What to bet on Friday: Lakers open series (updated)
Friday college football is back with a … not quite marquee matchup. Oh, and the Los Angeles Lakers start the Western Conference Finals.
Here’s the betting menu for Friday (odds at the Westgate, updated at 11:05 a.m.):
College football
Campbell at Coastal Carolina (-28, total 60½), 4:30 p.m.
The Chanticleers return home after destroying Kansas 38-23 in their opener as 6-point underdogs. Coastal Carolina welcomes the Fighting Camels, who nearly pulled off an outright upset of Georgia Southern as 29-point underdogs last week. Campbell fell 27-26 when it missed a 2-point conversion try for the win with 15 seconds left.
Line movement: Boyd Gaming had -26½, total 52½ overnight. The Westgate posted -28, 54 on Friday, and the total has gone up sharply. The spread hit 29½ before going back down. Boyd still has the only posted ML (-4,500/+1,300).
NBA
(At Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
Los Angeles Lakers (-7, 210, -300) vs. Denver (+250), Game 1, 6 p.m.
The Lakers do not have to win the Battle of Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals after the Nuggets stunned the Clippers in their semifinal series. Denver crawled back from a 3-1 deficit for the second straight round to shock the Clippers. Now, the Lakers, the West’s top seed, are favored by fewer points than the Clippers were in every game against the Nuggets (7½ to 9½). The Game 1 line has stayed solid at 7 after opening at 6½ at a few sportsbooks. The total has ticked down from 212. The Lakers went 3-1 against the Nuggets in the regular season, but all three wins were by single digits. The Lakers are -600 favorites to win the series (Nuggets +450). The most likely series result is the Lakers to win in five games at +240. A sweep is +250.
Line movement: Total down from 211. Lakers ML up from -280. Lakers series price up from -550.
MLB
(Pitchers subject to change)
(Note: xFIP is an advanced stat that is a more accurate measure of a pitcher’s performance than ERA.)
St. Louis (-170, 6½ over -120) at Pittsburgh (+160), 1:05 p.m. (first game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: St. Louis’ Carlos Martinez (RHP, 0-2, 10.32 ERA, 4.01 xFIP) vs. Pittsburgh’s Trevor Williams (RHP, 1-7, 6.35 ERA, 4.98 xFIP)
Pittsburgh (+152) vs. St. Louis (-162, 7 under -120), about 4:05 p.m. (second game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: Pittsburgh’s Chad Kuhl (RHP, 1-2, 5.50 ERA, 5.40 xFIP) vs. St. Louis’ Daniel Ponce de Leon (RHP, 0-3, 6.23 ERA, 5.06 xFIP)
Note: St. Louis will play as the home team despite the game being in Pittsburgh
Philadelphia (-108, 6½ over -120) vs. Toronto (-102), 1:05 p.m. (first game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: Philadelphia’s Zach Eflin (RHP, 2-2, 5.01 ERA, 3.21 xFIP) vs. Toronto’s Robbie Ray (LHP, 2-4, 6.85 ERA, 5.97 xFIP)
Note: Toronto will play as the home team despite the game being in Philadelphia
Toronto (+100) at Philadelphia (-110, 7½ over -115), about 4:05 p.m. (second game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: Toronto’s Ross Stripling (RHP, 3-3, 5.88 ERA, 5.20 xFIP) vs. undecided
Note: Philadelphia has not declared a starter.
Washington (+178) at Miami (-196, 6½ over -115), 2:10 p.m. (first game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: Washington’s Erick Fedde (RHP, 1-3, 5.06 ERA, 5.68 xFIP) vs. Miami’s Sixto Sanchez (RHP, 3-1, 1.69 ERA, 3.37 xFIP)
Washington (+130) at Miami (-140, 7 over -115), about 5:10 p.m. (second game of seven-inning doubleheader)
Probable pitchers: Washington’s Wil Crowe (RHP, 0-1, 7.50 ERA, 8.10 xFIP) vs. undecided
Chicago White Sox (+106) at Cincinnati (-116, 9 over -120), 4:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Chicago’s Jonathan Stiever (RHP, 0-0, 2.45 ERA, 4.25 xFIP) vs. Cincinnati’s Tejay Antone (RHP, 0-2, 2.76 ERA, 4.13 xFIP)
Note: Stiever is making his second career start.
Line movement: Cincinnati up from -105. Total down from 9½ under -120.
Cleveland (-220, 8½) at Detroit (+200), 4:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Cleveland’s Zach Plesac (RHP, 3-2, 2.20 ERA, 3.66 xFIP) vs. Detroit’s Michael Fulmer (RHP, 0-2, 9.27 ERA, 5.63 xFIP)
Line movement: Cleveland up sharply from -185. Total down from 9.
Atlanta (-158, 8½ over -115) at New York Mets (+148), 4:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Atlanta’s Max Fried (LHP, 6-0, 1.98 ERA, 3.80 xFIP) vs. New York’s Steven Matz (LHP, 0-4, 8.63 ERA, 4.13 xFIP)
New York Yankees (-200, 10½ under -115) at Boston (+180), 4:30 p.m.
