) will take the ball for Houston. He'll make his first career start against the Dodgers (considered an advantage for the pitcher) and Keuchel is 4-1 over his six career postseason appearances with a 2.59 ERA. 

The Dodgers turn to another southpaw in Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.63 ERA) who is 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA in eight career starts against the Astros but he owns a 4.40 career ERA through 106 1/3 innings of playoff baseball and he has served up six homers in three starts this postseason. 

The price is right to back the Astros on the runline.  

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Astros +1.5. 

3-PACK

The Nets opened the season with a loss at Indiana, but they've bounce back nicely with back-to-back victories, including a 126-121 win over the Magic home at Brooklyn. Orlando has the exact same 2-1 record but they Magic are in a massive let down spot here following a 114-93 rout in Cleveland on Saturday. Note that the Magic are 0-6 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win, and I think we're getting way too many points on the visitors to pass up on.  

My selection is an 8* play on Brooklyn Nets. 

TOP RATED 10* EFL CUP TUESDAY TOTAL

We lost with an under featuring Manchester United vs. Huddersfield over the weekend, but I'm backing the under again here when Man United clash with Swansea in the EFL Cup on Tuesday. Swansea are struggling to score and their top striker Wilfried Bony is doubtful for this midweek cup tie having been out with a hamstring injury. Man U will no doubt give a bunch of fringe players a run-around here with a tough matchup against Tottenham on deck this weekend. I bet manager Jose Mourinho wants to see a good defensive display though after giving up two goals last weekend, and I think we'll see a 1-0 away win or a 1-1 draw. 

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

LATE NBA NIGHTCRAWLER

The Phoenix Suns have been just terrible through their first three games of the season resulting in head coach Earl Watson getting fired on Sunday. Interim head coach Jay Triano will lead the team when hosting the Sacramento Kings Monday night, but I don't think he'll be able to do much better. 

The Kings are 1-2 SU (2-1 ATS) on the season following a 96-79 loss at Denver on Saturday, but that was a tough spot though as they had picked up a 93-88 win at Dallas the night before. Note that Sacramento is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 games playing on 1 days rest and 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings with the Suns. 

The Kings entered Sunday ranked 29th in the league in scoring at 90.7 points per game, but I'm not too worried about their offensive output here considering that the Suns have allowed an abysmal 128.7 ppg. 

My selection is an 8* play on Sacramento Kings. 

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL MONEYMAKER

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated NFC East rival Washington Redskins 30-17 at Washington in the season opener, and I think they'll sweep the season series when the teams clash again Monday night. 

There will be a lot of pressure on the Redskins QB Kirk Cousins to deliver the goods as running the ball will be tough against the team that ranks No. 1 in the league against the run, allowing an average of 65.7 yards. Cousins struggled in the first meeting of the season though, completing just 23-of-40 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown and an interception. 

The Eagles can counter with one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL. Second-year quarterback Carson Wentz has thrown for 1,584 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions and is in the early conversation for the league's MVP award. He's the main reason the Eagles have scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games, the league's longest active streak.

Expect another big day for the Eagles offense here as the Redskins are banged up with starting cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland (knee) and Josh Norman (rib) are both questionable (as is running back Rob Kelley (ankle)).  

Redskins are 0-4 ATS in their last four Monday night games. Eagles are 5-2 ATS in their last seven Monday night games.

My selection is an 8* play on Philadelphia Eagles. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

The home team is 11-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings and the Hornets 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings at BMO Harris Bradley Center. I think the Bucks are asked to cover way too many points here, especially considering that Charlotte has had Milwaukee's number recently, winning 11 of the last 14 meetings straight up. 

The Hornets opened the season with a 102-90 loss at Detroit but defeated Atlanta 109-91 in their second game. They've dominated the glass with a total of 104 rebounds and I like the Hornets to be able to slow down Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo. He's averaging a league-best 38.3 points through three games and put up a new career high his last time out when he dropped 44 against the Blazers on Saturday night in a 113-111 victory, but like I said, this will be a tough matchup.

My selection is a 10* play on Charlotte Hornets.  

TOP RATED 10* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a pretty good start to the season, entering Monday's clash with the LA Kings at Air Canada Centre with a 6-2-0 record. The visitors have been even better though with six wins and a lone overtime loss to Calgary on Oct. 11, making them the only team without a regulation loss on the season. 

We can also note that the Kings are 4-1 in the last five meetings overall (5-2 in the last seven meetings in Toronto.) I think this is a terrific price on the red hot Kings who have scored 18 goals en route to four straight victories.

The Leafs took a 6-3 loss at Ottawa on October 21 and netminder Fredrik Andersen will likely be in for another tough game here against a Kings team that knows him very well from his time with Anaheim. The Maple Leafs are 15-36 in their last 51 vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and 2-8 in their last 10 vs. Pacific Division teams. 

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on LA Kings. 

SUNDAY NIGHT SUPER BOWL REMATCH FALCONS @ PATRIOTS

Very emotional game for the Atlanta Falcons as they seek revenge for last season's loss in the Super Bowl. They squandered a 17-point lead in last week's stunning 20-17 loss to Miami, presumably because they had already checked out mentally to focus on this game.

I can not stress enough how much this game means to the Falcons, and they'll face a Patriots team that has shown plenty of weakness on the defensive side of the ball this season. Note that New England's defense ranks dead last in the NFL with 440.7 yards allowed per game. 

Falcons are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games, Patriots are 0-3 ATS home at Gillette Stadium on the season. 

My selection is an 8* play on Atlanta Falcons.

(make sure you get +3.5 as this game is likely to be decided by a late field goal.)

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a 96-87 loss at Utah on Saturday, and I think they'll find it tough to bounce back with a strong performance here against Minnesota Timberwolves the very next night. 

The Wolves picked up their first win of the season with a 100-97 against the same Jazz side in their home opener on Friday. Minnesota has a talented team and should be quite dangerous this season once new starters Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson start to blend in better. The same can be said about the Thunder who need to figure out how to best utilize Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George together.

OKC has dominated this series in recent years but this looks like a good spot to take the points on Minnesota.

My selection is a 10* play on Minnesota Timberwolves. 

AFC NORTH ANNIHILATOR - CIN@PIT

The Cincinnati Bengals will visit AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon, and I think we'll see a close game and the visitors covering the spread in the end.

The Steelers have been inconsistent lately, splitting their last four games with losses to Chicago and Jacksonville while defeating Baltimore and most recently the Chiefs. Last week's 19-13 victory at Kansas City sets up a classic let down spot here and the Bengals have had plenty of time to prepare for this contest as they're coming off a bye week. The Bengals had won two on the bounce prior to their bye and they've covered the spread in three straight games. They held Buffalo to just 221 total yards and 139 passing yards in a 20-16 win their last time out they're ranked 2nd in the NFL in total defense on the season allowed just 262.8 ypg. 

Pittsburgh has won four straight and seven of the last eight meetings in the series, but here the Steelers are asked to cover way too many points as the Bengals D will keep them in the game.

My selection is an 8* play on Cincinnati Bengals. 

TOP RATED 10* NFL SUNDAY NFC SHOWDOWN

The San Francsco 49ers are 0-6 on the season, but each of their last five have been  determined by three points or less and they've covered the spread in four of those games.

They could easily have beaten the Redskins at Washington last week, and rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard earned a start here with a fine performance under center after replacing Brian Hoyer. Carlos Hyde added two rushing touchdowns and is tied for third in the NFL with four rushing touchdowns. 

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a bye week, but they've dropped back-to-back games and three of their last four, surrendering 35 points or more in each defeat.

This will be the Niners first home game since Sept. 21, so you better believe they'll be fired up Sunday afternoon. 

49ers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC. Cowboys are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. NFC.

My selection is an 10* play on San Francisco 49ers. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Atlanta Hawks have been about as inconsistent as you would expect considering they've lost three of their top four scorers from last season. They opened the season 117-111 win at the Dallas on Wednesday but took a 109-91 loss at Charlotte on Friday. I think they're in for another tough game here when the visit the Nets at Brooklyn Sunday afternoon. 

