At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (503) and the Utah Jazz (504) in Game One of their Western Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (51-28) has won four of their last five games after defeating Dallas in Game Seven of their playoff series by a 126-111 score as a 6-point favorite on Sunday. Utah (56-21) has won four in a row after dispatching Memphis in five games with their 126-110 win as a 9-point favorite last Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers saved their best 3-point shooting performance for Game Seven as they nailed 20 of their 43 shots (46.5%) en route to a 50% shooting percentage for the game. That was Los Angeles’ best shooting effort in their last four games. They also allowed the Mavericks to nail 49.5% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five contests. The Under is 7-2-1 in the Clippers’ last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Los Angeles has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. The Clippers go back on the road where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total — and the Under is 18-8-1 in their last 27 road games against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on their home court. Utah may be rusty with their shooting touch after the six-day layoff after ending their series with the Grizzlies. They made 51.6% of their shots in Game Five which was the best shooting effort in their previous three games. The Jazz have played five straight Overs — but they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Toal after playing at least four straight Overs. Utah has allowed at least 110 points in five straight contests — but they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 105 points in at least four straight games. They also have played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. The Jazz’s defense will present a problem for the Clippers — they ranked third in the NBA by holding their opponents to 107.5 points per 100 possessions. Utah allowed only 10.9 make 3-pointers per game, the lowest in the league during the regular season. They also lead the NBA by holding their opponents to just 50.4% shooting inside the arc. The Jazz host the first two games of this series where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Los Angeles has played 24 of their last 35 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and the Under is 6-0-2 in the Clippers’ last 8 games in Western Conference Semifinals. 25* NBA 2nd Round Tuesday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (503) and the Utah Jazz (504). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Colorado Avalanche (36) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (35) in Game Five of their West Division Finals series. THE SITUATION: Colorado (45-15-4) has lost the last two games of this series after their 5-1 loss in Las Vegas on Sunday. Vegas (46-17-4) has evened this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE AVALANCHE WITH THE MONEY-LINE: I suspected that Colorado’s 7-1 victory in Game One of this series might turn out to be Pyrrhic if it gave this young team too much confidence. Despite winning Game Two in overtime, the metrics suggest that the Golden Knights outplayed them — and that means Vegas has outplayed them in each of the last three games. Head coach Jared Bednar claimed his team is trying to “be too fancy” with their shots — and likely product of them sharpshooters finding so much success in Game One against Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner (while listening to everyone tell them how good they are). The Avalanche lacks the deep playoff experience that this Vegas team possesses. The Knights have lulled Colorado into a more physical type of series that they want. That all said, it will be tough for Vegas to win three straight against this talented Avalanche team. Colorado only put up 18 shots on Sunday — and they have been outshot by a 110 to 52 margin in the last three games in this series. The Ave’s simply need to start peppering Fleury with more action to generate more scoring chances after scoring only three goals in the last two games. Colorado has won 36 of their last 53 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game — and they have won 5 straight games after not scoring more than two goals in two straight games. The Avalanche have also won 12 of their last 14 games after a loss by at least three goals. And in their last 9 games after losing two of their last three, Colorado has won 8 of their last 9 games. Goalie Philip Grubauer had his worst game in the postseason by allowing five goals on 35 shots. He should play better at home where he had a 19-4-1 record with a 1.60 Goals-Against-Average and a .935 save percentage. The Avalanche has won 6 of their last 8 games after allowing at least five goals in their last game. Colorado has won 13 straight games at home — and they are 20-0-1 in their last 21 games at home in Ball Arena. It may be hard for Vegas to sustain the intensity they have felt since getting blown out in Game One. They have lost 16 of their last 27 games after allowing a victory by at least four goals. The Knights have not been great underdogs as they have lost 5 of their last 7 games as a dog — and they have lost 27 of their last 38 road games as an underdog. Vegas has also lost 7 of their last 10 playoff games as an underdog. Furthermore, this Golden Knights team has developed a reputation of not being able to close out playoff series — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 Game Fives.

FINAL TAKE: Colorado has won 10 straight games on their home ice when avenging a same-season loss — and they have lost 24 of their last 30 games when motivated with revenge from a loss by four or more goals. 25* NHL 2nd Round Tuesday NBC Sports Network Game of the Year with the money-line on the Colorado Avalanche (36) versus the Vegas Golden Knights (35). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (581) and the Brooklyn Nets (582) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (50-27) had their four-game winning streak snapped with their 115-107 loss at Brooklyn as a 3.5-point underdog in Game One of this series on Saturday. Brooklyn (53-25) has won three straight games as well as 10 of their last 11 contests.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Bucks endured the combination of some bad shooting luck and just an underachieving effort on the offensive end of the court on Saturday. They made only 6 of their 30 shots from behind the arc. They missed 8 of their 19 free throw attempts. They shot just 44.6% from the field which was the worst shooting effort in their last four games. Milwaukee should approach their 48.6% field goal percentage along with their 38.3% mark from 3-point land and their 78.3% free throw percentage when on the road tonight. They should be encouraged by the 15 offensive rebounds they pulled down on Saturday. Their size advantage should help them get plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities all series — and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez should dominate with their inside scoring. Milwaukee outrebounded the Nets by a 58-47 margin — and they have outrebounded their last five opponents by at least 11 boards. The Bucks have played 41 of their last 63 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last two opponents by at least 10 boards. They have played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last three opponents by at least 10 boards — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after outrebounding their last five opponents by at least 10 boards. We had the Under for Game One — and that game finished well below the 239.5 point total. But Milwaukee has played 21 of their last 33 games Over the Total after playing an Under in their last game. I expected rust for Game One — and now I expect fresh legs and better shooting. The Bucks have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with one day of rest — and they have played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total when playing their second game in five days. Milwaukee stays on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Over the Total on the road with the Total set at 230 or higher. The Bucks have also played 5 of their last 7 second games in a playoff series Over the Total. Brooklyn only made 46.9% of their shots on Saturday which was the worst shooting percentage in their last three games. The team was rattled early after James Harden re-injuring his hamstring. The Nets will adjust to Harden’s absence tonight out of the gate. They play at a faster pace without Harden on the court since he prefers to slow things down when he gets a defender in isolation. And the modus operandi for rookie head coach  Steve Nash to any problem is to play at a faster pace (what else from a devotee of Mike D’Antoni?). In the 19 games the Mets played without Harden in the regular season, the average combined score was 236. Brooklyn has played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after winning two straight games at home. The Nets have also played 8 of their last 11 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 35 of their last 57 games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee’s expected points based on their shot quality from 3-point range adds 15  points to their Total in Game One — and their expected points overall rise to 127. Kris Middleton only made 6 of 23 shots for 13 points — but his expected points based on his shot selection were 27 points. Brooklyn’s shot quality produced 123.5 expected points. Given the pace of play in Game One which I do not expect to change, the Regression Gods should see this game finish Over the Total. The Bucks have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing at Brooklyn. 25* NBA 2nd Round Monday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (581) and the Brooklyn Nets (582). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573) in Game Seven of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (50-28) forced a climactic seventh game in this series after their 104-97 win on the road against the Mavericks as a 3-point favorite. Dallas (45-33) has lost three of the last four games in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: It may look easy to take the Mavericks getting 6 or so points in this seventh game — but Los Angeles has been the dominant team in this series since making some adjustments after Game Two. Dallas was on fire with their 3-point shooting by making 47.2% and 52.9% of their 3-pointers in the first two games in this series. But the Regression Gods made their appearance and the Mavs have not been the same from behind the arc. They made only 11 of their 34 shots (32.4%) of their 3-pointers in Game Six. Ty Lue made the decision to not play Ivica Zubic when Luka Doncic is on the court since he was getting torched on the pick-and-roll. Going with a small lineup of Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum for Zubic and Patrick Beverley has been a game-changer for the Clippers. Beverley is not the same player on defense — and he has never been much of a scorer, so he is a liability if he has lost his defensive prowess. I’m not surprised that Los Angeles blew Game Five at home after picking themselves off the mat to win both games in Dallas. But facing elimination, Kawhi Leonard is finally defending Doncic — he held him to 2 of 6 shooting in the times he guarded him on Friday. I expect Leonard to take on this defensive assignment even more for this Game Seven. And how far away is Doncic from being 100% with the neck injury has been dealing with for most of this series? Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games when playing with one day of rest. They have also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 22 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 17 games after a loss at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games with one day of rest. And in the last 9 games after losing three of their last four games, the Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in all 5 games. For Dallas to win, Doncic will have to carry the team. Kristaps Porzingis is a big disappointment coming off a 7-point game on Friday. He has not reached double-digits three times in this series.

FINAL TAKE: The Mavericks had their chance to win this series on Friday. The challenge is even harder now, even though they have won three times already in the Staples Center. They will play hard — but expect the Clippers to eventually pull away. Dallas remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 playoff games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (574) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (571) and the Philadelphia 76ers (572) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION:  Atlanta (45-32) has won eight of their last nine games after their 103-89 victory at New York as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday to close out that series in five games. Philadelphia (53-24) has won six of their last seven games with their 129-112 victory against Washington as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday to end that series in five games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hawks have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. And they have played 17 of their last 25 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. Atlanta made a dramatic improvement once Nate McMillan became their head coach midseason — and the team is playing much better on the defensive end of the court. The Hawks have held their last eight opponents to no better than 44.2% shooting — and six of their last seven opponents have not topped 42% shooting. The rest should help this team as they have played 6 straight Unders when playing their second game in seven days. But the offensive attack for this team wanes when they are on the road. Atlanta averaged 119.3 points per 100 possessions at home during the regular season — but that mark dropped to them scoring only 104.0 points per 100 possessions when on the road. The Hawks have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Atlanta has played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 5 straight playoff games Under the Total as a dog. Philadelphia has played 35 of their last 51 home games Under the Total after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. The team will likely be without Joel Embiid who is nursing a meniscus tear in his right knee. Embiid plays a critical role for the team on both ends of the court — but his impact is probably more important on offense. Going into Game Five of the Washington series, the 76ers were scoring +11.2 more points per 100 possessions with Embiid on the court this season. In that series (after Game Four), the Sixers have scored +38 more points per 100 possessions with Embiid playing. They were scoring only 104.9 points per 100 possessions without Embiid in this series (after Game Four) with a 49.4% effective field goal percentage. Philly torched the defensively challenged Wizards by making 51.2% of their shots on Wednesday — but Washington loves to play at a fast pace which helped them get open looks. Atlanta slows the pace down — so getting good looks will be more of a challenge. The 76ers have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the Eastern Conference Semifinals — and they have played 3 of their last 4 opening games to a new series Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Embiid is going to start this afternoon. Frankly, I am not sure how effective he will be on the offensive end of the court — but his presence protecting the rim will probably help our Under play, overall. These teams last played on April 30th when the Sixers crashed Atlanta at home by a 126-104 score. Atlanta has played 13 of their last 21 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round ABC-TV Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (571) and the Philadelphia 76ers (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561) in Game One of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (52-25) returns to the court for the first time since Tuesday after they completed their four-game sweep of Boston in Round One of the playoffs with their 123-109 victory as a 12.5-point favorite. Milwaukee (50-26) has won seven of their last eight games after sweeping against the Heat in four games after their 120-103 victory on the road in Miami as a 4-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE NETS MINUS THE POINTS: Brooklyn should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a point spread victory. The Nets have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a double-digit victory. After Kevin Durant missed 38 regular-season games, James Harden missed 14 games in the regular season, and Kyrie Irving missed 18 regular games, the Brooklyn Big Three added five games to the 13 total overall this season that they have played — and the results were impressive. They scored 128 points per 100 possessions against the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs — and I don’t care if the Boston defense was not elite, that is an incredible number against a playoff team. The Nets host Game One where they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 11 home games when favored in the Barclays Center. Brooklyn has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Furthermore, the Nets have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 47 games with the Over/Under set at 230 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher. Milwaukee may suffer an emotional letdown after exorcising the demons of getting upset by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last postseason. The Bucks have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games after winning three games in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 27 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. Milwaukee may suffer from rest with the week off — they are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing with at least three days of rest. They go on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight road games as an underdog. Furthermore, the Bucks are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games in the playoffs as an underdog. Milwaukee lost an important piece last round with the season-ending foot injury to Donte DiVincenzo.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee won the last meeting between these two teams with their 124-118 victory at home on May 4th. The Bucks have yet to play the Nets with Durant, Harden, and Irving all on the court — and the Nets have covered the point spread in 41 of their last 68 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NBA 2nd Round Saturday TNT Game of the Year with the Brooklyn Nets (562) minus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (557) and the Dallas Mavericks (558) in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (49-28) looks to stave off elimination after losing Game Five of this series with their 105-100 upset loss at home to the Mavericks as a 7.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Dallas (45-32) returns home with the opportunity to close out this series with their 3-2 lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have palled 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and the Under is 11-4-1 in their last 16 games after a point spread loss. Los Angeles has also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. And in their last 7 games played with one day of rest, the Under is 5-1-1. Los Angeles hits the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on their home court. Furthermore, the Clippers have played 18 of their last 26 road games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Under is 10-4-1 in Los Angeles’ last 15 games as a favorite — and the Under is 9-2-2 in their last 13 games when favored in the playoffs. Dallas benefited from a resurgent performance from Luka Doncic who rebounded from his subpar 9 of 24 shooting mark in Game Four with a 42 point night on Wednesday which included him nailing 6 of 12 shots from behind the arc. Doncic also assisted on 14 baskets in Game Four — he scored or assisted on all but six of the Mavericks’ field goals. He clearly benefited from the extra second day of rest. But this game is being played with one day of rest — will Doncic be able to recover from his injured neck that seemed to hold him back in Game Four? This is Dallas’ fourth game in the last ten days — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total when playing just their fourth game in ten days. The Mavericks held the Clippers to 41.2% shooting on Wednesday. Head coach Rick Carlisle had this team playing better on the defensive end of the court to close out the regular season. While the Mavs ranked 21st in the season in Defensive Efficiency, they were 13th in that metric over their last 15 games. They return home where they have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total — and they have played 11 of their last 14 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Dallas has played 21 of their last 26 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 14 of their last 17 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: These are two teams that played at the 26th and 28th slowest paces in the league in the regular season. That helps explain why they have played 7 of their last 9 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games in Dallas Under the Total. The Clippers have played 26 of their last 41 games Under the Total when avenging a loss at home. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (557) and the Dallas Mavericks (558) in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals series. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:38 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Winnipeg Jets (12) versus the Montreal Canadiens (11) in Game Two of their East Division Finals series. THE SITUATION: Winnipeg (34-23-3) had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with their 5-3 loss to the Canadiens in the opening game of this series. Montreal (29-24-1) has won four games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JETS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Winnipeg may have been shaking off some rust on Wednesday after not playing since May 24th after they swept Edmonton in four games in the opening round of the playoffs. They should be sharper tonight after losing on home ice. The Jets have rebounded to win 24 of their last 36 games after a loss to a divisional opponent. And while they allowed two goals in the third period in Game One, they have then won 8 of their last 13 games after allowing at least two goals in the third period of their last game. Winnipeg will be without their top-line center in Mark Scheifele who got suspended for four games for his ugly hit on the Canadiens’ Jake Evans in the final minute of that game. The loss of Scheifele hurts — but I expect the veteran Jets’ players to rally around each other. The core of his team has won three seven-game playoff series in the last four seasons — and they made a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2018. Despite a shaky game on Wednesday, goalie Conner Hellebuyck can put his team on his shoulders. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner has a 2.01 Goals-Against-Average and a .937 save percentage in these playoffs after frustrating Auston Matthews and the Oilers in the opening round. Winnipeg has won 4 of their last 5 games on their home ice. Montreal has won four games in a row after rallying from a 3-1 deficit to upset Toronto in their opening round of the playoffs. The Canadiens may be due for a flat effort on an emotional letdown. Montreal has lost 7 of their last 8 games after winning at least three games in a row — and they have lost 20 of their last 28 games after winning at least four of their last five games. And while the Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs by a 3-1 score in that Game Seven, they have lost 12 of their last 16 games after winning two in a row by more than one goal. Additionally, Montreal has lost 17 of their last 22 games after scoring at least five goals in their last game — and they have lost 19 of their last 27 games after a game where at least eight combined goals were scored. The Canadiens keep living out of suitcases to prepare for this game — and they have lost 9 of their last 13 games when playing their third game in five days on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Winnipeg has won 28 of their last 42 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least four goals — and they have won 11 of their last 15 games when playing with revenge from a loss on their home ice. Montreal also defeated the Jets by a 5-3 score in their final meeting in the regular season — but the Jets have won 15 of their last 23 games when playing with double-revenge against their opponents. 25* NHL USA Network Game of the Year with the money-line on the Winnipeg Jets (12) versus the Montreal Canadiens (11). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545) in Game Six of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (44-33) looks to rebound from their epic 147-140 double-overtime loss at Denver as a 2-point underdog on Tuesday. Denver took a 3-2 lead in the series with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Damian Lillard was sublime in Game Four with 55 points on 17 of 24 shooting which including tying a playoff record with 12 made 3s — and he bailed out Portland with buzzer-beating shots in regulation and the first overtime to keep his team alive. But his teammates did not offer much help. The Blazers’ supporting cast to Lillard made only 1 of their 19 shot attempts in overtime. Returning home should help where the role players are more comfortable. Portland has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better on the road. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after a loss on the road. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. Now after winning Game One of this series, Portland has lost and failed to cover the point spread in three of the last four games in this series. But the Blazers have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing three of four — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games after only covering the point spread once in their last four games. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Michael Porter, Jr. had his best game in the playoffs on Tuesday by nailing 10 of his 13 shots en route to 26 points — but he sleepwalked his way through in Game Four and has yet to demonstrate the consistency to be a reliable Number Two to Nikola Jokic. Head coach Michael Malone has gotten surprisingly great play from the quartet of guards he is deploying in lieu of the injuries to Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and P.J. Dozier. Austin Rivers, Facundo Campazzo, Markus Howard, and Monte Morris have combined to average 41.2 PPG in this series while averaging 7.6 made 3-pointers per game on 42.7% shooting from behind the arc. With the three injured guards higher up on the depth chart still out tonight, can this group continue to put up these numbers? Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games as a dog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Furthermore, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight playoff games when they were leading in the series — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 opportunities to close out a series.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 23 opportunities to exact same-season revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Northwest Division Playoff Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (546) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (545). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Vegas Golden Knights (79) and the Colorado Avalanche (80) in Game Two of their West Division Finals series. THE SITUATION: Vegas (44-17-3) looks to bounce back from their 7-1 loss to the Avalanche on Sunday. Colorado (44-13-4) has won ten games in a row with the victory.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Avalanche offensive attack looks unstoppable right now. Colorado has scored at least four goals in seven straight games — and they have scored at least five goals in six of these games. Colorado has played 4 straight Overs after a win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last game. Additionally, the Avalanche have 12 of their last 13 games Over the Total after winning at least four games in a row. They have played 9 straight Overs after scoring at least four goals in four straight games. They have won every game in the postseason by at least three goals — and they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total after winning at least three straight games by at least three goals. The Avalanche are likely to give up their share of goals tonight as well — they have not registered a shutout in six straight games. Colorado has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. The Avalanche stay at home where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 straight Overs when playing at home with two days of rest. The Over is also 19-7-1 in Colorado’s last 27 playoff games when favored. Vegas continues to play without one of their top defensemen in Brayden McNabb is in COVID quarantine. The Golden Knights have allowed more than one goal in four straight games. Despite scoring only one time on Sunday, their expected goals in all situations was 2.39. They were also defending against Colorado power plays for much of that game. Vegas has played 7 straight playoff games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Golden Knights have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when avenging a loss by at least four goals. 25* NHL 2nd Round Wednesday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Vegas Golden Knights (79) and the Colorado Avalanche (80). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (537) and the Philadelphia 76ers (538) in Game Five of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Washington (36-42) kept their season alive on Monday with their 122-114 upset victory against the 76ers as an 8.5-point underdog. Philadelphia (52-24) had been on a five-game winning streak.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid for at least this game after he injured his back early in the game on Monday. He only played 11:24 minutes of the game. His absence played a large role in Philly shooting only 41.7% from the field. Embiid plays a critical role for the team on both ends of the court — but his impact is probably more important on offense. The 76ers score +11.2 more points per 100 possessions with Embiid on the court this season. In this series, the Sixers have scored +38 more points per 100 possessions with Embiid playing. They are scoring only 104.9 points per 100 possessions without Embiid in this series with a 49.4% effective field goal percentage. As it is, Philadelphia has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The 76ers have also played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after an upset loss. Philadelphia has also played 35 of their last 50 home games Under the Total after a game where at least 235 combined points were scored. Washington got 12 first quarter points from Davis Bertans to keep them competitive early in the game. But Bertans later suffered a calf strain that will likely keep him out the rest of this series. He is critical to the Wizards’ offense since he is the team’s best 3-pointer shooter — he made 39.4% of his shots from behind the arc in the regular season. His long distance shooting helps to open up space for Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook to slash to the basket. Washington only made 35.6% of their 3-pointers in the regular season -- ranking 24th in the league — even with a healthy Bertans. Washington has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after pulling off an upset win as an underdog getting at least 7 points. The Wizards have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Washington has also played 10 of their last 14 road games Under the Total as an underdog of up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: In the 10 games in late March that the Sixers played without Embiid, 7 of these games finished Under the Total. Philadelphia has played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Under the Total when favored. 25* NBA 1st Round Eastern Conference Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Wizards (537) and the Philadelphia 76ers (538). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526) in Game Five of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (45-32) looks to rebound from their 100-92 upset loss at home to the Suns as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. Phoenix (53-23) has won five of their last seven games after evening this series at 2-2.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LAKERS PLUS THE POINTS: The tenor of Game Four changed with Anthony Davis suffering a groin injury that limited him to playing only 19:24 minutes. He is doubtful to play on Tuesday with what has been described as a painful injury. Even without Davis, Los Angeles will be tough to beat. LeBron James remains the straw that stirs the drink in the NBA. His “supporting cast” should step up for this game. And head coach Frank Vogel has two days to make adjustments specific for the Suns. The Lakers played 18 games this season with James on the court playing without Davis. Los Angeles won 11 of these contests. Los Angeles outscored their opponents by +7.1 points per 100 possessions with James on the court without Davis. This Lakers’ roster is improved from the one that won the NBA title in the bubble last year. Dennis Schroeder and Montrezl Harrell are nice new additions that can provide scoring. Wes Matthews is a veteran who can provide reliable minutes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is listed as questionable with a knee injury — but he says he is feeling better. His return will help. Expect Alex Caruso and Marc Gasol to play more minutes in place of Davis. Caruso is a valuable swiss army knife energy player. And while Gasol’s minutes have declined as the season went on in his first in a Lakers’ uniform, that is because he is not a good fit with Davis on the court. He is a valuable piece without Davis being available. As it is, Los Angeles should shoot better tonight after making only 39.5% of their shots on Sunday, the lowest shooting effort in their last 11 games. They made just 13 of their 40 shots from behind the arc — they should improve on that 32% shooting mark. The Lakers make 36.3% of their 3-pointers on the road. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a loss to a divisional rival. The Lakers have also covered 4 of their 6 games played this season on the road with the Total set in the 200 to 209.5 point range. This remains a team that has covered the point spread in 24 of their last 32 playoff games when tied in the series. Phoenix played their best defensive game in their last 22 games by holding the Lakers to 39.5% shooting. But the Suns have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 20 games after an upset victory on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 straight games when playing at home after an upset win on the road as an underdog. Additionally, Phoenix is 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. Even with Davis playing less than 20 minutes on Sunday, Phoenix only scored 100 points. The Suns are only hitting 33% of their shots from behind the arc in this series. The Lakers will continue to play stout defense. Los Angeles led the NBA in the regular season by holding their opponents to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions — and this includes Davis missing a big chunk of the season. Furthermore, the Suns are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: This is the game where the lack of playoff experience for this Suns team (outside Chris Paul and Jae Crowder) will likely play a role. Phoenix may win this game — but In LeBron, I Trust to make this contest a coin flip at the end (at least). James missed six of his seven shots from behind the arc on Sunday — he will play better. The Lakers have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games when avenging a loss at home. 25* NBA 1st Round Pacific Division Underdog of the Year with the Los Angeles Lakers (525) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (526). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (511) and the Washington Wizards (512) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (52-23) has won five games in a row with their 132-103 road victory against the Wizards as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Washington (35-42) has lost eight of their last nine games as they face elimination trailing 0-3 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The 76ers made 58.6% of their shots on Saturday which was the best shooting percentage for them in their last 68 games. While I appreciate that the Wizards have no answer for Joel Embiid, they are not likely to shoot that well from the field again tonight. Philadelphia is averaging 125.7 PPG on 54.5% shooting from the field in this series. The last team to do that was the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson and Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. It is simply very difficult to continue shooting and scoring at such a prolific rate — even against mediocre defensive teams. And if the Sixers are winning this game easily, head coach Doc Rivers is likely to rest his starters to ensure nothing happens injury-wise before their showdown with Milwaukee in the next round of the playoffs. As it is, Philadelphia has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total on the road. The 76ers have also played 10 of their last 13 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. And in their last 15 road games as a favorite, Philadelphia has played 12 of these games Under the Total. Additionally, the 76ers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when leading in a playoff series — and they have played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Under the Total when leading in a playoff series. Washington should play better on defense — the Sixers’ 58.6% field goal percentage was their highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 69 games. The Wizards were playing better on defense to close out the regular season. Once they got back to full health, Washington went on a 17 of 22 winning streak where they ranked eighth in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency. They have played 11 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a loss at home by 10 or more points. The Wizards have also played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total after a loss by 20 or more points. And in their last 21 games after just a point spread loss, Washington has played 15 of these games Under the Total. The Wizards only made 39.6% of their shots on Saturday — and they have a fundamental problem in this series. Washington lives close to the basket on offense — they led the NBA in the regular season with the most shot attempts and the highest field goal percentage from three feet to ten feet from the basket. But with Joel Embiid patrolling the paint, the Sixers have a rim protector that is stifling the Wizards’ attack. Washington stays at home for Game Four where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total — and they have 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total at home with the Total set in the 220s. Additionally, the Wizards have played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Russell Westbrook and Ish Smith are both questionable for this game with injuries. Westbrook is dealing with a right ankle sprain. If they don’t play, the offensive attack for the Wizards will be shorthanded. Even if they play, their injuries may limit their shooting effectiveness. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when hosting the 76ers. 25* NBA 1st Round Monday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers (511) and the Washington Wizards (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Montreal Canadiens (63) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (64) in Game Seven of their North Division Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Montreal (27-24-11) forced a climactic Game Seven with their 3-2 victory in overtime on Saturday. Toronto (38-16-8) has blown a 3-1 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Maple Leafs have not won a playoff series in 17 years — and now they face their nightmare scenario of blowing a big lead in a Game Seven on their home ice in front of their very anxious fans. The pressure will be tremendous — and I expect Toronto to be very tight tonight. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have not handled the pressure very well so far in this series. Both players have generated only four points in the first six games of this series — and only Matthews has scored with one goal. These players may be tired — head coach Sheldon Keefe is playing both stars for plenty of minutes including Marner serving on the Power Play Kill Unit. Previous head coach Mike Babcock managed minutes much differently before getting canned last year for not playing Mathews enough in regular-season games. Well, Babcock has won Stanley Cups — and Keefe was a minor league coach before getting promoted. The overtime periods in the last two games have not helped the energy levels of these stars — and Toronto has played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after losing two games in a row in overtime. The Maple Leafs have also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing their sixth or more games in ten days (this series started on May 20th with Game Two on May 22nd). Additionally, Toronto has played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Under the Total when favored — and the Under is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games against teams with a losing record. Montreal has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a win at home. The Canadiens have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. And while Montreal took a 2-0 lead by scoring two goals in the third period — but they then allowed two goals in the final nine minutes of the game to force overtime. The Canadiens have played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing two or more goals in the third period. Carey Price has found his game in this series — the goaltender he has a 2.44 Goals-Against-Average against the fourth highest-scoring team in the NHL with a .926 save percentage. He has a .877 save percentage against high danger scoring chances which is one of the reasons that Matthews and Marner are slumping. Montreal has played 15 of their last 22 games on the road Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 20-5-4 in the Canadiens’ last 29 games in the playoffs as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total when playing with revenge. The Under is also 8-3-1 in the last 12 games between these two teams. 25* NHL 1st Round Monday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Montreal Canadiens (63) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (64). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (48-27) won the first game in this series on Friday with their 118-108 victory at Dallas as a 2.5-point road favorite as a 2.5-point favorite. Dallas (44-31) holds a 2-1 lead in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Clippers have improved their shooting from the field in each game in this series after making 57.1% of their shots in Game Three. That was the highest field goal percentage for this Los Angeles team in their last 20 games. The Clippers made only 44.9% of their shots in Game One. Even with head coach Tyron Lue substituting defense for offense with his benching of Patrick Beverley for Reggie Jackson, LA is due for some regression on offense. The Clippers have been scoring at an unsustainable 127.5 points per 100 possession rate in this series. The Under is 5-1-1 in Los Angeles’ last 7 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Clippers have also seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games when playing with one day of rest. Los Angeles stays on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home — and the Under is 7-2-2 in their last 9 playoff games when favored. Dallas made 20 of their 39 shots from behind the arc in the losing effort on Friday. They are making 50.5% of their shots from distance in this series which is simply unsustainable — especially if they continue to launch 36.3 shots from 3-point land per game as they have in the first three games in this series. The Mavericks made only 36.2% of their 3-pointers in the regular season — and the Clippers were sixth-best in the NBA by holding their opponents to 35.5% shooting from behind the arc. Luka Doncic is dealing with a neck issue as well — so while he will likely play, his super-human shooting skills may not be as spectacular in this Game Four. The Dallas is defense ranked only 21st for the season in Defensive Efficiency — but they improved to 13th over the last 15 games of the regular season. Head coach Rick Carlisle can get his group to play better on that end of the court. The Mavericks have played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total on their home court. They have also played 10 of their last 13 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, Dallas has played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 21 of their last 27 games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, the Mavericks have played 12 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss on their home court. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (507) and the Dallas Mavericks (508). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Vegas Golden Knights (53) and the Colorado Avalanche (54) in Game One of their West Division Finals series. THE SITUATION: Vegas (44-16-3) advanced to this series with their 4-3 victory against Minnesota in Game Seven of their opening-round series on Friday. Colorado (43-13-4) has won nine games in a row after completing their four-game sweep of the Blues in St. Louis last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: I awaited confirmation that Robin Lehner was the goaltender tonight for the Golden Knights — and he will be. I like the move by head coach Peter DeBoer since Marc-Andre Fleury was tiring with the every-other-day grind of the first round of the playoffs. Lehner will be fresh and with a chip on his shoulder to demonstrate he deserves consideration to be the starting playoff goaltender as he was last postseason. Lehner had a 1.99 Goals-Against-Average in 16 playoff starts last fall with a .917 save percentage and four shutouts. Lehner posted a 2.29 GAA with a .913 save percentage in 19 regular-season starts this year — and he was a bit more effective on the road with a 2.26 GAA and a .915 save percentage in eight starts. Vegas is already conditioned to grind out low-scoring games after surviving the defensively-minded Wild. They have played 4 straight Unders after scoring at least five goals in their last game. The Golden Knights have also played 22 of their last 32 games on the road Under the Total after a game where at least seven combined goals were scored. And in their last 5 road games as an underdog, Vegas has played 4 of these games Under the Total. I expect Colorado to be rusty with a week off after quickly disposing of the Blues last week. It is telling that the Under is 5-0-1 in the Avalanche’s last 6 games when playing with at least three days between games. They closed out that series with St. Louis with 5-1 and 5-2 victories. Colorado has played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after playing their last two games on the road — and they have played 22 of their last 32 road games Under the Total after winning their last two games on the road by more than one goal. It may be Nathan MacKinnon who garners most of the attention for the Avalanche — but they play outstanding defense as they ranked third in the league by allowing only 2.36 Goals-Per-Game. They also ranked third in the regular by allowing only 1.98 Goals-Per-Game at even strength — and they led the NHL with just a 1.73 expected goals allowed per game mark at even strength. They held the Blues to only seven goals in their four-game series. Goalie Philipp Grubauer made his claim of being one of the best in the league with a 1.95 Goals-Against-Average and a .922 save percentage. And don’t underestimate the loss of second-line center Nazeem Kadri who is appealing the eight-game suspension he incurred in that opening-round series. Kadri had 11 goals and 21 assists in the regular season.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. They last played on May 10th in a game to determine the top seed in the West Division and the eventual President’s Trophy for the best regular-season record. Colorado won in Las Vegas by a 2-1 score — and the Golden Knights have played 22 of their last 33 road games Under the Total when avenging a loss. 25* NHL NBC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Vegas Golden Knights (53) and the Colorado Avalanche (54). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (501) and the Atlanta Hawks (502) in Game Four of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (43-32) took a 2-1 lead in this series on Friday with their 105-94 victory against the Knicks as a 4.5-point favorite. New York   (42-33) trails in the series by a 2-1 margin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knicks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. New York has also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Julius Randle is struggling to score in this series. After carrying the Knicks on offense all season, he may be tired. After scoring only 14 points on 2 of 15 shooting on Friday, he is shooting only 30% from the field this season. Atlanta getting DeAndre Hunter back for the postseason after he was injured for most of the season has also played a big role as Hunter is an outstanding defender. The Hawks improved by 7.4 points per 100 possessions on defense with Hunter on the court during the regular season. New York is making only 39.9% from the field in this series. Head coach Tom Thibodeau finally made the inevitable move to put Derrick Rose in the starting lineup for Elfrid Payton who has been a +/- nightmare. Thibs also inserted Taj Gibson in for Nerlens Noel in the starting five. The downside of these moves is that the scoring punch from the Knicks’ second unit is now gone. The formula for New York to win this game is from defense — the DNA of Thibodeau’s coaching. They allowed Atlanta to make 51.9% of their shots which was the worst shooting effort in their last 13 games. The Knicks will play better on defense -- but, unfortunately for them, their 36.2% shooting percentage in Game Three is probably close to who they are in the intensity of the playoffs. They just do not have enough reliable scoring options. Yet, they can return to playing like the team that ranked fourth in the regular season by holding their opponents to scoring only 107.8 points per 100 possessions. They stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams winning at least 60% of their games at home. New York has also played 10 of their last 15 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting up to six points. And in their last 17 games with the Total set at 200 or higher, the Knicks have played 11 of these games Under the Total. Atlanta’s 51.9% shooting on Friday was fueled by them margin 16 of their 27 shots from behind the arc. They are not likely to make 59% of their 3-pointers again tonight. The Hawks have played 5 straight Unders after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total on their home court after a win. Atlanta has also played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Hawks’ defense has improved since Nate McMillan took over in March. They have held their opponents to just 35.2% shooting from behind the arc under McMillan. They stay at home where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 17 of their last 23 home games Under the Total when favored. They also have played 19 of their last 25 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points.

