Picks for 4/21/26
NBA
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 511
76ers +14.5 over Celtics (win)
Are the 76ers a playoff-caliber team with Joel Embiid on the sidelines? No, they are not, but the Sixers have won two games against the Celtics this year where he didn’t play. Philadelphia has played half the season without him, so it’s not exactly anything new for them. Boston won every quarter in game one and dominated, running away with a 32-point win, but I still am not sure there is any value in playing the Celtics at such a high price. Tyrese Maxey is an outstanding floor general who can get his teammates involved. The Celtics are a great defensive team, but on offense they are the league’s slowest-paced team. Sure, the Sixers could go ice-cold on offense, and the Celtics could smother them on defense to slowly put them away. Still, I expect Philadelphia to play more competitively in the first quarter, allow fewer points off turnovers than they did over the weekend, and at least not be completely demoralized after the first frame. Take the Sixers.
7:00 PM EST
Rotation # 511
76ers +14.5 over Celtics (win)
Are the 76ers a playoff-caliber team with Joel Embiid on the sidelines? No, they are not, but the Sixers have won two games against the Celtics this year where he didn’t play. Philadelphia has played half the season without him, so it’s not exactly anything new for them. Boston won every quarter in game one and dominated, running away with a 32-point win, but I still am not sure there is any value in playing the Celtics at such a high price. Tyrese Maxey is an outstanding floor general who can get his teammates involved. The Celtics are a great defensive team, but on offense they are the league’s slowest-paced team. Sure, the Sixers could go ice-cold on offense, and the Celtics could smother them on defense to slowly put them away. Still, I expect Philadelphia to play more competitively in the first quarter, allow fewer points off turnovers than they did over the weekend, and at least not be completely demoralized after the first frame. Take the Sixers.
MLB
7:40 PM EST
Rotation #906
Cubs -130 over Phillies (win)
Imanaga/Luzardo
Once again, we will pick on the Phillies against left-handers until they prove they can generate runs. Philly had a few-game stretch against lefties and finally got a chance to bust out against right-handed pitching and failed miserably. This Phillies team is on a historic downward slide. It was just a week ago that the Cubs pounded the struggling Jesus Luzardo, and Chicago starter Shota Imanaga had double-digit strikeouts against the Phillies. Nothing has changed. We will continue to go against the Phillies against lefty starters until the oddsmakers significantly correct the pricing or they prove they can start hitting. Take the Cubs.
7:40 PM EST
Rotation #906
Cubs -130 over Phillies (win)
Imanaga/Luzardo
Once again, we will pick on the Phillies against left-handers until they prove they can generate runs. Philly had a few-game stretch against lefties and finally got a chance to bust out against right-handed pitching and failed miserably. This Phillies team is on a historic downward slide. It was just a week ago that the Cubs pounded the struggling Jesus Luzardo, and Chicago starter Shota Imanaga had double-digit strikeouts against the Phillies. Nothing has changed. We will continue to go against the Phillies against lefty starters until the oddsmakers significantly correct the pricing or they prove they can start hitting. Take the Cubs.