The Nets will have to do without point guard Jeremy Lin for the rest of the season, but that didn't stop them from beating the Orlando Magic 126-121 in their home opener on Friday. There's no doubt that the Nets can score points as they average 128.5 ppg through their first two games, and I'm not quite sure Atlanta can match that output as of right now. 

We can also note that this is the first contest of a back-to-back for the Hawks, so don't be surprised if they call it a day if they were fall behind early to save some energy for tomorrow's matchup with the Heat at Miami instead. 

My selection is an 8* play on Brooklyn Nets.

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Buffalo Bills defense ranks first in the NFL, allowing just 14.8 points a game. They struggle on the offensive side of the ball though with QB Tyrod Taylor struggling and the receiving corps hampered by injuries. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston will get the start here despite suffering a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder on a sack in last week's loss at Arizona. I'm not sure how well a banged up Winston will perform here against this outstanding Buffalo D, particularly with the Bills coming off a bye week and plenty of time to prepare for this contest. 

Under is 4-1 in Buffalo's five games this season, and while Tampa Bay took a 38-33 loss at Arizona last week we can note that under is 4-1 in Buccaneers last five games after scoring more than 30 points in their previous game.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Phoenix Suns took a 124-76 beating by the Trailblazers at home on Wednesday, the worst opening night home loss by a team in the history of the league. This will no doubt be another tough game for the Suns.

They'll be playing on back-to-back nights following a Friday night fight with the Lakers, and here they'll face the way stronger of the two LA teams. 

The Clippers opened the season with a convincing 108-92 win over the Lakers, and that despite shooting just shot 39.3% from the field and 36.4 % from long range. They have a very good defensive team, especially since bringing in Patrick Beverley. The Suns defense meanwhile has been weak for years and last year they were dead last in the league in points allowed at 113.3 ppg. 

Home team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.

My selection is an 8* play on LA Clippers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA BASKET BRAWLER

Both teams were in action Friday night; Milwaukee with a 116-97 home loss to the Cavs while Portland won 114-96 at Indiana.

The Blazers have played very good basketball through their first two games and they have a huge advantage in the backcourt with Damien Lillard and C.J. McCollum.

The Bucks have an advantage in the paint, but this should be an easy away win as long as Portland can hit from downtown. Note that Blazers shot 47.4% from behind the arc last night while Milwaukee allowed Cleveland to shoot 42.3% from 3-point range.

My money is on the dog in this contest. 

My selection is a 10* play on Portland Trail Blazers.  

MLB ALCS GAME 7 BOOKIE BREAKER TOTAL

We'll see Charlie Morton vs. CC Sabathia here in the deciding Game 7 of the ALCS. I think runs will come at a premium in this contest. 

Sabathia (1-0, 2.30 ERA) just tossed six shutout innings against the Astros in Game 3 of this series, and he's 10-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 13 turns following a Yankees loss, which is the situation here after a 7-1 loss to Houston last night. 

The Astros' Morton (0-1, 10.13 ERA) was lit up in his head-to-head showdown with Sabathia in Game 3, allowing seven runs and six hits through 3 2/3 innings. That was in the Bronx though, and we can note that Morton was 10-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 16 turns home at Minute Maid Park during the regular season.

I like the umpire angle as well with under 5-1 in Chad Fairchild's last six games behind home plate.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

SATURDAY NIGHT BIG 10 BOOKIE BREAKER - MI@PSU

Two of the top teams from the Big 10 will clash at Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania Saturday night when the 6-0 Penn State Nittany Lions host the 5-1 Michigan Wolverines.

This looks like a good spot to take the points on the feisty underdog. They're 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record and always manage to stay in games thanks to their excellent defense, ranked 8th in the nation allowing just 14.7 points per game. 

The Nittany Lions are 16th in the nation in scoring offense putting up 39.7 points per game while leading the nation in scoring defense, conceding just nine points per contest. They're coming off a bye week while Michigan has struggled in its last two games, so the table is all set for a huge Penn State victory, right? 

Well, it might be a bit "too perfect" of a spot for PSU, and the line reflects that.

We can also note that Michigan won last season's meeting 49-10, so there's no doubt that several of the current Wolverines and coach Jim Harbaugh know how to beat Penn State.

My selection is an 8* play on Michigan Wolverines. 

CFB CA$H COW

The Miami Hurricanes are perfect 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS on the season, but here they'll face a Syracuse team that has performed even better against the spread  at 4-2-1.

The Orange are coming off back-to-back victories and defeated No. 2 Clemson 27-24 as a 24-point underdog last week. QB Eric Dungey is having an outstanding season and completed 20-of-32 passes for 278 yards with three touchdowns.

Syracuse, in the last four games, has scored 26, 25, 27 and 27 points respectively and a similar output here should be enough to cover this huge spread. 

Miami might be undefeated on the season, but it won just 25-24 as a 6.5-point favorite against Georgia Tech last week. I think the Orange will give Miami a good fight at Hard Rock Stadium Saturday afternoon. 

My selection is an 8* play on Syracuse Orange. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB) - MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* BEST BET

The Buffalo Bulls are just 3-4 SU but perfect 7-0 SU on the season. Their last two defeats were by a combined four points despite closing as 7.5-point underdogs both times. I think they have an excellent shot at winning this game outright, but let's take the points just in case with this major wager. 

The Miami-OH Redhawks have covered the spread in just one of their seven games om the season and fell 17-14 at Kent State as an 8.5-point favorite last week. They were beaten by the previously winless Bowling Green Falcons 37-29 at home in the week prior to that and are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games (0-3 ATS this season). 

Buffalo has been rather dangerous through the air all season averaging 275 yards per game and Drew Anderson + Kyle Vantrease combined for 344 passing yards last week. It's defense has stepped up lately as well and recorded eight sacks in the last three games after having only three sacks over the first four games of the season. 

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Buffalo Bulls. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (SOCCER) MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* EPL MAJOR WAGER

I think we'll see a low-scoring game when Manchester United visit Huddersfield on Saturday. 

Huddersfield have a 5-9 goal differential through their first eight games in the Premier League, so even though the visitors is the second highest scoring side in the EPL this season it could be difficult to breach the home defense here. 

We can also note that Man Utd have kept nine clean sheets in their last 10 EPL matches and could become the first team to keep eight clean sheets in their first nine games of a season.

The tough schedule is already starting to catch up with Man United, and they looked kind of sluggish in their 1-0 win at Benfica in the Champions League earlier this week. I think Jose Mourinho would be happy with another 1-0 victory here. 

My Soccer Game of the Week is a 10* play on Under. 

NBA 3-Pack

The Utah Jazz opened the season with a 106-96 win over Denver on Wednesday, and I think they're getting way too many points to pass up on when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center Friday night. Minnesota is coming off a 107-99 loss to San Antonio and the newcomers on the team struggled to make things happen. This will be another tough matchup against a solid Utah D. Note that the visiting team won 10 of the past 15 meetings outright and covered the spread in 14 of the last 19 meetings. 

My selection is an 8* play on Utah Jazz.

NBA 3-Pack

The Boston Celtics came into the season expected to compete for the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference, but they're travelling to Philadelphia still looking for their first win. We can also note that free-agent signee Gordon Hayward will miss the rest of the season due to a gruesome leg, and here they'll face a 76ers team that has covered the spread in four straight meetings (won the last one outright 105-99 here at Wells Fargo Center). 

Philadelphia showed a lot of promise in its 120-115 loss at Washington on Wednesday, and there's no doubt that this is a team packed with potential. Center Joel Embiid seems to be getting more minutes than expected (he was on minutes restrictions all last season) and Philly has the top picks in each of the last two drafts in guard/forward Ben Simmons and guard Markelle Fultz. 

The 76ers have covered the spread in nine of their last 10 Friday night fights. 

My selection is a 10* play on Philadelphia 76ers. 

