Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/22/2025

Tuesday, Apr 22, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with three games. The Indiana Pacers host the Milwaukee Bucks on NBA TV at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite, with the total set at 229. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on TNT/truTV/Max at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on TNT/truTV/Max at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 210. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with four games on its slate. The Carolina Hurricanes host the New Jersey Devils on ESPN at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -258 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Ottawa Senators on ESPN2 at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are home against the Florida Panthers on ESPN at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Minnesota Wild on ESPN at 11:10 p.m. ET as a -245 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the New York Yankees at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Cincinnati Reds travel to Miami to play the Marlins as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers are home against the San Diego Padres as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more MLB games start at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox host the Seattle Mariners as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Baltimore Orioles play in Washington against the Nationals as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies are in New York to battle the Mets on TBS at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three more MLB games begin at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Kansas City Royals are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Chicago to take on the Cubs as a -118 money-line road favorite. The Minnesota Twins host the Chicago White Sox as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Tampa Bay Rays at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 9:45 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Athletics are home against the Texas Rangers at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 10. Matchweek 33 in the English Premier League continues with one match. Manchester City hosts Aston Villa on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/21/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 21, 2025

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with two games on TNT/truTV/Max. The New York Knicks host the Detroit Pistons at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 221.5. The Los Angeles Clippers travel to Denver to play the Nuggets at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 217. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with four games on its slate. The Washington Capitals play at home against the Montreal Canadiens on ESPN at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the St. Louis Blues on ESPN2 at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in Dallas against the Stars on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the Edmonton Oilers on ESPN2 as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Major League Baseball has eight games on its schedule. The Boston Red Sox host the Chicago White Sox at 11:10 a.m. ET. Walker Buehler gets the ball for the Red Sox to pitch against Jonathan Cannon for the White Sox. Boston is a -298 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees are in Cleveland to take on the Guardians at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Yankees send out Clarke Schmidt to face the Guardians’ Gavin Williams. New York is a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cincinnati visits Miami with Nick Lodolo taking the ball for the Reds to battle Max Meyer for the Marlins. The Reds are a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Detroit plays at home against San Diego on FS1 with the Tigers tapping Keider Montero to challenge the Padres’ Randy Vasquez. The Tigers are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets are home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill takes the mound for the Mets to go against Aaron Nola for the Phillies. New York is a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Braves send out Spencer Schwellenbach to face the Cardinals’ Erick Fedde. Atlanta is a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros turn to Hunter Brown to pitch against the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman. Houston is a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants are home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 9:45 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Matchweek 33 in the English Premier League continues with one match. Tottenham hosts Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/20/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 20, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association continues its playoff season with four games. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Memphis Grizzlies on ABC at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite, with the total set at 229. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Orlando Magic on ABC at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 205.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers are home against the Miami Heat on TNT/truTV/Max at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 215. The Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors on TNT/truTV/Max at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 212.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with three games on its slate. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the New Jersey Devils on ESPN at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are home against the Ottawa Senators on ESPN2 at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Minnesota Wild on ESPN at 10:10 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. Five MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -285 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Pittsburgh Pirates are home against the Cleveland Guardians as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Miami Marlins as a -305 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Atlanta Braves are home against the Minnesota Twins as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays at 1:37 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:40 p.m. ET. The New York Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees play in Tampa Bay against the Rays as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Athletics are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers at 2:10 p.m. ET with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago Cubs are home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Texas to battle the Rangers at 2:35 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Washington Nationals play in Colorado against the Rockies in the opening game of their doubleheader at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The San Francisco Giants are in Los Angeles to challenge the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN features the Houston Astros hosting the San Diego Padres at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Astros are a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Nationals go against the Rockies in the second game of their doubleheader at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Matchweek 33 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Three EPL matches begin at 9:00 a.m. ET. Chelsea travels to Fulham on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Ipswich Town as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester United plays at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool is at Leicester City on the USA Network at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

