US Sports News

We’re Getting a Clash-of-Titans World Series Preview in June

Armageddon awaits. Likely for the first time since the 1978 World Series, the New York Yankees will host the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend with each team claiming first place.

The Yankees have the better offense, the better starting pitching and the better bullpen. The Dodgers have the better defense. Most surprisingly, we all know which team has the better 1-2-3 at the top of the lineup. And it’s not the one with the three Most Valuable Players that even before a box of game balls was cracked open had people scrambling to compare them to the greatest trios ever to top a lineup.

Step aside Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. You have been upstaged by Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

First, the cold, hard facts:

	R	H	HR	RBI	Total Bases	Avg.	SLG
Volpe, Soto, Judge	131	207	44	125	394	.298
Betts, Ohtani, Freeman	119	215	30	105	366	.311

Second, one 100 mph pitch that helps explains why the Yankees’ trio is better: an 0-and-1 cut fastball to Volpe on Sunday from San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, who had held righthanded batters to a .098 average this year. With one on and one out in the ninth, Doval was holding a two-run lead and a 91.7%-win probability. If he dismissed Volpe, Doval could avoid Judge, whom the Giants had retired only four times in 12 tries in his Bay Area homecoming.

Last season Doval could have exploited multiple holes in Volpe’s swing to put him away. Caught up in an analytical-fueled quest to get balls airborne to the pull side, Volpe swung uphill with too much head movement. He could not hit top-rail fastballs (.125), inside fastballs (.195) or breaking pitches (.148).

To his credit, Volpe re-made his swing over the winter. The holes shrunk.

Doval was about to find this out. He threw a 99.9 mph cutter buried so far inside that it was off the plate. No matter. Volpe 2.0 kept his hands inside the ball and with a short, quick lash carved the pitch into the right-centerfield gap for an RBI triple. He could not do that last year.

With that one swing, another Yankees win was set in motion. Two pitches later, Soto clobbered a high fastball for a go-ahead homer.

A high fastball? Is anybody paying attention? I am astonished how teams keep thinking they can get high fastballs past Soto. This is all you need to know about how to pitch Soto:

Soto by Fastball Height in Zone This Season

	Avg.	SLG	HR
Top Third	.459	1.054	7
Middle Third	.447	1.128	8
Bottom Third	.188	.313	0

That’s 15 of his 17 home runs this year resulting from fastballs in the zone belt high or higher. His past 35 home runs off fastballs in the zone have all been middle-up. Soto hasn’t hit a low fastball for a home run in almost a year—since June 14, 2023.

The Generational. pic.twitter.com/ldtvmN93LX
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 2, 2024

Judge, who is hitting everything, walked, stole second and scored on a Giancarlo Stanton double. In a span of just a dozen pitches, the Yankees scored four times and turned what was about to be a 5–3 loss into a 7–5 win.

Sure, Judge is slugging .658 and Soto has a .417 OBP and Stanton is on pace for 37 homers … all impressive, but … they’ve all been there, done that. All have been better than that in past years. Volpe is the difference maker, slashing .284/.352/.440 a year after going .209/.283/.383. He and Jurickson Profar of the San Diego Padres are the most improved hitters in baseball. Volpe gives the Yankees a leadoff hitter with speed and that kind of OBP for the first time since Derek Jeter in 2009. He creates traffic for Soto and Judge as an elite baserunner (95th percentile).

Volpe’s transformation is extraordinary. Adopting a more traditional, 1980s-type style in the batter’s box, Volpe is embracing groundballs (up from 41% to 52%), hitting the other way (23% to 32%) and putting the ball in play (he has cut his strikeout rate from 28% to 21%)—qualities that are not stressed enough at a time when batting average is the fourth lowest in history (.240).

Try to find another hitter who cut his pull percentage anywhere near what Volpe has done. You won’t. He has cut his pull rate by 21.4% (46.7% to 25.3%). Betts’s 13.8% decline is the next biggest turning away from the pull side.

The Dodgers coming to Yankee Stadium is a clash of titans and the rare renewal of a classic rivalry. The Yankees and Dodgers rank Nos. 1 and 2 in OPS, respectively, and 1 and 3 in home runs, slugging and ERA, respectively.

The Dodgers are 13–24 in the Bronx, including 3–2 in regular season games in 2016 (when the Yankees were in fourth place) and 2013 (when the Dodgers were 29–39). In the postseason, the Yankees own a big edge at home against the Dodgers, 22–10. (The Yankees were a fourth-place team when they met in the 1981 World Series; having qualified for the playoffs in the split season of the strike-marred year by winning the division in the first half.)

