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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 04/28/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Apr 28, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the UEFA Champions League.The NBA has ten games on the docket. The card begins with two games at 7 PM ET. Philadelphia plays at home against Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 220 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Cleveland is at home against Orlando as a 2-point favorite at DraftKings. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Washington in the first game of an ESPN doubleheader at 7:30 PM ET. The Lakers ended a three-game losing streak with a 114-103 victory at Orlando as an 11.5-point favorite on Monday. The Wizards had their eight-game winning streak end with a 146-143 loss to San Antonio as a 2-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 223.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10 PM ET. Utah visits Sacramento as a 9-point road favorite at DraftKings. Phoenix plays at home against the Los Angeles Clippers in the nightcap game on ESPN. The Suns ended a two-game losing streak with a 118-110 victory at New York as a 3-point favorite on Monday. The Clippers had their four-game winning streak end with a 120-103 upset loss at New Orleans as a 2-point road favorite on Monday. Phoenix is a 3.5-point favorite at DraftKings.Seven games are on the NHL schedule. Ottawa hosts Vancouver at 5:30 PM ET as a -106 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. Minnesota plays at home against St. Louis in the opening game of a doubleheader on NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Wild have won seven in a row after their 6-3 victory at San Jose on Saturday. The Blues have won two in a row with their 4-1 victory against Colorado on Monday. Minnesota is a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vegas is at home against Colorado in the second game on the NBC Sports Network at 9:38 PM ET. The Golden Knights have won nine in a row with their 5-1 victory at Anaheim on Saturday. The Avalanche have lost two in a row after a 4-1 loss at St. Louis on Monday. Vegas is a -135 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. The NHL card concludes at 10:30 PM ET with San Jose hosting Arizona. The Sharks are a -105 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. The three-day games begin at 1:10 PM ET, with Minnesota visiting Cleveland as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta hosts the Chicago Cubs on FS1 at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves have won the first two games of this series after their 5-0 victory on Tuesday. The Cubs have lost four in a row. Chicago sends out Kyle Hendricks to face Huascar Ynoa. Atlanta is a -122 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The MLB card has two games at 9:40 PM ET to close out its schedule. San Diego plays at Arizona as a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 9. San Francisco is at home against Colorado as a -133 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. The semifinals of the UEFA Champions League continue with the first leg match between Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain on the CBS Sports Network at 3 PM ET. Man City is a -0.25 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.75.

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2021 Kentucky Derby Preview, Part 1: The Contenders

by Al McMordie

Wednesday, Apr 28, 2021

Over the next four days, we'll be previewing the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby.  Today, we will take a look at the top contenders.  Later this week, we'll focus on the value plays (Thursday), over-bet pretenders (Friday) and the bombs to use in exotic wagers (Saturday).In many ways the 2021 Kentucky Derby could be subtitled "back to normal".  After going way off course in 2020, the Derby will look like the Derby again this coming weekend.  It will be run on the first Saturday in May; it will likely top the headlines for the weekend; and there will be real fans in the stands.  But one thing will yet again be different.  For the first time in a long time, Bob Baffert will not have a strong favorite in the race (and he will only have one horse entered as well).  In fact, the California-based trainer's Medina Spirit will likely be no better than the fourth-favorite when the gates open at about 6:55 pm ET this Saturday.    So does this mean that the 2021 version is a wide open Derby that could yield a winner such as Mine that Bird or Giacomo?  Not likely, but you could still get a decent price (as was the case last year when Baffert's Authentic won at odds of 8-1).  So who are the most likely winners?  Where will the value lie?  Who will be over-bet?  And what longshots are the ones to include in your exotics (exactas, trifectas, etc).  We now present Part 1 of our preview of the 2021 Run for the Roses:    Top Contenders:    Essential Quality (trainer Brad Cox, jockey Luis Saez)    You would have to look long and hard to find anything wrong that the undefeated son of Tapit has done in getting this far.  And even then you would come up empty.  Simply put, Essential Quality has been like Nolan Ryan in any of his seven no-hitters.  So why bet against him?  Well for starters, we had an almost identical case last year when Tiz The Law not only ran perfect in the spring, but also in the summer leading up to the belated October Derby.  And he could do no better than second.  So go ahead and put your eggs in this basket and nobody will blame you.  Just not all of your eggs.    Rock Your World (John Sadler, Joel Rosario)      Baffert may not have one of the top horses, but that doesn't mean that California isn't well-represented.  This son of Candy Ride won the Santa Anita Derby in impressive fashion and if there isn't much pace in the Derby (and there doesn't appear to be), then Rock Your World may just play a game of 'catch me if you can.'  Rosario picks up the mount from California turf specialist Umberto Rispoli (Rispoli has since picked up the mount on Brooklyn Strong, who just drew into the race on Monday) and that certainly makes Sadler's 3YO an even more attractive choice.  From a speed figure perspective, Rock Your World's Santa Anita Derby is right there with Essential Quality's best races, but he figures to go off at significantly longer odds (6-1 vs. 3-1).    Known Agenda (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz)    Like Baffert, it's rare for Pletcher not to have at least one horse who is in the top three or four favorites in the Derby.  He doesn't win as often as Baffert, but his top horses have to be taken seriously.  And this son of Classic winner Curlin is a serious contender based on his last two efforts.  There isn't a better jockey in the country right now than Ortiz, who comes to Churchill Downs off successful meets at Keeneland and Aqueduct.  And before those two, he set the single-season Championship Meet win record at Gulfstream Park over the Winter.  Part of that Meet record for Ortiz was a dominant win aboard Known Agenda in the March 27 Florida Derby.  Can Known Agenda win outside of Florida?  And can he win from the dreaded #1 post position?  Those questions will be answered on Saturday.  And you're likely to get a nice price (maybe 10-1) to find out.Our 2021 Kentucky Derby Preview, Part 2:  The Value Plays will be published tomorrow, on Thursday.

