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[JanpriX]

Friday Basketball Bonanza  
*The leans below will not count to my stats here in this thread. Follow or fade, it's up to you!

NBA
LOST - Take BROOKLYN NETS ML over Orlando Magic (2:30 p.m., Friday, July 31st)

Both games went 'under' last night and neither was anywhere close. I think it might take the books a bit to adjust their totals to this bubble situation. The guys aren't in full form, either, so it may take a bit for them to find their offense and find their strokes. This early afternoon tip-off isn't going to help either. Nor is the fact that Brooklyn is missing some of its best players. I just don't see how the Nets are going to generate enough offense against a tough Orlando defense to help push this one 'over'. I also don't know that I trust the Magic to blow out the Nets. I can see this one around 101-95 and I think the Nets find a way to hang around.

LOST - Take UNDER 224.0 between Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies (4 p.m., Friday, July 31st)

So this one is a little random, but I watched Memphis' last scrimmage. They played the Heat and they absolutely could not miss. They scored 128 points and shot nearly 50 percent from 3-point range. I just don't think they are going to be able to do that again here. Portland has been able to get healthy - including getting their big men back - and I think that's going to help them on the defensive end. I'm betting on a little regression here from the Grizz.

WIN - Take PHOENIX SUNS -6.5 POINTS over Washington Wizards (4 p.m., Friday, July 31st)

The Suns have as exciting a team as there is in the bubble. They feature two young budding stars in Booker and Ayton and have Ricky Rubio running the show, so things are looking good in the Desert. They have a less than ideal schedule to try and steal a playoff spot, but they will get a gift in their opener against the Wiz. Washington has a functioning G-League team and they may not even be that at times. They were winning games in large part to Brad Beal and he is not around so they will struggle. Take Phoenix in this one with little worry.

WIN - Take MILWAUKEE BUCKS -4.5 POINTS over Boston Celtics (6:30 p.m., Friday, July 31st)

There are a lot of reasons to like the Celtics in this one. They are healthy. They need this game more. They really want to send a message to the Bucks that they are for real. Milwaukee isn't at 100 percent in this one, either, and the Bucks have questionable motivation with the No. 1 seed essentially locked up. So everything points to Boston. However, I'm going the other way. I think the Bucks are the best team in the field and they have a great system. Boston still has some things it needs to work out, chemistry wise, and I think it will take a couple weeks before they are really able to challenge the Bucks.

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[JanpriX]

Pick for July 31, 2020 (FRIDAY)
Game will start on 08:00 PM EST, NBA
Match: San Antonio Spurs - Sacramento Kings

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the OVER 222.5 POINTS for 4 UNITS (1.90 ODDS).

SCREENSHOT TO FOLLOW

We roll with the Over here as we think there is a lot of motivation for this game to be higher scoring. Note, the Kings have not made the playoffs in 14 years and they are excited about the prospect of doing just that with Luke Walton leading the way in these last 8 games. Note, that Barnes is back from Covid which should give this team some depth and they have Fox back as well. Also note, that this team has Hield off the bench with Bogdonavich starting and that gives them a solid scoring punch throughout as it is very consistent. The Spurs will likely go small this game as Aldridge is out for the year so with White, Murray, Derozan and a slew of guards - they are going to have to shoot the ball well and there will likely be a lot more tempo and a lot more outside shooting and consequently this game likely goes over the posted total today. Note, great 6-1 Start to the MLB Season, let's pick up a solid win and move to 7-1 on the season.

Aldridge out, Barnes back from Cvoid, Fox back from tweaking his foot, this team beat Grizzlies, Blazers and Spurs lost to Cavs and routed by Nets, Kings closer to making playoffs than Spurs.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for July 31, 2020 (FRIDAY)
Game will start on 09:00 PM EST, NBA
Match: Dallas Mavericks - Houston Rockets

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the DALLAS +1.5 POINTS for 2 UNITS (1.87 ODDS).

I really like this Mavericks team. I think that they are going to be a real sleeper in the West in the postseason. This team has been able to get healthy and they have a killer one-two punch with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. They play a similar style to Houston in that they shoot a ton of 3-pointers. However, this is a better matchup for the Mavs than the Rockets because of the size that Dallas can throw at Houston. Porzingis is 7-3, Boban Marjanovic is 7-4, and Maxi Kleber is 6-10. They should dominate the interior against Houston's small ball lineup. So if the teams are close or equal with regards to 3-point shooting I think Dallas' advantage in the paint will pay dividends. The public loves the Rockets in this game, with most of the action in on Houston. But the line is starting to move the other way. I think Dallas will do enough to find a way to win this one in spite of Houston's star power.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

UFC FIGHT NIGHT - Brunson vs Shahbazyan  
*The leans below will not count to my stats here in this thread. Follow or fade, it's up to you!

