Parlays

The Portland Trail Blazers have seen 10 of their last 11 games surpass the combined 229-point mark. Today they will be visiting a Charlotte Hornets team that is 3rd in offensive rating over the last 10 games. Considering that the Trail Blazers are also 9th in pace during that stretch, the hosts should have no shortage of possessions to take advantage of their opponents’ defensive shortcomings. The visitors could be shorthanded too with Shaedon Sharpe confirmed out while Deni Advija is doubtful to play and Donovan Clingan is questionable. If the latter is absent, it really limits the Trail Blazers ability to protect the paint.

The Hornets offense has been firing on all cylinders lately, managing 129 or more points in 3 straight games. Against another team in the bottom 10 in defensive rating over the last 10 games, that should not change in this one. Over that stretch the hosts lead the league in 3-pointers made per game, knocking down a staggering 19.1 per night on 40% shooting. If they bring this sort of form into today’s contest, they should do the heavy lifting in helping this line clear the over. After all, the Trail Blazers have been 27th in the last 10 in opponent 3-point percentage and look set to allow the hosts to go off on one here.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets prediction: Over 228.5 available at time of publishing. Playable to over 230.5.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be hoping to halt a 3-game losing streak when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Saturday evening. If there is any positive for the Lakers, it’s that their 2 most recent setbacks have come down to the last second — 110-109 to Orlando and 113-110 to Phoenix. Additional good news is that L.A. is basically 100 percent in the health department. Only Rui Hachimura is listed as day-to-day with an illness. Golden State, on the other hand, is still without Stephen Curry (the former Davidson star will have his right knee reevaluated this weekend). As such, my Lakers vs Warriors pick is for the visitors to win and cover.

It’s not like Golden State is in good form, either. Head coach Steve Kerr’s crew is 6-9 in its last 15 contests and has not won back-to-back games since a January 13-19 hot stretch. The Dubs are coming off a victory over Memphis on Wednesday, so they will have to end that trend if they want to find the win column again on Saturday. Golden State will be hard-pressed to do that with Curry on the sideline, especially since Jimmy Butler (ACL) is out for the season. Moreover, De’Antony Melton is questionable with a knee problem and — as usual — Kristaps Porzingis’ status is uncertain due to illness. It’s simply too hard to back the Warriors in this spot when you can’t be sure if they will be able to field a competitive squad. These 2 teams faced each other on February 7 and Los Angeles took care of business 105-99 even without Luka Doncic.

Lakers vs Warriors prediction: Los Angeles -3.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $200 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Lakers vs Warriors predictions.

With an 18-10 ATS/SU record on the road this season the Toronto Raptors have made a name for themselves as one of the elite away teams in the NBA. The schedule hasn’t been kind to them in their last two games, pinning them against the OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, resulting in back-to-back home losses. The good news is they get a fairly easy game against the Wizards on Saturday as they try to bounce back. The season series is tied at 1-1, but with the current situation the Wizards are in right now you have to like the Raptors’ chances here. They’ve won 12 of 16 meetings, while covering in 7 of 9. When it comes to road games in Washington they are also 5-1 ATS in 6 such games.

The Wizards showed life by winning their first two games out of the break, but then proceeded to drop the next 3 by 17, 21 and 30 points. The state of this team isn’t good at all, they’ve given up on the season a long time ago, refusing to play their two big mid-season acquisitions Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Washington is among the teams that are currently tanking, hoping to get a high draft pick and starting over fresh next year. Their record of 2-6 SU/ATS over the past 8 games is an indicator of things to come on Saturday. They’ve covered in just 2 of 15 games vs Atlantic Division opponents, only the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz have a worse defensive efficiency rating this season.

The only thing that could prevent the Raptors from winning big here is if they take this game lightly, I’m hoping they don’t do that. They’ve dominated far better opponents on the road this season, as favorites this team is 22-13 SU in 35 games overall. Unlike the Wizards they are pretty much at full strength here, I have them wining this one comfortably.

 Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards Predictions: Raptors -14 is available at time of publishing. Playable at that umber.

