Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/20/2024

Saturday, Jul 20, 2024

The Saturday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The New York Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 p.m. ET. Nestor Cortes, Jr. takes the ball for the Yankees to pitch against Taj Bradley for the Rays. New York is a -155 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Detroit Tigers at 3:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays tap Yusei Kikuchi to face the Tigers’ Reese Olson. Toronto is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Oakland A’s are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET. Mitch Spence gets the start for the A’s to go against Jack Kochanowicz for the Angels. Oakland is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets travel to Miami to play the Marlins at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Mets tap Luis Severino to battle the Marlins’ Roddery Munoz. New York is a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:40 p.m. ET. Christopher Sanchez takes the mound for the Phillies to challenge Luis L. Ortiz for the Pirates. Philadelphia is a -102 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Washington Nationals host the Cincinnati Reds at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Nationals turn to MacKenzie Gore to pitch against the Reds’ Nick Lodolo. Washington is a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Baltimore Orioles are in Texas to play the Rangers at 7:05 p.m. ET. Grayson Rodriguez gets sent out to the mound by the Orioles to face Max Scherzer for the Rangers. Baltimore is a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Kansas City plays at home against Chicago with the Royals sending out Brady Singer to duel against the White Sox’s Jonathan Cannon. The Royals are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Minnesota is at home against Milwaukee with Pablo Lopez grabbing the ball for the Twins to pitch against Freddy Peralta for the Brewers. The Twins are a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. San Diego visits Cleveland with the Padres tapping Dylan Cease to face the Guardians’ Gavin Williams. The Padres are a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Baseball Night in America on Fox at 7:15 p.m. ET has two games for its regional coverage. Los Angeles hosts Boston with Justin Wrobleski taking the hill for the Dodgers to duel against Bryan Bello for the Red Sox. The Dodgers are a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Arizona plays in Chicago with the Diamondbacks sending out Zac Gallen to battle against the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks. The Diamondbacks are a -135 money-line road favorite. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:20 p.m. ET. Bryce Elder gets the ball for the Braves to face Sonny Gray for the Cardinals. Atlanta is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Rockies tap Kyle Freeland to go against a Giants starting pitcher yet to be named. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 p.m. ET. George Kirby takes the hill for the Mariners to face Framber Valdez for the Astros. Seattle is a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 7.Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Toronto Argonauts visit Hamilton to play the Tiger-Cats on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Argonauts are a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 53.

