Pick #1 – Oklahoma Thunder at Golden State Warriors

About as perfect of a way to wrap up a nice Memorial Day weekend as you can have will be tonight's game 7 western conference final between two of the most talented teams in the NBA. The deciding game in a highly contested back and forth battle between the identical 6-4 over there last 10 games Oklahoma Thunder and Golden State Warriors. The Oklahoma Thunder (66-33) and the Golden State Warriors (84-14) are both playing some of the highest level of basketball we have seen from anyone all year and are each seeming to find a way to win at all costs. The Thunder have no reported injuries while the Warriors note only Kevon Looney as out for this game so it will be all hands on deck as they duke it out for a chance to play for a trip to the NBA finals and a chance at the title. After watching the entire series with a fine tooth comb we can see a pattern developing that highly favors the UNDER in this situation. Lets start to look inside the overwhelming stats that are pointing us towards this conclusion. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City. Continuing to add onto the evidence the total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games when playing Golden State. Even more convincing the total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State. Every possession will matter and we can expect both teams to slow down and play as such. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 219.9 and 216.1 so if we get the slower more defensive game we expect the outcome should go in our favor. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 219.5 and has now dropped all the way to 218.5 so we have to love the direction the money is taking us for this pick. The Thunder suffered a heartbreaking loss at home last game by 7 points so we can expect them them to be putting serious emphasis on the defensive end tonight similar to what they did extremely well last game until the end and Jason Thompson's hot hand finally got the best of them. The public consensus for this game is 56% towards the OVER so its really a coin flip that we will take the other side of this one due to all of the trends above plus what we have witnessed so far. The last time these two faced off two days ago the final score was a 108 – 101 win for the Warriors on the road and we can expect another dogfight at the defensive end again tonight. We have to feel happy about taking the UNDER 218.5 with the way things are shaping up for tonight's contest. Lets take the UNDER 218.5 and enjoy as one of these two great teams makes there way to the NBA finals.

Game Time:
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors - Western Conference Finals - Game 7 - Monday, May 30, 2016 9:00 PM

Spread:
727 Oklahoma City Thunder +7
728 Golden State Warriors -7

Total:
727 Oklahoma City Thunder Over 218.5
728 Golden State Warriors Under 218.5

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
UNDER 218.5 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors​

Its another Friday night of NBA playoff basketball and wow do we have a great game on our hands again tonight. Its game 6 of the 8-2 over 10 games Cleveland Cavaliers versus the 5-5 over there last 10 Toronto Raptors. The Cleveland Cavaliers (68-27) and the Toronto Raptors (66-35) are currently locked in a heated battle for the east title and the Cavs are currently getting the best of it by a slim margin as they go into tonight's game with a 1 game lead. Each franchise heads into tongiht's matchu with completely healthy rosters and prior to our last two picks were going to take an opposite side for this run. We have been watching this series closely and when these teams are playing in Toronto they are simply turning up the pace and the offense and tonight's head to head should be even more magnified due to a few key situations and stats. The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games at home and this is one of the biggest keys here. These two teams simply play at a different level in Toronto offensively and with so much on the line this Friday this game is going to be high scoring. The offensive and defensive averaged numbers over the last 10 games are 201.3 and 194.1 respectively and as mentioned we have been watching those series intently and the high sides of this range has been hitting in Toronto. The over/under for this NBA spread total started off at 198 and has has been bouncing between 197.5 and 198 so the money is undecided on this one and picking up this OVER on the lowest number possible is ideal. The Raptors got destroyed by 38 points last game in Cleveland so this home game is not only huge for the series but there is a certain level of competitive pride and home court advantage that will come into play and favor the OVER. The public consensus for this game is at a very strong 64% towards the OVER so the public is riding with us on this one. The last plyaoff game a couple of days ago in Cleveland between these two Eastern conference leaders resulted in a 116 – 78 win for the Cabs putting the pressure back on the Raptors at home. We have to feel great about grabbing the OVER 197.5 here as both teams should be looking to explode tonight with points to prove on both sides..

