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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 07, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ABC. The Boston Celtics travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on ESPN at 3:30 PM ET. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in this series with their 114-102 victory on the road against the 76ers as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Boston is a 2.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 214.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Denver Nuggets on TNT at 8 PM ET. The Suns won their first game of this series with a 121-114 victory against the Nuggets as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Phoenix looks to even this series at 2-2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with three games in the conference semifinals on TBS. The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Carolina Hurricanes at 3:40 PM ET. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 6-1 victory at home against the Devils on Friday. Carolina is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs visit Florida to play the Panthers on TBS at 6:40 PM ET. The Panthers have a 2-0 lead in this series after their 3-2 win on the road against the Maple Leafs on Thursday. Toronto is a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in Seattle against the Kraken at 9:40 PM ET. The Stars evened this series at 1-1 with a 4-2 win at home against Seattle on Thursday. Dallas is a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Sunday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Atlanta Braves host the Baltimore Orioles on NBC and Peacock at 11:35 AM ET as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Three MLB games begin at 1:40 PM ET. The New York Mets are at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -210 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Minnesota Twins play in Cleveland against the Guardians as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees visit Tampa Bay to play the Rays as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Oakland A's play in Kansas City against the Royals at 2:10 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Detroit Tigers as a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Miami Marlins are in Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -125 money-line road favorite. The San Francisco Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers at 4:05 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Texas Rangers at 4:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Three more MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Houston Astros as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Los Angeles Dodgers playing in San Diego against the Padres at 7:10 PM ET. Both teams are priced at -110, with a total of 8.5.Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League continues with two matches. Arsenal plays at Newcastle United on the USA Network at 11:30 AM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Manchester United is at West Ham United at 2 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 6, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, May 06, 2023

Can we all agree if there is one team in hockey that's been doing what it's supposed to, it's the Carolina Hurricanes?They were favored to win the Eastern Conference when the season started, and they've been dominant this postseason in eliminating the New York Islanders and now taking a 2-0 lead on the New Jersey Devils.The Hurricanes won 6-1 last night, as Jesperi Kotkaniemi led Carolina with two goals.The problem they may encounter is that this is nothing new for the Devils, who fell behind the New York Rangers 0-2 in the opening round and responded by winning the series in seven games.This series is far from over, as New Jersey is 52-22-8 overall with a 22-11-2 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Devils have also gone 50-7-6 in games they score three or more goals, and I would think they'll get their offense going the next time out.Carolina is 52-21-9 overall and 25-8-1 against the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes have allowed 210 goals while scoring 262 for a +52 scoring differential.Only one game last night, so road teams head into Saturday on a 34-23 roll in the NHL Playoffs.With the Devils losing, underdogs are now 27-30 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $700.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after the total went Over last night, the Under remains on a 16-11 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 31-25-1.The overall tally for overtime games is still at 15 this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.In the NBA, only one game on the card and it was the Boston Celtics dismantling the Philadelphia 76ers for an easy win and cover as Jayson Tatum led the way with 27 points. Joel Embiid scored 30 points for the 76ers, but it wasn't enough.Boston's offense continues to be impressive, as it's now averaging 119.7 points, 44.6 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 6.2 steals and 6.5 blocks per game over its last 10 games. During that stretch, the Celtics are shooting 50.3% from the field while holding opponents to an average of 111.7 points.Went 3-1 on Friday, including a 2-0 sweep in the NBA with the Celtics smacking Philly and the Nuggets/Suns sailing Over. Now 60-38-1 since April 17, for a NET$ of $19,880, including a 32-15-1 NBA run for $15,400 of NET$. Check the leaderboard, not only the L7 Days, but the L60 Days to find consistency with NET$. You'll find yours truly. Tonight I have two more winners, the East SIDE and the West TOTAL. Another NBA PLAYOFF 2-0 SWEEP bundled in a 2-FOR-1 SPECIAL.On the MLB diamond, eight of the 15 underdogs cashed tickets, including the second-biggest on the schedule with the Tigers (+205 at Circa) beating San Francisco, 5-4.Tonight I'm playing just one baseball game, another DIVISION SHOWDOWN where we're getting off cheap with this pitching matchup. Part of a 5-0 day that includes NBA and XFL action to go along with tonight's MLB DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH.Full slate of action for baseball on Saturday.