DRAW - Take Cody Durden over Chris Gutierrez (6:12p.m., Saturday, August 1st)

First up in the Bantamweight division we have a matchup between Cody Durden (11-2) and Chris Gutierrez (15-3). Guttierrez is a solid martial artist with good, technical striking and was getting ready to fight Luke Sanders - however, that fight has since been scratched and he will now face late replacement Cody Durden, who brings a completely different style. This can be a tricky situation to adjust to as a fighter. Durden will be making his UFC debut, and really has nothing to lose in this spot. Durden does have some decent wrestling and he gets in and out of the pocket well while showing some impressive grit and determination on the regional scene. There is no doubt that Gutierrez is the more polished athlete, and has the UFC experience, but he is not a world beater by any means. Durden will need to get inside, get this contest to the ground, and keep it there long enough to win rounds. Do we think that happens? We are unsure. However, +250 on a fighter that has a definite path to victory is simply too much. Long-term followers will know by now that we make our profits in these ugly dogs, and Cody Durden fits the bill.

LOST - Take Frankie Saenz over Jonathan Martinez (8:25p.m., Saturday, August 1st)

Next up in the Bantamweight division we have a matchup between UFC veteran, Frankie Saenz (12-6) and Jonathan Matinez (11-3). Frankie Saenz is a decent fighter who has a ton of experience at the highest level. He has good wrestling, and solid ability in basically every department. He will be taking on Jonathan Martinez, who has impressed us more than we expected when he first entered the UFC. Martinez utilizes his length well and has a sharp standup game which lands with accuracy. He can push the pace or lay-back and counter beautifully. He is a potential prospect in the division. The main concern in this fight is Saenz has been inactive and is starting to show his age with his cardio issues. The good news for Saenz inactivity is that he has not been through a ton of wars so is a little fresher than your typical 39-year-old. This is a big challenge for Martinez, and one the UFC is hoping he will pass. It will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure, and the takedown attempts. This is a fight where Saenz may look great in the early going, but the wheels may fall off as the fight wears on and Matinez starts to land strikes. This is going to be a close fight and could go either way. Until Martinez proves to us, he can handle the spotlight, and a fighter with the overall IQ and wrestle-heavy approach that Saenz possesses, we will slow down on the hype just a little bit. Win or lose, the value is on the dog here.

WIN - Take Bobby Green over Lando Vannatta (9:35p.m., Saturday, August 1st)

Moving over to the main card, we have a Lightweight rematch between Bobby Green (25-10) and Lando Vannatta (11-4). First, let us say, this should be a great fight. Both men are willing to throw hands and take damage to deal some of their own. Lando Vannatta has been a fun, but frustrating fighter to watch since coming to the UFC. He has tremendous talent, with crisp striking, smooth movements, and perfect timing, but his fight IQ really lets him down. His intelligence and decision making has been very, very questionable in spots. He also seems to fight up, or down to the level of his opponent. Bobby Green on the other hand is one of those guys who is far better than his record indicates. He really has struggled to get that consistent streak going, which is frustrating to see considering the clear talent and skill set he brings to the table. The difficult thing with Bobby Green is trying to gauge where he is at mentally. Some fights he will enter the octagon with a swagger, and immovable confidence, and others he will simply look disinterested and outright bored. This is a tough one to call. There is no doubt in our mind that Green is the more polished fighter and has more ways to win minutes. Both men will need to implement a patient approach as trying to get this thing over with fast would be a mistake. Both can counter strike, and both have power. All things considered, we believe Bobby Green has all the tools necessary to get this one done, if he shows up interested and ready to engage. The wrong man is favored in our opinion and there is far too much value to pass up.