FINAL TAKE: New York has played 17 of their last 24 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge. Additionally, the Knicks have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total when avenging a double-digit loss on the road. 25* NBA 1st Round Sunday ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New York Knicks (501) and the Atlanta Hawks (502). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:38 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (41) and the Montreal Canadiens (42) in Game Six of their North Division Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Montreal (26-24-11) extended this series to a sixth game with their 4-3 win in overtime on Thursday. Toronto (38-16-7) can still advance to the North Division Finals tonight given their 3-2 series lead.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Canadiens should be energized with their victory. Not only does winning this game force a climactic seventh game, but the pressure would be enormous on this Maple Leafs team. Montreal has played 7 straight home games Under the Total after a win in overtime. They also have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a win by just one goal against a divisional rival. The Canadiens did make things interesting after racing out to a 3-0 lead in the second period. The Maple Leafs forced overtime because of two goals scored in the third period — but Montreal has then played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total after allowing at least two goals in the third period in their last game. Goalie Carey Price has had moments of his old brilliance in this series. I suspect he will play well tonight. The Canadiens return home where the Under is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games — and the Under is 7-3-2 in their last 12 games at home as an underdog. Toronto came out flat on Thursday, apparently comfortable with their handle on the series. They will tighten up on defense tonight. I also suspect they will be very tight now that they have kept the door open for the Canadiens. The Maple Leafs have lost five straight close-out games in a playoff series going back to 2018 — they do not want to go back home for a Game Seven  (the pressure may work against them). This is a nervy game. Toronto has scored seven goals in their last two games — but they have then played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total after scoring at least three goals in their last two contests. The Maple Leafs go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Goalie Jack Campbell may have played his worst game in this series by allowing those early soft goals. He should play better tonight. Toronto has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total when avenging a loss where they allowed at least four goals. 25* NHL 1st Round Saturday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs (41) and the Montreal Canadiens (42). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573) in Game Four of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Portland (43-32) has lost the last two games in this series with their 120-115 upset loss to the Nuggets as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Denver (49-26) has won five of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS MINUS THE POINTS: Portland only shot 45.0% from the field on Thursday which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last five games. They made only 14 of their 45 shots from behind the arc — and they made four straight 3s late in the game (before missing a 66-foot attempt at the buzzer) to make the score appear closer than it was for most of the game which would have changed the dynamic of the contest. After dealing with a host of injuries impacting Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum along with many of the supporting cast, when this team got healthy again, they nailed 43.2% of their 3-pointers from April 27th to the end of the regular season. For the year, the Blazers ranked sixth in the NBA by making 38.5% of their 3-pointers. They should shoot better tonight. Portland has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. The Trail Blazers have lost and failed to cover the point spread in the last two games. But not only has Portland covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after losing two in a row — and they have covered the point spread 9 of their last 13 games after not covering the point spread in two straight games. Head coach Terry Stotts made an adjustment at half-time to go small with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at center rather than Enes Kanter when starter Jusuf Nurkic needs a breather. The Blazers were outscored by a 16-1 margin when Kanter subbed for Nurkic in the first half. Kanter is simply too much of a liability on defense — and that is before he tries to defend the league MVP Nikola Jokic. Portland was +10 when Kanter was off the court in Game Three — and they even outscored the Nuggets when Stotts went small in the second half without Nurkic on the court. The Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games when favored. Portland has also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 playoff games when trailing in the series. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after an upset win. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row against a Northwest Division rival — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 32 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Nuggets will once again be playing without three of their top five guards on the depth chart with Jamal Murray out the season and Will Barton and P.J. Dozier still out with injuries. Denver got spectacular performances from Austin Rivers and Facundo Campazzo. Rivers nailed five 3-pointers including three with under two minutes to go which were all daggers. Campazzo has 11 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. But Campazzo is a 30-year old rookie and Rivers was out of the league after being dropped by Oklahoma City (!) two months ago. Can these two guards replicate their performances? I doubt it. As it is, Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games as an underdog in the 3.5 to 9.5 point range. The Nuggets have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games when leading in the playoffs.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponent — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss at home. 25* NBA Northwest Division Game of the Month with the Portland Trail Blazers (574) minus the points versus the Denver Nuggets (573). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Manchester City (224202) minus the goal-line versus Chelsea (224201) in the Finals of the UEFA Champions League. THE SITUATION: Manchester City advances to the Champions League Final with their 4-1 aggregate score victory against Paris-Saint Germain that culminated on May 4th. Chelsea reached the Finals with their 3-1 aggregate score win against Porto in the Champions League Semifinals that concluded on May 5th. This match is being played on a neutral field in Porto, Portugal.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Manchester City has the opportunity to coronate their dominance of European football with a victory in this match. They have already won the English Premier League title for the third time in the last four seasons by a dominant 14 point margin. But a European title is what has eluded this franchise under manager Pep Guardiola — and he has never won this trophy despite all his previous successes at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. This match means everything — and it is a long time coming for this squad to get the opportunity. Man City comes in ideal circumstances. They are healthy. They are in good form — their last match was an easy 5-0 win at home against Everton last Sunday. They are rested since Guardiola has had the luxury to rotate players to prepare for this showdown all month since they have had the EPL wrapped up for weeks. Chelsea has been a great story since Thomas Tuchel took over as their manager in late January — but cracks are finally showing with the weight of expectations hits this team. The Blues have lost three of their last four matches. For me, the canary in the coal mine was their 1-0 loss to Leicester City in the FA Cup Finals on May 15th. That is a match they should have won to win their first trophy under Tuchel. Instead, the team played tentative and looked overwhelmed by the moment. They avenged that loss three days later in an EPL match — but then in an important final EPL league match to secure placement in the Champions League next year, they laid an egg on the road against Aston Villa on Sunday in a 2-1 loss. This team is losing important recent matches. Chelsea is a team that is lacking in confidence right now. This is a very talented team — but their ascendance to the Champions League Final is perhaps premature to the realistic plan. After winning the EPL title in 2016-17 with a veteran team, the writing was on the wall that a youth movement would need to be embraced. That was the plan when former star player, Frank Lampard, was brought in as their manager last season. After an encouraging season amidst COVID where the younger players showed great promise, management brought in some high-priced transfers to add star power to the group. Kai Havertz and Timo Werner may have outstanding careers in the EPL — but their numbers were disappointing. They are still very young — and that is the rub about this team. While bursting with talent (albeit not necessarily more talented than Man City), this group is just inexperienced in big moments like this. Outside of the immaculate N’Gole Kante who has won EPL titles for Leicester City and Chelsea, as well as a World Cup for France, the Blues, are a roster filled with players that lack playing vital roles in championship runs either for their professional club or their national team. On the other hand, Man City is filled with players with tons of important matches during this four-year run under Guardiola.

FINAL TAKE: If there was any chance that Man City was taking this match lightly, those prospects are lone gone when considering that Chelsea has defeated them twice in the last six weeks. They played on April 17th in the FA Cup Semifinals — an important match — which the Blues won by a 1-0 score. They then played on May 8th in the EPL reverse fixture where Chelsea won again (and Man City did not go out of their way to not play important players) by a 1-0 score. Man City did win the expected goals battle in both those matches but just had bad luck with the final score. It will be very difficult for Chelsea to defeat this team three times in a row. Look for Man City to play one of their best matches in the Guardiola era to overwhelm a Blues side that may be happy to be here. 25* UEFA Champions League Match of the Year with the Manchester City (224202) minus the goal-line versus Chelsea (224201). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:35 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (563) and the Boston Celtics (564) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Brooklyn (50-24) took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 130-108 victory at home against Boston as an 8.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Boston (37-38) has lost seven of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving have been the offensive juggernaut many observers expected when they joined together this season. The Nets are scoring at an incredible 140 points per 100 possession rate so far in this series against an overmatched Celtics’ defense. They made 52.3% of their shots on Tuesday while nailing 17 of their 38 shots (45%) from behind the arc. And while the Brooklyn defense has held Boston to just 106.5 points per 100 possessions, I expect their defensive efforts to wane a bit as they did in the regular season now that this series seems to be well in hand. The Nets have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after a win against an Atlantic Division rival. Brooklyn raced out to a 71-47 halftime lead in the game — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after leading by at least 15 points at halftime of their last game. The Nets have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after winning two in a row against divisional rivals. Brooklyn goes back on the road where they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total with the number set in the 220s. They have also played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total when favored by 6.5 to 12 points — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. Boston should show fight in this game — and that likely means a better effort on offense after making only 42.4% of their shots on Tuesday. Returning home should help where they are making 47.2% of their shots. I am skeptical that the Celtics can do much to stop this Nets’ offense — they really missed Jaylen Brown who was one of the team’s best on-the-ball defenders. Boston ranked a middling 13th in the league in Defensive Rating during the regular season but they fall to 23rd in the NBA in Defensive Efficiency in their last ten games without Brown. The Celtics have played 36 of their last 52 games Over the Total after a double-digit loss — and they have played 11 of their last 13 home games Over the Total after a loss on the road by double-digits. They also have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after a loss to a division opponent. This team under head coach Brad Stevens rarely tightens things up on defense after a bad effort. The Over is 20-8-1 in Boston’s last 29 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Over the Total after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Now they return home where they have played 6 straight Overs — and they have played 6 straight games Over the Total after playing their last two games on the road. Furthermore, the Celtics have played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points. Kemba Walker is questionable with a knee bone bruise. The Boston offensive attack should still be fine with Payton Pritchard playing more minutes — he averages 13.5 PPG per a 24.6 minutes rate.

FINAL TAKE: The Celtics have played 5 of their last 7 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog under Stevens. 25* NBA 1st Round ABC-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Brooklyn Nets (563) and the Boston Celtics (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556) in Game Three of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Denver (48-26) evened this series at 1-1 with their 128-109 victory as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Portland (43-31) has still won seven of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Trail Blazers do not have an answer on defense to Nikola Jokic — and the Nuggets were committed to exploiting this vulnerability on Monday. Jokic scored 38 points while making 15 of his 20 shots inside the arc. Head coach Michael Malone made an interesting adjustment for Game Two by having his two guards stand in the corner to create a de-facto three-on-three game which opened up space for Jokic to operate in the paint. This spacing also helped Denver convert 12 of their 28 shots from behind the arc (42.9%). The Trail Blazers are at a significant size disadvantage in this series. Michael Porter is only making 25% of his 3-pointers in this series after leading the team with a 44.5% shooting mark from behind the arc during the regular season — so the scoring ceiling is higher for this team. The extra day of rest will help the Nuggets’ scoring attack — they have played 4 straight Overs when playing with two days of rest. Additionally, Denver has played 13 of their last 19 games Over the Total as an underdog — and they have played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Over the Total as an underdog. And in their last 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Portland has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing with two days of rest. The Blazers are making 47.6% of their shots in this series along with 36.5% of their 3-pointers — and they can do more. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have combined to score 63 and 55 points in this series. The Nuggets are missing Jamal Murray who provided the team’s best on-the-ball defender against opposing guards — and Will Barton is still out tonight with his injury which leaves them very thin when it comes to backcourt defensive options. Portland returns home where they have played 20 of their last 29 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. The Blazers have also played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Over the Total — and Portland has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when hosting the Nuggets. Denver can’t cover the Blazers’ backcourt — and Portland can’t cover the Nuggets’ frontcourt. This Game Three should be a wild one. 25* NBA Northwest Division Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (555) and the Portland Trail Blazers (556). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551) in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Miami (40-34) has lost the first two games of this series with their 132-98 loss at Milwaukee as a 5-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee (48-26) has won five of their last six games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HEAT PLUS THE POINTS: On the heels of a 34-point loss in Game Two, many pundits are forgetting that this Miami team was in a possession-for-possession battle with the Bucks in the opening game of this series which they lost on a buzzer-beating shot — in overtime. There is a perception held by some that the Heat were flukes in making the NBA Finals last year. While perhaps the team was fortunate and in a better position to make a deep playoff run in the bubble last fall, they should be immediately discounted because of one bad first half. Milwaukee raced out to a 78-51 halftime lead on Monday — but Miami has then covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after trailing by at least 20 points in their last game. Additionally, the Heat are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after a straight-up loss — and they are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Miami has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing at least 130 points in their last game. Now after playing their last four games on the road, the Heat return home for the first time since May 13th. Miami has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after playing their last four games on the road — and they are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games at home. The Heat have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 playoff games as an underdog. Milwaukee is likely due for a letdown after their easy win in Game Two. They nailed 22 of their 53 shots from downtown at a sizzling 42% rate. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a double-digit win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games after a win at home by at least 20 points. The Bucks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a win by 30 or more points. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. Additionally, they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after holding a halftime lead of 20 or more points. Milwaukee has also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after winning their last two games at home. The Bucks hit the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games when favored. Furthermore, Milwaukee has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Miami only made 8 of their 28 shots from 3-point land (29%) on Monday after they nailed 20 shots from downtown in Game One. The same Heat culture that helped them thrive in the bubble should lead to a very determined effort tonight. Erik Spoelstra is a great coach — and he has plenty of pieces on the roster from which to make adjustments. A playoff series starts when a team losing on their home court, goes the adage. Miami has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a 20-point loss on the road. 25* NBA 1st Round Playoff Underdog of the Year with the Miami Heat (552) plus the points versus the Milwaukee Bucks (551). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Montreal Canadiens (21) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (22) in Game Five of their North Division Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Montreal (25-24-11) looks to stave off elimination after losing Game Four of this series on Tuesday by a 4-0 score. Toronto (38-16-6) has won the last three games in a row in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Canadiens’ lack of star power is rearing its head in this series. They have only scored four goals in this series — and they have scored just twice in the last 187:16 minutes of this series. A line with castoffs like Tomas Tatar — a left wing that should both Detroit and then Vegas was comfortable in letting go — on the top line (and being a primary scorer) demonstrates what little scoring talent this team has. Tatar would be a fine left wing on the third line of a playoff team. Playing on the road compounds the problem for Montreal since Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe can target his best defensive pair against the Canadiens’ best scoring threat line. Younger stars like second-line center Nick Suzuki or Jesperi Kotkaniemi or 5’7 rookie Cole Caufield lack experience to play dominant roles without plenty of help that this team simply does not have — and they sure do miss second line left winger Jonathan Drouin who opted-out of the postseason with a medical issue. Montreal has played 15 of their last 22 road games Under the Total as an underdog. The Canadiens have not scored on their 13 Power Plays in this series. Moving forward, Montreal has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total when playing their third game in four days. Additionally, the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games after a loss by at least three goals — and the Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a loss by three or more goals at home. The Canadiens perhaps played too loose in Game Four to create more scoring chances — but that style also allowed the Maple Leafs to generate 10 high-danger scoring chances on Tuesday after both teams were only averaging 10.6 combined high-danger scoring chances per game in the first four games of this series. Montreal needs to go back to simply trying to grind out low-scoring games relying on Carey Price. The goalie has been solid with a 2.58 Goals-Against-Average and a .920 save percentage in this series. The Under is 7-1-2 in Toronto’s last 10 games after a win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by three or more goals. The Maple Leafs have also played 15 of their last 20 home games Under the Total after a win by four or more goals on the road. Toronto is getting it done without much production their superstars — Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have combined for only one point. Goalie Jack Campbell has been great with a 1.01 Goals-Against-Average and a .965 save percentage. The Under is 6-2-1 in their last 9 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Furthermore, the Maple Leafs have played 4 of their last 5 playoff games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto will likely be quite content playing a conservative, defensive-first approach since it is getting them more comfortable for a style that has stymied them in the past when playing Atlantic Division rival Boston. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. 25* NHL 1st Round North Division Playoff Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Montreal Canadiens (21) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (22). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Tampa Bay Lightning (12) versus the Florida Panthers (11) in Game Six of their Central Division Semifinals series. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (38-18-4) has lost two of the last three games in this series after their 4-1 loss to the Panthers on Monday. Florida (39-17-5) still faces the possibility of elimination trailing 3-2 in this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE LIGHTNING WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Tampa Bay should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have won 39 of their last 52 games after a loss by three or more goals in their last game. They have also won 18 of their last 21 games after failing to score more than one goal in their last game. Additionally, the Lightning have won 14 of their last 21 games after allowing at least four goals in their last game. And while Tampa Bay allows two goals in the third period (including one empty netter), they have then won 10 of their last 12 games after allowing two more goals in the third period of their last game. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is not playing bad — he has made +5.6 saves above expectation. Florida is an offensive juggernaut. Vasilevskiy needs more help from his defense. Returning home will help where head coach Jon Cooper gets the final line shift. Vasilevskiy had an 18-2-0 record on home ice this season with a 1.75 Goals-Against-Average and a .936 save percentage. Tampa Bay has won 43 of their last 60 games at home — and they have won 7 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 6. Florida head coach Joel Quenneville made the desperate move to play rookie Spencer Knight between the pipes on Monday — and the rookie responded with 36 saves on the 37 shots he faced. Quenneville felt compelled to make the move with Sergei Bobrovsky being a failure in goal with a 5.33 Goals-Against-Average and a .841 save percentage in this series (after a 2.91 GAA and .906 save percentage in the regular season) and backup Chris Driedger posting a 3.70 GAA and a .871 save percentage in this series. I have no doubt that Knight is talented — but that was his fifth professional start in his career. He was playing for Boston College two months ago. Now he will be between the pipes in a second elimination game against the reigning Stanley Cup champions who will be throwing the kitchen sink and every trick in the book to rattle the kid — all back at home at Amalie Arena where there will be plenty of fans (because it is Florida). This is a very tough assignment. As it is, the Panthers have lost 7 of their last 10 games as an underdog — and they have lost 9 of their last 11 games in the playoffs as an underdog. Florida has lost 25 of their last 37 games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Panthers have lost 10 of their last 15 playoff games when trailing in the series — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 playoff games when trailing in the series.

FINAL TAKE: Just to maintain perspective, Tampa Bay finished third in the Central Division despite playing without their best player, Nikita Kucherov all season. He has not missed a step in his return to action as he leads the team with nine points. There is no shame in losing to the Panthers twice — they are good. This shaped up to be a six-game series. But Tampa Bay has won 15 of their last 20 games when avenging an upset loss — and they have won 9 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from a loss by more than one goal. 25* NHL 1st Round Central Division Playoff Game of the Year with the money-line on the money-line on the Tampa Bay Lightning (12) versus the Florida Panthers (11). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:35 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (543) and the New York Knicks (544) in Game Two of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (42-31) has won five games in a row after their 107-105 victory in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks as a 2.5-point favorite on Sunday. New York (41-32) had their three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Atlanta allowed the Knicks to make 44.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last four games. The Hawks have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a narrow win by six points or less. Atlanta was energized by the return of De’Andre Hunter to the court on Sunday after he missed much of the regular season to injury. Hunter is an excellent on-the-ball defender. The Hawks hold their opponents to -7.4 fewer points per 100 possessions when they have Hunter on the court. Hunter’s defense of the Knicks’ Julius Randle played a large role in his making only 6 of 23 shots from the field in Game One. Atlanta has improved on defense since Nate McMillan took over as head coach — they are third in the NBA by holding their opponents to just 34.9% shooting from downtown. The Knicks has made 42.5% of their 3-pointer since the start of April which was the best mark in the league — but they only made 10 of 30 (33%) shots from behind the arc in Game One. Against this Hawks’ defense jumpstarted by the return of Hunter, I don’t see New York approaching their recent 3-point shooting numbers in this series. Atlanta’s fresh legs will only help their defensive efforts. The Hawks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with two days of rest — and they have played 5 straight Unders when playing just their second game in seven days. Additionally, Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total as an underdog. New York allowed the Hawks to make 46.7% of their shots which tied the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 11 games. The Knicks have an opponent’s field goal percentage of 44.0% — and they have held their last five opponents to just a 41.7% shooting clip even after Sunday’s game. New York has played 15 of their last 22 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss by six points or less. They are not likely to get 27 points again from Alec Burks who made 9 of his 13 shots in Game One. But head coach Tom Thibodeau should make some adjustments on defense for this contest. The Knicks have played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total after winning three of their last four games. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on their home court — and they have played 7 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. Furthermore, New York has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: The Knicks have played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss of three points or less. 25* NBA Wednesday TNT Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (543) and the New York Knicks (544). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Manchester United (224402) minus the goal-line versus Real Villarreal (224401) in the Finals of the Europa League. THE SITUATION: Manchester United reached the Finals of the Europa League after a 3-2 loss at home to Roma on May 6th which secured their 8-5 aggregate goal victory. Real Villarreal reached the Finals after a 0-0 draw at Arsenal on May 6th gave them a 2-1 aggregate score win. This match will be played on a neutral field in Gdansk, Poland.