From 1941–81 the Yankees and Dodgers met in the World Series 11 times, giving us historic moments at Yankee Stadium such as Johnny Podres’s Game 7 shutout in 1955, Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956, Sandy Koufax’s 15-strikeout game in 1963 and Reggie Jackson’s three home runs in 1977.

New York, have you Met Shohei? pic.twitter.com/aYMbOpZXH5
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 29, 2024

The star power is off the charts this weekend. Six of the past 14 MVP Awards have been won by players in this matchup (Ohtani has won two; Judge, Freeman, Betts and Stanton one each). Ohtani is a career .130 hitter at Yankee Stadium, the seventh worst of anyone with 50 plate appearances in the latest version of the yard—but he does have four homers there in just 46 at-bats. Judge has a 1.026 OPS in Yankee Stadium, the highest by any active player in any park with at least 1,500 plate appearances.

Judge has homered in 28% of the games he has played in Yankee Stadium. The Yankees win 79.0% of games when Judge homers in the Bronx (98–26). For some historical perspective, Babe Ruth homered in 27% of his games in the original yard while the Yankees won 77.1% of those games (178–53).

Amid all the MVPs and the monster home run hitters, however, don’t overlook the importance of the 5'9" leadoff hitter for New York looking to make his first All-Star team. Volpe has emerged as an impact player. The Yankees are 27–5 (.844) when Volpe scores a run and 14–14 (.500) when he doesn’t.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Giants vs. Diamondbacks Prediction, Odds, Pick and Probable Pitchers for Monday, June 3

The NL West has not been nearly as good as some expected entering this season, as there are just two teams over .500 and the defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks are in fourth place.

The D-Backs are just 1.5 games back of their opponent tonight – the San Francisco Giants – but neither team is over .500 on the season. Injuries have ravaged the Giants’ lineup, and they’ll likely turn to a starter who has made just one appearance on the season on Monday.

Arizona is favored in this matchup at home as the Giants look to snap a four-game losing streak.

Here’s everything you need to know to bet on this matchup, including a best bet.

Run Line

Moneyline

Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

San Francisco Giants

Patrick Bailey: The Giants are banged up on offense right now, but catcher Patrick Bailey has thrived against Ryne Nelson in his career and could lead the team on Monday. Bailey is 2-for-6 with a double against Nelson. He also comes into this matchup with a .298/.354/.465 slash line in 36 games.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte: Last year’s NLCS MVP slumped a bit in the month of May, but he got off to a strong start in June, going 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs on Sunday. Can he take advantage of Howard, who was once a top prospect, in just his second outing of 2024?

Spencer Howard was lights out in his first outing of the season – albeit just through four innings – holding the Philadelphia Phillies scoreless and giving up just five hits.

Philly is No. 5 in Major League Baseball in OPS (and Howard’s former team), yet he was able to keep it in check. The D-Backs, on the other hand, are 12th, and they’ve taken a step back to open 2024 after a strong playoff run in 2023.

I don’t know if I give Howard an edge in this game since he’s made just one start in 2024, but I do know that Arizona has struggled when Nelson is on the mound.

Arizona is just 3-6 in his nine starts, and the young righty now has a 6.02 ERA after giving up four runs in six innings against the Texas Rangers in his last start.

San Francisco did not fare well against the New York Yankees over the weekend, but this could be a prime spot to buy low on the Giants with Arizona winning just 33 percent of its games when Nelson starts.

These teams have been fairly equal on the season, ranking 25th and 26th in ERA and 12th and 15th in OPS. I’ll fade Nelson in this one.

Pick: Giants Moneyline (+114)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Four Wide Receivers That Will Benefit Most from Justin Jefferson’s Record-Setting Contract

The saying "a rising tide lifts all boats" is rarely as applicable as when it comes to NFL contracts. Each offseason, players at premier positions like quarterback and wide receiver sign gigantic contracts that reset the market. Those players reign as the highest-paid at their respective positions... until the next contract is signed by a superstar that makes them the highest-paid player at their position and resets the market.

It's a cycle that repeats itself and has many ripple effects, the most prevalent of which is that players at these positions just keep making more and more money. Each new superstar deal sets the stage for the next.

Which brings us to Monday, when Justin Jefferson helped out all his colleagues around the league by receiving a record-setting amount of money. News broke in the morning that Jefferson had agreed to a four-year, $140 million deal with $110 million guaranteed with the Minnesota Vikings. The extension makes Jefferson the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL and the highest-paid non-quarterback in football history.

