MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Cincinnati Reds
Rating: 8/10*

The Cincinnati Reds are coming off a 7-5 win against the Cubs on Sunday and they've scored a total of 21 runs through their last three games. They're 5-1 on the road this season while Milwaukee is just 3-8 at home. 

Cincinnati's rookie left-hander Amir Garrett (2-1, 1.83 ERA) has proven himself ready for the big leagues and has not allowed more than two runs in any of his three starts, going 6, 6 2/3 and 7 innings. He knocked out 12 Baltimore hitters his last time out. The Brew Crew hand the ball to Matt Garza who will make his season debut. He went 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in a pair of starts versus Cincinnati last year and was 2-6 with a 5.43 ERA on the road. 

The Brewers took three of four at Great American Ball Park earlier this month, but I think Cincy will get some revenge and win at least Game 1 of this series.  

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 8/10*

Desperation breeds motivation, and the Utah Jazz need to win here to avoid going back to LA down 3-1 in the series. The Clippers will be forced to make major adjustments after losing star forward Blake Griffin to injury for the rest of the postseason. Let's go with the Jazz to tie the series with a win in front of a fanatic home town crowd. 

Sunday Night Baseball
Play: Washington Nationals
Rating: 8/10*

The Washington Nationals have won six straight and they're going for the sweep of this three-game set at Citi Field Sunday night. They hand the ball to Max Scherzer (2-1, 1.37 ERA) who is 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA in his career against the Mets, while the home team counters with Zack Wheeler (1-1, 5.52 ERA) who is 2-6 with a 5.09 ERA in eight career starts against the Nats. Nationals are 13-3 in Scherzer's last 16 starts during game 3 of a series, Mets are 1-5 in Wheeler's last six home starts vs. a team with a winning record and 1-7 in their last eight overall. 

Super Early Top Rated MLB *BIG HITTER*
Play: Boston Red Sox
Rating: 10/10*

The Baltimore Orioles have won four straight including a pair of victories against the Boston Red Sox. I like Boston to avoid getting swept with Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 4.76 ERA) on the mound Sunday afternoon. Rodriguez struck out two through an inning of relief against Toronto on Wednesday after missing a start due to paternity leave. The left-hander struck out 22 through 20 2/3 innings of work covering four starts against Baltimore last season with a 3.92 ERA. The Orioles counter with Kevin Gausman (1-1, 7.23 ERA) who was lit up for eight runs on as many hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings of a 9-3 loss at Cincinnati his last time out. Gausman went 1-3 with a 6.17 ERA in four starts against Boston last season.

Super Early Cavs/Pacers Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

Each of the first three meetings in this playoffs series have gone over the total as we've seen an average of 226 points per game. I don't see why this game shouldn't go over as well. Cleveland is not playing good defense and Indiana will surely bring its A-game as its facing elimination. Over is 6-1 in Cavaliers last seven overall. Over is 5-1 in Pacers last six overall. Take the over. 

Subscribers Only
Play: Over
Rating: 5/10*

Premier League Total
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

Manchester United lost their star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to injury earlier this week. Burnley are just 15th in the Premier League, but they have the 6th best home record with just 14 goals allowed through 16 games. Man U have a 25-13 goal differential through their 14 games on the road. I think goals will come at a premium for both sides in this contest. 

Late Night NBA Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

The Portland Trail Blazers are in a tough spot after back-to-back losses at Golden State. They were held to just 81 points in the most recent defeat but I think they'll bring it offensively when the series move to Portland for a couple of games at Moda Center. Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Portland and the Blazers average 109.9 ppg at home which can be compared to their 107.6 ppg season average overall. 

Late Night MLB *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: Miami Marlins
Rating: 8/10*

The San Diego Padres have won three on the bounce, last night's 5-3 victory against Miami included. They're however averaging just 3.17 runs per game this season, and here they'll face a decent pitcher in Dan Straily (1-1, 4.61 ERA) who didn't allow a single hit through 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Mets his last time out. He did give up five walks, but note that the Mets' are third in the league for walks while the Padres are in the bottom third.

The Padres hand the ball to Jered Weaver (0-1, 4.24 ERA) who hasn't been terrible, but he's served up five homers through 17 innings of work and the Marlins are tied for eighth in the MLB this season with 21 homers. They Fish have a respectable .261 batting average (6th) which can be compared to the Padres' .215 AVG (26th). 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Washington Wizards
Rating: 8/10*

The Hawks are back in Atlanta looking to record their first win in this Eastern Conference playoffs series against the Washington Wizards. The Hawks are 23-18 SU at home this season, but just 4-10 ATS in their last 14 home games overall and note that the Wizards are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

The Wizards won the first two meetings of the series 114-107 and 109-101 home in Washington. The Wizards are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 Conference Quarterfinals games and 4-1 ATS in the last four meetings with Atlanta. I think the Wizards will win this game outright, but why not take the points when offered. 

Super Early AL *ASSASSIN*
Play: Detroit Tigers
Rating: 8/10*

The Detroit Tigers are coming off four consecutive defeats, but I think they'll end that ugly skid Saturday afternoon with left-hander Matthew Boyd (2-1, 3.77 ERA) on the mound. Boyd beat Minnesota earlier this month when he held the Twins scoreless for six innings in a 2-1 Tigers victory and he limited the Indians to one run through six innings his last time out. The Twins hand the ball to inexperienced 23 year old southpaw Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 4.05 ERA). Note that the Tigers are 7-1 in their last eight games vs. a left-handed starter and 5-1 in Boyd's last six starts vs. Twins.

Top Rated 10* Premier League *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Bournemouth
Rating: 10/10*

Both Bournemouth and Middlesbrough are running the risk of getting relegated, but Bournemouth are arguably in a much better spot at 35 points, seven ahead of 18th placed Swansea and another four ahead of Middlesbrough at 19th place. A victory here would all but secure Premier League football for the home side next season, and we can note that Middlesbrough have yet to win a game since the turn of the new year. Let's back the home team at a reasonable price. 

AL *GAME OF THE WEEK* Total
Play: Over
Rating: 10/10*

The Oakland Athletics have scored a total of 22 runs during a three-game winning streak, last night's 9-6 win against Settle included. Tonight they'll face Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 5.40 ERA) who's has a rough start to the season, and he's posted a 4.14 ERA in 16 career games (15 starts) against Oakland who will turn to Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.51 ERA)- The left-hander posted a 4.76 ERA in three starts against the Mariners as a rookie last year and note that the Mariners have scored five runs or more in five of their last six games.

Add a pair of below average bullpens (Oakland 3.98 ERA and Seattle 5.98 ERA) and a fairly strong wind towards center-field/right-field and I think we have a solid case for an over here. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 10/10*

I don't think the Oklahoma City should ever be favored in this series, not even home at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Houston Rockets are 10-2 ATS in the last 12 meetings overall and 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook produced the highest-scoring triple-double in playoff history with 51 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in Game 2, but it wasn't enough as the Thunder still fell 115-111. Houston's backcourt is too much for OKC to handle, and I'm well happy to take the points on the visitors in this matchup. 

