Friday 6/25/21 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mitchell Newman

Yes, the Hawks and Bucks slipped past the posted price of 225 1/2 points on Wednesday in their series opener, but it was a definite uphill battle to land that one in the Over column.

I do not feel we are going to get Over the total of 226 1/2 points in this Friday night affair at Fiserv Forum.

Even with the Wednesday Over, the Hawks have held Under in 9 of their 13 playoff games this postseason, including 4 of their last 5. As for the Bucks, they have been Under the total in 7 of their 12 this postseason, including 5 of their past 8 this postseason.

2 of the 3 regular season series meetings did hold Under and 5 of the last 8 now overall between the teams have been Under the posted price as well.

It was just too much of a struggle for the Over to cash on Wednesday, let's play this Friday meeting in Milwaukee Under the posted price.

3* ATLANTA-MILWAUKEE UNDER

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Trace Adams

Tonight I will take the cheese and back the underdog Atlanta Hawks as they try to steal another game on Milwaukee's hardwood and go home up 2-0 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals.

Mike Budenholzer simply refuses to make in game adjustments and for that primary reason I will look for the points tonight to work with the Hawks who may not be able to sweep these 2 games at Fiserv Forum, but I suspect they will be in this game all the way.

Atlanta has won and covered 3 straight this postseason away from home and overall they are 6-2 both straight up and against the spread this postseason on the highway!

Giannis is going to get his, that fact has been established, but how will the rest of the Milwaukee supporting cast play is of major concern to me.

With Trae Young pretty much unstoppable, going to grab the points and the Hawks here on Friday night.

3* ATLANTA

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Jay McNeil

Friday comp play is Atlanta over Cincinnati.

The defending N.L. East champs who bested the Reds in the postseason last October are still not even at the .500 mark for the season as Atlanta sits at 35-39 for the year!

Still, tonight's starter Drew Smiley has won his last pair of decisions at a starter as he has worked almost 11 innings with only 2 runs scored and 7 hits allowed.

Cincinnati's win last night in the series opener over Atlanta has pushed the Reds to a game over .500 at 37-36 for the year, as Vladimir Gutierrez will try and improve on his 3-1 start for the season.

Gutierrez is coming off a shaky start though, as he allowed 5 runs on 8 hits in just 5 innings of work his last time out versus the Padres, but escaped with a no-decision.

My feeling is the Braves bats can make some noise tonight and even this long weekend set at 1-1.

Take Atlanta in a pick' em spot.

3* ATLANTA

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chris Jordan

My free play for Friday night is the Atlanta Braves on the road against the Cincinnati Reds.

After a 5-3 loss in the series-opener last night, I expect a turnaround tonight from the Braves, who have battled to a 5-4 mark since June 17, and remain competitive during this current road trip that started in Queens with a split of four games vs. the Mets.

Offense has been the issue for the most part, during the losses, but I think that can change tonight, against Cincinnati's Vladimir Gutierrez, who is struggling in the month of June.

In four starts this month, Gutierrez might be 3-0, but he's also allowed 11 earned runs on 21 hits over 23 innings and has a 4.30 ERA.

This is a good opportunity for the Braves to flex their muscles, with an offense that is hitting .233 in the month of June, during which they've stroked 24 home runs.

Atlanta starter Drew Smyly has been terrific this month, going 2-0 with a 3.26 ERA in four starts. He's won his last two starts, including a 5 2/3 scoreless performance his last time out against St. Louis. His ERA in his last two is 1.68. He's started twice against Cincy and is 1-0.

Take the Braves here.

2* BRAVES

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gus Augustine

My complimentary winner for tonight is the Tampa Bay Rays against the struggling Angels, who are in from Anaheim, and are going to get spanked on the run line.

The Angels just lost three in a row in Anaheim, and have dropped three straight road games dating back to the middle of the month. Mired in a 3-6 slide, the Angels' pitching staff has an ERA of 5.10 in since June 14, an has been hit hard across the board - both starters and relievers.

The Angels have been tagged for 52 runs on 82 hits, including 28 extra basehits, 10 of which have left the yard.

Now they face a Rays team that has pretty much been a .500 team since June 3, but that has still been able to power 22 home runs in 19 games.

This Rays' lineup will be far too powerful for Angels right-hander Griffin Canning, who has a 5.07 ERA this season, including a 5.47 ERA in his last five starts.