Probable pitchers: New York’s Jordan Montgomery (LHP, 2-2, 4.76 ERA, 4.00 xFIP) vs. Boston’s Martin Perez (LHP, 3-4, 4.33 ERA, 5.48 xFIP)
Line movement: New York up from -185. Total now juiced to under after being over -115.
Tampa Bay (-210, 8½ under -120) at Baltimore (+190), 4:35 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow (RHP, 3-1, 4.47 ERA, 2.87 xFIP) vs. Baltimore’s Alex Cobb (RHP, 1-4, 5.03 ERA, 4.22 xFIP)
Line movement: Tampa Bay up from -200. Total now juiced to under after being over -120.
Los Angeles Dodgers (-210, 13 over -115) at Colorado (+190), 5:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Los Angeles’ Alex Wood (LHP, 0-1, 4.32 ERA, 5.77 xFIP) vs. Colorado’s Ryan Castellani (RHP, 1-2, 4.46 ERA, 6.22 xFIP)
Kansas City (+145) at Milwaukee (-155, 8½ over -115), 5:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Kansas City’s Danny Duffy (LHP, 3-3, 4.24 ERA, 5.12 xFIP) vs. Milwaukee’s Adrian Houser (RHP, 1-5, 5.40 ERA, 4.11 xFIP)
Line movement: Milwaukee up sharply from -140. Total down from 9 -110.
Arizona (+152) at Houston (-162, 8 under -115), 5:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Arizona’s Zac Gallen (RHP, 1-2, 3.15 ERA, 3.92 xFIP) vs. Houston’s Zack Greinke (RHP, 3-2, 3.77 ERA, 3.82 xFIP)
Line movement: Total now juiced to under after being 8 -110.
Minnesota (+110) at Chicago Cubs (-120, 7 over -120), 5:15 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Minnesota’s Rich Hill (LHP, 2-1, 3.81 ERA, 4.88 xFIP) vs. Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks (RHP, 5-4, 3.29 ERA, 3.77 xFIP)
Line movement: Chicago down from -130.
Texas (+175) at Los Angeles Angels (-190, 9 over -115), 6:10 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Texas’ Jimmy Herget (RHP, 0-0, 3.45 ERA, 6.01 xFIP) vs. Los Angeles’ Jaime Barria (RHP, 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 5.46 xFIP)
Note: Herget is serving as an opener for Wes Benjamin (LHP, 1-0, 4.38 ERA, 4.90 xFIP)
Line movement: Los Angeles up sharply from -154.
San Francisco (+150) at Oakland (-160, 8½), 6:40 p.m.
Probable pitchers: San Francisco’s Logan Webb (RHP, 2-3, 4.96 ERA, 4.28 xFIP) vs. Oakland’s Chris Bassitt (RHP, 4-2, 2.92 ERA, 4.72 xFIP)
San Diego (-185, 8½ under -115) vs. Seattle (+170), 6:40 p.m.
Probable pitchers: San Diego’s Chris Paddack (RHP, 3-4, 4.74 ERA, 3.57 xFIP) vs. Seattle’s Yusei Kikuchi (LHP, 2-3, 5.35 ERA, 3.29 xFIP)
Note: Seattle will play as the home team despite the game being in San Diego.
Line movement: San Diego up from -166. Total now juiced to under after being 8½ -110.
What happened Thursday
NFL
— Cincinnati (+6) earned a backdoor cover by scoring a touchdown with 43 seconds left in a 35-30 loss at Cleveland. Joe Burrow found Tyler Boyd in the back of the end zone from nine yards out to get Bengals backers to the window. The game sailed over 44½. The Browns took a double-digit lead four times but could not stop the Bengals from answering each time to get inside the number. Cleveland won total yards (434-353) and dominated in rushing yards (215-68) and yards per play (7.5 to 4.0). Burrow was forced to throw 61 passes, completing 37 for 316 yards and three touchdowns, while trailing almost the entire game.
NBA
— Miami (+3, +135 ML) continued to roll through the playoffs, beating Boston 106-101 to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. The game stayed barely under 208. The Heat are now 10-1 in the postseason. The Celtics led by 13 at halftime, but Miami outscored Boston 37-17 in the third quarter to take the lead. The Celtics regained the lead in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on. Boston shot better percentages than Miami from the field and 3-point line, but the Celtics had 20 turnovers to the Heat’s nine.
NHL
— Tampa Bay (-175) advanced to the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 overtime victory against the New York Islanders in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. The game stayed under 5. Anthony Cirelli had the game-winner in OT. The Lightning outshot the Islanders 48-27. Center Brayden Point, who has been battling a lower-body injury, was on the ice Thursday. Tampa Bay won the four games in the series he played in and lost the two he didn’t. The Lightning have been installed as -210 favorites in the Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars (+180). Game 1 is Saturday.
MLB
Favorites went 9-3, with upsets by the Chicago White Sox (+155 vs. Minnesota), Pittsburgh (+145 vs. St. Louis) and New York Mets (+100 at Philadelphia). Totals split 5-5-2.
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.
