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It seems like for much of the season, the Miami Hurricanes played like they didn't even want to be on the field. So at this juncture, you have to wonder whether they are all that enthused about taking a trip to Shreveport for the Independence Bowl, where they will face off against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on the day after Christmas (December 26). Game time is 4 PM ET, and BetAnySports customers will have the opportunity to watch this game and place wagers on it while it is happening, accessing the state-of-the-art software from Sports Betting Ultra.

Miami kind of backed into this situation, as Manny Diaz's first year at the helm resulted in a disappointing 6-6 record (both straight-up and against the spread). And if you want to talk about an underachieving bunch, you found one: Miami is the only team in the last 40 years to lose three games straight-up where they were favored by 14 points or more. One of those defeats came against crosstown rival Florida International, and it was so shameful to the program that they actually lost a few of their recruits for 2021 immediately afterward. Diaz admitted that he was not properly prepared for the game, which might leave one to ask, "What else was there to do?"

Louisiana Tech is coached by Skip Holtz, whose father Lou had a skirmish or two with the Miami program when he was head coach at Notre Dame. The younger Holtz is in his eleventh bowl game as a head coach, and when he was the head man at the University of South Florida, he registered his first victory there over Miami.

There was something of a controversy with the Bulldogs this season. Quarterback J'Mar Smith, along with two others, was suspended, but there was a lag time between the suspension itself and the announcement of it, with some sharp money coming in against Louisiana Tech in the interim. Just thought we might make a note of that, along with the fact that Smith is off his suspension.

In the college football betting odds for this Independence Bowl, as they are posted by the people at <a href="http://betanysports.eu/btb50/">BetAnySports</a>, Miami is favored by just under a touchdown:

Miami Hurricanes -6 (-110)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs +6 (-110)

Over 50 points -110
Under 50 points -110

Louisiana Tech (9-3 straight-up, 7-5 ATS) registered its best wins against FIU and Southern Miss this season. The aforementioned Smith ranked 32nd nationally in passing efficiency, with 2814 yards and a ratio of 17 touchdowns to only four interceptions. And he was much more accurate this season, completing 66% of his passes (as opposed to 57% in 2018). This team moved the ball pretty well, averaging 34 points per game. Defensively, it bears mentioning that the Bulldogs led the nation this year with FIVE interceptions returned for touchdowns.

We don't know how excited the Miami players are going to be in this particular situation, but we can tell you that there is a strong connection between their coaching staff and the Louisiana Tech program. Diaz, in fact, served as defensive coordinator there in 2014, and his unit led the nation in takeaways that season. His current defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, succeeded him in that post under Holtz, and was there for four seasons before coming to Miami this year. In other words, Baker is pretty familiar with the personnel.

Surely it's useful to know that for handicapping purposes, but mindful of the fact that coaches don't make many tackles, how much of a difference will it really make?

There's not much question that the defense Baker supervises is the strength of this Miami squad; they surrendered only three yards per carry and ranked 13th in Total Defense. Penetration was a key, as Miami was fourth in the nation in Tackles For Loss and racked up 43 sacks.

Quarterback Jarren Williams, a redshirt freshman, deserves some credit, as he finished among the nation's top 30 in passing efficiency, despite being under siege for much of the time he was in there. Only three teams in the nation gave up more sacks than Miami's offensive line, and the 'Canes were dead last in third-down efficiency, converting only 26.4% of the time.

Stuff like that is not good news as you are coming into a minor bowl game during a holiday season against what amounts to an opponent playing a semi-home game. Make no mistake about the fact that Louisiana Tech will have support, and there is little doubt that Holtz places a lot of importance on these post-season contests, as he has emerged victorious his last six bowl games, five of them at his current post.