NBA 3-Pack

The Milwaukee Bucks opened the season with an 108-100 win against Boston Celtics, but I think they'll run into trouble here against another of the Eastern Conference's powerhouses. The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 102-99 on opening night and Lebron James was just shy of a triple-double with 29 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists. Cleveland took three of four in the series last season and six of the last seven meetings overall, so there's no doubt that the Cavs that know how to tame the Bucks. We can also note that the Bucks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Friday games while the Cavaliers are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 Friday games.

My selection is an 8* play on Cleveland Cavaliers. 

TOP RATED 10* NBA SUPER LATE BATTLE OF LA

The Clippers and the Lakers will clash in the first "Battle of LA" right in their first game of the season. Under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings and I think we'll see a lower score than the posted total would suggest tonight as well. 

The Clippers have had a lot of turnover in their roster from last season and I would not be surprised if it will take some time for them all to click offensively. They should be solid off the ball though with defensive specialist Patrick Beverley replacing the departed Chris Paul at point guard. 

The Lakers meanwhile have reportedly put a lot of effort into improving the league's third-worst scoring defense in 2016-17.  

"Our guys have really committed and bought in to becoming a better defensive team," Los Angeles coach Luke Walton told reporters. "It's still going to take time, obviously. But as long as they keep working the way they do and want to continue to get better the way they do, then we'll be a very solid defensive team. I'm thrilled with the strides they're making."

My selection is a 10* play on Under.

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) - MIKE'S MAJOR WAGER ALERT - KC@OAK

The Kansas City Chiefs have a 5-1 record as they're coming off their first defeat this season in last week's 19-13 home loss against Pittsburgh. I like the Chiefs to bounce back strong here when they visit the Oakland Raiders Thursday night. 

The Raiders are in bad shape, entering the game on a four-game losing streak during which they've averaged only 13.2 points per game. Quarterback Derek Carr  was 21-of-30 passing for just 171 yards with one TD and two picks in Sunday's 17-16 home loss to the Chargers. He missed the previous game due to injury and playing on short rest here won't do him any good.    

The Chiefs are perfect 9-0 ATS as a favorite on the road dating back to Nov. 22, 2015. They've won five straight meetings with the Raiders and covered the spread in all but one of those games. 

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Kansas City Chiefs. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The Oklahoma City Thunder have brought in All-Stars Carmelo Anthony (from NYK) and Paul George during the offseason to give NBA MVP Russell Westbrook some help.

Sure, OKC will be a strong team this season, but it will most likely take some time to utilize all their stars the best way as they're used to simply give the ball to Russell, and I think they're way overrated here in the season opener.

The Knicks should be able to cover this healthy spread and might even threaten to win outright. They have a youthful and pretty talented squad led by 22-year-old Latvian Kristaps Porzingis who will be ready to step up with Anthony gone. 

My selection is an 8* play on NY Knicks. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

Both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a fast start, but this looks like a tough spot for the visitors who will play their third game in four nights and fourth in six. Note that Lightning are 4-9 in their last 13 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation. The Blue Jackets are perfect 2-0 home at Nationwide Arena with convincing victories over the Islanders and the Rangers. The Lightning are 1-1-1 on the road this season following a 5-4 setback at New Jersey in a shootout, and the Blue Jackets are 17-4 in their last 21 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. 

Columbus won all three meetings last season, outscoring the Tampa Bay 13-5 in the process. The Lightning's netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy is 0-2 with a 3.54 GAA against the Blue Jackets.  

My selection is a 10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets. 

NBA 3-Pack

The Houston Rockets stunned the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors with a 122-121 victory on Tuesday. Here they'll take on the Sacramento Kings the very next night, and I predict another high-scoring affair.

Over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings overall and 5-1 in the last six meetings at Sacramento.

I don't think playing on back-to-back nights is as easy as it sounds right in the beginning of the season, and I'm sure the Kings can take advantage of some tired Houston legs on offense.

Scoring is rarely a problem for the Rockets as long as they're hitting the three-ball, and the Kings do not have the perimeter defense to stop them. 

My selection is an 8* play on Over. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (MLB) TOP RATED 10* MAJOR WAGER 

The Chicago Cubs' bats have been ice cold so far in this series, scoring just a total four runs through the first three games. I think the posted total is set way too high here in Game 4 of the series. 

Alex Wood will take the ball for the Dodgers. He will make his first start here in the playoffs but posted a 16-3 record behind a 2.72 ERA during the regular season. Wood has held the Cubs to one earned run through 8 2/3 innings of work this year and he's 7-1 with a stellar 2.24 ERA in 13 road starts. 

The Cubs turn to Jake Arrieta who is 1-3 with a 3.77 ERA in five career regular-season starts against the Dodgers. He conceded no earned runs in four innings against Washington in the NLDS and was 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA through 10 home starts during the regular season. 

Under is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings at Wrigley.

My MLB Game of the Week is on Dodgers/Cubs Under. 

NBA 3-Pack

New Orleans went just 11-14 last season even after acquiring DeMarcus Cousins from Sacramento at the All-Star break, but I think he'll click better with Anthony Davis and the rest of the Pelicans this season after more time together.

Memphis has said goodbye to Zach Randolph and Tony Allen this offseason, and coach David Fizdale will be looking to have his Grizzlies playing a different, faster paced style. "We have a team that I think has more skill and more speed, and that obviously is something that I've talked about that I'd like to have a team that can do that." Fizdale recently told reporters. That might take some time to adjust to though.

The Grizzlies closed out the preseason with a 142-101 thrashing of the same Pelicans last Friday. The Pels have surely not forgot that loss, and I expect a completely different result tonight. 

My selection is an 8* play on New Orleans Pelicans.

NBA 3-Pack

The Philadelphia 76ers won both matchups with the Washington Wizards last season, and I think they'll give the home team another scare here in the opener of the new campaign. Philly is not short on talent, and Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and the others will now been joined by 2016 No. 1 overall pick Simmons (who sat out 2016-17 with a broken right foot) and the 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz. 

The Wizards have kept their core pretty much intact from last season, for better and for worse. Sure, they were just one game short of reaching the Eastern Conference finals last season, but their defense remains a weakness. 

The 76ers are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

My selection is an 8* play on Philadelphia 76ers. 

ROCKETS/WARRIORS TNT NIGHTCRAWLER

We're seeing an bloated total (as per usual between these two teams) when the Golden State Warriors host the Houston Rockets Tuesday night. It's however worth noting that the under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings, and I think this one will stay under the total as well. 

The Rockets have been among the highest scoring teams in the NBA through the last couple of seasons, and now they've added nine-time All-Star Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers to the mix. It might take same time for Paul to blend in with the rest of the team though, and how will James Harden feel about Paul coming in as the primary ball-handler?

The Warriors are the reigning champions, and not only thanks to their amazing offense. This is a team that can play D as well, and we can note that Golden State managed to shut down Harden quite effectively last season. Harden was harassed into 23-for-73 shooting (31.5%), including 5-for-34 (14.7%) on 3-pointer, while totaling more turnovers (26) than shots made (23) in four matchups.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

NLCS BASE BRAWLER

The Chicago Cubs need a win here to avoid going down a 3-0 hole in the series. The Cubs have had the Dodgers’ number home at Wrigley recently, winning two of three there during last year’s NLCS and taking two of three when the Dodgers visited in April.

Tonight Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 3.27 ERA) will toe the slab for the Cubs. He's 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA through 11 innings here in the postseason and has the current Dodgers limited to a .189 AVG, although admittedly over just 37 at bats. 

The Dodgers turn to Yu Darvish (1-0, 1.80 ERA) who held the D'Backs to one run on two hits in five innings of a 3-1 win in the NLDS, but here he'll run into some particularly desperate Cubbies. We saw the motivation and home town crowd carry the Yankees (who were also 0-2) to an 8-1 victory against the Astros last night, and I like the home team to come through in this matchup. 

My selection is an 8* play on Chicago Cubs. 