REASONS TO TAKE MANCHESTER UNITED MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The challenge in handicapping this match is assessing how significant a loss it is for Man United to likely be without Harry Maguire. Their starting center back has been out most of the month with a knee injury that kept him out of training for this match. The Red Devils' backline defense has looked disheveled without the stabilizing influence that Maguire provides. Maguire is also third in the English Premier League for the most carry yards with the ball going towards the opposition goal — he plays an undervalued in their attack despite not generating a ton of goals or assists. His loss is significant (and I assume he will not make a miraculous recovery, although it sometimes happens in these championship matches). Eric Bailly will likely take his place — he is a solid defender but not the same talent with the ball. Man United has only won twice in their last six matches — but I this team has not had much at stake since reaching the finals of this competition. They have pretty much had second place in the EPL clinched for the last few weeks. Even without an important piece in Maguire, this remains a team that finished ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea in the English Premier League, one team that won the EPL last year, and another club that is playing Man City on Saturday the European Champions League title. The EPL was — by far — the strongest league in Europe this year, and here comes their second-place team. And after manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not play his starters on Sunday in their 2-1 victory at Wolverhampton, his starters are rested and ready. Villarreal comes off a 2-1 loss at Real Madrid on Saturday which had them finish in sixth place in La Liga this season. The Spanish top flight was down this season — Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid did not find much success in European competitions. Man United dominated a Sevilla side by a 4-0 aggregate score in the Round of 32 of this tournament that finished in fifth place, four points clear of Real Villarreal. Manager Unai Emery deploys a conservative approach — the Yellow Submarine are not likely to be aggressive in attacking Man United missing Maguire on their backline.

FINAL TAKE: Ultimately, Manchester United still has too much talent on the pitch for Real Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine may not have one of their best players either with midfielder Samuel Chukwueze having not played since getting injured in the second leg against Arsenal. There is a difference in class between these two teams — even without Maguire — that makes a victory at least one goal in regulation time the likely result. 25* Europa League Match of the Year with Manchester United (224402) minus the goal-line versus Real Villarreal (224401). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:35 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535) in Game Two of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (47-26) looks to rebound from their 113-103 upset loss to the Mavericks in the opening game of this series as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. Dallas (43-30) has won seven of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS MINUS THE POINTS: Los Angeles closed out the regular season with twelve wins in their last sixteen games — but they need to get back to business after being upset in all three games of their current losing streak. One of those losses was their controversial upset loss on the last day of the regular season where they tanked the game to avoid the Lakers in the first round — the smart move since the reigning champions have a tough series of their own with the Phoenix Suns before a hypothetical “Battle for Los Angeles.” But head coach Tyron Lue needs to get his team back to playing good basketball. That should happen tonight. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a loss by 10 or more points at home. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to make only 17 of their 40 shots from the field (42.5%) including going just 3 of 14 from behind the arc. As a team, Los Angeles made only 11 of 40 (27.5%) of their 3-pointers in Game One which was far below their 41.1% clip from downtown during the regular season. Besides interior players Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubic, the Clippers’ top-11 players all make at least 39.7% of their 3-pointers. Los Angeles also needs to tighten up on defense after allowing the Mavericks to make at least 50% of their shots. The Clippers have let all three of their opponents during their recent losing streak make at least 50% of their shots — but they have then covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games after allowing their last three opponents to make at least 47% of their shots. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 home games against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 home games when favored by 6.5 to 12 points. Lue learned early in Game One that Zubac will be a liability in this series given his defense on the pick-and-roll. Luka Doncic torched him on Saturday. But Dallas is due for a visit from the Regression Gods after they made 50% of their shots from the field while nailing 17 of their 36 shots from downtown. That was the best field goal percentage in their last five games — and they did not even have the shooting of J.J. Redick who is out with a heel injury. The Mavericks have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games after an upset victory by 10 or more points. This remains a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games in the playoffs as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers are as healthy as they have been all season with Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka, and Marcus Morris all back in the mix after missing 35, 31, and 15 games respectively. Leonard and George missed 20 and 18 games as well. Los Angeles has now lost their last two games to the Mavericks after suffering a 105-89 loss at home to Dallas as a 2-point favorite on March 17th. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 17 home games when avenging a loss where their opponent scored at least 110 points. LA has also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with double-revenge. 25* NBA 1st Round Western Conference Playoffs Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Clippers (536) minus the points versus the Dallas Mavericks (535). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Pittsburgh Penguins (74) versus the New York Islanders (73) in Game Five of their East Division Semifinals playoff series. THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (39-17-4) looks to rebound from losing Game Four of this series by a 4-1 score. New York (34-19-7) has still lost six of their last nine games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MONEY-LINE ON THE PENGUINS: Pittsburgh has still won five of their last seven games even after their loss on Saturday. The Penguins closed out the regular season on an 18-5-2 run. They should bounce-back with a big effort tonight as they have won 5 straight games after a loss by three or more goals. They have also won 28 of their last 39 games after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Pittsburgh is 23-5-2 on their home ice this season — and they have won 41 of their last 55 home games when favored. Additionally, the Pens have won 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning record. New York has lost 4 of their last 5 games after a win — and they have lost 11 of their last 17 games on the road after a victory. The Islanders have lost 4 of their last 5 games on the road — and they have lost 5 of their last 7 road games as an underdog. Furthermore, New York has lost 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog — and they have lost 7 of their last 10 games playoff games as a dog.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has won 11 of their last 12 games when avenging a loss by more than one goal. 25* NHL 1st Round East Division Playoff Game of the Year with the money-line on the Pittsburgh Penguins (74) versus the New York Islanders (73). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:35 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Utah Jazz (516) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (515) in Game One of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series. THE SITUATION: Utah (52-20) goes into the postseason with seven wins in their last nine games after their 121-99 victory at Sacramento as an 11.5-point favorite last Sunday. Memphis (40-34) has won seven of their last eight games after their upset 117-112 win at Golden State as a 4.5-point favorite on Friday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE JAZZ MINUS THE POINTS: Utah should build off the momentum from last week — they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after a double-digit win. They have also covered the point spread in 25 of their last 36 games after a point spread victory. And while they have covered the point spread in two straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after covering the point spread in two straight games. The Jazz hope that their star point guard Donovan Mitchell returns to the court tonight — he is listed as probable. Without him, the Utah Train did not derail. The Jazz won ten of their fifteen games after Mitchell’s ankle injury — and their +9.8 Net Rating over that span was tops in the NBA. Their Defensive Rating of 106.2 in their last 15 games is the best mark in the NBA. Utah is also third in the league in Offensive Rating due to a bevy of 3-point shooters. The Jazz average 43.3 shots from behind the arc per game — and they are fourth in the NBA by making 38.9% of these shots. The Grizzlies are 18th in the league by allowing their opponents to make 36.7% of their shots from behind the arc. Utah returns home where they have covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 home games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Jazz have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games with the Total set in the 210 to 219.5 point range. Memphis may be due for a letdown after their whirlwind week which included winning two straight single-elimination games. The team racked up the frequent flier miles — traveling from San Francisco last Sunday (after playing the Warriors to close out the regular season) back to Memphis to Los Angeles on Friday and now Salt Lake City. Playing at the higher altitude won’t help their cause either after this grueling week. As it is, the Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread win. Furthermore, Memphis has failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 19 road games against teams winning at least 60% of their games on their home court.

FINAL TAKE: Utah swept the three-game regular-season encounters between these two teams. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 playoff games as an underdog. 25* NBA 1st Round Sunday TNT Game of the Year with the Utah Jazz (516) minus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (515). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (962) versus the Chicago Cubs (961) listing both starting pitchers Adam Wainwright and Zach Davies. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (26-19) has won three of their last four games with their 2-1 victory against the Cubs in Game Two of this series. Chicago (23-22) had their two-game winning streak snapped with the  loss.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: St. Louis has won 13 of the last 17 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. And while they have only scored five runs in their last two games, they have then won 5 of their last 6 games after not scoring more than three runs in two straight games. They give the ball to Wainwright who is 2-4 with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in eight starts this season. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.00 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .228. The deeper sabermetrics suggest he should be seeing better results with both his SIERA and xFIP both projecting an ERA of 4.22 moving forward. St. Louis has won 16 of their last 25 games with Wainwright starting against an NL Central opponent. The Cardinals have won 6 of their last 7 games at home — and they have won 5 straight home games when favored. And in their last 7 home games with the Total set at 7 to 8.5, St. Louis has won 6 of those games Wainwright should have success against this Cubs team that has lost 4 of their last 5 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Chicago scores only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .218 batting average, .296 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .660. The Cubs have lost 4 in a row after not scoring more than one run in a loss to an NL Central foe. Chicago has not allowed more than four runs in seven straight games — but they have lost 8 of their last 12 games after not allowing more than four runs in at least four straight games. They counter with Davies who is 2-2 with a 5.58 ERA and a  1.76 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has gotten hit hard on the road where he has an 8.59 ERA with a 2.25 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .344 in four starts. The Cubs have lost all 3 games on the road this season with Davies pitching with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. The sabermetrics confirm how disappointing Davies has been this season with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 5.84 and 5.72. He is walking 11.5% of the batters he is facing this season — and striking out only 12% of his batters. That is not good, Bob. Chicago has lost 13 of their last 19 games on the road — and they have lost 8 of their last 9 road games with the Total set at 7 to 8.5. And in their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record, the Cubs have lost 4 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: The Cardinals have won 5 of their last 6 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Game of the Month with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (962) versus the Chicago Cubs (961) listing both starting pitchers Adam Wainwright and Zach Davies. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Portland Trail Blazers (511) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (512). THE SITUATION: Portland (42-30) has won six of their last seven games after their 132-116 win against Denver as an 8.5-point favorite on Sunday. Denver (47-25) had their three-game winning streak snapped with the loss, but they avoided a first-round matchup with the Lakers which may have impacted their short-term motivation in that game.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TRAIL BLAZERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINTS: Portland is a team that was impacted by a barrage of injuries throughout the regular season. C.J. McCollum missed 25 games. Jusuf Nurcic missed the early part of the season — and his absence impacted the overall defensive numbers for this team. The Blazers hold their opponents to -8.7 Points-Per-100 Possessions below their PPP defensive average when Nurcic is off the court. Portland has been in playoff mode to close out the regular season to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Getting healthy again has helped. They have won ten of their last twelve games while posting the second-best Net Rating in the NBA over that span. The Blazers have the best Offensive Rating in the league during that stretch — but it is the defensive numbers that may be more important. While Portland ranks 29th in Defensive Rating for the season, they improved to 15th in their last 12 games. They have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 130 points in their last game. They have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after winning five or six of their last seven games. And while they have covered the point spread in three straight games, they have then covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after covering the point spread in three straight games. Portland has been reliable on the road where they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games. The Blazers have also covered the point spread in 22 of their last 32 road games with the Total set at 220 or higher — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with a winning record at home. Portland has also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Additionally, the Trail Blazers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games when playing with at least three days of rest. While Michael Porter has stepped up his game with the scoring burden increased on him, this is a playoff series where the Nuggets will really miss Jamal Murray who suffered a season-ending torn ACL. While Portland’s Damian Lillard and McCollum are a lethal backcourt duo on offense, they can be exploited on the defensive end of the court. Denver lacks dominant scoring threats in their backcourt without Murray — and the injury shooting guard Will Barton who will miss tonight’s game compounds this problem. Austin Rivers is also questionable with an illness so the Nuggets’ are thin at the guard position which only increases their defensive challenge in slowing down Lillard and McCollum. Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 24 home games in expected higher-scoring games with the Total set at 220 or higher. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. And not having their top point guard in Murray has hurt the team down the stretch — they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Portland has covered the point spread in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. While the Blazers had more at stake in their contest on Sunday since the victory ensured they avoided the Play-In, it remains telling that the Nuggets have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road by double-digits. 25* NBA Saturday ESPN Game of the Year with the Portland Trail Blazers (511) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Denver Nuggets (512). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Winnipeg Jets (45) and the Edmonton Oilers (46) in Game Two of their North Division playoff series. THE SITUATION: Winnipeg (31-23-3) has won three games in a row after upsetting the Oilers in the opening game of this series on Wednesday by a 4-1 score. Edmonton (35-20-2) has lost two games in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Jets can play tonight’s Game Two loose having already seized home-ice advantage in this series. Winnipeg has played 9 of their last 15 games Over the Total after a win on the road — and they have won 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total after winning at least three games in a row. The Jets have a balanced scoring attack with eight players who have scored at least 10 goals. Winnipeg expects to get second-line center Pierre-Luc Dubois back on the ice after he missed Game One — he says he is “ready to go.” Dubois had eight goals and 12 assists in his 41 games playing in a Jets’ uniform after getting traded from Columbus in late January. Winnipeg has played 8 of their last 12 road games Over the Total with the number set at 5.5 — and the Over is 9-4-2 in their last 15 road games as an underdog. Edmonton has played 4 straight games Over the Total after allowing at least four goals in a loss to a divisional rival. The Oilers have only scored two goals in their last two games after ending their regular season with a 4-1 loss at home to Vancouver. Edmonton has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after not scoring more than one goal in two straight games. Don’t expect this team led by Conner McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to continue to struggle to score goals — even against Connor Hellebuyck. They registered 3.09 expected goals — but neither star play registered a point on Wednesday. McDavid dominated the Jets in the regular season as he scored nine goals with 15 assists in nine encounters. Draisaitl added seven goals and five assists. Edmonton only had one power play on Wednesday as well — and they led the NHL with a 27.6% conversion rate on the Power Play during the regular season with McDavid and Draisaitl playing together. Head coach Dave Tippett may choose to double shift his stars tonight with them playing together on some shifts. Edmonton will score goals tonight. They have played 7 of their last 9 playoff games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Oilers have played 28 of their last 44 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least four goals. 25* NHL 1st Round Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Winnipeg Jets (45) and the Edmonton Oilers (46). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (579) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (580). THE SITUATION: Memphis (39-34) has won six of their last seven games after their 100-96 win against San Antonio as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Golden State (39-34) had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in their 103-100 loss at Los Angeles against the Lakers as a 5.5-point underdog. The winner of this game inherits the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a first-round date with Utah.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES PLUS THE POINTS: I really like this spot for Memphis — a young but very talented team that has experience playing in these single elimination games from the bubble last season. We had the Spurs on Wednesday — I mentioned then that the Grizzlies have not been a reliable favorite. But they have been consistent when donning the role of the underdog. Memphis has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games as a dog. They will not have any pressure in this game with most of the world (and the betting public) assuming that Stephen Curry will carry his team to a comfortable victory. Ja Morant is a rising superstar. The Grizzlies also have a good interior player in Jonas Valancianas who can take advantage of the lack of size of the Warriors. The seven-footer is averaging 22.0 PPG while grabbing 15.4 Rebounds-Per-Game in his last five games. He scored 29 points against Golden State in their most recent game last Sunday. Injuries have depleted the Warriors’ depth at center so it will be Draymond Green who will likely be defending Valancianas. Green is a great defender, but he is only 6’6. Memphis will also have an edge on the boards — they lead the NBA by averaging 55.8 points in the paint per game. The Grizzlies have failed to cover the point spread in four straight games — but they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not covering the point spread in their last two games. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a win at home against a Southwest Division rival. They go back on the road where they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games as an underdog. And while Memphis has played four straight Unders, they have then covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after playing at least three straight Unders. Golden State may have blown their playoff chances on Wednesday considering they had a double-digit lead at halftime — and they were up 98-85 with just 2:30 minutes left in the fourth quarter. They held the Lakers to just 40.7% shooting which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. Now they are expected to get past the upstart Grizzlies. But the Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after a straight-up loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. Golden State struggles against teams who rebound — they have the fourth-lowest rebounding rate in the NBA and they allow the fourth-most second-chance points in the league. The Warriors are also 24th in the NBA by turning the ball over in 14.7% of their possessions — not a great trait in a favorite. Golden State has failed to cover the point spread in 33 of their last 51 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games.

FINAL TAKE: The Warriors have failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 39 of their last 61 games when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points. 25* NBA Play-In Tournament Game of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies (579) plus the points versus the Golden State Warriors (580). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (575) and the Washington Wizards (576). THE SITUATION: Indiana (35-38) has won four of their last six games after their 144-117 win against Charlotte as a 1.5-point favorite in their first game in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Washington (34-39) lost their initial Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday in a 118-105 loss at Boston as a 1.5-point underdog. The winner of this game inherits the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Indiana made 16 of their 35 shots (46%) from 3-point range en route to their 55.2% shooting percentage in their victory against the Pacers -- that shooting mark was the best effort in their last seven games. But Indiana has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after making at least 50% of their shots in three straight games. The Pacers have also played 21 of their last 30 games Under the Total after scoring at least 130 points in their last game — and they have played 31 of their last 46 games Under the Total after a game where at least 245 points were scored. Indiana raced out to 40 points in the opening quarter against the Hornets which allowed them to control the pace and tempo of that game. But I do not expect things to be as easy tonight on the road in Washington — and I suspect the pressure of a single-elimination playoff game will negatively impact their shooting. With the Total in the high-230s, it only takes one bad quarter where they score under 25 points to ruin Over bets. I am well aware of the Over Train that Indiana has been on since they lost their defensive presence in the middle in Myles Turner. But the average combined score for the Pacers’ 26 games without Turner being 241.3 is why the over/under is so high for this game. The value is simply with the Under at this point. The Malcolm Brogdon factor makes the Under even stronger. The point guard missed all ten games in May with his hamstring injury before playing 21:20 minutes on Tuesday. He should play tonight but will not be at full strength. Two things with this. First, Indiana tends to play at a slower pace with Brogdon on the court since he is more of a traditional point guard. Second, because the Pacers will need Brodgon late in the game if the game is tight, head coach Nate Bjorkgren will likely want to not push him too much so he is still viable late in the game. Bjorkgren will still not have the services of Caris LeVert who remains out given COVID protocols. As it is, Indiana has played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. And while the Pacers' final regular-season game was a 125-113 victory against Toronto on Sunday, they have played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total after two straight double-digit wins. The Wizards are a high-scoring team that scores 116.4 PPG — but Indiana has played 35 of their last 54 road games in the second half of the season Under the Total against teams who are scoring at least 110 PPG. Washington has played 15 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a win by 10 or more points on the road. The Wizards return home where they have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Under the Total when favored. Washington also has a wounded guard with Bradley Beal not 100% with his hamstring.

FINAL TAKE: It sure might be tempting for bettors to take the Over after the three games between these two teams resulted in 265, 295, and 256 combined points. The Pacers allow their opponents to make 46.8% of their shots which results in 115.4 PPG — and the Wizards have played 25 of their last 40 games Under the Total against teams with an opponent’s field goal percentage of 46% or higher. Washington has also played 32 of their last 55 games Under the Total against teams who allow at least 110 PPG. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Indiana Pacers (575) and the Washington Wizards (576). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (569) and the Los Angeles Lakers (570). THE SITUATION: Golden State (39-33) has won six straight games after their 113-101 win against Memphis as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Los Angeles (42-30) has won five in a row with their 110-98 win at New Orleans on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. They go back on the road where they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total. Golden State has also played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Steph Curry may get the most of the attention for this team but their defensive prowess has been under-appreciated. The Warriors are fifth in the NBA in Defensive Rating. A slimmed-down Draymond Green has been a beast. And in the team has played better on the defensive end of the court after the season-ending injury to rookie James Wiseman as it has allowed head coach Steve Kerr to give more minutes to veterans who are better on defense. Golden State leads the league in Defensive Rating in their last 20 games which has fueled their late-season run. They have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Los Angeles has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. They have also played 14 of their last 20 games Under the Total after a win on the road. They return home where they have played 16 of their last 20 home games Under the Total when favored by up to six points. The Lakers play outstanding defense — they are second in the NBA by allowing 108.0 points per 100 possessions in non-garbage time. They also defend the perimeter by limiting their opponents to 36% shooting from 3-point land which is -1.2% below the league average. Los Angeles is in as good a position as possible to slow down Curry. Dennis Schroder is a pesky on-the-ball defender. LeBron James can play free safety amidst the Warriors’ attempts to pick-and-roll. Anthony Davis can play center in a small-ball lineup which gives Golden State another lengthy wing on the perimeter but without sacrificing Davis’ rim protection since he can defend the wing as well given his agility. Frank Vogel is an experienced defensive tactician as a head coach. And the roster is filled with veterans who have played the Steve Kerr motion offense designed to get Curry (and Klay Thompson) open looks. But the Lakers’ offense is not elite. They rank 24th in the league in Offensive Rating this season. Granted, those numbers include a large number of games where they did not have James and/or Davis. But their Offensive Rating with James on the court is 112.4 and 112.5 with Davis on the court — and both those numbers translate into just a 14th ranking in the league. Even at full strength, the Lakers’ offense is just middle-of-the-road. Los Angeles has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Golden State wants to avenge a 128-97 loss to the Lakers on March 15th — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total on the road avenging a same-season loss. Los Angeles held the Warriors to only 91 points in their 26-point win on February 28th. Defending Curry is not a new challenge for the Lakers. Even if he gets his points, Curry still needs his teammates to step up. Holding the Warriors to 97 and 91 points in their last two meetings is a testament to how effective the Lakers are in frustrating Curry’s ability to cook in the Golden State offense. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Play-In Tournament Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (569) and the Los Angeles Lakers (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (568). THE SITUATION: San Antonio (33-39) limps into the postseason with four straight losses after their 123-121 loss to Phoenix as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (38-34) had their five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a 113-101 loss at Golden State as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SPURS PLUS THE POINTS: San Antonio has lost ten of their last twelve games — but that does not worry me too much. Head coach Gregg Popovich has had one eye towards developing the young talent on his team for the future. This is a hard-working team with a versatile roster which will allow Popovich many options to keep his team in this single-elimination game. And with DeMar DeRozan leading the way alongside the underrated Dejounte Murray, the Spurs have veteran experience that can make big baskets. San Antonio is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a straight-up loss. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after losing at least four games in a row. The days of rest should help this team as well — they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with two days of rest. San Antonio has been capable road warriors this season — they are 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 games on the road and they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 27 road games with the Total set at 220. The Spurs have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 road games against divisional rivals. Memphis has won six of their last eight games even after Sunday’s loss — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after winning six or seven of their last eight contests. The Grizzlies return home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games. This Memphis team has a very bright future — but I prefer them in the underdog role right now, in general. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record. This team’s clutch numbers are underwater — they have a Net Rating of -6.1 in clutch time which is just 21st in the NBA. This makes their ability to pull away in close games harder to pull off. It is telling that they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13  home games when favored by up to six points.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis has dominated the last two meetings with the Spurs this season. They followed up a 129-112 upset win on the road as a 3.5-point underdog on January 30th with a 133-102 victory in San Antonio as a 4-point underdog on February 1st. San Antonio has covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games when avenging loss by at least 20 points — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by at least 30 points. And in their last 9 opportunities at revenge from two straight upset losses to their opponent, the Spurs have covered the point spread 6 times. Trust Pop tonight. 25* NBA Southwest Division Game of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs (567) plus the points versus the Memphis Grizzlies (568). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:15 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (200181) and West Bromwich Albion (200182). THE SITUATION: West Ham (W17-D8-L11) enters this match coming off a 1-1 draw at Brighton on Saturday. West Brom (W5-D11-L20) looks to rebound from their heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: West Ham has played themselves out of the Champions League qualification but they remain motivated to win this match since those three points would ensure their involvement with the Europa League next season. That would be a nice accomplishment (and a source of new revenue) for the Hammers. The West Ham defense has waned as of late — they have not had a clean sheet in their last nine matches in the English Premier League. Over their last ten matches, they are allowing 1.65 expected goals per match (xGA). But the Hammers offense has been reliable to close out the season. They have scored 25 goals in their last 13 matches while posting a healthy 1.62 expected goals per match (xG). Getting Michail Antonio healthy and back on the pitch has helped. Antonio leads the EPL in expected goal involvement per 90 minutes. He has scored 14 goals in his last 14 matches on the road. West Ham has scored eight goals in their last four road matches. West Brom thought they earned a draw with last year’s EPL champs before the Liverpool keeper strode up the pitch in a desperate move to add another body in front of the net in the final moments of their match. Allison was unguarded and nailed a perfect header to give the Reds the surprise last-second victory. The Baggies are a mess on defense — the 70 goals they have allowed is five more than the second-worst defensive team in the league. With West Ham already relegated to the Championship League next season, West Brom is not likely to play cautiously in front of home fans in their final home match of the season. They have surrendered goals in five straight games. But the Baggies have scored in each of their last three games at home while totaling five combined goals during that span.

FINAL TAKE: West Brom has seen at least three combined goals scored in six of their last seven matches. West Ham has seen at least three combined goals scored in 61% of their matches this season — and they average 2.89 expected goals generated and allowed when the road. Both teams should score in this match in what could be a wild one. 25* English Premier League Midweek Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (200181) and West Bromwich Albion (200182). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Boston Celtics (562) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (561). THE SITUATION: Boston (36-36) limps into the postseason with five losses in their last six games after their 96-92 loss at New York as a 12-point underdog on Sunday. Washington (34-38) has won two games in a row after their 115-110 win against Charlotte as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CELTICS MINUS THE POINT(S): Boston has been one of the biggest disappointments in the regular season with their inconsistent play. Too often this season, the Celtics’ players took games off — especially on defense. But this is a team that has been hit hard by injuries and COVID quarantining issues. Their ability to make a deep playoff run took a big hit with the season-ending injury to Jaylen Brown. But this is a veteran team with plenty of playoff experience that should be able to step up their game to secure the seventh seed tonight. Kemba Walker is finally playing better after a disappointing regular season — he is scoring 29.8 PPG on 50.6% shooting in his last four games. The acquisition of Evan Fournier at the trade deadline has been proven as he has averaged 18.6 PPG on 46.9% shooting since joining the Celtics. And with Jayson Tatum leading the way, Boston will have the best player on the court (especially at crunch time). The Celtics have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 20 games after losing five or six of their last seven games — including ten of these last eleven situations. Boston has played three straight Unders — and they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 55 games after playing at least two straight Unders. The Celtics return home after playing their last three games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after playing at least three in a row away from home. Washington held the Hornets to just 39.4% shooting which was the lowest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 28 games. But the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after a win against a divisional rival. Washington has also failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 52 road games after a point spread loss. Bradley Beal is not 100% with a nagging hamstring, but he will play tonight. That puts more of the onus on Russell Westbrook who is a triple-double machine — but his judgment is too often lacking in crunch-time as he tries to do too much (like test his poor 3-point shooting skills). There is a reason that the Wizards have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road when listed at +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: Washington plays at one of the fastest paces in the league — they average 91 shots per game. But Boston has failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 41 games in the second half of the season against teams who attempt at least 88 shots per game. The Celtics have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 opening games of a playoff series under head coach Brad Stevens. 25* NBA Eastern Conference Play-In Game of the Year with the Boston Celtics (562) minus the points versus the Washington Wizards (561). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Chelsea (200066) minus the goal-line versus Leicester City (200065). THE SITUATION: Chelsea (W18-D10-L8) returns to English Premier League action this afternoon after losing to Arsenal last Wednesday by a 1-0 score. Leicester City (W20-D6-L10) comes off a 2-0 victory against Manchester United last Tuesday in their most recent EPL match.

