Mid-Week Picks (Nov. 2nd-3rd)
The middle of the week can be a drag, but here are some bets for you to pursue on Tuesday and Wednesday. Last week I went 6-3 (12-8 overall).
Tuesday:
Braves @ Astros (Game 6)
The Pick: HOU -130
The Pick: OVER 8.5 runs
Last week I kicked off Tuesday by betting on the Astros and I am going to do it again this week. It is game six and the Astros need to win the game in order to stay alive in the series. Dusty Baker switched up the lineup on Sunday and it did wonders for the offense, I believe that good mojo carries over into this game. The Braves pitch poorly on the road and starter Max Fried got knocked around in game two. Additionally, both bullpens have been pushed to their limits and have begun to show cracks (further aiding the OVER pick). The Astros will force a game seven and the offense will continue to hum in this game.
Heat @ Mavericks
The Pick: MIA -2.5
Tuesday night features a heavyweight bout between two of the NBA's better teams. Unfortunately, the Mavericks are a bit beat-up and will not have the services of Kristaps Porzingis. The Heat are red-hot right now and have beaten their last four opponents by at least 15 points. I like the Heat to keep it rolling tonight and take down the short-handed Mavericks on the road.
Kings @ Jazz
The Pick: UTA -8.5
The Kings and Jazz will square off for the second time this season on Tuesday. The first matchup was won by the Jazz in Sacramento, 110-101. Utah just won a big game in Milwaukee and is returning home, where they are 2-0 with a 16.5 average margin of victory. The Kings have played some good games and some bad games this season, but are no match for the powerful Jazz on the road. The Jazz should win this one by double-digit points.
Red Wings @ Canadiens
The Pick: DET +120
I really like what the Red Wings have done to start the season, they have a winning record of 4-3-2 and the offense has been solid. The Canadiens on the other hand have been mostly terrible as they are 2-8-0 and are only putting up 1.7 goals per game (with most of those coming in a game that they scored six). Detriot got blown out in Montreal last month, but I don't expect that to happen again. I like the Red Wings to pull the upset in Canada behind a strong performance from Alex Nedeljkovic.
Predators @ Flames
The Pick: CGY -150
The Flames are...for a lack of better words, on fire right now. The team is 6-1-1 and has won six in a row. The offense is on a roll, scoring over four goals a game over the win streak and the goaltending has been superb with Jacob Markstrom in the net (1.33 goals allowed). Nashville has played better of late, but they are no match for the Flames in Calgary. Look for Calgary to extend the win streak to seven games.
Sabres @ Sharks
The Pick: BUF +125
The two expected bottomfeeders for the season both sit with winning records eight games into the season. Both have witnessed warning signs though and are likely to sink in the standings as the year drags on. For now, the Sabres look to keep the good times rolling on Tuesday against the Sharks. San Jose is very banged up and will be missing many key pieces. Buffalo has the more complete team and will use that to win this game and pull the upset on the road.
Wednesday:
Hurricanes @ Blackhawks
The Pick: CAR -150
The Blackhawks notched their first win of the season on Monday with a complete 5-1 win over the Senators. The win coincided with the return of Patrick Kane and Chicago will be eager to build on the win. However, the Blackhawks are about to run into a buzzsaw again. The Hurricanes are 8-0-0 and show no signs of slowing down. Last week the Canes rolled over Chicago 6-3 and I would expect a similar result on Wednesday. Take Carolina with confidence.
Nuggets @ Grizzlies
The Pick: DEN +1
I get that Denver is missing Jamal Murray, but for the life of me, I can not understand why they are underdogs against the Grizzlies. I know they lost to Memphis on Monday, but that gives me all the more reason to go with Denver. It is so tough to beat a team back-to-back and many times the team that lost the first game will win the second. The Nuggets will bounce back and steal one on the road.