Picks for 5/18/25
NBA
3:30 PM EST
Rotation # 521
Nuggets +8 over Thunder (loss)
Home court advantage means a lot for a game seven setting. The Nuggets are dealing with a few key injuries to players like Jamal Murray, Russell Westbrook, and Aaron Gordon, but they are an experienced team that thrives in the paint and shoots the ball at a better percentage than any team in the NBA. The spread is overpriced for a Thunder team that was 1st in the NBA at covering the spread this year. Denver, behind Nikola Jokic, can keep the game close. Jokic needs to get to the foul line as often as possible and dominate on the boards for his team to have a shot. Take the Nuggets.
MLB
2:10 PM EST
Rotation # 919
Cardinals -105 over Royals (loss)
Liberatore/Wacha
The Royals will benefit from Michael Wacha getting the start, but his strikeouts have been down this year. The Cardinals hit right-handed pitching well, while the Royals struggle against lefties. St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore has excellent command, as his walks are down and strikeouts have gone up. Look for the Royals’ offense to fizzle out again this afternoon and for St. Louis to complete the sweep. Take the Cardinals.