Take the Rays, who have the pitching matchup edge with Andrew Kittredge on the hill, and lay the run line.

1* RAYS RUN LINE

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Kirby Maxwell

I'm giving you a free play on the streaking San Francisco Giants at home, against the Oakland Athletics, as the two open their annual rivalry series tonight at Oracle Park.

The Giants have won three straight this week, eight of nine more recently, and 20 of 27 since May 25. Quite a run the last month, as San Francisco continues to surprise the National League West and the rest of the league for that matter.

While most had the Dodgers and Padres battling it out in the West, it's been the Giants and their National League-leading +101 run differential dominating for much of their season, both home and away. The division leaders are 24-10 at home, where they return after sweeping the Angels in Anaheim on Tuesday and Wednesday.

After a day off, all eyes are on their cross-Bay rivals, who have struggled the past week and could be tired of living out of their suitcases.

During a 2-4 slide, Oakland's pitching staff has struggled to the tune of a 5.04 ERA, with 20 of the 50 basehits - 40% - going extra.

I don't necessarily trust A's starter Sean Manaea tonight, as he's in a tough spot to quiet a Giants team that is hitting .267 during its 27-game run, and has outscored teams 157-103 and smashed 47 home runs along the way.

Manaea has been good at home, with a 4-1 mark, but is just 2-2 on the road with a 3.34 ERA. Manaea has had some eerie moments since the start of May, spanning 10 starts, with a mediocre 3-2 mark and 3.10 ERA while teams are hitting .253 off him. In two career starts at Oracle, he has a 3.27 ERA, and in 20 Interleague starts he is 6-8 with a 3.81 ERA.

I'd rather bank on Johnny Cueto, who takes the hill after a quality home start against the Phillies, lasting six innings and allowing just three earned runs over six innings while striking out five and walking none. His control has been steady the entire season, walking zero batters in five of his 11 starts, a key against a team like the A's, who like to manufacture runs.

Cueto is 4-2 at home this season, and tonight he catches a team that has lost four of six and continues this long road trip that started in the Bronx, continued in Arlington and is now back in NorCal against its Bay Area-rival. This will be Oakland's eighth road game in as many days. No rest for the weary, and that won't bode well.

Take San Francisco tonight, as it takes care of a tired Athletics team in their series-opener.

5* GIANTS

[Can'tPickAWinner]

1.	Insider Sports Report	MLB	Seattle under 7.5	2-2 (-15)	3-1 (+200)
2.	Elite Sports Picks	NBA	Milwaukee under 225	2-1 (+80)	4-2-1 (+200)
3.	Primetime Sports Picks	MLB	St. Louis -165	2-2 (-60)	4-3 (+150)
4.	Joe Wiz			1-1 (-15)	2-1 (+60)
5.	Profit On Sports	NBA	Milwaukee -7.5	2-0 (+215)	3-3 (-35)
6.	The Sports Consensus	MLB	Royals +100	2-1 (+55)	3-4 (-130)
7.	National Sports Service	MLB	Washington +125	0-3 (-335)	3-4 (-180)
8.	The Spot Player			1-1 (-5)	1-3 (-320)
9.	Doc's Picks	MLB	Seattle under 7.5	1-3 (-230)	2-5 (-350)
10.	Top Rank Sports Picks			3-0 (+315)	1-6 (-640)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tys Terrific Tips	MLB	OAKLAND ATHLETICS ‑110	1	2	-160
Top Shelf Sports Pick		No pick yet	1	1	-180
Hottie4Sports	MLB	HOUSTON ASTROS ‑1.5 ‑160	1	3	-230
R and R Totals	MLB	SEATTLE MARINERS/CHICAGO WHITE SOX u7.5	1	3	-230
The Money Team Wins Sports	NBA	ATLANTA HAWKS +8

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mike Wynn

Free Pick: Baltimore/Toronto Over 11 Runs

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Razor Sharp

YOUR RAZOR SHARP FREE PICK FOR FRIDAY: KANSAS CITY/TEXAS UNDER the total of 8 runs

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Totals4U

Friday's Free Selection: Pittsburgh Pirates/St Louis Cardinals over 8 1/2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Roz Wins

ROZ Selections FRIDAY, June 25, 2021

FREE PLAY
MLB
932. Giants +1.01 (6:45 PT / 9:45 ET)