NHL *POWER PLAY*
Play: Edmonton Oilers
Rating: 8/10*

The Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks have split the first four games of this series, both managing to win in their opponents building once. The Oilers are however 10-1 in their last 11 home games while the Sharks are 2-7 in their last nine on the road, and I think the Oilers will make the most of their home ice advantage tonight.

San Jose embarrassed the Oilers 7-0 in the Shark Tank on Wednesday, and that can't sit right with Edmonton. Expect a big performance for the home team tonight, especially captain Connor McDavid who has been held off the scoresheet in two straight games. 

MLB *RUNLINE RIPPER*
Play: Oakland Athletics
Rating: 8/10*

The Oakland Athetlics opened the with with a 7-0 loss to Texas, but they scored a total of 13 runs in winning the next two games. Tonight they'll host the Seattle Mariners who have won five of their last six, but they're just 1-6 on the road this season. 

The M's left-hander James Paxton (2-0, 0.00 ERA) has been outstanding so far tossing 21 scoreless innings, but how much longer can we expect that to continue? The A's meanwhile are sending a real wild card in Cesar Valdez to the mound. He'll make his first big-league game since 2010 but posted a 2.70 ERA at Triple-A Nashville this season, Valdez looking to make the most of this opportunity as replacement for Kendall Graveman who wound up on the 10-day disabled list Monday, and I think he'll do enough to help Oakland keep this a close game. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 8/10*

The Memphis Grizzlies have not been able to cope with the superior San Antonio Spurs in either of the first two games of this Western Conference first round playoffs series, and I don't think tonight's contest will be any different. San Antonio is dominant on both ends of the court and they would've needed injured Tony Allen to contain Kawhi Leonard.

San Antonio has won the first two meetings 111-82 and 96-82. The Grizzlies are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points. We might not see another double-digit win for the Spurs tonight, but the posted spread looks pretty managable. 

Super Early MLB *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Toronto Blue Jays
Rating: 8/10*

The Toronto Blue Jays picked up their third victory of the season when they defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-0 last night. I think they'll give Boston another tough game today. 

Marco Estrada (0-1, 3.50 ERA) takes the ball for Toronto. He was 2-2 behind a 3.18 ERA against Boston last season and he struck out eight through seven scoreless innings against Baltimore his last time out. Boston counters with Chris Sale (1-1, 1.25 ERA) who has been excellent through his first three starts with Boston but we can note that the Blue Jays are 11-5 in their last 16 games vs. a left-handed starter.

Let's take the extra run on the Blue Jays to start off Thursday with a winner. 

Late Night MLB *MASSACRE*
Play: Arizona Diamondbacks
Rating: 8/10*

We've backed the Arizona Diamondbacks and won twice already this week, and I think they'll get the job done once again Wednesday night with Zack Greinke (1-1, 4.32 ERA) on the mound. Greinke is 8-1 with a 2.02 ERA in 16 career starts against San Diego and he should get plenty of run support as the D'Backs are averaging 5.20 runs per game this season. The Padres are averaging only 3.13 runs per game and their starting pitcher for the evening, Jhoulys Chacin (1-2, 7.80 ERA) has been about as uneven as it gets this season. 

The Diamondbacks are 9-2 in Greinke's last 11 starts vs. a team with a losing record. The Padres are 0-5 in their last five games vs. a right-handed starter. Let's go with Arizona for a third straight night. 

NHL *POWER PLAY*
Play: St. Louis Blues
Rating: 8/10*

The St. Louis Blues have a chance to send the Minnesota Wild an early exit and head into the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs with a win tonight. I really don't see the Blues relax and slow down and give Minnesota a life-line just because they have a three-game lead in the series.

Minnesota has been held to three goals in the series and the Wild are 1-9 in their last 10 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. The Blues are a red hot 18-2-2 in their last 22 contests and my money is on the Blues to finish off the Wild here at the very first opportunity. 

Hawks/Wizards *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Washington Wizards
Rating: 8/10*

The Washington Wizards picked up a 7-point win in Game 1 of this first round playoff series, and I think they'll head to Atlanta with a 2-0 lead and cover the spread in tonight's victory. The Wizards showed good aggression in the opener forcing 21 turnovers, and it's impressive to score 114 points despite going just 8-for-28 from 3-point range. Atlanta's Dwight Howard was held to just seven points, and if the Wizards can contain him again this will be an easy win for the home side with its big edge in the backcourt. 

Champions League *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: AS Monaco +0.5
Rating: 10/10*

Monaco are in a great spot following a 3-2 win at Dortmund in the first leg. The visitors will have to push forward and I think the home team will get plenty of opportunities to hit them on the counter and salvage at least a draw. The value is clearly on Monaco in this matchup. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Utah Jazz
Rating: 10/10*

The Utah Jazz defeated the LA Clippers 97-95 in the series opener despite an early injury to center Rudy Gobert. I backed the Clippers -5.5 points and lost in that game, and I'm shamelessly switching side for this contest as I think they're asked to cover way too big of a spread here in Game 2.

Utah's style of play is perfect for playoffs basketball, and the Jazz strong defense makes sure they rarely get beaten by double digits. Claiming the opener will surely give the Jazz a nice boost of confidence as well, and I'm taking the points on the road team here at Staples Center Tuesday night. 

MLB *NIGHTCRAWLER*
Play: Arizona Diamondbacks
Rating: 8/10*

The San Diego Padres are coming off four straight losses at Atlanta, and I think their home field advantage will be slim here with the Arizona Diamondbacks making the much shorter trip from LA where they defeated the Dodgers 4-2 last night. 

Tonight Arizona hands the ball to Shelby Miller (1-1, 5.06 ERA) who's much more comfortable on the road than home at Chase Field. The Padres' Jarred Cosart (0-0, 3.86 ERA) has the same kind of struggles at Petco Park where he’s posted a 5.40 ERA in five career outings.

The Diamondbacks are averaging 4.79 rpg this season which can be compared to San Diego's 3.21 rpg. They have won four straight head-to-head meetings, and I like the price we get on the visitors in this contest.

MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Baltimore Orioles
Rating: 8/10*

The Baltimore Orioles will send Kevin Gausman (1-0, 3.94 ERA) to the mound. He held the Blue Jays to one run on five this and a a pair of walks through six innings of a 2-1 win his last time out. This will be his first start against the Cincinnati Reds who counter with Bronson Arroyo (0-2, 9.90 ERA) who has been lit up twice already this season. 

Baltimore has won four of its last five while Cincinnati has dropped three of its last four. Baltimore has won four straight meetings, and I think the Orioles have a big advantage in tonight's matchup. 

Top Rated 10* MLB *BIG HITTER*
Play: Arizona Diamondbacks
Rating: 10/10*

I think we're getting an excellent price on the Arizona Diamondbacks (8-5) when they enter Dodger Stadium for the series finale of this four-game set against the LA Dodgers (7-6) Monday night. 

Left-hander Robbie Ray (1-0, 2.19 ERA) takes the ball for Arizona. He recorded eight strikeouts when he shut out San Francisco through 6 2/3 innings of work at AT&T Park his last time out and he's 3-3 with a 2.96 ERA in eight career starts against the Dodgers. We can also note that the Dodgers are 2-10 in their last 12 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Dodgers hand the ball to right-hander Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.50 ERA) who has been sharp in his first two turns of the season, but he do not deserve to be this big of a favorite over Ray. 