One of the interesting things about Miami is that they seemed to reach low points coming off rest periods, going 0-3 ATS after a bye week. They have even acknowledged this, but we're not sure they have figured it out. And this program has only one bowl victory since the 2006 season. There is so much about these circumstances where outcomes involve who wants to "be there" more, and in this particular situation we don't think there's any question about it. Undoubtedly Miami is the team with more talent. But we are more than happy to grab the points.

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Walk On's Independence Bowl Odds, Pick, & Prediction: Miami (FL) vs. Louisiana Tech

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Looking to win big? The Golden Griffins and Lakers face off at 7:00 ET on NEC. The Lakers are hosting the game at Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Erie, PA. In this non-conference matchup, Canisius is favored by -2 against Mercyhurst. The over/under for the game is 143.5 points.<h3>CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS VS MERCYHURST LAKERS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Canisius Golden Griffins -2This game will be played at Mercyhurst Athletic Center at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, November 13th.<h3>WHY BET THE CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 83-66 in favor of the Golden Griffins.</li><li>Not only will Canisius pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 149 points.</li></ul><h3>Is It the Golden Griffins Game to Lose on the Road?</h3><h3>Canisius Golden Griffins Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Canisius fell to St. Bonaventure 87-78 on Saturday, November 9th, in a home game where they were +8 point underdogs. The Golden Griffins didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total points of 165 exceeded the O/U line of 140. 

After trailing 40-34 at halftime, Canisius scored 44 points in the 2nd half but allowed 47, leading to the loss.In their latest game, Canisius put up 78 points, shooting 48.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60.7%. They connected on 43.8% of their three-point attempts, hitting 14 of 32 from deep, and were solid at the free-throw line, going 10 for 12 (83.3%). Paul McMillan IV led the way with 31 points, shooting 73.3% overall and 75% from three-point range. Chance Moore added 27 points, hitting 69.2% of his shots, while Tana Kopa contributed 19 points, making 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.Canisius struggled defensively, giving up 87 points on 48% shooting from the field. Their opponent shot 54% inside the arc, connecting on 13 of 24 two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, Canisius allowed 14 threes on 32 attempts, a 43% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the line 12 times, where they made 10 free throws, shooting 83%. Canisius gave up 8 offensive rebounds.<h3>Is A Home Victory Likely for Underdog Mercyhurst?</h3>Mercyhurst pulled off a 78-73 win over Morgan State on Wednesday, November 6th. The Lakers were +8.5 point underdogs going into the game, but not only did they cover the spread, they also came away with the win. The total points for the game hit 151, going over the pre-game O/U line of 147.5. Mercyhurst led 33-31 at halftime and scored 45 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. Their ability to maintain a slim lead and outscore Morgan State in the 2nd half was key to their victory.Mercyhurst put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 44.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.1%, with a 51.4% success rate on two-point attempts (19/37) and 29.4% from beyond the arc (5/17). At the free-throw line, they were impressive, hitting 87.5% of their shots (21/24). Mykolas Ivanauskas led the way with 16 points, shooting 72.7% (8/11) and grabbing 7 rebounds. Wynston Tabbs and Aidan Reichert each added 15 points, with Reichert shooting 60% (6/10). The Lakers also pulled down 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists in the win.Despite Mercyhurst's defensive efforts, they allowed 73 points on 49% shooting from the field. The opposing team connected on 26 of their 53 field goal attempts. From two-point range, the Lakers gave up 23 baskets on 45 attempts, a 51% success rate. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 24 times, where they made 18 shots, shooting 75%.

Canisius Golden Griffins vs Mercyhurst Lakers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/13/24

The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Blue Jackets will host the game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Hurricanes are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan divisional contest against the Blue Jackets. The game's over/under currently sits at 6 goals.<h3>CAROLINA HURRICANES VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, April 16th.<h3>WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:</h3><ul><li>Coming in as 1.5 goal favorites, our projections have the Hurricanes picking up a 4-3 win.</li><li>Take the Hurricanes on the moneyline</li><li>On the puck line, we like Blue Jackets (+1.5)</li></ul><h3>Taking a Look at the Hurricanes Chances on the Road</h3>With a 52-22-7 record, the Hurricanes have been the second-best team in the Eastern Conference this season. They have gone 35-14 against other Eastern Conference teams and have won five straight games to improve their record over the last ten games to 8-2. On the road, Carolina has gone 25-12-3 and have won each of their last four games.

