All posts by Kevin

Dodgers Strengthen World Series Odds By Re-Signing Rich Hill

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The Los Angeles Dodgers were favored by many to make a deep playoff run in 2016. That’s been the case for the past several seasons, too, as the Dodgers boast one of the top pitchers in the game in Clayton Kershaw.

An ongoing issue had been that Kershaw couldn’t do everything himself, however, and that once the MLB playoffs rolled around, if he couldn’t elevate the Dodgers, they wouldn’t be going very far.

That still wound up being the case ultimately in this past season’s playoff run, but along the way the Dodgers at least found a strong complementary arm to aid Kershaw. That would be none other than ageless wonder, Rich Hill.

The 36-year old Hill continued a career revitalization last season, as he went 12-5 as a starter, while notching 129 strikeouts. Despite lingering injury issues, Hill stepped his game up during the post-season, helping the team get a huge 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals, and again dealing a game in a 6-0 win over the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

Needless to say, the veteran left-hander earned his keep with the Dodgers and deserved a new contract. Per reports, the Dodgers obliged, signing Hill to a three-year, $48 million deal:

Big Deal

The deal itself isn’t over the top, even though Hill is pushing 37 and for the most part has only been a reliable pitcher over the last few seasons. Instead, it’s a huge deal from an impact perspective, as Hill more than proved his worth during the playoffs and also ended up being a solid trade acquisition, going 3-2 as a starter with the Dodgers in just six regular season appeances.

Hill’s story is an odd one, as he started his career as a solid prospect with the Chicago Cubs (where he notched a previous career high 11 wins), but tailed off and was largely a forgotten man until resurfacing as a strikeout king with the Boston Red Sox in 2015. Hill only took to the mound four times as a starter with Boston in 2015, but recorded 36 strikeouts and reminded Major League Baseball of the value he can still provide.

The wheels could always come off at anytime, as Hill is 36 and has battled injuries the past few years, but on paper this is a fantastic re-signing for a Dodgers team with serious title aspirations.

Killer Depth

When people think Dodgers baseball, the first person they think of is still Clayton Kershaw. As money as their top ace has been, however, he hasn’t been able to get the job done all on his own and Los Angeles has taken action over the last couple of seasons to get him the backup he needs. That means more lively arms that can rotate in without skipping a beat, and also nail down crucial games during the playoffs.

Hill did that twice just last season, while his regular season numbers were as good as ever.

That puts Rich Hill on paper as a terrific signing and blends him in a deep pitching rotation that already included Kenta Maeda, Scott Kazmir and the young riser, Julio Urias. The Dodgers have even more depth, but had they lost Hill, they would have been taking a big step back. Hill has his health concerns and his age could eventually be a factor in his performance, but this was a signing that had to be made. On paper, the Dodgers are better for it.

World Series Odds

It’s tough to say for sure if re-signing Rich Hill makes the Dodgers even bigger World Series threats, but it surely can’t hurt their chances. Hill was a crucial piece to the defensive puzzle last year for Los Angeles, showing he can come up big as either a starter or a member of the bullpen. That’s massive for this team, which has a deep stable of top shelf pitchers now and can add strong versatility to their strengths.

The Dodgers undoubtedly need to make a move or two to shore up an often erratic offense, but the move to keep Hill steadies the ship on the defensive side of things. On paper, that helps keep their current World Series odds intact, which per Bovada, place them third (+1000) behind only the Chicago Cubs (+350) and Boston Red Sox (+1000).

The Dodgers know they’re close to making a big move. It nearly happened this past season, as the Dodgers started their NL Champinship series sow (down 3-0), but stormed back with two straight wins to make it a series. L.A. inevitably lose that series, but inched closer to a title run. By bringing back a key piece to last year’s playoff run, they should once again be as strong as ever.

Chris Sale Trade Rumors: 5 Teams Emerge as Favorites to Land Star Pitcher

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The Chicago White Sox regressed in 2016 and appear to be going nowhere fast, which continues to fuel the ever growing Chris Sale trade rumors. Chicago’s top arm was already in the rumor mill in 2015, and many were relatively shocked he wasn’t moved.

Chris Sale Rumors Run Wild

It’s still no guarantee Sale is traded ahead of the 2017 MLB season, as the White Sox still hold club options through 2019. However, Sale had a bit of a down 2016 campaign by his standards and now could be the time to jump on his strong trade value. The 27-year old lefty still holds elite strikeout ability and managed to post a palatable 17-10 record with a mediocre White Sox team a year ago. In the right situation, he could still be argued as the game’s top arm.

Regardless of which side you land on that debate, the reality remains that the White Sox appear to be shopping Chris Sale. Per report, several MLB teams seem to be standing above the rest in trade talks. Jon Heyman of FanRagSports pointed out the alleged trade talk leaders, with the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Los Angels Dodgers looking like the best guesses.