NHL Playoffs: A Glance Inside The Numbers

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

The most exciting postseason is set to begin, as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs open Saturday, beginning the two-month parade to see who will hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.That means it's time to delve inside the playoff numbers.Here are several for you to chew on:* If you're counting on one of the five Canadian teams to win the Stanley Cup, remember among the 16 teams that qualified for this year's postseason, the four longest waits for a championship belong to teams from north of the border: Toronto (58 years; last 1967), Edmonton (35 years; last 1990), Montreal (32 years; last 1993) and Ottawa (32 years; looking for first Cup)* If you're wondering which playoff teams have won the most series in the last five years (since 2020), seven teams have won at least six playoff series over the past five years, including four that have won the Stanley Cup: 11 – Tampa Bay (SC in 2020 & 2021) 8 – Vegas (SC in 2023) 8 – Florida (SC in 2024) 7 – Colorado (SC in 2022) 7 – Dallas 6 – Carolina 6 – Edmonton * Looking for a Wild Card longshot? Good news! At least one Wild Card team has advanced from the opening round in six of the nine years under that format, including multiple teams four times in a single postseason.* Who will represent the Eastern Conference? An Atlantic Division team isn't a bad bet for your future wager. To wit: a team currently in the Atlantic Division has reached the Stanley Cup Final in six straight years. In the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Atlantic Division has five of the eight playoff spots in the East: Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida, Ottawa and Montreal. Here are the Atlantic Division teams who have made the Stanley Cup Final, since 2019: 2024 – Florida (Won Cup) 2023 – Florida (Lost Final) 2022 – Tampa Bay (Lost Final) 2021 – Tampa Bay (Won Cup) 2020 – Tampa Bay (Won Cup) 2019 – Boston (Lost Final) Here is a glance at the No. 1 trend or stat to think about for each team coming into the playoffs: Carolina: The Hurricanes closed their regular-season campaign on a 1-7 slide, and were outscored by an average final of 4.38 to 2.88.Colorado: Dating back to Feb. 26, the Avalanche are tied with the Blues for the highest point production, with an average of 3.74 goals-for per game.Dallas: The Stars were tied for second-to-last with the New Jersey Devils down the stretch, after losing their seven of their last eight games (1-5-2) since April 2. Dallas was outscored by an average final of 4.38 to 2.88 in that span.Edmonton: The Oilers have stayed under in nine of their last 10 regular-season games. The average tally in those games was 4.9 goals per game.Florida: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers closed their regular-season campaign losing seven of their final 10 games. They also stayed under in seven of their last nine.Los Angeles: The Kings are 17-5-0 since March 8, a stretch that has seen them rank No. 1 in allowing just 2.00 goals per game.Minnesota: The Wild won four of their last five regular-season games to clinch the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Important to note: the four wins all came in overtime.Montreal: The Canadiens won seven of their last 10 games in the regular season, with seven of those games staying under the posted number.New Jersey: The Flames landed over the posted number in eight of their last 11 games of the regular season. Those 11 games averaged a final tally of 5.91 goals per game.Ottawa: The high-scoring Senators went over the posted number in their last five games with each game landing on seven goals or higher.St. Louis: Rank No. 1 in the NHL with 40 points since Feb. 23, having won 19 of its last 25 games of the regular season, going 19-4-2.Tampa Bay: The high-flying Lightning closed the regular season going over in five of their last six games, with those contests averaging nearly seven goals per game.Toronto: The Leafs won nine of their last 10 games of the regular season and allowed two or fewer goals in seven of those games. Since March 29, the Leafs are the only team allowing less than two goals per game.Vegas: The Golden Knights won 19 of their final 28 games, ranking tied for third with 42 points since Feb. 6. They ranked third in that span in allowing 2.32 goals per game.Washington: The Capitals, who qualified for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a -36 goal differential, finished with a +57 goal differential this season.Winnipeg: Rank No. 1 in the NHL with 57 points since Jan. 11, having won 28 of its final 39 games of the regular season, going 28-10-1.

NFL Draft Props

by ASA, Inc.