With only three games left in the regular season, No. 19 BYU finds itself sitting in seventh place in the Big 12 – a position the Cougars likely didn’t expect to be in, heading into their matchup against West Virginia. BYU is coming off a difficult loss to UCF, where they shot just 40.8% from the floor while allowing the Knights to shoot an impressive 56.2%. The Cougars are known for their high-powered offense, averaging 84.6 points per game, which puts them 2nd in the Big 12 this season, while hitting 48% of their shots, which ranks third. Despite a horrible offensive performance against a weaker UCF squad, BYU needs to do a better job playing defense and rebounding the ball in this matchup against West Virginia.

The Mountaineers have the worst offense in the Big 12, averaging just 69.5 points per game. While they don’t have the offensive firepower to overwhelm opponents, they make up for it with one of the best defenses in the conference, holding teams to just 64.5 points per game. West Virginia does an excellent job at protecting the paint, which could make it difficult for AJ Dybantsa and the rest of BYU’s offense to attack the rim. That defensive pressure could force the Cougars to settle for tougher mid-range shots and perimeter looks. However, BYU has already proven it can score against elite defenses. The Cougars defeated Iowa State – the third-best defense in the Big 12 – on January 21st while shooting 50% from the floor. The last time West Virginia faced an explosive offense like BYU’s, things didn’t go well. The Mountaineers lost by 35 points to Arizona and also fell to Oklahoma State, one of the top offenses in the conference. The Cougars will have their work cut out for them, but even on the road, they have the offensive talent to run away in this matchup against West Virginia. 

BYU vs West Virginia prediction: BYU -2 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

Texas and Texas A&M are set to face off for the second time this season as the Longhorns look to get revenge following their 74-70 loss to the Aggies back in January. Texas played well early in its last matchup against then-#7 Florida, leading at halftime, but the Gators pulled away in the second half as the Longhorns ran out of steam. Texas A&M is also coming off a tough loss to Arkansas in which it struggled to keep up with the Razorbacks’ offensive tempo and depth. These 2 teams are fairly even heading into this matchup. The Aggies rank fourth in the SEC in scoring, averaging 88.7 points per game, while the Longhorns rank seventh with 84.6 points per game. Defensively, however, Texas holds the advantage — allowing 75.7 points per game compared to Texas A&M’s 79.0. 

Nothing the Longhorns do is spectacular, but they have been consistent. Dailyn Swain leads Texas with 18 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, and he has been playing some of his best basketball in the second half of the season. The Aggies’ leading scorer is Rashaun Agee, who is averaging 14.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Both teams have plenty of offensive talent and depth, but the key for Texas in this matchup will be defending the paint, preventing the Aggies from getting out in transition and limiting turnovers. In the previous meeting, Texas A&M capitalized on those mistakes — scoring 15 points off 8 Longhorn turnovers, which ultimately helped seal the win. However, expect the Longhorns to tighten things up defensively in this rematch. If it can limit turnovers and control the pace, Texas should be able to keep this rivalry matchup close on the road. 

Texas vs Texas A&M prediction: Texas +3.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $200 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Texas vs Texas A&M predictions.

A key battle at the top of the Big 12 on Saturday features the Iowa State Cyclones hosting the Texas Tech Red Raiders. These teams are in a 4-way tie for 2^nd in the loaded Big 12 at 11-4 in the conference. Iowa State split a tough road trip in Utah last week, losing to BYU and surviving the Utes. Texas Tech lost JT Toppin in a loss at Arizona State, but then had a soft landing with Kansas State and Cincinnati after that. Saturday will be the real test of how the Red Raiders fare without Toppin. This number is big, but I am backing the Cyclones -9.5.

I have serious concerns about Tech without Toppin. He was probably the best player in the conference, and while the Red Raiders have done well so far in his absence, playing at Iowa State is just a different animal altogether. Hilton Coliseum is one of the biggest home court advantages in the sport, and the last time the Cyclones were at home, they beat both Kansas and Houston during the homestand. The Cyclones are undefeated at home, and they are tracking for a #1 seed in the Dance. Still, they do not draw nearly the attention that the other top teams do, and people still don’t recognize how good they really are. I think Texas Tech is in trouble on the road against a superior team, and we will really feel the absence of Toppin in this spot.

