Heat vs Bobcats Odds
The Miami Heat entered the 2014 NBA playoffs looking more vulnerable than they have in years past, but they’ve managed to capture a 2-game lead on the Charlotte Bobcats entering Game 3.
UFC 172 Preview and Picks
Light Heavyweight Title On the Line – UFC 172 From Baltimore Saturday Night
The UFC has once again put together a stacked card for UFC 172 with the Light Heavyweight strap on the line. Jon Jones faces perhaps his stiffest test to date when he takes on Glover Teixeira in the Main Event while the rest of the card is littered with quality matchups to say the least.
Let’s take a look.
UFC 172: Jones vs. Teixeira
Date: April 26, 2014
Time: 10pm ET/7pm PT
Location: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, Fox Sports 1, UFC Fight Pass
UFC Odds From Bovada
Main Card: (PPV – 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
Jon Jones (19-1): -500
Glover Teixeira (22-2): +385
Jon Jones gets back at it Saturday night for the first time since a Title Fight for the ages in September against Alexander Gustafsson. His task this time – defeat Glover Teixeira who rides a 20 fight win streak over 9 1/2 years into the Baltimore Arena. Jones hopes to use his incredible athleticism and terrific all around game against one of the more powerful Light Heavyweights on the planet.
Jones brings an almost indefensible wing span into the Octagon – one that he uses to stay on the outside and deliver a variety of punishing strikes to his opponent. He is long, he is lean, he is unorthodox and most of all he is powerful – able to inflict a ton of damage on his feet. When called upon, Jones is well versed in takedowns and ground control – he is as good on the mat as he is on his feet.
Teixeira is powerful – his training with Chuck Liddell most recently has only added to the intrigue of this top tier Light Heavyweight. Tex has incredible power in both hands and is also a 2nd degree Black Belt in jiu jitsu – he like Jones can succeed anywhere this fight happens to go. Add in Glover’s stellar defense, his takedown game and his impressive cardio and Glover Teixeira may be the most well rounded fighter that Jones has ever faced.
Jones will have learned a lot from his epic fight with Alex Gustafsson and will definitely be wary of Teixeira’s danger zones. Simply put – Jones’s athleticism will bail him out in this one! Jones’s wing span should be able to keep Glover at bay and Jones’s terrific takedown defense should ensure that he keeps out of Tex’s wheelhouse. In what is sure to be a razor-close fight, I like the champion to do enough and to ride his gifts to a narrow decision.
Pick: Jon Jones -500
Phil Davis (12-1, 1NC): -205
Anthony Johnson (16-4): +175
Two of the better wrestlers in the UFC do battle when Anthony Johnson, who went on a six fight win streak after getting released from the UFC, takes on Phil Davis who is fresh off a decision win over Lyoto Machida.
Johnson is likely the stronger man in this fight and he probably has the better overall ground game but Phil Davis is no slouch in the wrestling department. Davis is likely to have the edge in the standup as he showed in his last fight against Machida.
Johnson will be a motivated guy coming back after getting released from the organization but he runs into an ever-improving Phil Davis in this one. I like Davis to wear Johnson down in this one en route to a submission win – likely in the 3rd round.
Pick: Phil Davis -205
Luke Rockhold (11-2): -800
Tim Boetsch (17-6): +575
Former Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold will look to keep his ascent up the UFC ladder going Saturday when he takes on the very tough Tim Boetsch in Middleweight action. Rockhold is coming off an impressive dominant win over Costa Philippou whole Boetsch was last seen winning a split decision over CB Dollaway.
Boetsch will be the stronger man in this fight but that is about where the advantages stop. Rockhold will enter as the better wrestler, the better striker and the more athletic of the two fighters. Rockhold`s only loss in the last six years came at the hands to Vitor Belfort – no shame in that.
I`ll take the more well rounded fighter to prevail against the one-trick pony in this one.
Pick: Luke Rockhold -800
Jim Miller (23-4, 1NC): -205
Yancy Medeiros (10-1): +175
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Jim Miller steps into the Octagon for the 17th time Saturday to take on injury replacement Yancy Medeiros who steps in for Bobby Green – an unenviable task for even the most seasoned fighter. Miller is a stellar grappler – able to smother his opponents with tremendous wrestling and mat control. His standup isn’t so bad either!
Miller is a “B+” fighter stepping into the Octagon with a “C+” fighter in this one. Bobby Green would have been in tough against Miller – Yancy Medeiros doesn’t have much of a chance.
Pick: Jim Miller -205
Max Holloway (8-3): +135
Andre Fili (13-1): -155
Andre Fili will put an impressive nine fight win streak on the line against a very tough Max Holloway who is coming off a Knockout of the Night fight against Will Chope. This has Fight of the Night written all over it!
Holloway will look to utilize his height and reach in this fight – keeping his range and using a variety of kicks and punches may be his best chance here. Fili is also a dangerous striker that will have the definite edge this weekend in the wrestling department – Fili has good takedowns that can bail him out more often than not.
The problem for Max Holloway here is that he will not have the huge size advantage that he is used to – Fili is a beast. Fili`s size, his striking and his overwhelming grappling advantage will be the difference in this one. Fili isn`t widely known in the UFC – Saturday night could change that!