NBA Futures Wager: Matas Buzelis to Win Rookie of the Year

by Al McMordie

Saturday, Jul 20, 2024

NBA Summer League has started, so what better time to look at the odds for the Top 15 candidates for NBA Rookie of the Year. These odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, as of Saturday, July 20:Zach Edey +600Zaccharie Risacher +700Reed Sheppard +800Alexandre Sarr +850Stephon Castle +1000Dalton Knecht +1000Matas Buzelis +1200Donovan Clingan +1500Carlton Carrington +1500Rob Dillingham +1700Ronald Holland +2000Tidjane Salaun +2500Cody Williams +2500Jared McCain +3500Kel'el Ware +4000Certainly, arguments can be made for guys like Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, Zach Edey and Alexandre Sarr -- all of whom will be in the running for the top rookie award. But I'm going to look at a little bigger of a longshot in Chicago's hometown kid, Matas Buzelis. The #11 pick in the draft bypassed college to play with G League Ignite last season, and had a good (but not necessarily great) season. The knock on Buzelis was that he only shot 27% from 3-point land, and that was the greatest reason why he fell in the draft, after being projected to go around #5. Indeed, I wanted my favorite team (the San Antonio Spurs) to take Buzelis at #4, and then take the best guard available (i.e., Stephon Castle, Devin Carter) at #8. The Spurs, instead, took Castle at #4 and then punted at #8 when they drafted Rob Dillingham for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and took back a 2031 first-round pick. The Bulls -- who had contemplated trading up to #3 to draft Buzelis -- were the beneficiary, and happily took the Windy City native at #11.One of the keys to winning Rookie of the Year is that you must be in a good position to contribute. That is, to pile up statistics. Getting starter minutes greatly helps. And since Chicago is in a rebuilding mode, Buzelis will be in the starting lineup. Not all the top rookie contenders (e.g., Sheppard, Castle, Knecht) will necessarily be starters, so I tend to scratch those players from Futures Bet considerations.The Bulls traded their leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan (17.2 ppg) to the Sacramento Kings, and are currently shopping Zach LaVine (15.0 ppg). Even if LaVine stays, the opportunity will be there for Buzelis to score in the low-to-mid-double-digits. In four games thus far, Buzelis has scored 15, 28, 18 and 11 (18.0 ppg).A secondary reason I like Buzelis is that he will walk into the league as one of the premier dunkers. And he might be the odds-on favorite to win the All-Star Weekend Dunk competition (assuming he gets invited (which he should)). You can see examples of his dunking ability here and here and here. So, Buzelis will be the most exciting and electrifying scorer in the rookie class, and will be a staple on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays. That will boost his popularity, and will help in the voting should he have the requisite stats.Finally, I like the 12-1 odds on Buzelis. Edey, understandably, is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. He could be a valuable piece in Memphis' return to prominence. But his odds of +600 are too short in my estimation, given the nature of this year's rookie class. Sarr also is among the shortest odds, and will get playing time. But I think his offensive game is too raw to warrant an investment. Consider that Sarr was 0-for-15 from the floor, and scored 0 points in a loss to Portland in his 3rd Summer League game.I'll take Buzelis at +1200 to win Rookie of the Year.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

WNBA Fails in Catching this Rising Star

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Jul 19, 2024

There hasn’t been anyone as polarizing in the game of basketball since Michael Jordan arrived in the NBA in 1984 as Caitlin Clark in the WNBA this season. Clark put a spotlight on women’s basketball with a historic career at Iowa University and is easily the most popular player in the entire W in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever. To phrase this as delicately as possible, there have been several different approaches in her media coverage this season. Some pundits basically refuse to give her credit or acknowledge her greatness, largely because of petty jealousy and insecurities. The other end of the spectrum is the crazed fan that can’t rationally assess her objectively. We’re here to set the record straight with Caitlin Clark and grade her statistically thus far in her rookie season. By the numbers… In 26 games this season she is averaging 17.1PPG (12th), 5.8RPG (19th) and 8.2APG (1st). The Fever stand 11-15 SU on the season which is five more wins than they had last season at this time. In her days at the University of Iowa she was known as a scorer first when she set the NCAA all-time scoring record. In the WNBA she has become an assist machine with 13+ assists in four games this season including 19 in a game which broke the all-time WNBA record for one game. She currently ranks 12th in the league in overall usage percentage. Where does she stand historically as a rookie? She is averaging 15+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists per contest through her first 26 games of the season, something only Ionescu (twice), Candace Parker and Lindsay Whalen have done. She is one of only 4 total players in the entire league to rank in the top 20 in points per game, rebounding and assists per game. Making comparisons to some of the league’s all-time greats at the guard position in the WNBA we find some similar statistics. Diana Taurasi won rookie of the year in 2004 and helped the Mercury to a 17-17 regular season record in her first season in the league. Taurasi, who is on the short list as one of the greatest WNBA players ever, averaged 17PPG, 4.4RPG, 3.9APG in her rookie campaign. Another former great, Sue Bird, had comparable numbers in her 2002 rookie season with the Storm – 14.4PPG, 2.6RPG, 6.0APG. Cynthia Cooper joined the W in the year 1997 and put up 22.2PPG, 4.0RPG, 4.7APG. Elena Delle Donne was a guard/forward for Chicago and had a successful rookie campaign of 18.1PPG, 5.6RPG, 1.8APG (Chicago went 24-10 SU in the regular season). The USA Olympic team does not include Clark and It’s a catty costly error by the selection committee. In 26 years, the WNBA has yet to show a profit financially and has been supported by the NBA. They’ve gained an immense following this season due to Caitlyn Clark. The Indiana Fever has seen the largest increase in attendance from last season with a 312 percent increase. Overall, the league’s average attendance is up 40.3 percent from their final average from 2023. The biggest indicator of Clark’s impact comes when you examine the road attendance in games involving the Fever. Indiana leads the league in away game attendance at 15,333. In a recent game at Minnesota, against a Lynx team that is one of the four best in the W, there were far more Fever/Clark fans than Lynx fans, and it wasn’t close. Another interesting revelation regarding Clark’s impact on the league’s popularity is the All-Star voting numbers this season. Last year A’ja Wilson was the league’s leading vote-getter with 90,000+ votes. This season Clark is over 750,000 votes, her teammate Aliyah Boston has over 600,000 votes. The missed marketing opportunity by the WNBA concerning Clark being on the Olympic team is a total travesty. The argument that Clark isn’t good enough to play on the Olympic team is absurd. The fact that she’s not on the team from a media/marketing standpoint is absolutely insane and negligent by the selection committee. The league was handed the ‘golden goose’ in terms of viewership and popularity and literally blew a perfect opportunity to grow their product. The USA Olympic team has won 7 straight gold medals and won by an average of 16PPG in 1996 in Tokyo and you’re telling me she couldn’t get minutes and or even be an asset with her current statistics? With their proven track record of NEVER being a profitable entity, the WNBA and the committee that selected the Olympic team clearly lack business sense. The betting markets have Clark as the clear betting favorite for Rookie of the Year and a heavy chalk at -1100. Behind her is Angel Reese at +650. Clark is +8000 to be WNBA MVP but we wouldn’t recommend making that wager as there are several players in the league that are significantly better than her and on Championship contenders. The best option to make some cash on Clark will be her player props. Early in the season her scoring prop was inflated, and she stayed Under her points prop in 15 of her first 21 games. She does go into the All-Star Break on a 4-0 Over streak though. She has eclipsed her Assist prop in 9 straight games going into the break and 16 of 26 games on the season. We look forward to the second half of the WNBA season and can’t wait to see if Clark and the Fever can make a playoff push in the Eastern Conference.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/19/2024