NBA HARDWOOD HAMMER

The over is 4-1 in the last five meetings at Quicken Loans Arena, but I think we'll see a low-scoring affair when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Boston Celtics for the opener of the 2017/2018 NBA season Tuesday night. 

There will be no love lost between those two teams who battled in the Eastern Conference Finals last year and were involved in the biggest trade of the off-season, which saw Cleveland send Kyrie Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. 

We can also note that LeBron James' status for the opener is unclear. James sprained his ankle in practice on Sept. 27 and sat out the Cavaliers' first three exhibition games. He finally made his debut last week against Chicago but may have aggravated his ankle while making a spin move in the loss. He was held out of Friday's preseason finale in Orlando to rest the ankle.

Expect a matchup with playoff-like intensity, particularly on defense. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* M.N.F. BOOKIE BREAKER

The Tennessee Titans put up just 10 points in a loss at Miami without injured quarterback Marcus Mariota last week. He's questionable when the Titans host the Indianapolis Colts Monday night, and it doesn't seem like the Titans want to gamble with his health: "I want to be very smart about how we do this. It's more than this game, it's a lot of games, that we've got to be concerned about," Tennessee coach Mike Mularkey said of Mariota. 

As a big home favorite the Titans might feel they can afford to give their star QB more time to recover. With or without Mariota, I think Tennessee is asked to cover way too many points in this contest. 

The Colts will be looking to build on the momentum they picked up with their second win of the season in a 26-23 OT triumph against the Niners last week. They pounded their opponent on the ground and rushed for a total of 159 yards on 35 attempts with two scores. Veteran RB Frank Gore has four touchdowns in his last three games against Tennessee and we can note that the Titans have surrendered 273 rushing yards in their last two games combined (both losses). 

The Colts are 11-0 SU and 10-1 ATS in the last 11 head-to-head meetings and they won 34-26 here at Tennessee last season.

My selection is a 10* play on Indianapolis Colts. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

Houston failed to sweep the Red Sox in the ALDS as Boston managed to claim Game 3 of the series. I do however like the Astros to go clean here in the ALDS with three straight wins against the New York Yankees. 

Charlie Morton will take the ball for Houston. He started Game 4 of ALDS last Monday in Boston and held the Red Sox to two runs through 4 1/3 frames. He does not have great career numbers against the Bronx Bombers, but that's also a reason why we're getting such a great price on Houston in this contest. 

The Yankees turn to CC Sabathia. The left-hander will make his third start of the playoffs and was tagged with six runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks in 9 2/3 innings against the Tribe in the ALCS. Sabathia is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA in three starts against Houston, but this will be the first meeting of the year and the Astros are playing at a completely different level now compared to previous seasons. 

The Yankees might have a slight advantage on the mound tonight, but the Astros bats are too hot to be silenced, particularly Jose Altuve who is 5-for-8 in this series after going 8-for-15 in the ALDS. 

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

MONDAY PREMIER LEAGUE PUNISHER

We find Leicester down in the relegation zone with just five points in seven games as they head into this Monday matchup with the West Bromwich Albions. 

It's however easy to forgive them for being short on points when looking at their opening schedule with four of their first seven opponents named Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United. 

I like Leicester to put a beating on WBA here when taking on a more manageable opponent home at King Power Stadium. WBA are winless in five league matches, including successive away defeats. In fact, their only Premier League away win in this calendar year was 1-0 at Burnley in August (W1, D4, L7).

Note that Leicester forward Jamie Vardy is available to face West Brom, having made a full recovery from a hip problem during the international break.

My selection is an 8* play on Leicester.

NLCS BASE BRAWLER

The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed the opener of the National League Championship Series 5-2 on Saturday, but I like the Cubs to take Game 2 and head home to Wrigley with the series tied. 

Here we'll see a battle between two southpaws on the mound, with the Cubs handing the ball to Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA) and the Dodgers going with Rich Hill (12-8, 3.32 ERA). 

Lester was terrific in the NLDS, tossing 9 2/3 innings of two-run ball on just three hits. Lester has a ton of postseason experience and owns a 9-7 record behind a 2.57 ERA in 24 playoff outings (20 starts).

Hill meanwhile may be a regular season veteran, but the 37 year old has just five postseason starts under his belt, going 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He gave up two runs on three hits and three walks in four innings against Arizona in the NLDS, and I think Cubs will give hem plenty of trouble here. 

My selection is an 8* play on Chicago Cubs. 

NHL CA$H COW

The Vegas Golden Knights took their first loss in franchise history when they dropped a 6-3 decision to Detroit on Friday. We can however note that the Golden Knights held a 3-2 lead after two period, and I like Vegas to bounce back here when Boston is coming to town Sunday night. 

The Bruins will play on no rest following a 6-2 win at Arizona on Saturday. They're 4-12 in their last 16 games playing on 0 days rest and 1-6 in their last seven when taking on a team with a winning record. Good spot to back the home team. 

My selection is an 8* play on Vegas Golden Knights.

TOP RATED 10* NFL NO BRAINER

This looks like a terrific spot to back the under in Miami Dolphins vs. Atlanta Falcons Sunday afternoon. The Falcons took a 23-17 home loss against Buffalo prior to their bye week, and I have no doubt that their elite defense will be fresh and ready to shut down the Dolphins here. 

There's no telling how Miami's offense will do in this contest as offensive line coach Chris Foerster resigned Monday, a day after a video surfaced of him snorting a white substance while apparently working for an NFL team. I'm pretty sure it won't have a positive impact though, and let's keep in mind that this is an offense that has averaged NFL worst for both points and yards through the first five weeks ... The Dolphins do have a 2-2 record though, thanks to a defensive unit that's allowed only 309.5 ypg and 16.8 ppg.  

Under is 11-3-2 in Falcons last 16 games in Week 6. Under is 5-0 in Dolphins last five games overall.

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

LIONS/SAINTS BOOKIE BREAKER

The Detroit Lions fell to 3-2 on the season as they took a 27-24 home loss to Carolina last week. I like the Lions to bounce back to at the very least cover the spread and threaten to win outright here at New Orleans Sunday afternoon. 

The Saints are coming off back-to-back victories and shut out the Dolphins in a 20-0 victory at Miami two weeks ago We can however note that New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last five games following a straight up win of more than 14 points, so let down spots definitely is an issue for this side. Note that New Orleans ranks 29th in the league in total defense and that while Detroit has lost twice in the last three weeks to Atlanta and Carolina (two elite teams), it's been by a combined seven points.

The Lions have defeated the Saints in each of the last three seasons: 24-23 in 2014 in Detroit, 35-27 in 2015 and 28-13 and 2016 here in the Superdome. 

My selection is an 8* play on Detroit Lions. 

NFL 3-PACK

The New York Jets are surprisingly enough entering this clash with the New England Patriots on equal footing with the Pats and the Bills at the top of the AFC East standings with a 3-2 record. The Pats not looking as sharp as last year, and I like the Jets to cover the spread here as a sizable home dog. 

Note that New England's defense has allowed 142 points in five games (28.4 per game), which is tied for second worst in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans. The Jets' QB Josh McCown ranks second in the NFL with a completion percentage of 71.4 and he has registered a passer rating above 100 three times in five games. The Pats D was marginally better in last week's 19-14 victory at Tampa Bay, but it still allowed Jameis Winston to throw for 334 yards. 

The Jets have already won twice as underdogs home at MetLife Stadium this season.

My selection is an 8* play on New York Jets. 

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

The Chicago Bears lost 20-17 against Minnesota last week, but they're 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss and I think they'll cover the spread here at Baltimore Sunday afternoon. Note that Chicago's rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky went 12-of-25 for 128 yards, one touchdown, one interception and one fumble against the Vikings, and I think he'll do better here in his second career start under center. 

Chicago coach John Fox really has high hopes for the young quarterback: "He's got what it takes," Fox said. "There's no doubt in my mind. For a first game, I go back to watching guys like Joe Montana in his first game. I've seen a few of them. I'm not making comparisons at this point, but he will do nothing but get better."