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UEFA Champions League: Chelsea vs. Real Madrid Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/27/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Apr 27, 2021

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Preview: Chelsea at Real Madrid.The first leg of the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League begins on Tuesday, with Real Madrid hosting Chelsea at their Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on the CBS Sports Network at 3 PM ET.Real Madrid advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League with their 3-1 aggregate score victory against Liverpool in the quarterfinals. Vinicius Junior scored twice, and Marco Asensio added a goal in their 3-1 win in the first leg at home on April 6th. A scoreless draw in the second match at Anfield Stadium in the second leg on April 14th secured their advancement. Los Blancos come off a 0-0 draw at home to Real Betis in their most recent match on Saturday. That result was their third draw in their last four games across all competitions. Manager Zinedine Zidane’s team is tied with Barcelona for second place in La Liga, four points behind Atletico Madrid, currently at the top of the table. Barca has a game in hand. Zinedine will have Eden Hazard available for this match after he came on a substitute on Saturday. The former Chelsea forward has missed most of the season with an assortment of knocks. Center back Raphael Varone is also back after returning from COVID quarantine. Real Madrid will be missing several players. Center back Sergio Ramos remains out with a calf injury, and left-back Ferland Mendy is dealing with a calf injury of his own. Midfielders Lucas Vazquez and Fede Valverde are also doubts after recent knocks. Chelsea reached the semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate victory against FC Porto in the quarterfinals. The Blues won the first leg, 2-0, at Stamford Bridge on April 7th. Mason Mount scored the opening goal in the 32nd minute before Ben Chilwell added the second goal at the 85-minute mark. Chelsea lost the second leg at Porto, 1-0, on April 13th, but the Dragons' late goal was not enough to sudden death. The Blues come off a 1-0 victory at West Ham United on Saturday. Timo Werner scored the lone goal after 43 minutes in the first half. The win broke a deadlock with the Hammers for fourth place in the English Premier League. Chelsea is a distant 19 points behind Manchester City for first place at the EPL table. They trail Leicester City by three points for third place. Since Thomas Tuchel took over the managerial duties from Frank Lampard in late January, the Blues have only lost twice in 21 matches. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund skipper deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation that improved the defensive structure of this team. Sixteen of the games under Tuchel have been clean sheets. They advanced to the championship game of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory against Manchester City on April 17th.Chelsea will be without midfielder Maceo Kovacic who is dealing with a thigh injury. BookMaker lists Real Madrid as a -0.25 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.Computer prediction:  Real Madrid 1 Chelsea 0