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 19, 2024

The Friday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball returns from the All-Star break with 14 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET. Ryne Nelson gets the ball for the Diamondbacks to pitch against Justin Steele for the Cubs. Arizona is a -115 money-line road favorite (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Phillies play in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies send out Aaron Nola to face the Pirates’ Martin Perez. Philadelphia is a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Cincinnati Reds are in Washington to lay the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET. Frankie Montas takes the hill for the Reds to battle Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. Cincinnati is a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees tap Gerrit Cole to go against the Rays’ Zach Eflin. New York is a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Detroit Tigers at 7:07 p.m. ET. Chris Bassitt gets the start for the Blue Jays to battle against the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty. Toronto is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. New York visits Miami with Sean Manaea taking the mound for the Mets to face Edward Cabrera for the Marlins. The Mets are a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cleveland is at home against San Diego with the Guardians turning to Tanner Bibee to pitch against the Padres’ Matt Waldron. The Guardians are a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:20 p.m. ET. Spencer Schwellenbach gets the ball for the Braves to duel against Sonny Gray for the Cardinals. Atlanta is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Baltimore Orioles play in Texas against the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Orioles send out Corbin Burnes to go against Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers. Baltimore is a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 8:10 p.m. ET. Michael Wacha takes the mound for the Royals to face Chris Flexen for the White Sox. Kansas City is a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Giants tap Kyle Harrison to battle against the Rockies’ Cal Quantrill. San Francisco is a -166 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The Los Angeles Angels travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 9:40 p.m. ET. Griffin Canning takes the hill for the Angels to face J.P. Sears for the A’s. Los Angeles is a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. Seattle is at home against Houston with the Mariners turning to Luis Castillo to challenge the Astros’ Hunter Brown. The Mariners are a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 7. Los Angeles hosts Boston with Garrett Stone getting the ball to pitch against Nick Pivetta for the Red Sox. The Dodgers are a —142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with two games. The Ottawa Redblacks play at home against the Edmonton Eskimos at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Redblacks are a 1-point favorite with a total of 53. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play in Saskatchewan against the Roughriders at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Blue Bombers are a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 48.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA Summer League Previews and Odds - 07/18/2024

