Oakland Athletics VS Los Angeles Dodgers is another game in the long list of matches gracing the Major League Baseball preseason matches.
In this game, a promising away team will play against a main contender for the final championship. This match seems like it already has a clear favourite.
Let’s look at the H-2-H – In the head-to-head that occurred less than a year ago, Los Angeles easily won over Oakland (6:4).
This MatchPlug Preview discusses the current conditions of the opponents, plus MLB best bets today surrounding the game.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Oakland Athletics VS Los Angeles Dodgers MLB Spring Training
The Oakland Athletics took a minor step in the direction of progress. On Tuesday they won Arizona Diamondbacks (9:3), breaking a winless streak which had carried on for 9 matches.
JP Sears is the only player who stood aside from the general background, from the negative side, while others performed well.
Oakland is not ready for the fight ahead, but they will get better with time.
Betting On The Los Angeles Dodgers
1XBet Spread: -1.5
1XBet Over/Under: Under 10.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.62
Los Angeles is gradually becoming a dominant force in MLB. In February they lost to the Milwaukee Brewers (4:7) and Cincinnati Reds (1:7). In March they have not lost to any team.
They shared points with the Seattle Mariners (2:2) losing a small lead in the final inning. Shelby Miller turned out to be the worst pitcher in statistics. Although from afar he looks rehabilitated.
MatchPlug Prediction
Today’s meeting between Oakland and Los Angeles will not be thrilling. The Dodgers have massive superiority in player selection, and experts believe that once again they will leave the Athletics with nothing.
Los Angeles winning this match is the best outcome for this game.
Connor McDavid the Edmonton Oilers captain has scored twice to boost his NHL-leading goal to 54, setting a career-high with 124 points in a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
McDavid makes a case to win his third Hart Trophy for MVP in eight seasons, with his 12th multigoal game of the season, aiding the Oilers to secure two crucial points in a packed Western Conference race to the playoffs.
“The finish was all-world,” Jay Woodcroft the Edmonton Oilers coach said about McDavid scoring the first goal on the fly by defeating Craig Anderson through the legs 3:23 into the third period, less than a minute after Buffalo tied the game at 2.
McDavid’s 124 points in 65 games are over the career best he set in 80 games last year, and the All-Star centre took his points streak to 11 games, in which he has 12 goals and 15 assists.
“I saw someone that was competitive right from the puck drop,” Woodcroft said. “Connor’s at a different evolutionary stage in his game right now, and I think everyone saw that here tonight.”
It is not often that a crowd from the Eastern Conference gets to watch Connor McDavid play in person and for that game, they seem to have gotten their money’s worth; although the Sabres failed to pick up two points in their fight for a wild-card berth.
“Who’s more likely to make a big play than him?” Zach Hyman said. “He’s the best player in the world, and he’s pushing his own boundaries. He’s been driving the bus for a long time and continues to get better.”
Derek Ryan scored too, while Stuart Skinner blocked 37 shots for Edmonton, who rose to 5-4-3 in their past 12 and came back from a 7-5 loss at Winnipeg on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens scored for the Sabres and Anderson blocked 34 shots.
By dropping to 6-4 in its last 10 games, the Sabres resumed its season-long struggles at Buffalo in losing five of their past seven.
The Sabres have been in the middle of an NHL-worst 11-season playoff drought but stay in the mix and have games in hand on most of its competition. The day started with four points demarcating the New York Islanders who were in seventh place from the Buffalo Sabres which are in ninth place; locked in a four-way tie with 68 points.
The Sabres coach Don Granato did not say if he thought McDavid to be a step ahead of everyone else in the league, out of deference to his own players. But, Granato had no other option but to sing the praises of the Oiler’s captain, who scored twice on three shots on net.
“He’s got 50-plus for a reason, he doesn’t need many [shots],” Granato said. “He’s done that to lots of teams and goaltenders, and he was ready for his opportunities. That’s what makes him special.”
The Edmonton Oilers (35-22-8) share a tie with Seattle for third place in the Pacific Divison.Â
After opening the scoring in the first period, McDavid scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, immediately after Cozens tied the game.
Warren Foegele moved up to the left wing to take the Sabres’ zone and then spun to hit McDavid in stride cutting up the middle. McDavid steered to his left to get by defender Jacob Bryson and fired a shot through Anderson’s legs.