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

Top be a Top 10 Pick - Tetairoa McMillian (+430)According to most NFL insiders McMillan is the clear WR1 (not including Travis Hunter) in this year's NFL draft, making him a hot commodity for teams in need of a 6’4 220 lb monster. If McMillian had shown a bit more speed (ran a 4.48 40 yard dash reported by Jordan Schulz), he would be a consensus top 10 pick. Still, multiple teams in the top third of the draft order are desperate to get help at receiver. The Raiders, Jets, Panthers, Saints, and Cowboys are teams to target a player like McMillan. Three WRs went in the top 10 in the 2024 draft, showing teams willingness to invest high picks in playmakers. An NFL comparison to Drake London is a good sign, since London was the number eight overall pick in 2022. London and McMillan also ran very similar 40 times. As always, every mock draft is different and speculation runs wild with players as well as potential trades. For the current price, McMillan can return a lot of value with numerous mock drafts forecasting him as a top 10 selection.Team to Draft Shedeur Sanders- New York Giants (+350)Sanders has been mocked all over the first round, but it seems a majority project him to either go to the Saints at the nine spot (+150) or to the Giants at number three. New York does not have a patient fanbase and the star power of Sanders seems like a perfect fit on paper. If the Giants pass on Shedeur and he goes on to have a successful rookie year elsewhere, GM Joe Schoen will have some hard questions to answer. This pick relies heavily on what the Browns do with the number two overall pick. If Travis Hunter is off the board, the Giants might be more inclined to select their franchise QB, but if Abdul Carters goes at two, Hunter may be higher on New York's draft board. Watch for lots of movement on draft night as the Jets and Browns may also be willing to gamble on Sanders. First Offensive Lineman Drafted - Josh Simmons (+8000)A longshot on paper, this prop holds some value due to the uncertainty the public has on how NFL teams assess players. Ohio State’s Josh Simmons tore his patellar tendon six games into 2024, but was arguably in line to be the top tackle drafted in 2025. Simmons did a limited workout at the Ohio State pro day a few weeks ago, where recovery seemed to be going as planned. Thought by many to be the best true left tackle in the draft, some teams like the Patriots at four may be willing to overlook the recent injury to get a cornerstone left tackle. A sprinkle on Simmons could payout big, and we know the Patriots, for example, have shown major contrarian thinking in the draft in years past.

The NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs

by Will Rogers

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

CLEVELAND (1) vs. MIAMI (8)Game 1 odds – Cavaliers -12.5Series odds – N/AOdds to win East – Cavaliers +190, Heat +50000The Cavs didn’t do much to quell any stray doubters when they stumbled down the stretch, losing three of their last five games. They’ll no doubt consider that bad run as a one-off and point to their wire-to-wire dominance of the Eastern Conference. Nine years after LeBron James bolted Cleveland and the Cavs have resurfaced with a deep, talented team that should be well-rested – none of the Core 4 (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley) averaged as many as 32 minutes this season. Can Miami, which has been backsliding since it surprisingly made it to the 2023 Finals, really make this a series? Not likely, even with Tyler Herro playing out of his mind (68 points in the Heat’s two Play-In victories). Just not enough talent, especially since Jimmy Butler shot his way out of South Florida.BOSTON (2) vs. ORLANDO (7)Game 1 odds – Celtics -13.5Series odds – Celtics -1600, Magic +8000Odds to win East – Celtics -140It’s doubtful that the Magic can get this series to a sixth game, but Orlando has a big and effective front line that is capable of doing some physical damage and take some spring out of the Celtics’ step in the next round. Orlando has actually had decent success against Boston in the regular season, winning 10 of the last 13 meetings, although the Celtics won by 27 in Boston this season. There was some concern about the status of 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who missed 19 games this season, including the final three games. Boston (which has a history of downplaying injuries) reports that Brown and his tender right knee is good to go for Game 1. As always, the Celtics will bomb away from deep. Opponents have had some success this season by leaving one player (usually Jrue Holiday) open and playing tight D on the other four.NEW YORK (3) vs. DETROIT (6)Game 1 odds – Knicks -7.5Series odds – Knicks -400, Pistons +310Odds to win East – Knicks +1000, Pistons +8000New York has been waiting all season for Mitchell Robinson to return and fill the hole left by the departure of Isiah Hartenstein, but will Robinson be game-ready to have an impact in the playoffs against the on-the-rise Pistons? The Knicks are hardly the picture of confidence as they enter the playoffs after not recording a single victory over any of the top three teams (Cleveland, Boston and OKC) this season. “We have to get it fixed and we have to get it fixed fast,” said Tom Thibodeau after NY blew a 28-point lead in a loss to the Cavs. Detroit, with a blend of veterans led by superstar-in-the-making Cade Cunningham, can’t wait to get rolling. Pistons fans haven’t seen their team win a playoff game since 2008. Bad draw for the Knicks, who desperately need to take The Next Step, and for Thibodeau.INDIANA (4) vs. MILWAUKEE (5)Game 1 odds – Pacers -5.5Series odds – Pacers -200, Bucks +160Odds to win East – Pacers +2500, Bucks +4000The Bucks look like they’ll have to get by without injured Damien Lillard, who has missed 14 straight games due to blood clots in his right calf. Milwaukee’s defense has actually been a bit better without Lillard on the court, but it’s hard to see the Bucks advancing until Giannis Antetokounmpo gets significant help from somewhere. The Pacers bring a balanced attack behind Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, and have far more depth than the Bucks. Expect Indiana to put constant pressure on Antetokounmpo, play a faster pace than Milwaukee wants to play at, and sub liberally. The two met in the playoffs last season; Lillard was banged up, and the Pacers took full advantage in a six-game series win. History seems to be repeating.