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 18, 2024

The Thursday sports card features NBA Summer League action. Seven games are on the National Basketball League schedule in Las Vegas, Nevada.The Indiana Pacers play against the Denver Nuggets at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN2 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Pacers ended a two-game losing streak with a 98-94 victory against Phoenix on Tuesday. They have a 1-2 record so far in the Summer League. The Nuggets are winless in their first three games after their 80-66 loss to Charlotte two days ago. Indiana is a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 177.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Memphis Grizzlies face the New Orleans Pelicans at the Pavilion on NBA TV at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Grizzlies have won their first three games this summer after a 104-85 victory against Orlando on Wednesday. The Pelicans have lost their first three games in the Summer League after a 90-85 loss to San Antonio on Tuesday. Memphis is an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 180.5.The Sacramento Kings battle the Washington Wizards at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Kings have lost two of their first three games after a 106-105 upset loss to New York as a 3.5-point favorite yesterday. The Wizards have lost two games in a row after an 82-80 loss to Portland on Tuesday. They have a 1-2 record this summer. Sacramento is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 179.5.The Orlando Magic go against the Brooklyn Nets at the Pavilion on NBA TV at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Magic had their two-game winning streak end to start the Summer League in their loss to the Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Nets raised the summer record to 2-1 with a 92-85 victory against New York on Tuesday. Orlando is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 179.5.The Cleveland Cavaliers challenge the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN at 6:00 p.m. ET. The Cavaliers dropped to 1-2 so far this summer after a 96-85 loss to Golden State yesterday. The Lakers ended a two-game losing streak with an 87-86 victory against Atlanta on Wednesday. Cleveland is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 178.5.The Los Angeles Clippers face the Utah Jazz at the Pavilion on NBA TV at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Clippers won their third straight game to begin the summer with their 112-97 victory against Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Jazz improved their summer record to 2-1 with an 86-76 upset win against Toronto as a 2.5-point underdog yesterday. Los Angeles is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 181.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves play the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves' two-game winning streak to start the Summer League ended in a 92-90 loss to Phoenix on Tuesday. The Rockets fell to 2-1 this summer with their 87-73 loss to Portland on Monday. Minnesota is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 179.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and NBA Summer League Previews and Odds - 07/17/2024

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 17, 2024

The Wednesday sports card features WNBA and NBA Summer League action.The Women’s National Basketball Association has two games on its schedule. The Minnesota Lynx host the Atlanta Dream at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Lynx have lost two games in a row after their 81-74 upset loss at home to Indiana as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. They have a 16-8 record that places them in third place in the Western Conference. The Dream are on a seven-game losing streak after their 81-70 loss at Seattle as a 14-point underdog on Sunday. They are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 7-16 record. Minnesota is a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 152.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Indiana Fever travel to Dallas to play the Wings on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Fever are on a two-game winning streak after an 81-74 upset victory as a 5-point underdog on Sunday. Their 11-14 record puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Wings are on a three-game losing streak after an 87-81 upset loss to Los Angeles as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have the worst record in the WNBA with a 5-19 mark that puts them in last place in the Western Conference. Indiana is a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 176.5.The National Basketball Association’s Summer League has eight games on the schedule in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Miami Heat play against the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN2 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Heat have a 2-0 record in the Summer League while the Mavericks are 0-2. Miami is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 183.5.The Sacramento Kings battle the New York Knicks at the Pavilion at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Kings are 1-1 so far this summer. The Knicks are 1-1. Sacramento is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 173.5. The Toronto Raptors face the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Raptors are unbeaten in their first two Summer League games. The Jazz have split their first two games. Toronto is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 172.5. The Boston Celtics go against the Charlotte Hornets at the Pavilion at 5:30 p.m. ET. The Celtics have a 1-1 record while the Hornets are 2-0. Boston is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 178.5. The Memphis Grizzlies challenge the Orlando Magic at the Thomas & Mack Center at 7:00 p.m. ET. Both teams have won their first two Summer League games. The Grizzlies are a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 185.5.The Phoenix Suns play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Pavilion at 8:00 p.m. ET. Both teams are winless in their first two Summer League contests. Phoenix is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 172.5. The Atlanta Hawks face the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. ET. Neither team has yet to win one of their first two Summer League games. Atlanta is a 3-point favorite with a total of 172.5.The Golden State Warriors battle the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Pavilion at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Warriors have won their first two Summer League games. The Cavaliers are 1-1. Golden State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 180.5.

