May 2nd Recap
Record: 3-2, +1.2u
*MLB Best Bet Winner(+1.4u): Nationals -1.5(+140) vs Marlins
--The day started off nicely with a plus-money best bet winner. I knew Max Scherzer was drawing a favorable matchup with a depleted Miami lineup, and he certainly delivered by throwing a complete game and only allowing 1 run on a solo shot in the 9th. The Nationals offense is going to keep me off laying a run-and-a-half with them in most spots, and they really didn’t hit well again today. Luckily, Ryan Zimmerman’s 3-run blast early in the game was all we needed today. Both of these teams will continue to play to the Under going forward, and if Max Scherzer is going to continue to warrant this good of value on days he starts, plays like this might become a trend for me.
*MLB Loser(-1u): Reds -1.5(+120) vs Cubs
--To score 13 runs and still not cover a -1.5 spread is something you almost never see. Unfortunately, we were at the mercy of two high-level offensive performances, subpar pitching, and some hitter-friendly conditions in a hitter-friendly ballpark. This game went back-and-forth for awhile, but when the Reds grabbed a 12-8 lead heading into the 8th, I thought we had this one all but locked up. Very wrong there. Give the Cubs credit; their bats have failed them all year but they showed up ready to swing it today. I will be interested to see if they can continue that into this week or if today featured some of the best hitting conditions imaginable. The Reds are a fun team to back because their bats will always give them a chance, but their bullpen is going to have to show some signs of improvement if I’m going to consistently lay runs with them. Hopefully they get that hammered down soon, because I absolutely love watching this team play.
*MLB Loser(-1u): Royals ML(+160) @ Twins
--It’s beginning to look like Brad Keller’s sub-3.00 ERA 2020 season was a complete fluke. The righty was absolutely atrocious once again. While the Twins have lost me some money this year, they are still not a team I love betting against. This team will overcome their early struggles and go on to have a good year. As for Kansas City, I’ve been on this team since the beginning of the season. I should probably just look towards them when anybody but Brad Keller is pitching.
*NBA Winner(+1u): Trail Blazers -1.5 @ Celtics
--The Blazers are a team on a mission entering the postseason, and there was no way I was hopping in front of that tonight. After losing 3 straight games by a combined 5 points in their previous homestand, the Blazers are now 4-0 on their current road trip, beating 4 playoff teams by almost 18 PPG. Boston really missed Kemba Walker’s presence tonight, but even if he played I still think Portland would’ve found a way to win. This was a revenge spot after Boston snuck out of Portland with a 1 point win just a couple of weeks ago. Portland has certainly turned things on at the right time, and I will continue to look for ways to back them moving forward. The Celtics are a tweener team for me; considering their roster, they should be having a much better season. I think they’re often overpriced by the oddsmakers, but they can certainly turn it on when it matters most. Either way, it was great to get this winner tonight.
*NBA Winner(+0.8u): Rockets TT UNDER 104 vs Knicks
--The Knicks have one of the best defenses in the league, and effort is never a question with this crew of underdogs. It’s kind of funny that a New York team has adopted this sort of mindset, but it’s certainly been profitable this year. The Rockets could never get in a rhythm offensively; the deeper they went into the shot clock, the worse and worse they got. New York is a legit team that, despite covering 14 out of their last 15 games, the oddsmakers still seem to undervalue. If that continues to be the case, I’ll be the “square” and back them quite a bit. As for Houston, they are a complete mess that has no interest in winning at this point in the year.