Zack's Picks (2 Live)
Zack's Past Picks
A player that has blossomed for the Miami Heat in the play-in and postseason has been Davion Mitchell. He has put up performances of 16, 15, and 18, but this will be his first instance facing an opponent that can adjust. Expect the Cavaliers to do a better job with their perimeter defense on Mitchell. Additionally, Coach Spoelstra has been known for vastly changing his lineups when he is trailing in a series. Take Mitchell to cool off in the points department and go under his points prop.
A move that was questioned by some was the Timberwolves decision to trade KAT and bring in Julius Randle. It took some time to mesh but Randle has adapted to playing within the Timberwolves system. He had a quiet sixteen points in game one, and flourished from beyond the arc where he went four of six. Expect Randle to continue to knock down threes, but also work the paint more. Take Randle’s over in game two.
A price point that has come down is the Orioles road price today against the Washington Nationals. I believe that is the wrong move considering Orioles starter Dean Kremer settled in his last outing. Mitchell Parker of the Nationals has been outstanding to start the season, and pitched well against the Orioles last year. He gave up just two runs but the Nationals lost in extra innings. Expect a similar outcome with the Orioles outlasting the Nationals once Parker exits. Take Baltimore
The Detroit Tigers won have won six out of their past seven series, and took yesterday’s opener against the Padres. Early in the season San Diego has had road flaws where they are below .500 with a 4-6 record. Yet, the Padres had runners on base consistently yesterday against the Tigers. Jack Flaherty has yet to pitch six innings or more this season, leaving the door open for the Padres late. Take San Diego to bounce back from yesterday’s game one loss.
The LA Clippers had their moments in game one but could not generate enough offense after an explosive first quarter of 35 points. Defensively though they limited Denver to 44 percent shooting, in a game that saw Jamal Murray play a season high forty eight minutes. Look for Tyronn Lue to have the necessary adjustments for the Clippers to earn a split before heading back home for game three.
The Detroit Tigers will host a San Diego Padres team that is coming off a Sunday night win. Still, they are below .500 on the year on the road with a 4-5 record. Detroit on the other hand after an 0-3 start to the season has won five out of their last six series. Each opener of those six series they have won with an average run production of 7.3 runs. Take Detroit.
Toronto Blue Jays starter Easton Lucas is coming off a rough outing against the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta had three home runs off of Lucas, who also struggled with four total walks. This combined with the Mariners handling the Blue Jays ace in Jose Berrios Saturday, creates an over valued position in my opinion on Seattle. Take Toronto who wins the series over Seattle with two of three victories.
Early in the season the Milwaukee Brewers have been one of the more predictable teams in MLB. They’ve had three win streaks and two losing streaks, and were able to take advantage in game one yesterday against the Oakland As. It was the first time this season Oakland had played in a second straight road series. Expect for Oakland to be the first team to get after Brewers starter Chad Patrick. Take the As.
The Knicks have an extra aggressive spread today against Detroit. Their dominance over the Pistons spanned from 2019 until this December where they had won sixteen matchups in a row. Now that has flipped with Detroit winning the last three. Yet, the Knicks are a team I believe can flip that postseason on switch. The experience factor is one-sided over a Pistons team that I expect to be overwhelmed in game one. Take the Knicks
The Toronto Blue Jays Bowden Francis has been excellent on the season on minimizing runs. He has allowed three runs or less in each of his first three starts, and three of his four home runs allowed on the season have been solo shots. Expect the Blue Jays to keep his work load around five innings, to avoid the sixth inning troubles his has shown. Additionally, the Mariners are coming off an extra inning game yesterday against the Reds. Take Toronto.
Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen is off to a stellar start to the season. He has a .60 ERA, in which he has allowed just one run in fifteen innings of work. The problem for the Rays is the extended use of their bullpen when Rasmussen starts. This has led to consecutive starts of Tampa Bay blowing leads when Rasmussen exits. The Yankees showcased Thursday how potent they can be at George Steinbrenner Field. They’ll overcome any issues Carlos Rodon has on the mound. Take the Yankees.
The Seattle Mariners picked up their first road win of the season in yesterday’s victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Today, Emerson Hancock will get his second start of the season after a disaster outing on March 31st, in which he gave up six runs on seven hits. Expect Hancock to settle in today at least the first time through the order, and for the Mariners to be ready with early use of the bullpen. Take the Mariners to get their first road win streak of the season.
The Chicago Bulls were expected to fade from the possibility of a play-in when they traded away Zach Lavine. Instead their roster has sprung to the occasion and been a pleasant surprise. Miami is a team they defeated just last Wednsday by eight points, and also defeated them mid-March by five points. They’re also a team that has had consistent second half issues. Take the Bulls to defeat the Heat for the fourth time this season.