Heyman also took to Twitter to note Sale’s insane price, which figures to be even steeper than it was last year:

The constant theme with anyone looking at the Chris Sale trade rumors hasn’t just been which top teams will trade for him. It hasn’t even been necessarily what they’ve been willing to give up. It’s more about who they probably don’t want to give up to land Sale.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports broke down a few “untouchable” MLB stars that could very well be the key to turning Chris Sale trade rumors into a reality:

Chicago can afford to push the envelope in trade talks, too. Sale is in his prime, he’s under team control for another three seasons and he can completely revitalize just about any team’s defense. Add an ace this talented to a pitching rotation that is already solid or even dominant, and you might have a one-way ticket to the World Series.

No one wants to give up too much to land an ace, but Sale is a special circumstance and a special player. Eventually someone will bite, and it could be fairly costly. As we’ve noted, several teams remain in the mix, but there are five that probably stand out above the rest.

Top Contenders

  • Boston Red Sox
  • Washington Nationals
  • Houston Astros
  • Texas Rangers
  • New York Yankees

These are easy sells. Boston is just some killer pitching away from making a deep run, the Nats might be one more ace away from inching further in the playoffs and both the Astros and Rangers could use one more ace to push their defense over the top. All of those teams have some appealing young talent they could dangle, too.

The Nats don’t feel inclined to give away Trea Turner, but they have some fantastic veteran hitting they could shop, as well as some appealing young pitchers – namely Reynaldo Lopez. Houston’s issue continues to be their erratic pitching, and landing Sale would net them that one true ace and allow their other quality pitchers to fall in line. It’d likely take a haul, though, and it’s arguable the inefficient power they have at their disposal wouldn’t sway the White Sox enough.

Boston feels like the big play here. David Ortiz is gone, but they still boast one of the strongest (and deepest) offenses in the league. They have a litany of quality offensive pieces that could be placed in a trade for Sale, including the coveted Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada. It also could be open for debate if they’d let talent like Jackie Bradley, Travis Shaw and/or Brock Holt go to open up spots for their young guys, while also reeling in Sale.

Then, like always, there are the Yankees.

New York may not be the top spot right now (some really love the Dodgers or Braves), but the Yanks have a ton of young talent they could dangle. Their youth movement late last year actually almost led to a surprise playoff run, while their need for top shelf pitching is more prevalent than ever. It doesn’t sound like the Yanks are enamored with the idea of unloading either Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge, but perhaps one could be packaged with some minor league talent or a steady prospect like Greg Bird. Veteran outfielders Brett Gardner or Jacoby Ellsbury couldn’t be ruled out with the team going younger, either.

Chris Sale Prediction

One of two things are ultimately happening with Chris Sale this season: nothing or he’s going to Boston. In the end the Dodgers are already stacked and I don’t think they’ll part with enough to get Sale. The Braves are hungry for elite pitching and have made some nice moves, but don’t have the assets to pull it off, either.

The Astros, Rangers, Yankees and Nats (among others) are obviously in the running, but the team that needs Sale, wants Sale and has the pieces to actually get him seems to be Boston. The Red Sox already have some fantastic pitching and they have the offensive upside and depth to withstand a couple of bats moving to Chicago.

Chris Sale could be traded anywhere or he could perhaps not be traded at all. If he gets unloaded this season, however, we like Boston as his ultimate destination.

Mike Conley Injury: Grizzlies Could Struggle Without Star Point Guard

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The Memphis Grizzlies went back to their grinding ways to turn their 2016-17 NBA season around after a slow start. They now may have to lean on that style of play more than ever.

Conley Hurts Back

Per reports, the Grizzlies will be without star point guard Mike Conley for an “indefinite” amount of time, after the star guard suffered a vertebrae fracture in his back on Monday Night. Conley suffered a transverse process fracture to his vertebrae and will be held out of all basketball activities for at least the next six weeks:

This is a crushing blow for Memphis, who had just gotten on a roll with a 7-3 run in their last 10 games. That hot streak helped them crawl out of an sluggish 4-4 start to the year and had them within striking distance for the top of the Southwest Division at 11-7.

String of Injuries

Memphis hasn’t been able to catch a break for over a year now, as they had a strong start to the 2015-16 season marred by a rash of injuries and were already dealing with banged up bodies again even before the Mike Conley injury. Star center Marc Gasol is still being limited in some cases as he continues to work his way back from a foot issue, while free agent acquisition Chandler Parsons hasn’t been healthy since joining the team.

Veterans such as Tony Allen and Zach Randolph have also missed time due to injuries and personal reasons.

Needless to say, the nightmare season Memphis endured just a year ago has come flashing back and many are concerned that with such a big injury hitting Memphis this early in the year, it could mark the beginning of the end.

Backup Plan

It’s hard to dispute that logic, as Memphis is losing a massive impact player. Conley just got done signing a big 5-year, $153 million deal to stay with Memphis so the team could “finish what it started”, and was enjoying his best season yet as a scorer with over 19 points per game.

Losing Conley for any amount of time puts Memphis in a bad spot, but the silver lining may be that the Grizzlies get to make good use of 2016 NBA Draft pick, Wade Baldwin. The versatile combo guard showed well in preseason play and is a young talent the Grizzlies are high on. He could see ample minutes with Conley out, while Tony Allen, Andrew Harrison and possibly Chandler Parsons (once fully healthy) could also get more run until Conley returns.