WIN - Take Derek Brunson over Edmen Shahbazyan (10:50p.m., Saturday, August 1st)

For the main event of the evening, we have a Middleweight matchup between Derek Brunson (20-7) and undefeated Edmen Shahbazyan (11-0). This is a weird contest for a few reasons. Brunson has had an up and down career, and it has been hard to gauge just how good he can be. He is a hard hitter which can be shown by 11 wins by KO, but he has also been knocked out 5 times himself. There are some definite concerns with his fight IQ and his ability to take a punch. He will need to be extremely careful if he wants to stay in the pocket and throw down with Edmen. Shahbazyan has 9 wins by knockout, and while he is undefeated and looks impressive, he is still incredibly raw. This is a big fight for the 22-year old. The general narrative of this fight is that Brunson will come running forward like he did vs. Whittaker and get clipped. We are not denying this is a possibility, but it seems as though people are forgetting his other strengths. For example, he is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under none other than Renzo Gracie and has some serious NCAA D2 wrestling chops. We do not expect this fight to be as easy as most think for Edmen, and while we do favor him in this spot, it is simply impossible to jump the gun and set the price this high. It's a big step up in competition, and in a main event, nonetheless. Who knows how the young kid will perform under the bright lights? It has been a smooth ride for him so far in his perfect career, but when the going gets tough, how will he respond? These are all questions we want answers to, and we will be more than willing to pay +280 to find out.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 1, 2020 (SATURDAY)
Game will start on 07:00 PM EST, NBA
Match: Indiana Pacers - Philadelphia 76ers

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the PACERS +6.5 POINTS for 4 UNITS (1.85 ODDS).

This looks like a very public line to us. Philly is the more popular team here, but these teams have identical records. But bettors like Philly more, hence the big line here. Oladipo was active in the shootaround this morning and there are indications he could play tonight. He's Indiana's best player and would give the team a huge boost. But the main reason we like this pick is because the Sixers have been so bad away from home this season. In the friendly confines of their home arena they are 29-2. On the road they are 10-24 this season. These are some strange circumstances, but we just can't trust the Sixers to be laying this many points against a comparable team when we haven't seen if they can shake their funk of playing away from home. The Pacers are 13-6 ATS in the last 19 meetings, and we think they could challenge for the outright win here.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 1, 2020 (SATURDAY)
Game will start on 10:30 PM EST, UFC
Match: Randy Brown - Vicente Luque

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the RANDY BROWN for 2 UNITS (2.55 ODDS).

We have a matchup between Randy Brown (12-3) and Vicente Luque (18-7). This is an interesting fight. Luque has been incredibly fun to watch in his last few fights. He has 10 wins by knockout and 6 by submission and looks to finish each one of his opponents. Luque has tremendous hands, and packs some serious power, however he is all too willing to engage in wars and has taken some serious damage for only 28 years of age. He relentlessly pushes forward and tries to drag his opponents through muddy waters, but you must wonder how long this can be an effective strategy for him. Randy Brown on the other hand, is a long, rangy martial artist, who will stick and move while landing an extremely hard jab. Brown has 6 wins by way of knockout with some good names on his resume such as Belal Muhammed, Niko Price, Bryan Barberena and Warlley Alves. Brown does have some concerning losses, but he came to the UFC quite green, but has shown real improvement leaps from fight to fight. We believe Brown will be able to keep Luque on the outside, utilize his reach and space well, and outpoint him. Luque will be looking for desperation shots and Brown will have to remain alert at all-times, especially as the fight wears on. This is a close contest, and one where we believe Brown will be the clear minute-by-minute winner. He needs to avoid the nuke from Vicente and stick to the game plan where he will have great success. This price is completely out-of-whack due to the public perception on Luque.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[tokeweed]

Nice pick with Brunson.  And Durden!  Even though it was a draw.  He's def somebody to watch out for.

And can you post them a couple of days before the event next time?    It would be good to have some time to get to talk about it.

[JanpriX]

Nice pick with Brunson.  And Durden!  Even though it was a draw.  He's def somebody to watch out for.

And can you post them a couple of days before the event next time?    It would be good to have some time to get to talk about it.

Oh, hey, yeah, I can do that. I'll try to post them way before the match so that other people will also have the chance to check on it before putting their bets. I just didn't have the time to put them way early this weekend because of real-life events. 

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 1, 2020 (SATURDAY)
Game will start on 07:05 PM EST, Major League Baseball
Match: Chicago Whitesox - Kansas City

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the WHITESOX ML for 4 UNITS (1.73 ODDS).

How can we not take Gio Gonzalez here as he comes off a tough loss in his last game. He is vastly underrated coming over from the Nationals and I have always had a great deal of admiration for his consistent way of pitching. Per this selection, Gio gave up 7 hits and 6 runs in less than 4 innings in his last game. Look for Gio to get back on track here and the Whitesox only had 3 runs last game as well so they will bust out here for a much better effort and what you should see here is a solid win here for Chicago. Bolanos has talent but this spot might be too big for him here considering that Gio is on the bounce-back and this sets up nicely for a solid win for Chicago.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 2, 2020 (SUNDAY)
Game will start on 07:00 PM EST, Major League Baseball
Match: New York Yankees - Boston Red Sox

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the OVER 9.5 RUNS for 2 UNITS (1.81 ODDS).

