Matt's Picks (1 Live)
Will the tanking Mavericks try at all is the main question because they are rested and pretty healthy. The Clippers have lost four straight, and it's the end of a three-game trip with Kawhi Leonard in question. With really not a ton to play for locked into the Play-In Tournament, I'd certainly just rest Kawhi if not close to 100% until get back home, but that's me. Trade acquisition Bennedict Mathurin is out again. He has been quite good since coming from Indiana, averaging 18.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Our model has L.A. by three and it projects Kawhi as playing.
Another big game in the East playoff race between these Original Six rivals. Probably a coin flip/pass at a neutral site, but the Bruins are well under .500 away and No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman's 3.29 road GAA is nearly a goal higher than at home. The Wings get a few injured guys back but not quite Dylan Larkin yet, so will keep to a half-unit -- also to ensure finishing up in hockey thanks to Columbus' just-completed cover.
I lean toward a push like we got in Jets-Penguins earlier this afternoon but maybe we get lucky. Seattle is no slouch but outscored 9-3 in a two-game skid and .500 away. Columbus has the league's fewest regulation home losses and has won three straight overall. The Blue Jackets, a completely different team since a mid-January coaching change -- turnarounds seem to happen more with NHL midseason coaching changes than other leagues -- are fully healthy and won the first meeting in a shootout.
On a bit of a spring roll so will go one more day and then call it an exhibition season. The Guardians used eight pitchers last night in giving up 20 runs to Seattle and this is their Cactus League road finale ahead of their home finale in Arizona. So nearly every regular is out today while probably playing Sunday. About an Opening Day lineup for the Giants in their spring finale overall and the excellent Robbie Ray is on the mound. Next MLB play will be the Yanks-Giants RS opener on Wednesday night. Looking forward to the season.
Definitely disappointed with Chelsea's effort in a 3-0 second-leg Champions League loss to PSG on Tuesday, but that the Blues are in a quick turnaround and have lost three straight in all competitions with just two goals scored has me on Everton, which is only two spots lower in the Premier League table and off since last Saturday. Since 2018, Chelsea has a single win at Everton. Key center-back Trevoh Chalobah was hurt vs. PSG and among Blues players out today. They are especially thin on defense as they eye their first double vs. the Toffees since 2016-17. I'm eyeing a draw.
The Pens can't lose on Kris Letang bobblehead day! I wouldn't mind having one of the future Hall of Famer myself (rather have Sidney Crosby, who just returned from his long injury absence) even if not a fan of the team. It is Pittsburgh's first home game since March 8 and it has won 20 of the past 23 on home ice in this series. The Jets, in the front of a B2B, enter having lost two in a row to probably end any slim playoff hopes. The Pens are an East playoff team as things stand but it's very tight and a regulation loss could knock them out temporarily. Bryan Rust has a five-game points streak and Rickard Rakell seven in a row.
Seems a very fair price on Espanyol DNB considering it sits two points higher in the La Liga table than Getafe. I don't always bet teams sitting higher but on a Draw No Bet number like this it seems prudent. We are getting a discount because the hosts are struggling, but they won the reverse fixture 1-0 in mid-December. Getafe has been blanked in three of its past six overall. Starting defender Abdelkabir Abqar (great James Bond villain name) is suspended. Only bottom-of-table Real Oviedo has scored fewer goals than Getafe. Espanyol can score, it just can't defend much. Probably pushes.
Don't know much about history. Don't know much biology. Don't know much about a science book. Don't know much about Italy, either. But this feels quite cheap for DNB on Parma. Yes, I know it's still pretty high but shouldn't it be around -350ish? Again, standing in the table is not everything, but Parma is home and 10 points better than Cremonese. I guess my biggest concern is not really knowing if a "new manager bump" exists in Serie A. That's the case for the visitors with Marco Giampaolo having taken over this week. The side has 11 defeats in 15 games without a win.
I did not expect Houston to be swept in a two-game home series by the Lakers on Wednesday, I will admit that completely. And maybe I'm a bit opaque on the Rockets for some reason, but they should not lose again at home to the Hawks even if Atlanta has won a league-best 11 in a row. Front of a B2B for the Hawks and no Jonathan Kuminga, who has been a tremendous trade pickup and a guy I wished the Bulls acquired. Nah, they just got a bunch of 2035 second-round picks.
Fully planned to stop with MLB spring on Thursday winning for the third time in four to get about even -- really not sweating results yet -- but when I saw this lineup and price I kinda felt obligated. The Yanks have been the second-best team in Florida and generally rock people in Tampa. And now Aaron Judge is back from the WBC and starting tonight as are pretty much all regulars. The O's have four Grapefruit away wins in 13 tries and are only playing a few regulars.
Most of our books have 2.5 but similarly juiced Over. Man U is playing great but Bournemouth has the fourth-best defense at home in EPL action -- only Man City, Arsenal and Sunderland conceded fewer than the Cherries' 15 goals at Vitality Stadium. They have kept clean sheets in three of their last four league matches and allowed a total of two goals in the past five. They have drawn more games than anyone else in the league so far with 14 and 1-1 totally works today. I will say the clubs played a wild 4-4 reverse fixture Dec. 15, but I certainly don't expect 8 goals again. Our model has 2.9 goals scored. Bournemouth has scored one goal in its past four.
I don't generally follow the public or care what it is doing, but I just got the DK trends for today's NCAA Tournament early games and Akron is taking by far the most underdog money. I believe the Zips were the best team in the MAC and would have beaten Miami of Ohio in the conference title game had the RedHawks gotten there. TTU is just not the same without injured All-American JT Toppin. Tempted to play Akron ML as I almost did on Miami the other night. But that's my luck these days, had it written and talked myself out of it. Self: Shut up.
I don't want to play -1 even though it's pry the smart move. Feels like a one-goal LA win. Second of a B2B for the Flyers, which means No. 2 netminder Samuel Ersson and his 3.50 road GAA. The Kings definitely have the better goalie in Darcy Kuemper. And Philly is without top-six forward Sean Couturier (29 points).
I sound like a broken record regarding the books continually listing the Sharks as home dogs and us capitalizing. They are an NHL-best 23-9 ATS on home ice. They haven't been there since March 7. I'm fine with this number at +1.5 although if you wanted to save some $$ and play +1 that's probably fine but obviously might push. I'd be much more OK with +1 if Sabres top forward Alex Tuch (57 points, +17) sits. He missed Tuesday's win in Vegas with an injury.