Game Time:
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors - Eastern Conference Finals - Game 6 - Friday, May 27, 2016 8:35 PM

Spread:
721 Cleveland Cavaliers 6½
722 Toronto Raptors +6½

Total:
721 Cleveland Cavaliers Over 197½
722 Toronto Raptors Under 197½

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
OVER 197.5 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers​

Well the Raptos are back to life and apparently these Eastern Conference Finals tied at 2-2 are going to be a lot closer the most people expected. As we hit game five its a rubber match in Cleveland and the Raptors hope to hopw to keep up there winning ways and improve on there 6-5 last 10 game record as they meet the 8-2 Cleveland Cavaliers over there last 10 games for the fifth time. The Cleveland Cavaliers (67-27) and the Toronto Raptors (66-34) are both looking to take control of the series tonight so it should be an interesting dynamic that should favor the Cavaliers playing some lock down defense at home to assure the victory. Each team is bringing in completely healthy rosters for tonights game so it should be a highly contested battle that will most likely be won on the defensive end as these two teams go back to there bread and butter slower paced basketball. These two teams have a history of slowing each other down on offense in key games so the UNDER is still looking like a great value play for tonight for the following reasons. To begin the total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games on the road. These two teams are known to play a slower pace against each other and tonight should be no different and especially with so much on the line. The offensive and defensive averaged numbers over the last 10 games are 201.6 and 193 respectively so we expect to trend towards the bottom of this range and get there tonight. The over/under for this NBA spread total started off at 198 and has since dropped to 197 which is great sign that shows where the money recognizes this one is heading. The Raptors won by 6 points last game so this is a must win revenge game for the Cavs. The public consensus for this game is at a reasonable 52% towards the OVER so this one seems to be a coinflip either way in people's mind. The last plyaoff game a couple of days ago in Toronto between these two Eastern conference powerhouses resulted in a 105 – 99 win for the Raptors putting the pressure back on the Cavs at home. We have to positive about grabbing the UNDER 197 here as both teams are expected to re-focus and go back to what they know best which is defense.

Game Time:
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers - Eastern Conference Finals - Game 5 - Wednesday, May 25, 2016 8:35 PM

Spread:
717 Toronto Raptors +11
718 Cleveland Cavaliers -11

Total:
717 Toronto Raptors Over 197
718 Cleveland Cavaliers Under 197

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
UNDER 197 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors​

Just when you thought there was no hope for the Toronto Raptors and the Eastern Conference Finals were all but settled new life has sprung up in the form of a home game and a 2-1 series. A possible get even game for the Raptors they hope to keep up the momentum of a huge win and a 5-5 last 10 game record while they try to hold off the streaking and dominating 9-1 Cleveland Cavaliers over there last 10 game record. The Cleveland Cavaliers (67-26) and the Toronto Raptors (65-34) are both playing slow, highly defensive basketball and were are finally getting a total pick that favors these conditions. The Cavs are reporting Dahntay Jones as injured and the Raptors list Jonas Valanciunas on the sidelines we should be yielding similar results to our recent past scenarios. These two teams absolutely love to slow each other down on the offensive end so lets review the UNDER and see why it makes sense to go with this read. To start the total has gone UNDER in 18 of Cleveland's last 21 games when playing on the road against Toronto. These two teams are known to have slow games and especially in Toronto so we have to really like our chances here. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 201.5 and 191.8 respectively so as long as we lean towards the lower number we should be all good. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 197.5 and has since dropped a half point to 197 so we get one of our favorite betting measurements sliding in our direction. The Raptors won by 15 points last game so expect Cleveland to put a lot more emphasis on defense in this one. The public consensus for this game is at a reasonable 55% towards our UNDER selection so we get yet another stat in our favor. The last plyaoff game two days ago in Toronto between these two Eastern conference juggernauts resulted in a 99 – 84 win for the Raptors putting on full display how easily these matchups can be low scoring and one sided as they have been in the recent past. We have to feel great about the UNDER 197 as both teams should be looking to shut each other down in order to solidify the win.

