Tag: no_yh

Rockets at Jazz: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Utah is understandably a big favorite (-15.5) versus a struggling Houston squad that had the NBA minimum of eight active players on Friday.

The Utah Jazz have the NBA’s best record and are trying to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and home-court advantage throughout the 2021 playoffs. The Houston Rockets, on the other hand, own the league’s worst record and are extremely short-handed, too.

That’s the backdrop to Saturday’s matchup in Salt Lake City, in which the Jazz can secure a 3-0 series sweep over the Rockets in the 2020-21 season. Both teams played Friday and are on the second half of a back-to-back, though it’s much easier for Utah — since they’re playing at home in both ends. Houston, on the other hand, did not arrive until early Saturday morning thanks to Friday night’s game in Milwaukee.

Neither team will issue their official injury report for Saturday until midday, since both played on Friday night. However, the Jazz were healthier by comparison, with only Donovan Mitchell (right ankle), Mike Conley (right hamstring), and Juwan Morgan (right heel) sidelined.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=q6P8RISIdr-1300911-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

By comparison, the Rockets were missing 10 of their 17 players under contract, including Christian Wood (right ankle), John Wall (right hamstring), Jae’Sean Tate (left knee), Eric Gordon (right groin), Sterling Brown (left knee), Kevin Porter Jr. (left ankle), Avery Bradley (personal reasons), Dante Exum (left calf), David Nwaba (right wrist), and D.J. Wilson (health and safety protocols). Houston was able to have eight active players for Friday, which is the minimum requirement to play, by signing young guard Khyri Thomas via an NBA hardship exception.

Houston’s eight players in Friday’s loss to Milwaukee were Thomas, Kelly Olynyk, DJ Augustin, Danuel House Jr., Armoni Brooks, KJ Martin, DaQuan Jeffries, and Anthony Lamb. That’s enough to play, but it’s a hard formula to win with versus the NBA’s elite. Head coach Stephen Silas said he was not anticipating major availability changes between Friday and Saturday, with Wood already ruled out due to ongoing ankle issues.

[lawrence-related id=48730,48734]

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Jazz -15.5
  • Money line: Jazz -1600 / Rockets +900
  • Over-under: 225.5
  • Player scoring props: TBD (delayed injury reports)

Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

If available players and lineups from Friday hold, the Jazz (49-18) will start Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale, Bojan Bogdanovic, Georges Niang, and Rudy Gobert. Meanwhile, the Rockets (16-51) could have DJ Augustin, DaQuan Jeffries, Anthony Lamb, KJ Martin, and Kelly Olynyk.

Advice and prediction

The Rockets are at a talent and injury disadvantage. Moreover, Houston’s short-handed roster is on the second night of a back-to-back, at altitude, and in a different time zone from where they played a night earlier.

It would be a shock if this game is close. It is worth noting that Houston covered a similar spread in Friday’s eight-point loss at Milwaukee, but they’re likely to be much more fatigued in Utah. Moreover, a 25-of-53 performance on 3-pointers (47.2%) likely isn’t sustainable.

Prediction: Jazz 118, Rockets 100

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=d8wPhNTx6S-1300774-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

[lawrence-related id=48782]

[listicle id=48405]

Tennessee Titans 2021 NFL draft pick profile: OT Dillon Radunz

A full breakdown of what the Titans are getting in Dillon Radunz.

With the 53rd pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans selected the vicious and athletic offensive lineman from North Dakota State, Dillon Radunz.

The Titans finally have a premier talent on the right side of their offensive line, something this regime clearly has prioritized over its tenure.

The North Dakota State product joins an extremely talented offensive line room that includes a perennial Pro Bowl left tackle, a former All-Pro left guard, and a center/right guard duo who both received All-Pro votes just a season ago.

With all that said, let’s take a deeper dive into how Radunz fits into what Tennessee loves to do upfront.

UFC on ESPN 24 play-by-play and live results (6 p.m. ET)

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC on ESPN 24 in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 24 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).

