Category: Analysis

ESPN: Bet the over on Bills win total in 2023

ESPN: Bet the over on the #Bills win total next season:

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The Buffalo Bills have an over/under win total set for them at 10.5 at most sportsbooks.

Using that as the line, ESPN thinks the over is a good play. In a team-by-team breakdown of win totals, the former world-wide leader projected that the Bills will hit that mark of 10.5 wins in 2023.

While Buffalo is entering the upcoming season with the seventh-hardest schedule, 10.5 does feel like an attainable number.

In 2022, the Bills reached 13 wins. Not only that, Buffalo did so without playing in 17 games. Their over/under win totals from a year ago was 11.5 and even with the contest against the Cincinnati Bengals being canceled, the Bills still hit their win total.

ESPN’s breakdown on the over/under for the Bills in 2023 can be found below:

Over/under: 10.5

Mike Clay’s projection: 11.5

Prediction: Over 10.5 wins. I worry the Bills have missed their championship window and Josh Allen’s injuries are mounting. However, this total feels too low, even as the division improves and they have a first-place schedule. Buffalo could conceivably win all nine home games, depending on when it hosts warm-weather teams such as Dallas, Miami, Jacksonville, Las Vegas and Tampa Bay.

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Seahawks 2023 OTAs: 7 storylines to follow

The Seahawks are set to begin the next phase of their offseason program today.

The Seahawks are set to begin the next phase of their offseason program today, as offseason team activities (OTAs) begin. Practices will take place on May 22, May 24-45, May 30, June 1-2, followed by mandatory minicamp from June 6-8, then one more around of OTAs from June 12-14.

Here are seven storylines we’ll be following.

3 keys for the Lakers in Game 4 versus the Nuggets

If the Lakers are to avoid getting swept by the Nuggets, they have to do these three things in Game 4.

This is it — the Los Angeles Lakers’ season has come down to Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday. Any thought that they could compete in this series after the first two games versus the Denver Nuggets has all but vanished after Game 3.

Even after Jamal Murray finally went cold and Nikola Jokic got into foul trouble in the second half of Game 3, the Lakers were only able to take three brief, scant fourth-quarter leads before surrendering a 13-0 run and a 3-0 series deficit.

They will not want to get swept in front of their home fans, and they will want to maintain some of their dignity if they indeed have no shot at coming back to take this series.

Los Angeles, at a minimum, will need to do these three things in order to finally get a win.

Seahawks get A grade from Pro Football Focus for offseason moves

Few NFL teams have done better during the last two offseasons than the Seattle Seahawks.

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Few NFL teams have done better during the last two offseasons than the Seattle Seahawks.

Last year they took a massive risk by trading away franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, a move that could have upended the front office if it hadn’t gone well. Well, not only did Seattle get out of the Russell Wilson game at the exact right time, they found a ready-made replacement in Geno Smith, who performed at a top-10 level in 2022. For an encore, they put together the best draft class any team has had since the Seahawks landed Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Bruce Irvin back in 2012.

Now they’ve done it again.

By re-signing Smith to a mid-market deal they got a great bargain at the game’s most important position – a value better than any signing in free agency this year. They followed that up with what appears to be another strong draft class, or at least one that’s gotten glowing reviews so far.

For their trouble, Pro Football Focus has given Seattle an A grade for their offseason moves this year.

“They struck the balance between rewarding and retaining Smith but also not overcommitting to a player who could easily regress hard in the future… but the real magic happened in the draft. With their top two picks, the Seahawks drafted the consensus No. 1 cornerback and No. 1 receiver in Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, respectively. Running back Zach Charbonnet in the second round raised eyebrows given they already have Kenneth Walker III, but now the team has one of the best backfields in football.”

This is all exciting stuff. However, all the high grades in the world won’t account to anything if Seattle doesn’t improve defensively. By bringing back Bobby Wagner they addressed their greatest weakness and by adding Devon Witherspoon they should have one of the game’s best boundary cornerback combinations.

The x-factor will be two-fold: first, the totally-remodeled defensive line has to perform far better than last year’s version. The Seahawks had arguably the worst run defense in the NFL and they weren’t much better rushing the QB, either.

More punch up front will go a long way, but the real changes may need to be schematic in nature. Clint Hurtt will have to find the right way to use his new personnel in the trenches and get Jamal Adams going at a 2020 pass-rushing level once again. If he can do that, we may soon see this team back in the Super Bowl contender conversation.

7 storylines to follow at Seahawks 2023 OTAs

Celtics alums Kevin Garnett, Tony Allen on whether Doc Rivers should have been fired by the 76ers

Allen and KG talk Doc’s exit from Philadelphia, his past and future, what will happen with James Harden and more.