Game Time:
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors - Eastern Conference Finals - Game 4 - Monday, May 23, 2016 8:35 PM

Spread:
713 Cleveland Cavaliers -6
714 Toronto Raptors +6

Total:
713 Cleveland Cavaliers Over 197
714 Toronto Raptors Under 197

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
UNDER 197 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Colorado Rockies at Pittsburgh Pirates​

Major League Baseball 2016 is in full swing and boy has it been fun to watch and bet on so far. Now that we have plenty of weeks under are belt we are starting to see some trends and stats building that make it much easier to predict the outcome of games. Tonight we get the Colorado Rockies (20-20) versus the Pittsburgh Pirates (22-18) which have already battled it over 3 games this year and start fresh again tonight. Starting with the historical numbers we see that the total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games. On top of this the total has gone OVER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 8 games at home. These should be very promising signs that the conditions are right for a nice OVER play. In fact the last time these two teams played a little less then a month a go with tonight's starter Gerrit Cole on the mound the results was a 9-4 Pirates victory and we have to think much of the same happens tonight. One aspect of this game we really have to like is the fact the Rockies have dropped the last 3 against the Pirates so they have to be coming into this game focused and ready to put up some runs. The simple fact is these two teams score runs when they meet and the general public must also agree as the public consensus for this MLB total is highest on the entire board tonight at a solid 79%. These two teams combined for a total 17 runs the last time they met so there is no doubt they have no problem putting up runs against each other. The weather at PNC park is Partly Cloudy 78 °F, 0 % percipitation, wind from the SSW at 3.2 MPH and clear so a nice day to see some runs. This should be a revenge game for the Rockies as well since they got crushed at home in a 3 game sweep. The total over/under spread for this MLB game opened at 7.5 and has held so far so lets get it at that price before it moves a half point against us. A nice final point to this pick is the fact that starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Eddie Butler combine for a 9.77 ERA this season getting us way OVER the total mark we need to hit. The computer predicted score is also 8.8 so lets happily take the OVER 7.5 and enjoy two favorite pastimes which is watching sports and making money.

Game Time:
Colorado Rockies at Pittsburgh Pirates - Friday, May 20, 2016 7:05 PM

Spread:
951 Colorado Rockies +1½ Over 7½
952 Pittsburgh Pirates -1½ Under 7½

Total:
951 Colorado Rockies Over 7½
952 Pittsburgh Pirates Under 7½

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
Over 7.5 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Oklahoma Thunder at Golden State Warriors​

A brutal scoring fourth quarter last game let us a bit short but created a nice upset for the visiting Thunder. The first game between the Oklahoma Thunder and Golden State Warriors who are -2 amd 7-3 over there last 10 games respectively seem to be taking a slower pace to the games as we head deep into the playoffs. The Oklahoma Thunder (64-30) and the Golden State Warriors (81-12) are both playing extremely focused basketball and we have to expect tonight's matchup to be much of the same. The Thunder have no active injuries while the Warriors show Kevon Looney as the only one not suting up making for a very close game plan to the last contest. After watching things very closely in the last game the UNDER looks like a nice value play today. Lets start to look inside the numbers as to why this has all the makings of another defensive display and poor offensive showing. The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games. Continuing to pile on the stats The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Golden State. Even more telling the total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City. It goes on and on as we see the total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State. These two teams are pretty clearly slowing it down when it comes to facing each other and tonight we should expect nothing different. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 222.2 and 208.1 respectively so we easily hit the better and below the mark we are shooting. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 221.5 and has now moved to 223 but this is the same pattern that failed last game so we are trusting the movements here. The Warriors losy by 6 points when these two teams met last game and there is just something about when these teams meet that are now rolling towards the UNDER. The public consensus for this game is an appealing 58% so its really a coin toss that we have to feel will go the other way like last game. The last time these two met two days agothe final score was a 108 – 102 win for the Thunder so we can expect another dogfight to the defensive end. We have to feel happy about taking the UNDER 223 with the way things went only a couple of days ago. Lets take the UNDER 223 here and ride the wave that these two teams are currently taking which is slower more defensive ball.