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NHL, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 06, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby headlines the sporting events of the day. The Run for the Roses is the 12th race at Churchill Downs with a start time of 6:57 PM ET.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ABC. The Miami Heat host the New York Knicks at 3:30 PM ET. The Knicks evened this series at 1-1 with a 111-105 victory at home as a 9-point favorite on Tuesday. The Heat are a 4-point favorite, with the total set at 209 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Golden State Warriors at 8:30 PM ET. The Warriors made this a 1-1 series with their 127-100 victory at home as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. The Lakers are a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Edmonton are on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:10 PM ET. The Golden Knights took a 1-0 series lead with their 6-4 victory on Wednesday. The Oilers are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 2:15 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs host the Miami Marlins at 2:20 PM ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the New York Yankees as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins visit Cleveland to play the Guardians at 6:10 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Cincinnati Reds host the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Oakland A’s at 7:10 PM ET as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Three more MLB games begin at 7:15 PM ET. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Milwaukee Brewers as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Saturday night regional coverage on Fox features two games. The Atlanta Braves host the Baltimore Orioles as a -240 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals at 8:10 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 8:40 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Texas Rangers at 9:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League begins with five matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Chelsea travels to Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Manchester City hosts Leeds United on the USA Network as a -2 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Tottenham plays at home against Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa plays at Wolverhampton in a pick ‘em matchup with a total of 2.5. Liverpool is at home against Brentford on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 5, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Friday, May 05, 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs we've come to appreciate have reared their choking heads.After making the second round for the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Maple Leafs find themselves down 0-2 in their Conference Semifinal against the Florida Panthers, who took Game 2 with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory.Fact is, Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been the better netminder in the series, and if the Maple Leafs can't solve him in Sunrise, Fla., this series isn't going back to Toronto.With Dallas beating Seattle 4-2 to knot their series 1-1, road teams head into Friday on a 34-22 roll in the NHL Playoffs.Florida has been one of the most impressive road teams in the postseason, including three victories at the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. Now 5-0 on the highway, the Panthers find themselves on the other side of the docket, having to defend home ice. Game 3 on Sunday. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday.With their win, the Panthers helped improve underdogs to a 27-29 mark in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $800.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, but after the totals split last night the Under is now on 16-10 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now at 30-25-1.Neither game on Thursday went into overtime, leaving the overall tally at 15 overtime games this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.In the NBA, only one game on the card and the defending champion Golden State Warriors made the Los Angeles Lakers look their age in a 127-100 victory to salvage the two-game set in San Francisco.The series now shifts to Los Angeles for the weekend, with the Lakers hoping to push the champs to the brink.Two games on the card today, with the Boston Celtics visiting the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets in the Valley of Sun to play the Phoenix Suns,.On the MLB diamond, six of the 10 underdogs cashed tickets, including one of the biggest on the schedule with the Red Sox completing the sweep of the Blue Jays.Boston's offense has come to life at the right time, as they head to Philadelphia to face the defending National League champion Phillies, who return after a West Coast road trip.Full slate of action for baseball on Friday.