Last year’s NBA finalists had very different nights on Monday.
The defending champion Celtics (-5.5) lost to the Knicks 121-113 to fall behind 3-1 in the Eastern semifinals. Worse yet, Boston star Jayson Tatum suffered what appeared to be a serious leg injury late in the game and was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.
The Mavs, on the other hand, came out of the NBA Draft Lottery with the No. 1 pick despite a 1.8 percent chance of doing so. That means the team that made the much-ridiculed Luka Doncic trade will be rewarded with Duke standout Cooper Flagg. >>Draft order. >>DraftKings odds for 2026 NBA title winner.
Speaking of former champions playing without their star, the Warriors (+4.5) lost to the Timberwolves 117-110 in the other game. Minnesota leads 3-1 with Steph Curry’s status still in doubt.
Zach Cohen already has posted his Best Bets for today’s games.
- Game 5: Pacers (+8 at Circa) at Cavaliers, 7 ET, TNT. Indiana leads 3-1.
- Game 5: Nuggets (+10.5) at Thunder, 9:30 ET, TNT. Tied at 2.
Dan Karpuc and Steve Makinen will file their contributions later this morning.
>Today’s selections from the KillerSports NBA Playoff Challenge will be available shortly after 6 p.m. ET.
NHL Tonight
We have just one games in the NHL tonight:
- Game 4: Jets (+131) at Stars (-146), 8 ET; ESPN. Dallas leads 2-1.
Jonathan Davis will post his Best Bets later today.
Monday recap: The Oilers (-113) blanked the Golden Knights 3-0 to take a 3-1 series lead; the Hurricanes (-225) defeated the Capitals 5-2 for a 3-1 lead.
Makinen’s MLB systems update
Steve Makinen doesn’t get excited easily, but he seems pretty hyped about his MLB betting systems, including a new one that turned a 25 percent ROI last week.
Steve applies his betting systems to the daily menu in his Analytics Reports, posted mid-morning on our MLB page.
Greg Peterson already has filed his top plays for today. And, yes, he does fade the Rockies on the run line again even though they had a rare one-run loss to Texas on Monday night.
Adam Burke and Josh Appelbaum will post their Best Bet contributions later this morning.
NFL very early lines
The NFL schedule release party is Wednesday night, but the official leaks have begun (with odds from DraftKings Sportsbook):
Week 1
Thursday, September 4
Cowboys at Eagles (-7)(46.5)
Week 13
Friday, November 28
Bears at Eagles (-7)(46.5)
Week 16
Saturday, December 20
Eagles (-1.5)(48.5) at Commanders
Packers (-1.5)(45.5) at Bears
Week 17
Thursday, December 25
Broncos at Chiefs (-4.5)(44.5)
Not much action yet on the Betting Splits page.
Quick Hits
Preakness: The post positions are set for Saturday’s race at Pimlico with Journalism, runner-up in the Derby, installed as the morning line favorite at 8-5. Adam Burke has details.
PGA Championship: Don’t wait for your Best Bets on golf’s second major. Watch the Long Shots podcast live on VSiN’s YouTube channel today at 2:15 p.m. ET. If you miss it, use the same link to watch the replay.
College Baseball: VSiN contributor Aaron Moore offers a primer on betting the NCAA baseball tournament.
This is The VSiN Daily newsletter for Tuesday, May 13. Sign up for this free email and get picks and insights delivered to your in-box every morning.