The D'Backs won Sunday's matchup 3-1, and I like them to earn a split of this series with another win tonight.  

NHL *POWER PLAY*
Play: Calgary Flames
Rating: 8/10*

The Anaheim Ducks hold a commanding lead in the series after back-to-back wins home in the Duck Pond, but make no mistake, the Flames did NOT go down easy. I would go as far as saying that Calgary deserved to win the last game where they held a 37-29 shot advantage, and I like them to take tonight's contest. Note that Anaheim posted a losing road record (17-15-8) during the regular season while Calgary was a solid 24-17-0 home at the Saddledome. 

The Flames have their backs against the wall here, and I think they'll come through with a big performance. 

Pacers/Cavs Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

We won with the Indiana Pacers against the spread in the opener of this Eastern Conference playoffs series, but I have my eyes on the total here in Game 2. We saw a total of 217 points scored in Game 1, and all of the last four meetings have gone over the posted total for tonight's contest. We can also note that the Over is 8-0 in the Pacers last eight road games and 6-1 in the Cavaliers last seven home games.

Let's go with the over in what could be another close contest with a lot of fouls and free throws near the end of the game. 

Top Rated 10* NHL *GAME OF THE MONTH*
Play: Columbus Blue Jackets
Rating: 10/10*

The Columbus Blue Jackets are desperate for a win after dropping both games at Pittsburgh. They're incredibly strong home at Nationwide Arena (28-12-1 during the regular season) and they've won five of the last six when hosting the Penguins. Columbus has struggled to score in this series, but note that the Pens' netminder Marc-Andre Fleury posted a 4-7-5 road mark with a 3.58 GAA and .887 SV% this season. The Blue Jackets' season is practically over if they lose this game, and I like them to come through with a big performance in front of the home town crowd. 

Blue Jackets BIG is the play. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Portland Trail Blazers
Rating: 8/10*

The #1 Golden State Warriors are asked to cover a bunch of points in Game 1 of their round 1 matchup with the #8 Portland Trail Blazers. 

Portland closed out the regular season with three straight wins before resting key players in the season finale. The Trail Blazers are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games overall, Warriors are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall.

Golden State won the last two meetings by an average of only five points, and I like the underdog here at Oracle Arena Sunday afternoon.  

Subscribers Only
Play: LAA Angels
Rating: 8/10*

The Royals are going for a 3-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, but that could prove tough as right-hander Ian Kennedy (0-2, 4.09 ERA) was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA against LAA last season. Los Angeles entered Friday's opener leading the AL in hits (94) and batting average (.276), but has scored only three runs in this series. I think their bats will come alive here in the series finale. Note that the Angels are 13-3 in their last 16 during Game 3 of a series while the Royals are 1-4 in their last five during Game 3 of a series.

Super Early Top Rated 10* MLB Total
Play: Under
Rating: 10/10*

The Toronto Blue Jays edged the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Saturday, and the under is now 11-1 in the last 12 meetings. I think we'll see another low-scoring encounter Sunday afternoon. 

Toronto's left-hander J.A. Happ (0-2, 5.40 ERA) has the current Orioles roster limited to a .209 batting average over 172 at bats, and under is 41-19-3 in Orioles last 63 road games vs. a left-handed starter.

Baltimore's right-hander Dylan Bundy (1-1, 2.70 ERA) is coming off a pair of solid starts and has allowed only one RBI and four hits through 34 at bats against the current Blue Jays. Under is 5-0 in Blue Jays last five home games vs. a right-handed starter.

The Orioles won 3-1 when these two pitchers squared off at Baltimore on April 5. 

We can also note that the under is 7-0 in umpire Brian Knight's last seven games behind home plate vs. Baltimore. 

Late Night NBA Jazz/Clippers
Play: LA Clippers
Rating: 8/10*

The LA Clippers have played some spectacular basketball lately and managed to close out the regular season with seven consecutive wins. The took three of four meetings with the Jazz this season and held Utah to an average of 80.7 points in those three victories. The Jazz were 17-23-1 ATS on the road this season and 7-22-1 ATS in their last 30 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. We can also note that Utah is only 1-10 ATS in its last 11 Saturday games. Let's go with the Clippers to roll home at Staples Center Saturday night. 

NHL Total *NO-BRAINER*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

The series opener was as low-scoring as it gets (1-0 Nashville victory), and I think goals will come at a premium once again here in Game 2. The Chicago Blackhawks can not afford to drop back-to-back games at home and the Nashville Predators will be happy to make this as scruffy as possible and perhaps steal the game in the end. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Indiana Pacers
Rating: 10/10*

The Cleveland Cavaliers closed out the regular season with four consecutive losses, and I think they're in for a tough game here against the Indiana Pacers. Cleveland will no doubt step it up a notch here in the playoffs, but keep in mind that Indiana is riding a five-game winning streak and that the Pacers are 8-2-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings with the Cavs. The Pacers have been in "playoff mode" for quite some time now as they didn't clinched their playoff berth until the very last game, and this looks like too many points to cover for the home team. 

Super Early MLB *BIG HITTER*
Play: Toronto Blue Jays
Rating: 8/10*

The Toronto Blue Jays are just 1-9 on the season and they're still in search of their first win home at Rogers Centre. I think they'll finally get it when hosting the Baltimore Orioles and Alec Asher Saturday afternoon. Asher made just five starts last year as he was suspended for 80 games for violating major league baseball’s drug policy. He'll make his Orioles debut here since coming over from Philly and pitched just one inning during spring training. The Blue Jays hand the ball to Marco Estrada (0-1, 5.73 ERA) who has been uneven in his two starts this season, but he's 4-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his career against Baltimore.

I also like the fact that we have a Toronto friendly umpire in this contest. The Blue Jays are 5-1 in their last six Saturday games with Jim Reynolds behind home plate and 13-3 in their last 16 games with Reynolds behind home plate overall. The Orioles are 0-4 in their last four Saturday games with Reynolds behind home plate.

Premier League *PUNISHER*
Play: Man City
Rating: 8/10*

Man City are fighting tooth and nail to hold onto their Champions League spot with local rival Man United breathing down their neck. Southampton meanwhile are stuck in the middle of the table, with no risk of relegation but reaching a Europa League/Champions League spot is also highly unlikely. Motivational advantage for the better side makes Man City an easy play here. 

NHL *POWER PLAY*
Play: Edmonton Oilers
Rating: 8/10*

The Edmonton Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opener of this first round playoffs series, but the San Jose Sharks came back strong to win 3-2 in overtime. I like the Oilers to tie the series with a win tonight. Edmonton is extremely strong home at Rogers Place (25-12-2 during regular season, 9-1 L10 home games), and the home town crowd will do everything in their power to carry the team to a win here. The Sharks are already in command of the series and perhaps not quite as desperate for another win at Edmonton.

