Month: May 2023

Bucs GM Jason Licht has succeeded in finding undrafted gems throughout his career. We examine a few of Tampa Bay’s UFA additions, including some fascinating stories.

Two NBA playoff semifinal games are on deck Monday night. The 76ers–Celtics series gets underway from TD Garden and later in the evening, the Suns–Nuggets series continues with Game 2 from Ball Arena after Denver jumped out to a 1–0 lead over the weekend.

Both home teams are favored, though the large line in favor of Boston (-10.5) reflects the likelihood that Philadelphia is without its best player, Joel Embiid, while Phoenix is installed as a 4.5-point underdog.

Below are five NBA postseason betting trends to be aware of before these games begin. 76ers-Celtics tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and Suns-Nuggets begins at 10.

Celtics’ Games Hit the Over in Four Straight

The Celtics are the second-highest scoring team in the playoffs to date (121.2 points per game) and the over hit in the final four games of their six-game, first-round series with the Hawks. Compare that with the 76ers, the fourth-lowest scoring team in the postseason (103.8 ppg) and the No. 1 scoring defense (92.5 points per game), who saw the under cash three times during their sweep of the Nets. The line for Game 1 is set at 214 — the lowest for Boston so far in the playoffs and the highest for Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey Player Prop Point Total is 23.5

The league’s leading scorer and likely MVP Embiid (knee) is doubtful for the series opener against the Celtics. If he can’t go, even more scoring responsibility will fall to third-year guard Tyrese Maxey, who led the team in scoring in the Brooklyn series (21.8 ppg). However, Maxey struggled mightily in this matchup during the regular season. He finished with 21 points in a loss to the Celtics in the season opener and proceeded to score a combined 19 points over the next three games on dismal shooting. Maxey’s point total is set at 23.5, the highest for any Philadelphia player.

Jamal Murray Point Total and Three-Pointer Prop

Murray led all scorers with 34 points on six made threes in the series opener. That was his second outing in a row with at least 30 points and five three-pointers. Murray’s point total is set at 25.5 — tied with Nikola Jokić for the highest on the team — and his three-point over/under is set at 3.5 with the over available at plus odds. He’s gone over that scoring total in three of six playoff games so far and hit more than 3.5 threes four times.

Kevin Durant Player Prop has +185 Payout

Durant (29 points, 14 rebounds) was the Suns’ best player in Game 1, though his team still fell by 18. Devin Booker (35.5 ppg) is Phoenix’s leading scorer so far in the playoffs and his over/under is set at 30.5 while Durant’s is 29.5. Can Durant, who has yet to lead all scorers in a playoff game this year, do so in Game 2 at +185 odds?

Nuggets are 3-1 Against The Spread in Home Playoff Games

The Nuggets went 34–7 at Ball Arena in the regular season, the second-best record in the NBA. The West’s No. 1 seed also finished 25–15–1 against the spread in front of their fans. So far in the playoffs, Denver is 4–0 straight up and 3–1 against the number in the Mile High City. The line for Game 1 was set at 4.5 in favor of the home team, which Jokić and Co. covered easily. The Game 2 spread is identical, once again in the Nuggets’ favor.

1. Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. did something against the Mets on Monday that doesn’t happen often: He launched a home run into the third deck of Citi Field. The homer quickly got tagged at 448 feet, but there is zero chance that’s accurate.

The majestic blast was hit to left center field with one lonely Mets fan standing in perfect position to get a souvenir. But since it came from an opposing player, the fan was torn. First, though, he was in a state of shock that a ball would be hit up there. 

Look where this Ronald Acuña Jr. HR landed 🤯🤯🤯

Corona Premier / @CoronaUSA pic.twitter.com/HsjNNj4EDU

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 1, 2023

You have to love the fan thinking about throwing the ball back on the field for a split second before opting to pocket it. Did he make that decision because he thought he might not be able to throw the ball onto the field from so far high up or did he just want the ball as a keepsake? Or both?

2. Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber was miked up for Sunday Night Baseball and had such a relatable reaction when a fly ball was hit toward him.

Kyle Schwarber: “oh shoot…..gawd” 😂 pic.twitter.com/LcktieyQYN

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 1, 2023

3. Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt channeled his inner Tom Brady on Sunday and took out his frustrations with the home plate umpire on a tablet.

Bassitt is not in a good mood pic.twitter.com/VDjwklxMbD

— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) April 30, 2023

Given this pitch from Bassitt was called a ball, he had every right to break a tablet.

Certainly looked like Bassitt has struck out Kelenic but he doesn’t get the call on an inside fastball then two pitches later, Kelenic walks #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/n7gZDaTOLM

— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) April 30, 2023

4. The Padres beat the Giants 16–11 on Saturday and 6–4 on Sunday in a two-game series in Mexico City. This is how they celebrated.

Had to run back the piñata party 🪅 pic.twitter.com/Fvp6JIFo0C

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 30, 2023

5. Erik Spoelstra just had a one-word reaction when Jimmy Butler went down with an ankle injury against the Knicks on Sunday.

Jimmy Butler is down after rolling his ankle badly on this drive.