I can't see a full three-game series between these two teams without at least one softball game breaking out. Tonight seems like as good of a time as any. James Paxton was awful in his first start. He is obviously going to be better tonight. But I don't expect him to have his A-level stuff and I don't think that he's going to go deep enough into this game to keep this total down. Boston is going with an opener, Austin Brice. They will use a bunch of different guys tonight and their bullpen has nothing better than mediocre so far this season. The Yankees lineup has not reached its full potential yet. But it is only a matter of time before guys find their form and start putting up some numbers. Tonight seems like as good of a time as any. The wind is going to be blowing out tonight, and a warm night should help the ball carry. I see a bit of a slow start, but the second and third time through the order the fireworks should begin and I see this one getting 'over'.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 2, 2020 (SUNDAY)
Game will start on 08:30 PM EST, NBA
Match: Houston Rockets - Milwaukee Bucks

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the OVER 242.5 POINTS for 1 UNIT (1.90 ODDS).

We roll with the Over here between these two teams in what seems like a high total but I think there is a good chance that it exceeds it. As per this selection, the Rockets have a great chance at being an active underdog facing the likely team out of the Eastern Conference to the NBA Finals (maybe except for Toronto). This is a great spot for Houston to be that active dog as they fell short last time time to this team by 7 points but at the same token, Milwaukee's offense looked sharp last game as well as they put up 119 points on a good Boston defense. Against a leaky Houston defense, it's quite possible they can put up a bit more. Let's take the Over here as Milwaukee's offense is clicking and Houston also has a decent shot at being an Outright Dog as this game is likely to go Over.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 3, 2020 (MONDAY)
Game will start on 06:30 PM EST, NBA
Match: New Orleans Pelicans - Memphis Grizzlies

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the MEMPHIS +4.5 POINTS for 1 UNIT (1.95 ODDS).

SCREENSHOT TO FOLLOW

The Grizzlies are 7-1 ATS in the second leg of a back to back this season, so we aren't worried about them playing on Sunday. Plus, there is no travel involved, so B2B's aren't that big of a deal, especially with fresh players at the restart. Both teams are winless in the restart, but Memphis has been a lot more competitive as they lost two close games, while New Orleans was blown out last time out in a 23-point loss to the Clippers where that final score was very flattering against the effort given. We just think this is a coin flip game and getting the points here is too good to pass up.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 3, 2020 (MONDAY)
Game will start on 08:00 PM EST, MLB
Match: Milwaukee Brewers - Chicago White Sox

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the CHICAGO WHITE SOX ML for 4 UNITS (1.95 ODDS).

SCREENSHOT TO FOLLOW

I like the value here as I think that the White Sox are actually the better team. They also have the benefit of having been able to play over the weekend. It has been a really weird few days for the Brewers. They had their weekend series cancelled because of the corona virus. They had one of their best players, Lorenzo Cain, opt out of the season. And then their bench coach had a heart attack. Who knows where this team's head is at. The White Sox, on the other hand, are coming off a weekend sweep and they have won four straight. Carlos Rodon is taking the ball for the White Sox. This is one of the bigger starts of his career. He barely won the No. 5 starter slot and then got filleted by Cleveland in his opener. After an injury-plagued 2019 Rodon needs this one so I expect him to be completely focused. Brett Anderson is going for Milwaukee, but this is his first start of the season. In the past he has either been really, really good or really, really bad. I think he is going to struggle a bit to find his feel. And this whole Brewers team just has too much negative karma around it to expect them to perform as the favorite here.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 3, 2020 (MONDAY)
Game will start on 09:00 PM EST, NBA
Match: Utah Jazz - Los Angeles Lakers

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the UTAH JAZZ +7.5 POINTS for 2 UNITS (1.93 ODDS).

We are getting used to these slow starts from Utah. They are winless in the restart thus far and haven't played to near their potential. But we think they will be ultra motivated to get that win tonight. Their place in the postseason is secure, but they need some momentum heading into the postseason, and a win here would erase the two losses that proceeded it on a mental level. The Lakers are all but guaranteed the No. 1 seed and this finish to the regular season is meant only as practice time for the playoffs. We just don't see them being that motivated for wins now, while Utah really needs this game more. And the Lakers are always a public team that gets shaded odds from the bookies, and that is even more so with the restart as bettors have been starved for action and are very active (the Lakers/Clippers game on opening night of restart was by far the biggest bet NBA game of the season). We expect a close game here and will gladly take the points on this inflated number.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 4, 2020 (TUESDAY)
Game will start on 04:00 PM EST, NHL
Match: Toronto Maple Leafs - Columbus Blue Jackets

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the TORONTO MAPLE ML for 4 UNITS (1.62 ODDS).

