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Monday 5-28-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc
Since we are still dealing with injuries to key players - Igoudala for the Dubs, and the BIG ONE, Paul for the Rockets - I think you need to continue to ride the Under in this 7th game from the Toyota Center on Monday night.
On Saturday, Golden State exploded for 115 points, including a monster 64-points in the second half, but since Houston could only muster a grand total of 25-points we saw our 4th straight series Under, and the 6th Under over the last 7 series meetings dating back to the regular campaign.
The Warriors have now held Under the total in 10 of their last 13 postseason affairs, while the Rockets are 8-3 Under their last 11 this postseason, and 10 of their 16 playoff games overall have landed Under the total.
I have to believe that even if Chris Paul gives it the old "Willis Reed" try, he is not going to be anywhere close to his normal explosive self. Hamstring injuries tend to linger my friends.
Yes, the have lowered the total once again, but I still see this one hold Under the total.
The Washington Capitals are finally in the Stanley Cup Final.
Alex Ovechkin lost in the first or second round in their past nine playoff appearances, but now they have a chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup, as they face the darlings of the sports world, the Vegas Golden Knights.
As good as Marc-Andre Fleury has been in net for Vegas, I have watched Washington closely this entire postseason, and can tell you Ovechkin is on a mission this season. He has a career-high 22 points on 12 goals and 10 assists after leading the NHL with 49 goals during the regular season. His linemate, Evgeny Kuznetsov, has helped establish the best one-two punch in the postseason. Kuznetsov has a franchise-record 24 playoff points through 19 games, including the overtime series winner against Pittsburgh.
Challenging Fleury as the best netminder in the playoffs is Braden Holtby, who sat the first two games of the playoffs, but is 12-6 with a 2.04 goals-against average and .924 save percentage since replacing Philipp Grubauer. Holtby was impressive against the Tampa Bay Lightning and hasn't allowed a goal since Game 5 of an Eastern Conference Final that went seven games.
I know the expansion Golden Knights have lost only three games through three rounds, but this is where they begin to unravel. It's not that I don't trust Fleury, it's the consistency of all four lines, something coach Gerard Gallant has counted on the entire season. If they're not getting production from all four lines, this team will be in trouble, and Fleury's 1.68 GAA and .947 save percentage will mean nothing.
This series is going 6 or 7 games, but it'll be Washington ending Vegas' dream run.
I'm giving you my free play is on the Washington Capitals over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final, as I think Alex Ovechkin will finally get a chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup, not to mention finally solve goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
While goaltending and quickness are the strength of the Golden Knights, there is plenty of playoff experience on Washington's side. And Ovechkin, of all people, has been waiting a long time for this.
Ovie looks like a man on a mission right now - just watch the first 1:02 of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, as he wasted no time in getting the scoring underway.
And we can talk all we want about Fleury, but when you combine the explosiveness of Ovechkin and his linemates, with the play of Capitals goalie Braden Holtby - who hasn't allowed a goal since Game 5 of the conference final - and you get a team on the brink of a championship.
The Golden Knights are a fairy tale for the NHL, and all of sports, but Vegas is also facing a team of destiny in the Capitals, who have put their past playoff disappointments behind them to get this far. It's the second time in their history and first time since 1998 the Caps are in the Stanley Cup Final.
The x-factor for this series is special teams. The Capitals have proven to be much better on the power play, than Vegas. They've proven they can capitalize with the man advantage, while the Golden Knights are relying on too Fleury too much.
Ovechkin has shown he is a true leader and is very much still a dominant offensive force, and Holtby has re-established himself as a stellar netminder at the right time.
I also think Washington has gotten here after tougher competition, and will be battled tested, more so than Vegas.
Take the Caps, and look for them to wrap this up in 6.
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