UFC Fight Night Preview And Picks

by Will Rogers

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024

UFC Fight NightLemos vs. Jandiroba Saturday, July 20th UFC Apex - Las Vegas, NVFight Night returns to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on July 20th. The event doesn't feature the big names that will be on display at the upcoming UFC 304 in London. Yet, there are still some exciting matches. I've taken a closer look at a few of the more interesting ones. The Main Event Lemos vs. JandirobaJandiroba -135 For the second straight week, the ladies will take center stage. That says a lot about how far the women's game has come. This one should be both more competitive and more exciting than last week's 5-round decision win by Namajunas over Cortez. At 37 years old, Amanda Lemos (14-3-1) is still competing at a high level. Lemos is off a decision victory in her last fight and she's won eight of her last 10. The Brazilian has been fighting tough competition. Her only loss in the last 2 years came against Welie Zhang, one of the best in the world. Off three straight wins, 36-year old Virna Jandiroba, also of Brazil, has a 20-3 record. Jandiroba has 12 submission victories on her resume. She's never been knocked and she's never been submitted. This should be a great battle between two quality fighters from the same country. Jandiroba is a small favorite. The total for the 5-round fight is 2.5 over -188. Lemos is tough but Jandiroba's exemplary grappling skills are likely to make the difference. The Co-Main Event Tavares vs. ParkPark -166 Jun Yong "The Iron Turtle" Park (17-6) is off a split decision loss. The 33-year old Korean fighter had won his previous four rights. Brad Tavares (20-9) is 36-years old. He's off a loss and has dropped 3 of his past 4 fights. He's just 3-5 his past eight. To be fair, he's fought some very tough opposition. Losses came against guys like Adesanya and Du Plessis. He beat Chris Weidman less than a year ago. The Iron Turtle would like to get this fight to the ground but Tavares typically has a pretty good takedown defense. Tavares would prefer to stay standing but Park also lands more significant strikes per minute and has a higher striking accuracy. Park is a mid-sized favorite. A look at the o/u line reveals that there is considerable juice on the over 2.5 rounds. Park's last fight was the 9th decision of his career. Considering that 17 or Tavares' 29 fights have gone the distance, you might want to lay the wood with the over 2.5 rounds. Fight Of The Night? Durden vs. SilvaDurden -118As the line suggests, this fight between a pair of promising flyweights could go either way. A native of Covington Georgia, Cody Durden (16-5) checks in off a 2nd round submission loss to Tagir Ulanbekov in December. Prior to that, he was on a four-fight winning streak. Brazilian Bruno "Bulldog" Silva (13-5-2) submitted Tyson Nam in the second frame at UFC Fight Night 221. It marked his 3rd straight victory. Durden (33) has the grappling advantage but Silva (34) is the superior striker. Durden, who has a 4-inch height advantage, will be attempting numerous takedowns. However, Silva is quite adept with his takedown defense. Silva has had 2 previous draws and Durden has also had 1. Could this be another? Battle Of The BigsPetersen vs. UsmanUsman -135 Mohammed Usman (10-3) doesn't possess the skills that his older brother does but he's got enough to have his way with an out of shape Thomas Petersen (8-2). Usman, 237 pounds, lost a decision in his last fight. He'd won 3 straight before that and he's never lost 2 in a row. Petersen has never won by decision and he's only won once by submission. When Petersen, 257 pounds, wins the victories almost always come by KO/TKO. But Usman has never been knocked out. Petersen seems to be another hand-picked opponent. Take Usman.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and WNBA Previews and Odds - 07/16/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024