UFC on ESPN 24 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

In the main event, Marina Rodriguez (13-1-2 MMA, 3-1-2 UFC) meets Michelle Waterson (18-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. In the co-feature, Donald Cerrone (36-15-1 MMA, 29-15-1 UFC) takes on short-notice welterweight replacement Alex Morono (18-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC).

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPN+ and 8 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN.

To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC on ESPN 24 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway) on Twitter.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

Place legal, online bets on today’s fights in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV at BetMGM Sportsbook. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet. Bet now! Please gamble responsibly.

5 reasons why plant-based energy shots are better than coffee

If you’re looking for a healthier, simpler alternative to coffee, energy shots may be exactly what you’re looking for.

It’s an ongoing debate: Team energy drink or team coffee? Both increase mental clarity, focus, and alertness. However, energy drinks and coffee each have their own pros and cons. Some are tired of the roller-coaster energy provided by coffee and are looking for a more stable and dependable way to stay at their best all day long.

Plant-based energy shots are the latest and greatest way to get energized with clean, natural ingredients – and fast. If you’re looking for a healthier, simpler alternative to coffee, energy shots may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Below are five reasons why plant-based energy shots are better than coffee.

BetMGM updated odds for Auburn winning national title

Auburn hopes to make some noise in the national title race in Bryan Harsin’s first year as head coach.

We can all dream, right?

In Gus Malzahn’s first season as the head coach of Auburn, the Tigers came 13 seconds away from winning the national title. Can Bryan Harsin repeat the same magic?

Over at BetMGM, the experts have released odds for the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship and Auburn comes in at +8000. These are the seventh-best odds for a SEC team with Alabama leading the pack at +250.

There are some surprises with Tennessee behind ahead of the Tigers at +5000 and LSU at +3500. The Volunteers finished 3-7 last season and had a major overhaul with the firing of Jeremy Pruitt due to violations.

Here is where every SEC team is slotted:

Odds courtesy of BetMGM, The King of Sportsbooks. 

Alabama +250

Georgia +900

Texas A&M +2500

LSU +3500

Florida +4000

Tennessee +5000

Auburn +8000

Ole Miss +10000

South Carolina +10000

Arkansas +10000

Missouri +15000

Mississippi State +20000

Kentucky +20000

Vanderbilt +25000

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Lakers at Blazers: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Our prediction and best bet for Friday’s Lakers-Blazers game.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers face off with playoff seeding on the line on Friday night, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.

The game tips off at 10 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN.

The Lakers and Blazers are tied on record (37-29) with just six games remaining in the season, and are together in a battle with the Dallas Mavericks (38-28) to try and avoid falling into the NBA’s play-in tournament. The Lakers currently sit in sixth in the Western Conference ahead of the No. 7 Blazers on a tiebreaker, but Friday’s game will have a huge impact on the standings.

The Lakers will be missing LeBron James and Dennis Schroder, and could also be without Anthony Davis, who left Thursday’s loss to the Clippers with back spasms. Davis said after the game that he “should be able to go,” but his status remains unclear.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Blazers -8.5
  • Money line: Blazers -375 / Lakers +290
  • Over-under: 221.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

Advice and prediction

Such a large spread seems to indicate that bettors are expecting Anthony Davis to miss Friday’s game, which is a solid assumption. Still, he told reporters on Thursday that he planned to play against the Blazers, and if he does take the floor, Lakers +8.5 is an attractive option.

The Blazers, however, are playing solid basketball at just the right time of the season. They’ve won five of their last six games and have gone 5-1 against the spread in that span. This is a team that just beat four playoff teams consecutively by double-digits, including a 19-point win over the Brooklyn Nets. With the Lakers likely short-handed and on a back-to-back, I’m taking the Blazers here to continue their run.

Prediction: Blazers 123, Lakers 109

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

[vertical-gallery id=35136]

[mm-video type=video id=01f53j1t57tfwjph6j4g playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f53j1t57tfwjph6j4g/01f53j1t57tfwjph6j4g-75731d700b804e283322a1ecf1d8d46e.jpg]

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Celtics at Bulls: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Our prediction and best bet for Friday’s Celtics-Bulls game.