Over the course of the year, the Hurricanes have been favored in 74 of their 81 games and have gone 49-18-7 in those games. In games against teams from the Metropolitan Division, Carolina has gone 16-9 this season. They have also won each of their last five games when they have been favored.Carolina comes into the game with a puck line record of 37-44 overall and 19-21 on the road. The Hurricanes have gone 35-41 against the puck line as the favorite and have a scoring margin of +.8 goals per game.

So far, the team has 35 wins by multiple goals, and their average scoring margin on the road is +.8 goals per contest. In their last 10 games, the Hurricanes have gone 7-3 vs. the puck line. This season, Carolina's games have an average of 6 goals per game. The average over/under number for the season is 6.2. The Hurricanes come in with an over/under performance of 32-47-2.When looking at their past three road matchups, Carolina has an puck line record of 3-0 while averaging 4 per game. The team went 3-0 overall in these games.Offensively, the Hurricanes come into the game at 3.4 goals per contest placing 6th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 3rd position in the league. This season, the Hurricanes have a 39-19 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 11-1 record.The leading scorer for Carolina's offense is Sebastian Aho. Coming into the game he has 36 goals, ranking 20th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 53 assists so far.Defensively, the Blue Jackets are currently 1st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 34.1 shots per game against Columbus. They also are 31st in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.Heading into this matchup vs. Columbus, goalie Frederik Andersen has started 16 games in this season. His current record is 13-2, and his save percentage stands at 0.4%.<h3>Will Columbus Make it Happen at Home?</h3>Heading into their final game of the season, the Blue Jackets are in 16th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 26-43-12. In the Metropolitan Division, Columbus is in 8th place with a record of 6-19.

Over their last ten games, the Blue Jackets have gone just 3-7 and have lost four straight games. In games played at home, Columbus has a record of 16-19-5.When it comes to puck line bets, the Blue Jackets have gone 44-37 this season, including going 23-17 at home. Overall, Columbus has lost 35 games by multiple goals compared to just 20 by a single goal.

As the underdog, the Blue Jackets have a puck line record of 41-33, but their current losing streak against the puck line is at four games. In their last ten games at home, Columbus has gone 8-2 against the puck line. Games involving Columbus have an average of 6.5 goals per game this season. Their average over/under line is 6.5. In terms of their over/under performance, the Blue Jackets come in with a record of 38-38-5.In their last three road games, Carolina has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 1. The team's record in this stretch was 3-0 while going 3-0 vs. the spread.The Blue Jackets come into the game scoring an average of 2.8 goals per game, putting them 27th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 20th in the league. This season, the Blue Jackets are 9-11 when getting more shots on goal than their opponents. And in games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 16-29 record.Columbus' current leading scorer is Kirill Marchenko. This season, he has 23 goals, which puts him 99th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, Marchenko has 18 assists this season.Defensively, the Blue Jackets are currently 1st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 34.1 shots per game against Columbus. They also are 31st in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.Goalie Jet Greaves gets the start and has made seven starts this season. His record at this point is 2-6, and his save percentage is 0.383%.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 4/16/24