The Ravens managed to defeat Oakland (who was without QB Derek Carr) last week, but Baltimore had really struggled on the defensive side of the ball in back-to-back losses to Jacksonville and Pittsburgh prior to that. Note that Baltimore has allowed an average of 345.3 yards per game in their last three games while the Bears have allowed only 280.7 yards per game. The Bears are ranked sixth in the NFL in total defense on the season and Baltimore is hardly an offensive juggernaut. 

The Ravens are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games in October, and I'm taking the points on the Bears in this matchup. 

My selection is an 8* play on Chicago Bears. 

PREMIER LEAGUE PUNISHER (TOTAL)

Southampton will host Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, and this has all the signs of a low-scoring affair. Note that Southampton have failed to score in eight of their last nine home matches in the Premier League. There have been under 2.5 goals scored in seven of Southampton's last eight home league games and they've tallied just five while conceding seven in seven games overall this season. Newcastle have scored seven while conceding six in seven league games on the season, and they're coming off a confidence boosting 1-1 draw against Liverpool. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

LATE NIGHT HUSKIES/SUN DEVILS PAC-12 PUNISHER

The Washington Huskies are 6-0 SU and 4-2 ATS on the season, but I think they're asked to cover way too many points here at Arizona State in Week 7. 

The Sun Devils are coming off a bye week and they're 1-1 in conference play with a 37-35 upset win as a 14.5-point home dog against Oregon before losing by just 10 points as a 17-point dog at Stanford. Sure, here they'll face the best defense in the Pac-12, but note that ASU is ranked 55th in the nation in total offense (426.8 ypg) and 49th in scoring at 32.6 ppg.

The Huskies are very strong on both sides of the ball, but they have a bye week to look forward to so players might check out a little bit too early, giving us a chance for the backdoor cover as well is ASU was to fall far behind. 

My selection is an 8* play on Arizona State Sun Devils. 

NHL BANKROLL BUILDER TOTAL

Both the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a fast start this season. Over is 6-2 in the last eight meetings at Amalie Arena and I think we'll see another high-scoring affair when they clash Saturday night. 

The Lightning have scored a total of 18 goals through their first four games, but also conceded 15. They've impressed offensively as a team with Captain Steven Stamkos sitting on just one tally, and I expect the Lightning to keep trying to outscore their opponents as the defense is what it is (not very good). 

The Blues have scored 17 and conceded 14 through five games. They had won four straight games prior to a 5-2 loss at Florida on Thursday. Note that over is 4-1-1 in the Blues' last six after allowing five goals or more in their previous game. They've allowed 33 shots of more in each of their five games on the season, so Tampa Bay should get plenty of chances to score.

I'm assuming we'll see Jake Allen vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy in net, and neither goalie has good numbers against tonight's opponent.  

My selection is an 8* play on Over. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

The Houston Astros prevailed 2-1 in a pitchers duel Friday night in the opener of the American League Championship Series, and I think they'll take a 2-0 lead today with Justin Verlander on the mound. 

Verlander has been outstanding since coming over from Detroit, going 7-0 with a 1.48 ERA in seven games (six starts). This will be the first meeting of the season with the Yankees who hand the ball to Luis Severino. He has allowed six runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in 7 1/3 frames in his last two outings and Houston has reached him for nine runs on 15 hits in 7 2/3 innings on the season.

The Yankees have a losing record on the road (41-44) and the Astros are 12-2 in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. I like the umpire angle too with the home team  8-1 in Hunter Wendelstedt's last nine games behind home plate (Houston 24-8 in his last 32 games behind home plate here at Minute Maid Park).

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (CFB)

The Houston Cougars are 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS on the season. They defeated SMU 35-22 as a 10-point favorite last weekend and I think they'll win and cover the spread again here at Tulsa Saturday afternoon. 

The Golden Hurricane are 1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS on the season and took a 62-28 beating by Tulane last Saturday, their fourth straight loss. They were awful on the defensive side of the ball in the loss to Tulane, surrendering 653 total yards which included 488 rushing yards. Their 44 points allowed per game is the fifth worst mark in college football on the season. 

Here they'll face a Houston team that rushed for a total of 265 yards last week with Duke Catalon accumulating 177 of those yards with a pair of scores. We can also note that Houston ranks 12th in the nation at only 16.2 points allowed per game. 

The Cougars are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. Road team is 6-0 ATS in their last six meetings.

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Houston Cougars. 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL CA$H COW

We'll see a battle of the Tigers in Baton Rouge Saturday afternoon as Auburn visits LSU, and I like Auburn in this spot. 

The visitors are coming off a dominant 44-23 victory against Mississippi to improve to 5-1 SU (2-2-2 ATS) on the season. Auburn had a 35-3 halftime lead could relax a bit in the second half, with the 23 points allowed the most in a game all season. Head coach Gus Malzahn: "Our first defense held them to 10 points, and I think if we had kept the first defense in, then we could have held them to 10 points the whole game."

Auburn is 6th in scoring defense on the season giving up just 13 points per game and here it'll face an LSU offense ranked 94th in the nation in scoring offense putting up only 25.3 points per contest. 

Offensively Auburn has a strong running game averaging 228 yards per game on the ground despite Kamryn Pettway limited by injuries as Kerryon Johnson has picked up the slack with a total of 504 rushing yards and 12 scores. 

LSU is 4-1 SU but only 1-4-1 ATS on the season failing to cover the spread in each of its last four games. The offense won't get much done here against an excellent Auburn D, and I think the visitors will cover the spread with ease. 

My selection is an 8* play on Auburn Tigers.

GAME OF THE YEAR (SOCCER) MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* EPL BEST BET

Manchester United are tied at the top of the table with their noisy neighbor Manchester City, both with 19 points (3W 1D 0L). This will be the Red Devils' first real test of the season as they visit Liverpool at Anfield Road. I think they'll pass, and this looks like an excellent price on the visitors in my opinion. 

Liverpool will have to do without speedy winger Sadio Mane who faces a six-week absence with a hamstring injury sustained while on international duty for Senegal. Often Liverpool's most dangerous attacker in big games, his absence is a huge blow. We can also note that Liverpool’s players have been well-traveled over the international break and could face a disadvantage, with the squad travelling a total of 75,484 miles by the time they return to Anfield for the return of the Premier League; 5,793 miles further than the Man Utd Squad (69,691 miles).

Liverpool have won just one of their lats six games all competitions included while Man United have won six straight with a blistering 20-2 goal differential.

Man United are undefeated through the last six Premier League meetings with four wins and a pair of draws. 

My Premier League/Soccer Game of the Year is a 10* play on Manchester United

TOP RATED 10* NHL BOOKIE BREAKER

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Coyotes 4-2 at Arizona on Thursday and will play their third road game in four nights when visiting the still undefeated Vegas Golden Knights Friday night. Vegas is due for a loss any time soon, but it might be a good idea to ride the red hot Golden Knights until that happens. They have a solid D allowing just 1.33 goals per game, and with Detroit in a tough spot schedule-wise I really like the price we get on Vegas in this contest. 

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

NHL POWER PLAY

The Colorado Avalanche are off to a fast start, entering this matchup with the Anaheim Ducks with a 3-1-0 record. Much like last season I think we'll see the Avs fade soon enough though, and this looks like a very reasonable price on Anaheim. Colorado is coming off a 6-3 win against the Bruins but are 5-16 in their last 21 after scoring five goals or more in their previous game and 10-45 in their last 55 vs. Western Conference. We can also note that the Avs have a matchup with the Stars at Dallas on deck tomorrow. 

My selection is an 8* play on Anaheim Ducks.

TOP RATED 10* ALCS BIG HITTER

The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees will get the American League Championship Series started with a matchup at Minute Maid Park Friday night. I don't see any other outcome than a home victory here with Dallas Keuchel pitching opposite Masahiro Tanaka. 

