Buster Sports
Spurs at Thunder
Play: Over 198
The last 10 games between these two teams you will notice that they have played 4 overs to 6 unders but a closer look shows that at today's total those numbers turn to 7 over to 3 unders. Also our system shows that this line is a couple points too low as we have it at 200/200.5. We actually believe that this line will climb closer to the 200 mark near game time. Supporting us is that OKC as a home underdog of 3 points or less is 6-1 O/U. When they revenge a home loss they are 9-4 O/U and OKC is 17-8 O/U in their last 25 games following a days rest. All of this has us taking the Over in tonight's game. So lets get the job done with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder over 198 as todays free play of the day.
Power Sports
Colorado vs. San Francisco
Pick: San Francisco
I gave my endorsement to the Giants yday (premium release) and they came through w/ a hard-fought, extra innings victory over the Rockies. Both teams were scoreless after nine frames and quite frankly I felt a little lucky to come away with the win as Colorado wound up finishing the game with 12 hits compared to just seven for San Francisco. Despite that, I feel the visiting team will be a little "demoralized" heading into Sunday and I look for SF to win for a third straight day.
In what's currently a wide open NL West (don't expect that to last for much longer), the Giants are in first place at 17-15. They've won five of seven overall and this price range seems to be quite favorable to them as they are a perfect 4-0 this year as a home favorite of -175 to -200. That ups their three-year run in that price range to 14-3. Jeff Samardzija gets the baseball Sunday and I like the fact that he's posted a 0.843 WHIP his L3 starts.
Meanwhile, I just never trust this Rockies pitching staff. Today's starter Eddie Butler was a little unlucky to give up five runs in 5 2/3 innings his last time out (1st and only start of '16) as he only gave up four hits. But still, his track record isn't very good. Also not good is the Rockies history on the road. They are just 63-117 outside of hitter-friendly Coors Field the L3 seasons. I realize that they are 10-8 so far this season, but I'm not putting a ton of stock into that and fully anticipate them regressing to their usual losing record.
Scott Delaney
My free play is on the team I've been riding all week in some capacity. From my premium plays, to a pay-after winner on Saturday and now with my complimentary winner - I love the Chicago Cubs.
Today you're playing them on the run line.
I know the Nationals came into this series on a 5-1 run during their 10-game road trip and are currently 11-7 away from home this season, but the Cubs are off to their best 28-game start in more than a 100 years. Sitting at 23-6, the Cubbies finished off the Pirates via a three-game sweep in Pittsburgh with a 6-2 victory Wednesday, and have taken care of the powerful-hitting Nats the last three nights.
The Cubs are clearly making a statement they're the team to beat in the National League.
The Cubs have the majors' best run differential at plus-101 (180-79). In contrast, the Nationals are at plus-42 (133-91). That's why you don't have to worry about the pitchers in this one, as the Cubs are getting things done done regardless of who is on the hill for either team, thanks to their power-packed lineup
The hard-hitting Cubbies have beaten Washington five straight at Wrigley. Take the home team here - big.
5* CUBS -1.5
Chris Jordan
My free play for Sunday is on the Seattle Mariners, in Houston, against the Astros. And in this one make sure you're listing both scheduled starters: Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma and Houston's Collin McHugh.
These two just met last month, and the McHugh got the win. Now it's time for Iwakuma to get the win, and revenge.
Iwakuma comes in after thowing seven innings of one-run ball against the Athletics, picking up his first win last Tuesday. That will help him get motivated, and keep him from remebering when he allowed a season-high five runs on seven hits in five innings to the Astros in his previous start.
I know McHugh has won two consecutive starts and is in on a 3-2 run, but he also has a 5.00 ERA since allowing five earned runs in one-third of an inning in his April 6 season debut.
I like the road pup and revenge theory here.
4* MARINERS
Jeff Benton
Your Sunday freebie is the Under in Game 4 of the Spurs-Thunder series.
After an easy Over in Game 1, things have tightened up defensively, as the last pair in this series have both held Under the total.
With the Under now standing at 5-1 the last 6 series meetings, and 6-2 overall Under the posted price in the last 8 series meetings, I suggest staying with that Low trend and cashing in another Under.
The Spurs are on an 8-2 overall Under run dating back to the regular season, while the Thunder have held Under in 6 of their last 10 overall since the regular campaign.
Spurs-Thunder Under in Game 4.
3* SAN ANTONIO-OKLAHOMA CITY UNDER
OC Dooley
Reds +110
Due to massive LINEUP changes Cincinnati has gone from a substantial home favorite into the role of an underdog and I am taking advantage of the overreaction. Basically the Reds are going with an all-reserve lineup that features the likes of Tyler Holt, Ivan DeJesus, Jordan Pacheco and Ramon Cabrera but with all the changes there has been LIMITED time for Milwukee to put together an effective scouting report. With Sean Barber as the homeplate “umpire” the HOME TEAM has gone 3-1 so far on the campaign
Bob Balfe
Thunder +1
The winner of this series has a shot against the Warriors especially if Curry is still bothered by injury. This is a Thunder team that has been together for some time and has played well against the Spurs this year. San Antonio is great at home so this is a must win for the Thunder as they head back there.
Phillies -110
Aaron Nola has been a strike out machine for the Phillies this year and believe it or not this team is headed down the right road as far as rebuilding goes. We have seen excellent pitching from the Phillies this year which is a sign of good things to come. The Phillies have been winning tight low scoring games which is also a sign of good things to come.
Wunderdog
Cleveland @ Atlanta
Pick: Cleveland -5
Atlanta played about as well as it could on Friday, but still came up short as the Hawks now have lost all 11 postseason games they have ever played against Cleveland. Al Horford scored 24 points, Jeff Teague added 19 points and 14 assists, and the Hawks shot 48.8 percent, but the Cavaliers were better down the stretch with unlikely hero Channing Frye leading the team in scoring with 27 points off the bench. Cleveland continued its hot shooting, making 53.8 percent from beyond the arc, and the Cavaliers show no signs of cooling off. Cleveland has covered the spread the last seven meetings.
Dr. Bob
Opinion – UNDER (198) – San Antonio at OKLAHOMA CITY
My math projects 198.4 total points in this game, so there is no line value, but a 57-17-1 playoff UNDER situation applies and I’ll lean Under 197 points or higher based on that angle. As far as the side is concerned, my ratings favor San Antonio by 0.7 points, so there isn’t any line value, and I have no significant situations that apply to this game. Thus, I have no opinion on the side.