Leaning on a rookie or anyone other than Conley is a downgrade, but on the bright side, this could be an opportunity for Baldwin and other players to develop.

Betting on Grizzlies

On the down side, Memphis could fall into a bad hole while Mike Conley is out.

The Grizzlies were heating up with Conley enjoying a career season, so much of the scoring load will shift to center Marc Gasol, among others. That may be too much to ask, especially since Conley covered so much area as a scorer for a team not exactly flush with them.

The other angle is Conley’s irreplaceable impact as a defender on the other end. Memphis’ ability to grind their way to wins goes hand in hand with Conley’s two-way abilities and without him, the Grizz are sure to take a defensive hit.

Naturally, the Grizzlies could struggle to adapt to life without Conley, and it could equate to a slew of losses. Six weeks puts Mike Conley out until mid-January, probably at the earliest, and by then the Grizzlies could potentially be in a hole too big to come out of.

As they stand, Memphis is third in their division and fifth in the Western Conference. However, the New Orleans Pelicans are getting healthy at just the right time and other teams just below them like the Lakers, Kings, Blazers and Nuggets could see this as a perfect opportunity to make a run at a playoff spot.

How things unfold is anyone’s guess. Memphis could find a way to hold up while Conley is out, or he could even return ahead of his six-week time table. Regardless, betting on the Grizzlies is going to become a risky proposition very quickly. We still think Memphis could be a fine bet at home against the right opponent, but against elite teams or games on the road may be situations to avoid.

We should learn over the next week or so just how bad off the Grizzlies will be. For now, bet against Memphis and track how they play with Conley sidelined.

NBA Betting: Lakers Could Be in Trouble With D’Angelo Russell Out For 2-3 Weeks

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the pleasant surprises during the young 2016-17 NBA season, having staged several solid upsets and gotten off to a respectable 8-7 start. Unfortunately, that solid start could quickly be halted by some unfortunate news; star point guard D’Angelo Russell will miss the next 2-3 weeks with a knee injury:

Down Goes D-Lo

Russell had missed two of his last three games following a massive outing against Brooklyn Nets, where he poured in 32 points and hit seven three-pointers. D-Lo experienced soreness in his left knee shortly after, however, and was held out of two of his next three games and limited to just 23 minutes in an outing against the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers have opted to take the cautionary route, and will reportedly hold their star point guard out for the next 2-3 weeks after undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections in his sore left knee.

Next Man Up

The D’Angelo Russell injury forces veteran point guard Jose Calderon into the starting lineup and could sap the Lakers badly on the offensive end. Calderon seeing any serious action is a negative for the Lakers, who already struggle immensely on defense and only get worse in that regard by losing Russell.

Calderon can still hold his own offensively, as evidenced by his 12 points in a surprise win on Tuesday night over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It’s not Calderon that was be tasked with shouldering Russell’s departing scoring load, of course. That job goes to the Lakers’ bench, which has consistently been among the best in the entire league. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson have both fared well in bench roles and should see their minutes (and shots) only spike with D’Angelo Russell hitting the sidelines.

Fellow starters Luol Deng, Julius Randle, Nick Young and Timofey Mozgov could also be asked to play a little more than usual and also help offensively.

Rough Stretch

The D’Angelo Russell injury news comes at a bad time, as the 8-7 Lakers enter a back-to-back set against the Golden State Warriors, followed by contests with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls to close out November.

That alone is a troubling stretch, as the Warriors will be tough to even compete without one of their top scorers, while the Hawks have proven to be one of the better defensive squads in the NBA and both games versus the Pels and Bulls will be on the road.

It doesn’t get a whole lot easier come early December, either, with dates against the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets all looming over the first seven days of December.

While the Lakers could still end up competing and possibly even get some wins during that stretch, that’s just two weeks of their schedule that looks awfully tough. Naturally, with one less scorer and distributor to lean on, they could be hard-pressed to maintain the current win/loss pace they’ve started the season with.

Betting on Lakers

If you’re thinking of betting on the Lakers this season, it’s obviously not for them to make an epic leap to NBA Finals contenders in one season. Their +6600 NBA Finals odds are kind of fun, but even with improved play, they aren’t profitable enough to truly consider.

That being said, the Lakers have proven to be a very deep, balanced and competitive bunch under rookie head coach Luke Walton. They play a fun brand of basketball and seem to be getting better by the game. They are still a shaky bet even when they’re 100%, however.

With D’Angelo Russell out during a very tough stretch of their schedule, betting against the Lakers is going to be the logical move. They could still be a dangerous team going forward, but until Russell gets back, we’d refrain on going hard at them too often.

Andrew Luck Injury: Colts Could Be Bad Bets Without Quarterback in Week 12

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The Indianapolis Colts could be at a crossroads in week 12, when they prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, they mad have to do so without their best player.

Big Injury

Per reports, star quarterback Andrew Luck sustained a concussion in the team’s week 11 win over the Tennessee Titans and is in jeopardy of sitting out this week:

With concussions normally taking almost a week to fully pass, it’s a tough sell for anyone to believe Luck will be under center just four days after he last played. Luck also wasn’t seen at the Colts’ practice facility on Tuesday, giving way to the fear that he indeed is unlikely to suit up in a crucial week 12 contest.

