Matt's Picks (3 Live)
Matt's Past Picks
I'm a tad surprised this only dropped from Thunder -6.5 to -4.5 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ruled out. Yeah, the Rockets have been pretty bad overall on the road this season but also enter having won nine in a row overall and four of those away. They need every single W as they chase a play-in spot. It's the second of a B2B for OKC, which had to play to the buzzer Tuesday to beat New Orleans and then travel.
Obviously Boston can beat anyone at anytime, but the B's played a very physical, back-and-forth game at Florida on Tuesday and while it's not impossible to sweep the Miami/Tampa Swing, it's pretty darn tough. The Lightning played without two of their best players Sunday in Brayden Point and Victor Hedman to conclude a trip but both are good to go here. Nikita Kucherov (2G, 3A) leads all Tampa Bay skaters in points vs. Boston this season. The Bolts are 6-1 in their past seven.
Orlando certainly has the rest advantage having been off since Saturday, while it's the third road game in four nights for the Warriors -- although I doubt Steve Kerr rests anyone because the Dubs really can't afford to give away a game. The Magic have won 10 of 13 and they are duly motivated to avoid the play-in tournament. They have won five straight at home in the series.
If the Sabres have any hopes of earning an East wild card spot, they simply can't lose here -- and it's not a great shot as it is. But this opens a five-game homestand and win all those, and maybe it's possible. Buffalo's Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson are each riding five-game point streaks, totaling seven points each in that span. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 6-3 this month with a 2.58 GAA that is a bit skewed by allowing eight on March 21 in Edmonton. Ottawa is 3-8 in its past 11 away.
It is backup Scott Wedgewood in net for Dallas, but he has been better than No. 1 Jake Oettinger for weeks, in all honesty, and is facing the co-worst offense in the league. Dallas has ruled out Tyler Seguin (49 points), which can only help Sharks netminder Mackenzie Blackwood.
Kinda thought Dallas might eventually list Luka Doncic as questionable today after he played 41 minutes on Monday in a win at Utah, so it's a tough road/road back-to-back for the Mavs. I still think he probably plays and that's why this ML didn't jump much but on the off chance he doesn't, we'll throw a sprinkle down. The Kings are in the second of a B2B as well but didn't have to travel and are 2-0 vs. the Mavs this year. They could earn a potentially huge tiebreaker with a win tonight.
I will hammer Under 6.5 goals if FanDuel gives it to us. Calgary has lost three straight to end any longer-shot wild card hopes. Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention a long time ago but has won three of its past four at home. Getting the Hawks +1.5 for basically the same price as Flames moneyline is a no-brainer in my opinion even if it doesn't prove to be the right play. No. 1 Petr Mrazek is in net for Chicago.
We are fading Vegas tonight in St. Louis (well, Blues puckline) and with No. 1 goaltender Adin Hill out injured, the Knights figure to have to use third stringer Jiri Patera in this one Tuesday. He's 1-3 with a 3.75 GAA. It also will be Vegas' third game in four nights. Nashville has won five straight and is rested.
I don't even like the NBA at this point -- being in south Florida, I was rather looking forward to watching this but now Jimmy Butler is out for the Heat (along with Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson). Patently absurd guys sitting out left and right when you know they could play. The Heat tend to have weird results regardless so a win would not shock me but have to take the Dubs against a starting Miami backcourt of likely Terry Rozier and Patty Mills. No Butler pushed this up 40 cents or so.
Philadelphia ranks last in the NHL on the power play at 13.2% and while the team has been decent overall on the penalty kill this season, over the past nine games it's only at 68% -- that would be last in the league. This is Philly's seventh consecutive game against one of the top six clubs in the Eastern Conference standings and it has two wins in the previous six. New York has won six in a row in the series and has taken 10 of its past 12 at home this year. Peter Laviolette is one win away from the 800th in his career, which would make him the seventh coach in NHL history to reach the mark.
Really getting turned off by the NBA of late. Have you seen the spreads on tonight's board? Absurd. It's just not interesting to me when it's one good team playing a tanking one. The Jazz are playing like garbage but are finally healthy other than the suspended Kris Dunn. But mostly feels like a potential trap spot for the Mavs to start a five-game road trip and with the next four all much tougher -- including Tuesday night in Sacramento. All three meetings between these teams this season have been blowout wins for the home team.
Huge game in the Western Conference wild card race and first road game in 11 days for Vegas, which probably is without top-six defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (32 points) again. The Knights are basically a .500 team away. St. Louis is 6-1 in its past seven games. Jordan Kyrou enters off back-to-back three-point performances.