REASONS TO TAKE CHELSEA MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Blues are in a big revenge spot after getting upset against this Leicester City side on Saturday in the finals of the FA Cup. We had Chelsea in that match — so that result was a major disappointment. Yet, there was nothing from that match that changes my tune on the Blues for this rematch. Chelsea outshot the Foxes by a 13-6 margin while holding them to only one shot on target. Unfortunately, that one shot turned out to be a goal for Youri Tieleman. Expected goals data is  not available for FA Cup matches (or, I can’t find this data) — but from the numbers and the eye-test, the Blues out-played Leicester City. The biggest problem for them was — once again — a bad error by Jorginho opening up the scoring chance for their opponents. That is the second straight time that Jorginho made a crucial mistake as that is how Arsenal scored their goal last week. Jorginho will be benched for Mateo Kovacic who has been injured but was available over the weekend. These recent results should ensure an attentive locker room for manager Thomas Tuchel who has been an instant success at Stamford Bridge. Tuchel is taking a second team to the Champions League Final for the second straight season after leading Paris Saint-Germain to that championship game last summer. The Blues have only lost four times in 27 matches since Tuchel took over for Frank Lampard who was overmatched as the Chelsea skipper. I am not terribly surprised about the rise of this Blues team. They finished top-four in the English Premier League last summer with a nice core of young players. They then got out their checkbooks in the transfer window to bring in some of the best young European talents in the world in Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Hakim Ziyech. While perhaps each of those players has struggled at times adjusting to English Football during a pandemic (Havertz, in particular, overcame a tough bout with COVID that held back his conditioning in the fall). But the addition of these players gave Tuchel a roster simply loaded with talent. To his credit, Tuchel is a player’s coach who makes each player feel valuable with clear expectations of what he wants on the pitch. His implementation of a 3-4-2-1 formation made an immediate improvement in the defensive play of this team. Chelsea has 12 clean sheets in their 18 EPL matches under Tuchel. N’Golo Kante had a knock midweek for the match with Arsenal but he is expected to play this afternoon. Kante remains one of the best two or three holding midfielders in the world. What does the 2015-16 Leicester City EPL championship, the 2016-17 Chelsea EPL championship, and the France World Cup championship in 2018 all have in common? Kante. And the big advantage Tuchel has in this match is a rested and well-rotated roster of quality players. Leicester City is showing signs of fatigue. They lost eleven days ago at home to a Newcastle United side that barely escaped relegation. Losing sometimes happens on any given match day — but surrendering four goals to the Magpies with the Toon Army generated 3.49 xG is a bad sign. When the Foxes are at full strength, they are a dangerous team against any of the best teams in the EPL. But the continued absence of Harvey Barnes, James Justin, and Wes Morgan not only robs manager Brendan Rodgers of talent, but he has had to rely on his same starting XI match-after-match as they strive to not only win the FA Cup but also qualify for next year’s Championship League (and the money it brings in) by finishing in the top-four in the EPL table. The Foxes’ 2-1 win against Man United on Tuesday — but they benefited from facing a heavily-rotated Red Devils’ side that was playing the middle game of a brutal stretch of three matches in five days.

FINAL TAKE: Leicester City is in an emotional letdown spot — while Chelsea will be motivated by revenge. The Blues need to win this match to stay one point ahead of Liverpool who is nipping at their tails to take the final qualifying spot for the Champions League next season. Chelsea just needs better luck to get the ball in the back of the opponnent’s net after being blanked in two straight matches. 25* English Premier League Tuesday Afternoon Special Feature with Chelsea (200066) minus the goal-line versus Leicester City (200065). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Boston Bruins (47) versus the Washington Capitals (48) in Game One of their East Division first-round series. THE SITUATION: Boston (33-16-7) takes the ice for the first time since Tuesday when they lost to the Capitals on the road by a 2-1 score. Washington (36-15-5) has won two straight as well as four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Boston should be feisty to start this series off on the right foot. The Bruins have won 15 of their last 22 games after a loss to a divisional rival — and they have won 5 of their last 7 games after a loss by just one goal. Additionally, Boston has won 8 of their last 12 games after not scoring more than one goal in their last game — and they have won 40 of their last 53 games after a game where no more than three combined goals were scored. The rest should help this veteran team — they have won 9 of their last 13 games when playing with at least three days of rest. The Bruins may be a team of destiny this season. After losing to St. Louis in the Stanley Cup two years ago, they were the runaway President Trophy winners last season. But the stoppage of play thwarted all their momentum — and they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in Tampa Bay in the second round. The case could be made that the Bruins were still the second-best team in the NHL last season — that was my argument a few years ago for this Washington team that could not get over the hump against Metropolitan Division rivals Pittsburgh before finally lifting the Stanley Cup in 2018. Boston is peaking at the right time with fourteen wins in their last nineteen games. They still have the best line in hockey with Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak. General manager pulled off a steal at the trade deadline by acquiring Taylor Hall from Buffalo without unloading a first-round draft pick. Liberated from the Sabres’ organization, Hall scored eight times and register 14 points in his 16 games as a Bruin. He was due to get better shooting luck after scoring on just 2.3% of his shots with Buffalo this season. Playing alongside David Krejci and Craig Smith has done wonders — he owns a superb 68% share of the expected goals when he is on the ice. Boston is outscoring their opponents by a 13-1 margin this season hone Hall is playing the second line with Krejci and Smith. A productive second line takes the pressure off the Marchand top-line while putting opposing coaches in a dilemma as to where to put his top defensive pair. Boston is also getting great goaltending from the veteran Tuukka Rask who has a 1.80 Goals-Against-Average and a .932 save percentage in his 12 starts since March. Washington has won two in a row after a 2-1 win against Philadelphia last weekend before their win against the Bruins on Tuesday. But the Capitals have lost 5 of their last 6 games at home after not allowing more than two goals in two straight games. Washington is missing some key pieces today with Evgeny Kuznetsov still in the COVID quarantine and T.J. Oshie questionable with a lower-body injury. The Caps’ strength is their depth at forward — but losing these two players neutralizes that edge since both forwards are in their top-six. Even if Oshie plays, the loss of Kuznetsov who is the center on the second line really hurts — his production was essential in their Stanley Cup run three years ago. This is not the way first-year head coach Peter Laviolette wants to start the playoffs inheriting a group that has lost 8 of their last 12 games in the opening round of the playoffs. Washington faces a big disadvantage between the pipes having to rely on rookie Vitek Vanecek making his first career start in the Stanley Cup playoffs. At first glance, Vanecek’s 2.69 GAA and .908 save percentage look … ok. But he allowed nine goals above his expected save number this season in 37 games — and he has surrendered 10 low-danger goals over the last six weeks in a sign that he is running out of gas given his unexpected workload. The second-round pick in 2014 was behind both Ilya Samsonov and free-agent acquisition Henrik Lundqvist in their preseason plans. Lundqvist opted out of the season with health issues with his heart. Samsonov was a disappointment in 19 games — and he is now in COVID quarantine.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has won 15 of their last 23 games when playing with revenge. They have also won 20 of their last 31 opening games of a new playoff series including five of their last six. Washington is experienced — and they are a tough out — but the Bruins should seize the initial upper hand in this series. 25* NHL 1st Round NBC-TV Playoff Game of the Year with the money-line on the Boston Bruins (47) versus the Washington Capitals (48). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Detroit Tigers (928) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago Cubs (927) listing both starting pitchers Tarik Skubal and Jake Arrieta. THE SITUATION: Detroit (13-24) has won four games in a row with their 4-3 victory over Kansas City yesterday. Chicago (17-19) has lost three in a row after their 2-1 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS PLUS THE+1.5 RUN-LINE: Detroit is playing better baseball as of late — they are scoring 5. Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .300 batting average, .380 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .781 during that span. The Tigers have won 4 straight home games against teams with a losing record. Detroit has also won a decisive 47 of their last 66 home games against losing teams from the National League. Tarik Skubal has an 0-5 record with a 5.67 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP in 27 innings — but he has pitched better when at home. In 16 innings this season, the left-hander has a 3.38 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .250 as compared to his 9.00 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .261. Skubal had a 3.27 ERA with a 0.64 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .179 on two starts at home last season. Skubal has a fastball that approaches 99 Miles Per Hour which gives him front of the rotation potential. His last start was at home against Miami last Friday where he allowed two runs in five innings and eight strikeouts. Skubal generated 14 whiffs on his pitches included seven from his fastball. He faces a Cubs’ lineup that scores only 3.5 Runs-Per-Game on the road with a .235 batting average, .300 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .682. Chicago has lost three in a row by just one run — and they have lost 5 of their last 6 games after losing three in a row by two runs or less. They have also lost 4 of their last 5 games after losing at least two in a row by one run. Additionally, the Cubs have lost 6 of their last 8 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and they have lost 10 of their last 14 games after allowing two runs or less in their last contest. They counter with Arrieta who is 3-3 with a 4.31 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in six starts. The right-hander has struggled on the road where he has been saddled with a 7.53 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .310 in three starts. He has not pitched April 30th after dealing with a left thumb abrasion. Arrieta’s skills are declining — he was 4-4 with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP in nine starts last year. His velocity was down in April — so it looks like he has developed a clear ceiling. The Cubs have lost 8 of their last 9 road games with the Total set at 9 to 9.5. The Cubbies have also lost 8 of their last 10 games on the road. Chicago has also lost 5 of their last 7 games in Interleague play.

FINAL TAKE: The Cubs have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams not winning at least 40% of their games — and Detroit has won 4 straight games against teams with a losing record. Chicago has won eight of their seventeen games this season by just one run — including in their last four victories and five of their last six wins. 25* MLB Run-Line Underdog of the Month with the Detroit Tigers (928) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago Cubs (927) listing both starting pitchers Tarik Skubal and Jake Arrieta. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (563) and the Charlotte Hornets (564). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (46-23) has won three of their last four games with their 115-96 victory at Toronto as a 13.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Charlotte (33-36) has lost three of their last four games after their 117-112 loss at home to Denver as a 6-point underdog on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 5-0-1 in the Clippers’ last 6 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total on the road after a win on the road. Tyron Lue’s team has tightened things up on defense as they prepare for the rigor of the postseason. They have held their last five opponents to just 101.2 Points-Per-Game on 44.0% shooting which is a significant improvement over tighter 107.8 PPG and 46.3% defensive numbers of the season. The Clippers rank seventh in Defensive Rating for the season but they are fifth-best in the NBA in their last five games. But Los Angeles is scoring just 108.4 PPG in their last five games which is -5.6 PPG below their season average. The Clippers have been an Under Machine nine straight games that finished Under the Total — but the knee-jerk contrarians should take note that they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after playing at least five straight games Under the Total. Team trends can often serve as the canary in the coal mine regarding a change in approach or effort by a team. Los Angeles stays on the road where they have played 4 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road as a favorite. Additionally, the Clippers have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games when favored. Charlotte has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. And while the Hornets have lost two in a row, they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after they lost two in a row. Charlotte has played four straight games where at least 219 combined points were scored — but they have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total after playing at least three straight games where at least 215 combined points were scored. They stay at home where they have played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total — and the Under is 18-7-2 in their last 27 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. Charlotte is missing key pieces with Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges out with injuries -- that accounts for 32.0 PPG that they have been trying to replace. Additionally, the Hornets have played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: The Clippers won the last meeting between these two teams by a 125-98 score on March 20th — and Charlotte has played 15 of their last 23 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Clippers (563) and the Charlotte Hornets (564). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:15 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Manchester United (200018) plus the goal-line versus Liverpool (200017). THE SITUATION: Manchester United (W20-D10-L5) looks to rebound from a 2-1 loss at home to Leicester City on Tuesday. Liverpool (W16-D9-L9) looks to build off their 2-0 victory against Southampton on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN UNITED PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: This is the third game in five days for Man United who had to make up a postponed game due to their Europa League responsibilities — and then this intended match from a week and a half ago was postponed given fan protests over the European Super League at Old Trafford. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer went with a young starting XI on Tuesday — he made ten changes to his normal lineup. This is the match that the Red Devils want to win — and in comes the A-Team after many of the key players either did not play or came on as late substitutes. Throwout Tuesday’s result which was Man United’s just second loss in their last 16 matches in the English Premier League. It was their first loss in the English top-flight since January 27th. Since the start of 2021, the Red Devils are second in the EPL with an average of 1.71 expected goals (xG) per match — and they are conceding just 0.87 expected goals (xGA). They have scored at least two goals in five of their last seven home matches at Old Trafford. They have won five of their last seven at home as well, even after Tuesday, with 22 goals scored and just eight conceded in those contests. Liverpool is fighting for their Championship League lives as they are currently in sixth place — still within striking distance after their win against Southampton. But that was just their first win in their last four matches across all competitions. It has been a lost season for manager Jurgen Klopp with his team ravaged by injuries — especially at center back where they have lost their top three players on their depth chart. The Reds are also observing down seasons from both Sadio Mane and Roberto Firminho which is leaving Mohamed Salah without scoring partners. Liverpool has looked listless in recent 1-1 draws against Leeds United and Newcastle United before beating the Saints.

FINAL TAKE: Man United is unbeaten at home in nine of their last ten matches in all competitions against Liverpool. They have fielded their best starting XI for this match, outside of not having Harry Maguire who got injured against the Foxes. A tough loss, but Eric Bailly is solid as a replacement on defense. Liverpool has not won at Old Trafford since 2013-14. These two teams settled for a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture on January 17th — and Man United won the last meeting in the FA Cup fourth round on January 24th by a 3-2 score at Old Trafford. 25* EPL Thursday NBC Sports Network Match of the Year with Manchester United (200018) plus the goal-line versus Liverpool (200017). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (533) and the Boston Celtics (534). THE SITUATION: Miami (37-31) has won five of their last six games with their 130-124 win at Boston as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. Boston (35-33) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Miami raced out to 79 points in the first half on Sunday — and this rematch will likely be another track meet. Playing up-tempo basketball is what both head coaches are embracing with the postseason approaching. Erik Spoelstra likely thinks this style gives his team an edge given their deep bench. Finally healthy and having overcome the multiple COVID cases that slowed them down in the first half of the season, the Heat are scoring 121.8 PPG in their last five games while making 51.9% of their shots. Their opponents are scoring 116.2 PPG on 51.0% shooting during this span — but Miami is winning with this formula. The Heat have played 6 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total after a point spread victory. They have also played 9 of their last   11 games Over the Total after scoring at least 130 points in their last game. They stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total as a favorite. The Heat have played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total when favored overall — and they have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record. Boston has played 5 straight games Over the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 6 straight Overs after a point spread loss. And while they have not covered the point spread in their last two games, they have then played 12 of their last 17 games Over the Total after failing to cover the point spread in two straight games. The Celtics allowed Miami to make 57.3% of their shots — but a significant improvement on defense from this team is unlikely. The Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games after allowing at least 125 points — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after allowing at least 130 points in their last contest. Boston has also played 10 of their last 15 games Over the Total on their home court after allowing at least 120 points in their last one. Brad Stevens may have his team play up-tempo because he does not think his team can find success relying on their defense that ranks 28th in the NBA in Defensive Rating. To make matters worse, the Celtics’ lost their best or second-best defensive player in Jaylen Brown (Marcus Smart may still be a better defender, but the gap was narrowing) to a season-ending wrist injury. They have allowed their last five opponents to score 123.2 PPG on 48.8% shooting with Brown missing the last three of those games. But Boston is scoring 123.4 PPG in their last five games on 48.6% shooting with the offense centered around Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have played 5 straight games Over the Total at home — and they have played 5 straight Overs against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total. Expect more of the same. 25* NBA Tuesday TNT Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Heat (533) and the Boston Celtics (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:15 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Crystal Palace (200001) plus the goal-line versus Southampton (200002). THE SITUATION: Crystal Palace (W11-D8-L15) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 2-0 victory at Sheffield United on Saturday. Southampton (W10-D7-L17) lost their 13th match in the English Premier League in their last 17 contests with their 2-0 loss at Liverpool on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE CRYSTAL PALACE PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: Both of these teams are only playing for pride after the three teams destined for relegation to the Championship League were ensured with Fulham’s loss to Burnley yesterday. These May matches in the EPL are the games where some of these teams in no-man’s land hit the proverbial “beach” thinking about their summer plans rather than the matters at hand. Southampton seems to already be in beach mode. They only have one draw in their last five matches outside four setbacks. They have lost the expected goals (xG) battle in four straight matches. They have allowed at least two goals in six o of their last seven EPL matches. They are bottom-three in the league over their last six contests in Big Chances allowed and expected goals allowed (xGA). Injuries have riddled this team with the biggest loss being their top scorer, Danny Ings, who is dealing with a thigh muscle sprain. The tactics of manager Ralph Hassenhutl have left the healthy players on his roster exhausted. The aggressive pressing style has not been a good fit in the condensed schedule this season — and that has been compounded by the Saints staying alive in the FA Cup through last month. Liverpool has struggled with their endurance as well — and Man City’s success this season comes in large part from Pep Guardiola changing his tactics away from pressing all the time. Southampton is a tired team — and the record demonstrates this. Since their upset win against Liverpool on January 16th, the Saints have won only two of their 17 league matches with 13 losses. And in their last seven matches at home, they have only won once. Crystal Palace has little to play for as well — but they are a counter-attacking team that is in better fitness at this point of the season. They dominated Sheffield United over the weekend with 2.56 xG on offense. They were on a three-game losing streak — but they faced three of the top four teams in the EPL table in Chelsea, Leicester City, and Man City. The Eagles are a much better team with Wilfried Zaha healthy and on the pitch as he is now as the team’s top-scoring threat. Zaha has been injured for much of the season. Crystal Palace has scored in five straight EPL matches on the road — and they have a win and a draw in their last three road league contests.

FINAL TAKE: The Eagles counter-attack should get scoring opportunities against the Southampton press. They won the reverse fixture on the opening weekend of the season on September 12th by a 1-0 score while also winning the xG battle, 1.61-1.27, in a match where the Saints’ had a healthy Danny Ings. The fatigue issue for Southampton has contributed to them being winless in their last ten midweek matches played on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 25* English Premier League Tuesday NBC Sports Network Match of the Year with the Crystal Palace (200001) plus the goal-line versus Southampton (200002). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (521) and the Memphis Grizzlies (522). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (31-33) has won two of their last three games after their 112-110 victory at Charlotte as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday. Memphis (34-33) has won two of their last three games after their 109-99 win at Toronto as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Pelicans shot 46.9% of their shots yesterday which was the highest field goal percentage in their last four games. They hit that number despite being without their top two offensive players in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram — and both players are not expected to play tonight with Williams out indefinitely with a finger injury and Ingram dealing with an ankle. New Orleans is making only 44.3% of their shots in their last five games as they deal with not having those two scorers. To compound matters, they will also be without Steven Adams in the post with their big man doubtful with a toe injury. The Pelicans have played 4 of the last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. New Orleans has also played a decisive 49 of their last 77 road games Under the Total after an upset win as a road underdog. And in their last 8 games when playing without a day of rest, the Pelicans have played 6 of these games Under the Total. New Orleans stays on the road where they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Memphis has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. They return home where they begin a four-game homestand. They have played 34 of their last 48 games Under the Total at home — and they have played 18 of their last 25 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record on the road. The Grizzlies have played 22 of their last 32 road games Under the Total when favored. They will be missing some of their scoring punch tonight with Grayson Allen out with an abdominal injury.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis will be looking to avenge a 144-113 loss at home to the Pelicans on February 16th — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by 20 or more points. These two teams have also played 13 of their last 16 games in New Orleans Under the Total. 25* NBA Southwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New Orleans Pelicans (521) and the Memphis Grizzlies (522). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (7) and the Chicago Blackhawks (8). THE SITUATION: Dallas (22-17-14) has lost six of their last seven games after their 4-2 loss at Chicago yesterday. Chicago (23-25-6) has won two in a row after their victory last night.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 7-2-4 in the Stars’ last 13 games after scoring no more than two goals in their last game. Dallas has allowed 3.6 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. Jake Oettinger is between the pipes tonight as the Stars play out the string of a lost season that will leave them out of the postseason after reaching the Stanley Cup Finals last year. Oettinger has a 2.14 Goals-Against-Average with a .915 save percentage when playing at home — but those numbers decline to a 2.48 GAA with a .914 save percentage when he is playing on the road. Dallas has played 4 straight Overs on the road — and the Over is 4-1-2 in their last 7 road games when favored. Additionally, the Over is 15-6-7 in the Stars’ last 28 games overall when favored — and the Over is 7-1-2 in their last 10 games when favored. Chicago has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win — and they have played 4 straight Overs after allowing at least two goals in their last game. They turn to Collin Delia in goal tonight as he makes just his fifth start and six appearances all season. He has underwhelmed with a 3.33 GAA and a .903 save percentage. The Blackhawks stay at home where they are scoring 3.3 Goals-Per-Game but allowing 3.2 Goals-Per-Game. Chicago has now played 4 straight games Over the Total at home. In their last five games, Chicago is allowing 3.8 Goals-Per-Game. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now seen the Over go 22-4-1 in their last 27 games played in Chicago. Let’s trust these team trends to continue with skaters looking to pad offensive stats tonight. 25* NHL Monday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (7) and the Chicago Blackhawks (8). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Burnley (200093) plus the goal-line versus Fulham (200094). THE SITUATION: Burnley (W9-D9-L16) has lost four of their last five matches after their 2-1 loss to West Ham United last Monday. Fulham (W5-D12-L17) is winless in their last six matches after their 2-0 loss at Chelsea on May 1st.

REASONS TO TAKE BURNLEY PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Clarets may have lost four of their last five, but they have won the expected goals (xG) battle in three of their last four matches. They were better than the Hammers in xG by a 2.24-2.17 margin last week — and that West Ham team is fifth in the EPL table this season. Manager Sean Dyche always gets the most out of his talent. Burnley is a gritty defensive team led by one of the best keepers in the English Premier League in Nick Pope. This formula has brought quality results for the Clarets for this team when playing on the road. Burnley has won four of their last eight matches away from home with victories against Liverpool, Everton, Wolverhampton, and Crystal Palace — and they conceded just one goal in those four contests. The Clarets are still not safe from relegation — they are in 17th place with a nine-point lead over Fulham. A victory cements their spot in the English top-flight next season. Burnley lacks elite talent given the finances of the franchise — but this is their fifth straight season in the EPL with Dyche leading the way. They finished in 10th place last year — and they were seventh place back in 2017-18. While the Clarets can struggle against the top teams, they usually take care of business against the bottom of the table. This is Last Chance Saloon for Fulham who must get three points to keep any hope of alive of staving off relegation — but that has been the case over the last month. After a surprising 1-0 victory at Liverpool that raised the hopes that manager Scott Parker could steer this team out of the relegation zone, the Cottagers have managed only one draw against Arsenal in their last six matches. Those were all must-win situations as well. Fulham lost the expected goals battle in four of those six games — so the results were pretty fair. This is simply a team without much talent — and they lack the same level of structure and defensive discipline that the Clarets offer. The Cottagers have the worst home record in the EPL — and they have lost four in a row at home. With just two victories at home at Craven Cottage in their 17 matches, getting paid from a draw is a very enticing proposition. Fulham lacks a potent offensive attack — they have been blanked at home in five of their last seven matches. They will have to be aggressive since they are desperate for the three points coming from a victory. The Burnley 4-4-2 counter-attacking formation should generate counter-attacking opportunities.

FINAL TAKE: Fulham is winless in their two matches against Burnley this season. They lost at home to the Clarets in FA Cup action back in January by a 3-0 score before setting for a 1-1 draw in the reverse EPL fixture at Turf Moor on February 17th. I would not be surprised with a Burnley victory, but a draw is also a likely outcome. 25* English Premier League Monday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with the Burnley (200093) plus the goal-line versus Fulham (200094). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (1) and the Chicago Blackhawks (2). THE SITUATION: Dallas (22-17-14) snapped their five-game losing streak with their 5-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Friday. Chicago (23-25-6) ended their six-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime victory in Carolina on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 5-0-2 in the Stars’ last 7 games after a win. Additionally, Dallas is 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after scoring at least five goals — and the Over is 5-0-3 in their last 8 games after allowing two goals or less in their last game. The Stars have been eliminated from making the postseason so their efforts may be lax on the defensive end of the ice. As it is, they are allowing 3.4 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. Anton Khudobin is the goaltender tonight. He has a mediocre 2.91 Goals-Against-Average with a .908 save percentage in three starts this month. The Over is 3-1-1 in Dallas’ last 5 road games when favored — and the Over is 6-1-2 in their last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago has played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after an overtime victory — and they have played 8 straight games at home Over the Total after a victory by one goal on the road. The Blackhawks have also played 6 of their 8 games Over the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Chicago has also played 14 of their last 18 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Now after playing their last three games on the road, the Blackhawks return home where they have played 12 of their last 15 home games Over the Total after playing at least three in a row on the road. Chicago has also played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total at home — and they have played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total as an underdog. Kevin Lankinen will be between the pipes. After a strong start to the season, the rookie has floundered in the second half of the season. He was saddled with a 3.87 GAA along with an .871 save percentage in ten starts in April before letting in five goals in his last start against Florida last Saturday. The Blackhawks are allowing 4.2 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight Overs — the Over is 21-4-1 in the last 26 meetings between these two teams in Chicago. They last played on April 8th with Dallas winning in Chicago by a 5-1 score. The Blackhawks have played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total when avenging a loss at home by more than one goal. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Dallas Stars (1) and the Chicago Blackhawks (2). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (572). THE SITUATION: Memphis (33-33) has lost three of their last four games with their 111-97 upset loss at Detroit as a 9-point favorite on Thursday. Toronto (27-40) has lost two in a row as well as five of their last six contests with their 131-129 loss to Washington as a 2-point underdog on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GRIZZLIES MINUS THE POINTS: Memphis allowed the Pistons to make 53.0% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 18 contests. Memphis should play better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after suffering an upset loss by 10 or more points. The Grizzlies have also covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games after a point spread loss. This team plays hard for head coach Taylor Jenkins. They stay on the road where they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 13 road games against teams with a losing record at home. Memphis has also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games when favored. Additionally, the Grizzlies have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games against teams with a losing record. Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a loss at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Raptors have lost six of their last eight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. Toronto has likely played themselves out of reach to qualify for the play-in tournament with this recent slide. Their defense is letting them down — they have allowed their last five opponents to make 47.6% of their shots which has resulted in their opponent’s averaging 115.4 PPG. Head coach Nick Nurse is giving Fred VanVleet and Kevin Lowry the night off for rest — and OG Anunoby is out with a calf injury to leave the roster thin for tonight’s game. The Raptors have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games at home with the Total set in the 220s — and they are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 home games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Memphis will be motivated to avenge a 128-113 loss at home to Toronto on February 8th — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games when avenging a loss at home to their opponents. 25* NBA Road Warrior of the Month with the money-line on the Memphis Grizzlies (571) minus the points versus the Toronto Raptors (572). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (561) and the Utah Jazz (562). THE SITUATION: Denver (44-22) has won six of their last seven games with their 113-97 victory against New York as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Utah (48-18) has won three straight games after their 126-94 win against San Antonio as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss. Denver has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The Nuggets are a different team without Jamal Murray who is out the season with his torn ACL — and the current injuries to point guard Monte Morris and shooting guard Will Barton have left head coach Michael Malone to rely on Argentinian Facundo Campazzo to handle the point guard duties. The 30-year-old rookie is not a dynamic scoring threat — he averaged 7.9 PPG in April in his 27.1 minutes per game before averaging 11.3 PPG in his three games so far in May. Denver made only 37.8% of their shots against the Knicks — and they are making just 45.5% of their shots in their last five games which have resulted in 109.4 PPG. Those marks are far below their 115.1 PPG scoring average and 48.5% offensive numbers for the season. But Campazzo gives the Nuggets a defensive presence they need. They held New York to just 38.4% shooting on Wednesday. Denver has held their last five opponents to 103.4 PPG on 44.7% shooting which is -6.3 PPG below their season average and over two percentage points better than their defensive field goal percentage of 46.8%. The Nuggets are sixth in the NBA in Offensive Rating — but they have dropped to 16th in their last 15 games and 18th in their last 10 games in Offensive Efficiency. On the other hand, while Denver ranks 11th in Defense Rating for the season, they improve to sixth in their last 15 games and fourth in their last 10 games in Defensive Efficiency. The Nuggets have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 straight Unders on the road against teams with a winning record at home. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. Utah has played 15 of their last 19 games at home after a win by at least 20 points. The Jazz made 55.7% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting mark in their last four games — but they have then played 14 of their last 21 games Under the Total after making at least 55% of their shots in their last game. Utah has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. The Jazz stay at home for their fourth straight game — they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after winning three in a row at home. They have also played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They are undermanned on the offensive end tonight as well with Mike Conley out with his hamstring injury. Donovan Mitchell is out the year with an injured ankle. Utah has played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Jazz will be looking to avenge a 128-117 upset loss at Denver as a 3-point road favorite on January 31st — Utah has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Northwest Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (561) and the Utah Jazz (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200101) and Leicester City (200102). THE SITUATION: Newcastle United (W9-D9-L16) enters this match coming off a 2-0 loss at home to Arsenal on Sunday. Leicester City (W19-D6-L9) is unbeaten in their last four matches after a 1-1 draw at Southampton last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Newcastle was unbeaten in their previous four matches before getting blanked by the Gunners on Sunday. The Magpies have still scored in five of their last seven matches with their attack jump-started by the return of Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin who had been injured for much of 2021. They had scored eight combined goals in their previous four matches before Sunday. They have scored three combined goals in their last two matches on the road. But defense remains an issue for manager Steve Bruce. They have allowed 11 goals in their last six matches — and they have conceded the most shots in the league over that span. With Newcastle in 17th place, grabbing points in this match helps them avoid relegation with Fulham currently in danger, nine points behind the Magpies. Leicester City is perhaps playing their most important month of the season since their English Premier League title run in 2015-16. They are currently in third place in the table fighting to finish in the top four to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. They also have an impending FA Cup title on the line when they play Chelsea next Saturday. Manager Brendan Rodgers elevation of forward Kelechi Iheanacho into the starting XI has brought new life into the Foxes’ attack. He has scored ten goals in his last nine contests as he complements Jamie Vardy who leads the team with 13 goals. This team is so much better when Vardy has help on the attack. Harvey Barnes is injured but James Maddison is back in the mix after missing time last month after violating COVID protocols. Leicester City has scored six goals in their last three matches — and they have scored nine goals in their last five games and 19 goals in their last nine while getting blanked just once. But the Foxes have conceded goals in their last two matches as well as in five of their last seven.