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/05/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 05, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and MLB.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ESPN. The Philadelphia 76ers host the Boston Celtics at 7:30 PM ET in the third game of their best-of-seven series. The Celtics evened the series at 1-1 with their 121-87 victory at home as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston is a 2-point road favorite, with the total set at 214 (all odds from DraftKings). The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Denver Nuggets at 10 PM ET in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series. The Nuggets took a 2-0 series lead after their 97-87 victory at home as a 4-point favorite on Monday. The Suns are a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Carolina Hurricanes are at home against the New Jersey Devils in the second game of their best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes have a 1-0 lead in the series after a 5-1 win in the opening game. Carolina is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Chicago Cubs host the Miami Marlins at 2:20 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox play in Cincinnati against the Reds, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the New York Yankees as a -190 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillis host the Boston Red Sox at 7:05 PM ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins visit Cleveland to play the Guardians as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:20 PM ET as a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals host the Oakland A’s at 8:10 PM ET as a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Detroit Tigers at 8:15 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Texas Rangers are in Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. Two MLB games start at 9:40 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in San Diego against the Padres as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Houston Astros at 10:10 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Milwaukee Brewers are in San Francisco to play the Giants at 10:15 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 4, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, May 04, 2023

It's about time the home teams did their jobs in the postseason.The Boston Celtics, Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights restored faith in their hometown bases, all three winning decisively to cover their respective numbers.Road teams went into Wednesday on a 33-19 roll in the NHL Playoffs after they opened the second round 2-0 on Tuesday. But the Hurricanes and Golden Knights outclassed New Jersey and Edmonton, respectively.The most shocking element from last night's NHL action might have been in Las Vegas, where Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl scored four goals in the loss. It marked the second straight night a player on the losing playoff team scored four goals, as Joe Pavelski accomplished the feat for Dallas on Tuesday.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, but after the totals split Tuesday and the Under extended its run to 15-9, both NHL games went high last night. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now at 29-24-1.Meanwhile, Vegas helped improve underdogs to a 26-28 mark in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of more than $900 ($915 at DraftKings).Neither game went into overtime, leaving the overall tally at 15 overtime games this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.Went 3-0 on Wednesday, including a 2-0 sweep in Major League Baseball. And one of those two winners was my Interleague Dog of the Month on the Diamondbacks against Texas. Part of my lineup for Thursday is another MLB Dog Winner, as I have a DIVISION DOG that is wrongly priced and highly underrated. I'm on an overall run of 56-36 for $18,180 since 4/17, including a 15-10 MLB run since 4/19 for $4,530. Jump on board for this DIVISION DOG OF THE MONTH.In the NBA, only one game on the card, and the Boston Celtics destroyed the Philadelphia 76ers, who got the NBA MVP back in the lineup.Boston’s 121-87 win over Philadelphia last night was the 50th game of this year’s postseason, and it marked only the fourth contest to be decided by more than 20 points.Only one game on the card today, with the Los Angeles Lakers still in San Francisco for their Western Conference semifinals against defending NBA champion Golden State.And the Warriors are looking to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole for the second consecutive series, after doing so against the Sacramento Kings in the opening round.I have the SIDE and TOTAL for tonight's NBA game bundled in one package for you. Don't miss this 2-for-1 special, as I'm on a 29-15 NBA run for a net profit of $12,400 since 4/18.How wild was MLB action yesterday?Three pitchers made their MLB debuts as the starter on Wednesday, and all three teams won.Washington ushered Jake Irvin to the hill, and the Nats beat the Cubs, 2-1.Arizona handed the ball to Brandon Pfaadt for his career debut, and the Snakes beat the Rangers, 12-7.Finally, the Dodgers turned to young right-hander Gavin Stone, and what a marathon that was. Los Angeles fell behind early to the Phillies, 5-0. The Dodgers let the Phils tie it in the top of the ninth, 6-6. And in dramatic fashion in the most picturesque MLB stadium, Max Muncy delivered the first pitch he saw to the rightfield stands for a walk-off grand slam.Can't imagine being one who held a ticket on the Phils.On the contrary, I gave you both the Diamondbacks and Dodgers on Wednesday. Today it's just one MLB winner, and it goes early. Don't miss out.