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB, UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 04/27/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Apr 27, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the UEFA Champions League.The NBA has six games on the docket. The card begins with three games at 7 PM ET. Milwaukee travels to Charlotte as a 9-point road favorite with the total set at 220.5 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Boston plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 219.5. Portland visits Indiana as a 4-point road favorite at DraftKings. Brooklyn is at Toronto at 7:30 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Minnesota plays at Houston at 9 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite at DraftKings.Dallas visits Golden State on TNT at 9:30 PM ET. The Mavericks had their three-game winning streak end in a 113-106 upset loss at Sacramento as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. The Warriors have won three of their last four games with their 117-113 victory against Sacramento as an 8-point favorite on Sunday. Dallas is a 1-point road favorite at DraftKings. Eight games are on the NHL schedule. Five games begin the card at 7 PM ET. Boston plays at Pittsburgh as a -115 money line road favorite with the total at 5.5. The New York Rangers play at home against Buffalo as a -280 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Columbus is at home against Detroit as a -128 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Philadelphia travels to New Jersey as a -134 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.Washington hosts the New York Islanders on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Capitals have won six of their last eight games after their 6-3 victory at New York against the Islanders on Saturday. New York has lost four of six games. Washington is a -113 money line favorite with the total at 5.5.Florida travels to Nashville at 8 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Tampa Bay plays at Chicago as a -188 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Carolina visits Dallas at 8:30 PM ET as a -129 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. The card begins at 6:10 PM ET with Minnesota playing at Cleveland as a -109 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Kansas City is at Pittsburgh at 6:35 PM ET as a -108 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees travel to Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -171 money line road favorite with the total at 9.5. Washington visits Toronto at 7:07 PM ET as a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Oakland plays at Tampa Bay at 7:10 PM ET. The New York Mets host Boston on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. The Mets have won two of their last three games after their 4-0 victory against Washington on Sunday. The Red Sox have won two of three after their 5-3 win against Seattle on Sunday. Boston sends out Garrett Richards to face David Peterson. New York is a -136 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta is at home against the Chicago Cubs at 7:20 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Miami at 7:40 PM ET as a -152 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Philadelphia visits St. Louis at 7:45 PM ET as a -108 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.The Los Angeles Angels play at Texas at 8:05 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox hosts Detroit at 8:10 PM ET as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 8. Houston plays at home against Seattle as a -177 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.San Diego visits Arizona at 9:40 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 9. San Francisco is at home against Colorado as a -162 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against Cincinnati at 10:10 PM ET as a -225 money line favorite with a total of 7.5.The semifinals of the UEFA Champions League begin on Tuesday with Real Madrid hosting Chelsea in the first leg of their two matches on the CBS Sports Network at 3 PM ET. Los Blancos are a -0.75 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.25. 

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UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Preview

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Apr 26, 2021

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final round takes place this week with Chelsea traveling to Spain to face Real Madrid on Tuesday while Paris-St. Germain hosts Manchester City on Wednesday.The lead-up to the matches has been overshadowed of course by the proposed creation and immediate collapse of the European Super League. Nevertheless, we have two fantastic matchups in the offing. Here's a quick look at both (odds courtesy BetOnline).Tuesday, April 27thReal Madrid (-0.25 -109) vs. Chelsea (+0.25 -111)Los Blancos have been playing phenomenal defensive football, contributing to an incredible 17-match unbeaten streak going all the way back to a January 30th setback against Levante. Most impressive is the fact that no opponent has managed to score more than a single goal against Real Madrid over the course of that 17-game stretch.Off a disappointing 0-0 showing against Real Betis on Saturday, Real Madrid will be eager to push forward and shake out of its own scoring slump here, noting that it has failed to register a goal in three of its last four matches overall. Chelsea won't be easy to break down, noting that it has posted three consecutive clean sheets since an ugly 1-0 loss in the second leg of its Champions League quarter-final matchup with Porto. Note that Real Madrid has an excellent track record when reaching this stage of the Champions League, having gone on to win the title each of the last three times it has made it to the semi-final round. You have to wonder if the majority of the Blues focus is on the English Premier League, where they currently sit fourth in the table with a three point cushion over fifth-place West Ham. Chelsea does check in undefeated in its last 10 away fixtures. This marks its first appearance in the Champions League semi-final round since 2014 when it bowed out against Atletico Madrid. Wednesday, April 28thParis-St. Germain (+0.25 -104) vs. Manchester City (-0.25 -116)Parc des Princes will be the venue for the first leg of this intriguing semi-final showdown between PSG and Manchester City. Both clubs are looking for their first ever Champions League title.PSG will be hard-pressed to accomplish that feat if they don't have the services of international superstar Kylian Mbappe after he was forced to leave Saturday's 3-1 victory over Metz with a thigh injury. Mbappe scored twice in the victory and his status remains up in the air for Wednesday's contest. Mbappe's status notwithstanding, PSG has been rolling offensively in recent weeks, scoring at least three goals in seven of its last night matches overall. Home field advantage has meant very little as it has managed just three victories in its last eight contests here at Parc des Princes.Manchester City reached the semi-final stage thanks to consecutive thrilling 2-1 victories over a game Borussia Dortmund squad with Phil Foden securing those wins with a pair of late markers. This marks the first time Man City has reached the Champions League semis since 2016 when it lost to eventual champions Real Madrid. How fitting would it be for it to draw a rematch with Los Blancos in the final of this year's tournament? City checks in having won nine of its 10 Champions League matches to date, with its lone setback coming in the second leg of its quarter-final matchup against Porto. In those 10 previous matches, it has allowed a grand total of just three goals, which outlines the importance of PSG having super-scorer Mbappe for this match.