At 8:00 ET, truT will be covering the week nine matchup between the San Jose State Spartans and Fresno State Bulldogs. The game will be played at Valley Children's Stadium in Fresno. The Bulldogs are the -5 point favorites at home, with the over/under line set at 54.5 points. The money line odds are +175 for San Jose State and -210 for Fresno State. San Jose State enters the game with a 5-2 record, while Fresno State is 4-3 on the season.<h3>SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS VS FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: San Jose State Spartans +5This game will be played at Valley Children's Stadium at 8:00 ET on Saturday, October 26th.<h3>WHY BET THE SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Fresno State Bulldogs winning this one by a score of 25 to 22</li><li>Even though we like the Fresno State Bulldogs to win, our ATS pick is to take the San Jose State Spartans at +5</li><li>We see this game finishing below the line of 54.5 points</li></ul><h3>Will The San Jose State Spartans Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs</h3>San Jose State enters Week 9 against Fresno State with a 5-2 record, ranked 85th in our CFB power rankings. They have an 89.8% chance of becoming bowl-eligible but only a 1.5% chance of winning the Mountain West. The Spartans are 2-0 at home and 1-1 on the road this season. Their average scoring margin is +7.7 points per game, but they are 1-3 against the spread. San Jose State is 0-2 ATS as the favorite and 1-1 as the underdog. The Spartans’ over/under record is 1-3, with their games averaging 56.6 points. Their average over/under line is 51.8 points, and this week’s line is set at 54.5 points.Heading into week 9, San Jose State’s offense ranks 34th in points per game, averaging 32.1. They are also 64th in our offensive power rankings. Their passing game is the focal point, as they are 5th in the nation with 330.3 yards per game, and they rank 6th in passing attempts. Emmett Brown leads the Spartans with 1,555 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He has a passer rating of 101. Nick Nash, the team’s top receiver, has 904 yards and 11 touchdowns on 72 catches. On the ground, San Jose State averages 101.6 rushing yards per game.San Jose State's defense played a key role in their recent 24-14 win over Wyoming, allowing just 14 points. They were particularly strong against the run, giving up only 57 rushing yards on 37 attempts. However, they did allow 310 passing yards but also forced three interceptions. On the season, San Jose State ranks 50th nationally, giving up 24.4 points per game. Opponents have averaged 153 rushing yards per game on 40.3 attempts, while quarterbacks have posted a passer rating of 63.9, the 10th-lowest in the country, completing 56.2% of their passes.<h3>Are The Fresno State Bulldogs Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?</h3>Fresno State heads into Week 9 with a 4-3 record and a 1-1 mark at home. They are ranked 81st in our power rankings but have a 95.8% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. So far, they are 3-0 as the favorite and 0-3 as the underdog. Their ATS record stands at 3-2-1, and they have a +1.6 average scoring margin this season. Fresno State is 2-0-1 against the spread as the favorite and 1-2 ATS as the underdog. Fresno State’s over/under record is 2-4, with their games averaging 54.7 points. The average line has been 52.5 points, and this week’s total is set at 54.5 points.Fresno State’s offense is averaging 28.1 points per game, ranking 54th nationally, and they are 98th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Mikey Keene has thrown for 1,766 yards with a passer rating of 85, and the Bulldogs rank 23rd in completions per game, averaging 21.7. They are 36th in passing attempts per game and 38th in passing yards, with 259.3 yards per game. Their third-down conversion rate is 36%, and they are 101st in rushing, averaging 116.1 yards per game. Keene has thrown eight touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Elijah Gilliam leads the rushing attack with 361 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4 yards per carry. Mac Dalena is the leading receiver with 607 yards and four touchdowns on 30 catches.Fresno State’s defense has allowed 26.6 points per game this season, ranking 61st nationally. They’ve given up an average of 208.3 passing yards per game, with opposing quarterbacks completing 58.3% of their passes and posting a passer rating of 80.4. On the ground, Fresno State has allowed 135.9 rushing yards per game. In their recent game against Nevada, Fresno State’s defense allowed 21 points, giving up 295 total yards. They limited Nevada to 84 rushing yards on 39 carries, while allowing 211 passing yards.

San Jose State Spartans vs Fresno State Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 10/26/24

The forecast for Wednesday's Athletics vs. Mets interleague matchup calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. First pitch from Citi Field is set for 7:10 PM ET. SNY will be televising this one, and the Mets are the heavy favorites on the money line at -183.