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, May 04, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with one playoff game in the conference semifinals on ESPN. The Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers at 9 PM ET. The Lakers took a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series with a 117-112 upset win on the road against the Warriors as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Warriors are a 6-point favorite with the total set at 227.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).  The National Hockey League playoffs continue with two games in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Florida Panthers at 7:10 PM ET. The Panthers took Game 1 of this best-of-seven series with a 4-2 victory on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs are a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are at home against the Seattle Kraken at 9:40 PM ET. The Kraken have a 1-0 series lead after their 5-4 victory on Tuesday. The Stars are a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has 10 games on its schedule. The Chicago Cubs travel to Washington to play the Nationals at 1:05 PM ET as a -210 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play in Detroit against the Tigers as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. St. Louis plays at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 1:15 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 2:10 PM ET. The Baltimore Orioles visit Kansas City against the Royals as a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers are in Colorado against the Rockies at 3:10 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 12. The Seattle Mariners travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 3:37 PM ET as a -225 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Atlanta Braves at 4:10 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Boston against the Red Sox at 6:10 PM ET as a -165 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.Matchweek 34 in the English Premier League concludes with Brighton and Hove Albion playing at home against Manchester United on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. Brighton comes off a 6-0 victory at home against Wolverhampton on Saturday. Man United beat Aston Villa, 1-0, on Sunday, Brighton is a -0.5 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 3, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

The postseason road warriors continued to haunt home crowds Tuesday night.After road teams went 31-19 in the opening round, to set an NHL record for most wins by the visitors in any round, both guests won Tuesday.The Florida Panthers (+155) and Seattle Kraken (+180) shocked most by winning Game 1 of their second-round openers against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars, respectively.The Panthers, fresh off overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the overall No. 1 seed Boston Bruins, took an early 2-0 lead in Toronto before pulling away from a 2-2 tie with goals from Carter Verhaeghe and Brandon Montour to take a 1-0 series lead.Florida has now won four straight road games in the postseason.Second-year franchise Seattle, fresh off their series win over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, overcame two first-period deficits to take a 4-2 lead out of the opening stanza.Dallas' Joe Pavelski scored his third and fourth goals of the game in the third period to help send the game into overtime, but it was Yanni Gourde with an unassisted goal at the 12:17 mark in the extra period to give the Kraken a 1-0 series lead and home ice the rest of the way.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, but after the totals splitting Tuesday, we've now seen the Under cash in 15 of the last 24 playoff games.Underdogs improved to 25-27 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of more than $900 ($915 at DraftKings).There have now been 15 overtime games played in the postseason, and road teams are 12-3 in those games.I'm on a 53-36 run since April 17, with a NET$ of $15,080 in all sports. That includes a 4-2 mark with my 1st Round Plays of the Year on ice. I'm on an 85-76-2 run in the NHL since the start of the season, with a NET$ of $11,850. Tonight I'm unloading on one of the two hockey games for my 2ND ROUND CONFERENCE GAME OF YEAR.In the NBA, after the New York Knicks avoided destruction by coming from behind at home to defeat the Miami Heat and tie the series at 1-1, the Los Angeles Lakers struck the first blow in their series opener against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.Both underdogs covered, as the Heat caught +10 points and lost 111-105, but the Lakers (+4) won outright in San Francisco, 117-112.Anthony Davis had 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots, while LeBron James added 22 points and 11 rebounds.Scary part for the Warriors is James’ 23 points were his third-fewest in 23 playoff games against the Warriors.James said it best, explaining how the Lakers have been in postseason mode."We’ve been playing playoff basketball for about 2 1/2 months now just to punch our clock to be able to play right now in the postseason," he told reporters after the game.One key takeaway that allowed the Lakers to cover for the fourth time in five games, was their paint dominance, outscoring Golden State in the area, 32-12.

