Xam’s Daily Gems:
Rangers 60 Minute Money Line -165
Risk: 8.25 Units
To Win: 5 Units
(For this bet to win, the Rangers must win in regulation. Bet loses even if the Rangers win in OT/Shootout.)
The Rangers will be looking to avenge their loss to the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Sunday. That loss ended a 10-game winning streak that saw the Rangers morph into the hottest team in the league and get within 1 point of the top seed in the Eastern Conference coming into play today. In hindsight, it makes sense as to why their last game was a bit of a letdown. It was the 2nd game of a back-to-back, 4th game since February 20th, and 5th game since February 28th! That’s a lot of hockey in such a short period of time. Coming into this game, however, they’re well rested and ready to get back on track. The Rangers have been great at home, going 20-7 at Madison Sqaure Garden. They’ve been a really good defense team, scoring 3.33 goals per game on average. However, the Rangers also play quality defense. Only the Panthers and Penguins have given up fewer goals than the Rangers in the Eastern Conference. They’re giving up just 2.76 goals per game on average. Despite their win on Sunday, Columbus has been terrible this year. They’re scoring less than 3 goals per game, have given up a whopping 210 goals on the year, and are under .500 on the road. The 210 goals they’ve given up are just 1 goal less than the Canadiens have given up, in the fight to lead the Eastern Conference in goals given up. Simply put, Columbus won’t catch the Rangers sleepwalking through this game. The Rangers are well rested, at home, and have the top seed in the East in their sights. At home, the offense shouldn’t have any issues getting it going. If they can continue their run of quality defense, the Rangers shouldn’t have any issues getting back on track tonight.
Clippers Money Line -162
Risk: 8.10 Units
To Win: 5 Units
The Clippers have cooled off considerably since their scorching hot play got them to the top seed in the Western Conference, but they’re still the 4th seed in the conference and in prime position to have a top seed in the playoffs. For the Lakers, it’s a different story. Despite being 7-3 in their last 10 games, they come into this game tied for the 9th seed in the Play-In Tournament. After making the Western Conference Finals last year, it’s been a disappointing season to say the least for the Lakers. The Clippers have been buoyed by both a solid offense and quality defense. As James Harden famously said, it would be scary for other teams when the Clippers figured it out, and it certainly has been. The Clippers can bludgeon you with their elite offensive weapons, as evidenced by their 117 points per game, and they can play suffocating defense, as shown by them giving up less than 113 points per game on the year. The Clippers handily won the last matchup between these teams faced off. The Clippers simply have the better players. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are good enough to wreck any game, but the Clippers have the defensive players to keep them in check. This game will likely come down to what kind of defense the Clippers can play. The Lakers are giving up over 117 points per game this season, and the Clippers have scored 125 or more points in 2 of their 3 games against the Lakers this year. If guys like Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and even Russell Westbrook can contain the Lakers offensively, they should be able to score enough against a porous Lakers defense to get the job done tonight.