The Boston Celtics visit the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.

The game tips off at 7:30 and can be seen on ESPN.

These teams have split two games so far this season, with the away team winning each time. The Bulls (27-39) are playing the second half of a back-to-back after snapping a four-game losing streak on Thursday with a 21-point win over the Charlotte Hornets. The Celtics (35-31) are coming off a blowout road win over the Magic on Wednesday.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Celtics -4
  • Money line: Celtics -175 / Bulls +145
  • Over-under: 223.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

Advice and prediction

The Bulls haven’t yet been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it would take a miracle for Chicago to sneak into the play-in tournament at this stage as they trail the No. 10 Wizards by 3.5 games.

From a betting perspective, Celtics-Bulls should prove to be an interesting matchup. Chicago has struggled offensively of late, and the under has hit in five consecutive Bulls games, with Chicago failing to break 100 points in four of their last five. The Celtics, on the other hand, have hit the over in six straight, and have scored 132+ points in two of their last three games.

Boston is still inherently unpredictable, but I don’t think the Bulls can keep pace with the Celtics offensively. Take the Celtics -4.

Prediction: Celtics 119, Bulls 104

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Pelicans vs. Sixers: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Tuesday’s win paired with another Spurs loss means the Pelicans’ (30-36) playoff hopes are still alive heading into Friday’s game against the Sixers (45-21).

[mm-video type=video id=01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj playlist_id=01eqbzg7xge4230me2 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj/01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj-4e79364d3896ca594e2e57baaa8edf4d.jpg]

Tuesday’s win paired with another Spurs loss means the Pelicans’ (30-36) playoff hopes are still alive heading into Friday’s game against the Sixers (45-21), and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.

New Orleans sits 1.5 games out of the 10th seed (San Antonio), making virtually every remaining game a must-win contest. That makes the ankle injury to Brandon Ingram that will keep him out of Friday’s game even more impactful.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Pelicans +8.5
  • Moneyline: Pelicans +310 / Sixers -400
  • Over-under: 229.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

[mm-video type=video id=01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n/01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n-bbd02476e0d96b2f54ed9b5a37f85570.jpg]

Advice and prediction

In the last meeting between the two teams, Zion Williamson had one of the finest showings of his professional career. He’ll certainly be the center of focus for Philadelphia defensively, That paired with Ingram’s absence spell tough sledding for the Pelicans. Take Philadelphia minus-8.5.

Prediction: Sixers 115, Pelicans 101

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Hornets vs. Magic: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

With a string of results going against them – including their own – on Thursday, the Hornets (32-34) now face a nearly must-win scenario against the Magic (21-45).

[mm-video type=video id=01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj playlist_id=01eqbzg7xge4230me2 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj/01f4syp8h630b3y19zkj-4e79364d3896ca594e2e57baaa8edf4d.jpg]

With a string of results going against them, including their own, on Thursday, the Hornets (32-34) now face a nearly must-win scenario against the Magic (21-45), and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.

Much has changed in the over three months since these two sides last had a back-to-back. On those nights, Gordon Hayward’s game-winner in the final seconds gave the Hornets a win before the Magic bounced back the following night in late January. Now, eight of the players featured on the teams in that game will either not be available or have been traded.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Hornets -9
  • Moneyline: Hornets -400 / Magic +320
  • Over-under: 216.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in CO, IN, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

[mm-video type=video id=01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n/01f0hcx0ay75t5kf5n-bbd02476e0d96b2f54ed9b5a37f85570.jpg]

Advice and prediction

Charlotte may be beaten and battered, but they are nothing compared to the Magic this season. Still, this is a Charlotte side lacking much offensive firepower. The Hornets haven’t had two poor performances in a row in some time and are at home, too.

With Devonte’ Graham potentially returning, there’s reason for optimism. Take Charlotte minus-9 as they continue to fight in the playoffs.

Prediction: Hornets 117, Pistons 107

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.