It is obviously well-deserved for Jefferson. It is also a boon for other wide receivers around his level who are negotiating their own big-time contracts. Here are four receivers in particular who will benefit from Jefferson's record-setting deal in their respective negotiations.

Lamb is the name you'll probably see the most floating around in the wake of the Jefferson deal. The Cowboys star earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2023, posting a league-leading 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Pound-for-pound, he may not be as talented as Jefferson but he is definitely in a similar tier of game-changing receiver— and he should get paid like it, too.

In addition to their other similarities, Lamb was part of Jefferson's draft class, meaning he is entering the final year of his rookie contract and should receive an extension this offseason from the franchise that drafted him. That extension will now be much pricier with Jefferson's deal in place. Jerry Jones has been insisting all offseason that the Cowboys are "all in" for 2024, but the lack of extensions for Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott have been a big talking point.

Regardless of when the deal gets done (and who it gets done with), Lamb will be negotiating from a position of strength after Jefferson reset the market and it would not be a surprise to see him end up the highest-paid receiver in the league.

Chase is one of the few wideouts who can lay legitimate claim to Jefferson's throne as best receiver in the NFL. He's a legitimate game-breaker who can and will dominate defenses on the right day. In 2023, Chase posted an even 100 catches for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing two games to injury and catching passes from multiple different quarterbacks amid Joe Burrow's own injury-plagued campaign.

With an All-Pro nomination to his name already in his young career, Chase is often tabbed as the next receiver to sign a truly ludicrous deal. Lamb is likely next in line to reset the market but Chase is going to demand even bigger money given his immediate and overwhelming dominance from Day 1.

The interesting aspect of Chase's situation, however, is that he still has two seasons left on his rookie deal. This gives the Bengals more leverage than other teams on this list because they have a full extra offseason to get him under contract before he enters the final year of his deal. Cincinnati is incentivized to get it done as soon as possible, because as laid out above, the price tag will just keep going up. Jefferson's deal isn't too bad a starting point for either side.

Chase is set to get paid, either this offseason or the next.

Aiyuk has been in trade rumors all offseason so who knows where he'll end up by the time the season kicks off in September. Wherever that may be, he will almost certainly sign a new deal in the coming months; he is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will want a raise from someone. The Jefferson contract will give him a big boost.

Unlike the above two players, Aiyuk is not quite in that superstar tier level of player that will break multiple records upon putting pen to paper. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, and playing in Kyle Shanahan's incredibly productive offense probably hurts more than helps him.

A more apt comparison may be Amon-Ra St. Brown, an excellent player who was briefly the highest-paid receiver in the league this offseason after signing a four-year, $120 million deal in April with $77 million guaranteed. That will likely be the comparison point when contract negotiations get underway.

Even acknowleding that, Aiyuk will have the advantage of the Jefferson contract that St. Brown did not. He should be in line for a larger payday than he was before.

Higgins was franchise-tagged by the Bengals this offseason after playing out the final year of his deal. A lot of what happens with Higgins will depend on what happens with Chase, but negotiations between Higgins and the Bengals are essentially non-existent at this juncture, according to the latest reports, and he's yet to sign the tag. So it's really anybody's guess right now as to how long Higgins is meant for Cincinnati and if he'll sign a new deal there or elsewhere.

However, when Higgins does get to the negotiating table, the Jefferson deal will be very helpful. Like Aiyuk, Higgins is not a superstar, but he's very good and can reasonably assert he'll post even better numbers as the No. 1 option instead of across from a talent like Chase. As is, Higgins recorded 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns last season-- all career-lows, stemming from injury problems that forced him to miss six games and the same quarterback issues that Chase had to deal with.

He is in line for a nice raise one way or the other, and the Jefferson contract will help as a reference point in negotiations.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Carlos Alcaraz Prediction, Odds and Pick for French Open Quarterfinal

Two top 10 foes meet at Roland-Garros in the French Open quarterfinals on Tuesday evening.

World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz has owned his career series against No. 9 Stefanos Tsitsipas, winning all five matches against his Greek opponent in his career. Can the Spanish phenom continue his excellence on clay in hopes of pushing closer to winning his first French Open title?

Here are the odds and our best bet for the Tuesday quarterfinal matchup:

Spread

Moneyline

Total: 36.5 (Over -112/Under -118)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Both players have been lightly tested during this Grand Slam tournament, but it’s tough to look past the historical results and see that Alcaraz is a justified favorite, winning all five matches, including last year in this same situation.