FINAL TAKE: Leicester City has seen six of their last seven games at home at King Power Stadium finish Over 2.5 goals. They won the reverse fixture on January 3rd at St. James Park. Expect a similar result this afternoon. 25* English Premier League NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Newcastle United (200101) and Leicester City (200102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (545) and the Los Angeles Clippers (546). THE SITUATION: The Lakers (37-28) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 93-89 upset win against Denver as a 3.5-point underdog on Monday. The Clippers (44-22) ended their three-game losing streak with a 105-100 victory at home against Toronto as an 11.5-point favorite on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Lakers have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win by six points or less. Additionally, they have played 29 of their last 42 games Under the Total after losing three of their last four games — and this includes them playing eight of their last eleven games Under the Total after dropping three of four this season. The Lakers have only covered the point spread once in their last five games — and they have played 12 of their last 13 games Under the Total after failing to cover the point spread in four of their last five games. The Lakers are the technical road team but they are playing on their shared home court with the Clippers at the Staples Center. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total as an underdog at Staples. Additionally, the Lakers have played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total against teams who are winning at least 60% of their games. They will be missing two important pieces to their offensive attack with both LeBron James and Dennis Schroder out for this game. The Clippers have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread win. The Clippers made 52% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last ten games. The Clippers did not cover the point spread against the Raptors in what was the fifth straight game where they did not meet point spread expectations. They have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not covering the point spread in at least four straight games. The Clippers have also played 22 of their last 32 games Under the Total when playing no more than their fourth game in the last ten days. They are only scoring 104.4 PPG on 44.9% shooting over their last five games which is almost 10 points lower than their 114.2 PPG scoring average for the season. They have played six straight Unders — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing at least four straight Unders. They have played 4 straight Unders at the Staples Center — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when favored at the Staples Center. The Clippers are without Serge Ibaka with his back injury and Amir Coffey who is in quarantine.

FINAL TAKE: The Lakers will be looking to avenge a 104-86 loss to the Clippers on April 4th. They have played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total when avenging a loss. These two teams have also played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Thursday TNT Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Lakers (545) and the Los Angeles Clippers (546). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Manchester United (224409) minus the goal-line versus AS Roma (224410) in the second leg in the Semifinals of the Europa League. THE SITUATION: Manchester United won the first leg of the semifinals with a 6-2 victory last Thursday. Roma must score at least four goals to make even the goal differential — a 4-0 or 5-1 score secures them the away goal tiebreaker, while a 6-2 result after regulation time would trigger an extra-time playoff.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN UNITED MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Manchester United took an early lead against Roma last week before going into halftime with a 2-1 deficit. But then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side put it into another gear by scoring five unanswered goals in the second half for the easy victory. The Red Devils generated 4.25 expected goals — so their offensive domination was not a fluke. Now with their match with Liverpool on Sunday postponed due to the fan protests at Old Trafford, Solskjaer’s group is rested and ready. Man United is in second place in the English Premier League which might overvalue their quality — they are not as good as Chelsea, and they are not as good as Liverpool despite the reigning EPL champions experiencing a down-year hit-hard by injuries. And they may not be as good as the Leicester City team that handed them their only loss since February in the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup. But the Red Devils are much better with a healthy (and engaged) Paul Pogba joining Bruno Fernandes in their midfield. Man United has now won 13 of their last 18 matches across all competitions. The Red Devils have been reliable on the road this season. They are second in the EPL with 37 points away from home with a W10-D7-L0 mark. They have won four of their last six matches on the road across all competitions. Roma is just not very good — and they are riddled with injuries and now playing for a lame-duck coach. They are winless in their last six matches across all competitions with four losses after losing at Sampdoria in Seria A competition by a 2-0 score on Sunday. Defeating Ajax in the Quarterfinals of the Europa League was a nice accomplishment for the Yellow and Reds — but they lost the expected goals (xG) battle in both contests to the Dutch side. In fact, they were dominated — they managed only 1.62 xG combined with an expected goals allowed (xGA) mark of 4.43 xGA. Roma is only in seventh place in Serie A — a distant eight points behind the sixth-place Lazio. They have allowed at least three goals in three of their last five matches across all competitions. They have conceded 2.5 xGA or higher in four of their last eight league matches despite not facing a tough schedule. They are not close to full strength at this point of the season either. First string goaltender Pau Lopez is out. Midfielders Jordan Veretout and Leonardo Spinazzola are doubts after suffering injuries against Man United last week. Amadou Diawara and Carles Perez are dealing with knocks from the Sunday match. To compound matters, manager Paulo Fonseca was informed he will not return to the franchise next fall with the upper brass hiring Jose Mourinho to be the new skipper earlier in the week.

FINAL TAKE: Man United may be overrated a tad — but they are still one of the better teams in the English Premier League. Roma is not as good, relatively, in Serie A which is vastly inferior to the EPL — and now they are playing for a lame-duck manager. The Red Devils have a busy EPL schedule coming up so they will be cautious with this match in hand — but since the Yellow and Reds must play aggressively to score at least four goals, the counter-attacking opportunities will be ever-present. Solskjaer’s teams at Man United have been at their most effective when able to sit back and counter-attack rather than playing on their front foot. 25* UEFA Europa League Semifinals Match of the Year with Manchester United (224409) minus the goal-line versus AS Roma (224410). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:38 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (17) and the San Jose Sharks (18). THE SITUATION: Colorado (34-12-4) has won three games in a row with their 5-4 win in overtime at San Jose on Monday. San Jose (20-26-6) has lost three in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 5-0-1 in the Avalanche’s last 6 games after a win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a victory on the road where they scored at least four goals. Colorado has also played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after winning at least three in a row against a divisional rival. And in their last 10 games after scoring at least five goals, the Avalanche have played 8 of these games Over the Total. Colorado has scored nine combined goals in their last two games with their 4-3 win against the Sharks on Saturday — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after scoring at least nine goals in their last two games. There have been at least seven combined goals scored in four of their last six games. Philip Grubauer should be back between the pipes tonight after allowing four goals from the 27 shots he faced on Monday. Grubauer has a sparkling 2.00 Goals-Against-Average and a .920 save percentage in 36 games/35 starts this season. But looking under the hood from those numbers exposes some areas of concern. He ranks tied for 16th in the league with a +0.001 save percentage above his expected save percentage in all situations — indicating he barely above average. He had a 2.92 GAA and a .891 save percentage in five starts in April before his mediocre start on Monday. Grubauer also has a 2.59 Goals-Against-Average and a .898 save percentage in 13 starts on the road. The Over is 4-1-1 in the Avalanche’s last 6 road games. San Jose has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after losing a game in overtime. The Sharks have also played 28 of their last 43 home games after scoring at least four goals in their last game. They have seen at least seven combined goals scored in five of their last seven games. They are scoring 3.4 Goals-Per-Game in their last five games while allowing 3.6 Goals-Per-Game over that span. They have played 4 straight games at home Over the Total — and they have played 8 straight Overs at home as an underdog. Josef Korenar gets the call tonight in goal — he has a subpar 3.21 GAA and a .896 save percentage in eight games/five starts this season. San Jose has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: San Jose has lost the last four meetings between these two teams — and they have played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total when playing with at least double revenge where they gave up at least four goals in those games. The Over is 19-8-2 in the last 29 meetings between these two teams — and the Over is 15-5-1 in the last 21 encounters between these two teams when playing in San Jose. 25* NHL Wednesday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (17) and the San Jose Sharks (18). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224209) and Chelsea (224210) in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Semifinals. THE SITUATION: Real Madrid settled for a 1-1 draw hosting the Blues in the first leg last Wednesday. Chelsea advances to the Finals with a win or a scoreless draw. Real Madrid advances with a win or a draw where at least two goals are scored. A 1-1 draw after regulation time forces extra time to determine a winner (and this extra time does not impact the totals bet which is resolved after regulation time).

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Real Madrid comes off a 2-0 victory against Osasuna on Saturday in La Liga action. They held Osasuna to a microscopic 0.07 expected goals in that match. Los Blancos are unbeaten in their last 19 matches while allowing only nine goals during that span. They have surrendered only three goals in their five Knockout Stage matches in the Champions League. Manager Zinedine Zidane continues to deal with injuries in their backline with Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal, and Lucas Vazquez dealing with knocks — but Sergio Ramos and Ferland Mendy appear to be healthy again. Real Madrid managed only 0.96 expected goals (xG) against Chelsea last week which was the lowest xG mark in their last 45 matches. The Blues have held their opponents across all competitions to just 0.58 xG since Thomas Tuchel took over as manager on January 27th. Chelsea has allowed only four goals in their 11 matches in the Champions League. They come off a 2-0 clean sheet victory at home against Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. The Blues have conceded just five times in their last 11 games at home across all competitions.

FINAL TAKE: Chelsea advances to the finals with a nil-nil draw — so Tuchel will likely play very conservatively. The Blues’ last six matches in the Champions League have finished Under the Total. Real Madrid has played three straight matches and five of their last six across all competitors Under 2.5 goals. Expect a cagey, low-scoring match between these two teams. 25* UEFA Champions League Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Real Madrid (224209) and Chelsea (224210). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Manchester City (224214) minus the goal-line versus Paris Saint-Germain (224213) in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Semifinals. THE SITUATION: Manchester City won the first leg of the Semifinals with a 2-1 victory. PSG must win this match by at least two goals, or secure a victory in extra time after securing a 2-1 score after regulation time.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Citizens host this second leg at their Etihad Stadium where they have not allowed more than one goal in 20 of their last 23 matches across all competitions with 14 clean sheets during that span. Man City has won five of their last six matches across all competitions with their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday in a match where manager Pep Guardiola was able to rest key players to ensure his starting XI are ready for this showdown. The Citizens are cruising to their third English Premier League title in the last four seasons with a comfortable 13 point lead on Manchester United. Man City has won six in a row the Champions League while scoring twice in each of those matches. They have only allowed four goals in their 11 Champions League matches. Man City was outplayed in the first half against PSG last week with the Parisians expended tons of energy on an aggressive counter-attack. But the problem for manager Mauricio Pochettino’s side was unable to sustain that effort in the second half where the Citizens dictated the tempo and scored their two goals. That is the difference between playing in Ligue 1 and playing in the English Premier League every week. Not only is the EPL a more competitive league from week to week, but it is the most physical professional league in Europe. Man City has better endurance — and better depth. Guardiola made a good substitution by replacing Joao Cancelo on his backline who got burned three times in the first half with Oleksander Zinchenko who had two successful tackles in the final 45 minutes in helping to stabilize the defense. Guardiola will likely stick with Zinchenko this afternoon. Mauricio Pochettino is behind the eight-ball for this second leg. He can no longer have his side play the cat-and-mouse counter-attack that was successful in the first half last week. But even worse, PSG’s best player, Kylian Mbappe, will not start after suffering a calf injury that kept him out of the Parisian’s 2-1 win over Lens in the French top-flight on Saturday. Mbappe averages a whopping 0.80 expected goals per 90 minutes — his absence is devastating. Even if he does take the pitch as a sub, his speed and effectiveness will likely be diminished. PSG still has Neymar — but the Brazilian is a perpetual underachiever when asked to be the talisman. Neymar needs Mbappe to open up his game. Without him, Neymar will flop his way to a number of disputes with the refs, but he rarely carries his professional or Brazilian National Team to success. To compound matters, PSG will also be without holding midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye who is suspended for this match after being issued a red card in last week’s match. Gueye led his team last week with four tackles and nine successful pressures despite only playing 71 minutes.

FINAL TAKE: Paris Saint-Germain is a threat against the best competition in the world when playing at full strength. The loss of Gueye is a significant blow, but the injury to Mbappe is devastating. And they have to play on their front foot. The Man City “false-nine” where they play without a true attacker but with a slew of attacking midfielders is very effective in the counterattack — and they will likely score a few times from this formation. A draw is all Man City needs to advance — but I see the straight-up victory on their home pitch. 25* UEFA Champions League Semifinals Match of the Year with Manchester City (224214) minus the goal-line versus Paris Saint-Germain (224213). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:38 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (57) and the San Jose Sharks (58). THE SITUATION: Colorado (33-12-4) has won two games in a row with their 4-3 win against the Sharks on Saturday. San Jose (20-26-5) has lost two in a row.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 4-0-1 in the Avalanche’s last 5 games after a win — and they have played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total after winning two in a row against a divisional rival. Colorado has also played 7 of their last 8 games on the road Over the Total after scoring at least four goals in their last game. The Avalanche has peppered their opponent's' goal with at least 31 shots in five straight games — and they have played 6 straight Overs after attempting at least 30 shots in three straight games. They have scored at least four goals in five of their last nine games. But they have allowed at least three goals in four of their last five games. Philip Grubauer is between the pipes after a disappointing April where he had a 2.92 Goals-Against-Average and a .891 save percentage in just five starts. Grubauer plays his best at home where he enjoys a 1.67 Goals-Against-Average with a .933 save percentage — but he owns a 2.47 GAA with a .920 save percentage on the road. The Over is 3-1-1 in Colorado’s last 5 games on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total when favored. They have also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. San Jose has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after loss by just one goal. The Sharks have now allowed at least four goals in four of their last six games. They return home where the Over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games — and they have played 7 straight Overs at home as an underdog. Martin Jones is the goalie for San Jose tonight — he has a rough 3.14 GAA with a .901 save percentage when playing at home. He also comes off a disappointing April where he had a 3.20 GAA and a .896 save percentage in 11 starts. The Sharks have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60%.

FINAL TAKE: San Jose has played 12 of their last 18 games Over the Total when avenging a loss on the road. They have lost three in a row against the Avalanche — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Over the Total when playing with at least double revenge. The Over is also 18-8-2 in the last 28 meetings between these two teams — and the Over is 12-3-1 in the last 16 encounters in San Jose. 25* NHL West Division Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Colorado Avalanche (57) and the San Jose Sharks (58). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Atlanta Hawks (513) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (514). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (34-29) has lost two games in a row with their 127-83 loss at Philadelphia as a 9.5-point underdog. Philadelphia (41-21) has won two in a row with that victory against the Hawks.

REASONS TO TAKE THE HAWKS PLUS THE POINTS: I needed to wait on the injury update this evening for Atlanta — they are just riddled with injuries right now which goes a long way to explain their 44-point loss to the 76ers on Wednesday. The Hawks announced at 6 PM ET that Trae Young will be available to play which is an upgrade to his being listed as questionable throughout the day. Clint Capela is also available to play — and Tony Snell is probable as well after missing a bunch of time with his ankle injury. Atlanta is still banged up — but the availability of these three players makes a big difference for this team that is getting around 7 points (as of this writing). The Hawks played one of the worst games of the season on Wednesday. Their 33.3% shooting percentage was the worst effort in their last 41 games. They allowed the Sixers to make 53.9% of their shots which was tied for the worst defensive effort in their last 12 games — but they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after allowing at least 125 points in their last game. Atlanta has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss by at least 30 points. Additionally, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Atlanta stays on the road for their third straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after losing two games i a row on the road. Philadelphia may be due for a letdown after such an easy win — they played their best defensive game of the season by holding the Hawks to just 33.3% shooting. But the Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a straight-up loss. Philly has won two games in a row after their 121-90 victory against an Oklahoma City team that is a glorified collection of G-Leaguers. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 29 games after winning two in a row by double-digits — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after winning two in a row by 10 or more points at home. They also have failed to cover the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after covering their last two games as a favorite. The Sixers have made 54.7% and 53.9% of their shots in the last two games — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after shooting at least 50% of their shots in their last two games, and they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after scoring at least 110 points in two straight games. Philly stays at home where they are just 2-5-1 ATS — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home as a favorite. And in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record, they are 1-4-1 ATS.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 17 games when avenging a loss on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 29 games when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 110 points. The Hawks have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games when avenging a loss by at least 30 points to their opponent. 25* NBA Underdog of the Month with the Atlanta Hawks (513) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (514). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Manchester United (224402) minus the goal-line versus AS Roma (224401) in the first leg in the Semifinals of the Europa League. THE SITUATION: Manchester United advanced to the Semifinals of the Europa League with their 4-0 aggregate score victory against Granada in the Quarterfinals earlier this month. Roma reached the Semifinals with their 3-2 aggregate score win against Ajax.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN UNITED MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Manchester United is in second place in the English Premier League which might overvalue their quality — they are not as good as Chelsea, and they are not as good as Liverpool despite the reigning EPL champions experiencing a down year hit-hard by injuries. And they may not be as good as the Leicester City team that handed them their only loss since February in the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup. But the Red Devils are much better with a healthy (and engaged) Paul Pogba joining Bruno Fernandes in their midfield. Man United has won 12 of their last 17 matches across all competitions after they settled for a 0-0 draw at Leeds United on Sunday. The Red Devils struggled at home at Old Trafford in the fall as they may have lacked energy on their pitch without fans. But they have won their last four matches at home across all competitions with eight goals and just two conceded. They have also won five of their last six matches at home in the EPL, which is probably the most competitive professional league in Europe (and the world). Roma is just not very good. They are winless in their last four matches across all competitions with two losses after losing to a Cagliari side on Sunday that is 17th in Serie A. Defeating Ajax in the Quarterfinals of the Europa League was a nice accomplishment — but they lost the expected goals (xG) battle in both contests to the Dutch side. In fact, they were dominated — they managed only 1.62 xG combined with an expected goals allowed (xGA) mark of 4.43 xGA. The Yellow and Reds are only in seventh place in Serie A — a distant five points behind the sixth-place Lazio. They have allowed at least three goals in their last two league matches — and they have conceded 2.5 xGA or higher in four of their last seven league matches despite not facing a tough schedule. Roma has not been a great road team either with two straight losses away from home as well as five losses in their last eight matches (with only one victory) in the Italian top flight.

FINAL TAKE: Man United may be overrated a tad — but they are still one of the better teams in the English Premier League. Roma is not as good, relatively, in Serie A which is vastly inferior to the EPL. Let’s not overthink this. Man United handed Granada two 2-0 losses in the Quarterfinals of the Europa League. That seems the likely result in this one with a one-goal victory (and push) the most probable worst-case scenario. 25* UEFA Europa League Match of the Month with Manchester United (224402) minus the goal-line versus AS Roma (224401). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Clippers (583) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (584). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (43-20) had their four-game winning streak snapped in a 120-103 upset loss at New Orleans as a 2-point favorite on Monday. Phoenix (43-18) ended their two-game losing streak with a 118-110 win at New York as a 3-point favorite on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CLIPPERS PLUS THE POINTS: The Clippers made only 40.6% of their shots on Monday in what was the lowest shooting effort in their last six games. Los Angeles should respond with a strong effort. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 24 of their last 35 games after an upset loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 after an upset loss as a road favorite. Furthermore, LA has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games after a loss by 10 or more points on the road. The Clippers have also been consistent in bounce-back situations as they have covered the point spread in 39 of their last 54 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 38 of their last 55 games after a point spread defeat. They allowed the Pelicans to make 53.7% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 23 games. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games on the road after allowing at least 120 points in their last game. Head coach Tyron Lue has an undermanned group tonight with Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka out indefinitely with injuries, and Patrick Beverley remains on the shelf with a hand injury. Nicolas Batum is questionable with a shoulder injury. But the good news is that Paul George has been upgraded to probable with his foot injury. The Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games on the road as an underdog. Phoenix made 54.2% of their shots on Monday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But the Suns are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games after a straight-up win — and they are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 games after a point spread victory. Now after playing their last five games on the road, they return home for the first time since April 17th — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 30 home games after playing at least their last seven games on the road. Phoenix may not be at full strength either with Jae Crowder and Dario Saric questionable with injuries.

FINAL TAKE: The Suns are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite — and the Clippers have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Los Angeles has covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 trips to Phoenix to play the Suns. 25* NBA Wednesday ESPN Game of the Month with the Los Angeles Clippers (583) plus the points versus the Phoenix Suns (584). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Manchester City (224201) minus the goal-line versus Paris Saint-Germain (224202) in the first leg in the Semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. THE SITUATION: Man City advanced to the Semifinals with their 4-2 aggregate score victory against Borussia Dortmund in the Quarterfinals earlier this month. PSG reached the Semifinals due to the road goals tiebreaker that resolved the 3-3 aggregate score deadlock with Bayern Munich in the Quarterfinals. PSG hosts the first leg at their Parc des Princes.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Winning the Champions League is the crown jewel for manager Pep Guardiola and this Man City team. They are cruising to their third English Premier League championship in the last four seasons with their 10-point lead in the EPL table over Manchester United. Not only have the Citizens never reached the Semifinals of the Champions League under Guardiola, but this proud franchise has never won a Champions League title. Man City lifted their first trophy this season on Sunday by winning the Carabou Cup in a 1-0 win against Tottenham. The tactics of that match were important as Guardiola’s side had to combat the Hotspurs playing a cagey, defensive-oriented match that relied on occasional moments of a counter-attack. These are the tactics that former Tottenham skipper, Mauricio Pochettino has deployed with PSG in this tournament. Guardiola gets John Stones back for this match after he received a red card three-match suspension. His return bolsters the Citizens backline since he has formed a great partnership with center-back Ruben Dias. Man City’s defense has been at its best with Dias and Stone paired on the pitch. The Citizens have allowed only two goals in their four knockout stage matches in the Champions League — and they have generated clean sheets in 52% of their matches in the EPL. Man City has scored at least two goals in eight of their ten Champions League matches this season. Phil Foden is a rising superstar that has eclipsed the perpetually underachieving Gabriel Jesus and the aging Sergio Aguero as the team’s most accomplished finisher. PSG will likely continue to deploy a 4-4-1-1 formation that was successful in absorbing the Bayern Munich attack in the Quarterfinals. Kylian Mbappe is critical for the success of this team as the player up to in this formation — but the brilliant 22-year-old is a doubt for this match with a knee injury he suffered on Saturday in the Parisians 3-1 win against Metz. Mbappe scored twice in that match before exiting because of the injury. I expect Mbappe to play — it will be a coup for us if he is unable to take the pitch. But, Mbappe may not be at 100% — and he needs to be. PSG’s triumph over the Bavarians was marred by Bayern Munich being without their best attacker, Robert Lewandowski, to injury. I am not nearly as impressed with their Round of 16 victory against a Barcelona side that beats up on lesser opponents before fading against their best competition. The Parisians are not even winning Ligue 1 this season, as they are one point behind Lille for first place in the French top flight. PSG does not play elite defense either — they have surrendered five goals in their four knockout stage matches in this competition.

