Ricky Dimon
Show Bio
The NBA Finals are here. Game 1 between Golden State and Boston tips off on Thursday night, with the Warriors holding home-court advantage. On the ice, Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals featuring Colorado and Edmonton is taking place. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is teeing off at The Memorial. It’s another huge day in the world of sports, so let’s not waste any time and get right to making your next bet better. Here is our latest installment of Wise n’ Shine!
About Last Night
NHL scoreboard continues to get lit up
High-scoring games have been the norm in these NHL playoffs. The Rangers produced 11 total goals in the last two outings of their previous series against the Hurricanes and they added six more on Wednesday, thrashing the Lightning 6-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Marlins, Rockies split wild doubleheader
Speaking of scoreboard functionality being put to the test, the Marlins and Rockies combined for a grand total of 40 runs on Wednesday. Miami took the opener of a twin bill 14-1 before Colorado bounced back to take a 13-12, 10-inning thriller in the nightcap. Good news: we had the over in both games! There is another double-header on today’s schedule after yesterday’s Angels-Yankees game was rained out.
A 3-0 betting day at the French Open
We went 3-0 with our Wednesday best bets for the action at Roland Garros, including one at +116 and another at +122. Don’t miss our Day 12 best bets for the women’s semifinals, when Coco Gauff (we have a +2000 outright play on her), tries to book a spot in the final round 11:00 am ET.
Today’s Slate
Game 1 of the NBA Finals
The home stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season is upon us, and it should end with a bang. The finale features the league’s most recent dynasty (the Warriors) and one of the most storied franchises in all of sports (the Celtics). Here is our Celtics vs Warriors Game 1 preview.
Oilers need another high-scoring performance
The Oilers have now scored at least five goals in five of their last six games. They lit the lamp six times on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Avalanche in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Colorado won 8-6. Game 2 is tonight. You can find all of our hockey coverage on the NHL page.
NL powerhouses collide
It may be a travel day for some MLB teams, but there are still 12 games on today’s schedule. In addition to the Angels and Yankees playing two, the Mets and Dodgers are beginning a huge four-game series. Check out all of our MLB previews.
Round one of The Memorial
It’s the best time of year to be a golf fan, with majors being played left and right during the summer. This week’s event may not be a major, but it’s a big one. The Memorial – Jack Nicklaus’ tournament – always boasts an incredible field and it gets underway on Thursday. All of our coverage is right here on the golf page.
Best Bet of the Day
NBA: Stephen Curry Over 10.5 points + assists (-120) in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
7:00 pm ET, TNT
Curry consistently crushed this 10.5 number in the Western Conference Finals against Dallas. He averaged 14 rebounds + assists and cashed this prop in all five games. The former Davidson standout averaged 11 potential assists per game during the series and continuously showcased his passing ability off the pick-and-roll. Look for the Celtics to hedge ball screens with Marcus Smart and either Al Horford or Robert Williams, which will leave Draymond Green open off the roll or shooters like Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins open for three.
In a defensive battle, there will be a ton of missed shots. Curry loves to crash the glass and push the ball in transition. Barring a blowout, Curry should see at least 35 minutes of action (probably more) to help him exceed this quota. During the Warriors’ playoff run, Curry has gone over this line in 10 of 16 games and in 10 of 13 when logging at least 30 minutes.
Must-watch
Make sure you catch today’s edition of our daily sports betting show, Let’s Bet It!, at 10:00 am ET on our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/c/Pickswise.
Hosts Lauren Jbara and Mark Zinno will be joined by Jonathan Von Tobel, NBA analyst and host of the “Hardwood Handicappers” podcast, to discuss the NBA Finals. There will also be MLB predictions, NHL Ice Picks and Plays of the Day.
Must-read
We have plenty of content surrounding the NBA Finals, including a +1051 same game parlay for the series opener and best MVP bets.
Also be sure to read Diane Knox Balas’ best bets for The Memorial in addition to our +425 same game parlay for Game 2 of Oilers-Avalanche.
Check out more great content as it arrives throughout the day on the Analysis tab.
Stat of the Day
The regular-season totals between the Warriors and Celtics were 216.5 in Boston and then 220 in Golden State – even though Stephen Curry got injured in that second game! Thursday’s total is set at 211.5.
Boost of the Day
NBA: 50+ total points in the first quarter of GSW-BOS and Klay Thompson to score 5+ first-quarter points
Boosted to +220 with FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook is celebrating the start of the NBA Finals with a boost on the odds of 50+ total first-quarter points and 5+ Klay Thompson first-quarter points from +165 to +220.
Pickswise is the home of free sports picks, news, and best bets. Check out our expert NBA picks, NHL picks, MLB picks and Soccer picks for the latest game picks.