In the 2023 French Open, Alcaraz beat Tsitsipas 3-0 (6-2, 6-1, 7-6) to advance to the semifinals. While Alcaraz has dealt with some injury issues this year in the lead-up to Roland-Garros, there is still a gap between the two and I believe the Spaniard is well-equipped to handle his opponent.

Alcaraz has made his first serve at 67% or higher in all four matches thus far, making it hard for any opponent to generate much traction while returning and hoping to get breakpoints. Further, given Alcaraz’s ability on clay to return, he has broken 35% of opponent's games in 86 non-French Open clay matches in his career, I trust him to cash in on more opportunities throughout the match.

Tsitsipas hasn’t proven to be able to compete with Alcaraz in the past, and while fitness concerns were an issue at the start of the tournament, I’m confident that the former No. 1 in the world can win in straight sets to get to the semis.

PICK: Alcaraz 3-0 (+145)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Remembering Bill Walton’s Basketball Career Through His SI Covers

A giant in the game of basketball for over 50 years, Bill Walton was “truly one of a kind,” as Adam Silver said. Walton, who led the UCLA Bruins to two national championships before winning two titles in the NBA as well, died of cancer Monday at the age of 71.

Throughout his storied basketball career, Walton was featured on numerous Sports Illustrated covers, starting with his time with the UCLA Bruins in 1971–74, where he was national player of the year three times and won two national championships under John Wooden.

Walton moved to the NBA when he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974, starting a 14-year career that included a title with the Blazers in '77, another with the Boston Celtics in '86 and just about every other award you can think of in between (NBA MVP, Sixth Man of the Year and Finals MVP).

Younger generations got to know Walton through his broadcasting career, in which he further cemented his legacy by putting the “color” in color commentary with unforgettable one-liners and numerous mentions of the Grateful Dead. Starting in 1990, Walton called college and NBA games, working for CBS, ESPN and NBC over his multidecade, Emmy-winning TV career.

To celebrate the life of the legendary red-headed Deadhead, here’s a collection of SI covers from his career and the stories that go along with them.

UCLA Bill Walton (32) in action vs Washington State at Bohler Gymnasium.

Cover from March 6, 1972 / George Long/Sports Illustrated

In March 1972, William F. Reed introduced sports readers to the 6'11" star center of the undefeated Bruins. “The sophomore with the floppy red hair and problem knees is easily the No. 1 big man in college ball, the most talked-about player of this season and maybe one of the best ever to try the game,” Reed wrote.

NCAA Final Four. UCLA Bill Walton (32) in action, playing defense vs Florida State at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Cover from April 3, 1972 / Rich Clarkson/Sports Illustrated

Just a month later, Walton landed on an SI cover again when he marched UCLA to its sixth straight title (his first). “Walton led the tournament in points (57), rebounds (41), blocked shots, time-outs and, distressingly, moans,” Curry Kirkpatrick wrote of a Final Four that featured a lot of debate around how officials treated Walton.

UCLA Bill Walton (33) in action, getting rebound vs Notre Dame. Bruin's 61st straight win.

Cover from Feb. 5, 1973 / George Long/Sports Illustrated

Walton and the Bruins defeated Notre Dame and won their 61st consecutive game in February 1973. “As the Bruins flew into the Midwest last week to take on Loyola, Notre Dame and Immortality, they seemed like the last persons on earth to care very much what they were about,” wrote Kirkpatrick, who dug into the players behind the big statistics. “They did not talk of The Streak. They did not think about it. One UCLA man said if the newspapers had shut up they wouldn't even have known about it.”

March 26, 1973 Sports Illustrated Cover . UCLA Bill Walton (32) in action.

Cover from March 26, 1973 / George Long/Sports Illustrated

Previewing the 1973 Final Four, Barry McDermott looked at if Indiana, Memphis State or Providence could possibly take down the Bruins, who were on the hunt for their seventh straight title. “Walton remains the key,” McDermott wrote. “Without him UCLA would be just another great team. But no one has stopped the big center since that policeman arrested him at a UCLA peace demonstration. Told that Indiana might be expected to slow down the game, Walton scoffed. ‘Good. If they plan that, you can tell them to save their plane fare.’ "

UCLA Bill Walton (32) in action, layup vs Maryland Len Elmore (41) at Pauley Pavilion

Cover from Dec. 10, 1973 / George Long/Sports Illustrated

In December 1973, Maryland landed in LA as the “UCLA of the East” and almost defeated the real thing. “In defeat Maryland gained more honor, respect and downright envy than it had in any of its 50 victories over the two years past,” Kirkpatrick wrote of the battle.