It was McDavid’s ninth game-winning goal of the season after he started the day in a four-way tie for second and one behind teammate Leon Draisaitl.
Connor McDavid and the Oilers will play the NHL-best Boston Bruins next on Thursday night.
Florida Panthers VS Vegas Golden Knights will be between two teams that wish to build off the momentum they’ve gathered this season.
Vegas has a 38-19-6 record and three consecutive wins, which is the best record in the Pacific Division, while the Panthers have a 31-27-6 record and are in the midst of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
These teams want to boost their profiles ahead of the playoffs, so they’ll give their best for today’s game.
MatchPlug has provided the NHL Predictions Today for the Panthers and Golden Knights. We have given a detailed breakdown of what the experts are saying about the two teams too.
Florida Panthers VS Vegas Golden Knights Betting Preview
The Florida Panthers’ offense squad is bringing the team joy this season, scoring 3.39 goals per game plus 4 goals in their last game.
Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, and Aleksandr Barkov scored 76 goals and 112 assists to lead the top two lines, but the other members have stepped up too. Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and Eetu Luostarinen share 51 goals and 64 assists. Defensemen Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling added 19 goals and 65 assists from the point to place the Panthers’ offense over the top.
Florida’s offense is good, but the defense is where the problem lies, they’ve allowed 3.38 goals per game. While Montour and Forsling combine for 6.2 defensive point shares, the rest of the unit contributes nothing, allowing the opponents to fire shots on the net at will.
Additionally, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky musters a .906 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average on 1211 shots with 0.9 goals saved above average.
Betting On The Vegas Golden KnightsÂ
Season Record – 38-19-6
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Total: Over 6.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.956
BetMGM Spread:Â +1.5
BetMGM Total: Over 6.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 2.25
The Vegas Golden Knights are having a fantastic season, thanks to their offense rising to the occasion and scoring 3.16 goals per game including 11 goals in the past three games.
Chandler Stephenson, Jack Eichel, and Jonathan Marchessault scored 54 goals and 86 assists to lead the top two lines, but the other offense members have done well too. Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, and Phil Kessel share 43 goals and 64 assists. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore contributed 15 goals and 54 assists from the point to open up the offense.
The Golden Knights’ defense is what has been carrying them the whole season, even at a time their offense was found wanting. It allowed only 2.76 goals per game. Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore combine for 7.4 defensive point shares and 213 blocked shots. Alex Pietrangelo, Alec Martinez, and Nicolas Hague have combined for 8.8 defensive point shares to add depth to the unit.
Finally, goaltender Logan Thompson has been great with a .914 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average on 1093 shots with 9.7 goals saved above average.
MatchPlug Prediction
This matchup will be a good one as the two teams want to improve on already incredible seasons. Vegas wants to win its fourth consecutive game, but since it’s in Florida, Panthers will want to control the game.
Florida averages 3.39 goals per game and will pile on the goals with Tkachuk, Verhaeghe and the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes near the net.Â
The Panthers will use Montour, Forsling, and their defensive unit to create turnovers in the defensive zone and limit shooting lanes. This will allow Bobrovsky to make plenty of simple saves. Florida should win the game with a powerful performance on their home ice.
The Cleveland State Vikings will play against the Norsemen with a season record of 21-12. Presently, they’ve been the home team 16 times, with a 13-3 record. Cleveland has been the underdog 14 times, going 6-8 straight up.
Tristan Enaruna is the Vikings’ leading scorer for today’s game at 15.38 points per contest. Enaruna has been a vital part of his team’s scoring efforts, but he is also the top rebounder at Cleveland State. Behind Enaruna is Tae Williams whose strong play benefitted the team. Williams is second in scoring 11.0 points per game. Overall, he hit 52.5% of his shots and added 5.94 boards per game.
The Vikings walk into today’s game intending to dominate the Norsemen by continuing their powerful offensive play. They average 75.6 points per game. For 33 games, they’ve hit 47.9% of their field goal attempts. In pace, they prefer to slow the game down, ranking 420th in possessions per game.
Betting On The Northern Kentucky Norsemen
Season Record – 21-12
1XBet Spread: -2.5
1XBet Moneyline: 1.732
1XBet Over/Under: Under 126.5
BetMGM Spread: -2.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 1.69
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 126.5
The Northern Kentucky Norsemen head into their 34th game of the season today, with a record of 21-12. They would be playing their 14th game of the season, after going 7-7. Kentucky has been the favourites 23 times; 17-6 straight up.