It's kind of now or never for Toronto. They have been the most overrated and overhyped hockey team in the NHL over the past two years. That doesn't mean they don't have talent; it just means that they have been grossly overestimated by bettors and the markets. So why jump on them for a big play here? Because at some point things are going to click. And with the sheer level of desperation that they have right now I think today is as good of a time as any. This play reminds me a bit of yesterday's play on Edmonton. And yes, I'm pissed that I didn't go bigger on that one. Toronto does have an advantage of playing close to home here. It's their home ice, for crying out loud. I just can't see them losing their first two games of the restart on their home ice against a team that they are clearly better than. Columbus is a grinder team, trying to clog this game up and slow it down. But they can only really generate offense off the counterattack. And if Toronto can strike first and get the early momentum then Columbus will be forced to come out of its shell and open this game. That will play into Toronto's hands. This is only a five-game series. If Toronto falls behind 2-0 they are done. These two teams are 4-4 against one another dating back to 2018. But two of Columbus' wins were in OT in games in which they were outplayed. And Toronto's four wins were all by multiple goals. So either Columbus wins a grinder or, if Toronto can force the tempo, the Leafs dominate. The first game of this series saw the Jackets pull off the former. I'm betting that today's game is more like the latter. Expect a full-out effort from the Leafs and a two-goal win to get back into this series.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[VanityWallets2015]

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[JanpriX]

Pick for August 4, 2020 (TUESDAY)
Game will start on 07:00 PM EST, WNBA
Match: Atlanta Dream - Phoenix Mercury

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the OVER 176.5 POINTS for 2 UNITS (1.75 ODDS).

Per this game, we roll with the Over here and though the total is high, in fact, this is the highest total there has ever been for these two teams over the last 10 contests, we still like the Over here. Note, that Phoenix has picked up a gem here in Hartley who scored 27 points in her last game going 10/18 from the field. With Diggins only scoring 10 points in her last game and 2/8 from the field, Phoenix has picked up a huge scoring foursome here with Griner, Tarausi, Diggins and Hartley. This team shot 5/19 from 3 point land and still scored 96 points in their last game and scored 102 against Vegas and 100 against Indiana (a good defense). Atlanta comes off another loss at Indiana as they scored 77 points but turned the ball oer quite a bit and what is interesting here is that Atlanta probably loses this game by double-digits but one would have to think for a team that shoots pretty well, if they just hold on to the ball a bit more, they should score more than 80 points today as Phoenix is one of the worst in the league defensively. In the same token, Phoenix should drop around 100 points or more today as Atlanta is likely to be an active underdog as well which should help this game go over today.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 4, 2020 (TUESDAY)
Game will start on 07:05 PM EST, MLB
Match: Washington Nationals - New York Mets

WIN!!! - PICK: TAKE the WASHINGTON NATIONALS ML for 4 UNITS (1.56 ODDS).

Per this selection, the Nats are heating up with 13 hits yesterday and have now posted back to back wins now. These guys are the defending champs for a reason and you can expect them not to be hovering around .500 as they will bust through and it is likely here. They had a good series against Toronto, especially the last two games and note the Mets are coming off a big 7-2 win over the Braves but they had lost their 3 previous games to the Braves so this is a classic let down spot for them. Matz has already given up 3 HR in 11.1 innings and gave up 8 hits to Boston Redsox who are frankly not as sharp this year in my book so that is not a good look and Matz has also given up 10 baserunners over his last 5 innings as well. Corbin held the Yankees to 2 Hits and lost 2-3 which is phenomenal and note that 5 batters have over a .300 career avg against Matz as well as the fact the Nationals releivers this year have a 1.50era vs. a 6.60 era for Mets and also, Juan Soto returns back to the lineup from a Covid absence as well as it makes sense for us to take Nationals here.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.

[JanpriX]

Wednesday Basketball Bonanza  
*The leans below will not count to my stats here in this thread. Follow or fade, it's up to you!