The NBA Western Conference Playoffs

by Will Rogers

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (1) vs. MEMPHIS (8)Game 1 odds – Thunder -12.5Series odds –Odds to win West – Thunder -150With 68 regular-season wins in their back pocket and a stifling defense that was stat-wise the third-best in the league, the Thunder seem more than ready for a long playoff run. Oh, and they also have the expected MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That should help a bit. Toss in Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren to protect the rim (which they didn’t have this time last year), and the package appears complete. Can Memphis actually make this a series? The Grizzlies don’t have the deepest bench among playoff teams, and front-liners Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. will have to see big minutes. Fatigue is a factor for any OKC opponent. There is a reason – actually, lots of reasons – why the Thunder won 68 games this year, 20 more than Memphis.HOUSTON (2) vs. GOLDEN STATE (7)Game 1 odds – Warriors -1.5Series odds – Warriors -200, Rockets +165Odds to win West – Warriors +750, Rockets +2500He’s ba-a-a-a-ack. Playoff Jimmy has entered the building. Butler had 38 points and got to the foul line a staggering total of 18 times in Golden State’s Show-the-Kid-Who’s-Boss 7-8 Play-In win over Morant and the Grizzlies. Now the Rockets have to figure out how to deal with Butler’s slashing mid-range game AND keep an eye on Steph Curry moving around outside the 3-point line. Houston finds itself in the odd position of finishing second in the conference, winning 52 games, and the underdog in a series against a Play-In survivor. The Rockets’ No. 1 problem as the playoffs start is that they lack a genuine go-to player when they need a bucket late in the game. Amen Thompson, perhaps the best defender in the league, will have to log big minutes.LOS ANGELES LAKERS (3) vs. MINNESOTA (6)Game 1 odds – Lakers -4.5Series odds – Lakers -200, Timberwolves +160Odds to win West – Lakers +600, Timberwolves +1600This is the first playoff meeting between these teams, but the Wolves no doubt recall all too well the way Luka Doncic carved them up like a Thanksgiving turkey in the West finals last season. Minnesota will have to deal with both Doncic and a title-thirsty LeBron James this time around, and the only way the Wolves can get past this series is if Anthony Edwards is clearly the best player on the court for at least four games. That may be asking a little too much for Ant-Man, even though confidence in himself never seems to wane. Expect Minnesota to reprise Boston’s strategy in beating Doncic’s Mavericks in The Finals last year – go at Doncic on every possession, and harass him over 94 feet when the Lakers have the ball. Tiring out James and Doncic may not be a winning strategy, but it might have some effect if the series goes 6 or 7.DENVER (4) vs. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (5)Game 1 odds – Nuggets -3.5Series odds – Nuggets -135, Clippers +110Odds to win West – Nuggets +1000, Clippers +1600To paraphrase Jason Bateman’s character in Dodgeball, “Firing your head coach just before the playoffs is a bold move, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off.” Put another way, if interim boss David Adelman has the answers, why didn’t he tell former HC Mike Malone? No one knows how this will all play out, but Denver and perennial MVP candidate Nikola Jokic figure to have their hands full with the Clippers. The LAC have overachieved after letting Paul George flee to Philadelphia, and now venerable vets James Harden and Kawhi Leonard have their team peaking at just the right time – 9 wins in their final 10 regular season games. This series has the look and feel of a long grind, and home court for Denver in a Game 7 could be pivotal. The Clippers are mediocre on the road.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, EPL and NBA Previews and Odds - 04/19/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association tips off the 2025 playoff season with four games. The Indiana Pacers host the Milwaukee Bucks on ESPN at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite, with the total set at 224 (all odds from DraftKings). The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5.The New York Knicks are home against the Detroit Pistons on ESPN at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 220. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on ABC at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 216.The National Hockey League playoffs begin with two games on TBS/truTV/Max on its slate. The Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Dallas to face the Stars at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 10. The Detroit Tigers are home against the Kansas City Royals at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite. The Seattle Mariners are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Cleveland Guardians as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Cincinnati Reds visit Baltimore to play the Orioles as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games are on Fox’s regional coverage. The New York Mets play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are home against the Los Angeles Dodgers as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Three MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Washington Nationals play in Colorado against the Rockies as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Boston Red Sox host the Chicago White Sox as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the New York Yankees as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Diego Padres are in Houston to battle the Astros on FS1 as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers are home against the Athletics as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Minnesota Twins at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Matchweek 33 in the English Premier League starts with five matches. Four matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Brentford plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Crystal Palace is home against Bournemouth as a 0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at Everton on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. West Ham United hosts Southampton as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Aston Villa plays at home against Newcastle United on the USA Network at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/18/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Apr 18, 2025

