Doc
#711 Take Miami +2.5 over Boston (8:30 p.m. EST, Friday)Just think Boston blew their chance in this series by choking away Game 2 when they had a big lead. We know the refs didn't help their cause either, but we just feel they expended too much energy in that game and we just don't know how they will get up for this game tonight. We know Rondo is not going to score 44 points again. So where is the offense going to come from for Boston? Boston shot nearly 50 percent from the floor in Game 2 and still could not get the win. It is doubtful they are going to be able to get anywhere near that shooting percentage two games in a row against such a strong defense as Miami. Miami has seemed pretty cool and collected in this series so far while the Celtics have seemed outmatched. Even playing their best game in Game 2 they could not get the win and we think the emotional brunt of giving away the game in Miami will cause this one to be a short series. We do think this will be a close game as Boston will put up a fight at home but we think the Heat win this battle and put the Celtics on the brink of elimination. The points here give us some leeway in case this one goes down to the last shot.
Take #976 Kansas City Royals (-145) over Oakland A's (8:10pm ET) The Kansas City Royals host the Oakland A's tonight in the first of a three-game weekend series. The A's had a very good start to the 2012 season as they were 22-21 after their first 43 games. It was clear based on the numbers that the A's were overachieving, and they have dropped eight straight games since. The biggest problem for Oakland is the lack of production from the lineup. The A's are averaging only 3.2 runs per game, dead last in the American League. They've scored a total of 12 runs during their eight game skid and have been shutout three of those times. It won't get any easier for them today as they go up against a red hot pitcher for the Royals in Felipe Paulino. Paulino comes in with a 2.03 ERA on the season and is striking out 9.9 batters per nine innings. He is one of those pitchers that gets hot and cold, but he's definitely on fire right now making him a great play.
The Royals offense is very underrated as they are ranked 8th in OPS in the league, but have only scored the 11th most runs. Basically that means that they've been unlucky in situations with runners in scoring position or with two outs and runners on. That generally evens out over the course of a long season so we should see some improvement. They've scored 27 runs over their last five games (5.4 runs per game), so they're clearly already showing some signs. They get to face the 39-year old Bartolo Colon today. Colon has been bad over his last four starts with a 8.55 ERA and only two strikeouts in 20 innings. Colon has the reputation of not giving 100% effort if things aren't going well, so there's a good chance he doesn't break out of this slump right away with the A's struggling. The Royals have won four of their last five overall and I think they make it five out of six today against an A's team that looks helpless right now. Take Kansas City here as our MLB Game of the Month.
#711 Take Miami +2.5 over Boston (8:30 p.m. EST, Friday)Just think Boston blew their chance in this series by choking away Game 2 when they had a big lead. We know the refs didn't help their cause either, but we just feel they expended too much energy in that game and we just don't know how they will get up for this game tonight. We know Rondo is not going to score 44 points again. So where is the offense going to come from for Boston? Boston shot nearly 50 percent from the floor in Game 2 and still could not get the win. It is doubtful they are going to be able to get anywhere near that shooting percentage two games in a row against such a strong defense as Miami. Miami has seemed pretty cool and collected in this series so far while the Celtics have seemed outmatched. Even playing their best game in Game 2 they could not get the win and we think the emotional brunt of giving away the game in Miami will cause this one to be a short series. We do think this will be a close game as Boston will put up a fight at home but we think the Heat win this battle and put the Celtics on the brink of elimination. The points here give us some leeway in case this one goes down to the last shot.
Take #976 Kansas City Royals (-145) over Oakland A's (8:10pm ET) The Kansas City Royals host the Oakland A's tonight in the first of a three-game weekend series. The A's had a very good start to the 2012 season as they were 22-21 after their first 43 games. It was clear based on the numbers that the A's were overachieving, and they have dropped eight straight games since. The biggest problem for Oakland is the lack of production from the lineup. The A's are averaging only 3.2 runs per game, dead last in the American League. They've scored a total of 12 runs during their eight game skid and have been shutout three of those times. It won't get any easier for them today as they go up against a red hot pitcher for the Royals in Felipe Paulino. Paulino comes in with a 2.03 ERA on the season and is striking out 9.9 batters per nine innings. He is one of those pitchers that gets hot and cold, but he's definitely on fire right now making him a great play.
The Royals offense is very underrated as they are ranked 8th in OPS in the league, but have only scored the 11th most runs. Basically that means that they've been unlucky in situations with runners in scoring position or with two outs and runners on. That generally evens out over the course of a long season so we should see some improvement. They've scored 27 runs over their last five games (5.4 runs per game), so they're clearly already showing some signs. They get to face the 39-year old Bartolo Colon today. Colon has been bad over his last four starts with a 8.55 ERA and only two strikeouts in 20 innings. Colon has the reputation of not giving 100% effort if things aren't going well, so there's a good chance he doesn't break out of this slump right away with the A's struggling. The Royals have won four of their last five overall and I think they make it five out of six today against an A's team that looks helpless right now. Take Kansas City here as our MLB Game of the Month.