After having won a title with him as his head coach in 2008, it’s safe to say that Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett knows Doc Rivers about as well as anyone in the wider NBA community. So The Big Ticket is an especially worthwhile voice to listen to as KG discusses whether it was fair of Rivers’ last team — the Philadelphia 76ers — to let him go after their former team (the Celtics) beat Philly in the 2023 East semis.

Garnett is joined in the conversation with former Celtics champ Tony Allen on a recent episode of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast, where the two talk Doc’s exit from Philadelphia, his past and future, what will happen with James Harden and more.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what KG and the Grindfather had to say about some Eastern Conference post-playoff fallout.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Donnie Wahlberg on Cedric Maxwell’s 1981 NBA Finals MVP with the Boston Celtics

If you are among fans of the Boston Celtics who only remember Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell for his work alongside Sean Grande calling games on the radio waves, you are far from alone.

If you are among fans of the Boston Celtics who only remember Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell for his work alongside Sean Grande calling games on the radio waves, you are far from alone. But Boston superfan Donnie Wahlberg, Maxwell winning Finals Most Valuable Player is the memory that stands out about the North Carolina native the most.

In a recent episode of the CLNS Media “Cedric Maxwell” podcast, Wahlberg praised Maxwell for his outstanding performance during the 1981 NBA Finals. The actor also expressed his admiration for Cornbread (as Maxwell is called for a nickname), highlighting his ability to carry his team to victory.

To hear more of their conversation about Maxwell’s glory days, take a look at the clip we have embedded below as Maxwell, Wahlberg, and co-host Josue Pavon wax nostalgic about those special times.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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PHOTOS-Boston at Miami: Celtics fold like a wet cardboard box to Heat 128-102

This series is almost certainly over, and maybe an era too.

The Boston Celtics have had a tendency of playing well when under duress this postseason, but the Celtics got off to a god-awful start to the first half of their Game 3 East Finals road tilt vs. the Miami Heat on Sunday night, and things only got worse in the second as Boston fell to Miami 128-102 and a 0-3 series deficit.

The bench outplayed the starters in this ugly loss with fault to be had in almost every corner of the organization, with seldom-used Grant Williams (12 points) Payton Pritchard (12 points, 5 assists), and Luke Kornet (11 points) putting forth more efficient, well-rounded, and engaged games than the players they sometimes get to spell on other nights.

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in Game 3 of the East Finals between the Heat and Celtics.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Who should the Boston Celtics start in Game 3 of their East finals series with the Miami Heat?

What players will be on the court for the ball club when tipoff happens later tonight?

Who should the Boston Celtics start in Game 3 of their 2023 Eastern Conference finals series with the Miami Heat? The Celtics’ late-game execution hurt them in Game 2 allowing the Heat to go on a fatal 34-16 run as Boston’s opponents snatched a 2-0 series lead.

According to Fan Duel Sportsbook, the Celtics are now 3.5-point favorites for Game 3. What players will be on the court for the ball club when tipoff happens later tonight? Will Boston win the critical contest, and what adjustments can Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla make that he has not already tried?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon report live from Miami ahead of Boston’s must-win game 3 vs the Miami Heat and discuss who ought to be starting for the Celtics in this key tilt and more.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics at Miami Heat: How to watch, broadcast, lineups (Game 3)

Can the Celtics make a series of things by avoiding falling into a 0-3 hole, or do the Heat have Boston’s number?

The Boston Celtics make the trip to Florida to face the Miami Heat for Game 3 of their 2023 Eastern Conference finals series down 0-2 after dropping both of their home games to start the series. Can the Celtics make a series of things by avoiding falling into a 0-3 hole, or do the Heat have Boston’s number?

If you happen to be looking for a way to watch the on-court action live on cable television or a local or national online streaming service that carries the game, keep reading while we get you up to speed on everything else you need to know about the game. Along with player injuries and likely starters for both teams,  we of course will have how to watch it listed below.

Let’s begin with the players available to play.

Browns: 2023 wins prediction round up pre-training camp edition

How do varies publications project the Browns to finish the 2023 season?

The 2023 offseason is drawing closer to an end with organized team activities starting up soon and training camp just a couple of months away for the Cleveland Browns. With the 2023 NFL draft in the books and most of the major free agency moves done as well, we start to look forward to the 2023 season and making predictions on win totals.

The FanDuel sportsbook, one of the more popular sportsbooks, currently has the Browns’ over/under win total set at 9.5 as this article is being written. If I was to make a prediction right now I would take the over as I see the Browns as an 11-win team currently. Let’s take a look at the rankings from various other publications in this over/under round-up.