SI Cover: UCLA's lost weekend after losing to Oregon

Cover from Feb. 25, 1974 / Carl Iwasaki/Sports Illustrated

The Bruins lost to both Oregon and Oregon State in mid-February 1974, Walton’s final year at UCLA. The team’s 88-game winning streak had been snapped just a few weeks before to Notre Dame.

Split image of Bill Walton of UCLA & Tom Burleson of NC State

Cover from March 25, 1974 / Long Photography/James Drake

It was a long-awaited rematch for NC State when it took on UCLA in the 1974 Final Four. “For this is the Era of the Bruins, a spell during which college basketball has hummed along to the rhythm of California Winnin' and thrived on the homilies of that little old man in tennis shoes, John Wooden,” McDermott wrote ahead of the game. “Whether it will be his farewell appearance this week, only the Wizard knows. Bill Walton is graduating and there is speculation that Wooden will graduate with him, trading in his rolled up program for a lounge chair plumped with the cushions of a fat pension and happy memories.” Wooden would go on to coach another year, but the Wolfpack would indeed spoil Walton’s end at UCLA.

Portland Trailblazers Bill Walton with Milwaukee Bucks Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a preseason game.

Cover from Oct. 14, 1974 / Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

Walton had his first matchup against fellow UCLA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at an October exhibition game in 1974. "’I said it before and I'll say it again: he is the best I've ever seen,’ Walton whispered after the Bucks had won 103-96. ‘I learned something out there tonight.’ "

Portland Trail Blazers Bill Walton (32) in action, boxing out vs Indiana Pacers Rudy Hackett.

Cover from Dec. 13, 1976 / Hank Delespinasse/Sports Illustrated

After an injury-plagued first two seasons in the NBA, Walton was finally healthy in 1976 and had the Trail Blazers atop its division. Many thought there was a new Bill Walton, one who was less of a hippie, that accounted for his sudden return to basketball dominance on the floor. He told Kirkpatrick the real reason behind this changed player: "‘I'm just healthy,’ Walton said last week while wearing a lavender Grateful Dead T shirt. ‘That's all. For two years I wasn't able to run up and down the court freely without making a conscious effort out of it. Without thinking about it. That's no way to play basketball.’ ”

Portland Trail Blazers Bill Walton (32) in action, boxing out vs Los Angeles Lakers Kareem Abdul Jabbar in Game 4.

Cover from May 23, 1977 / Hank Delespinasse/Sports Illustrated

Walton and the Trail Blazers took down Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers in just four games in the 1977 Western Conference finals. “In the years to come it surely will be remembered as the Mountain Man Jam or the V (for Vegetarian) Bomb or the Sky-Is-Falling-Redbeard-Autographed-Screamer. Something like that,” Kirkpatrick opened with. “But before the explosive dunk shot that Bill Walton put in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's face—the one he threw right down there in the famous goggles—before that moment becomes blown out of proportion, let us consider what it was not….”

Philadelphia 76ers Doug Collins in action against Portland Trail Blazers Bill Walton

Cover from June 13, 1977 / Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated

Walton and the Trail Blazers went on to win their first (and so far, only) title in 1977 after taking down the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals. “The Portland Trail Blazers had whip-lashed the 76ers four times in eight days to win the NBA championship, simply because whenever Walton rolled his arms over his head in those strange, jerky circles, all of Multnomah County came to his aid; but when Erving asked for help, what most of the 76ers came up with was zilch,” Kirkpatrick wrote.

Portland Trail Blazers Bill Walton (32) upset on sidelines bench after sustaining injury during Game 2 vs Seattle.

Cover from Aug. 21, 1978 / James Drake/Sports Illustrated

In August 1978, Walton made another shocking play, this time off the court. After a dispute over medical care stemming from a foot fracture in an April playoff game, Walton demanded to be traded. John Papanek detailed Walton’s surprising decision and the odd way it unfolded that summer.

Bill Walton smiles while holding a basketball and wearing as suit.

Cover from Oct. 15, 1979 / Peter Read Miller/Sports Illustrated

After demanding to be traded, having those demands denied and then missing the entire 1978–79 season, Walton was finally ready to return to the court, this time with his hometown San Diego Clippers. “Everything is perfect now for Walton. He's back in California with his family and the mountains,” Papanek wrote. “But more than anything, it is the anticipation of playing basketball again that lights up his face so that it matches the color of his hair.”