Top Rated 10* MLB *GAME OF THE WEEK* Total
Play: Over
Rating: 10/10*

I think we'll see Friday night's contest between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants go over the total of seven runs. Johnny Cueto (2-0, 4.50 ERA) is a solid pitcher, but the current Rockies roster has a combined .278 batting average against him with Carlos Gonzalez going 10-for-29 with a pair of doubles and a home run. The Rockies' left-hander Tyler Anderson (1-1, 8.44 ERA) has allowed five runs in each of his two starts this season, and he might not get much help from the relievers as Colorado's bullpen has been asked to log a lot of innings in recent games. We can also note that we'll have a healthy wind blowing towards right field which should carry the ball nicely. 

Thursday Night NHL *NO-BRAINER*
Play: Anaheim Ducks
Rating: 8/10*

Anaheim Ducks are riding a 25-game home winning streak against the Calgary Flames, and there's just no way the Pacific Division champions will lose here in the opener of their playoffs series.

Top Rated 10* MLB *BIG HITTER*
Play: Oakland Athletics
Rating: 10/10*

The Kansas City Royals are just 2-6 on the season, and they're running the risk of getting swept by the Oakland Athletics in this three-game set after back-to-back losses. I think they're in for another tough matchup Thursday night as they face Jesse Hahn (0-0, 3.00 ERA) on the mound. Hahn has allowed only five runs (three earned) in 11 1/3 innings in two career starts against KC, and he should get plenty of run support as the A's have averaged 4.11 runs per game this season. The Royals hand the ball to left-hander Jason Vargas (1-0, 1.50 ERA) who held the Astros to one run and six hits while striking out six in six innings on Friday, but I don't think he'll keep Oakland at bay quite as easily. The Athletics are 8-0 in the last eight meetings. Let's back Oakland at a great price. 

MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Baltimore Orioles
Rating: 8/10*'

The Baltimore Orioles recorded 17 hits in yesterday's 12-5 win at Boston, and I like them to carry that momentum into Toronto for the opener of a four-game series Thursday night. The Blue Jays are just 1-6 on the season (averaging 3.29 rpg), and their starting pitcher for tonight, Francisco Liriano (0-0, 135.00 ERA) was torched for five runs on three hits and four walks while recording just one out in his season debut. The Orioles hand the ball to Kevin Gausman (0-0, 5.40 ERA). Baltimore has won each of his two starts this season despite the 26 year old not being at his best yet, and they're 7-0 in Gausman's last seven starts with four days of rest.

Europa League Total
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

Man United are most likely happy to see a draw here, and I don't think Anderlecht will risk opening themselves up too much here and give away an away goal. 

Top Rated 10* NBA West *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: LA Lakers
Rating: 10/10*

Much respect for the Los Angeles Lakers who have stepped it up a notch lately and will be looking to close out the season with six consecutive victories. Winning outright at Golden State Wednesday night will obviously be tough, but I really like them to cover the spread. The Warriors are coming off a 105-99 loss to Utah, and they'll rest Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala here in the season finale. Their main concern now is to avoid injuries, and motivation should be rather low as they prepare for the playoffs. Let's take the points on the Lakers.

MLB *HOT SHOT*
Play: Miami Marlins
Rating: 8/10*

The Atlanta Braves are just 1-6 on the season and they fell 8-4 here at Marlins Park on Tuesday. I think they're in for another tough game tonight with Jaime Garcia (0-1, 6.00 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander was tagged with four runs on six hits and a pair of walks with no strikeouts through six innings of a 6-2 loss to the Mets in his Atlanta debut. He gave up 10 runs in 9 2/3 innings in two starts against Miami last season and the Marlins have averaged a healthy 5.00 rpg so far this season.

Tom Koehler (0-0, 1.80 ERA) takes the ball for Miami. He posted a 5.91 ERA in two starts against Atlanta last season but held the Nats to one run on four hits with four strikeouts in five innings in his season debut. The Marlins are 8-1 in Koehler's last nine starts vs. a team with a losing record, and I think Miami is worth a bet Wednesday night.

MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Washington Nationals
Rating: 8/10*

The Washington Nationals put a 14-6 beating on the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, and I think they'll prove well worth the price here in Game 2 of the series the next day.

Washington hands the ball to left-hander Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 0.00) who struck out seven over six scoreless innings against Miami in his season debut. The Nationals are 6-2 in Gonzalez's last eight home starts, and he's posted a respectable 2.72 ERA in six career starts versus St. Louis who turns to Lance Lynn (0-0, 3.38 ERA). The right-hander held the Cubs to two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings in his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery, but here he'll face several red hot bats. 

Note that St. Louis has scored more than four runs in a game only once this year, and runs won't come easy here. Let's lay the juice on the Nats. 

Top Rated 10* Twins/Tigers *BEST BET*
Play: Minnesota Twins
Rating: 10/10*

The Minnesota Twins are off to a 5-1 start to the season, and I think we're getting a great price on them at Detroit Tigers (3-2) Tuesday afternoon. 

Hector Santiago (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will take the ball for the Twins. The 29 year old southpaw held KC to one run on four hits through five innings of a 9-1 victory in his season debut. He was 7-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 16 road starts last season and has posted a respectable 3.50 ERA in 17 career appearances (10 starts) versus Detroit. The Tigers hand the ball to Matt Boyd (0-1, 19.29) who was knocked around for five runs on five hits and four walks in just 2 1/3 innings of an 11-2 loss to the White Sox in Chicago on Thursday. He's posted a 3.94 ERA in five career starts versus Minnesota.

Let's go with the underdog here as Minnesota has played great baseball so far this season. 

Top Rated 10* MLB *BIG HITTER*
Play: NY Mets
Rating: 10/10*

The New York Mets' bats came alive in a victory against Miami on Sunday, and I think they'll win this series-opener at Citizens Bank Park against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night.

The Mets hand the ball to Jacob deGrom who opened the season with six shutout innings of two-hit ball against the Braves. He's 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in previous meetings with the Phillies and has their current roster limited to a combined .190 batting average over 63 at bats. The Mets have won each of his last seven starts against Philadelphia.

The Phillies turn to Jerad Eickhoff who took the loss in his first start of the season despite giving up just two runs on five hits with a walk in 6 2/3 frames of a 2-0 loss at Cincinnati. He's 1-4 with a 2.66 ERA in previous meetings with the Mets, and the lack of run support will be an issue once again here when facing off with deGrom. 

We can also note that the Phillies are 2-8 in Eickhoffs last 10 starts following a quality start in his last appearance.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Indiana Pacers
Rating: 8/10*

The injury-ridden Philadelphia 76ers are just looking forward to the summer break and have dropped six games in a row (0-5 ATS). Here they'll host an Indiana Pacers team entering the game on a three-game winning streak while going 4-0 ATS L4 games. Philly has nothing to play for while Indiana is trying to clinch a postseason spot. Motivation beats class, but Indiana has both advantages here. The Pacers won the last meeting 107-94 home in Indiana on March 26, and they're 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.

Cardinals/Nats *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: STL Cardinals
Rating: 8/10*

The St. Louis Cardinals are just 2-4 on the season, but I like them as an underdog at the 3-3 Washington Nationals Monday night. 

