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Tides’ Takes: Free NHL, NBA & MLB Betting Picks For Today (4/8/22)

Timothy Buell Fri 4/8 2:27pm PT
(Image Credit: Imagn)

ScoresAndOdds analyst Timothy Buell gives free expert advice and betting picks for Friday’s NHL, NBA and MLB slates.

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to this new article for ScoresAndOdds, where we will offer betting picks and advice for multiple sports that are happening on a given day.

The MLB season is here! We’ll focus on MLB odds and props, while continuing to analyze NHL odds and NBA odds and props. We will also be throwing in some traditional parlays and some same game parlays as we see fit.  

Make sure to use our tools at ScoresAndOdds to find the best lines at your favorite legal sportsbook.  

Free NBA Betting Picks For Today

NBA Player Prop – Kyrie Irving

This game is still fairly meaningful to both the Nets and the Cavs, as they jockey for position in the upcoming play-in tournament.  Both teams should be playing their top players regular minutes, which means a minutes projection for Kyrie in the upper 30’s to low 40’s. 

He has shot the ball at least 22 times in each of his last four games and this Cavaliers’ team is simply not as good defensively without Jarrett Allen on the court. Evan Mobley is expected back today, which does add at least one rim protector, but he is by no means a game changer on the defensive end.  

The Cavs are considered one of the best defensive teams in the league with their 6th-best defensive rating on the season, but if you look at their numbers since the all-star break, they rank just 24th in defensive rating. If Kyrie is going to shoot 20+ times from the floor today, which I expect he does, then this is a bet worth making.  

 Phoenix Suns @ Utah Jazz

The Suns have absolutely nothing to play for and it would not shock me in the least if they rest at least a couple of starters before this game starts. The Jazz are still fighting for seeding in the Western Conference. 

With a meaningful game, and the Utah home crowd, I think the Jazz pull out this victory pretty easily. As much as I don’t like betting spreads this time of year, I think this is a profitable wager, with a good chance of some nice closing line value, if the Suns do elect to rest a starter or two. 

Free NHL Betting Picks For Today

NHL Player Prop – Kyle Connor

The Jets playoffs hopes are all but gone and a game against the Avalanche is not going to help their chances much at all. That doesn’t mean we can’t get some money down on a shot prop and enjoy this matchup. Kyle Connor is still playing well over 20-minute mark, which is truly elite for an NHL wager. He is one of the best offensive players in hockey and does not get enough credit in the betting market or in the media. He’s only gone over this total once in the past six days, but I am betting on long-term skill in this one and the juice isn’t quite enough for me to stay away. 

Buffalo Sabres @ Florida Panthers

The Sabres are playing on the second night of a road back-to-back after losing to the Hurricanes last night, 5-3. Tonight, they travel to Florida, which is one of the best offensive hockey teams in the NHL. The Panthers have scored more goals than any other by a fairly wide margin. The reason I like this over, however, is that the Panthers give up goals at a fairly high clip due to their fast-paced style.

They have given up 15 goals in their last three games and whoever is starting for them whether it be Bobrovsky or Knight have not had good seasons, regardless of the name recognition they both get.  The Sabres have had problems finishing at the net during certain points in the season but they have scored at least three goals in six out their last seven games.  Hockey is very much a momentum game and right now the Sabres are playing with a lot of pride and arguably playing the best hockey they’ve played all season. 

Free MLB Betting Picks For Today

Miami Marlins @ San Francisco Giants

Admittedly, there are a lot of unknowns this early in the baseball season, which include starter’s pitch count. That being said, I have full confidence that both Logan Webb and Sandy Alcantara are elite pitchers with very underrated skillsets. Alcantara threw over 200 innings last year and posted a 4:1 K/BB ratio and a WHIP of 1.07. 

Webb has essentially the exact same numbers as Alcantara with a 4:1 K/BB ratio and a 1.11 WHIP, to go with a ground ball rate of around 60%. I thought that this line would be closer to 6.5 or 7 so I was thrilled when I saw it at 7.5.  Since it’s so early in the season I am only going to put half a unit on it.  If I knew for certain both starters were fully stretched without limitations I would most certainly put a full unit on this game.