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NHL Hockey: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Dallas Stars Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 26, 2021

NHL Monday NBC Sports Network Preview: Carolina versus Dallas.The Carolina Hurricanes play the opening game of a two-game series in Dallas against the Stars at 7:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network.Carolina had their two-game winning streak end in a 4-3 loss in overtime at Florida on Saturday. Aleksander Barkov scored 24 seconds into the overtime period to give the Panthers the victory. Dougie Hamilton scored twice for the Hurricanes, and Andrei Svechnikov added a goal and an assist in a losing effort. Alex Nedeljkovic made 33 saves.The Hurricanes are in first place in the Central Division with 68 points. They are a point ahead of Florida and two points ahead of Tampa Bay. They have played two fewer games than the Panthers and one less game than the Lightning. General manager Don Waddell was not very active at the trade deadline. His only move was to add defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, a 29-year-old with 47 games of experience.Right wing Sebastian Aho leads the team with 45 points from 20 goals and 25 assists. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton has added eight goals and 31 assists. Center Vincent Trochek is third on the team with 39 points from 17 goals and 22 assists.Head coach Rod Brind’Amour has named James Reimer as his goaltender tonight. Reimer has a 14-5-1 record, with a 2.68 goals-against-average and a .907 save percentage. Dallas has won five of their last six games with a 2-1 win in overtime at Detroit on Saturday. Jamie Benn scored the game-winning 32 seconds into overtime. Mark Pysyk tied the game with his goal early in the third period. The team had 52 shots in the game, and goalie Anton Khudobin made 16 saves.The Stars are in fifth place in the Central Division, two points behind Nashville for the fourth and final playoff spot. They are three points ahead of Chicago in sixth place. Dallas returned the core of their group that lost to Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup finals in six games. After having their first four games canceled because of COVID, the Stars have been behind the eight-ball all season. They still have two games in hand to potentially catch the Predators. Management did not make a move at the trade deadline, but they did add defenseman Sami Vatanen off waivers. Center Tyler Seguin has not played this season with a hip injury, but he expects to be back if Dallas makes the postseason. Right wing Alexander Radulov and goaltender Ben Bishop are out the year with injuries. Center Joe Pavelski leads the team with 43 points coming from 20 goals and 23 assists. Left win Roope Hintz has added 14 goals and 24 assists. Left wing Jason Robertson is third on the team with 37 points from 14 goals and 23 assists. Head coach Rick Bowness has tapped Jake Oettinger as his goalie tonight. Oettinger has a 9-6-6 record with a 2.23 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage. Carolina has won five of the six meetings between these two teams after defeating Dallas at home, 1-0, on April 4th. BookMaker lists the Hurricanes as a -127 money line road favorite with the total set at 5.5.Computer prediction:  Carolina Hurricanes 4 Dallas Stars 2