Adam Wainwright will toe the slab for the Cards, and he's 8-3 with a 2.99 ERA in 14 career games (12 starts) against the Nationals, with the Cardinals winning each of the last four meetings with him on the mound. He looked good in his season debut when he struck out six hitters while holding the Cubs to two runs on three hits through five frames. 

The Nats hand the ball to Tanner Roark who held the Marlins to two runs on three hits through six innings of a 6-4 win in his season debut, but note that the Nats 1-4 in Roark's last five starts following a quality start in his last appearance.

The price is right to back the Cards here. 

MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Houston Astros
Rating: 8/10*

The Seattle Mariners have won just one of their first seven games, and Houston took three of four from Seattle to start the season. I think the Mariners are in for another tough game when they host the Astros Monday night. 

Left-hander James Paxton will take the ball for the Mariners. He held the Astros scoreless through six innings on Monday, but the Mariners still lost the game 5-3. Charlie Morton was pitching opposite Paxton in that game as well and allowed only two runs through six innings of work.

I think Houston will give Paxton a harder time tonight. Note that he's 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA in three career starts against the Astros, and Houston is 7-2 in its last nine road games vs. a left-handed starter. Great price on the superior Astros. 

Sunday Night *ESPN ENFORCER*
Play: NY Mets -1.5
Rating: 8/10*

The Miami Marlins have dominated the New York Mets through the first two games of this series (8-1, 7-2), but I predict the Mets to come out strong in the series-finale Sunday night. 

The Mets hand the ball to Noah Syndergaard who struck out seven with no walks in six shutout innings against Atlanta on opening day Monday. He was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts against Miami last season. The Fish turn to Edinson Volquez who allowed just four hits in five shutout innings at Washington in his Marlins debut, but he's 3-5 with a 4.99 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mets.

The Marlins are 2-9 in their last 11 when their opponent scores two runs or fewer in their previous game, and it's time for the Mets' bats to wake up.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

The last meeting between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings saw just a total of 188 points scored. We're almost guaranteed to see more points tonight, but I still think this game will stay under the total. Note that James Harden is averaging only 16 ppg against the Kings, lower than any other opponent this season. 

The Rockets are coming off a 114-109 loss to Detroit, their fourth loss in the last six games. I like Houston to really bring it on the defensive end of the court here, something the team needs to improve ahead of the playoffs. Sacramento has fallen shy of 100 points in six of its last seven games and Houston has averaged well below its season average of 115.2 ppg in recent weeks. Look for a "low-scoring" contest.

Cavs/Hawks Early *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers
Rating: 8/10*

Huge revenge spot for the Cavaliers who lost 114-110 to the Atlanta Hawks reserves home in Cleveland Friday night. The Cavs are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Atlanta and 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings overall. We can also note that Atlanta is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games following a straight up win of more than 10 points. 

Super Early Braves/Pirates *PUNISHER*
Play: Atlanta +1.5
Rating: 8/10*

The Atlanta Braves have won just one of their first five games this season, but I think they might record an upset at PNC Park Sunday afternoon.

Julio Teheran (0-0, 0.00 ERA) takes the ball for the Braves. He tossed six scoreless innings of four-hit ball against the Mets in his season debut, and he held the Pirates scoreless through 7 2/3 innings of work last season. The Pirates hand the ball to Gerrit Cole (0-1, 9.00 ERA) who was knocked around for five runs on seven hits in five innings at Boston in his first start of the season. 

The Braves are 5-1 outright in Teheran's last six starts against Pittsburgh, but I'm taking the extra run here just in case they lose a close one. 

Premier League Total
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

No Comment

8*

Late Night NBA Jazz/Blazers *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: Portland
Rating: 8/10*

The Utah Jazz beat the Timberwolves 120-113 on Friday but they're just 1-7-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on no rest and 6-21-1 ATS in their last 28 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Here they'll visit a Portland Trail Blazers squad coming off a come from behind win against Minnesota and the Blazers are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall. Home team is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings in this series, and I like Portland to come out ahead here. 

Top Rated 10* NBA East *GAME OF THE MONTH*
Play: Boston Celtics
Rating: 10/10*

The Boston Celtics are coming off back-to-back losses to Cleveland and Atlanta, but I think they'll get back to their winning ways when they visit the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night. 

Charlotte is also coming off a pair of losses (to Miami and Washington), and the team is now all but eliminated from playoff contention. Boston meanwhile is only one game behind Cleveland for the top seed in the East. 

Boston took the first three meetings this season and seven of the last eight in the series (7-1 ATS). The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Charlotte and the Hornets are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 home games.

Subscribers Only
Play: Indiana
Rating: 8/10*

The Pacers are 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings with Orlando and they have plenty of motivation as they seek to make the playoffs. 

Top Rated 10* Yankees/Orioles Total
Play: Under
Rating: 10/10*

The Baltimore Orioles edged the New York Yankees 6-5 in the opener of a three-game set between the two AL East rivals on Friday. I don't think runs will come quite as easy today with a pair of very competent pitchers on the mound. 

The Bronx Bombers turn to their ace Masahiro Tanaka. He was knocked around for seven runs through just 2 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay in his season debut, but the right-hander has a 2.39 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore.

The Orioles turn to Kevin Gausman who held the Yankees to just one run in 20 innings at home last year and he's posted a 1.92 ERA in 17 career games (11 starts) against them. He looked decent enough in his first start of the season when he held the Blue Jays to a pair of runs through 5 1/3 innings of work. 

Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings at Camden Yards.
Under is 10-1 in Gausman's last 11 starts vs. Yankees.

MLB Subscribers Only
Play: Baltimore
Rating: 8/10*

The Baltimore Orioles edged the New York Yankees 6-5 in the opener of a three-game set between the two AL East rivals on Friday. I don't think runs will come quite as easy today, especially for the visitors.

The Bronx Bombers turn to their ace Masahiro Tanaka. He was knocked around for seven runs through just 2 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay in his season debut, but the right-hander has a 2.39 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore.

The Orioles turn to Kevin Gausman who held the Yankees to just one run in 20 innings at home last year and he's posted a 1.92 ERA in 17 career games (11 starts) against them. He looked decent enough in his first start of the season when he held the Blue Jays to a pair of runs through 5 1/3 innings of work. 

Orioles are 6-1 in Gausmans last 7 starts vs. Yankees.

Yankees are 1-4 in Tanakas last 5 starts vs. Orioles.

Premier League *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: WBA Albions
Rating: 10/10*

Great price on WBA draw no bet here as I think the wrong team is favored in this matchup. Eighth placed WBA are seven points ahead of ninth placed Southampton in the standings, and they have a solid 9-2-4 record home at the Hawthorns. They have lost just twice in 10 league games at home, winning five of the last six. Southampton are rather mediocre on the road and I give West Brom the edge here. 

Top Rated 10* Late Night MLB Total
Play: Over
Rating: 10/10*

I think we'll see a high-scoring encounter when the LA Angels host the Seattle Mariners Friday night. The Halos' Jesse Chavez posted a 4.43 ERA in 2016 and he's 0-6 with a 5.84 ERA in 17 career appearances (seven starts) against Seattle. The Mariners hand the ball to Yovani Gallardo who posted a 5.42 ERA last year and owns a 7.00 career ERA against the Angels. 