The Tuesday sports card features the MLB and WNBA action.Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game throws out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on Fox at 8:10 PM ET. The National League ended an eight-game losing streak against the American League with their 3-2 victory in the Fall Classic. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo taps Paul Skenes as the starting pitcher for the National League tonight. The rookie right-hander has a 6-0 record with a 1.90 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 11 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Texas skipper Bruce Bochy counters with Corbin Burnes as the American League starting pitcher. Burnes ended the first half of the regular season with a 9-4 record along with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 19 starts for Baltimore. The American League is a -122 money-line favorite with the total installed at 7.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The Women’s National Basketball Association has four games on its schedule. The Phoenix Mercury travels to Washington to play the Mystics at 11:30 a.m. ET. The Mercury are on a two-game losing streak after their 96-69 loss at Connecticut as a 7-point underdog on Sunday. They are in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 12-12 record. The Mystics lost for the third time in their last four games in an 89-77 loss to Las Vegas as a 12.5-point underdog two days ago. They are in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-18 record. Phoenix is a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 168 (all odds from DraftKings). The Seattle Storm play in Los Angeles against the Sparks at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Storm are on a two-game winning streak after their 81-70 victory against Atlanta as a 14-point favorite on Sunday. Their 16-8 record puts them in a tie for second place in the Western Conference. The Sparks ended a two-game losing streak with an 87-81 upset win at Dallas as a 3.5-point underdog two days ago. They are in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 6-17 record. Seattle is a 9-point road favorite with a total of 162. The New York Liberty host the Connecticut Sun on Amazon Prime at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Liberty are on a three-game winning streak after their 81-67 victory at Chicago as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Their 20-4 record is the best mark in the WNBA. The Sun won for the fourth time in their last five games after their win against Phoenix two days ago. They are in second place in the Eastern Conference with an 18-5 record. New York is a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 152.5. The Las Vegas Aces play at home against the Chicago Sky at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Aces won for the fourth time in a row after their victory against Washington on Sunday. The defending champions are in first place in the Western Conference with a 16-7 record. The Sky have lost two games in a row after their loss at home to New York. Their 9-14 record puts them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Las Vegas is a 13-point favorite with a total of 170.

NFL Full Season Player Props

by ASA, Inc.

Monday, Jul 15, 2024

Will Levis Over 3399.5 Passing yards (-110)In 2023, Levis averaged 200 passing yards per game during his nine starts. If you take that mark and multiply it by the 17 games he's expected to start next season, we get 3400 yards on the dot. Tennessee made it a point to get Levis some help this offseason adding Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, and using a first round pick on an offensive lineman for the second consecutive year. Sophomore progression seems likely as the Titans were bottom five in total offense last year, looking insanely stagnant at times. A more pass happy attack is in store with the departure of Derrick Henry and Tennessee has a mediocre to bad defense further encouraging higher scoring affairs in 2024. New OC Nick Holz came from the Jaguars who ranked 9th in passing yards last season (243 ypg). There is zero QB competition for the Titans so if Levis stays healthy, he will have every opportunity to fight through any struggles that come up. De’Von Achane Over 750.5 Rushing Yards (-110)As explosive as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are in the passing game, Miami runs the ball as well as anyone in the NFL. They ranked sixth in rushing yards (136 ypg) while leading the league in yards per carry. Achane played a massive part in that efficiency, turning 103 attempts into 800 yards (7.8 ypc) in just 11 games. That explosion allows Achane to see a reduced workload or even miss some games due to injury and still be able to deliver his yardage total. If we take into account that Raheem Moster is 32 years old, having a lengthy injury history of his own, then Achane’s prop seems even more attainable. Possibly leading the Dolphins in rushing attempts, on a team that racked up over 2300 yards in 2023, Achane seems a no brainer. Marvin Harrison Jr. Over 1000.5 Receiving Yards (-110)Harrison is a physical specimen and will be Kyler Murray’s go to target from week one. Hollywood Brown departed for Kansas City, leaving no other established WR in the entire room. Harrison will be walking into 100+ targets and should have no trouble reaching the 1k mark in his rookie year. Murray’s health is the one thing to keep an eye on, but he did play in eight games after coming back from his ACL injury and remained healthy going into the offseason. With a couple highlights from upcoming training camp, Marvin Jr. will be a main topic of conversation and his prop yards may shift upwards in coming weeks. A Jamar Chase type of rookie year is well within reach for Harrison (81 rec, 1455 yards, 13 TDs), it's just a matter of health and chemistry with Murray.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Home Run Derby Preview and Odds - 07/15/2024