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 26, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the English Premier League.The NBA has 11 games on the docket. The card begins with four games at 7 PM ET. The Los Angeles Lakers play at Orlando as a 10-point road favorite at DraftKings. San Antonio visits Washington as a 1-point road favorite at DraftKings. Atlanta travels to Detroit as a 6.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Philadelphia hosts Oklahoma City as a 10.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Phoenix is at New York at 7:30 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with the total set at 215.5 (all odds from BetOnline unless otherwise indicated). Toronto plays at home against Cleveland as a 10.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Miami is at home against Chicago as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 206. Utah visits Minnesota as a 10-point road favorite with the total at 230. The Los Angeles Clippers travels to New Orleans as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227.5. Denver hosts Memphis at 9 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Dallas plays at Sacramento as a 5.5-point road favorite at DraftKings.Eight games are on the NHL schedule. Calgary is at home against Montreal as a -121 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. Vancouver travels to Ottawa as a -122 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Colorado visits St. Louis as a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Carolina plays at Dallas on the NBC Sports Network at 7:38 PM ET. The Hurricanes had their two-game winning streak end with a 4-3 loss to Florida on Saturday. The Stars won their fifth game in their last six with a 2-1 victory at Detroit. Carolina is a -122 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Florida travels to Nashville at 8 PM ET as a -119 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Winnipeg plays at home against Edmonton as a -108 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Los Angeles Kings host Anaheim as a -154 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. San Jose is at home against Arizona as a -106 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Eleven games are on the MLB slate. Kansas City visits Detroit at 1:10 PM ET as a -107 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Minnesota plays at Cleveland at 6:10 PM ET as a -123 money line road favored with an over/under of 7. The New York Yankees travel to Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -163 money line road favorite with the total of 9. Oakland is at Tampa Bay at 7:10 PM ET as a -116 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Atlanta hosts the Chicago Cubs on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. The Braves got swept in a Sunday doubleheader against Arizona in 5-0 then 7-0 setbacks to Arizona. They were no-hit in the seven-inning nightcap by Madison Bumgarner. The Cubs have lost two games in a row after their 6-0 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday. Chicago sends out Kyle Davies against Charlie Morton. Atlanta is a -175 money line favorite with the total at 8.5. Milwaukee is at home against Miami at 7:40 PM ET as a -172 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Philadelphia visits St. Louis at 7:45 PM ET as a -107 money line road favorite. The Los Angeles Angels plays at Texas at 8:05 PM ET. Seattle visits Houston at 8:10 PM  ET. San Francisco hosts Colorado at 9:45 PM ET as a -164 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play Cincinnati at 10:10 PM ET as a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.Matchweek 33 of the English Premier League concludes with Leicester City playing at home against Crystal Palace on Peacock at 3 PM ET. The Foxes are a -1.25 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.5.

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Who is the NBA Coach of the Year for 2020-21?

by Oskeim Sports

Sunday, Apr 25, 2021

With the NBA regular season beginning to reach its final sprint, teams are looking to solidify positions. Those who are guaranteed a top-four spot in their conference might start to experiment a little. Others might look to push forward with one final run at the season to see if they can land a higher seeding.  However, the NBA Coach of the Year awards will be coming out soon – who are the current favorites with the betting markets to come out the other side with a victorious experience?  Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz (-133) The Jazz have been the major surprise of the season and look pretty set to land the top spot in the West. Given the talent in Los Angeles and Denver, pre-season odds had the Jazz wrestling for a position at the top four to five seeds. At the moment, though, some see them as a lock to go all the way to the NBA Finals. A huge part of that stems from the work of Snyder and co. – he would be a widely deserved winner.  Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns (-105) The Suns came into the season hoping rather than expecting progress. With the current team never having played playoff basketball, the hope was the arrival of legendary veteran Chris Paul might push Devin Booker and co. to the playoffs.  Now, they are more or less guaranteed a play-off spot and should actually have some hope of hitting the top spot or at least solidifying on second. Williams is finally seeing the rewards for a career of hard work and progression.  Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks (+1100) For some, Tom is the definite COTY. When you look at the work he has done at New York, turning a joke franchise into a genuine play-off contender – even home advantage spots are still possible. This has been an incredible body of work, turning the team into a defensive juggernaut whilst ensuring he gets the best out of stars like Julius Randle.  An interesting candidate for COTY for sure.  Doc Rivers, Philadelphia 76ers (+1100)  While turning a team with talent like Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid around might not sound like a major achievement, others would beg to differ. The body of work carried out by Doc Rivers in Philly has been incredible. His pair-up with Daryl Morey could be a long-term thing and has Philly looking as likely as the Brooklyn Nets to finish top of the Eastern Conference.  Steve Nash, Brooklyn Nets (+1400)  As a rookie coach, Nash has had to use his diplomatic streak to help mold a dressing room full of star talent. With five or six of the best players in the entire East, including the best ‘big three’ in modern NBA history, Nash deserves credit for building consistency from a team of high-ego stars. Given Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant have barely shared the court together, too, Nash has had to navigate an injury-hit campaign without his clutch trio; that alone deserves some respect. 