The Angels have scored a total of 15 runs this season in splitting a four-game set against Oakland and we should see plenty of action over the plate for both teams in this contest.

MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Cleveland Indians
Rating: 8/10*

The D'Backs hand the ball to Shelby Miller who had a terrible 2016, and he could be in for another rough season unless he figures out how to pitch at Chase Field. The 26 year old went 0-8 with a 7.39 ERA through 10 home starts last year, and he could be in trouble here against a Cleveland team that has scored a MLB-best 21 runs in three games. Josh Tomlin will take the ball for Cleveland, a solid pitcher who went 13-9 with a 4.40 ERA last season. Look for the Tribe to win this game and continue to be a moneymaker. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

Under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings at Toyota Center and this total looks a bit high considering how these two teams have played of late. Detroit has struggled to score lately leading to 10 losses through its last 12 games. Under is 8-3 in the Pistons last 11 overall and 15-3 in their last 18 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game, which they did in Wednesday's 105-102 loss to Toronto. The Rockets are a high-scoring team, but four of their last five games have gone under the total.

Super Early MLB *MASSACRE*
Play: Detroit Tigers
Rating: 8/10*

The Detroit Tigers took a huge 11-2 beating at Chicago White Sox Thursday afternoon, but I like them to bounce back here with Michael Fulmer on the hill. Fulmer is the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, and the Tigers are 8-2 in Fulmer's last 10 home starts. Boston turns to Steven Wright who is 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA in two career starts against the Tigers, and he might not get much run support with the Red Sox's lineup decimated by a flu bug. 

Top Rated 10* NBA West *GAME OF THE YEAR*
Play: Portland Trail Blazers
Rating: 10/10*

The Minnesota Timberwolves are eliminated from playoff contention while the Portland Trail Blazers are battling with Denver for the eighth seed in the West. The Blazers had won six straight prior to back-to-back losses at Minnesota and Utah, and I like them to put a huge beating on the Wolves tonight.

Note that the Timberwolves are just 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall. They lost 121-107 at Golden State on Tuesday and are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

The Blazers meanwhile are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall and 7-2-1 in the last 10 when hosting the Wolves. Huge motivational advantage Portland with the revenge factor and their playoff dreams. I'm well happy to lay the points as I think we'll see a double-digit victory for the home side. 

MLB *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: Washington Nationals
Rating: 8/10*

I like the Washington Nationals to complete the sweep of this three-game set against the Miami Marlins Thursday afternoon. The Nats will have a massive edge on the mound with Gio Gonzalez going up against Tom Koehler who went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five starts vs. Washington last year. The Nats' Bryce Harper is 11-for-32 with six homers and six walks off the right-hander.

Washington's Gonzalez struck out seven through five innings in his lone start against Miami last year, and I think he'll lead the Nats to a win here. 

MLB 3-Pack
Play: Detroit Tigers
Rating: 8/10*

Tough spot for Chicago White Sox's James Shields as he was originally scheduled to pitch in yesterday's rained out contest. Detroit's Matt Boyd is more in sync and he was outstanding in spring training, posting a 2.10 ERA and fanning 23 through 25 2/3 innings of work. I think the Tigers' powerful lineup will get to Shields, just like they did last season when they knocked him around for 17 runs on 31 hits through 22 frames, and I like the price we get on the Tigers in this contest. 

Super Early MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Philadelphia Phillies
Rating: 8/10*

I like the Philadelphia Phillies here in the rubbermatch of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds. Clay Buchholz will make his debut for the visitors, and I like him to come through with a big performance. He's coming off a disappointing year (4.78 ERA), but was far better in the second half of the season and we can note that he was 6-3 with a 3.90 ERA on the road. The Reds turn to rookie right-hander Rookie Davis who could in for a rough big leagues debut. 

LATE NIGHT NBA *NO-BRAINER*
Play: Golden State Warriors
Rating: 8/10*

The Golden State Warriors are coming off a dominant 121-107 win over Minnesota last night, and I think they have enough gas in the tank for a blowout win at Phoenix here the next day. The season can't end soon enough for this Suns team that has lost 12 in a row, and the Warriors won this season's first three meetings by an average of 16 points.

Golden State has won 12 straight (9-2-1 ATS) and could potentially clinch the top seed with a win here and the Spurs losing to the Lakers. While an unlikely scenario, I still like the Warriors to bring their very best and do their part tonight. This is a no-brainer play on the Warriors. 

NBA Nuggets/Rockets *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Denver Nuggets
Rating: 8/10*

The Denver Nuggets are battling with Portland for the eighth seed in the West, and I think that motivation will them the edge against the spread here. Houston is sitting pretty at third place in the conference and might decide to rest James Harden here as he's banged up. The Nuggets are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games and the underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six head-to-head meetings.

Top Rated 10* MLB *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Under
Rating: 10/10*

The Baltimore Orioles clinched the season opener 3-2 in extra innings on Monday, but I like the Toronto Blue Jays to even out the series with a win tonight. Happ was a solid 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in three starts against Baltimore last season, and we can note that he was just as reliable on the road as he was at home in 2016, posting a 9-2 record in 17 starts away from home. Happ was excellent in spring training, posting a 1.76 ERA through 15 1/3 innings of work. The same can not be said about Baltimore's Dylan Bundy who recorded a 7.41 ERA through 17 innings in spring training. The current Toronto roster does only have a combined nine at bats against the right-hander though, and I think we'll see a low-scoring contest. 

MLB Subscribers Only
Play: Blue Jays
Rating: 8/10*

The Baltimore Orioles clinched the season opener 3-2 in extra innings on Monday, but I like the Toronto Blue Jays to even out the series with a win tonight. Happ was a solid 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in three starts against Baltimore last season, and we can note that he was just as reliable on the road as he was at home in 2016, posting a 9-2 record in 17 starts away from home. Happ was excellent in spring training, posting a 1.76 ERA through 15 1/3 innings of work. The same can not be said about Baltimore's Dylan Bundy who recorded a 7.41 ERA through 17 innings in spring training. The current Toronto roster does only have a combined nine at bats against the right-hander though, and I think we'll see a low-scoring contest. 

Wednesday Premier League *PUNISHER*
Play: Tottenham
Rating: 8/10*

Tottenham are entering this game as winners of five straight contests, and I don't think Swansea can stop them from making it six on a row here. Tottenham are second in the Premier League, seven points behind league-leading Chelsea while Swansea are just one point above the relegation zone. Take Spurs to win at a decent enough price. 

NBA Wolves/Warriors Late Night *CA$H COW*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

We won with the over in Minnesota's 110-109 win against Portland last night, but I think we'll see their matchup with the Golden State Warriors here the following day go under the total.

The Warriors have played plenty of unders lately, but we're still seeing huge numbers on the total due to their offensive numbers. Under is 8-1 in Warriors last nine home games and 22-7 in their last 29 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points, which they are following a 139-115 drubbing of the Wizards. Under is 5-2 in Timberwolves last seven games playing on no rest and 8-2 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

To top it off we can note that the under is 20-6 in the last 26 head-to-head meetings.