Northern Kentucky will be expecting another outstanding performance from the team’s leading scorer Marques Warrick who averages 19.06 points per game for his team. He is also important to their ability to score on the perimeter. Currently, he leads the team in 3-point shots made. Sam Vinson is another key player in the Norsemen’s plan, he has hit 38.9% of his field goal attempts on his way to averaging 11.38 points per game.
The Norsemen have struggled with their offense this season, now ranking 241st in college basketball at 69.9 points per game. Their low-scoring totals are because they have played at a below-average pace, and faced challenges in knocking down outside shots. Northern Kentucky’s 3-point shooting percentage sits at only 34.6%, placing them 207th in the NCAA.
MatchPlug Prediction
For today’s game, there are two reasons why the Northern Kentucky Norsemen will win and cover; they have been good vs the spread on the road, scoring 7-3 over their last 10 road games, and they also have the edge in 3-point shooting.
The Norsemen’s offense averages 8.75 made 3’s per game, putting them far above the NCAA average. Their advantage from beyond the arc should carry them to a straight-up win.
The Atlanta Braves VS Boston Red Sox matchup will be played as part of the MLB preseason game series. It will take place at the Cool Today Park stadium in Northport.
For this prediction, pay attention to the past games between these two teams. In this present campaign, the Braves and Sox already met on February 25th in a match that ended in a 6:6 draw. Also, note that the matches between these two often turn out to be productive.
Guessing which of these teams will win will be thrilling. This MatchPlug preview will show you the MLB best bets today for this game, including which bids will be most profitable for your wagers.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Atlanta Braves VS Boston Red Sox MLB Spring TrainingÂ
A prediction for how the Atlanta Braves will do in this game will consider that in the pre-season, Atlanta shows a good performance and for ten confrontations, their winning percentage is 0.500.
But, the Braves lack quality in the aspect of defense; their pitchers are performing poorly, which is why opponents don’t have a hard time with them. The difference between Atlanta’s scored and missed points is -3 (53:56).
Betting On The Boston Red SoxÂ
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.476
1XBet Over/Under: Under 10.5
The Boston Red Sox will be judged based on their success in holding the pre-season and after 11 appearances they lead the American League with a winning percentage of 0.864.
They show an aggressive attacking game, without sacrificing the quality of their defense. For example, early this month, they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies with a 15:3 score and didn’t take any chances with the Tigers, scoring 7:1.
MatchPlug Prediction
In Atlanta Braves VS Boston Red Sox, the clear favourite for the game is the home team. Atlanta will have problems at the beginning, a powerful squad can work out the first number.
Boating on the other hand, with the right opportunity, will prove to be reserve players, so there is a chance they’ll try to interrupt the Braves’ play. But it is likely that Atalanta will come out victorious.
The Seattle Seahawks have ensured that Geno Smith continues his new career narrative in Seattle in 2023 and beyond.
Seattle and Smith agreed to a new three-year contract worth $15 million, according to a report on Monday from NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
This deal is coming ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for teams to use franchise tags on players and desist from protracted contract negotiation that could extend into the summer.
Smith successfully completed a career turnaround, having led the Seahawks to a postseason berth in 2022 on his way to winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award.
The ex-second-round pick by the New York Jets in 2013 spent the last seven seasons as a substitute, including the last three in Seattle shadowing Russell Wilson. Coming into 2022, Smith was expected by most people to be a stopgap, replacement-level starter for the Seahawks.
Instead, Smith shined from the jump.
He completed a league-high 69.8 per cent of his passes for 4,282 yards, 30 TDs, and 11 INTs on his way to a Pro Bowl bid.
Smith demonstrated an ability to run the offense with aplomb and make splash plays, establishing amazing rapport with receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
All offseason, the Seahawks brass had said it wanted to retain Geno Smith, Seattle achieved that on Monday.
Ja Morant the Grizzlies guard has been suspended and will miss at least two games, the Memphis Grizzlies announced on Saturday.
This news came after Morant posted a video of him to Instagram Live which seemed to show him holding a gun at the nightclub.Â
“We are aware of a social media post involving Ja Morant and are investigating.’’ Mike Bass the NBA spokesman told Adrian Wojnarowski earlier on Saturday.
This story is coming up days after Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post reported that Morant was mentioned in a police report for punching a 17-year-old repeatedly at a pickup basketball game last summer and then brandishing a gun at the teenager.