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Brewers vs. Phillies Prediction, Odds, Pick and Probable Pitchers for Monday, June 3

Two first-place teams in the National League face off on Monday night – the first game of the day in Major League Baseball – and the Philadelphia Phillies are heavily favored over the Milwaukee Brewers

Philly enters this game with the best record in the NL, and it will have NL Cy Young favorite Zack Wheeler on the bump for his 13th start of the season. While the Brewers haven’t officially released who their starter will be, it appears Bryse Wilson will either start or come in after an opener in this matchup.

DraftKings Sportsbook has player props up for both Wheeler and Wilson.

With Philly set as such a big favorite, how should we bet on this matchup? I’m eyeing a play on the total on Monday.

Run Line

Moneyline

Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Milwaukee Brewers

William Contreras: One of the best catchers in baseball this season, Contreras is hitting .316 with eight homers and 44 runs batted in across 59 games. He’ll be a driving force for Milwaukee’s offense if it can knock off Wheeler on Monday.

Philadelphia Phillies

Zack Wheeler: The NL Cy Young favorite, Wheeler has been lights out this season, posting a 2.32 ERA and 2.78 FIP. The Phillies are just 6-6 in his 12 starts, but Wheeler has recorded a win in each game that Philly has won. He’s coming off six innings of two-hit ball against the San Francisco Giants in his last start.

In the 2024 season, no team has hit the OVER more than the Brewers (34-22-3), and I’m leaving there again on Monday.

These two teams are No. 3 (Milwaukee) and No. 5 (Philadelphia) in OPS this season, and Wilson could be due for some regression on the mound despite his respectable ERA in 2024.

Wilson has a Fielding Independent Pitching of 5.00 and an expected ERA of 4.75, a sign that he’s been a little lucky so far this season. Against a Phillies lineup that has several sluggers, that could be an issue.

Plus, in Wilson’s last two outings, the Brewers have combined for 16 and nine runs, clearing this total on both occasions.

I don’t love taking an OVER when Wheeler is on the mound, but he has given up at least three runs in four of 12 starts and two or more in six of 12 outings. It may not be a lot, but it’s enough to help this total in what could be a big game for the Philly offense.

Pick: OVER 8.5 (-105)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Peter’s Points: Mavericks vs. Celtics NBA Finals Betting Odds, Prediction and Pick

Luka Doncic vs. Jayson Tatum. Kyrie Irving vs. Boston. Kristaps Porzingis vs. Dallas.

The stage is set for the 2024 NBA Finals, and we could be in for quite the series, especially since both of these teams have gotten a ton of rest since the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

Game 1 – on June 6 – is still a few days away, but the betting markets for the NBA Finals are alive and well. Not only are there odds for the series winner, exact games and NBA Finals MVP, but bettors can also wager on series-long player props ahead of Game 1 as well.

Using odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, I’m taking a deep dive into this series where the Boston Celtics are heavily favored to win their first title in the Jayson Tatum era – something that has been building all season long in the futures market.

Dallas, who is the No. 5 seed in the West, won three consecutive playoff series as a road team and underdog, but can it win one more? Doncic and Irving certainly are as well-equipped as a duo could be to lead their team to the promised land.

As someone who is holding a preseason future on Boston, there are several ways to play this series. But, before getting into my pick, let’s discuss the series odds, correct score and Finals MVP markets and how they may shake out.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Based on implied probability, Boston has a 67.74 percent chance to win this series, while Dallas clocks in at 36.36 percent.

It makes sense since Boston has home-court advantage in this matchup, but the Mavericks have played some great basketball as of late. Not only did they post the best defensive rating in the NBA over their last 15 games of the regular season, but they closed the season on a 16-4 run to earn the No. 5 seed.

Since the trade deadline, when Dallas acquired PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, it has been a totally different team.

However, there is one thing that I’ve been tracking for years that is working against Dallas in this series. Since the 1996-97 season, every team that has won the NBA Finals finished in the top eight in net rating during the regular season.

Dallas did not in the 2023-24 campaign.

Since the 1996-97 season, every team that won the NBA Finals finished inside the top 8 in net rating during the regular season.
This season:
1. Celtics
2. Thunder
3. Timberwolves
4. Nuggets
5. Knicks
6. Pelicans
7. Clippers
8. Suns
Knicks, Celtics the only teams in East...🤔
— Peter Dewey (@peterdewey2) April 18, 2024

Is this the year that this trend breaks? It could be given how drastically the Mavs’ roster changed at the trade deadline. Dallas had a net rating of +1.3 before the All-Star break (around the trade deadline) and it ended up posting a +3.7 net rating in 27 games out of the All-Star break – which was good for 12th in the NBA.