Texas Tech vs Iowa State Prediction: Iowa State -9.5 (-110) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils will be trying to get back on the winning track when they visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. New Jersey was bad prior to the Winter Olympics break and it appears to be every bit as bad upon the resumption of the NHL season. As such, my Devils vs Blues pick is for the home team to get the job done. With back-to-back setbacks against Buffalo and Pittsburgh since the Olympics, New Jersey has now dropped 5 games in a row. It preceded the stoppage with 3 straight losses to Ottawa, Columbus and New York. Unbelievably, the Devils have not scored more than a single goal on any occasion during this skid. They have not won in regulation since January 23, which is also the last time they lit the lamp more than 3 times in a game.

For St. Louis, the break may have been just what the doctor ordered. The Blues were on a 3-game slide of their own, but they came back and clobbered a decent Seattle squad 5-1 on Thursday. Joel Hofer was in the net for that contest in place of Jordan Binnington and that is expected to be the case again for this one following Binnington’s big effort in Milan with silver medalist Canada. A Hughes vs Binnington rematch would be enticing, but it will likely be Hofer. And why not? He is sporting a 2.87 goals-against average and .897 save percentage (both better than Binnington), and he was stellar against the Kraken earlier this week (23 saves on 24 shots). Expect the Devils’ woes to continue.

Devils vs Blues prediction: St. Louis ML (-104) available at time of publishing. Playable to -115.

Now you can bet any of our Devils vs Blues predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you earn a welcome bonus worth up to $100 if your first $5 bet wins! Use this link 🔗 to join FanDuel right now and learn more.

The New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets hit the ice as part of a jam-packed Saturday in the NHL. These Metropolitan Division teams have met twice this season, with each winning 1 game. Who will win the third of four? Here is our Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction to help find out.

New York came out of the Olympic break by taking down an impressive Montreal Canadiens team and has won 3 straight overall. Prior to the break the Blue Jackets were red hot, but they are now coming off a regulation loss to the Boston Bruins. Columbus scores at a higher pace than New York, but there is a major difference in defending and goaltending that I think will tell the tale in this one. New York has heavily focused on defensive play for years, and the same is a major factor this season, with the third-best goals against average (2.71). This comes from a combination of an elite goaltending tandem (Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich) who have combined for the NHL’s third-best save percentage (.909), as well as a mature structure that focuses on committee. While the Jackets do have some strong pieces on their roster, I don’t believe they have enough firepower overall and will likely feel smothered. New York has also thrived on the road this season (16-11-3). For this Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction, I’m going with New York as the road underdog.

Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction: New York ML (+110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -110.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Islanders vs Blue Jackets predictions.

The Battle of Ontario returns for its next installment, as the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs meet for a classic Saturday night showdown. These Atlantic Division teams met in the first round of the playoffs last season, and both find themselves in major jeopardy of missing the playoffs entirely this season. Here is a Senators vs Maple Leafs prediction for a massive game.

Toronto has been embarrassed so far since the Olympics, as it is 0-2-0 and has been outscored 9-3. It has been said quite often lately, but with the trade deadline just days away this is truly a do-or-die for the team this season. Leading the charge will be captain Auston Matthews, who has just 2 assists, 4 shots and is -3 in the 2 losses. He is also under scrutiny from a portion of Toronto fans and media after captaining the men’s USA team to an Olympic gold medal over the beloved Canadian group. Returning home for the first time since January 27, this is a game in which he can remind them of the task at hand and that he is here to succeed with the Maple Leafs and drag them to a playoff spot. If he can step up and other stars in William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies continuing their strong point production post Olympics, they should find some success. Ottawa is always a pesky team that will play them hard and keep things close, but I will give a slight lean to the Toronto money line for this Senators vs Maple Leafs prediction.

Senators vs Maple Leafs prediction: Toronto ML (+100) available at time of publishing. Playable to -110.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Senators vs Maple Leafs predictions.