Keuchel tossed six scoreless innings of five-hit ball against the Yankees back in May to improve to 5-2 with a 1.24 ERA in seven career meetings. He breezed through 5 2/3 frames in the ALDS, allowing just one run while fanning seven hitters. 

Tanaka held Cleveland scoreless through seven innings of three-hit ball in the ALDS, but he was roughed up for eight runs and seven hits with four homers in just 1 2/3 innings against the Astros back in May. We can also note that Tanaka is 4-7 with a bloated 6.48 ERA in 15 outings on the road this season. 

Yankees are 3-7 in their last 10 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Astros are 21-6 in Keuchel's last 27 starts during Game 1 of a series. 

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NFL) MIKE'S EAGLES/PANTHERS T.N.F. BEST BET

Two red hot teams will clash at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday Night Football. I think we'll see an entertaining shootout between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers, and the keys are the quarterbacks. 

The Eagles have scored a total of 60 points through their last two games, wins at Chargers and at home against Arizona. 

QB Carson Wentz threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter alone in last week's 34-7 drubbing of Arizona and he finished the game completing 21-of-30 passes for 304 yards with four TDs and one pick. Wentz has already thrown 10 TDs through the first five weeks, a big improvement from last season which he finished with 16 TDs and 14 picks. Philly has some defensive issues though and rank 22nd in the NFL with 346 yards per game allowed. 

The Panthers defeated the Patriots 33-30 in Week 4 and followed that up with a 27-24 win at Detroit last week. QB Cam Newton threw for a combined 671 yards and six touchdowns in those two games and now there's no longer any doubt that MVP Cam is back to 100% from his off-season shoulder surgery. 

Carolina's defense held Detroit to just 242 yards last week, but note that over is 13-3 in Eagles last 16 road games and 6-2 in their last eight Thursday night games.

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Eagles/Panthers Over. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

Both the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators are coming off their first victory of the season; the Predators a wild 6-5 win against Philadelphia here at Bridgestone Arena while the Stars took down Detroit 4-2 home in Dallas. I like the Preds to be the team to build on the momentum and improve to 2-2-0 on the season. 

The Stars are just 9-24 in their last 33 road games and netminder Ben Bishop is a career 1-3-1 with a 3.56 GAA against the Predators. 

The Predators are 20-7 in their last 27 home games and they've won seven of the last 10 meetings with Dallas when holding home ice advantage. The Preds showed great morale as they scored twice in the final 77 seconds against Philly to earn the W and I don't see them losing here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Nashville Predators. 

LATE NHL NIGHTCRAWLER (ISLES/DUCKS)

The Anaheim Ducks won their season opener 5-4 against Arizona here at Honda Center, but they're just 0-1-1 in two games since. Keep in mind; this is a team that was 29-8-4 at home last season, and I just don't see the Ducks lose three in a row home at the Duck Pond.

The New York Islanders have picked up three points in their last two games, both at home. They lost 5-0 at Columbus in their season opener, and this will be another tough road game. 

Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf made his season debut in Monday's 3-2 SO loss to St. Louis. He looked a bit rusty but got plenty of time on the ice and should be better in this contest. Note that Getzlaf has five goals and 11 points in 14 career meetings with the Isles.

My selection is an 8* play on Anaheim Ducks. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (PENS/CAPS)

The Washington Capitals took the Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games in the conference semifinals last season, only to lose the deciding game 2-0 here at Capital One Arena. They've surely not forgotten that defeat, and I like the Caps to execute revenge on the reigning Stanley Cup champions tonight. 

Washington had opened the season with back-to-back victories before taking a 4-3 OT loss at Tampa Bay. Captials captain Alexander Ovechkin was blanked in that contest and will be looking to get back on the scoresheet and add to his seven tallies on the season. The Penguins on the other hand had opened the season with back-to-back defeats before trashing Nashville 4-0 in their last game. With the Caps off a loss, the Pens off a win (and a matchup at Tampa Bay scheduled for tomorrow), all the factors combined makes this a nice situational bet on the Caps. 

My selection is a 10* play on Washington Capitals. 

NLDS NO BRAINER

Game 4 of this NLDS was supposed to take place last night but got rained out, and the weather was one of the reasons I did not release a pick yesterday. We'll see the same scheduled pitching matchup on Wednesday instead, and I think the day off will benefit the home team here at Wrigley the most. 

Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53 ERA) will take the ball for the Cubs. He'll make his first start since Sept. 26 as he's been bothered by a minor right hamstring injury, and the extra day off should do him good. Arrieta has been terrific at Wrigley all season going 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 10 starts. 

The Nats turn to Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) despite having the option to trot out Stephen Strasburg on regular rest. Strasburg might not even be available out of the bullpen. Asked about Strasburg's availability (even out of the bullpen) Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Strasburg was "under the weather" and cited a change in weather, air conditioning in the team hotel and mold in Chicago. Well played Cubs, well played. 

Roark was torched four six runs on seven hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings at Philadelphia his last time out on the road, and I just don't see him beating the Cubs here. 

Nationals are 1-4 in their last 5 Divisional Playoff games. Cubs are 8-2 in their last 10 Divisional Playoff games. Cubs are 6-2 in the last eight meetings at Wrigley. Let's go with the Cubs to close out the series and advance to the NLCS. 

EDIT: The latest twist from the NLDS is that Stephen Strasburg WILL start Game 4 this afternoon for the Nationals. I'm not convinced he's 100% fit for fight though, and this reeks of desperation from the Nats camp. I still like the Cubs, and now we get them at an even better price. 

My selection is an 8* play on Chicago Cubs. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights are off to a red hot start in the NHL with back-to-back 2-1 victories on the road. Their last game was a 2-1 win against this very same Coyotes team in Arizona in the first game of this home-and-home set. Here they'll make their Vegas debut, and I think we'll see another low-scoring contest involving the Vegas Knights. Note that under is 38-8-5 in the Coyotes last 51 when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game and Vegas netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has a 6-4-1 record with a 1.98 GAA in previous meetings with the Yotes.

Arizona is not a good team, but it doesn't give up a lot of goals. O/U was 30-42-10 through its 82 games last season and offseason acquisition Antti Raanta has been excellent in net.

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

NHL BOOKIE BREAKER

The Carolina Hurricanes and the Columbus Blue Jackets clashed four times last season with the home team prevailing each time. I think that trend will continue here at PNC Arena in Raleigh Tuesday night. 

The Canes picked up a 5-4 SO win against Minnesota in their season opener. They struggled on the road all of last season but finished with a respectable 23-12-6 record at home. The Blue Jackets won their season opener at home as well but took a 5-1 loss at Chicago in their next game. I like the home team in this matchup. 

My selection is an 8* play on Carolina Hurricanes. 

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL MONEYMAKER

Minnesota won the last meeting 38-10, and I think we'll see another easy Vikings win here on Monday Night Football. 

The Bears took a 35-14 beating at Green Bay last week and QB Mike Glennon committed four turnovers in the defeat. The Bears will put second overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky behind center for this matchup, and I think the rookie will buckle under the combined pressure from prime time football and the Vikings' sturdy defense. The Bears will have to rely on their ground game, but note that Minnesota ranks third in the NFL giving up just 71.3 rushing yards per game on the season. 

Minnesota fell 14-7 to the Lions at home last week, but note that the Vikings are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up loss and 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games after scoring less than 15 points in their previous game. Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford is expected to start Monday night after missing three games with a knee injury, and while no elite QB I still think he's an upgrade from Case Keenum.  

My selection is an 8* play on Minnesota Vikings. 

NHL POWER PLAY

The Washington Capitals have started the season in an impressive fashion with wins over Ottawa (5-4 SO on the road) and Montreal (6-1 at home). The Caps are 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings overall ad they've won five of the last seven meetings at Amalie Arena. Captain Alex Ovechkin has already scored seven goals on the season and Ovie has 41 tallies in 63 career games against the Lightning. 