I try not to read into these trends too much, but this one has extended over 25 years, so it’s going to take a special team to break it.

As for Boston, this has been the expectation for the team all season long. The C’s have been Finals favorites for most of the campaign, and they rolled through the Eastern Conference in the playoffs.

While Boston has been maligned for having an easier path to the Finals due to injuries to its opponents, the Celtics beat whoever was in front of them, going 12-2 on their run. It’s hard to be much better than that.

Since Boston is heavily favored to win this series, it has the three most likely outcomes in the correct score odds at DraftKings.

Given Boston’s dominance on the road (6-0 this postseason), it isn’t crazy to think that this series could be over in five or six games, even though Dallas has yet to face a Game 7 all postseason.

The Mavericks’ most likely outcome is to take the series in six games, with a four or five game win sitting as a massive long shot. Dallas has an implied probability of just 7.69 percent to win in five games and five percent to win in four games.

Jayson Tatum is the odds on favorite to win NBA Finals MVP with Boston favored in this series, but can we count out Jaylen Brown?

Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, yet he’s +650 to win Finals MVP. Tatum has played much better as of late, but he started the postseason off in a bit of a shooting slump, and will likely draw one of Washington or Derrick Jones Jr. for the entirety of the series against Dallas.

Luka Doncic (+205) is also interesting since he leads the playoffs in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers made.

Obviously, Dallas would have to overcome being a massive underdog for Doncic to win this award, but at +205 he presents some more value than simply taking the Mavs to win the series. It’s tough to see any other Dallas player winning this award based on the odds, unless Kyrie Irving has a massive series scoring the ball.

Doncic has been a triple-double machine in these playoffs, so we know he’s going to stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis, which would help him when it comes to the Finals MVP voting.

Even though oddsmakers don’t seem to think this matchup will be super close, I actually believe we’re in for a terrific series given how Dallas matches up defensively with the Celtics.

Washington, Jones Jr. and Dereck Lively II are all versatile defenders that could match up with Tatum, Brown and Porzingis respectively on defense. On the Boston side of things, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are about as good of a duo as you can have to deal with the offensive expertise of Doncic and Irving.

Dallas and Boston have both thrived in clutch minutes so far this postseason, and each team has All-Star closers that can take over a game. If Porzingis is back – and it seems like he is trending in that direction – both teams will also be as healthy as they’ve been all playoffs now that Maxi Kleber is back from a shoulder injury for Dallas.

So where does Boston’s advantage truly lie?

While the Celtics faced three banged-up teams to up the playoffs, they dominated a good chunk of their games, only losing on masterful Game 2 shooting performances by Miami (23-for-43 from 3 in Game 2) and Cleveland (13-for-28 from 3 in Game 2). In both of those games, Boston failed to make double-digit 3-pointers, but it has been one of the best shooting teams all season.

Doncic and Irving present a challenge the C’s haven’t faced yet, but to say Boston isn’t battle tested is flat out wrong.

The Celtics are 6-0 on the road in the playoffs and turned three games in the Eastern Conference Finals where their opponent – the Indiana Pacers – had a 90 percent win probability or higher, into wins. Regardless of who is on the floor, that’s impressive resilience from a team that has played in big games a lot in the Tatum-Brown era.

Dallas’ role players are going to have to knock down shots in this series – and they have for most of the playoffs – but Boston has more offensive firepower when Porzingis is in the lineup. A lot of people are forgetting they rolled through the last two rounds without KP’s 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds on the floor.

Moving Al Horford to a smaller role should combat the problems Boston had defending the pick-and-roll this postseason, and Porzingis (if healthy) gives Boston elite rim protection against lob threats like Gafford and Lively.

Dallas’ offense doesn’t have the ability to spread the floor like Boston’s does, and while I believe Doncic is the best player in this series, Boston has shown all season long that it is the best team.

I don’t think Dallas gets run out of the building like Boston did to the East, but given the Celtics’ ability to win on the road in this postseason – and past postseasons – with this core, I think they clean this up in six games.

Pick: Celtics in 6 (+475)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Public Bettors Heavily Backing Mavericks to Win NBA Finals Over Celtics

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are underdogs in the 2024 NBA Finals, and public bettors... are loving it?