Pick: Andre Fili -155
Preliminary Card: (Fox Sports 1 – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)
Joseph Benavidez (19-4): -380
Tim Elliott (10-4-1): +315
Pick: Joseph Benavidez -380
Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-4-1): +180
Takanori Gomi (34-9, 1NC): -210
Pick: Takanori Gomi -210
Jessamyn Duke (3-0, 1NC): +100
Bethe Correia (7-0): -120
Pick: Bethe Correia -120
Joe Ellenberger (14-1): -280
Vagner Rocha +240
Pick: Joe Ellenberger -280
Preliminary Card: (UFC Fight Pass – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
Danny Castillo (18-6): -270
Charlie Brenneman (19-6): +230
Pick: Danny Castillo -270
Chris Beal (8-0): -140
Patrick Williams (7-3): +120
Pick: Patrick Williams +120
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Rangers vs M’s Baseball Picks
The Rangers just swept Oakland and thus will be heading into Seattle in first place in the AL West with an AL leading 14 victories. Texas is red hot right now having won 8 of 9 starting with the final three of their last set with the Mariners.
Texas Rangers (14-8) vs. Seattle Mariners (8-13)
Friday April 25
Safeco Field – Seattle, WA
10:10PM
Probable Pitchers
TEX: Robbie Ross (L)
SEA: Roenis Elias (L)
Moneyline: Seattle -106, Texas -102
Total: 7.5
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Texas
Other than Martin Perez’ current scoreless streak nothing is really standing out with the Rangers right now other than they are doing it without a number of key contributors. Jurickson Profar and Adrian Beltre are on the DL and Shin-Soo Choo is questionable for Friday.
Texas has been getting very good starting pitching and that includes the starts from Robbie Ross, who doesn’t look like he will be returning to the pen anytime soon.
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Ross has a 2.31 ERA in the young season and a big reason are the 7 shutout innings he threw against the Mariners in his lone win on the season.
Only once in 4 starts has he given up more than 2ER and this time will take on Seattle in pitcher friendly Safeco.
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Seattle
While Texas has been soaring the Mariners have been sinking.
They had lost 8 games in a row before ending their slide with a series closing win against Houston. If they had lost that one it would have been the Mariners not the Astros in last place. However, it is still relatively early and thankfully for Seattle their pitching has been solid.
It is the offense that is the problem. Robinson Cano is hitting below expectations at .280 and others are well off what you would expected. Kyle Seager is batting .179, ouch.
Rookie Roenis Elias has been better than expected this season.
He is giving up a few too many walks but is keeping the balling in the park and not giving up a ton of hits. His lone win on the season was against the Rangers in a game in which he gave up just one run over 6 innings.
It was the deepest he has gone in any start this season – he needs to start giving them some more innings or else they are going to burn out their bullpen.
Both of these starters have had success against their opponents recently. Since we are still writing the book on both I think we can expect a low scoring game. I see no reason to back the home side and given the way both teams are playing the value on Texas is better than expected.
It is the smart play.
Total prediction: Under
Score prediction: Texas 4 – Seattle 3
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Hawks vs Blues Hockey Betting?
Blackhawks and Blues in Crucial Game 5 Friday Night
The Chicago Blackhawks did their part winning both games on home ice and evening their first round series against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues have lost all momentum gained in the first two games of the series and will be happy to see the inside of the Scottrade Center where they won the first two games of the series and have claimed victory all five times they have hosted Chicago this year.
MLB Predictions: Tigers vs Twins Lines
The Detroit Tigers will make the trip out to Minneapolis to begin a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. The Tigers have been slow out of the gate, but the team has wins in four if its last six games, while the have won three of four.
MLB Lines – Reds vs Braves
The Cincinnati Reds will travel south to Atlanta to start a three-game set against the Braves on Friday night.
Colorado vs Dodgers Preview – MLB Odds
On the season the Rockies have an Over/Under record of 13-9 and a run-line W/L record of 15-8 and the Dodgers have an Over/Under record of 10-12 and a run-line W/L record of 15-8.
Bulls vs Wizards NBA Picks
The team that nobody wanted to face is in deep trouble as this series moves to Washington. After dropping the first two at home it is difficult to imagine that this spirited but flawed team is about to go on a series changing run.
Raptors vs Nets Online Betting Odds
The opening round series between the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets shifts back to New York for Game 3 on Friday night with the series tied at one game apiece. Toronto evened the series with a win in Game 2, claiming a 100-95 decision.
Rockets vs Trail Blazer Odds
The Portland Trail Blazers have shocked the Houston Rockets early in Round 1. Portland leads 2-0, but the Rockets are now the ones playing as underdogs in a pivotal Game 3.
Bruins vs Red Wings Hockey Odds
The Boston Bruins look to take a third consecutive game from the Detroit Red Wings when the series continues at Joe Louis Arena on Thursday night. The Bruins claimed a shutout victory in Game 3 on Tuesday, bringing home a 3-0 win.
MLB Predictions: O’s vs Blue Jays Lines
The Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles in game three of a three-game set on Thursday night. The teams were caught in a slugfest on Wednesday night, with the Orioles overcoming a 6-1 deficit to gut out a 10-8 win, setting up Thursday’s rubber match.
Phillies vs Dodgers Baseball Picks
Philly saw their three game winning streak snapped against LA on Wednesday night, dropping them below .500 on the season.
Avs vs Wild Hockey Betting?
Wild Look to Even it Up – Host Avalanche in Pivotal Game 4 Thursday Night
The Minnesota Wild look to carry the momentum gained off a 1-0 overtime win in Game 3 when they try to hold serve and even their series with the Colorado Avalanche. The Wild looked good throughout Game 3 – they were clearly the better team.
Sharks vs Kings Hockey Betting?
It is hard to fathom that the Los Angeles Kings face getting swept in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs but that is where we sit heading into Game 4 against the Sharks Thursday night. It isn`t a fluke either – the Sharks are simply the better team right now – although the Kings played their best game of the series in Game 3.
Pacers vs Hawks NBA Picks
The Pacers started the series in frightful fashion dropping the opener at home but they came back nicely to win game 2 and even the series.