Tampa Bay has struggled on the defensive end of the rink while splitting a pair of meetings with the Panthers to start the season, winning 5-3 at home but losing 5-4 on the road. Netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy has been forced to work hard, turning away 76 of the 84 shots he has faced, and if the Caps get a similar amount of chances they will take advantage. Note that Vasilevskiy has an 0-3-0 career total against the Washington Capitals with a 4.38 GAA.

My selection is an 8* play on Washington Capitals. 

WALES/IRELAND WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

1. Serbia 18 Pts
2. Wales 17 Pts
3. Ireland 16 Pts 

A Wales win against the Republic of Ireland in Cardiff on Monday night would secure a World Cup qualifying play-off place, and possibly win the group and qualify directly if Serbia were to drop points against Georgia. A draw would not guarantee Wales reaching the play-offs so they'll definitely go for the win. The good news is that Ireland will push forward for a win as well with the chance to overtake Wales in the standings, but I like the home team to come out ahead. 

My selection is an 8* play on Wales. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB GAME OF THE MONTH

The Boston Red Sox managed to stay alive and avoid getting swept in this ALDS thanks to a 10-3 victory on Sunday. I think the Astros will get the job done today instead with Charlie Morton on the mound. 

Morton (14-7, 3.62 ERA) closed out the regular season by going 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA in five September starts. That included holding Boston to a pair of runs on four hits in 5 1/3 frames in the very last start. Morton has held the current Red Sox to a .190 AVG over 58 at bats. 

The Red Sox hand the ball to Rick Porcello (11-17, 4.65 ERA) who's had a very mediocre season overall, and he went 2-2 with a 5.93 ERA in five September starts. He has been tagged with seven runs on 10 hits in six innings against the Astros on the season and they're batting .302 over 106 at bats against the right-hander. 

Houston almost matched Boston for hits yesterday (13 vs. 15), and there's no doubt in my mind that the better team (Astros) will win this game. 

My MLB Game of the Month is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

SEAHAWKS/RAMS BOOKIE BREAKER

The Seattle Seahawks are heating up and outgained the Colts by 240 yards in a 46-17 victory last week. They rolled up a season-high 194 rushing yards in the victory and here they'll face a Rams team that ranks 3rd from the bottom against the run and 28th in the NFL surrendering 26.2 points per game. This looks like a let down spot for the home team after last week's 35-30 win as a five point underdog at Dallas. 

Sure, the Rams offense leads the NFL in scoring at an average of 35.5 points, but that's a number due to regress and I'm sure Seattle head coach Pete Carroll has a plan in place to stop the NFC West rival. 

My selection is an 8* play on Seattle Seahawks. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

The Houston Astros are traveling to Boston and Fenway Park with a 2-0 lead in this ALDS against the Red Sox. They won both contests home at Minute Maid Park 8-2, and I like the red hot Astros to deliver the goods once again here with Brad Peacock on the mound. 

Peacock (13-2, 3.00 ERA) held the Red Sox to two runs on four hits in five innings of a 12-2 win here at Fenway on Sep 28, and he's 8-0 behind a 2.88 ERA in 17 appearances (12 starts) on the road this season. The current Red Sox are batting just .218 through 55 at bats against Peacock.

The Red Sox turn to Doug Fister (5-9, 4.88 ERA) who lost to the Astros during the final weekend of the regular season, allowing three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 3-2 defeat. Fister is 3-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 10 outings (nine starts) at home this season. 

The Astros are 14-3 in their last 17 after scoring five runs or more in their previous game and had little trouble to beat up on Boston's top two pitchers in the rotation. They should get to Fister with ease as well. Note that the current members of the Astros have a combined .313 AVG through 83 at bats against Fister. 

My selection is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Buffalo Bills (3-1) stunned the Falcons last week as when winning 23-17 as an 8-point underdog at Atlanta. They've covered the spread in each of their four games on the season, and here they'll face a Cincinnati Bengals team they defeated 16-12 as a road dog last season. 

The Bengals (1-3) finally recorded a win last week, but beating up on the Browns doesn't deserve a lot of credit. They've struggled to move the ball against the more accomplished teams in the league and note that Buffalo's defense ranks number one in the NFL, allowing only 13.5 points per game (4th in total defense 284.3 ypg). 

The Bills offense meanwhile has scored at least 21 points in three of its four games, and I like the visitors to dominate on both sides of the ball in this contest.

My NFL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Buffalo Bills. 

NFL 3-Pack

The San Francisco 49ers are still in search for their first win of the season, but I like their chances here when they visit the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. 

The Niners fought hard in last week's 18-15 OT loss at Arizona, and they did a great job defensively holding the Cardinals to just 51 yards on the ground. Note that San Francisco has covered the spread in three straight games since taking a 23-3 beating by Carolina in Week 1. 

The Colts meanwhile are coming off a 46-18 loss as a 12.5-point dog at Seattle. Indianapolis' defense ranks dead last for points allowed per game (34.0) and 2nd last in total defense giving up 396.3 yards per game. The Colts' lone win on the season was a 31-28 victory against Cleveland in Week 3, so nothing to brag about.  

San Francisco has looked pretty good on the defensive side of the ball this season, and Carlos Hyde can do a lot of damage carrying the ball. 

My selection is an 8* play on San Francisco 49ers.  

NFL 3-Pack

The Arizona Cardinals struggled to move the ball in last week's 18-15 OT win against the 49ers, but they played well on defense giving up just five field goals and no touchdowns. Under is 3-1 in Arizona's four games on the season and 6-2 in the Cardinals' last eight games in October.

Arizona doesn't have much offense and clearly miss RB David Johnson who isn't expected to be back until Christmas. QB Carson Palmer has thrown as many picks as touchdown passes (5) and he's been sacked 17 times through the first four weeks of the season. 

The Philadelphia Eagles pounded the Chargers on the ground in last week's 26-24 victory in LA, with LeGarrette Blount accumulating 136 yards on 16 carries. Arizona's D is not easy to beat though giving up just 302.8 ypg, and I think this will be a low-scoring contest. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Carolina Hurricanes enter the 2016/2017 season with a much improved team. They've brought in netminder Scott Darling from Chicago (18-10 with a 2.38 GAA for Blackhawks last year) and there's a sense of optimism in Raleigh. 

"What moves we made were pretty exciting," Carolina center Jeff Skinner said. "As a player on this team, it's exciting. They put us in a good spot. Everyone has let us know that. ... It seems like people are starting to notice a little bit. It's better than people not talking." I think they'll be fired up here in their season opener against the Wild. 

The Minnesota came out flat at Detroit on Thursday and took a 4-2 loss while giving up two power play goals. Losing to a Red Wings team in rebuilding mode does not bode well, and this should be another tough matchup. 

Note that these two teams split two meetings last season, both winning on home ice. The home team is 14-5-1 in the last 20 meetings.

My NHL Game of the Week is on Carolina Hurricanes. 

ARMY/RICE ANNIHILATOR

The Army Black Knights defeated UTEP 35-21 last week. They outgained their opponent 433 yards to 262 and amassed a total of 353 yards on the ground. They average 364 rushing yards per game on the season, 3rd most in College Football.

The Rice Owls are coming off three consecutive losses and have failed to cover the spread in all of those defeats. They took managed just 277 yards of total offense when they took a 42-10 beating at Pittsburgh last week and rank dead last in scoring offense by putting up only 11.6 points per game.

Let's go with the Black Knights to pound the Owls on the ground to victory and cover the spread.

My selection is an 8* play on Army Black Knights. 

SUN BELT BRAWLER

The Georgia State Panthers shut out Charlotte in a 20-0 victory on the road as a 1-point dog on Sep. 23 their last time out. The Panthers will be well rested here as their scheduled matchup with Memphis last week was cancelled due to changes in the Tigers’ schedule because of Hurricane Irma.

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers meanwhile were in action last week and took a 51-43 loss at UL Monroe. They've now allowed a total of 103 points through their last two contests. 

The Panthers are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 on the road, and I like them here as a small road favorite in this Sun Belt Conference matchup. 