Dallas is around +175 to +180 (depending on the sportsbook) to win the Finals (an implied probability of 36.36 percent), yet more than 80 percent of the bets at BetMGM are on the Mavs to win the series against the Boston Celtics.

NBA Final series odds at #BetMGM
▪️ Celtics -225
▪️ Mavericks +180
85% of bets are on @dallasmavs to win. pic.twitter.com/TRuwPRvprs
— John Ewing (@johnewing) June 3, 2024

It's shocking to see bettors heavily backing Dallas since Boston has dominated the playoffs going 12-2 and finished the regular season with the best record and net rating in the NBA. Maybe it's the plus money that has bettors intrigued, but can Dallas really pull off the win in the Finals?

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Earlier on Monday, yours truly broke down this NBA Finals matchup with the latest odds, players to watch and keys to winning the series.

I still believe that Boston -- with a healthy Kristaps Porzingis -- is the better team and will go on to win the title.

However, Dallas has certainly made a compelling argument since the last 20 games of the regular season. Not only did the Mavs finish those 20 games 16-4 with the best defensive rating in the NBA, but they also won three straight playoff series as a road team and underdog.

That's extremely impressive, and it could be what is causing this massive influx of public bets on the Mavs to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving will have their hands full with a tough defense that features Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, but if the Mavs' stars outplay Brown and Jayson Tatum, it could be enough to win this series.

Still, taking note of where the public's money is can be a helpful strategy when deciding where to bet on a series.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's betting record here You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Matt Barnes Calls Out Caitlin Clark’s Fever Teammates With NSFW Message

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, already in the spotlight given her massive following, became the talk of sports after Saturday's game against the Chicago Sky, as Clark was fouled hard by Sky guard Chennedy Carter, sparking a strong reaction from Clark herself, as well as outcry from both fans and Fever coach Christie Sides.

Matt Barnes, who co-hosts the All The Smoke podcast with fellow former NBA player Stephen Jackson, joined the chorus of voices discussing Clark, only he decided to focus less on Carter's foul and more on the reaction, or lack thereof in his eyes, of Clark's teammates to the play.

Barnes, in a post onto his account on Instagram, ripped Clark's Fever teammates for seemingly not coming to her defense on Saturday—or this season as a whole.

Former NBA Enforcer Matt Barnes
on the abuse that Caitlyn Clark has gone through in her early WNBA career 😳 pic.twitter.com/SJSsDdskbM
— Culture Ent. (@culture__ent) June 2, 2024

"So, there's a hot topic going on right now," Barnes said. "Caitlin Clark says she got cheap-shotted against the Sky. I mean, throughout the season she's been getting beat up. Hard screens, elbows, knocked down. It is what it is. She's not the first. She won't be the last."

"My issue and my question is, where the f--- are her teammates at? Where y'all at? Where are the rest of the Indiana Fever? I've seen a couple girls smirk when she's got knocked down, half-a-- to pick her up. Like, y'all are supposed to protect the asset, protect the star and although this is a team, she's the star."

Barnes, as a former enforcer for 14 seasons in the NBA, then went on to say that the Fever should be "ashamed of themselves."

Barnes is not the only person to suggest the Fever need an enforcer-type on the roster, an opinion that Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green stated in an Instagram post on Saturday—and one that Carter herself seemingly scoffed at.

As Barnes said, the WNBA is going to continue to test Clark. How the Fever respond, especially given Carter's—and perhaps others'—opinions on Clark, should be of the utmost importance to the franchise moving forward.

3 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

NFL Hall of Famer, Former Cowboys Star Larry Allen Dies at Age 52

Former Dallas Cowboys guard Larry Allen died on Sunday at age 52, his family shared on Monday.

Allen played for the Cowboys from 1994–2005 before finishing his last two NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. As a Cowboy, he was part of the Super Bowl XXX triumph, an 11-time Pro Bowler and a seven-time All-Pro selection.

After his retirement from the NFL, Allen was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and to the Cowboys Ring of Honor. The Cowboys released a statement on Monday following the news of Allen's death.

"Larry, known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive lineman to ever play in the NFL," the Cowboys' statement read. "His versatility and dependability were also signature parts of his career. Through that, he continued to serve as inspiration for many other players, defining what it meant to be a great teammate, competitor and winner."

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Cowboys Legend Larry Allen 💙 pic.twitter.com/l351PCkqdG
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) June 3, 2024

Allen was also named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team and the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team.