NBA
WIN - Take OVER 219.5 between Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies (2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5th)

Look, at some point Utah is going to make some shots. They have shot the ball pathetically over their last two games. They have faced two tough defensive teams, though, and at some point they are due for a bit of a breakout. Memphis is coming off an equally awful shooting game against New Orleans in a game that went way, way 'under' the total. I think that they are going to rebound after a couple terrible shooting games as well.

WIN - Take PHILADELPHIA 76ERS -8.5 POINTS over Washington Wizards (4 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5th)

Washington has lost all three of its games in the bubble. And, frankly, none of them have been close. They've lost by 13, 8 and 11, but they were behind by around 20 points in all three games. Philadelphia is a prime suspect to get up 25 points and then win this one by just 6. But after a couple of frustrating games I could see the Sixers taking that frustration out on the helpless Wizards and their G-League roster. Washington is 29th in defense this year and they absolutely aren't going to be able to stop the Sixers. I can see Philadelphia pumping in around 130 points in this game. And as long as the Wizards don't throw up on themselves and they get to 100 this one should easily go 'over'. I'll call this one 128-112 and we should hit both sides here.

WIN - Take OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDERS +6.5 POINTS over Los Angeles Lakers (6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5th)

The Lakers just clinched the No. 1 seed in the West with their win over Utah. And just like they had a letdown after their win over the Clippers to begin the restart I can see them letting down in this one against a tricky Thunder team. In fact, I wouldn't be stunned to see the Lakers rest either LeBron or Anthony Davis in this one. And I don't expect either player to log a ton of minutes. Maybe they will. But even so, what is their motivation level? We saw it yesterday with the Bucks: it is tough for the teams that are clearly the No. 1 seeds in their conferences to stay focused and play with 100 percent effort against lesser teams. Oklahoma City is good. They have great chemistry and really play well together. I also think that they are a deeper team than the Lakers and I think that they are going to be more motivated coming into this one. Oklahoma City wants to lock up at least the No. 6 seed and avoid the Clippers in Round 1. They also want to build momentum going into the playoffs and I think that they are going to be focused to rebound from a tough OT loss to Denver their last time out. Throw all of this together and I have a hard time seeing a blowout in this game. I'll take the points.

WIN - Take TORONTO RAPTORS -7.5 POINTS over Orlando Magic (8 p.m., Wednesday, August 5th)

The Raptors are 2-0 in the restart and in both wins they have looked like the defending NBA champions. When Kawhi Leonard left for LA in the offseason Toronto was left for dead but they seemingly disagree with the level of play they have put out there each night. They will be a force when the playoffs start and will take zero for granted moving forward. The Magic are 2-1 but have not looked good against tougher opponents all season (even before the restart). They got handled by Indiana last time out and do not appear to be ready to make the leap yet. Take the champs to get the win and cover.

WIN - Take BOSTON CELTICS -8.5 POINTS over Brooklyn Nets (9 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 5)

Brooklyn pulled off a wild upset yesterday, beating the Bucks as 17-point underdogs. And they did it without their three best players. I think that sets them up for a letdown here though. Yesterday they were jacking 3's and playing with house money against a team with waning interest in the game. Now they are facing a Boston team that is coming off a frustrating loss of their own yesterday against Miami. The public is all over Brooklyn in this game. But I'm going to go the other way. Boston is on a 0-7 ATS slide and they are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games. Yet this number is still this high? That's a bit of a red flag. The Celtics also have a little revenge factor. They lost 129-120 at home in the last meeting, just prior to the hiatus. But Brooklyn was down 17 points going into the fourth quarter and really fluked that one out. I have a feeling Boston comes to play today and gets a surprising blowout.

[JanpriX]

Pick for August 5, 2020 (WEDNESDAY)
Game will start on 07:05 PM EST, NHL Hockey
Match: Boston Bruins - Tampa Bay Lightning

LOSS - PICK: TAKE the BOSTON BRUINS ML for 2 UNITS (1.83 ODDS).

As per our selection on Boston, we like them to bounce back here against a Tampa team that is going to be without their captain again in Steven Stamkos. Boston suffered a 4-1 loss to the Flyers in the opening round-robin game, but have had an extra day to rest and prepare for a Tampa team that they've struggled with over the last little while. That changes tonight as the Bruins know a loss will likely slide them down to the fourth seed and give them a much tougher matchup in the next round of the playoffs - likely the Pittsburgh Penguins. As for Tampa, they coasted through a 2-1 shootout win and were lucky to get the win as they were severely outplayed. This is a great number on a healthy Boston squad and we are all over it today.

Best of luck and Grind On everyone.