Game Time:
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors - Western Conference Finals - Game 2 - Wednesday, May 18, 2016 9:05 PM

Spread:
705 Oklahoma City Thunder +9
706 Golden State Warriors -9

Total:
705 Oklahoma City Thunder Over 223
706 Golden State Warriors Under 223

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
UNDER 223 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Oklahoma Thunder at Golden State Warriors​

Well the Western Conference finals are finally here and oh boy what a matchup do we get heading into game 1. The long awaited square off between the Oklahoma Thunder and Golden State Warriors who are both 7-3 over there last 10 games and playing extremely hot basketball. The Oklahoma Thunder (63-30) and the Golden State Warriors (81-11) are both playing high level basketball and having no trouble putting the rock in the bucket. The Thunder are reporting no injuries while the Warriors show Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney sitting out which should have little to no impact on this game. This is a very matchup playoff specific condition were getting here and the OVER looks very enticing. Lets start to get a feel for exactly why this has all the makings of a high scoring affair. The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 9 games. Continuing to pile on the numbers in our favor the total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games. These two teams are known to have fast pace games against each other and all signs point to that style of play showing up tonight in game 1 of the Western Conference finals. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 220 and 202.9 respectively so were are going to need to be carried by the fact that these two offensives go at when they meet up. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 223 and has since bumped up to 223.5 so the hints are there as to where the value is for this bet. The Warriors won by 15 points when these two teams met over two months ago but we should see a much closer result tonight with lots of points being put up. The public consensus for this game is an appealing 64% shaded towards our OVER side so yet another positive measure that has on the right side of this bet. The last time these two met awhile back on March 3rd 2016 the final score was a 121 – 106 win for the Warriors at home which is around what we should get tonight with the score being a bit closer and a bit higher. We have to feel happy about taking the OVER 223.5 with so many strong signals going are way. Lets take this OVER 223.5 home and celebrate another fantastic night during the NBA playoffs!

Game Time:
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors - Western Conference Finals - Game 1 - Monday, May 16, 2016 9:05 PM

Spread:
701 Oklahoma City Thunder +7½ Over 223½
702 Golden State Warriors -7½ Under 223½

Total:
701 Oklahoma City Thunder Over 223½
702 Golden State Warriors Under 223½

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
OVER 223.5 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat

A game where every possession will matter we have to think the offenses are going to slow down here to assure every bucket and defensive stand counts. A possible elimination game for the Miami Heat they hope to break out of there 4-6 slump over there last 10 while fending off the feisty Raptors who are a strong 7-4 over there last 10 game record. The Miami Heat (54-40) and the Toronto Raptors (63-31) are both playing slow, lock down basketball and were are finally getting a total side that is simply climbed too high for the given conditions. The Heat are reporting Chrish Bosh Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside on the sidelines and are simply running out of options and opportunities especially when it comes to offense. The Raptors show Jonas Valanciunas out but have a more then capable backup center to take his place. This is a very match up playoff specific condition tonight and we have to feel really good about switching sides from our last game win and taking the UNDER here for the following reasons. The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 13 games. The total has also gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 8 games on the road. Continuing to pile the stats on the total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 10 games. These two teams are known to have slow games as of late and all signs point to that style of play returning tonight. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 185.7 and 185 respectively so were getting both sides of these telling numbers in our favor. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 190 and has since dropped to 189 so we get one of our favorite betting measurements once again moving in our direction. The Raptors won by 8 points last game so Miami will hope to make the necessary adjustments at home to make it a much closer game. The public consensus for this game is at a healthy 57% lean towards our UNDER side so we get yet another angle that is seeing the same things we are. The last playoff game two days ago in Toronto between these two Eastern conference foes resulted in a 99 – 91 win for the Raptors so we have to think the Heat are geared to prove a point and take this one at home with defense. We have to feel great about the UNDER 189 as prior conditions have brought us this value play and this one should bring us home a nice victory against the books.

Game Time:
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat - Eastern Conference Playoffs Semi-Finals - Game 6 - Friday, May 13, 2016 8:05 PM

Spread:
545 Toronto Raptors +4
546 Miami Heat -4

Total:
545 Toronto Raptors Over 189
546 Miami Heat Under 189

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
UNDER 189 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors​