My selection is an 8* play on Georgia State Panthers. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

We won with the Chicago Cubs as a massive underdog in Game 1 of this NLDS. The Washington Nationals mustered only two hits in the 3-0 defeat, but I think they'll do much better here in Game 2.  

Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA) will take the ball for the Cubs. He's had a pretty mediocre season and posted a 7.85 ERA in four starts in August followed by a 4.18 ERA in September. He'll face a Nats team might angry for being shut out last night. Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96 ERA) will take the ball for Washington. Gonzalez is 0-1 against the Cubs this year, although he gave up just one run and two hits over six innings in that one start. He has the current Cubs limited to a .191 batting average through 110 at bats. 

The Cubs are 3-7 in Lester's last 10 starts vs. a team with a winning record and 0-6 in their last six road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Nationals are 16-5 in Gonzalez's last 21 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.

My selection is a 10* play on Washington Nationals. 

TOP RATED 10* CFB BOOKIE BREAKER

The Miami FL Hurricanes are 3-0 and 2-1 ATS on the season. They really impressed me in their 31-6 victory at Duke last week, and I think they'll win and cover the spread here at Florida State Saturday afternoon. 

The Seminoles are coming off their first win of the season, a 26-19 victory as a 7-point favorite at Wake Forest. They had failed to cover the spread in two straight home games prior to that though, including a 27-21 beating as a 10.5-point favorite against NC State. Quarterback James Blackman is not contributing enough, and this won't be an easy matchup for the freshman. Note that the Seminoles gave up five sacks and 17 tackles for loss against Wake Forest and that Miami has 11 sacks on the season while ranking second in the nation in tackles for loss (nine per game).

The Hurricanes are taking care of the ball extremely well and rank second nationally with only two turnovers in three games. Quarterback Malik Rosier is averaging 273 passing yards per game, with eight touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Florida State's seven-game winning streak against Miami is tied for the longest for either team in the rivalry, but I like the Hurricanes to snap that streak here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Miami Hurricanes. 

Swedish Soccer

My selection is an 8* play on IFK Ostersund.

LATE NIGHT NLDS ARI/LAD TOTAL

The Los Angeles Dodgers will host the Arizona Diamondbacks for the opener of this National League Division Series Friday night. The D'Backs have scored plenty of runs all season and defeated the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in Wednesday's NL wild-card game. I think we'll see enough runs cross the plate to push the score over the posted total. 

The Dodgers hand the ball to Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31 ERA) who is an elite pitcher, but he has had some troubles in the postseason, posting a career mark of 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 appearances (14 starts). Over is 4-0 in the Diamondbacks last four games vs. a left-handed starter and 26-9-1 in their last 36 games following an off day.

Arizona hands the ball to Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) who is getting the start as the D'Backs had to use both Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray in the Wild Card game. Walker will make his first postseason appearance, and we've seen better pitchers than him buckle under the pressure. We can also note that Walker was far from sharp through his last three starts of the season, surrendering a total of 12 runs (eight earned) on 16 hits and seven walks in just 13 2/3 innings of work.  

Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and the over looks like value to me in this contest. 

My selection is an 8* play on Over. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB BIG HITTER

The Chicago Cubs and the Washington Nationals will open their NLDS at Nationals Park Friday night. I like the price we get on the Cubs here with Kyle Hendricks on the mound. 

Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) was 1-1 with a 2.01 ERA in five starts during September and he's 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 11 starts on the road for the season. He has the current Nats roster limited to a .217 batting average through 92 at bats. Note that Hendricks is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his postseason career. 

The Nats turn to Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA) who was 4-0 behind an outstanding 0.83 ERA in September to make it two sub 1.00 ERA months in a row. The current Cubs are batting a combined .257 over 113 at bats against him. 

The Nats are just 1-5 in their last six Divisional Playoff home games, and they seem to come up short in the playoffs time and time again, no matter how good they look during the regular season. Let's back the reigning World Series champions at a great price. 

My selection is a 10* play on Chicago Cubs. 

FRIDAY NIGHT NHL POWER PLAY

The Columbus Blue Jackets are never easy to beat home at Nationwide Arena. They finished last season with the fifth best home record in the NHL and I think they'll open the new campaign with a win in front of the home town crowd. 

The Islanders were 19-15-7 away from home last season and they were outscored 13-2 in games at Nationwide Arena. Columbus won three of four meetings overall, and as they Blue Jackets enter this season with an at least as strong of a team while the Islanders look weaker I think the home team will get the job done here. 

My selection is an 8* play on Columbus Blue Jackets. 

LATE NHL NIGHTCRAWLER

The Philadelphia Flyers opened the season with a 5-3 win at San Jose last Wednesday night, but I think they're in for a much tougher game here at Staples Center the very next night. 

The Kings will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing season that saw them miss the postseason for the second time in three seasons. Star netminder Jonathan Quick was limited to just 17 games due to a groin injury, but the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner is fit for fight for the new season. Last season's general manager Dean Lombardi and coach Darryl Sutter are both gone, and former associate head coach John Stevens will lead the team this season.  

"(Stevens) is not a new face, but a new philosophy comes in," Anze Kopitar told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. "There's definitely a breath of fresh air. I think everything's a little bit more upbeat. Everything's a little looser, but loose in a good way."

Note that the Kings came out of the preseason with a 5-1-1 record. 

Philadelphia meanwhile will be playing its second game in as many nights and is likely to go with Michal Neuvirth in net as Brian Elliott got the start last night. This will be a tough game for the visitors, and my money is on the Kings to clinch their home opener. 

My selection is an 8* play on LA Kings. 

TOP RATED 10* CFB GAME OF THE WEEK

Both Louisville Cardinals and NC State Wolfpack are 4-1 SU but just 1-4 ATS on the season. Louisville crushed the Wolfpack 54-13 as a 19-point favorite last season, and I think they'll win and cover this spread with ease. 

The Cardinals are coming off a 55-10 rout of Murray State and racked up 676 yards of total offense in that contest. Louisville has outgained its last two opponents by a combined 985 yards while giving up just a combined 230 yards. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson was 18-of-26 passing for 249 yard and three touchdowns and added 100 yards and a score on the ground against Murray State. He produced a huge game against the Wolfpack last year with four touchdowns in the first half alone.

NC State won 27-21 at Florida State as a 10.5-point dog in Week 3, but I don't see them keeping up with the Cardinals high-powered offense here. 

My CFB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Louisville Cardinals. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB GAME OF THE WEEK (BOS/HOU)

The Houston Astros closed out the regular season by taking three of four against the Boston Red Sox here at Minute Maid Park, and I like them to clinch the opener of this ALDS Wednesday afternoon. 

The Astros hand the ball to veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.36 ERA) who is 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five starts since coming over from Detroit. Verlander has plenty of postseason experience and he has this Red Sox roster limited to a .211 batting average through 180 at bats. 

The Red Sox turn to left-hander Chris Sale (17-8, 2.90 ERA) who will make his first postseason appearance ever. He's 5-1 with a 1.31 ERA in six career starts against Houston, but this will be the first meeting of the season and he'll face an Astros team that led the American League in team batting average at .282 during the regular season. We can also note that Sale has struggled somewhat lately going 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA through his last eight starts. 

The Astros have won 11 of their last 13 home games, and I don't see them losing this game. 

My MLB Game of the Week is a 10* play on Houston Astros. 

NHL 3-Pack

The under is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks, and I predict another low-scoring affair here on Wednesday. 

The Sharks' netminder Martin Jones finished last season with a 2.40 GAA and a .912 save percentage and he has a 2.27 GAA through four seasons in the NHL. The Flyers Brian Elliott posted a 2.55 GAA with a .910 save percentage with Calgary last season. I still like him to keep the Sharks at bay here in the first game of the season. We can also note that under was 8-1 in San Jose's nine games last October. 

It's hard to say where the teams stand here in the first game of the season, but I think low-scoring games are likely. 

My selection is an 8* play on Under.