Wednesday's over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and the Athletics will be looking to pull off the upset on the road, as they are +155 on the money line. Oakland is currently on a three-game winning streak, and they are 5th in the AL West. The Mets are 3rd in the NL East and are 61-58 overall. David Peterson is starting for the Mets, and he is facing off against Joey Estes for the Athletics.<h3>OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS NEW YORK METS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: OVER 8.5 RunsThis game will be played at Citi Field at 7:10 ET on Wednesday, August 14th.<h3>HOW TO BET THE ATHLETICS VS METS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Mets winning by a score of 6 to 5</li><li>However, if you're looking for a run line pick, we like the Athletics to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over</li></ul>It was all Oakland in the last game of this series, as the A's took down the Mets by a score of 9-4. The A's offense only had two more hits than the Mets and struck out 10 times, but still picked up a convincing win. Heading into the game, they were at +159 on the money line.

This game featured a starting pitching matchup between Joe Boyle for the A's and Paul Blackburn for the Mets. Boyle only went four innings but gave up just one hit and struck out six. On the other side, Blackburn was tagged for six runs in four innings of work.

Oakland's two and three hitters, Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker, combined for six RBIs and four runs scored. Langeliers also homered and went 4/4 at the plate. Seth Brown and Jesse Winker each had two RBIs for the A's.<h3>Athletics Records & Stats</h3>After taking the first game of their series vs. the Mets, the Athletics are 51-69 overall, putting them 5th in the AL West. Currently, they trail the Angels by one game for the 4th spot in the division and are 13.5 games behind the Astros for the AL West lead. Oakland has an overall division record of 16-20 this season.

At home, the Athletics are just above .500 at 29-30 and have gone 22-39 on the road. As the underdog, the Athletics are 40-65 this season compared to 11-4 as the favorite. Oakland has won three straight as the underdog, and their overall series record is 15-21-2. Currently, they have won two straight series.The Athletics have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 64-56 overall. They are 32-29 on the run line on the road, and their current run line win streak on the road is at three games. They have been a better bet on the run line as the underdog, going 58-47 vs. the run line in those games. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.6 runs, but it drops to -3.6 runs in losses.The Oakland Athletics are on the road today against the New York Mets, and the over/under line for the game is set at 8.5 runs. The combined run average for the Athletics' games this season is 8.7 runs, and their over/under record is 54-64. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, the Athletics have a record of 13-22, and 22.5% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs or higher. Their current over streak is at 2 games.Right-hander Joey Estes gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Mets on the road. He has made 15 starts this year and has a record of 5-4 with an ERA of 4.70. Opponents have hit .248 off Estes this year, and his WHIP is currently 1.20. Estes' last outing came on August 7th, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back, he has finished with a no-decision in three straight outings. Estes has allowed at least one homer in three straight trips to the mound.So far this season, the Athletics offense has been one of the better power-hitting teams in the league, as they are 5th in home runs. However, they are batting just .231 as a team (20th) and are averaging only 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in the MLB. One positive sign for the Athletics is that they are 16th in team on-base percentage, and they have been good at avoiding strikeouts, as they are 25th in the league in strikeouts per game.

Brent Rooker has been a bright spot for the Athletics this season, as he is batting .293 with 29 home runs and 83 RBIs. He is also currently on a three-game hitting streak. Rooker's 83 RBIs are good for 8th in the league. Shea Langeliers is also on a three-game hitting streak, but he is batting just .226 for the season.<h3>Mets Records & Stats</h3>The Mets are looking to snap a four-game losing streak today, and they are currently eight games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. Overall, the Mets are 61-58 and have gone 20-16 against other teams in the NL East. New York dropped the first game of this series vs. the Athletics.