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NHL Hockey: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 25, 2021

NHL Sunday NBC Preview: Boston versus St. Pittsburgh.The Boston Bruins plays the opening game of a two-game series in Pittsburgh against the Penguins at 3 PM ET on NBC.Boston had their six-game winning streak end in their 6-4 loss at Buffalo on Friday. Steve Kampfer scored the opening goal at the 2:15 mark of the first period. The Bruins then allowed five unanswered goals until Nick Ritchie scored just over 12 minutes into the third period. Kevan Miller and Taylor Hall scored to give Boston three goals in a 5:06 minute span, but that is as close as they would get. Sabres’ rookie goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 36 shots in earning his first victory in his NHL career. Goalie Tuukka Rask was pulled 1:14 minutes into the third period after surrendering the fourth goal. Jaroslav Halak replaced him and made four saves in his first appearance since April 5th when he entered the NHL COVID protocol. Head coach Bruce Cassidy later commented that his team was flat due to the side effects of receiving the COVID vaccine on Tuesday. Center Patrice Bergeron was a late scratch on Friday with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.The Bruins are in fourth place in the East Division, six points ahead of the New York Rangers for the final playoff spot. They are three points behind the New York Islanders for third place. With 46 games played, they have played two fewer games than both the Rangers and Islanders.General manager Don Sweeney was active at the trade deadline. The organization acquired left wing Taylor Hall, center Curtis Lazar, and defenseman Mike Reilly without dealing away a first-round draft pick. The trade with the Buffalo to add the underachieving Hall has already paid dividends as the former number one pick in the 2010 draft scoring two goals and adding an assist in his four games as a Bruin playing on their second line anchored by David Krejci. Lazar will play on the checking line, and Reilly adds depth on the blue line.Center Brad Marchand leads the team with 57 points coming from 25 goals and 32 assists. Bergeron has 18 goals and 22 assists. Right wind David Pastrnak is third on the team with 41 points from 18 goals and 23 assists. Cassidy may turn back to Jeremy Swayman as his goaltender this afternoon. The rookie has a 5-1-0 record in six games, with a 1.65 goals-against-average and a .943 save percentage. Pittsburgh won their third game in a row in a 4-2 victory against New Jersey yesterday. Jeff Carter opened the scoring at the 9:41 mark of the first period. Jared McCann added a power-play goal three minutes later. Bryan Rust gave his team a three-goal lead 7 1/2 minutes into the second period. The Devils pulled within one goal in the third period before Sidney Crosby scored an empty netter with just one second left in the game. Casey DeSmith made 34 saves in the victory. The Penguins have won seven of nine games to pull into second place in the East Division with 65 points. They are one point behind Washington for first place and two points ahead of the Islanders in third place. All three teams have played 48 games.Pittsburgh’s improved play has coincided with a shakeup in upper management. Long-time general manager Jim Rutherford resigned in early February. Former Philadelphia Flyers’ GM Ron Hextall got hired as his replacement on February 9th, with veteran general manager Brian Burke (who oversaw Anaheim’s Stanley Cup title in 2007) was brought in as the new President of Hockey Operations. The Penguins have won 26 of their 37 games since the wake-up call.Hextall and Burke acquired forward Jeff Carter at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Kings. The 36-year-old with two Stanley Cup championships can play all three forward positions. He offers depth at center, where the Penguins have been hit hard with injuries.Sidney Crosby leads the team with 55 points from 20 goals and 35 assists. Left wing Jake Guentzel has 20 goals and 31 assists. Defenseman Kris Letang is third on the team with 39 points from seven goals and 32 assists.Tristan Jarry will likely be the goaltender this afternoon after DeSmith played yesterday. Jarry has a 20-8-3 record this season, with a 2.79 goals-against-average and a .913 save percentage. Boston has won four of the six meetings between these two teams after defeating the Penguins at home on April 3rd, 7-5. BetAnySports lists Pittsburgh as a -122 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5.Computer prediction:  Boston Bruins 3 Pittsburgh Penguins 2