Backup Plan

Should Luck sit out, the Colts would turn to form Green Bay Packers backup passer, Scott Tolzien. Tolzien has just three starts to his name, when he helped replace an injured Aaron Rodgers back in 2014 and put up just one touchdown to five interceptions.

Needless to say, the Colts may not necessarily be in the best of hands for a pivotal week 12 game, where they’ll either ascend to 6-5 and move one step closer to taking over the AFC South, or they will drop to 5-6 and have an even more difficult path to the top of the division. With Luck out, Indianapolis figures to alter it’s game plan, likely leaning hard on Frank Gore and the running game and hoping the defense can come up big against a potent Steelers offense.

Colts Are Bad Bet

The latter isn’t very likely, seeing as Indy’s defense has been inconsistent all season and Pittsburgh sports one of the more talented and explosive offensive units in the entire league.

Indianapolis was already shaping up as a home underdog in this one, as online gambling sites like Bovada had them as a slight +3 underdog. The Steelers (-3) are fresh off a win over the Cleveland Browns and like the Colts, need to keep winning to make sure they can take over first place in their own division – the AFC North.

That plight got a whole lot easier with the Andrew Luck injury news, and if the Colts star quarterback is indeed out for week 12, the betting odds will only grow in favor of Pittsburgh.

Betting sites like Bovada have locked this game as of Tuesday, and will likely wait to adjust the odds until major Andrew Luck news breaks and there is a definitive stance on his week 12 status. Regardless, the Colts are looking like poor bets for the week. Once betting opens back up, heavy action on the Steelers pulling off the road win is both expected and encouraged.

Indy’s Playoff Odds

As they stand, the Colts have one clear path back to the playoffs: winning the AFC South. They certainly got some help in that journey on Monday night, when the Raiders topped the division rival Texans, 27-20. That dropped Houston to 6-4 and with another meeting with the Texans coming up, the Colts might be able to control their playoff fate. A record of 5-5 isn’t an ideal spot through 10 games, however, and not having Luck this week likely makes winning out a major priority.

That’s never an easy task, but it’s something that still could happen for Indy, who seem to be getting hot at just the right time. Missing Luck and losing this one game might not bury them, but it could drop their Super Bowl odds more and suddenly make them a very interesting bet.

Indianapolis isn’t a current threat according to the oddsmakers, as the Colts have weak +2800 Super Bowl odds. It’s actually surprising they’re not even weaker, however, but they’re still playable enough that if they lose this week, bettors could jump on them as an interesting flier bet that actually has a shot at paying off.

For now, it may be a good idea to wait on the Colts’ Super Bowl odds to drop, while avoiding betting on them in week 12.

DeMarcus Cousins Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Could Trade For Boogie

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Well, that didn’t take long. It’s probably true that the DeMarcus Cousins trade rumors never truly go away, but a 4-8 start by the Sacramento Kings certainly haven’t helped quiet the rumor mill.

The fact that star forward Rudy Gay made it public that he wanted out months ago can’t help, either. As long as the Kings keep losing and any other players want out, the DeMarcus Cousins trade rumors are bound to persist.

Except this time it feels a little different. This time it feels like something could actually happen.

The issue with the man known as Boogie has always been that he doesn’t have the greatest attitude and that with him, the Kings probably aren’t every really going to get anywhere. It’s tough to know which way to lean on that, as at it’s core it’s quite subjective.

The talent is there. The production is there. DeMarcus Cousins is still just 26 years old and he can bang down low with anyone, en route to his nightly 26 points and 10 rebounds per game. In every way, the kid is elite. But the Kings aren’t winning and they don’t have the pieces to turn it around.

With Boogie’s deal drying up in two years, the Kings have to finally get real and ask themselves if they are willing to surround their best player with a winning supporting cast, or if they’re willing to let Boogie walk for nothing. Odds are, Cousins is not signing back on with an organization that has run itself into the ground with horrible drafting, bad trades, and even worse signings.

The only good thing the Kings have done since Boogie came into the fray is bring on current head coach David Joerger. Perhaps that means they’re headed in the direction. Maybe a soon to come Rudy Gay trade will help get that supporting cast up to snuff.

It’s just doubtful. Sacramento is running out of time to appease Cousins and it’s beginning to look like they may not even want to.

If that’s really the case, we need to start thinking about options. Here’s five potential suitors that just might try to swing a DeMarcus Cousins trade this year:

Boston Celtics

Boston has been the spot that has made the most sense the entire time. They did just sign Al Horford and have a great nucleus, but they still lack that true star to get them over the hump. After a sluggish 6-5 start, it’s fair to wonder if Brad Stevens and co. make a big move to get them back up and going in the right direction.

After all, it does make sense:

Per ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine, a swap of Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder for Boogie would work by the numbers. If Boston could sweeten the deal with a couple of draft picks, it might be something the Kings consider. After all, Sacramento has a plethora of young bigs. Their main issue would be bringing on glue guys, shooters and players that could defend.