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Big Al's 2023 Kentucky Derby Preview

by Al McMordie

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

After 2022 when an 80-1 horse -- who wasn't even in the field until a couple of days before the race -- crossed the finish line first, the question for the 149th Kentucky Derby is simply what will it do for an encore?  With a pretty wide-open field of runners only one thing appears certain: there won't be an 80-1 winner this Saturday.  And that's not to say that the longest shot in the starting gate doesn't have a chance, but rather that the "Rich Strike Effect" as it's been known to be called now, will ensure that every horse in the field gets bet to some extent.  So with that, here is a preview of some of the field for the most exciting two minutes in sports -- including the contenders, pretenders, and live longshots. Contenders: #15 - Forte.  The most accomplished horse in the race will deserve to the be the favorite come post time.  The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Violence has done little wrong in his career and an exciting Florida Derby win cemented his status as the one to beat.  But that doesn't mean there aren't reasons to take a stand against Forte.  For one thing, his running style -- while fine for a race like the the one at Gulfstream Park with 11 horses -- is not generally conducive to the Kentucky Derby.  Forte might be near the back of the pack early on, and that means having to navigate his way through a much larger field than any he's faced before.  He could win, but at a likely price of around 5-2, it might not be worth jumping on board to find out. #5 - Tapit Trice.  Another Pletcher trainee, this grey son of Tapit is likely to get you twice the odds of his stable mate.  But he took an easier road to the Derby than Forte, winning the Tampa Bay Derby and Toyota Blue Grass in his prior two races and winners of those generally don't come back to win the Derby.  Plus Tapit Trice is even slower early on in his races than Forte is, so you will have the same concerns with him regarding traffic and his ability to navigate his way home.  Add to that his post position being on the inside and he could have a lot more horses crowding him around the first turn.  But you can't deny his talent and he has seemingly gotten better with every race.  No one would blame you if you said Tapit Trice was your horse at a likely 5-1 closing odds.#14 - Angel of Empire.  The only trainer with more bullets in his holster this weekend than Pletcher is Brad Cox, who will send four horses to post on Saturday.  Of these, the standout is this son of Classic Empire.  Like Forte and Tapit Trice, he's done almost nothing wrong in getting here and you could argue that he's faced tougher competition in better races than those two.  It's hard to separate his performances from those of Forte but you'll be getting better odds on Angel of Empire, so that may make the decision easier.  There's been buzz on the track in the mornings due to Angel of Empire's impressive workouts and he likely will be bet below his 8-1 odds.  If there was concern that he's a cheap ($70K) PA-bred he's put those to rest by now.  And besides, we remember a PA-bred who did pretty well here a while ago (Smarty Jones). Pretenders (likely over-bet horses): #17 - Derma Sotogake.  The Japanese invader has garnered a ton of interest since winning the UAE Derby in dominating style back in March.  Many are saying he may be the horse that finally breaks the curse of winners coming over from that Dubai race and in fact he may get bet like it as well.  The problem is that there IS such a drought and the numbers are quite staggering.  Winners of the UAE Derby are 0 for 18 in the Run for the Roses and in two previous tries by Japanese runners, the best finish was Master Fencer who came in sixth after the Maximum Security DQ in 2019.  Some are saying this horse could be different.  Let's see it first before we commit our dollars at the windows.#6 - Kingsbarns.  He's an undefeated Pletcher runner with a 12-1 morning line.  Think he'll get bet?  Of course he will and his final odds will probably be below 10-1.  That may sound like a bargain, but the problem is two-fold.  The first is that he's too lightly raced with only three starts to his credit and none as a two-year old last year.  The second -- and probably bigger -- problem is that he just looks too slow.  He won the Louisiana Derby in his last race in gate-to-wire fashion but he faced a field of slow horses and the split times that he ran would put him well back in this field.  Like many Pletcher runners who aren't fully developed this time of year, Kingsbarns may have a bright future, but it will likely be later this year and beyond -- not on Saturday.#10 - Practical Move.  Not that long ago, horses from California were coming to Kentucky and owning the Derby.  But most of those were the result of one trainer -- Bob Baffert.  And Baffert showed he could take his horses away from the West Coast and win with them in Derby preps in Arkansas, Illinois, and other places.  Practical Move has run all his preps in California, and that's by design.  His trainer Tim Yakteen is based there and runs almost exclusively in the Golden State.  