MITCHELL NEWMAN
My Sunday comp play is the Rockets and the Kings Under the total.
It appears the Rockets are going to finish in either the 4th or 5th spot when these 8 bubble games are in the books, so I am not so sure you are going to see a fully intense effort from Houston on the offensive end of the floor this Sunday afternoon.
Houston has played each of their last 3 games in Orlando Under the total and they have held Under the total in 6 of their last 8 dating back to the work stoppage.
Sacramento started their Orlando experience with a pair of Overs to make it 6 straight Overs dating back to the work stoppage in March, but the Kings just played Under the total on Friday against the Nets to make it 2 of their last 3 in the Under column.
Head-to-head numbers between the teams show the last meeting just before Christmas holding Under the total to make it a 6-3 Under the total the last 9 times the teams have played one another.
The oddsmakers tend to inflate the total when it comes to playing the Over in Houston games and today is another example of that.
Rockets-Kings land Under.
1* HOUSTON-SACRAMENTO UNDER
My Sunday comp play is the Rockets and the Kings Under the total.
It appears the Rockets are going to finish in either the 4th or 5th spot when these 8 bubble games are in the books, so I am not so sure you are going to see a fully intense effort from Houston on the offensive end of the floor this Sunday afternoon.
Houston has played each of their last 3 games in Orlando Under the total and they have held Under the total in 6 of their last 8 dating back to the work stoppage.
Sacramento started their Orlando experience with a pair of Overs to make it 6 straight Overs dating back to the work stoppage in March, but the Kings just played Under the total on Friday against the Nets to make it 2 of their last 3 in the Under column.
Head-to-head numbers between the teams show the last meeting just before Christmas holding Under the total to make it a 6-3 Under the total the last 9 times the teams have played one another.
The oddsmakers tend to inflate the total when it comes to playing the Over in Houston games and today is another example of that.
Rockets-Kings land Under.
1* HOUSTON-SACRAMENTO UNDER
BOB VALENTINO
Just when the proverbial fork was being stuck in them - they lose their first 4 games in the bubble, they lose starter Jaren Jackson Jr. to injury - the Memphis Grizzlies went out on Friday as the +4 point underdog and ripped the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder a new rear end, 121-92!
Going to look for the points to work with Memphis this Sunday afternoon as the face the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors riding a 7 game winning streak, including 3 wins and covers in the Orlando bubble, but Friday night they lost a 122-100 decision to the Boston Celtics to end the streak at 7 in a row.
Toronto is solidly locked into the # 2 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings and they do have a date with the Milwaukee Bucks up next tomorrow night. While Nick Nurse's team won't catch Milwaukee for the overall # 1 seed, my feeling is they will want to use the Bucks game as a barometer for where they are at come playoff time.
That being said, I expect the Raptors to do just enough to win this game. I expect the Grizzlies to once again show the same resolve they showed on Friday in stepping up against Oklahoma City and be right there come the closing seconds.
Take the Grizzlies plus the points.
3* MEMPHIS
Just when the proverbial fork was being stuck in them - they lose their first 4 games in the bubble, they lose starter Jaren Jackson Jr. to injury - the Memphis Grizzlies went out on Friday as the +4 point underdog and ripped the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder a new rear end, 121-92!
Going to look for the points to work with Memphis this Sunday afternoon as the face the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors riding a 7 game winning streak, including 3 wins and covers in the Orlando bubble, but Friday night they lost a 122-100 decision to the Boston Celtics to end the streak at 7 in a row.
Toronto is solidly locked into the # 2 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings and they do have a date with the Milwaukee Bucks up next tomorrow night. While Nick Nurse's team won't catch Milwaukee for the overall # 1 seed, my feeling is they will want to use the Bucks game as a barometer for where they are at come playoff time.
That being said, I expect the Raptors to do just enough to win this game. I expect the Grizzlies to once again show the same resolve they showed on Friday in stepping up against Oklahoma City and be right there come the closing seconds.
Take the Grizzlies plus the points.
3* MEMPHIS
CHRIS JORDAN
My Bonus Play is on the Texas Rangers over the Angels, who are in Arlington from Anaheim with a bad pitching matchup for Sunday. Be sure you're listing the scheduled starting pitchers, as I like Lance Lynn over Andrew Heaney.
Lynn, who has opened the season with a 1-0 mark and stingy 0.49 ERA, should have confidence for this one as he won his two home starts against the Angels last season. The right-hander was 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA against them, and is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in six career starts against them. He's pitching too well to start the season, and will deliver a quality start for us here.
I know Heaney is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA, and he's coming off his first win of the year, but he is 2-3 with 4.82 ERA in 10 starts against Texas all time. Today he catches a Rangers team that has won two straight and will be looking to climb back into relevancy in the American League West.
Take the home team here.
3* RANGERS (Lynn over Heaney)
My Bonus Play is on the Texas Rangers over the Angels, who are in Arlington from Anaheim with a bad pitching matchup for Sunday. Be sure you're listing the scheduled starting pitchers, as I like Lance Lynn over Andrew Heaney.
Lynn, who has opened the season with a 1-0 mark and stingy 0.49 ERA, should have confidence for this one as he won his two home starts against the Angels last season. The right-hander was 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA against them, and is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in six career starts against them. He's pitching too well to start the season, and will deliver a quality start for us here.
I know Heaney is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA, and he's coming off his first win of the year, but he is 2-3 with 4.82 ERA in 10 starts against Texas all time. Today he catches a Rangers team that has won two straight and will be looking to climb back into relevancy in the American League West.
Take the home team here.
3* RANGERS (Lynn over Heaney)