Los Angeles Lakers

DeMarcus Cousins to the Lakers have been a longstanding rumor with admittedly very little merit. It’s unclear how badly the Kings want to move their star center, and it’s not really known if L.A. sees him as the big fix to their rebuilding project.

Either way, the Lakers are slowly on the rise and have a ton of young talent to play with. If they wanted, they could at least consider packaging some of that talent in an effort to land Cousins and try competing for a playoff spot right now, while also building for the future at the same time.

Any trade before December wouldn’t be enough to get the Kings to bite. Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and/or D’Angelo Russell would surely have to be part of any trade, while the Lakers would probably want to unload guys like Jose Calderon and/or Timofey Mozgov if they were bringing in Boogie. They’d have to wait until after December for a trade involving the latter two to become eligible.

Still, the Lakers have some nice young talent and arguably too many bodies, so they remain a realistic trade partner if the Kings like anything they have and are willing to wait.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are in an interesting spot, as they don’t necessarily appear to be a title contender as they stand, but they also don’t seem to be that far away. They have a ton of assets they don’t need at the moment and have a starting five that can be competitive with just about anyone each night out.

Adding DeMarcus Cousins could simply put them over the top and at least make them a viable threat to be the #2 team in the Eastern Conference, behind the Cavs.

Getting Boogie over Robin Lopez would be an enormous upgrade, so this is a deal the Bulls could certainly explore.

One interesting trade the Bulls could consider is sending as package of Robin Lopez, Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine for Cousins. Those three guys alone don’t look like a powerful trio, but in return for Boogie, the Kings get three guys that could potentially start right away. Valentine could replace a likely departing Rudy Gay, Lopez could start at center and Portis could start at power forward. Chicago would undoubtedly need to include some picks and maybe one more young player, but the core of this deal works.

Houston Rockets

If the Rockets are serious about winning right now, they may have to do more than just ride James Harden’s coattails at the point. It might be weird to pitch the idea of them acquiring another stud big man after the Dwight Howard experiment, but Boogie’s perimeter game might make this a totally different circumstance.

The Rockets have some very nice pieces they’d ultimately have to cough up, of course, but if they were willing to let go of Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverley and Clint Capela, the numbers suggest this deal could go down. It might actually take a little more spice, like waiting until December to unload Ryan Anderson or parting with tantalizing young forward Sam Deker (as well as some picks), but the core could get discussions started.

Milwaukee Bucks

Last, but possibly not least, are the Bucks. They really don’t want Greg Monroe anymore. That became obvious with a recent DNP:

The Greg Monroe trade rumors have been running wild for over a year now, and this could eventually be the perfect scenario for both sides. Moose can still ball, but his defense has always been a question mark. In Sacramento he could start and be a solid double-double threat, and perhaps David Joerger can help him on defense. But Monroe alone wouldn’t pry Boogie out of Sacramento. Instead, the Bucks would have to give up a solid young talent in Jabari Parker, who has really come on strong lately.

As good as Parker has been and ultimately could be, there is a strong argument that suggests shedding Parker to get Cousins will be worth it. This really kills two birds with one stone for Milwaukee, while they can complete this trade by sending Rashad Vaughn and receiving Ben McLemore in the deal. The two sides could also discuss picks or a few other players, but the core of this trade works and could be a great place to start.

DeMarcus Cousins Predictions

Ultimately, we don’t really see DeMarcus Cousins getting traded this year. His best bet does remain the Celtics, who have plenty of assets and have to know that at their current position, they simply have gone about as far as they really can.

Boogie is going to be on the move eventually, as his contract is up in two years and the Kings are going nowhere. Sacramento isn’t going to take a bad offer just to get rid of him, though. He still sells tickets and for the moment, he’s their best chance to push for a playoff spot. If this season continues to go down the tube, however, the DeMarcus Cousin trade rumors could quickly heat up. When they do, the Celtics will be the team to monitor.

NBA Picks: Rockets Over Thunder and 4 Upsets to Chase on Wednesday Night

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The NBA picks up the pace quite a bit on Wednesday night, as Big NBA Wednesday returns in full force with a crazy 11-game slate. We come in all smiles after a successful run on Tuesday’s slate saw us go a clean 5-0 with straight up NBA picks.

It’s going to be much more difficult to go perfect on such a busy slate, and it’s typically a good idea to corral your NBA betting on insane nights like this, too. Due to that, we’ll scale it back a bit tonight and focus only on four underdog NBA picks we really like. Let’s get to it:

Houston Rockets (+2.5) Over Oklahoma City Thunder (-2.5)

Anytime James Harden faces his former team, we need to pay attention. Harden absolutely lights these guys up, with almost 29 points per game averaged against them in his career. Last year specifically he put over over 33 points per game against OKC.

The Thunder sport the league’s 7th rated defense and obviously have a monster of their own in Russell Westbrook, but they’re only 4-3 on their home floor and they’re struggling badly (four straight losses) right now. On paper, Houston has been a little better and really pushes the envelope offensively. If Harden is on – and history suggests he will be – we love the Rockets as an upset pick.