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 25, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the English Premier League.The NBA has seven games on the docket. The schedule begins at 1 PM ET with the opening game of an ESPN doubleheader with Boston playing at Charlotte. The Celtics have lost two of their last three games after their 109-104 loss at Brooklyn as a 3.5-point favorite on Friday. The Hornets ended a two-game losing streak with their 108-102 win against Cleveland as a 1-point favorite on Friday. Boston is a 7.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Brooklyn hosts Phoenix in the second game on ESPN at 3:30 PM ET. The Nets have won two of three with their 109-104 win against the Celtics on Friday. The Suns come off an upset loss at Boston as a 1-point favorite on Thursday. Brooklyn is a 2.5-point favorite at DraftKings.The NBA card concludes at 10 PM ET with Golden State playing at home against Sacramento as a 10.5-point favorite with the total set at 228.5 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Four games are on the NHL schedule. The card begins at 3 PM ET with Pittsburgh at home against Boston on NBC. The Penguins won their third straight game on Saturday with their 4-2 victory against New Jersey. The Bruins had their six-game winning streak end on Friday in a 6-4 loss at Buffalo. Pittsburgh is a -105 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Tampa Bay hosts Columbus on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Lightning has won two of their last three games with their 3-1 win against the Bluejackets on Wednesday. Columbus has lost eight straight games. Tampa Bay is a -295 money line favorite with the total at 5.5.Sixteen games are on the MLB slate. The schedule begins with Oakland playing at Baltimore at 1:05 PM ET. Five games start at 1:10 PM ET. The New York Mets host Washington as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Boston plays at home against Seattle as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees are a -124 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Kansas City plays at Detroit as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Toronto visits Tampa Bay. At 1:20 PM ET, Arizona visits Atlanta in the first game of their afternoon doubleheader.The Chicago White Sox host Texas at 2:10 PM ET as a -225 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Angels visit Houston. Pittsburgh plays at Minnesota. St. Louis is at home against Cincinnati at 2:15 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with the total at 7. Milwaukee plays at Chicago against the Cubs as a -135 money line road favorite. Colorado hosts Philadelphia at 3:10 PM ET as a -118 money line favorite with an over/under of 11. Miami plays at San Francisco at 4:05 PM ET. Arizona plays at Atlanta in the second game of their doubleheader at 4:10 PM ET.  The card concludes at 7 PM ET with San Diego playing in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on ESPN. Los Angeles snapped their two-game losing streak on Saturday with their 5-4 win against the Padres in the second game of this series. San Diego has lost four of six games. Matchweek 33 of the English Premier League continues with three matches. Wolverhampton hosts Burnley on the NBC Sports Network at 7 AM ET with the Wolves a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Manchester United plays at Leeds United as a -0.75 goal line road favorite with the total set at 3. Aston Villa is at home against West Bromwich Albion on Peacock at 2 PM ET,  with the Villans a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/24/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Apr 24, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the English Premier League.The NBA has eight games on the docket. The schedule begins at 1 PM ET in the first game of an ESPN doubleheader with New York hosting Toronto. The Knicks won their eighth straight game with their 137-127 upset win against Atlanta as a 2-point underdog on Wednesday. The Raptors won their fourth straight game with their 114-103 win against Brooklyn as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. New York is a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 216.5 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise).The second half of the ESPN doubleheader has Milwaukee playing at home against Philadelphia at 3:30 PM ET. The Bucks have won four of their last six after their 124-117 win against the 76ers as a 6.5-point favorite on Thursday. Philadelphia has lost three in a row. Milwaukee is a 7.5-point favorite at DraftKings.Dallas is at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC at 8:30 PM ET. The Mavericks won their second straight game with their 115-110 victory against the Lakers as a 3.5-point favorite. Los Angeles has lost two straight and four of their last six. Dallas is a 2-point favorite at DraftKings. The NBA card concludes at 10 PM ET with Denver playing at home against Houston as a 13.5-point favorite at DraftKings.Eleven games are on the NHL schedule. The card begins at 12:30 PM ET, with Pittsburgh hosting New Jersey as a -268 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.Colorado plays at St. Louis on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET. The Avalanche won their fifth straight game with their 4-2 victory on the road against the Blues on Thursday. St. Louis has lost three games in a row. Colorado is a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The NHL schedule concludes at 10 PM ET with two games. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against Arizona as a -104 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vancouver hosts Ottawa as a -132 money line favored with the total at 6. Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. Two contests begin the schedule at 1:10 PM ET. Boston plays at home against Seattle as a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Kansas City travels to Detroit as a -114 money line road favorite with the total at 7.5. A doubleheader on FS1 begins at 4:05 PM ET with the New York Mets at home against Washington. The Mets ended a three-game losing streak with their 6-0 victory in the opening game of this series. The Nationals have lost three of their last five games. New York is a -192 money line favorite with the over/under at 8.5. The Chicago White Sox host Texas in the second game on FS1 at 7:10 PM ET. The White Sox won their fourth game in their last five with their 9-7 victory in the opener of this series on Friday. The Rangers have dropped three of five games. Chicago is a -165 money line favorite with a total of 8 at BookMaker.The MLB card concludes at 9:10 PM ET with the Los Angeles Dodgers playing at home against San Diego as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.Matchweek 33 of the English Premier League continues with three matches. Liverpool hosts Newcastle United on the Peacock app at 7:30 AM ET as a -1.75 money line favorite with the total at 3. Chelsea travels to West Ham United on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.75 money line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion visit Sheffield United on the Peacock app at 3 PM ET as a -0.75 money line road favorite with the total at 2.25.