The Friday sports card features NBA and MLB action.The National Basketball Association concludes its Play-In Tournament prior to the playoffs with two games. The Miami Heat travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks on TNT and truTV at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 219.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Memphis Grizzlies host the Dallas Mavericks on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Chicago to take on the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks tap Corbin Burnes to pitch against the Cubs’ Colin Rea. Arizona is a -135 money-line road favorite. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland is in Pittsburgh with Luis L. Ortiz taking the hill for the Guardians to face Carmen Mlodzinski for the Pirates. The Guardians are a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Kansas City visits Detroit with the Royals turning to Cole Ragans to battle the Tigers’ Jackson Jobe. The Royals are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins at 6:45 p.m. ET. Zack Wheeler gets the ball for the Phillies to battle Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins. Philadelphia is a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 p.m. ET. New York plays in Tampa Bay with the Yankees sending out Carlos Rodon to go against the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5. Baltimore is home against Cincinnati with Cade Povich taking the mound for the Orioles to battle Andrew Abbott for the Reds. The Orioles are a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays on Apple TV+ at 7:07 p.m. ET. as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. Boston hosts Chicago with the Red Sox turning to a starting pitcher yet to be named to face the White Sox’s Martin Perez. The Red Sox are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. New York plays at home against St. Louis with David Peterson taking the ball for the Mets to take on Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. The Mets are a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are home against the Minnesota Twins on Apple TV+ at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Braves turn to Bryce Elder to pitch against the Twins’ Chris Paddack. Atlanta is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Texas to challenge the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET. Yoshinbo Yamamoto takes the hill for the Dodgers to take on Jacob deGrom for the Rangers. Los Angeles is a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 8:10 p.m. ET. Houston hosts San Diego with the Astros tapping Ryan Gusto to face the Padres’ Kyle Hart. The Astros are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee plays at home against the Athletics with Freddy Peralta getting sent out for the Brewers to battle J.T. Ginn for the Athletics. The Brewers are a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Washington Nationals play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Nationals turn to Mackenzie Gore to battle the Rockies’ Chase Dollander. Washington is a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The San Francisco Giants are in Los Angeles to take on the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. Logan Webb gets the ball for the Giants to challenge Tyler Anderson for the Angels. San Francisco is a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.