Pick: Rockets 105, Thunder 102

Indiana Pacers (+3.5) Over Cleveland Cavaliers (-3.5)

This game is currently locked at most gambling sites like Bovada and others, as the odds will eventually be adjusted with the news that LeBron James will rest tonight:

That being said, Cleveland could still easily be viewed as the favorite with both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love still expected to suit up. The Cavs will be on the second of a back to back set, but they’re 9-1 on the year and they surely won’t want to lose.

Not wanting to lose is one thing, but no LeBron James changes things, especially with this game going down in Indy, where the Pacers are an elite 5-1 this year. They’re just mediocre overall and their defense is atrocious, but a big game out of Paul George wouldn’t be shocking. Regardless of what the final spread looks like, we’ll roll with the Pacers for the upset.

Pick: Pacers 104, Cavaliers 101

Phoenix Suns (+4.5) Over Denver Nuggets (-4.5)

This might be the funnest NBA game of the night, as the early Total reports as 221 and both teams can move the needle offensively. Vegas must be picking the Nuggets because they’re at home, but they’re actually 0-3 on their own floor so far this year and as usual, stink at defense.

The Suns can’t defend either and are a putrid 1-5 on the road, but there are going to be a lot of points here and both of these teams aren’t very good. In what amounts to a toss-up, we’ll at least take the Suns to beat the spread in what should be a shootout.

Pick: Nuggets 106, Suns 104

Philadelphia 76ers (+7.5) Over Washington Wizards (-7.5)

Our favorite upset of the night is Philly beating the spread. I doubt they go out and full blown upset the Wizards, who are without Brad Beal but still have John Wall and everyone else. The Sixers are down Joel Embiid, too, so the real goal will be just keeping this one close.

I think they can do that against the Wizards, who are just as bad at 2-7 right now and are 0-4 on the road. Their defense is trash and they’ll be without Beal and with Wall are a  minutes limit.

None of that is great news for the Wiz, but it should only aid Philly, who will shoot for their second win on the year (as well as at home). I don’t see Philly winning but, this spread is generous enough to pick them ATS.

Pick: Wizards 102, 76ers 98

Cavaliers vs. Raptors and Tuesday’s NBA Picks

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The NBA picks back up on Tuesday night with a solid five-game slate, featuring the second meeting of the year between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

LeBron James and co. got the win in Canada earlier this year, which served as a friendly reminded that the Raptors may not be quite ready to take down the Cavs in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals.

The game was close, however, and DeMar DeRozan comes in extremely hot, averaging a ridiculous 34 points per game. It will be more than interesting to see if he can keep that up at Quicken Loans Arena, where the Cavs have lost just one game in this young season.

Let’s break down the matchup between the Cavs and Raptors, as well as the other four games on tonight’s slate as we issue Tuesday’s NBA picks:

Toronto Raptors (+6.5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5)

Game two of a four-game season series tips off in Cleveland tonight, where the Raptors will surely look to avenge a loss from earlier in the year. It’s tough to see them getting it tonight, of course, as Cleveland is at home and pretty well rested. They should even get J.R. Smith (ankle) back tonight, so the Cavs can figure to be at full strength at both ends.

Cleveland usually does a fantastic job of taking care of business at home, so don’t be shocked if they put the clamps down and hand DeRozan one of his worse games of the young season.

Pick: Cavs 108, Raptors 102

Atlanta Hawks (-7) @ Miami Heat (+7)

The Hawks come into tonight’s clash with the Heat riding a four-game winning streak and have quietly looked like a title contender in the early going. They’ve only had three road games, but they’re 2-1 in those games and even took it to the Cavs in one of their wins.

This just doesn’t look good overall for Miami, who probably won’t have Goran Dragic and have struggled badly during a five-game losing streak. Look for it to hit six games tonight.

Pick: Hawks 101, Heat 95

Charlotte Hornets (-1) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (+1)

The tightest game of the night belongs to the Hornets and Timberwolves, who will do battle in Minnesota tonight. Charlotte enters with a solid 6-3 record and is playing fantastic defense with Nicolas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist out on the wings, so it makes sense that the Wolves could struggle offensively – especially if Zach Lavine is out again tonight.

Minnesota is 2-2 on their home floor, but they aren’t stopping anyone (giving up 105 points per game) and might be a little too short-handed to really challenge the Hornets. The oddsmakers call this close, but we like the Hornets to win it fairly easily.

Pick: Hornets 103, Wolves 89

Chicago Bulls (+4) @ Portland Trail Blazers (-4)

The Bulls go to Portland tonight in search of win number seven. After a nice 3-0 start, Chicago has been a little inconsistent (3-4 over their last seven) as their lack of shooting has unsurprisingly popped up a few times. They could be a little under-manned in this one, as Rajon Rondo is iffy to play.

They might be better off without Rondo, who isn’t shooting well or defending on a high level. His presence could be bad news against a red hot Damian Lillard, who is coming off of two straight huge performances and tends to play his best ball at home. The Blazers are the mild favorites, but we like Chicago’s slight defensive edge.