What happens when an NBA series is tied 2 – 2 late in the second round? Of course it is anyone's guess but looking at the Miami Heat versus Toronto Raptos matchup we have to think the stage is set for a bit of an offensive push. An absolute must win for both teams the Heat hold a less then impress ive 5-5 win record over there last 10 which is similar to the Raptors 6-4 prior 10 game record. The Miami Heat (54-39) and the Toronto Raptors (62-31) are both playing focused basketball that needs to be taken up a notch or two by whoever expects to pull out the win. The Heat are reporting Chrish Bosh and Hassan Whiteside on the sidelines while the Raptors have Jonas Valanciunas on the sidelines. Not that impactful of news with a lot of the big men out it does mean we should lean towads more of a shooting and outside game. This is a very matchup playoff specific condition tonight and we have to feel confident in all aspects of the OVER for the following reasons. The total over/under overall Recrod for Toronto on the entire season at home is 26 – 21 giving us a favorable push towards the OVER. While these two teams are not known to play particularily fast against each other the nature of this game really stands to bring out some offense. The offensive and defensive combined stats over the last 10 games are 188 and 185 respectively so were hitting right where we need to be consistently and the magnitude of this game is what will get us over the mark. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 187 and has since bumped up to 188.5 so we know the money is moving taowards the OVER making it a super sharp play tonight. The Raptors lost by 7 points last game so they are really going to need to bring on the offensive side tonight. The public consensus for this game is 54% so we have the public shading this one towards our way as well. The last plyaoff game two days ago in Miami between these two Eastern conference rivals resulted in a 94 – 87 win for the Heat so we have to think the Raptors are geared to prove a point and push the pace at home. We have to feel great about the OVER 188.5 as prior conditions have lead us to the spot we have here and this one should bring us home some nice value.

Game Time:
Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors - Eastern Conference Playoffs Semi-Finals - Game 5 - Wednesday, May 11, 2016 8:00 PM

Spread:
537 Miami Heat +4½
538 Toronto Raptors -4½

Total:
537 Miami Heat Over 188½
538 Toronto Raptors Under 188½

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
OVER 188.5 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt

Pick #1 – Golden State Warriors at Portland Trailblazers​

Portland proved the Warriors are beatable but it is going to be a tough challenge trying to pick up two in a row in this much needed game 4 playoff win. In this fourth game Portland looks to keep there momentum going as they take a 6-4 basketball record over there last 10 games up against the high flying Warriors who rarely lose back to back and bring in a solid 8-2 last 10 game run. The Portland Trailblazers (49-42) and the Golden State Warriors (79-11) are both playing some lighting fast basketball right now and the scoring gets ramped up even more each time they meet. Portland only lists the non-factor Meyers Leonard while the Warriors have a similar injury position with insignificant Kevon Looney off the court. The real X-factor here is if Stephen Curry will play. While it looks like e will play it is still a game time decision and very much in the air. Even without curry the game pace will be pushed by both teams as usual. Portland is in a real nice position as they get a chance to pick up another win at home and even the series which will require plenty of points just like the last game. Lets take a look at some of the reasons that make this OVER play one with plenty of value. The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games so it really does seem like there ready to keep kicking it up a notch in the scoring department against one of the leagues most potent offenses. In addition to this Portland has a 48-43 complete season over/under Total record and the Warriors have a 48-41-1 o/u season total so each of these teams give us a nice lean towards over on the a grand scale. The offensive and defensive numbers add up averaged over the past 10 games to 211.9 and 199.6 respectively which which means we are really looking at the matchup specific situation here. The over/under for this NBA spread total opened at 214 and has inched up to as high as 215.5 so the money is flowing on the side we like which is always a good sign. The Trailblazers who just won by 12 points are being given a +6 point spread at home some serious points will need to put here by both teams. The OVER consensus for this game is 65% so all the right indicators are pointing the right direction for this one. The last plyaoff game two days ago in Portland between these two Western conference rivals resulted in a 120 – 108 Trailblazers win so expect much of the same tonight with lots of emphasis being place on offense. This should be a strong OVER 215 play as we get some of the fastest playing teams and most potent offensives going head to head tonight in a playoff game of huge magnitude.

Game Time:
Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers - Western Conference Playoffs Semi-Finals - Game 4 - Monday, May 09, 2016 10:30 PM

Spread:
531 Golden State Warriors -6
532 Portland Trail Blazers +6

Total:
531 Golden State Warriors Over 215
532 Portland Trail Blazers Under 215

Betting odds provided by 5Dimes

The Pick:
OVER 215 (2 Units)

As always bet within your means and bankroll. Enjoy the games and be responsible when betting!

Picks By TexasMatt