FINAL TAKE: This is the critical match for Man City since their road goals output will serve as their entry into the potential tiebreaker. I liked the Citizens in this matchup even before the Mbappe knock — expect a road win for Guardiola. 25* UEFA Champions League Match of the Month with Manchester City (224201) minus the goal-line versus Paris Saint-Germain (224202). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Arizona Diamondbacks (958) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (957) listing both starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Chris Paddack. THE SITUATION: Arizona (11-11) has won sox of their last last seven games after their doubleheader sweep of the Braves in Atlanta that culminated in their 7-0 victory in the second game on Sunday. San Diego (13-11) has won three of their last four games after their 8-7 victory in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DIAMONDBACKS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Arizona has won 4 of their last 5 games after a win — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Diamondbacks have also won 25 of their last 34 games after an off day. They return home where they are scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game — and they have won 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Kelly who has struggled with a 1-2 record with a 7.71 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP in four starts. The sabermetrics suggest he has deserved better with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.94 and 4.86 moving forward. Furthermore, all four of Kelly’s starts have been on the road. The 32-year-old right-hander has a career ERA 3.33 mark along with a 1.15 WHIP in 108 innings at home. Kelly faces a Padres team that is scoring only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .231 batting average, a .314 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .667 this season. San Diego has lost 4 of their last 5 games after a victory — and they have lost 5 straight games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. They counter with Paddack who is 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in four starts. The right-hander allowed five runs in five innings of work in his last start at home against Milwaukee last Tuesday. But only one of those runs were earned runs — and the Padres have lost 12 of their last 17 games when Paddack is following up a start where he did not allow an earned run. Paddack had a 3.44 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .211 at home last season — but those numbers rose to a 6.85 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .333 in five starts on the road. San Diego has lost 6 of their last 9 road games with Paddack pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces an Arizona team scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games — and they have won 5 of their last 6 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Padres have lost 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite — and the Diamondbacks have won 6 of their last 7 games as an underdog. While taking Arizona with the money-line is an option, with the +1.5 Run-Line price is below my -150 price threshold, I prefer the investment into the valuable +1.5 Runs. 25* MLB National League West Run-Line Underdog of the Month with the playing the Arizona Diamondbacks (958) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (957) listing both starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Chris Paddack. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Chelsea (224205) and Real Madrid (224206). THE SITUATION: Chelsea reached the Semifinals of the UEFA Champions League with their 2-1 aggregate victory over FC Porto in the Quarterfinals earlier this month. Real Madrid advanced to the Semifinals with their 3-1 aggregate win against Liverpool in the Quarterfinals. Los Blancos host this first leg at their Alfredo di Stefano Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Chelsea last played on Saturday in a 1-0 victory against West Ham United. That was the Blues’ third straight clean sheet — including a big 1-0 shutout victory against Manchester City in the Semifinals of the FA Cup. Chelsea immediately became a defensive juggernaut after Thomas Tuchel took over as manager in late January. In his 21 matches as the skipper, the Blues have shutout 16 of their opponents across all competitions. Besides Tuchel being a much better manager of players in making his expectations and confidence clear, he also changed tactics to a 3-4-2-1 formation. This shape gave the team extra defenders to tighten up their back end — but it also allows for Chelsea to gain an extra attacker when they go on the counter-attack. The Blues play cautiously while controlling possession. They are allowing only 0.58 expected goals allowed (xGA) since Tuchel took over. They have generated seven clean sheets in their last ten matches in the Champions League. But this conservative approach has taken some of the bite out of the Chelsea attack. They have scored only two goals in their last four matches. Real Madrid has registered four clean sheets in a row themselves after a 0-0 draw at home to Real Betis in La Liga action on Saturday. Los Blancos have nine clean sheets in their last 16 matches across all competitions -- and this includes against quality competition in Atalanta, Liverpool, and Atletico Madrid in five of those clean sheets. They have only allowed two combined goals in their four matches in the knockout stage of the Champions League. But the Real Madrid attack has not been very sharp as of late as they have only scored in one of their last four matches. Manager Zinedine Zidane is dealing with several injuries that will likely compel him to engage in more conservative tactics as well. Center back Sergio Ramos has missed most of the season, and now left-back Ferland Mendy along with defensive midfielders Lucas Vazquez and Fede Valverde dealing with knocks. Zidane had midfielder Casemiro play back as almost a third center back in their second leg match against Liverpool in that 0-0 draw. He may deploy this tactic again — keeping this first leg a lower-scoring match helps Los Blancos control the potential road goals tiebreaker.

FINAL TAKE: Chelsea has played 18 of their 21 matches in the Tuchel regime Under 2.5 goals. While Real Madrid has played 12 of their 23 matches Under 2.5 goals in 2021, they have seen only three combined goals in their last four matches. 25* UEFA Champions League Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between Chelsea (224205) and Real Madrid (224206). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Golden State Warriors (530) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (529). THE SITUATION: Golden State (30-30) has won two of their last three games after their 118-97 upset victory against Denver as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Sacramento (24-35) has won two of their last three games as well with their 128-125 victory against Minnesota as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WARRIORS MINUS THE POINTS: Stephen Curry had 32 points to carry Golden State to the upset win against the Nuggets. Curry is enjoying a monster month. In 12 games, he is scoring 38.2 PPG on 52.9% shooting from the field and a 47% clip from behind the arc. He is also averaging 6.4 Rebounds-Per-Game and 4.6 Assists-Per-Game in April. Curry will be the best player on the court — by far — tonight. The Warriors stay at home where they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 25 games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Golden State has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 home games against teams with a winning percentage of 40% or less on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 home games when laying 6.5 to 12 points. Sacramento made 58.1% of their shots on Wednesday which was the best shooting effort in their last 14 games. But the Kings have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games after scoring at least 125 points in their last game. And while Sacramento has scored at least 110 points in seven straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 110 points in four straight games. Furthermore, the Kings have the worst Defensive Rating in the NBA. They have allowed their last two opponents to make 52.9% and 56.7% of their shots — and they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after allowing their last two opponents to both make 50% of their shots. Sacramento has allowed 107 points in 13 straight games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight games. The Kings have also failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games when playing their second game in five days. Sacramento will be without their best player tonight with De’Aaron Fox who is in COVID quarantine. Fox has been a one-man wrecking crew in the fourth quarter when the Kings win — he scored 30 points against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. This team is also still without Marvin Bagley III who is still out with a hand injury. Sacramento has also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Sacramento crushed the Warriors in the last meeting between these two teams by a 141-119 score on March 25th. Golden State has covered the point spread in 33 of their last 55 games when avenging a double-digit loss. 25* NBA Pacific Division Game of the Month with the Golden State Warriors (530) minus the points versus the Sacramento Kings (529). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (964) versus the San Diego Padres (963) listing both starting pitchers Dustin May and Joe Musgrove. THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (15-6) won the third game of this series yesterday with their 5-4 victory against the Padres. San Diego (12-11) won the first two games of this series.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Los Angeles should build off their momentum tonight — they have won 15 of their last 19 games after a victory by one run against an NL West rival. The Dodgers have also won 40 of their last 54 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. LA has won 7 of their 9 games at home this season. They give the ball to May who is 1-1 with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in three starts so far this year. The right-hander was 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 12 games (10 starts) during the regular season last year. This may be a breakout season for him as he is not using his sinker as much deeper in the count. Instead, he is relying on his four-seam fastball, his curveball, or his cutter to punch out batters. May is striking out 33.8% of the batters he faces with his swinging strike rate up to 14.4%. Those are elite numbers. May was dominant at home last year with a 2.40 ERA, 1.076 WHIP, and an opponent’s batting average of .206 in six games (five starts) in the regular season last year. The Dodgers have won 5 of their last 6 home games with May on the mound with the Total set in the 7-8.5 range. He faces a San Diego team that has lost 12 of their last 17 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Padres have also lost 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers. San Diego counters with Musgrove who comes off a strong outing where he allowed two runs in 7 innings of work. But Musgrove’s teams have lost 9 of their last 13 games when he is following up a start where did not allow more than one earned run. The left-hander has been outstanding this season with a 1.04 ERA and a 0.54 WHIP in four starts that includes a no-hitter. But while Musgrove had a 2.41 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and .191 opponent’s batting average at home playing for Pittsburgh last year, those numbers jumped to a 5.14 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .256 opponents batting average on the road. Musgrove’s teams have lost 15 of their last 20 games when he is pitching on the road as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. He faces a Dodgers team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .277 batting average, .329 On-Base Percentage, and an OPS of .833 this season. LA has won 40 of their last 52 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Dodgers have also won 49 of their last 68 against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego has lost 9 of their last 12 games against teams with a winning record — and Los Angeles has won 12 of their last 17 against teams with a winning record. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Game of the Month with the money-line on the Los Angeles Dodgers (964) versus the San Diego Padres (963) listing both starting pitchers Dustin May and Joe Musgrove. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Phoenix Suns (519) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (520). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (42-17) looks to bounce back from a 99-86 upset loss at Boston as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. Brooklyn (40-20) has won two of their last three games with their 109-104 win against Boston as a 3.5-point favorite on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SUNS PLUS THE POINTS: Phoenix made only 40.9% of their shots on Thursday which was the worst shooting effort in their last three games, and far below their 48.7% field goal percentage for the season. The Suns have bounced back to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. Phoenix has also covered the point spread in 15 of their last 18 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 19 of their last 26 games after a point spread loss. This Suns team continues to be under-appreciated this season. The addition of Chris Paul took this team to another level. Devin Booker is an emerging superstar. Head coach Monty Williams usually pushes the right buttons — and he has a good bench from which to make moves. Phoenix is 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning record at home. The Suns have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 road games as an underdog. Additionally, Phoenix is 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have covered the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after a point spread victory. The Nets held the Celtics to just 40.4% shooting from the field in what was the best defensive effort in their last six games. Brooklyn has played two straight Unders —but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after playing at least two straight Unders. The Nets have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after winning two of their last three games. Kevin Durant and Tyler Johnson are probable to play this afternoon (with James Harden still out with his hamstring issue) — but Brooklyn has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Phoenix looks to avenge a 128-124 upset loss at home to the Nets as an 8.5-point favorite on February 16th. The Suns have covered the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range. 25* NBA Sunday Afternoon Special Feature with the Phoenix Suns (519) plus the points versus the Brooklyn Nets (520). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Detroit Pistons (505) plus the points versus Indiana Pacers (506). THE SITUATION: Detroit (18-42) has lost three of their last four games after their 106-91 loss at San Antonio as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. Indiana (27-31) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 122-116 win against Oklahoma City as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PISTONS PLUS THE POINTS: Detroit should play better tonight — what they lack in talent, they usually make up for with effort under head coach Duane Casey. The Pistons are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 20 of their last 24 games after a point spread loss. Additionally, Detroit has covered the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games after a double-digit loss — and they have covered the point spread in 11 straight games after a loss by at least 15 points. The Pistons have lost six of their last eight games — but they have covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. And while this is Detroit’s third game on the road since Wednesday, they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games when playing their third game in four days on the road. Rodney McGruder and Dennis Smith are out tonight, but the Pistons get back their best player in Jerami Grant who has been upgraded to probable with his quad injury. General manager Troy Weaver drafted well as Isaiah Stewart are Saddiq Bey both listed in NBA.com’s top-ten rookies of the season — and the team has back Killian Hayes, the number seven pick in last year’s draft back from being injured for much of the season. This trio of first rookie first-round draft picks offers this franchise an intriguing core of talent. Detroit has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a straight-up loss — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a win by six points or less. Additionally, the Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 17 games at home after a point spread loss. They have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games when playing with two days of rest. And while they have allowed at least 106 points in twelve straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after allowing at least 105 points in five straight contests. They stay at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 26 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games with the Total set at 220 or higher. Domantas Sabonis is getting the night off for rest — and this team is already without Myles Turner and T.J. Warren to season-ending injuries. Injuries may explain why the Pacers have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games as a favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Detroit will have revenge on their minds after losing to the Pacers in Indiana by a 116-111 score as a 7.5-point favorite on March 24th. The Pistons are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings with Indiana. 25* NBA Central Division Underdog of the Year with Detroit Pistons (505) plus the points versus Indiana Pacers (506). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Brighton and Hove Albion (200021) minus the goal-line versus Sheffield United (200022). THE SITUATION: Brighton (W7-D13-L12) earned their second-straight draw with their 0-0 result at Chelsea on Tuesday. Sheffield United (W4-D2-L26) lost their sixth straight match in a 1-0 loss at Wolverhampton last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE BRIGHTON MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Seagulls are one of the best defensive teams in the English Premier League. They limited Chelsea to just 0.85 expected goals (xG) while holding them scoreless. That was Brighton’s third clean sheet in their last four matches. Manager Graham Potter’s side has the third-lowest expected goals allowed (xGA) in the EPL which is a testament to his tactical acumen. Potter is on the shortlist to be the next manager at Tottenham — and that would be a great choice. The Seagulls have been expected goals darlings all season — they rank fifth in the EPL since January 1st in expected goals differential. This club is only in 16th place and fighting off relegation because they lack finishers on offense. Brighton generates plenty of chances — while they have only scored 33 goals, their xG skyrockets to 46.61 for the season. Facing Sheffield United may be just what the doctor ordered. This team was able to finish in the top half of the table last season given organized play on defense and fantastic goaltending from Dean Henderson. They lost Henderson in the offseason to Manchester United as he fights to not only win that starting job but also claiming the starting keeper position for the England national team. Aaron Ramsdale has not been of the same quality for the Blades this season. This team is now officially relegated, and their outstanding manager, Chris Wilder, was sacked last month. There was no bounce from this group after Wilder was dismissed — they have lost nine of ten matches. This team simply cannot score — they are last in the league in goals scored, third-to-last in xG, and they have scored just twice in their last ten matches. A key to their success last year was their ability to take leads which allowed Wilder to safely park thorn proverbial bus in the back. Instead, the defense has been too leaky and they are the ones to fall behind. The Blades have allowed the third-most goals this season. Since January 1st, Sheffield United its second-to-last in both xG and xGA. In their six straight losses, four of these setbacks have been by multiple goals. Injuries are mounting up, and the Championship League is on the horizon for next season as the club considers who their next manager will be. Paul Heckingbottom has been the caretaker over the last month, but the players know he may be a lame duck who will not be retained. This is the formula for teams playing with the summer “beach” on their minds.

FINAL TAKE: Brighton would love to take the three points in this match to all but guarantee that they would avoid relegation. They have tough matches with Man City and West Ham on deck. The Seagulls should dominate the pitch and see scoring chances pull-through for an easy win. 25* English Premier League Match of the Month with the Brighton and Hove Albion (200021) minus the goal-line versus Sheffield United (200022). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (577) and the Golden State Warriors (578). THE SITUATION: Denver (38-20) has won four games in a row with their 106-105 win at Portland as a 2-point favorite on Wednesday. Golden State (29-30) has lost two of their last three games with their 118-114 upset loss at Washington as a 2-point favorite on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Nuggets have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a narrow win by six points or less. Additionally, Denver has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread as the favorite. They did outrebound the Trail Blazers by five boards — that was the fifth straight game where they won the rebounding battle by at least five rebounds. The Nuggets have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after outrebounding five straight opponents by at least five rebounds. This team has been playing better on defense even amidst the crushing season-ending injury to Jamal Murray. Over their last five games, Denver ranks 10th in the league in Defensive Rating — and improvement over their ranking of 15th in that metric for the season. Head coach Michael Malone needs Monte Morris to step up at guard to help Michael Porter, Jr. fill the void that the Murray injury created — but Morris is out with a hamstring injury that leaves the Nuggets’ thin in their backcourt. Denver stays on the road where they have played 7 straight Unders against teams with a winning record at home. The Nuggets have also played 4 straight Unders on the road as a favorite. Golden State has played 13 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Furthermore, the Warriors have played 11 of their last 14 games Under the Total after an upset loss as a road favorite — and they have played 37 of their last 61 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. They return home where they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total with the number in the 220s. Golden State is playing elite defense as of late. They have held their last five opponents to 43.8% shooting which has resulted in 108.6 PPG which is -4.8 PPG below their season average. Additionally, the Warriors rank fourth in the NBA over their last five games and during their last ten games in Defensive Rating. They have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or greater — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total in expected close games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Denver Nuggets (577) and the Golden State Warriors (578). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Everton (200013) and Arsenal (200014). THE SITUATION: Everton (W14-D7-L10) settled for a draw for their third match in a row with their 2-2 result with Tottenham last Friday. Arsenal (W13-D7-L12) also settled for a draw in their last match in a 1-1 score with Fulham on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Toffees are playing in a defensive posture with manager Carlo Ancelotti adapting to injuries that have riddled the cohesion of his midfield for most of the season. Everton has more than one goal just once in 11 straight matches across all competitions — and they have blanked in three of those matches. The Toffees have also produced clean sheets in three of their last 11 matches. They go back on the road where they have played four straight matches where no more than two combined goals were scored. Everton has failed to score in their last two road games in league play — but they have also produced three clean sheets in their last four EPL matches away from home. Arsenal will be without their top two scorers in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang who have combined to score 22 of the team’s 44 goals. Lacazette is dealing with an injury, while Aubemeyang is recovering from the Malaria he caught on the international break playing for his national team in Gabon. Manager Mikel Arteta will be relying on younger forwards for this match. The Gunners have only scored twice in their last four matches at home. But Arsenal has only allowed two combined goals in their last four matches across all competitions.

FINAL TAKE: Everton has seen eight of their last 11 matches see no more than two combined goals. Expect a cagey, low-scoring match this afternoon. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Everton (200013) and Arsenal (200014). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers (908) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (907) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Ryan Weathers. THE SITUATION: The Los Angeles Dodgers (14-4) have won nine of their last eleven games after their 1-0 win at Seattle on Tuesday. San Diego (10-10) has lost three in a row after their 4-2 loss to Milwaukee yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DODGERS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Los Angeles has won a whopping 43 of their last 58 games after a win — including 11 of their 13 games this season after a victory. The Dodgers return home where they have won 90 of their last 122 games when favored over the last three seasons. Los Angeles has also won 24 of their last 30 home games with the Total set at 7 to 7.5. They give the ball to Buehler who is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in three starts consisting of 18 innings. His strikeouts are down early along with his velocity — but his spin rate is up, perhaps a product of his new teammate (and Spin Doctor) Trevor Bauer. Buehler has relied mostly on his four-seam fastball but he should start relying more on his secondary pitches as the season moves forward. I have no worries about him at home where he had a 1.31 ERA with a 0.68 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .114 in four regular-season starts. Blisters held him back in the regular season during last year’s shortened season — but the 26-year-old is a starter I trust even after just three starts. He posted a 1.89 ERA in his four postseason starts last year en route to the Dodgers World Series Championship. Buehler has a career ERA of 2.39 with a 0.87 WHIP in his 197 innings at home. Los Angeles has won 17 of their last 22 home games with Buehler pitching as a favorite priced at -110 tor higher. The Dodgers have also won 27 of their last 34 games with Buehler pitching as a favorite priced higher than -150. He should fare well against this Padres team that is scoring only 3.1 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .200 batting average, an on-base percentage of .288, and an OPS of .573. San Diego has lost 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have lost 11 of their last 16 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Padres have only scored three runs in their last three games while failing to hit a home run in three straight games. San Diego has lost 7 of their last 10 games after not scoring more than two runs in three straight games — and they have lost 8 of their last 11 games after going homerless in at least two straight contests. They counter with Ryan Weathers who is 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP in 9 2/3 innings this season which involves four appearances including one start. Control is an issue for the 21-year-old — he has already issued four walks this season. While he has pitched two innings on the road this season (after not pitching in last year’s regular-season), this is his first professional start on the road. Tough assignment against the world champs who will have Mookie Betts play despite a nagging forearm issue. The Dodgers love playing under the lights — they are scoring 6.8 Runs-Per-Game in 11-night games with a .278 batting average, .358 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .852. LA has won 4 of their last 5 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. San Diego has lost 8 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record — and the Dodgers have won 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: While none of these team trends take the -1.5 Run-Line into account, consider this: the Padres have lost eight of their ten games this season by more than one run, and the Dodgers have won eleven of their fourteen games this season by more than one run. 25* MLB National League West Run-Line of the Month with the Los Angeles Dodgers (908) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (907) listing both starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Ryan Weathers. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Wild (5) and the Arizona Coyotes (6). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (28-13-3) has won four in a row after their 5-2 victory at Arizona on Monday. Arizona (20-21-5) has lost six of their last seven games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Wild have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a victory — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total on the road after a win against a divisional rival. Minnesota has also played 5 straight Overs after going unbeaten for at least three straight games — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last game. The Wild have scored 18 goals in their last four games — and they have averaged 4.0 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. They have also allowed at least two goals in eight straight games. Cam Talbot is the goaltender once again tonight. While the veteran has a 1.86 Goals-Against-Average with a .935 save percentage when playing at home in 25 starts, those numbers decline to a 2.86 GAA with a .912 save percentage when he is playing on the road in his 13 starts. Minnesota has played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 8 road games Over the Total when favored. Furthermore, the Wild have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. Arizona has played 6 of their last 7 games at home Over the Total after a loss by at least three goals. Additionally, the Coyotes have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games over the Total after allowing at least five goals in their last game. Arizona has scored at least two goals in 13 of their last 14 games — but they have given up 16 goals in their last four contests. They counter with Darcy Kuemper who allowed four goals in the game on Monday. In his two starts since his return to the ice after being out for about six weeks, he has a 3.03 GAA with a .867 save percentage. The Coyotes stay at home where they have played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total — and they have played 7 of their last 9 home games Over the Total as an underdog. Arizona has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has played 6 of their last 7 home games Over the Total when avenging a loss by at least three goals. The Coyotes have lost five straight to the Wild this season — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total when playing with at least triple revenge. These two teams have played 5 straight Overs when playing at Arizona. 25* NHL West Division Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Minnesota Wild (5) and the Arizona Coyotes (6). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Rangers (59) and the New York Islanders (60). THE SITUATION: The New York Rangers (23-16-6) have won four in a row with their 5-3 win at New Jersey on Sunday. The New York Islanders (28-13-4) comes off a 1-0 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have played two straight Overs after defeating the Devils by a 6-3 score on Saturday. But the Rangers have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after playing two straight Overs — and they have played 6 straight Unders after playing two straight games where at least seven combined goals were scored. Despite these recent high-scoring games, the Rangers have not allowed more than three goals in six straight games — and they are allowing just 1.8 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. Igor Shesterkin has been named tonight’s goaltender for Alain Vigneault’s team. He has a 2.28 Goals-Against-Average with a .925 save percentage in 27 games — and those marks improve to a 2.14 GAA with a .929 save percentage in his 13 games/12 starts at home. Shesterkin is tied for eighth in the NHL in save percentage above his expected save percentage (my new goalie metric of choice). The Under is 18-7-2 in the Rangers’ last 27 games on the road — and the Under is 13-3-2 in their last 18 games on the road as an underdog. The Islanders have played 6 straight Unders after not scoring more than two goals in their last game — and the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last contest. The Under is also 4-0-1 in their last 5 games after a win. The Islanders have only scored two goals in their last three games — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after not scoring more than one goal in two straight games. They have scored one goal or less in five of their last seven contests — and they are averaging 1.2 Goals-Per-Game in their last five. Semyon Varlamov will likely get the start tonight for head coach Barry Trotz after not playing the last two games. Varlamov has a 2.24 GAA with a .922 save percentage in 29 games/28 starts this season. He plays his best at home where he owns a 2.19 GAA with a .928 save percentage in 14 starts. The Islanders have played 5 straight Unders at home — and they have played 6 straight Unders when favored.

FINAL TAKE: The Rangers will be looking to avenge 3-2 loss to the Islanders on April 11th — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games on the road Under the Total when playing with revenge. These two teams have played 5 straight Unders — and they have played 4 of their last meetings Under the Total when playing at the Islanders’ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 25* NHL East Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New York Rangers (59) and the New York Islanders (60). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Nashville Predators (42) versus the Chicago Blackhawks (41). THE SITUATION: Nashville (24-21-1) has lost two in a row after their 3-1 loss at Carolina on Saturday. Chicago (21-19-5) has won three of their last four games with their 4-0 win at Detroit.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PREDATORS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Nashville had been playing great hockey before this recent two-game slide. They have still won thirteen of their last eighteen games to rise to fourth place (and the final playoff spot) in the Central Division. The Predators should bounce back as they have won 6 of their last 8 games after failing to score more than two goals in their last game. Nashville’s loss to the Hurricanes came on the heels of a 4-1 loss at Carolina in the opening game of that two-game series. The Predators have won 4 straight games after losing two in a row on the road by more than one goal. They return home where they have won 6 of their last 8 games — and they have won 19 of their last 26 home games as a favorite. They turn to Juuse Saros as their goalie tonight. Saros is 11-2-0 on home ice this season with a 1.81 Goals-Against-Average and a .940 save percentage. Saros is also tied for fourth in the NHL with his save percentage above his expected save percentage on unblocked shots — one of my go-to metrics for goaltenders. Nashville has won 20 of their last 26 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago has lost 8 of their last 10 games after a win — and they have lost 7 of their last 8 games after allowing no more than two goals in their last game. They counter with Kevin Lankinen between the pipes tonight. The rookie started the season hot with a 1.97 GAA with a .937 save percentage in his six starts in January. But as the book on Lankinen gets written, he has cooled off. He has a 3.29 GAA with a .884 save percentage this month. Lankinen has also been more effective at home where he has a 10-6-2 record with a 2.71 GAA and a .921 save percentage. But inches 14 starts on the road, he is 6-6-2 with a 2.90 GAA with a .905 save percentage. The Blackhawks have lost 5 straight games on the road — and they have lost 24 of their last 33 road games as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago has lost 16 of their last 21 meetings with the Predators — and they have lost 6 of their last 7 games at Nashville. The Predators have won all five meetings between these two teams this season — and the Blackhawks have lost 8 of their last 11 opportunities to exact revenge on a team that has beaten them a least twice in a row. 25* NHL Central Division Game of the Year with the money-line on the Nashville Predators (42) versus the Chicago Blackhawks (41). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Liverpool (200109) minus the goal-line versus Leeds United (200110). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (W15-D7-L9) enters this match coming off a 2-1 win against Aston Villa in their most recent match in the English Premier League back on April 10th. Leeds United (W14-D3-L14) has won three in a row after their 2-1 upset win at Manchester City on April 10th.

REASONS TO TAKE LIVERPOOL MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: The Reds' most recent match was on Wednesday when their 0-0 draw against Real Madrid eliminated them from the Champions League after losing the aggregate score by a 3-1 margin in that Quarterfinals showdown. There were some positive takeaways from that disappointing draw (since Liverpool needed a 2-0 result or a victory by at least three goals). The Reds won the expected goals (xG) battle by a 1.16-0.79 mark. And they produced a clean sheet for the fourth time in their last six matches across all competitions. Liverpool’s defense has been shaky — but the return of Fabinho from injury has helped to stabilize their back end. In their last six matches in the EPL, the Reds have surrendered the third-fewest Big Chances. Getting Diogo Jota back from injury also provided manager Jurgen Klopp another creative force to help Mo Salah and Sadio Mane. Roberto Firminho has regressed which has left the reigning EPL champions less potent in their scoring. Liverpool has scored five combined goals in their last two league matches. Leeds United comes off that upset win against Man City which is even more impressive when considering that they half the match with only ten men after Liam Cooper was issued a red card just before halftime. But there are some caveats to consider from that result. First, Man City was playing their second unit with their more important second leg of the Champions League Quarterfinals matchup with Borussia Dortmund pending a few days later. The Citizens have all but wrapped up the EPL title. Second, Man City still dominated the match. They peppered the Whites with 29 shots while holding them to just two shots for the entire match. Leeds lost the xG battle by a whopping 2.56-0.09 mark. The Whites go into this match undermanned with their most creative player, Raphinha, questionable with a knock, and their captain Cooper suspended for this match after getting that red card.