Pick: Bulls 106, Blazers 103

Brooklyn Nets (+7) @ Los Angeles Lakers (-7)

The Nets and Lakers both have a very good shot at a win tonight, but logic suggests L.A. has the clear edge. The Lakers are surprisingly decent in this young season, as Luke Walton has them off to a 6-5 start and they’re specifically keeping things together at the Staples Center (3-1).

Backing the Lakers by a gaudy seven points isn’t realistic, but the Nets don’t defend, are down Jeremy Lin and stink on the road (1-4). Los Angeles is the easy pick, but expect a ton of points and the Nets to keep it fairly close after getting housed by the Clippers here last night.

Pick: Lakers 108, Nets 104

Clippers Over Thunder and Friday Night’s NBA Picks

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Our NBA picks for Thursday night’s slate were nearly perfect, as we nailed Dwyane Wade and the Bulls getting a win in Miami, the Warriors over the Nuggets and the Pelicans getting their first win of the year.

The one game we couldn’t correctly pick? The Lakers somehow getting to 5-3 with a big road win over the Kings.

Sacramento should be ashamed of themselves.

Regardless, we’ll take a 3-1 record on any four-game slate, and if we can stretch that out to 6-2 on Friday’s 8-game slate, that ratio would also offer plenty of winnings. Hopefully that was the situation for you last night and again the same tonight. To get there, let’s first run through each matchup and see which way you may want to be leaning with your NBA betting:

Cleveland Cavaliers (n/a) @ Washington Wizards (n/a)

The betting info isn’t out for this one yet, as Wiz stud point guard John Wall keeps getting thrown out of games and shooting guard Brad Beal is iffy with a sore hamstring. Needless to say, this makes the Wiz (2-5) a tough bet against the 6-1 Cavs.

Wall is going to play and Beal might, but it probably won’t make a difference for a Washington team that does not defend. A close game still wouldn’t be shocking, but this may be best to go straight up in, and we’re taking the Cavs.

Pick: Cavs 106, Wizards 101

Indiana Pacers (-5.5) @ Philadelphia 76ers (+5.5)

Indiana griped about not having any team continuity recently and then they went out and beat the Sixers. That game was in Indy and Joel Embiid wasn’t playing, however. Now we get to see this matchup (one where the Pacers needed OT to get the win) in Philly with the Sixers a little stronger down low.

It’s obviously tough to trust the 76ers at any point, much less against a talented Pacers squad as they search for their first win of the year. We vouched for the Sixers last time, but tonight we’ll just give them a shot at beating the spread.

Pick: Pacers 107, Sixers 104

Toronto Raptors (+2.5) @ Charlotte Hornets (-2.5)

Charlotte has been surprisingly sharp all season, but tonight they’ll host a good Raptors team without their best defensive stopper. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has already been ruled out for this one, and while his absence should open up Charlotte’s shooting, his defense will be sorely missed.

It really is a big loss for a Hornets team that is allowing just over 96 points per game. Charlotte’s defense takes a hit, but this is a tough matchup, regardless. Toronto slows the pace and plays very good defense themselves. We’re calling for the mild upset her, as Toronto has their full arsenal and Charlotte’s four-game winning streak feels like it has gone on long enough.

Pick: Raptors 101, Hornets 98

Utah Jazz (-4.5) @ Orlando Magic (+4.5)

The Magic look like a team that will be very fun to pick on this year. They actually are somehow 3-5 through eight games and are 2-2 at the Amway Center, but they have no distinct identity. They are far worse on the road, but they don’t defend at all and they even struggle offensively. When both aren’t clicking, they’re a nightmare to watch.

That should be bad news tonight, since Utah has Gordon Hayward and possibly George Hill back and tend to play elite defense. The Jazz have been a middling unit so far (just 5-4), but that hasn’t kept them from giving up just 95 points per game on the year. They’re also getting used to playing on the road, as they’ve gone a solid 3-3 away from home. It’s unlikely they get tripped up versus the Magic in this one.

Pick: Jazz 101, Magic 96

New York Knicks (+5.5) @ Boston Celtics (-5.5)

Carmelo Anthony and co. have surprisingly looked pretty good this year, as they’re putting up points (103 per game) at a solid rate and slowly finding themselves defensively. They’re still just 3-4, though, and continue to struggle on the road (1-2).

Boston has had its own struggles (just 3-4, as well), but they’re at home and boast a more explosive offense. Not having Jae Crowder (ankle) could hurt them, but this is a game they should win and their three-game skid needs to end. Look for the Celtics to get back to .500.

Pick: Celtics 105, Knicks 101

Los Angeles Clippers (-5) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (+5)

Los Angeles heads to OKC tonight, as they get a second shot at the only team to have beaten them so far in this young NBA season. The Thunder did that in L.A., yet with a rematch in their own backyard (where they’re 4-1), the oddsmakers weirdly support the Clippers.

Perhaps the backing of Lob City has to do with the Clipper’s league-leading defense (allowing just 88 points per game) or their strong offense (105 points per game). Whatever the case, this game is naturally in danger of going the other way, and Vegas knows it. That being said, OKC has proven they’re one of the better teams in the Western Conference and they don’t lose at home easily. They’ll at least beat the spread in a tight one.