MLB *NIGHTCRAWLER*
Play: LA Angels
Rating: 8/10*

The Los Angeles Angels will take on the Oakland Athletics for the second game of a four-game set, and I think this looks like a good price on the Halos with Matt Shoemaker on the mound. 

Shoemaker was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three starts against Oakland last season, and he has the current Athletics hitters limited to a .219 batting average. Oakland will turn to Sean Manea who was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts against LAA last year. We can also note that the Angels are 7-3 in Shoemakers last 10 Tuesday starts while the A's are 1-5 in Manaea's last six Tuesday starts.

The Angels are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings in Oakland (prior to Monday's matchup) and should win another one here.

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 8/10*

The surging Toronto Raptors have won eight of their last nine games, but I don't think they'll slow down just yet as they battle to hold off the Wizards for the #3 seed in the East. The Raptors are 14-6 ATS in the last 20 meetings overall and they beat Indiana 111-100 home at Toronto last Friday. We can also note that they're 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 

The reeling Pacers are #9 in the conference and desperate for wins to advance in the standings, but they've dropped four straight and six of their last seven.

The Raptors are playing too well right now to go against, let's back the visitors in this matchup. 

Top Rated 10* NCAA Tournament Title Game *BEST BET*
Play: UNC Tar Heels
Rating: 10/10*

The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament title game Monday night, and I really like UNC here. Gonzaga has not really impressed despite a much easier road to the championship game, and I'm not quite sure they'll be ready for what North Carolina will bring here. The Tar Heels lost the final to Villanova last year, but I think they'll get the job done this time around.

Indians/Rangers *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: Cleveland Indians
Rating: 8/10*

The Cleveland Indians will visit the Texas Rangers Monday night, and I think the value is on the visitors in this matchup. 

Cleveland will be looking to return to the World Series, and they just might as the Tribe have boosted their lineup with the addition of slugger Edwin Encarnacion. He's 5-for-16 with two homers in previous meetings with Yu Darvish who will take the ball for Texas in this game. Darvish is a decent pitcher, but Cleveland still has the advantage with Corey Kluber on the mound IMO. 

Kluber was 8-4 with a 3.03 ERA while limiting opponents to a .210 batting average through 16 road starts last season, so I think he'll be able to deal with the Rangers at here at Globe Life Park in Arlington. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Over
Rating: 8/10*

The Minnesota Timberwolves will host the red hot Portland Trail Blazers in the lone NBA game Monday night. Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings at Target Center, and I think we'll see another high-scoring encounter tonight.

The Wolves have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they have a young team that will be looking to finish the season strong. They've scored plenty of points lately, averaging 117 ppg through their last three games and the over is 8-2 in Timberwolves last 10 overall.

Portland is coming off a 130-117 win against Phoenix. Over is 17-7 in the Blazers last 24 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points and each of their last three games have seen at least 224 points. 

MLB 3-Pack
Play: Kansas City Royals
Rating: 8/10*

I like the Kansas City Royals to open the season with a victory as they visit the Minnesota Twins Monday night.

Minnesota has lost eight straight season openers, and today the Twins hand the ball to Ervin Santana. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 4.55 ERA in five meetings with KC last season and the Twins are 0-7 in Santana's last seven starts vs. the Royals. Eric Hosmer is 8-for-23 with three homers against the Santana who posted a 3.75 ERA in 15 starts at Target Field last season. 

Kansas City will send Danny Duffy to the mound. The left-hander was 1-0 with a 3.10 ERA in four matchups (three starts) against Minnesota last season, and the Royals are 9-2 in Duffy's last 11 starts vs. the Twins.

MLB *AFTERNOON ASSASSIN*
Play: Toronto Blue Jays
Rating: 8/10*

The Toronto Blue Jays will visit the Baltimore Orioles Monday afternoon for the opener of a two-game series between two AL East rivals. 

The Jays hand the ball to Marco Estrada who is 4-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) against Baltimore, and Toronto is 6-2 in those starts. He has the current Baltimore hitters limited to a .196 AVG over 153 at bats. 

The Orioles turn to Kevin Gausman who is 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 12 matchups (seven starts) against Toronto. The current Toronto roster are batting a combined .326 over 89 at bats against the right-hander. Gausman has looked better of the two in spring training, but I think Estrada will step it up here in the season opener. 

We can also note that the Blue Jays are 6-1 in their last seven during Game 1 of a series while the Orioles are 2-6 in their last eight during Game 1 of a series.

Super Early MLB Braves/Mets
Play: Atlanta Braves +1.5
Rating: 8/10*

The Atlanta Braves have won six straight meetings at Citi Field and Julio Teheran went 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in four starts against the Mets in 2016. The Mets' Noah Syndergaard made one start against the Atlanta last season and was tagged with five runs on eight hits through just 3 2/3 innings. Anything can happen here in the first game of the season, and I think the value is on the Braves in this matchup. 

Top Rated 10* East vs. West *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Miami Heat
Rating: 10/10*

The Miami Heat defeated the Nuggets 106-98 at Denver back in November, and I think they'll get the better of their opponent in Sunday's meeting as well.

The Nuggets are just 5-11 ATS when trying to avenge a home loss vs. an opponent this season and they're 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Miami is 21-17 SU (22-15-1 ATS) home at American Airlines Arena this season and they'll be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 98-94 home loss as a 10.5-point favorite against the Knicks. The Heat are 6-2 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite on the season and 23-13 when playing against a team with a losing record.

Both teams are still battling for their playoff lives, but the Nuggets have been abysmal on defense during a three-game slide, and I think the Heat have a clear edge in this matchup. 

MLB *OPENING DAY DOMINATOR*
Play: San Francisco Giants
Rating: 8/10*

The San Francisco Giants will visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day of the MLB season, and I'm backing the Giants with Madison Bumgarner on the mound at a great price. Note that the Giants are 8-0 in Bumgarner's last eight road starts vs. the Diamondbacks and and Arizona lost nine of its 10 home games against the Giants last season. 

The D'Backs will send Zack Greinke to the mound. He's coming off a rough season (4.37 ERA through 26 starts), and Greinke has really struggled to get comfortable at Chase Field since coming over from the Dodgers. He looked far from solid during spring training where he posted a 5.06 ERA and just five strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings of work. 

Bumgarner meanwhile posted a 2.81 ERA in 16 Cactus League innings, and he's the main reason I'm backing San Francisco in this matchup. 

Final Four *BOOKIE BREAKER*
Play: South Carolina
Rating: 8/10*

Few, if any, expected the South Carolina Gamecocks to make it this far in the tournament, but here they are in the Final Four against Gonzaga. They've played impressive defense throughout the tournament, and I think they'll give the Bulldogs a tough matchup here. 

South Carolina came back from a 40-33 halftime deficit against Florida in the last round to win 77-70, an extremely impressive feature. That tells me that this team will never give up, in other words a perfect team to back ATS as an underdog. 

Gonzaga won its last game 83-59 against Xavier, but it was more because the Musketeers came out flat than the Zags playing great. Take the points on the underdog in this matchup. 