His record when he ships to other places is much worse than it is in his home base.  But this son of Practical Joke will get plenty of interest on Saturday as he won the premier event in California, the Santa Anita Derby and because he has the proper running style for the race.  He won't be a favorite for the win money but will be heavily used in the exotics.Live Longshots: #2 - Verifying.  The likely second-most bet Brad Cox runner battled like a champ with Tapit Trice all the way down the stretch in the Blue Grass only to lose by a nose.  But that loss may have unveiled a bona-fide star in the making.  This sun of Justify has gotten better with every race and if he does his Blue Grass performance one better, he should be right there on Saturday.  He also gets Churchill's leading rider of late, Tyler Gaffalione, and that's another plus in his column.  And he's been turning heads big time in his morning workouts.  So what's the problem?  His post position draw of #2 in a 20 horse field is horrible.  He may be fast enough to be near the lead but not on it and that could put him in a very difficult position.  But Verifying is 15-1 and with that #2 post, his odds could go up from there making him a very tempting proposition.#11 - Disarm.  In years past we've heard about the exploits of Steve Asmussen and the fact that despite being North America's winningest trainer, he's 0-for-twenty something in the Derby.  Last year turning for home it appeared Epicenter would give him his first blanket of roses but it was not to be.  So this year with only one horse in the race -- and a 30-1 outsider at that -- hardly anyone is talking about him.  And Asmussen just might prefer it this way.  But this son of Gun Runner who needed a third place finish in the recent Lexington Stakes just to get enough points to be here should not be dismissed.  He just might have the longest stride of any horse in the field and that could serve him very well on Saturday.  Leave him out of your exactas and trifectas at your own risk.#4 - Confidence Game.  More people familiar with racing have no doubt heard of jockey Kent Desormeaux than his brother the trainer.  But it's Keith and not Kent who will have a hand in this year's Derby with this son of Candy Ride.  He only cost $25,000 at auction and he went on to win the Grade II Rebel Stakes. So Confidence Game's owners -- how can you not root for a group called "Don't Tell My Wife Stables" -- are playing with house money at this point.  You'll get every bit of his 20-1 odds come post time and jockey James Graham has been known to ride a longshot or two to victory in Kentucky before.  If the track comes up muddy or sloppy on Saturday, elevate this one in your wagering.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/03/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with one playoff game in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Boston Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers at 8 PM ET. The 76ers took the opening game of this seven-game series with their 119-115 upset victory as a 10.5-point underdog. The Celtics are a 10-point favorite with the total set at 216.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Hockey League playoffs continue with two opening games in the conference semifinals on ESPN. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the New Jersey Devils at 7:10 PM ET. The Hurricanes finished their opening-round series with the New York Islanders with a 2-1 victory on the road on Friday to win that game in six games. The Devils beat the New York Rangers, 4-0, in Game 7 of their opening-round series on Sunday. Carolina is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Edmonton Oilers travel to Vegas to play the Golden Knights at 9:40 PM ET. The Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings, 5-4, on Saturday to win that series in six games. The Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday by a 4-1 score to end that series in five games. Edmonton is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Wednesday card in Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The New York Mets travel to Detroit to play the Tigers at 1:40 PM ET in the opening game of their doubleheader. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:05 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros host the San Francisco Giants at 2:10 PM ET as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies visit Los Angeles to play the Dodgers. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -260 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three MLB games start at 6:40 PM ET. The Atlanta Braves play in Miami against the Marlins as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Mets play against the Tigers in the second game of their doubleheader. Two more MLB games begin at 7:05 PM ET. The Cleveland Guardians are in New York to play the Yankees at 7:05 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Chicago Cubs travel to Washington to play the Nationals as a -195 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The Toronto Blue Jays visit Boston to play the Red Sox as a -145 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox hosts the Minnesota Twins as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Baltimore Orioles play at Kansas City against the Royals as a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Angels are in St. Louis to play the Cardinals as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers travel to Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 12. The Seattle Mariners play in Oakland to play the A’s at 9:40 PM ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.Matchweek 34 in the English Premier League continues with two matches at 3 PM ET. Liverpool hosts Fulham as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5 (all soccer odds from DraftKings). Manchester City plays at home against West Ham United on the USA Network as a -2 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 2, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, May 02, 2023

Is Gerard Gallant going to get fired?It's the question many New York Rangers fans want to know after the New Jersey Devils thoroughly dominated the Blueshirts in a decisive 4-0 Game 7 win on Monday.A pick'em game, the Rangers saw a lot of the action to get the line -110 on each side, as the Devils opened a -120 favorite.On to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begins tonight in Toronto and Dallas, but not before I send out of the first round with some things to chew on... The Panthers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the team with the best regular-season record in NHL history. Seattle, a second-year franchise, dethroned the reigning Stanley Cup champions to win its first-ever playoff series Seven of eight teams advanced after facing a series deficit (tied for the most ever). Carolina is the only outlier. There was an average of 6.2 goals per game, trailing only 2022 (6.6) as the highest-scoring first-round in the past 28 years. The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, but the Under cashed in 14 of the last 22 games. Road teams went 31-19 to set an NHL record for most wins by the visitors in any round. Underdogs went 23-27 in the first round, but a $100 wager on the underdog in all 50 games would have turned a profit of roughly $600. A total of 14 overtime games were played, and road teams went 11-3 in overtime. NBA WATCHWhile the Phoenix Suns may have fell in Denver by 10 to the Nuggets, dropping to 0-2 in the series, they may have lost even more with Chris Paul leaving the game with groin tightness. Could be over for the Suns, as the most consistent - and underestimated - team in the NBA continues to be the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic scored 39 points and pulled down 16 rebounds one night before we find out the NBA MVP. The Nuggets are now 5-2 ATS in the playoffs, including a 4-1 start in Denver. They're also on a 4-2-1 Over run in the postseason.In Monday's other game, Philadelphia stole homecourt advantage after James Harden hit a go-ahead, step-back 3-pointer over Al Horford with 8.7 seconds left to help the 76ers to a 119-115 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. No Joel Embiid? No problem. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris combined to add 44 for the Sixers, who drained 17 3-pointers in the MVP finalist's absence. The Sixers are now 4-0-1 ATS in the postseason, while the Under remains 3-2 despite Game 1 soaring Over.Two games on the slate tonight, as the Heat and Knicks engage in Game 2, and the Lakers and Warriors open their series in San Francisco.MLB TEAMS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONSThe New York Yankees' demise continued, as they lost their fourth straight, dropping a 3-2 decision at home to the Cleveland Guardians. The Pinstripes are struggling terribly at the plate during a 3-8 skid since April 21, hitting just .214 while averaging less than three runs per game. The Yankees have plated three or fewer runs in nine o those 11 games, and two or fewer in eight. Their pitching staff has a 4.88 ERA during that 11-game stretch. We're also looking at a 3-7-1 mark to the Under in those games, with the Yankees failing to score runs.Flipside from the left coast, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back where they seemingly belong, on top of the NL West thanks to a four-game win streak after last night's 13-4 destruction of the defending NL champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers have jumpstarted their offensive a bit after averaging 5.0 runs per game over their first 21 outings, as they're averaging 6.0 runs per game during a current 7-2 win streak. They've 15 home runs in that span, since April 22. The Over has cashed in seven times during the nine-game stretch.All teams are in action Tuesday, with 15 games on the schedule.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 1, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Monday, May 01, 2023