Pick: Clippers 104, Thunder 102

Detroit Pistons (+9.5) @ San Antonio Spurs (-9.5)

This is certainly one of the bigger spreads to both fear and target. Detroit is plain old awful on the road right now (0-4) and I don’t buy San Antonio losing this much at home forever (1-3!). The Spurs clearly have some issues right now, but Danny Green just got back and Tony Parker returns tonight. I fully expect the Spurs to start righting the ship at home and it begins tonight against the Pistons.

Pick: Spurs 98, Pistons 86

Sacramento Kings (+7) @ Portland Trail Blazers (-7)

This might be the weirdest game on Friday’s NBA slate, as the Kings just lost to the Lakers last night and will badly want to get that taste out of their mouths. That being said, Portland has picked up where they left off last year, going 5-4 through their first nine games while putting up 106 points per night.

DeMarcus Cousins could have his way in this matchup, but it feels like this is the same old Kangz and their 2-4 road record isn’t doing them any favors. They should fight, though, so I’ll take the Kings to beat the spread.

Pick: Blazers 109, Kings 107

NBA Picks: Can Anthony Davis and Pelicans Finally Win a Game?

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The New Orleans Pelicans are in bad company to get the 2016-17 NBA season going: they’re one of two winless teams in the league.

No one thought Anthony Davis and co. would be title threats suddenly after a bad 2015-16 run, especially with Jrue Holiday away from the team (personal) and Tyreke Evans (leg) still on the mend. But few probably thought they’d be here, either, staring at an ugly 0-8 start – one that is actually worse than the Philadelphia 76ers.

New Orleans hasn’t had it easy, to be sure. Not only are Holiday and Evans not around to help out The Brow, but the team let Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson walk this summer in free agency.

Suffice to say, it’s not all that surprising the Pelicans have struggled to find wins.

Of course, one would think they would have at least one by now, seeing as Anthony Davis is having a career year, averaging over 30 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Will those numbers finally help the Pellies get a win on Thursday night? Read on in Thursday night’s NBA picks to find out:

Chicago Bulls (+2) @ Miami Heat (-2)

Dwyane Wade should get ready for the tears on Thursday night, as he prepares to return to South Beach for the first time since leaving behind the Heat for his hometown Chicago Bulls. Chicago lost in Atlanta last night and could be a tough underdog bet to have much faith in with this road game coming on the second game of a back to back set, but it’s going to be awfully difficult to eliminate the Wade revenge factor.

The other issue is Miami is slumping, having lost two straight (just 2-4 on the year). They haven’t even been great at home (1-2) and tonight may be too much for them to handle with Wade returning in an emotional environment. The Bulls (4-4) have collapsed after a 1-3 start and could be tired, but this is basically a pick’em and they do look to be the better team on paper.

Ultimately, we can’t deny Wade in his return to Miami.

Pick: Bulls 101, Heat 99

New Orleans Pelicans (+5) @ Milwaukee Bucks (-5)

The big question arrives at the Bradley Center tonight; can the Pelicans win a freaking game, already? This would certainly be a good spot to imagine that happening, as betting sites like Bovada are giving the Pellies a decent spread here and they did give the Bucks (4-3) a run for their money in a wild 117-113 loss earlier this year.

The reality is neither of these teams are very good, as they both can’t defend and the Bucks don’t have a single player who can slow down The Brow. We’re surely headed for another back and forth game with a good amount of points, but the Pellies are the easy play here as they desperately hunt that first victory.

New Orleans should at least beat the spread tonight, but we’re also targeting them for a big road win.

Pick: Pelicans 108, Bucks 105

Golden State Warriors (n/a) @ Denver Nuggets (n/a)

The Dubs enter Denver tonight on the second game of a back to back set without any betting info available, largely due to Stephen Curry (ankle) being somewhat questionable for this one. Curry said he’s fine and that he’ll play, for what it’s worth.

Still, the Dubs should probably rest some of their guys in a road game they’d have a decent chance of winning, no matter who they sat. Denver isn’t terrible, of course, as they can certainly put up points and have looked solid during their 3-4 start. This is just their second game at home, too, which arguably makes their competitive start all the more impressive.

With or without Curry, however, the Warriors are the obvious favorite. Look for them to win and unless the spread is something crazy like +15, they’ll likely cover, as well.

Pick: Warriors 110, Nuggets 104

Los Angeles Lakers (+5.5) @ Sacramento Kings (-5.5)

This is the third game of the night that might be tough to call, as both the Lakers and Kings look better than they did a year ago. Los Angeles is a decent 4-4 after eight games and are putting up over 108 points per game. That could be troubling for the Kings, who are just 4-5 and have not displayed elite defense this year.

Of course, Los Angeles has not been nearly as good away from home this year (1-3) and their lack of defense (allowing 108 points per game) tends to put them in a tough spot. That likely will be the case tonight, with the Kings looking for their third win in a row in an effort to get back to .500. We could get a fairly tight game, but a big game from DeMarcus Cousins is safe to expect in a Sacramento win.

Pick: Kings 106, Lakers 102