At home, the Mets are 30-30 this year and 31-28 on the road. As the favorite, the Mets are 38-32 and 23-26 as the underdog. So far, they have an overall series record of 19-15-7.When betting the run line, the Mets have been a much better play as the underdog compared to when they are the favorite. They are 28-21 against the run line as the underdog compared to just 28-42 when they are the favorite. The Mets have been a slightly better bet on the run line on the road, where they are 31-28 compared to 25-35 at home. Their average run margin in winning games is 3.6, while it is -3.6 in losing games.The New York Mets will host the Oakland Athletics in a game with an over/under line of 8.5 runs. The Mets have a combined run average of 9.4 runs per game, and their over/under record is 60-55 on the season. When the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs, their record is 21-13. Overall, 31 of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs, accounting for 26.1% of their games this season. The over has hit in their last two games.Left-hander David Peterson gets the start for the Mets today as he faces the Athletics at home. He has made 12 starts this season and has a record of 6-1 with a 3.34 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, opponents are batting .245 this season. In his 12 starts, Peterson has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 7.24 strikeouts per nine innings. The last time he pitched, Peterson picked up the win, going five innings and giving up one earned run on three homers. Before that, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts.
Francisco Lindor has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11/26 in his last six games, which is good for a batting average of .423. This has helped him move his season batting average to .262, and he is currently on a seven-game hitting streak. Lindor's 67 RBIs are the best mark on the team, and he is 2nd on the Mets with 22 homers. Pete Alonso has also been a big power threat for the Mets, as his 25 homers is the best mark on the team and 3rd in the MLB.

Overall, the Mets are 6th in home runs and are averaging 4.7 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, the Mets are batting .249, and their team on-base percentage is 6th in the league.

Oakland Athletics vs New York Mets Betting Pick & Prediction 8/14/24

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers split their first two encounters of the season, so they will decide the regular-season series winner Thursday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Lakers beat the Rockets 124-115 as 3.5-point road dogs on January 18, while the Rockets bounced back with a terrific 121-111 victory as 6-point dogs at Staples Center on February 6. The Rockets will try to clinch their series with the Lakers for the seventh straight year.

Injuries/Suspensions

Houston is coming in full strength, while the Lakers will be without Dion Waiters who’s still waiting on his debut in a new jersey. However, the Lakers head coach Frank Vogel stated that Dion will need some time to acclimate on the team’s system.

The Line

The Lakers opened as 6.5-point favorites at <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betonline/">Betonline</a>, <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/bovada/">Bovada</a>, and <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi/">BetDSI</a>. The total has been set at 230.5 points at Betonline and Bovada, while BetDSI set a one-point higher line.

What's at Stake?

The Rockets are tied with the Thunder for No. 5 seed in the West, trailing one game behind the fourth-seeded Jazz. On the other side, the Lakers are topping the Western Conference, five and a half games ahead of the LA Clippers. The Lakers are three games behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the race for the best record in the league.

The Spot

Houston is coming off a 117-111 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves as a 12.5-point home fave this past Tuesday. The Rockets put an end to a four-game losing streak. The Lakers snapped their four-game winning streak on Tuesday, suffering a narrow 104-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets as heavy 12-point home favorites.

The Matchup

Back in February, I’ve got burned on the clash between these two teams. The Rockets’ small-ball basketball had a debut with Robert Covington as their tallest guy, so I was thinking there’s no way the Lakers won’t beat the Rockets. Covington hit a couple of clutch threes, and the Rockets beat the Lakers by 10 points.

Russell Westbrook was unstoppable on that February 6, accounting for 41 points on 17-for-28 shooting from the field. James Harden had only 14 points to go with seven assists and a couple of steals. The Rockets made 19 triples out of 42 attempts from deep (45.2%), while the Lakers hit just nine out of 31 attempts (29.0%). As I expected, the Lakers outscored the Rockets in the paint (62-40).

The Rockets have been struggling recently with their small-ball lineup. Before they outlasted the T-Wolves on Tuesday, the Rockets have suffered four straight losses to the Knicks, Clippers, Hornets, and Magic. All these four teams had an identical game plan, so guys like Ivica Zubac dominated the Rockets in the paint.