FINAL TAKE: Liverpool remains motivated to play well down the stretch since they need to finish in the top four to qualify for the Champions League next season. The Reds are three points behind West Ham for fourth place — and with their elimination from the Champions League last week, the EPL is now their sole focus. Salah is also in the race to win another Golden Boot for the most goals in the league. These two teams played on September 12th in a wild one that Liverpool survived by a 4-3 score at Anfield. Manager Jurgen Klopp should have more refined thoughts as to how to adapt to the unique attacking schemes from Leeds’ manager Marcelo Bielsa. 25* English Premier League Monday NBC Sports Network Match of the Year with Liverpool (200109) minus the goal-line versus Leeds United (200110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the math between Southampton (200405) and Leicester City (200406). THE SITUATION: Southampton reached the Semifinals of the FA Cup with their 3-0 win against Bournemouth on March 20th. Leicester City advanced to the Semifinals of the FA Cup a day later on March 21st with their 3-1 victory against Manchester United. This match will take place on a neutral field at Wembley Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Southampton is mired in 14th place in the English Premier League table but safe from relegation. Lifting an FA Cup title is the team’s line ambition at this point of the season for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s group. The Saints limp into this match coming off a 3-0 loss at West Brom Albion. Defense has been the problem for this side — they allowed a Baggies team likely destined for relegation to generate 3.07 expected goals (xG). Southampton has allowed 35 goals in their last 15 matches across all competitions. Granted, nine of those goals came in a debacle of a loss to Man United. Still, in their last four matches across all competitions, the Saints have allowed 12 goals. But Southampton has gotten their scoring attack going — they have scored 11 goals in the last five matches across all competitions. Getting Danny Ings healthy and back on the pitch makes a big difference — he has scored 13 goals in 22 matches in all competitions this season. Leicester City has lost two in a row with their 3-2 loss to West Ham last Sunday. The Foxes have allowed six goals in their last three matches in all competitions. Leicester City has scored 12 times in their last five matches. The insertion of Kelechi Iheanacho into the starting XI has provided new energy to the attack. The Nigerian is playing up to as a poacher with Jamie Vardy being relied on for more creativity. But the good news for manager Brendan Rodgers is the return of midfielder James Maddison who has been out for breaking COVID quarantine for most of the month. When Maddison is on the pitch, the Leicester City attack is at its finest since he takes much of the pressure off Vardy.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams will deploy their best starting XI for this match since an FA Cup trophy would mark a successful season for both franchises. Southampton’s defensive efforts have lagged since a brief period of glory last summer during Project Restart — but they should keep it competitive with Ings healthy. Expect a higher-scoring match. 25* FA Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the math between Southampton (200405) and Leicester City (200406). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New Orleans Pelicans (569) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the New York Knicks (570). THE SITUATION: New Orleans (25-31) has lost two in a row after their 117-115 upset loss at Washington as a 3.5-point favorite on Friday. New York (30-27) has won five games in a row with their 117-109 upset win at Dallas as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PELICANS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): New Orleans made only 41.2% of their shots on Friday against the Wizards which was the worst shooting effort in their last six games. They also allowed Washington to make 46.9% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last three games. The Pelicans have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 13 games after an upset loss as a road favorite. New Orleans has suffered two straight upset losses as they got stunned by these Knicks at home in the Big Easy by a  116-106 score as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Pelicans have covered the point spread 11 of their last 16 games after losing two games in a row — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after getting upset as the favorite in two straight games. And while New Orleans has only covered the point spread once in their last four games, they have then covered the point spread in 13 of their last 19 games after failing to cover the point spread in three of their last four games. New York made 51.2% of their shots on Friday — including 14 of their 28 shots from 3-point range — in their upset win against the Mavericks. That was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. We had Dallas on Friday — and I am reticent to to immediately fade the Knicks again today. But, I won’t avoid betting against New York simply because of the disappointing results on Friday. The fact remains that (A) the Knicks’ performance on Friday was an outlier, and (B) the evidence for the play-New Orleans side of this equation is strong. And, the evidence remains solid that New York is due for an emotional letdown. They have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least three games in a row. They have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after pulling off two straight upset wins. And while the Knicks have covered the point spread in eight straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 11 games after covering the point spread in at least seven straight games.

FINAL TAKE: New York will be without Alec Burks who is in COVID quarantine. New Orleans has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging an upset loss. 25* NBA Sunday ESPN Game of the Year with the New Orleans Pelicans (569) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the New York Knicks (570). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (561) and the Boston Bruins (562). THE SITUATION: Golden State (28-28) has won four games in a row after their 119-101 win at Cleveland as a 6-point favorite on Thursday. Boston (30-26) has won five in a row with their 121-113 win at Los Angeles against the Lakers on Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Warriors have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a double-digit victory. Golden State has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Warriors are playing their third game on the road since Monday — and they have played 8 straight Unders when playing their third game on the road in five days. They made 51.1% of their shots in Cleveland on Thursday — but they are shooting just 44.9% this season on the road. Golden State has played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. The Warriors have also played 8 of their last 11 road games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 21 of their last 30 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting up to six points. Furthermore, Golden State has played 18 of their last 27 games Under the Total against Eastern Conference opponents — and they have played 30 of their last 49 games Under the Total with the Total in the 220s. Boston has made 56.5% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last 20 games. But the Celtics have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after shooting at least 55% from the field in their last game — and they have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after scoring at least 120 points in their last contest. Additionally, Boston has played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total after winning at least two in a row. And while the Celtics have played their last two games Over the Total, they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Boston returns home where they have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total. And they have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when favored. Brad Stevens has this team playing better defense — they rank sixth in the NBA in Defensive Rating over their last ten games.

FINAL TAKE: Injuries may play a role in this game. Robert Williams III is out with a knee injury — and he is starting to gel with the Celtics’ Big Four starters. Jaylen Brown is now questionable with an illness. While Brown is an elite defender, those skills are not essential against the Warriors since Marcus Smart will be the primary defender on Stephen Curry. But if Brown does not play, then Draymond Green will defend Jayson Tatum without a “pick your poison” dilemma. These two teams have played 21 of their last 28 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 4 straight Unders when playing in Boston. The Warriors may be without Kelly Oubre who is questionable with a wrist. The Celtics won the last meeting at Golden State, 111-107, on February 2nd — and Golden State has played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total when playing with same-season revenge. 25* NBA Saturday Night ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Golden State Warriors (561) and the Boston Bruins (562). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (200121) and Newcastle United (200122). THE SITUATION: West Ham (W16-D7-L8) enters this match coming off a 3-2 win against Leicester City last Sunday. Newcastle (W8-D8-L15) comes off a 2-1 win at Burnley last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Hammers got two opening goals in the first half from Jesse Lingard who is on fire right now in the English Premier League. Lingard has scored eight goals and added three assists in his nine matches since being acquired by West Ham on loan from Man United in the winter transfer window. While he is over-performing his underlying metrics, he is still averaging 0.44 expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes and 0.18 expected assists per 90 minutes. And take his over-performance with this grain of salt: Lionel Messi over-performs his metrics as well. No, Lingard is not Messi (or Messi Jr.) — but there necessarily are outlier performances that determined league-wide averages of expectation. Brighton underperforms in their expected goals because their striker, Aaron Maupay, is not very good. Lingard might be out-performing his expectations because he is simply playing better than the average player. Baseball measures this statistic a bit better with their “Wins Above Replacement Player” (WARP) number. I digress. Even without forward Michail Antonio being healthy and available, West Ham is clicking on offense right now. They have scored three goals in each of their last three matches. They have scored 20 goals in their last ten matches while averaging a robust 1.61 xG per game during that span. David Moyes’ side will need to continue this efficiency on offense given their injuries on defense. The Hammers have been without center back Angelo Ogbunna and holding midfielder Declan Rice — and they have allowed 3.58 xGA combined in their last two matches. Left-back Aaron Cresswell joins them on the sidelines for this match as he is dealing with a hamstring injury. That is not a good development for a defense that has allowed the second-most shots inside the box in their last four matches. Newcastle may be in 17th place but they lead the EPL over the last four matchweeks in expected goals in open play. They generated a whopping 4.07 xG against Tottenham two matches ago. They have scored four goals in their last two matches — yet they are still the most underperforming side in the EPL when comparing expected goals with actual goals in the last six matchweeks. If lack of talent explained that problem, help is on the way for manager Steve Bruce who saw the return of his two most talented players on offense in Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin last Sunday. They combine to average 0.69 xG per 90 minutes. But like West Ham, the Magpies are dealing with their share of injuries from key defensive players as well. Bruce will be without center backs Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar for this match. Newcastle allows 1.54 xGA per match this season which is the fourth-worst mark in the league. And in their ten matches against teams in the top half of the table, the Magpies are allowing 2.38 xGA per contest.

FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams have plenty at stake. West Ham is motivated to stay in fourth place to qualify for the Champions League next season. Newcastle is six points clear of relegation in 17th place — but picking up points this morning goes a long way to keep them safe which is why Bruce has them playing as openly as of late as they have all season. In a game between two teams playing with confidence on offense but with depleted defensive corps, expect a higher-scoring match. 25* English Premier League NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between West Ham United (200121) and Newcastle United (200122). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (554) minus the points versus the New York Knicks (553). THE SITUATION: Dallas (30-24) snapped a two-game losing streak with their 114-113 win at Memphis as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday. New York (29-27) has won four games in a row with their 116-106 upset win at New Orleans as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS MINUS THE POINTS: Luka Doncic saved Dallas against the Grizzlies with a stumbling buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the game (although he was probably fouled on the play — so he may have been given free throws to win the game). Doncic will be the best player on the court tonight — and Kristaps Porzingis will likely be the second-best player. The Unicorn has been on fire as of late with a 22.0 Points-Per-Game scoring average in his last ten games along with a 10.2 Rebounds-Per-Game mark on 50% shooting from the field and a 38.6% mark from downtown. Porzingis got Monday off at home against the 76ers in a game where the Mavs got blown out — but he returned on Wednesday with 21 points against the Grizzlies. Injuries and COVID slowed down this team early — but they are pretty much healthy again and playing much better basketball on both ends of the court. The Mavs have won seven of their last ten games. This team played at a historic level on offense last season — they were due to regress in that area this year. Defense has been the concern for this team — and they rank fifth-best in the NBA in Defensive Rating over their last ten games. They should play well tonight as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 14 games after a narrow win by three points or less against a Southwest Division rival. The Mavericks have also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a point spread loss. And in their last 5 home games as a favorite, they have covered the point spread in 4 of these games. New York is a team due for an emotional letdown after pulling the upset on the road against the defensively-challenged Pelicans. The Knicks have failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a double-digit upset win as a road underdog. Furthermore, New York has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their 6 games this season after winning three in a row — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after winning four of their last five games. The Knicks have covered point spread expectations in seven straight games after their upset win against New Orleans — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 straight games after going on a seven-game point spread cover run. Tom Thibodeau’s team is just 12-17 on the road this season. And while they rank 3rd in the NBA in Defensive Rating as the team takes to Thibodeau’s defensive philosophy, they are just 22nd in the league in Offensive Rating.

FINAL TAKE: Defense goes only so far against talent such as Luka Doncic — as he showed with that game-winner on Wednesday. The Mavs are particularly dangerous when Porzingis is healthy and playing well. The Mavs won easily against the Knicks on April 2nd in a 99-86 victory. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games in the second half of the season against teams winning 51-60% of their games. 25* NBA Friday ESPN Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (554) minus the points versus the New York Knicks (553). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Everton (200106) plus the goal-line versus Tottenham (200105). THE SITUATION: Everton (W14-D6-L10) enters this match coming off a 0-0 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday. Tottenham (W14-D7-L10) has lost two straight in the English Premier League after their 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE EVERTON PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: Tottenham is simply a hot mess right now — they have only one victory in their last five matches across all competitions. They have also won just seven times in their last 20 games in the EPL — and this was against lowly competition: West Brom, Sheffield, Fulham, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and Leeds United. Those are sides in the bottom-11 including the three teams likely to be relegated. Against the top-ten teams in the table, the Spurs are averaging only 1.06 expected goals (xG) while surrendering 1.48 expected goals (xGA). This is a team moving in the wrong direction under manager Jose Mourinho. It usually takes about two years for a locker room to grow tired of the prickly manager — but Mourinho seems to have already worn out his welcome less than a year and a half into his tenure. In his 57 matches with Tottenham, he has overseen 27 wins with 82.3 xG and 83.2 xGA. Not great, Bob. In comparison to Mauricio Pochettino who has led PSG to the Semifinals of the Championship League, in his last 57 matches with the Spurs, they had 1.48 xG and a 1.41 xGA. The lack of quality center backs is now exposing itself in a defense that is waning. They are allowing 2.75 Big Chances per match in their last three in the EPL which is bottom-three in the league over that span. The lowly Newcastle attack managed over 4 xG while scoring twice in a 2-2 draw on April 11th. On the road, Tottenham has only won once in their last four matches across all competitions. Everton is struggling as well having gone winless in their last five competitions — but the players still respect (and don’t loathe) their manager, Carlo Ancelotti. Injuries have hit this team hard — and they will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin as he continues to deal with a groin issue. Ancelotti should have the services of Joshua King, Allan, Lucas Digne, and keeper Jordan Pickford. The loss of DCL up top hurts — but Ancelotti can move Richarlison up to the attacker spot with James Rodriguez feeding him from the midfield. The Toffees are much better when Rodriguez is healthy and on the pitch. Everton has scored in four straight EPL matches at home. And Meyerside Giants have been playing pretty stout defense — they are fifth-best in the EPL since March in xGA. They have not allowed more than one goal in their last five matches at home at Goodison Park.

FINAL TAKE: Everton has matched up well against Tottenham this season with two victories — a 1-0 win on the road on opening day back on September 13th, and then a 5-4 win in the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup. The Toffees’ injuries are holding them back a bit — but they are playing with better morale and defensive cohesion right now. This is a critical match for both sides as they look to qualify for the Europa League with outside hopes at perhaps a top-four finish which gets them into the Champions League. An upset win is very possible — but Everton should at least leave this match with a draw. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Match of the Year with Everton (200106) plus the goal-line versus Tottenham (200105). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (47) and the Carolina Hurricanes (48). THE SITUATION: Nashville (24-19-1) has won two straight games as well as five of their last six with their 7-2 victory against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Carolina (27-10-4) has lost two in a row with their 3-1 loss to Detroit on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 7-3-3 in the Predators’ last 13 games after a win — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total playing on the road after a victory by two or more goals against a divisional rival. Nashville scored seven goals against the Lightning’s backup goalie Curtis McElhinney (rather than Andre Vasilevskiy) — but they have then played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in their last game, and the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after scoring at least five goals in their contest. The Predators have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Nashville has a hot goaltender in Juuse Saros who stopped 21 of 23 shots against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Saros has a 2.16 Goals-Against-Average with a .929 save percentage this season. In his six starts this month, Saros has a 1.62 GAA with a .942 save percentage. Saros is tied for fifth in the NHL this season for save percentage against unblocked shots above expected save percentage against unblocked shots. The Predators stay on the road where the Under is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total as an underdog. Additionally, Nashville has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and the Under is 6-2-2 in their last 10 games as an underdog. Carolina has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after loss at home to a divisional rival. The Hurricanes have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after losing two in a row against divisional rivals — and they have played 10 of their last 11 home games Under the Total after losing two of their last three games. They counter with Petr Mrazek who has a 1.47 GAA and a .952 save percentage in his seven starts this season which included a long stint on the shelf with an injury. In his five starts at home this season, he has a 1.47 GAA with a .952 save percentage. The Under is 7-2-2 in Carolina’s last 11 games at home as a favorite.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have seen the Under go 3-1-2 in their last 6 meetings between these two teams. Nashville looks to avenge a 5-1 loss at home to the Hurricanes — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least five goals. 25* NHL Central Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Nashville Predators (47) and the Carolina Hurricanes (48). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Calgary Flames (33) and the Montreal Canadiens (34). THE SITUATION: Calgary (18-21-3) has won two games in a row with their 3-2 win in overtime at Toronto last night. Montreal (18-12-9) snapped a three-game losing streak with their 4-2 upset win against Toronto on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Under is 9-3-2 in the Flames’ last 14 games after a win — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games this season Under the Total after a win by just one goad. Calgary has also played 12 of their last 14 road games Under the Total when playing their second game on the road in two days. The Flames have not made their goaltender official for tonight — but indications are that Jacob Markstrom will again be between the pipes after he stopped 24 of 26 shots last night. The big free-agent acquisition in the off-season has a 2.88 Goals-Against-Average with a .901 save percentage for the season — but he does improve to a 2.68 GAA with a .913 save percentage in his 14 starts on the road. Markstrom also has a .953 save percentage in his last two games, stopping 41 of 43, shots after his shutout win against Edmonton on Saturday. Calgary has played 5 straight Unders on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total as an underdog. They are scoring only 2.2. Goals-Per-Game on the road. Additionally, the Flames have played 4 straight Unders against teams with a losing record — and the Under is 6-2-1 in the last 9 games overall as an underdog. Montreal has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a win — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in a victory. The Under is also 5-2-1 in the Canadiens’ last 8 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. They will counter with Jake Allen in goal. He has a 2.49 GAA with a .912 save percentage in 16 starts. Allen deserves better — he ranks tied for fifth in save percentage above expected save percentage in the NHL this season. Montreal stays at home where they have played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total after a win on their home ice. The Canadiens are scoring only 2.2 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. The Under is 10-3-2 in their last 15 games against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 8-1-2 in the last 11 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games where Montreal was playing at home. Calgary has won the last three encounters, most recently in a 3-1 win at home. The Canadiens have played 7 straight Unders when avenging a loss by at least two goals — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing with double-revenge. 25* NHL North Division Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Calgary Flames (33) and the Montreal Canadiens (34). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Manchester City (224225) minus the goal-line versus Borussia Dortmund (224226) in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals. THE SITUATION: Man City won the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals with their 2-1 win at home at Etihad Stadium against the Black and Yellows. Borussia Dortmund must win this match by a 1-0 score, or win by at least two goals to advance to the semifinals.

REASONS TO TAKE MAN CITY MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Man City dominated the first match despite needing Phil Foden to score the game-winner in the 90th minute. The Cityzens won the expected goals (xG) battle by a 1.99 to 0.97 mark. Man City limited the Black and Yellows to just four shots. Pep Guardiola’s team has been sensational on defense this season — they have held their English Premier League and Champions League opponents to just 0.71 expected goals allowed (xGA) which is a big improvement from the 1.01 xGA they posted on defense in their EPL and UCL matches last season. An influx of new talent on their backline along with a shift in tactics with Guardiola less aggressive with his forward press explains the dramatic improvement. Man City comes off a 2-1 loss to Leeds United on Saturday — but don’t read too much into that match. For starters, Guardiola played what was essentially his second-string team with most of his starters from last Tuesday’s Champions League match resting for this second leg. Second, the Cityzens dominated that contest still — they peppered the Whites with 29 shots while holding them to just two shots. They won the xG battle by a dominant 2.56-0.09 mark. But that result should keep them salty for this rematch to ensure they are not looking ahead. Borussia Dortmund was fortunate to only surrender two goals last week since they gave Man City plenty of space for their high press to operate. That is a dangerous formula they will likely have to retain since they must be the aggressors to score at least one goal (and likely more than one goal). The Black and Yellows will be very vulnerable on the counterattack. They surrendered at least two goals for the sixth time in their last seven matches on Saturday in the Bundesliga in their 2-1 victory against a Stuttgart side that is in ninth place in the German top flight. Borussia Dortmund lost the xG battle in that match, 1.04-1.65. In their last seven matches, they have surrendered 1.67 xGA — so their defensive slide is not an aberration of outliers. This is a bad stretch for manager Edin Terzic’s side — they have only won twice in their last seven matches, and they have lost six matches in their last 13 games across all competitions. To compound matters, this team is banged up. Jadeon Sancho remains out with an injury — and he is the team’s second-best player after Erling Haaland. Captain Marco Reds and center-back Mats Hummels are now dealing with knocks.

FINAL TAKE: Winning the Champions League is the number one goal for Manchester City with the English Premier League title well in hand with their 11 point lead. Man City has not advanced to the Semifinals of the Champions League in their four previous seasons under Pep Guardiola after losing to Monaco in the Round of 16, and Quarterfinal exits to Liverpool, Tottenham, and Lyon. This is a big match for this team — look for a dominant effort against an overmatched Borussia Dortmund side who has to play aggressively. 25* UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Match of the Year with the Manchester City (224225) minus the goal-line versus Borussia Dortmund (224226). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Flyers (23) and the Washington Capitals (24). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (19-16-6) has lost three of their last four games after their 5-3 loss to Buffalo on Sunday. Washington (27-11-4) has won two straight games with their 8-1 win at Boston on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Capitals have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a win — and they have played 27 of their last 39 games Over the Total after a game where at least nine combined goals were scored. The Washington offense is clicking right now — they are averaging 3.8 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. They have scored 12 goals in their last two games. The Capitals have played 36 of their last 52 games Over the Total after scoring at least four goals in their last game — and they have played 20 of their last 27 games Over the Total after scoring at least four goals in two straight contests. The Over is also 9-1-1 in their last 11 games when playing with one day of rest. They return home where they have played 42 of their last 61 games Over the Total. Ilya Samsonov is the goaltender tonight — he has a 2.97 Goals-Against-Average with a .894 save percentage. He has struggled in three starts this month with a 5.21 GAA and a .833 save percentage. The deeper metrics are far from bullish. He ranks 50th amongst goaltenders in the league with a .944 save percentage on unblocked shots — and is far below his expected save percentage from unblocked shots of .955. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored. Philadelphia has played 20 of their last 29 games Over the Total after a loss. Additionally, the Over is 13-6-1 in the Flyers’ last 20 games after allowing at least five goals — and they have played 14 of the last 18 games Over the Total after a game where at least eight combined goals were scored. Philly counters with Brian Elliott who has a 2.87 GAA and a .894 save parentage this season. Elliott has a .939 save percentage on unblocked shots, the 56th worst mark in the league — and even farther off his expected save percentage of .951 on unblocked shots than Samsonov. Elliott also has a 3.37 GAA with a .879 save percentage in his nine games (eight starts) on the road. The Over is 19-6-1 in the Flyers’ last 26 road games as an underdog — and they have played 6 straight road games Over the Total with the number installed at 6 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: Philly will be looking to avenge a 5-4 loss at home to the Capitals on March 13th — and they have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least five goals. These two teams have played 5 of the last 6 meetings Over the Total when playing in Washington. 25* NHL Tuesday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Flyers (23) and the Washington Capitals (24). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between FC Porto (224221) and Chelsea (224222) in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League. THE SITUATION: Chelsea won the first leg of this Quarterfinals battle with the Dragons in the UEFA Champions League. FC Porto must score at least two goals in a regulation-time victory to stay alive to advance to the semifinals.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Porto may have to play more aggressively in this second leg — but they will first have to wrestle the ball away from Chelsea, which will be much easier said than done. Since Thomas Tuchel took over for Frank Lampard for this franchise, they have become possession monsters that are controlling the ball around 65% of the time in their English Premier League matches (they were at 64.6% two EPL matches ago, which was second-best at the time before posting 58% and 59% possession marks in their most recent two EPL matches — more on that below). Tuchel switched from Lampard’s standard 4-3-3 formation to a 3-4-2-1 which has done wonders for clarifying the expectations for his players on the pitch. The results have been a more methodical and plodding style — but also one where the opponent simply does not get many counter opportunities with the Blues able to quickly get five players back on defense. The proof is in the pudding — Chelsea has had eight clean sheets in their last ten matches across all competitions. The Blues limped into their match with Porto last week coming off a 5-2 loss to West Brom — but they played with ten men for over 61 minutes of that match after Thiago was issued a red card at the 29-minute mark. While the wheels fell off on defense (for the first time under Tuchel), they still controlled possession for 58% of that match. The Blues come off a 4-1 win against Crystal Palace on Saturday. That result was a bit of an aberration as Tuchel rested most of his defensive-oriented players for this second leg. He finally played Kai Havertz at forward — and the German scored the first goal before scoring-machine (and defensive liability) Christian Pulisic scored two more goals in the easy win. The Chelsea defense was great — the Eagles just happened to score on their one shot. Havertz and Pulisic will likely be on the bench for this match. Tuchel’s plan will be to play keep-away — and he can rely on his outstanding goaltender, Eduoard Mendy. Under Tuchel in his 16 matches as the Blues’ skipper, they have a minuscule 0.53 expected goals allowed (xGA) mark. They have only allowed more than a goal once during that time in that outlier effort against a desperate West Brom team where they were played with a man disadvantage. Chelsea did not pressure Porto’s defense much last week despite playing on their front foot. They managed only six shots — and they completed only four passes into the penalty area. Mason Mount scored a nice clinical goal for them — but Ben Chilwell’s second goal at the 85-minute mark occurred because of a defensive mistake. The Dragons are an outstanding defensive team. The dilemma for manager Sergio Conceicao is that he prefers to have his team sit back in a defensive 4-4-2 formation with six players usually back parking the bus. Porto only had possession marks of 34% and 31% in their two Round of 16 matches against Juventus. They prefer to counter-attack — and I suspect this will be the strategy for the Dragons with the hopes they can score in this manner. Porto simply lacks scoring talent — and they risk falling behind 3-0 aggregate if they attempt to play too aggressively and out of character. Despite falling behind after 32 minutes in the first-leg, the Dragons only attempted eight shots in the match.

FINAL TAKE: FC Porto has played four of their last six matches in the Champions League Under 2.5 goals — and Chelsea has played four straight matches in the Champions League Under 2.5 goals. The Blues have also earned clean sheets in seven of their last nine matches in the Champions League. The directive for Tuchel is simple: don’t let Porto score. They simply do not need to pressure the Dragons — and Porto lacks the playmakers to counter these tactics. 25* UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between FC Porto (224221) and Chelsea (224222). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Dallas Mavericks (560) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (559). THE SITUATION: Dallas (29-23) has lost two of their last three games after their 119-117 upset loss at home to San Antonio as a 6-point favorite last night. Philadelphia (36-17) has won four of their last six games with their 117-93 win at Oklahoma City as a 9.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MAVERICKS PLUS THE POINTS: I committed to this play this afternoon after seeing that Maxi Kleiber was upgraded to probable after missing time with a leg injury. Because Kristaps Porzingis played almost 36 minutes last night, head coach Rick Carlisle may give him the night off to rest his back for “load management” reasons. If Porzingis plays, let’s consider it a bonus — but I have to assume he will not take the court. The Mavs’ getting Kleiber back tonight helps with their front-court depth. Dallas is much better than their record. Injuries and COVID hit this team hard early in the year which contributed to their 8-13 season — but they have since put up an impressive 21-10 record. Defense has been the Achilles’ heel for this group over the last two seasons — but they have won six of their last eight games while ranking third in the league in Defensive Rating over that span. In these last eight games, the Mavericks rank fourth in the NBA in Net Rating. They lost focus on defense last night by allowing the Spurs to make 54.2% of their shots which was the worst opponent’s field goal percentage in their last 29 games. They have still held their last five opponents to 43.1% shooting which has generated just 102.4 PPG. Dallas should play better tonight. They have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games after an upset loss. They have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games after a point spread loss. The Mavericks stay at home where they have won eleven of their last fifteen games still even after last night — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games at home. They have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games at home against teams with a winning record on the road. And in their last 26 home games as an underdog getting up to six points, Dallas has covered the point spread 17 times. Philadelphia made 46.8% of their shots last night which was the best shooting effort in their last four games. But the 76ers have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up victory — and they are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after a point spread win. Additionally, Philadelphia has failed to cover the point spread in 34 of their last 54 road games after allowing at least 115 points in their last game. The 76ers are playing better on the road this year with a 16-12 record — but they remain dominant at home with a 20-5 mark. Philly may have one eye on the plane ride home with this being their final game in a four-game road trip. The Sixers have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after playing their last three games on the road. Philadelphia is 10-23-2 ATS in their last 35 road games against teams with a winning record at home.