Hope he’s okay 🙏

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: “F*ck”pic.twitter.com/3hUSFHDQWK

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 30, 2023

6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina features an interview with the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen.

Eisen talks about hosting the NFL draft for the 19th year in a row, what covering the draft is like, what his goal is when hosting the draft, whether the assignment is still a difficult one, whether he feels competitive going head-to-head with ESPN and whether he prefers covering Super Bowl Sunday or the draft.

Eisen also discusses his recent saga with losing his blue check mark on Twitter and then getting it back, how Elon Musk has affected his business and the most cringeworthy fallout from Musk’s Twitter Blue.

Other topics covered with Eisen include Aaron Rodgers’s getting traded to the Jets, the Yankees’ futility, his annual “Run Rich Run” 40-yard dash for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and more.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Here are all 50 points from Steph Curry’s ridiculous performance against the Kings in Sunday’s Game 7 win.

All Steph’s buckets from his 50-point Game 7 performance 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SzrczXVnRB

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 1, 2023

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, it’s time to lock in some early futures value for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Last year’s winner, Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, opened at +1000 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. We recommended that pick and hope you enjoyed the 10-to-1 payout. There is another cornerback at +1000 odds to open the season and a cornerback has taken home the award three times in the last 10 years, but oddsmakers have four edge defenders among the favorites.

Let’s take a closer look.

Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. is the current favorite at +350. The Texans traded up to nab Anderson at pick number three, indicating new head coach DeMeco Ryans sees an immediate need for the star edge rusher out of Alabama. Houston’s defense can only get better. Anderson, who racked up 207 total pressures in three years at Alabama, will be in a position to make an instant impact for the Texans.

Jalen Carter (+800) fell to the Eagles at pick nine, despite some red flags off the field. It’s those red flags that could earn you some value here at 8-to-1 odds. If the Eagles are correct and Carter’s issues are behind him, the Georgia defensive tackle who racked up 32 total pressures from 273 pass-rushing snaps for Georgia in 2022 could be a difference-maker for an Eagles team that is the favorite to win the NFC East.

Also coming in at +800 is Raiders edge rusher Tyree Wilson, whom Las Vegas drafted with the seventh pick in Round 1. The Texas Tech product will get to chase around fellow Red Raider alum Patrick Mahomes twice a year.

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez (+1000) fell to the Patriots at pick 17 despite being the top cornerback on many boards. Lukas Van Ness (+1200) will be the new edge defender for the Packers and was selected at pick 13. Emmanuel Forbes (+1400) joins the Commanders after a three-year career at Mississippi State with 14 interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Nolan Smith (+1600) was the 30th pick to the Eagles and could be undersized as an edge defender in the NFL (he’ll also have to compete with teammate Jalen Carter for the award).

Current odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year:

Will Anderson Jr. +350
Jalen Carter +800
Tyree Wilson +800
Christian Gonzalez +1000
Lukas Van Ness +1200
Emmanuel Forbes +1400
Nolan Smith +1600
Will McDonald IV +2000
Myles Murphy +2000
Joey Porter Jr. +2000
Jack Campbell +2000
Felix Anudike-Uzomah +2000
Drew Sanders +2000
Deonte Banks +2000
Brian Branch +2000

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If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the National Council for Problem Gambling 1-800-522-4700.

Shannon Sharpe and Steve Harvey go into detail about the handful of acts including Cedric the Entertainer, Rickey Smiley, Earthquake and DL Hughley that he’s helped throughout his career.

New York Mets’ Pete Alonso destroyed a three-run blast to right-center field for his 11th homer of the season. The Mets trailed the Atlanta Braves 6-4 in the third inning.

Steve Harvey shares with Shannon Sharpe that if Cedric the Entertainer, Earthquake or Rickey Smiley dogged him it would hurt him because he knows them personally. He explains that if 50 Cent dogged him it wouldn’t hurt him because he doesn’t know him. Steve also goes onto give Shannon Sharpe his flowers and talks about dealing with haters.

Shannon Sharpe and Steve Harvey discuss Steve purchasing Tyler Perry’s mansion for $15M. Steve explains how his wife, Marjorie was influential in the purchase of the home. When asked about the house, Steve said: “ I can’t complain about that there.”

Last season, MLB introduced in-game interviews during nationally televised games, and the reviews were universally positive. We’re talking about interviews with players while they’re competing in a game, as opposed to players speaking during a rest day.

It was a whole new fan experience to watch and listen as players were interviewed by broadcasters while playing the outfield or warming up for their at-bat. But, naturally, players were hesitant to accommodate the distraction—so there was a nice monetary incentive. 

With that in mind, players such as Aaron Judge and Martin Maldonado were paid $10,000 to do in-game interviews, per the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand. The money did not come from ESPN, Fox, TBS, Apple or Peacock. Instead, the MLB and the player’s association footed the bill. 

The money comes out of the earmarked joint funds that MLB and the union share. It’s worth noting that the interviews only last a few minutes, making it a pretty good deal for the players. 

The in-game interviews have continued in 2023 and don’t appear to be going away anytime soon.