If the Kings had started David Rittich before Game 4 in net, maybe they aren't facing elimination on Wednesday. Maybe if I was taller, I'd be in the NBA (probably not). I'm assuming Rittich again here, and he played well Sunday in the 1-0 loss but also only faced 13 Oilers shots. I guarantee you at least double that many for Edmonton back home. Instead of -195 on the ML, let's do this great price on the puckline because if the Kings are down a goal with about five minutes left, they probably pull Rittich that early with the season on the line (as opposed to the final minute or so of a regular season game), and the Oilers can theoretically pile on.

Only 9 left on our board is at DraftKings, and runs should be at a premium with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (0.00 ERA in two road starts) opposed by Jordan Montgomery -- Monty was supposed to pitch last night but was scratched when the game was delayed for a while at the start due to a hive of bees behind home plate. Reminds of a Little League game I had canceled due to bats (the vampiric kind not the hitting instrument).

Justin Verlander looks just fine at age 41 for Houston, while Cleveland's Triston McKenzie (4.91 ERA) has seen a big drop in velo since his last fully healthy 2022 season. And the bullpen behind him is super-thin as the Guardians' top three high-leverage guys led by closer Emmanuel Clase have pitched three of the past four days so are probably all unavailable. Thus, we will avoid first five.

Surprising decision by Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy to bench No. 1 goalie Logan Thompson tonight for Adin Hill, the 2023 playoff hero. Thompson has been very good in this series with a 2.35 GAA and .921 SV but the Knights have dropped the past two. Partly due to injury/illness and also obviously due to Thompson, Hill has played in only three of the Knights' last 16 contests (last on April 18) in which he was 1-2 with a 3.68 GAA. Seems like a panic decision and at some point, the home team is winning a game. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger has allowed exactly two goals in the past three games and if he does again, I'll take my chances.

The Braves haven't been swept this season and I'm sure would prefer not to be. Their offense has gone to sleep of late but I think wakes up some today vs. M's rookie Emerson Hancock. ATL's Chris Sale has been quite strong other than one start. One good thing about this series so far is that Atlanta has not used any of its high-leverage relievers so they are all ready to go today. Mariners closer Andres Munoz pitched 1.2 innings last night and thus surely is not available. Because of the state of the bullpens, I opted not to do first five.

This series has been good to us so far. Really think the books continue to overvalue the Rays -- this is not the same club that made the playoffs each of the past five seasons. Also the end of a six-game trip for Tampa Bay ahead of the longest homestand of the season, so perhaps a natural letdown spot. Zach Eflin is 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA on the road. His 2023 season continues to look like a massive fluke.

Did not think this would get to 9 (ESPNBet has 9.5) and while I don't love it will play a little simply as getaway games in Detroit tend to be lower scoring and the winds are blowing in from right field a fair amount. Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda has a 5.96 ERA but comes off his best outing of the season and has been very solid in three of his past four overall. Interesting (to me anyways) fact about Cards pitcher Miles Mikolas. He is one of 13 active MLB pitchers with 180 appearances and 150 starts who has faced 29 different MLB foes but the only one who has not faced the Tigers as their final opponent. That could help our cause.

Seems highly doubtful that Giannis and Dame Lillard will play and in fact they are both listed doubtful. This would be quite a bit higher but Tyrese Haliburton is questionable for Indiana. Highly doubt he sits with the Pacers having the chance to finish off a short-handed Bucks team and avoid a Game 6.

Washington is playing really well and just swept four in Miami but had to play Monday and then travel while Texas was off -- and the Rangers appeared to really need a break after playing in 22 of the past 23 days. Texas pitcher Jon Gray has given up one or fewer earned runs in each of his past five trips to the mound (including a relief outing).

The home team has won every game in the series by double digits, and I really see no reason why that changes Tuesday back in Cleveland. The Magic didn't top 86 points in either of the first two games there -- not leading once -- and are now 18-25 away on the season. The Cavs are looking to win three straight home games in a playoff series for the first time since winning the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Boston.

Don't play the Brewers to win outright much because I don't think much of their offense, which was evident yesterday in 1-0 loss -- although we won on the runline. Milwaukee came out of that better bullpen-wise and while the starting pitching matchup was fairly even Monday. That doesn't appear to be today with Brewers ace Freddy Peralta opposed by Tyler Alexander.

Can't say I love that Cubs lineup tonight with a few guys in there who don't normally play too often (Madrigal, Wisdom, Canario, Amaya). Manaea has allowed more than two earned just once all season. He doesn't go deep into games but that could be part of the benefit here. Get through that watered-down Chicago lineup twice and get out of there. The winds at Citi Field appear to be blowing in a bit.

The Leafs have two big problems: They can't beat Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman -- Linus Ullmark started the only Bruins loss, but we won't see him again this series barring injury -- and Auston Matthews is still dealing with an illness. Matthews didn't practice Monday but did travel to Boston. I'd expect him to play Tuesday, but the Leafs simply look broken in the playoffs. Again. The NHL's longest Cup drought unfortunately will continue, and I can almost guarantee you that Coach Sheldon Keefe will be fired.

Brunson could finish with 32/10/5 and we still win this. Have to do it even though the Knicks All-Star blew past this number in the past two games in Philadelphia. The SL Model has him at about 45 PRA and our AI projections at essentially the same. If I'm Sixers coach Nick Nurse, I'm throwing the Jordan Rules at him tonight and daring everyone else to beat them.

The Lakers obviously have to throw everything they have at the Nuggets tonight with the season on the line -- and they have been dominating in points in the paint in the past two games, so maybe they figured something out. Denver also is listing Jamal Murray as questionable. Jarred Vanderbilt has been upgraded to questionable for LA and would bring some needed additional size/fouls against Nikola Jokic. This feels like a really close game or a Denver blowout win. The Lakers have led by double digits in every game so far.