FINAL TAKE: Dallas may be without Porzingis — but they still have Luka Doncic and a very nice roster which always gives them a chance to win (when not decimated with injuries). The Mavericks will be looking to avenge a 111-97 loss at Philadelphia on February 25th — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 15 games when playing with revenge from a loss on the road. 25* NBA Monday ESPN Game of the Year with the Dallas Mavericks (560) plus the points versus the Philadelphia 76ers (559). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Real Madrid (201958) plus the goal-line (or as a pick ‘em) versus Barcelona (2019557). THE SITUATION: Real Madrid (19-6-4) is unbeaten in their last twelve competitions including a 2-0 win at home against Eibar last Saturday in their most recent match in La Liga. Barcelona (20-5-4) comes off a 1-0 victory against Real Valladolid on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE REAL MADRID PLUS THE GOAL-LINE (or as a pick ‘em): The Real Madrid script is pretty standard under manager Zinedine Zidane: win La Liga, go on vacation, return in the fall, play down to some competition, create some drama — then step up and then defeat top-flight opponents. Los Blancos limped into the fall’s incarnation of El Clasico off a loss in La Liga and a loss in the Champions League. Frankly, Zidane’s team was not working very hard. They responded by simply outclassing Barcelona, 3-1, while decisively winning the expected goals (xG) battle, 3.43-1.91. That match took place on October 24th. 5 1/2 months later, Real Madrid is clicking on all cylinders — just as they always are under Zidane. Karim Benzema was out of form in October — but he has raised his scoring average to 0.67 xG per 90 minutes with eight goals in his last six matches. Los Blancos looked dominant on Wednesday in a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League Quarterfinals showdown. Real Madrid is undefeated in their last 12 competitions — and they have won 12 of their last 17 matches with a net xG differential of +15.83. Barcelona is unbeaten in their last 19 matches in La Liga — but 13 of those contests were against teams in the bottom half of the league. Barca has faltered against top-level competition. They were humiliated at home in the first leg of their Round of 16 matches in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain by a 4-1 score. I read nothing in their meaningless 1-1 draw against PSG in the second-leg since they lost by a decisive 5-2 aggregate score. In La Liga against their top-three competitors of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Real Madrid, Barcelona is just 1-1-2 with losses to Atletico Madrid and Los Blancos. They scored only four goals in those five matches while surrendering five goals. Real Madrid, on the other hand, has won all four of their matches against Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Barcelona by a decisive 7 to 2 goal margin -- and they won the expected goals battle in all four of those matches. Zidane does not have center backs Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane — but those two were not available against Liverpool either (and Ramos has been out most of the season). Zinedine has an embarrassment of riches in being able to rely on Nacho and Eder Militao as his two center backs. And that raises the fundamental problem with this Barcelona side — while Lionel Messi remains sublime, his teammates have lost a step (or three) on a roster that needs to go young (there is a reason why Messi is so frustrated with management). Barca management brought in Ronaldo Koeman as their new manager this season in a questionable decision. Koeman is building up great stats for 538 to marvel at against lesser competition — but they fall flat against teams of equal or superior talent.

FINAL TAKE: Barcelona is in second place in La Liga, one point behind Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid is in third place, three points behind Atletico Madrid. With both teams having an upcoming showdown with Atletico, the winner of this match controls their destiny to win the league title. Real Madrid has one of the best midfield trios in the world in Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemeiro — and Zinedine deploys a mid-block that has effectively thwarted Messi’s advancement up the pitch. Messi has not scored against Real Madrid in over three years — and he does not have as much help as he once did. Real Madrid hosts this rematch at their Alfredo di Stefano training facility with their main stadium under reconstruction — and they are still a small dog with analytics sites like 538 considering Barcelona the second-best team in the world (real-world results be damned!). Messi certainly does not think he plays for the second-best team in the world. And here comes Real Madrid: the reigning La Liga champions with four Champions League titles in the last seven seasons. 25* La Liga Match of the Year with the Real Madrid (201958) plus the goal-line (or as a pick ‘em) versus Barcelona (2019557). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). THE SITUATION: Baylor (27-2) has won five straight games as well as nine of their last ten contests after their 78-59 win against Houston as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Gonzaga (31-0) survived overtime in a 93-90 buzzer-beating win against UCLA as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: In assessing this potential National Championship matchup for the last few months, I presumed I would take Baylor plus the points in a matchup between two teams that I considered roughly even. The events from Saturday make the Bears’ play a bit better. Gonzaga having to expend more physical and emotional energy by playing an extra five minutes against the Bruins. This game with UCLA also continued to expose some flaws with this, albeit, great Bulldogs’ team. Their half-court defense is not elite. They allowed the Bruins to make 57.6% of their shots — and the Zags have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after allowing their last opponent to make at least 55% of their shots. Gonzaga ranks only 55th in the nation with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 47.5%. The Bulldogs were also a bit loose at times with the basketball — taking ill-advised chances — which might be the result of a team that has become overconfident from winning all their games. There is a reason that the last team to finish a season undefeated was during the Jimmy Carter Administration (granted, his last year in office). And the flip-side of this coin is that overconfidence can suddenly become insecurity when threatened. The pressure of making history make become a factor for Gonzaga. It is one thing for Jalen Suggs to make an improbable from 35-feet when the game is tied— it is another to make winning shots when missing the shot risks infamy for the shooter. As it is, the Bulldogs have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. And while the Zags had covered the point spread in their previous four games before not coming close to covering the point spread against UCLA, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 12 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Baylor should build off their momentum from their easy victory against a good Houston team. They have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 20 games after a win by at least 10 points. They have also covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road when playing their second game in three days. What I like about this Bears team is that they have multiple ways to create more scoring opportunities if their shots are not falling. They are sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.9% of their missed shots. They are also third in the nation by forcing turnovers in 24.6% of their opponent’s possessions. But as they demonstrated against the stout Cougars defense that went into the Final Four with the nation’s top statistical defense in terms of effective field goal percentage, Baylor makes their shots more often than not. The Bears shot 52.7% from the field against Houston — including making 11 of 24 (45.8%) from behind the arc. Baylor leads the nation by making 41.2% of their 3-pointers. Leading the nation in 3s, while ranking top-six in offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers is a great formula for winning a National Championship. The Bears are 34-16-2 ATS in their last 52 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games under head coach Mark Few.

FINAL TAKE: I think the laptops may actually be undervaluing this Baylor team -- their three-week COVID pause took them a few weeks to recover and get back to playing in their earlier form. This Bears team is playing much better in April than they were in February. And this group will likely have a chip on their shoulder installed as an underdog for the first time all season. Baylor has covered the point spread in 16 of their last 22 games as an underdog under Drew. 25* CBB Game of the Year on the Baylor Bears (811) plus the points versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs (812). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:34 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). THE SITUATION: Gonzaga (30-0) reached the Final Four on Tuesday with their 85-66 win against USC as a 12-point favorite. UCLA (22-9) won their fifth straight game in this Big Dance with their 51-49 upset win against Michigan as a 6.5-point underdog on Tuesday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BULLDOGS MINUS THE POINTS: Gonzaga has won all four of their NCAA Tournament games by at least 16 points — and they should continue to roll against the Bruins. The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in 4 straight games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a point spread victory. Gonzaga has covered the point spread in all four of their games in the Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 30 of their last 46 games after covering the point spread in four straight games. The Bulldogs made 50% of their shots against USC after they made 59.6% of their shots against Creighton — and they have covered the point spread in 34 of their last 51 games after making at least 50% of their shots in two straight games. UCLA may be due for a letdown after pulling off their second straight upset victory. They have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after winning five games in a row. The Bruins have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after a game where both teams did not score more than 65 points. UCLA only had 12 team assists against the Wolverines after generating only 12 team assists against Alabama in their previous game. They have then failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not generating more than 12 team assists in two straight games. The Bruins too often have resorted to Johnny Juzang playing “hero ball” to bail them out. The lack of ball movement will get them burned against Gonzaga. Frankly, UCLA has been pretty fortunate to make it this far in this Big Dance. They survived overtime against Michigan State and Alabama. Michigan had many opportunities to score a final basket to either force overtime or win the game in regulation. The Wolverines made only 6 of their 11 free throws. The Crimson Tide made just 11 of their 25 free throws. In their Round of 64 game against BYU, the Cougars made only 9 of 16 free throws. None of their five opponents have shot better than 33% from 3-point land — Michigan was 3 of 11 (27.2%), Alabama was 7 of 28 (25%), Abilene Christian was 4 of 19 (21.0%), BYU was 3 of 19 (15.8%), Michigan State was 6 of 18 (33%). Now UCLA faces a confident Gonzaga team that makes 37.1% of their 3-pointers.

FINAL TAKE: The Bulldogs have covered the point spread in all 4 games in this NCAA Tournament. UCLA is due for a letdown and have been fortunate to survive — while the Zags are a machine. 25* CBB Final Four Game of the Year with the Gonzaga Bulldogs (804) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (803). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:14 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (801) and the Baylor Bears (802). THE SITUATION: Houston (28-3) won their 11th straight game on Monday with their 67-61 win against Oregon State as an 8-point favorite. Baylor (26-2) won their fourth straight game with their 81-72 victory against Arkansas as a 7.5-point favorite on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars allowed the Beavers to make 46.8% of their shots on Monday which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last five games. Houston has still held their last five opponents — all teams either in or made the NCAA Tournament — to just 36.3% shooting which has translated into 55.4 PPG. The Cougars 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up win where they did not cover the point spread — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Houston has not allowed more than 61 points in five straight games — and they have played 36 of their last 57 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 65 points in at least two straight games. Head coach Kelvin Sampson will have his team play outstanding half-court defense. They lead the nation in opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 43.3%. The Cougars hold their opponents to just 29.2% shooting from behind the arc and 42.9% inside the arc — those marks rank 11th and fifth in the nation. But shooting could be an issue for Sampson. They only made 32.3% of their shots against Oregon State — and they have played 20 of their last 27 games Under the Total after not shooting better than 33% from the field. While Houston enjoyed a 17-point lead early in the second half, they only made 29% of their shots. Now the Cougars will be playing the best defense they have encountered all season. The best team Houston has played all season is Texas Tech — and they only rank 20th nationally by metrics guru Ken Pomeroy. The Cougars have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better. Baylor made 48.4% of their shots against the Razorbacks which was the best shooting effort in their last five games. They raced out to a 46-28 lead in the first half on Tuesday — but they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 45 points in the first half of their last game. The Bears did allow Arkansas to make 48.1% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage in their last seven contests. Scott Drew’s team had struggled with their defense after a three-week hiatus due to a COVID outbreak — but they have been in top form again in the Big Dance. Baylor held their three previous NCAA Tournament teams to just 41.3% shooting and 56.3 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: Sampson will likely play this game at a very slow pace — as it is, Houston averages 19.3 seconds-per-possession which is the 331st slowest pace in the nation. Baylor was lulled into a low-scoring game with Villanova — in their 62-51 win over the Wildcats in the Sweet 16, there were only 57 possessions in that game. The Under is 13-6-1 in the Cougars’ last 20 games on a neutral court — and they have played 4 straight Unders when an underdog on a neutral court. 25* CBB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (801) and the Baylor Bears (802). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:08 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (553) and the New Orleans Pelicans (534). THE SITUATION: Atlanta (24-24) snapped a two-game losing streak last night with their 134-129 upset win in double-overtime at San Antonio as a 1-point underdog. New Orleans (21-26) had their two-game winning streak end last night in a 115-110 loss in overtime to Orlando as a 5.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Atlanta held the Spurs to 44.5% shooting which was the best defensive effort in their last six games under new head coach Nate McMillan. The Hawks have still allowed their last five opponents to make 49.3% of their shots which has resulted in 118.0 PPG for these opponents. Atlanta has allowed at least 108 points in six straight games — and they have then played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total after allowing at least 105 points in four straight games. The Hawks have also played 17 of their last 24 games Over the Total after a win by six points or less — and they have played 26 of their last 35 games Over the Total after a game where at least 245 combined points were scored. Atlanta’s starters logged in 193:49 minutes last night — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when their starters combined to play at least 160 minutes the day before. The Hawks have also played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total when playing their third game on the road in five days. Atlanta has played four straight Overs heading into this game — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight games Over the Total. The Hawks conclude their eight-game road trip tonight — they have played straight games Over the Total on the road as an underdog. Atlanta has been hot with their shooting on this trip. They are making 49.8% of their shots in their last five games, which is generating 115.6 PPG. New Orleans only made 43.6% of their shots last night which was the lowest field goal percentage in their last six games. They also held the Magic to make 42.5% of their shots which is the best defensive effort in their last four contests. The Pelicans have played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a loss at home — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. Furthermore, New Orleans has played 19 of their last 24 games Over the Total after allowing at least 115 points in their last game — and they have played 22 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a game where at least 225 combined points were scored. The Pelicans’ five starters played 195:54 minutes last night — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total in games when their starters combined to play at least 160 minutes the prior day. New Orleans has also played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total when playing without rest. The Pelicans are not a good defensive team even under the guidance of a defensive head coach in Stan Van Gundy in his first year with the franchise. New Orleans ranks 28th with their Defensive Rating. The Pelicans have the seventh-best Offensive Rating in the league — and they are making 49.4% of their shots in their last five games. They have scored at least 110 points in three straight games — and they have then played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total after scoring at least 110 points in three straight games. They stay at home where they have played 20 of their last 26 games Over the Total — and they have played 12 of their last 15 home games Over the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: New Orleans will be without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball for tonight’s game as they are all dealing with injuries that has compelled Van Gundy to give them the night off after playing yesterday. The Pelicans have still played 17 of their last 21 games Over the Total when favored. This is a strong technical play. 25* NBA Non-Conference Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Hawks (553) and the New Orleans Pelicans (534). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:08 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (53) and the Chicago Blackhawks (54). THE SITUATION: Carolina (23-8-3) had their three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with their 2-1 loss on their road against the Blackhawks. Chicago (17-15-5) snapped a two-game losing streak with the win.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Hurricanes have played 16 of their last 22 road games Under the Total after a loss to a divisional rival. Additionally, the Under is 3-0-1 in Carolina’s last 4 games after scoring two goals in their last game — and the Under is 3-1-3 in their last 7 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Additionally, the Hurricanes have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total on the road after a loss by just one goal — and they have played 12 of their last 16 games on the road Under the Total after a game where no more than three combined goals were scored. James Reimer should be the goaltender tonight for Carolina. He sported a 2.15 Goals-Against-Average with a .925 save percentage in six starts in March. The Under is 3-1-1 in the Hurricanes’ last 5 games on the road — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 road games when favored. Furthermore, the Under is 6-1-2 in Carolina’s last 9 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago only managed 16 shots on goal on Monday in their victory The Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not scoring more than two goals in their last game. Rookie goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 of the two 32 shots he faced on Tuesday against the Hurricanes. He has a 2.52 Goals-Against-Average with a .928 save percentage in 15 home starts this season. The Under is 3-0-1 in the Blackhawks’ last 4 games after not allowing more than two goals in their last game. Furthermore, Chicago has now played 5 straight Unders when playing at home — and they have played 9 of their last 13 home games Under the Total as an underdog. And in their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or higher, the Under is 4-0-1.

FINAL TAKE: Carolina has played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total when avenging a loss by just one goal. 25* NHL Thursday NBC Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Carolina Hurricanes (53) and the Chicago Blackhawks (54). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:38 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Minnesota Wild (37) versus the San Jose Sharks (38). THE SITUATION: Minnesota (21-10-2) had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 4-3 loss in a shootout at San Jose on Monday. San Jose (14-16-4) had lost six of their last eight games before the win.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WILD WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Wild had been off for three days before their game with the Sharks on Monday — the layoff may explain why they were flat. Minnesota has won 8 of their last 10 games when playing with one day of rest. The Wild have also won 7 of their last 11 games after a loss — and they have won 5 of their last 8 games after allowing at least four goals in their last game. Kaapo Kahkonen has been confirmed as the starting goaltender tonight. He has not played since March 20th when he got burned for six goals in his worst effort of the season at Colorado. Cam Talbot has made each start since — so Kahkonen is getting his first chance at redemption. For the record, Talbot has been great as of late — I was prepared to invest in the Wild even if he was getting the start tonight. I remain comfortable with Kahkonen who has a 2.29 Goals-Against-Average with a .921 save percentage in 17 games/16 starts this season. Kahkonen has been just as effective on the road as well where he has a 9-5-2 record with a 2.37 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Minnesota has won 10 of their last 12 games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 16 of their last 21 games as a favorite. San Jose has lost 11 of their last 14 games after a win — and they have lost 14 of their last 17 games after playing a game that finished Over the Total. Additionally, the Sharks have lost 9 of their last 12 games after scoring at least four goals in their last game — and they have lost 29 of their last 42 games after a game where at least seven combined goals were scored. Despite Monday’s result, they are still only scoring 2.4 Goals-Per-Game in their last five contests. And San Jose has not had much of a home-ice advantage this season. They have lost 7 of their last 8 home games with the Total set at 6. They have also lost 10 of their last 14 home games as an underdog. Martin Jones is the confirmed goaltender for the Sharks. He is 11-7-2 with a 3.29 GAA and a .897 save percentage in 21 starts. Jones was the goalie on Monday when he stopped 22 of 25 shots before winning the shootout. He does his best work when playing with more than one day of rest. In those 381 minutes this season, Jones has a 2.41 GAA with a .923 save percentage. But in his 721:12 minutes when playing with one day between starts, his GAA skyrockets to a 4.71 mark with a .855 save percentage. That is not encouraging for a team that has lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with a winning percentage of 60% or better.

FINAL TAKE: I waited on this game to (a) get the confirmation of the goaltenders (b) ensuring the money-line price was not trending above my -150 price threshold. The common price seems to be stabilizing at -150 — so I comfortable endorsing the play. If you can only get a price in the -155 range, no big deal (this is a guideline for me regarding what situations to bet — I appreciate the price others will get varies a little). Minnesota has won 10 of their last 13 games when playing with revenge from an upset loss — and they have won 6 of their last 8 games when avenging a loss on the road. 25* NHL Bailout Game of the Month with the money-line on the Minnesota Wild (37) versus the San Jose Sharks (38). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). THE SITUATION: Michigan (23-4) has won four of their last five games after their 76-58 win against Florida State as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. UCLA (21-9) won their fourth game in this Big Dance with their 88-78 win in overtime against Alabama as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. This game is being played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WOLVERINES MINUS THE POINTS: Michigan held the Seminoles to just 40% shooting — and that was the highest opponent field goal percentage against them so far in this Big Dance. The Wolverines are an outstanding defensive team that ranks eighth in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. They held Florida State to under 60 points for the first time all season. Michigan also had their offense clicking by making 49.2% of their shots against a tough Seminoles’ defense whose length was supposed to overwhelm the Wolverines. Juwan Howard has this team operating an NBA-style offense with pick-and-rolls designed to create mismatches and open players. Everyone in the rotation is a competent scorer. Michigan should build off their momentum as they have covered the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after a straight-up win. The Wolverines are averaging 81.7 PPG in this tournament with the 76 points against Florida State being their lowest scoring output. They have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after scoring at least 75 points in two straight games. The loss of Isaiah Livers has been absorbed by several players on this team. Brandon Johns took his spot in the starting lineup — he scored 14 points with six rebounds on Sunday. Johns gives the team more of a post-up presence alongside freshman phenom Hunter Dickinson as opposed to Livers who thrived on the perimeter as a slasher and 3-point shooter. He is averaging 10.7 PPG in this tournament. Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown is getting more playing time with Livers on the shelf — and he has scored 33 points in the last two games. Michigan has covered the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games against teams with a winning record — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when favored. UCLA scored 23 points in the overtime session to smother the Crimson Tide in overtime on Sunday — but that additional energy may come back to haunt them on short rest for this game. Head coach Mick Cronin has survived this season despite losing his best player, Chris Smith, to a season-ending injury in late December. And forward Jalen Hill did not make the trip to the bubble with this team which further depleted the depth of this team. The Bruins have played one extra game in this tournament with their play-in game First Four victory against Michigan State in another overtime game. But the Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning at least four games in a row. And while UCLA has allowed only 29 and 21 points in the first half of their last two games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 30 points in the first half in two straight games. The Bruins are playing better on defense after a bad first half against the Spartans — but this is still an area of weakness. While UCLA ranks 54 in the Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, they fall to 92nd in that metric when playing on the road. They allow their opponents to make 49.1% of their shots inside the arc away from Pauley Pavilion, ranking 155th in the nation. Overall, the Bruins rank 13th in Adjusted Net Efficiency at home, they fall to 31st in that metric on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan is one of three teams — joining Gonzaga and Baylor — who rank in the top ten in both Adjusted Offensive and Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. UCLA is outside the top ten in both categories. The Bruins have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 18 games played on a neutral court as an underdog in the 6.5 to 12 point range. Michigan has covered the point spread in 35-14-2 ATS in their last 51 games on a neutral court — and they are 13-4-2 ATS in their last 19 games in the NCAA Tournament as a favorite. 25* CBB TBS-TV Game of the Year with the Michigan Wolverines (660) minus the points versus the UCLA Bruins (659). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:57 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). THE SITUATION: Baylor (25-2) has won seven of their last eight games with their 62-51 win against Villanova as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Arkansas (25-6) has won three in a row with their 72-70 victory against Oral Roberts as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS MINUS THE POINTS: Baylor endured an outlier performance with their 3-point shooting on Saturday. Despite being (now) second in the nation with a 40.8% shooting percentage from the 3-point range this season, the Bears only made 3 of 19 (15.8%) shots from behind the arc against the Wildcats. Davion Mitchell missed all three of his shots from 3-point range despite entering the game as a 46% shooter from 3-point land. Jared Butler missed eight of his nine shots from behind the arc despite being a 39.9% shooter from distance. Don’t be surprised if Baylor ignites from behind the arc tonight. What is so impressive about this team is that they pulled away to win (and cover the point spread) anyways. Scott Drew had his team bypass 3-point shooting for scoring in the paint in the second half against the Villanova zone defenses — and they shot 53% in the final 20 minutes of the game. Even if the Bears’ 3s are not falling, they thrive in getting second-chance opportunities — they rank sixth in the nation by pulling down 36.8% of their missed shots. They also generate more scoring chances by forcing turnovers — they rank third in the nation in forcing turnovers in 24.8% of their opponent’s possessions. And Baylor plays stifling half-court defense that was on full display against the Wildcats as they held them to just 37.5% shooting in the second half with them missing all nine of their 3-point attempts. Throw away any remaining concerns about the Bears’ defense that struggled after a three-week COVID pause in February: Baylor has held their three opponents in this tournament to just 56.3 PPG on 41.3% shooting. This is a great sign for this team as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 23 games after not allowing more than 55 points in their last game. The Bears have not allowed more than 63 points in this Big Dance — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 16 games after not allowing more than 65 points in three straight games. Baylor has won all three of their NCAA Tournament games by double-digits — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after winning at least three in a row by 10 or more points. And in their last 6 games when playing their second game in three days, the Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of these games. Arkansas once again skirted danger by falling behind by double-digits against the Golden Eagles before rallying for the win. The Razorbacks cannot afford to do that for the fourth straight time against this Baylor team — the Bears will start hitting more 3s and the lead will be 20. Arkansas was able to pull away from Colgate, but they survived two-point victories against Texas Tech and then Oral Roberts on Saturday. But the Razorbacks have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 16 games after a win by six points or less — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after winning two in a row by three points or less. And in their last 10 games after winning three in a row, Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 7 of these games. The Razorbacks rank 18th in the nation in Adjusted Net Efficiency when playing at home, but they fall to 39th nationally in Adjusted Net Efficiency when on the road. Let’s put a microscope on that. Arkansas has the eighth-best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency at home, but they fall to 43rd in that metric on the road. Looking even closer, while the Razorbacks held their opponents to just 27.9% shooting from behind the arc at home, ranking 31st in the nation, their opponents make 39.1% of their 3-pointers on the road, ranking 317th nationally. Baylor is the wrong opponent for them playing outside Fayetteville. And while Arkansas wants to force turnovers with their full-court press, the Bears’ four-guard lineup only turns the ball over in 16.2% of their possessions away from Waco, ranking 42nd nationally. The Razorbacks only make 32.6% of their 3-pointers away from home, ranking 187th in the nation.

FINAL TAKE: Arkansas has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games on a neutral court as an underdog. Baylor has covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have also covered the point spread in 21 of their last 31 games against teams winning at least 60% of their games. 25* CBB Elite 8 Game of the Year with the Baylor Bears (654) minus the points versus the Arkansas Razorbacks (653). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Houston Cougars (656) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (655). THE SITUATION: Houston (27-3) won their tenth straight game with their 62-46 victory against Syracuse as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oregon State (20-12) has won nine of their last ten games after their 65-58 upset win against Loyola-Chicago as a 7-point underdog on Saturday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Lucas Oil Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COUGARS MINUS THE POINTS: Houston easily defeated the Orange despite making only 38.3% of their shots from the field and just 7 of their 26 shots from behind the arc.

At 9:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). THE SITUATION: USC (24-7) has won five of their last six games after their 85-51 win against Kansas as a 1-point favorite last Monday night. Oregon (21-6) has won seven of their last eight games after their 95-80 upset win against Iowa as a 5-point underdog on Monday. This game will be played on a neutral court at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TROJANS MINUS THE POINTS: The laptops love this USC team — metrics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks them 6th in the nation. It starts on defense where the Trojans lead the nation by holding their opponents to just 41.4% shooting inside the arc. Head coach Andy Enfield has length that makes it difficult on opposing shooters. Evan Mobley is a rising star — the 7’0 freshman center patrols the paint and helps USC block 13.6% of their opponent’s shots, 18th best in the nation. The Trojans should build off the momentum of their 34-point win against the Jayhawks as they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games on the road after a double-digit win. USC made 57.1% of their shots against what had been an improving Kansas defense. That was the third straight game that the Trojans made at least 50% of their shots — and it was the fourth time over a six-game stretch where they shot at least 50% from the field while never shooting less than 47.2% during that span. The personality of this team suggests they will continue to build off this success. USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games after shooting at least 47% from the field in four straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 games after making at least 47% of their shots in five straight games. And while the Trojans nailed 11 of their 18 shots from 3-point land against the Jayhawks, they have then covered the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after shooting at least 50% from 3-point range in their last game. Oregon probably pulled off the best win of their season by upsetting the Hawkeyes last week. We had the Ducks in that game after benefitting from getting a bye from not playing a VCU team that has to cancel because of COVID protocols. Those turn of events not only kept the Oregon players rested but it allowed for the coaching staff to get a jump on preparing for Iowa rather than decompressing from a Saturday night game. Oregon versus VCU was my favorite situation from the Round of 64 — so I feel robbed that we didn’t get the chance to profit from it. And that sentiment should demonstrate that I like this Ducks team — just not in this spot. Oregon has won twelve of their last fourteen games — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after winning at least twelve of their last fifteen games. The Ducks have also failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least 90 points in their last game. Oregon is not a great defensive team. They rank 60th in the nation in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency when playing at home — and they plummet to 103rd nationally in defense when playing on the road. Head coach Dana Altman deploys several zone defenses that can be tricky to adjust to for those opponents unfamiliar with them — but that will not be the case against this USC team. Half-court defense is a particulate concern — they have an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 53.1% which is 238th in the nation. Oregon is also reliant on 3-point shooting — they are 14th in the nation by converting 38.2% of their 3-pointers. The Ducks may become reliant on their 3s against the stout Trojans’ interior defense. But while Oregon averages 22 shots from distance per game, USC has covered the point spread in 12 of their last 15 games against teams who average at least 21 shots from 3-point range per game. The Ducks outscore their opponents by +7.3 PPG as well — but the Trojans have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after 15 games into the season against teams who outscore their opponents by at least +4.0 PPG.

FINAL TAKE: USC has covered the point spread in 18 of their last 26 games on a neutral court — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games when favored on a neutral court. The Trojans have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 games when favored — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games in the NCAA Tournament. 25* CBB Pac-12 Game of the Year with the USC Trojans (644) minus the point(s) versus the Oregon Ducks (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.