Spring is the best time of year for sports fans and bettors alike, as there’s so much action going on every night.
Fans have NBA and NHL Playoffs to wager on, and also a full slate of MLB games every night. Not only that, there’s also UEFA Champions League and Major League Soccer action, if that tickles your fancy.
Thursday night may only have one NBA Playoff game to bet on, but there’s a ton of MLB games, so we picked the best value bet on the card, and gave our prediction to go along with it.
Raptors +1
Toronto has the best and most experienced player in the Eastern Conference, and Kawhi Leonard’s value simply cannot be overstated. He’s a two-way player that can shut down even the best offensive players, and is also a closer — with the ability to simply take over games down the stretch.
The Raptors put together one of their worst offensive performances in weeks in the Game 2 loss, and we look for them to rebound in a big way, as they were getting open looks, just not making them. That’s a good sign. Toronto’s bench scored only five points on 2-of-11 shooting, and we expect its role players to step up and bounce back on the road. Jimmy Butler put together a dominant performance and stole the show in the Game 2 win, but we believe Leonard will flip the script and lead his team to victory on Thursday.
Minnesota Twins -110
Betting against the Houston Astros isn’t something we often do, but when you’re getting one of the best pitchers — at home, no less — in Jose Berrios, it becomes a more attractive proposition. And it’s not like the Twins are chopped liver, either, having won five of their last six games, riding a lot of momentum heading into Thursday’s contest.
Brad Peacock has never beaten the Twins, as he’s 0-3 with a 4.32 ERA against them. As for Berrios, he’s won his last three starts, and sports a 2.97 ERA on the season. It’s a big statement game for the Twins, with the opportunity to win the four-game series on Thursday night, and we believe they’ll do just that.
