Tiny Nick’s Gambling Picks: 05/09 – Zone Coverage

Locks

No locks today.

Degenerates

NBA Boston Celtics First Half Team Total Over 58 (-110; Odds via Caesars): 6:00 PM CT on ESPN

The Boston offense is just too good for a Cleveland team that simply cannot defend on the road in these playoffs. The Cavs allowed 55.0 first half points per game down in Orlando last round, and then 59 to the Celtics on Tuesday despite a second quarter scoring drought for both squads. It’s unlike them to be this bad, but it is like Boston to be this good and I think the Celtics continue it here.

Cleveland was an average-at-best three-point defense this season, and Boston continuing to fire away from deep is going to generate a lot of points for them. This game could also devolve into a blowout fairly quickly with the Celtics slowing things down late, so I’ll focus on the early part of the game here. But they’ve scored 59, 65, and 59 points in the first half when the Cavs have visited TD Garden this season, and I think they do it again.

NBA Player Prop Picks (Odds via DraftKings)

Derrick White Over 3.5 Made Three’s (-105)

Derrick White Over 26.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (+100)

Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)

Evan Mobley Over 26.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)

Luka Doncic Under 50.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists (-110)

PJ Washington Over 16.5 Points+Rebounds (-110)

MLB St Louis Cardinals -0.5 First 5 Innings @ Milwaukee Brewers (+105; Odds via Caesars): 6:40 PM CT on Bally Sports WI

Remind me why we let Sonny Gray leave Minnesota? The veteran righty has been borderline untouchable to begin the season, posting a ridiculous 0.89 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. In Gray’s five starts this season he has one single earned run in the first five innings, and allowed none in his last start against Milwaukee with 12 strikeouts.

I think he’ll be able to dominate the Brewers again tonight, and the Cardinals should push something across against Tobias Myers who has had consecutive rough starts. The Cardinals have never trailed after five innings with Gray on the mound, I don’t expect them to start now, and this plus-juice return has me backing them early tonight.

Tiny Nick is 2280-2094 ATS (+88.9 Units) on his Locks since joining Zone Coverage. 

Every day he will offer his Locks and Degenerate picks. Locks are the games he’s confident in. Degenerates are entertaining but riskier picks.