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 15, 2024

The Monday sports card features the MLB Home Run Derby.Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby takes place on ESPN at 8 PM ET at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. There are several changes to the format this year.Eight competitors will take part in an opening round with the top four scorers advancing to the semifinals seeded on the results. Ties are resolved by the longest home run from the competitors in question. A competitor’s round ends after either three minutes or 40 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. The semifinals operate under the same guidelines in this knockout stage between seeded opponents, except for resolving ties. If there is a tie in the semifinals or finals, then a 60-second “swing-off” will commence. If there is still a tie after that, then there will be a three-swing “swing-off” to determine a winner. The final round operates under these guidelines, except for the length of the round. A competitor’s round ends after either two minutes or 27 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. Pete Alonso is the favorite to win the Home Run Derby at +340 (all odds from DraftKings). The New York Mets first baseman has 18 home runs this season. His longest home run is 446 feet. He is a two-time winner of this event after winning in 2019 and 2021.Marcell Ozuna is listed at +400 odds. The Atlanta Braves outfielder has 23 homers this year. His longest home run of the season is 446 feet.Bobby Witt has +475 odds to win this year’s derby. The Kansas City Royals’ shortstop has 15 home runs this season. His longest home run is 468 feet. Adolis Garcia is posted at +500 odds. The Texas Rangers outfielder has 17 homers this year. His long was 428 feet. He competed in last year’s event. Gunnar Henderson is listed at +500 odds. The Baltimore Orioles’ shortstop has 27 home runs this season. His longest home run of the season is 430 feet. Teoscar Hernandez has +950 odds to win the Home Run Derby. The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder has slammed 19 home runs this year. His long was 431 feet. Jose Ramirez is listed at +1300 odds. The Cleveland Guardians’ third-baseman has 23 homers this season. His longest home run went 436 feet. Alec Bohm rounds the list of competitors at +1600 odds to win. The Philadelphia Phillies’ third baseman has clubbed 11 homers this year. His longest home run this season is 427 feet. Globe Life Field’s dimensions are mostly balanced with slight deviations honoring historic accomplishments by former Rangers players. The left-field line is 329 feet away from home plate, with the left-field power alley being 372 feet away. Straightaway center field is 407 feet away from the plate. The deepest parts of the field are in both straightaway left and right-center field at 410 feet. The right field is 374 feet away, with the right-field line being 326 feet away from home plate.