Happy May Day!As we turn to the fifth month in 2023, so comes a new era for yours truly, as I usher in the VW Daily Recap, a quick synopsis of the previous day's action that encapsulates the entire card, points out the occasional bad beats, updates you on favorites and underdogs on the whole, and delivers an anecdote or two to take into the day with you.Consider it a bit of a column, as there will be some opinionated thoughts here and there. But overall, some added insight for with daily nutritional value to whet your appetite for your sports investment diet.Let's start this thing off in the postseason - both the NBA and NHL - where the road underdogs went a combined 4-0.The Miami Heat (+4') stole Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal with the New York Knicks with a 108-101 victory, led by 25 points from Jimmy Butler. Miami's defense continues to impress, ranking second in the league in allowing just 109.8 points while limiting opponents to 48.2% shooting. The Heat are now 5-1 ATS as an underdog in the postseason, and have covered seven of eight when catching points dating back to the regular season. The Knicks continue to struggle offensively, as they're averaging a mere 99.8 points per game through six playoff games while shooting 43.8% from the floor, including 26.8% from 3-point range.The Golden State Warriors (+1') made a huge statement in Sacramento, trouncing the Sacramento Kings by 20. The betting market moved the number from Warriors -1 to the other side, and defending champs proved everyone wrong. Stephen Curry was as animated as he's ever been during a game en route to a playoff career-high 50 points in what was the most dominating performance of his career. The Warriors overcame an 0-2 series deficit to win four of the next five games - including two on the road - and snapped a three-game slide as an underdog by winning Sunday's game outright. Looking ahead to their next series, the Warriors have lost three straight to the Los Angeles Lakers - all in 2023.A $100 two-team moneyline parlay in both NHL Game 7s would have netted $726.50 (based on closing numbers at Draft Kings), as the Florida Panthers stunned the Boston Bruins in overtime and the Seattle Kraken ousted the defending champion Colorado Avalanche. Just how we drew it up, right?For the Panthers, who next meet Toronto, it was their offensive prowess throughout the series that sent them past the President's Trophy winner. Florida scored four or more goals in its four wins, averaging 5.2 goals per victory. It's their high-scoring ways to keep an eye on for their upcoming series with the Maple Leafs, as the Over is on a 10-4-1 run, including a 5-1-1 streak in Toronto. Make note, the home team has won 15 of the last 20 meetings.The Kraken got incredible play from their inspired goaltender, Philip Grubauer, a castoff from the Avalanche. Gru was left out to dry when the Kraken came into the league, and Seattle gladly signed him as a free agent. The Kraken slowed the Avs to pedestrian outcomes throughout the series, holding them to less than four goals in five games. Overall, the Kraken limited Colorado to 2.7 goals per game. The second-year franchise is just 2-4 against the Dallas Stars, whom it'll face in the conference semifinals, but did win the most recent meeting 5-4 in overtime on March 21.MLB DOG POUND - Sunday saw eight of 14 underdogs win. Betting $100 on each game, based on closing numbers at Draft Kings, an investor would have made $690. One of those underdogs, the Texas Rangers, handed the New York Yankees their third straight loss. The Pinstripes will try to right the ship as they return to the Bronx for a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians before heading to Tampa to face the first-place Rays next weekend.The Miami Marlins were a nice money grab, as they won their fourth straight with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The Fish have caught fire at the right time, as they get a day off before hosting the Atlanta Braves this week. We should see some value prices during that three-game set.Though the Pittsburgh Pirates lost 7-2 to the Washington Nationals, they remain the most impressive investment with a 20-9 mark that would have profited more than $1,300 with a $100 wager on all 29 games. The Bucs have been an underdog in 20 of those games. They open a tough three-game set in Tampa on Tuesday, which will likely bring some high prices to pay attention to.The dreaded Oakland Athletics pulled out a victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, and went over for the 19th time this season. The A's are tied for the league lead with 19 Overs. They're now 19-9-1 Over this season, tied with the Boston Red Sox, who are 19-10 Over this season. Flipside, the Yankees are 10-18 Under on the year, with the defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies just behind with 17 Unders in their 29 games.SEA DRAGONS ARE NO KRAKEN - In the XFL on Sunday, the Seattle Sea Dragons couldn't keep up with their NHL brethren, as they were stomped out of the postseason by the DC Defenders, who won 37-21 to easily cover the 1 1/2. Tied 9-9 at halftime, the Defenders scored 14 points in both the third and fourth quarters to cruise into the championship game, where they're laying -6 points to the Arlington Renegades. In their lone meeting during the regular season, the Defenders eked by the Renegades 28-26 in overtime on April 16, despite being outgained by Arlington on offense, 434-314. The total in the championship game is 46 1/2 points.

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