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English Premier League: Everton vs. Arsenal Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/23/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Apr 23, 2021

Friday EPL NBC Sports Network Preview: Everton versus Arsenal.Everton visits Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET in a battle of two teams fighting to qualify for European competitions next season. Arsenal is unbeaten in four straight matches and ten of their last twelve games across all competitions. They last played on April 18th, where they settled for a 1-1 draw at home against Fulham. The Gunners fell behind at the 59th-minute mark from a Cottagers penalty kick. Eddie Nketiah salvaged a point for his team by scoring in the seventh minute of extra time just before the final whistle. That result was the team’s third draw in their last six matches. The Gunners begin Matchweek 33 in ninth place in the English Premier League with 46 points. They are nine points behind Chelsea and West Ham in their tie in fourth place with 55 points. The top-four positions in the EPL table likely qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. Only the top three teams qualify for the Champions League if Chelsea wins the Champions League title and Arsenal wins the Europa League titles, yet both teams finish outside the top-four in the EPL. Winning those titles earns an automatic qualifier for next year’s Championship League, and the Champions League can only accept a maximum of five teams from the English Premier League. Seven teams qualify for European competition with the advent of the new Europa Conference League. Arsenal is four points behind Tottenham for seventh place in the EPL.Manager Mikel Arteta may have his ambitions focused on winning the Europa League. The Gunners’ first leg showdown at Villarreal in the Europa League semifinals is next Thursday. Arsenal is dealing with some impactful injuries. Forward Alexandre Lacazette is out with a hamstring injury. Fellow forward Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang is recovering from a bout of Malaria he contracted during the international break with the Gabon national team. The duo has combined to score 22 goals in league play this season. Arteta is likely to go young with his starting XI, with Gabriel Martinelli joining Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, and Bukayo Saka up top. Everton is winless in their last six completions after a 2-2 draw at home against Tottenham last Friday. Gylfi Sigurdsson's brace matched the two goals from the Spurs’ Harry Kane to earn the third straight draw for his team. The Meyerside Giants' focus is the English Premier League after being eliminated in the FA Cup quarterfinals to Manchester City by a 2-0 score on March 20th. Everton is in eighth place in the EPL table, six points behind Chelsea and West Ham for fourth place. The Toffees do have one game in hand with a makeup match with Aston Villa still needing to fit into the remaining schedule. Everton started the season fast under manager Carlo Ancelotti. They took 13 of a possible 15 points in their first five matches. Injuries ravaged the team to expose the lack of depth on the roster, and these problems continue to persist. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has missed the last two league matches with a groin injury, but he expects to return to the pitch this afternoon. He leads the team with 14 goals in the English Premier League this season. The Toffees won the reverse fixture between these two teams with a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park on December 19th. BookMaker lists Arsenal as a -0.50 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.5.Computer prediction:  Arsenal 2 Everton 0

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