The 2024/25 NBA MVP Landscape

by AAA Sports

Sunday, Jul 14, 2024

To say that the 2024 playoffs were a disappointment for most of the Association’s legacy players would be an understatement of epic proportions.***LeBron James’s Lakers barely made it into the playoffs proper after winning a play-in, then got crushed (again) by the Nuggets in Round 1.***The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo managed to win all of two games before falling, also in Round 1, to the Indiana Pacers.***The Los Angeles Clippers’ Big Three (Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden) wasn’t nearly enough against the Dallas Mavericks, with Leonard cashing in for the season after two games (both losses).***Kevin Durant couldn’t get it done in Phoenix, his Suns politely bowing out after getting swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves.***Steph Curry? His Golden State Warriors couldn’t even get past the play-in. Jimmy Butler? Banged up and cashed out in Miami.None of the above old-timer superstars made it even as far as Round 2, and collectively they put together a combined playoff record of 6-20.So is it any surprise that only one (Antetokounmpo) of the names above is anywhere near the top of the list of MVP candidates for the upcoming season? Curry is a distant 10th, but even he is a longshot at +5000. And with GS needing a jolt or two just to sniff the post-season, it’s doubtful Curry will get a lot of votes.If none of the above, then who? Let’s round up the usual suspects:NIKOLA JOKIC – He’s won it three times in the last four seasons, so the chalk understandably resides here. He’s +350, and with the injury to first-round pick DaRon Holmes out form the year with an Achilles tear, Jokic will once again log big minutes and big numbers. There is some concern that he might wear down, or that Denver will take the Miami route and sacrifice regular-season wins for playoff freshness.LUKA DONCIC – Every year Doncic is pressured to get into better shape. Maybe this will be the one off-season when he listens, after limping around in the Finals against Boston. Doncic is listed at +370, and might even be a slight favorite if the Mavs hadn’t picked up Klay Thompson, who is sure to eat into Doncic’s scoring numbers.JOEL EMBIID –The Sixers are officially in the Three Stars Club, hoping that Paul George and Tyrese Maxey can take some of the scoring load off Embiid. If fewer minutes can keep Embiid (+600) on the court late in the season, it will be worth it in the W column and maybe end Philly’s run of playoff flops. How it all affects Embiid’s chances of getting in 65 or more games and winning another MVP award is anyone’s guess.SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER – The reality is that Gilgeous-Alexander (also +600) plays half his games in flyover country, and needs to overcome that if he is going to leapfrog past the likes of Jokic, Embiid and Doncic. SGA is the best player on the team that tied (with Denver) for the best record in the Western Conference, so the question is: What more can he do?GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO – Two questions: Has it already been four years (2020) since won his MVP? And did the Bucks cost him another shot at one by taking the bait and basically exchanging Jrue Holiday for a tired Damian Lillard? Antetokounmpo’s Bucks seem as tired as they are old. Assuming good health, Antetokounmpo’s numbers will be huge, so there appears to value at +650.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, Euro 2024 and Copa America Previews and Odds - 07/14/2024

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 14, 2024

The Sunday sports card features MLB, CFL, Euro 2024, and Copa America action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles host the New York Yankees on Roku at 11:35 a.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Oakland A’s. The Boston Red Sox are home against the Kansas City Royals as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Four MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Detroit to play the Tigers. The New York Mets host the Colorado Rockies as a -200 money-line favorite at BetOnline with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Cleveland Guardians as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Four MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Astros are at home against the Texas Rangers as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in Chicago against the White Sox. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Washington Nationals as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Chicago Cubs at 2:15 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Seattle Mariners are in Los Angeles to play the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET. Two more games conclude the MLB card before the All-Star break at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Toronto Blue Jays as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves visit San Diego to play the Padres as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5.Week 6 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Edmonton Eskimos play at home against the Ottawa Redblacks on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 50.The knockout stage of the Euro 2024 concludes with the championship match on Fox at 3 p.m. ET. Spain battles England at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. La Roja reached the finals with a 2-1 victory against France in the semifinals on Tuesday. The Three Lions advanced from the semifinals with a 2-1 win against the Netherlands on Wednesday. It's a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). The first-place match in the Copa America is on Fox at 8:00 p.m. Argentina plays Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. La Albiceleste reached this championship match with a 2-0 victory against Canada in the semifinals on Tuesday. Los Cafeteros advanced from the semifinals with a 1-0 win against Uruguay on Wednesday. Argentina is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.

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