Houston depends a lot on its 3-point shooting. In a 120-105 defeat to the Clippers, the Rockets shot only 16.7% from beyond the arc. Houston takes the most 3-point attempts per game (44.3). The Rockets are second in the league in points per game (118.1), 23rd in 3-point percentage, and 14th in total rebounds per contest (44.9). Also, they allow 114.4 points a night (22nd in the NBA).

The Lakers have won 11 of their previous 13 games including victories over the Bucks and Clippers. They are seventh in the league in points per game (114.3), first in field goal percentage (48.5%), and eighth in total rebounds per game (46.1). The Lakers surrender 106.9 points per contest (3rd in the league) on 44.4% shooting from the field (6th) and 34.2% from beyond the arc.

The Bets

The Lakers are playing in a better form than the Rockets, and I expect them to do a much better defensive job than they did in the previous meeting with the Rockets. You never know with Mike D’Antoni’s team, but the Lakers’ inside game should be a key factor. Therefore, I suggest you take the Lakers to cover. Also, you can buy a few points and take the hosts as 4-point favorites at slightly lower wages. The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games, while the Rockets are 0-5 in their previous five outings.

When it comes to the totals, I would go with the over, but the Lakers to cover are still my first choice. The Rockets love to push the ball in transition, playing at the fourth-fastest pace in the league. The over has hit in 11 of the last 15 meetings between the Rockets and Lakers including one of their previous two encounters this season.

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers NBA Expert Betting Picks 3/12/20

A Western Conference First Round series is set for game five when the Golden State Warriors visit the Sacramento Kings. This has been the most entertaining first round series and it is now best-of-three with the Kings having home court advantage the rest of the way. Below is my NBA pick for the Warriors vs Kings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-golden-state-warriors-vs-sacramento-kings-betting-pick">Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings Betting Pick</h2>



The Pick: Sacramento Kings -1.5 at <a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/bookmaker/">Bookmaker</a>



This game will be played at Golden 1 Center at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-bet-the-sacramento-kings">Why Bet the Sacramento Kings:</h2>



✅ At home, Sacramento has been solid and have covered the spread in seven of their last 10 home games against Golden State.



✅ Overall, the Kings are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games against the Warriors. 



✅ Golden State has been bad on the road all season and have covered just three of their last 18 road games.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-golden-state-warriors-escaped-in-game-four">Golden State Warriors Escaped in Game Four</h2>



Golden State will be thanking their lucky stars that they are heading back to Sacramento with the series tied up at two. Game four was one of the better games of the NBA playoffs that saw the Warriors grab a late 126-125 win. This game came down to the final possession with the Kings heaving up an unsuccessful game-winning three with 1.1 seconds left. The road team has yet to win a game this series and if that continues the defending champs will bow out in the first round. 



Game four started with a tight first half that saw the Kings lead by one after the first quarter and four at the half. Golden State came out firing in the third quarter, like they have the past few years, and turned that four-point deficit to a 10-point lead heading into the fourth. Sacramento kept fighting and made in uncomfortable in the end, with some thanks to Steph Curry, but it was too little too late and this series now heads back to Sacramento all tied up.



Steph Curry had 32 points, five rebounds and four assists on the day. Kevon Looney added eight points, 14 rebounds and six assists in the game four win.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-sacramento-kings-will-be-kicking-themselves">The Sacramento Kings Will be Kicking Themselves</h2>



Sacramento had a 3-1 series lead in their grasp, but they could not overcome the Golden State third quarter blitz and now their inexperience will be tested over the next week. This Kings team has beaten expectations all season long and they will have to that once again if they want to eliminate Golden State in the first round. 



De'Aaron Fox went off for 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the loss. Keegan Murray added 23 points and seven rebounds on the day.

Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings Game 5 Pick & Prediction - 04/26/23

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