Top Rated 10* NBA *BASKET BRAWLER*
Play: Atlanta Hawks
Rating: 10/10*

The Atlanta Hawks had lost seven on the bounce prior to beating up on Phoenix and Philly in their last two games. They'll take on a tougher opponent in the Bulls at Chicago Saturday afternoon, but I like the Hawks to ride their current momentum and at the very least cover the spread. 

The Bulls are also coming off back-to-back wins, the most recenta 99-93 win over Cleveland as a 5.5-point dog on TNT Thursday. Huge letdown spot after such a win though, and note that the Bulls are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games playing on one days rest. 

The Bulls head into play on Friday one game out of eighth place in the East and only three games behind the Hawks, so motivation won't be a problem for either team. Take the points on the underdog in a game that should be close until the very end. 

NHL *POWER PLAY*
Play: Nashville Predators
Rating: 8/10*

The Minnesota Wild have won just two of their last 13 games, both as sizable favorites. They're underdogs om the road at Nashville Predators on Saturday, and I think this looks like a good spot for the home team. Minnesota has a solid 20-12-4 road record on the season, but note that Nashville is 7-1 in its last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The Predators are looking good bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Toronto as they're 10-4 in their last 14 after scoring two goals or fewer in their previous game while the Wild are 2-6 in their last eight when their opponent scores two goals or fewer in their previous game.

Premier League *CA$H COW*
Play: Leicester
Rating: 8/10*

Leicester may be the reigning Premier League champs, but they're not safe from relegation this season despite having won four straight games. I think they'll make it five in a row when they host Stoke on Saturday. Stoke are stuck in no-mans land in the table, and they're far stronger at home than on the road. Let's roll with Leicester here.

Top Rated 10* Premier League *GAME OF THE WEEK*
Play: Over
Rating: 10/10*

Liverpool may not he top of the league, but they are the highest scoring team with 61 goals scored and 36 conceded in 29 games. Here they'll take on Merseyside rivals Everton who have scored a total of nine goals through their last three games. I expect to see plenty of goals in this rivalry game as both teams go for the three points. 

NBA *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 8/10*

The Oklahoma City Thunder have won four straight home games against the San Antonio Spurs, and I think they'll edge another one Friday night. It's not only the Spurs who find it tough at Chesapeake Energy Arena as OKC is a phenomenal 20-6-1 ATS through last 27 home games. We can also note that the Thunder are coming off an inspiring 114-106 overtime win over the Magic where they came back from a rather large deficit.

The Spurs meanwhile are coming off a 110-98 loss to the Warriors, and the Spurs have not done well recovering from big losses lately going 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

NBA *BANKROLL BUILDER*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

The Boston Celtics will host the Orlando Magic Friday night, and the total is set way too high IMO. Four of the last five head-to-head meetings may have gone over the total, but note that only of those games had a total as high as this, and guess what; it went under. 

This is also a great situational spot for an under. The Celtics will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 103-100 home loss as a 7.5-point favorite against Milwaukee, and the under is 13-3-1 in Celtics last 17 games following a ATS loss and 9-3-2 in their last 14 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. The Magic meanwhile fell 114-106 in overtime against Oklahoma City (a game that went under the total despite OT) and the under is 4-0 in Magic last four games following a straight up loss.

We also have favorable day of the week trends with under is 5-1 in Celtics last six Friday games and 13-3 in Magic last 16 Friday games.

NBA *MONEYMAKER*
Play: Toronto Raptors
Rating: 8/10*

The Indiana Pacers have dropped four of their last five games, and a win surely won't come easy at Toronto Friday night. The Raptors had won six straight games prior to a 110-106 loss as a 5.5-point home favorite against Charlotte on Wednesday, and the Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a ATS loss and a solid 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Friday games. The Pacers meanwhile have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six road games, and they took a 116-91 beating here at Air Canada Centre as recent as March 19. Look for the Raptors to clinch this one by a wide margin. 

 NBA *LATE SHOW*

Play: Houston Rockets
Rating: 8/10*

The Houston Rockets suffered a 113-106 home loss to Golden State Tuesday, but there's no shame in that defeat as we saw how good the Warriors are when they took care of business at San Antonio last night, playing on no rest nonetheless! The Rockets had won four on the spin prior to that setback, and the they are 17-5 ATS in their last 22 games following a straight up loss and 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games.

Here they'll visit a Portland side that has played well lately, winning four in a row and seven of its last eight. They've had a relatively easy schedule during that stretch though. Portland still has a losing SU record on the season, and note that the Rockets are 25-11 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record this season and 10-3-1 ATS in the last 14 meetings at Moda Center.

NIT Championship Game *NO-BRAINER*
Play: Georgia Tech
Rating: 8/10*

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will take on the TCU Horned Frogs in the NIT Championship Game Thursday night. Georgia Tech has looked very impressive on the defensive end of the court, and I think the Yellow Jacket will keep this close enough to cover the spread, at the very least. The Horned Frogs have done very well to make it here, but Georgia Tech is simply a bad matchup for them with its ability to force turnovers.

Take the points on the underdog. 

Nets/Pistons *HARDWOOD HAMMER*
Play: Under
Rating: 8/10*

The Detroit Pistons will host the Brooklyn Nets Thursday night and I predict a relatively low-scoring affair, just like when the Nets won 98-96 at Brooklyn earlier this month. 

The Pistons have dropped five in a row and eight of their last nine games. They've topped 100 points in only contest during that span, a 112-95 victory over Phoenix. Under is 7-1 in the Pistons last eight overall and here they'll host a Nets team that has seen four of its last five games go under the total. 

The Pistons are desperate for a win, but they can't rely on their offense to get the job done so I expect them to turn up the heat on the defensive end of the court instead. Let's go with the under. 

Warriors/Spurs *SITUATIONAL SLAYER*
Play: San Antonio Spurs
Rating: 8/10*

This is a situational play on San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors are coming off a 113-106 win at Houston last night but are just 5-10 ATS when playing on no rest this season. The Spurs have had an extra day to recover since their dominant 103-74 victory over Cleveland, and they're 6-2-2 ATS when facing a team playing on no rest this season. We can also note that the home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in this series. Go with Spurs in this matchup between the two giants in the West. 

Top Rated 10* NBA Wednesday Night *BEST BET*
Play: OKC Thunder
Rating: 10/10*

The Oklahoma City Thunder will visit the Orlando Magic Wednesday night, and I think this looks like a good spot to back the visitors.

Orlando won the last meeting 119-117 at Oklahoma City back in November, but OKC is 6-2 ATS when avenging a home loss vs. an opponent this season and I don't think they've forgotten about that defeat. We can also note that they Thunder have played better on the road lately going 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a losing home record and they're an impressive 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games overall when taking on a team with a winning % below .400.

What about the Magic then? Orlando has won three of its last five games, but motivation is usually quite low against teams from the West going just 1-6 ATS in their last seven vs. teams from the Western Conference. We can also note that the Magic are horrendous on Wednesdays (3-15 ATS in their last 18 Wednesday games) and 6-17-1 ATS in their last 24 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

Oklahoma City is just one game back of the Clippers for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference, so motivation should be high for the visitors. Roll with Thunder.