NHL Playoffs: Regular Season Man Games Lost Should Be Taken In Consideration

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

As the NHL Playoffs are set to start Saturday, one of the biggest factors for me in the opening round has always been which teams have been the healthiest, and which team has experienced the most man-games lost. Which team has dealt with the most adversity, and which team is still battling injuries.Many teams struggle to rekindle chemistry from the first half of the season, when they gathered enough points to get them in playoff position, but struggled down the stretch and are still dealing with injuries.For instance, everyone has been fascinated by the Washington Capitals earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but this is a team that has the 10th highest Cap Hit of Injured Players (CHIP). That includes their star goaltender, Logan Thompson, who has been dealing with concussion issues since the 4 Nation's Face-Off break. Altogether, the Caps have 190 man-games lost this season and CHIP of $10.31 million.Per NHLInjuryViz.com, CHIP represents the per-game cap charge of a player missing a game through injury/illness, i.e., annual cap charge divided by 82.Seven of the 11 teams with the highest CHIP are headed to the postseason, including Central Division teams Colorado, St. Louis and Dallas.The Tampa Bay Lightning (3.37) and Winnipeg Jets had the two lowest CHIP this season, and it's a projected Stanley Cup Final that many experts are predicting.Interestingly, after the Bolts and Jets, the next closest playoff team is Montreal, with the NHL's eighth-lowest CHIP.Here are the 16 playoff teams, from lowest to highest CHIP: Tampa Bay 3.37 Winnipeg 4.12 Montreal 5.77 Florida 6.85 New Jersey 7.87 Carolina 8.40 Ottawa 8.43 Vegas 9.22 Los Angeles 9.40 Toronto 9.97 Washington 10.31 Edmonton 11.31 Minnesota 13.19 Dallas 13.50 St. Louis 14.28 Colorado 16.09

Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/17/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NHL and MLB action.The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate for the final day of the regular season. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Washington Capitals on ESPN with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are home against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets host the New York Islanders as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators are home against the Carolina Hurricanes as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Calgary Flames on ESPN at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 10 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Miami to play the Marlins at 12:10 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks tap Eduardo Rodriguez to pitch against the Marlins Edward Cabrera. Arizona is a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Washington Nationals at 12:35 p.m. ET. Andrew Heaney gets the ball for the Pirates to take on Trevor Williams for the Nationals. Pittsburgh is a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners play in Cincinnati against the Reds at 12:40 p.m. ET. The Mariners send out Bryan Woo to challenge the Reds’ Bryan Singer. Seattle is a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Athletics are in Chicago to battle the White Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET. J.P. Sears takes the hill for the Athletics to face Davis Martin for the White Sox. The Athletics are a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the San Francisco Giants at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Phillies turn to Cristopher Sanchez to go against the Giants Jordan Hicks. Philadelphia is a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Cleveland Guardians visit Baltimore to take on the Orioles at 6:35 p.m. ET. Tanner Bibee takes the mound for the Guardians to pitch against Tomoyuki Sugano for the Orioles. Cleveland is a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers host the Kansas City Royals at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers tap Reese Olson to battle against the Royals’ Michael Lorenzen. Detroit is a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the New York Yankees at 7:05 p.m. ET. Taj Bradley takes the hill for the Rays to pitch against Willie Warren for the Yankees. Tampa Bay is a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets are home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets turn to Griffin Canning to challenge the Cardinals' Andrew Pallante. New York is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET. Kumar Rocker gets the ball for the Rangers to take on Josh Kochanowicz for the Angels. Texas is a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5.

How to Play the Play-In Tourney

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

The NBA's Play-In Tournament is ongoing. Golden State and Orlando have punched their tickets to the post-season, and will each be seeded #7 in their respective conference. Still to be decided are the #8 seeds. This Friday, Miami will visit Atlanta, while Dallas will travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.As of this writing, on Thursday morning, Atlanta has been installed as a 1-point favorite, with an Over/Under line of 220. And the Grizzlies are favored by 6.5 points, with an Over/Under line of 223.This is the 5th season of the Play-In Tournament, so we're beginning to get some data under our belt.One thing which has emerged is that the favorites have excelled in these games that decide the #8 seed, with a 7-1 ATS record. Here, Memphis is a clear favorite, while it's unclear which team will close as the favorite in the Atlanta/Miami game.The other thing is that these games that decide the #8 seed tend to be relatively low-scoring, and have gone 6-2 under the total. I would expect that trend to continue, as NBA Playoff (or Play-In) games where BOTH teams stand to be eliminated with a loss have gone under the total 56.5% since 1990. Consider playing the unders in the Hawks/Heat and Grizzlies/Mavericks games.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

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