TMZ Sports said the 17-year-old filed a lawsuit against Ja Morant in September.
In another case, Morant allegedly “threatened’’ a security guard at Memphis mall in an altercation which took place over the summer, although nobody was arrested.
Bob Kravitz and Sam Amick of The Athletic, report that the NBA also investigated a January situation where friends of Morant got into an argument with members of the Indiana Pacers travelling party.Â
The Pacer travelling group recounted that someone in a car carrying Morant and others flashed a laser on them as it drove past them outside the arena. They believed the laser was attached to a gun.
The NBA said it could not prove the alleged use of a weapon to threaten the group.
Ja Morant has been one of the top young players in the league throughout his four seasons with the Grizzlies, receiving two All-Star selections, a Rookie of the Year award and last year’s Most Improved Player award.
Morant is averaging 27.1 points, 8.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game this season, making him a shoo-in for MVP candidate for the second-best team in the Western Conference going into Saturday.
The Memphis Grizzlies should be facing the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in a couple of road games at Crypto.com Arena. If Morant comes back after his two-game absence, he will play the Golden State Warriors at home on Thursday, March 9.
Edmonton Oilers Vs Buffalo Sabres features two teams who want to improve on strong seasons. The Oilers have a 34-22-8 record and are 4th in the Pacific Division, while the Sabres spot a 32-25-4 record and are 4th in the Atlantic Division; they are a few points away from earning the wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
These two teams would want to step up their game in the playoffs and today’s game should be a thrilling one due to this.
In this Preview, we sample the NHL Predictions Today for the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres game happening tonight.
The Edmonton Oilers are having a blast this season, especially with their offense taking the lead with 3.88 goals per game, including 16 goals scored in the past three games. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl share 93 goals and 125 assists to head the top two lines, but the rest of the offensive line has done well too.Â
Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent Hopkins and Ryan McLeod combine for 69 goals and 100 assists, and defensemen Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard added nine goals and 47 assists from the point to open up the offense.
The Oilers’ offense has been good but their defense has struggled, allowing 3.31 goals per game with 10 goals in the last two games. Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci combined for 6.0 defensive point shares but the rest of the unit has had a hard time, allowing opponents’ pucks to enter the offensive zone and find open shots on the net.
One bright spot for Edmonton is the goaltender Stuart Skinner, who has a .912 save percentage and a 2.88 goals-against average on 1119 shots with 7.2 goals saved above average.Â
Betting On The Buffalo SabresÂ
Season Record – 32-25-4
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Total: Under 7.5
1XBet: Moneyline: 3
BetMGM Spread: +1.5
BetMGM Total: Under 7
BetMGM Moneyline: 2.35
The Buffalo Sabres are having a strong season, as they stand on the back of their offense line, scoring 3.74 goals per game, including 25 goals in the last 6 games. Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner scored 88 goals and 76 assists leading the top line, the offense has been great generally.
Victor Olofsson, Dylan Cozens, and Casey Mittelstadt have combined for 56 goals and 68 assists, while defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power have added 18 goals and 68 assists from the point to carry the offense over the top.
Buffalo’s offense passes with flying colours, but its defense is nothing to write home about, conceding 3.56 goals per game with 15 goals in the last 3 games. Dahlin and Power combined for 6.7 defensive point shares but the rest of the unit struggled, giving opponents access to find open shots on the net at will.Â
Additionally, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen the Sabres goaltender fails with a .891 save percentage and a 3.53 goals-against average on 846 shots with -11.7 goals saved above average.
MatchPlug Prediction
Today’s match is going to be a good one between two great teams. The Oilers will want to come back from a tough loss but the Sabres will want to control the game on their home ice.
Buffalo has an average of 3.74 goals per game and will pile up goals on Edmonton’s defense that allows 3.31 goals per game, Thompson, Skinner and the other members of the forward unit carry the puck into the offensive zone and create open shots with swift puck movement.
Dahlin, Power and the rest of the Sabres’ defensive unit will rally around to destabilise the Oiler’s offense. They’ll create turnovers in the defensive zone and limit shots on the net, allowing goaltender Luukkonen to make plenty of big saves. Buffalo should win this game and offer great odds as home Underdogs.Â
Today, in Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Boston Celtics, Boston will be playing its third game in 4 days, as it travels to Cleveland.
On Sunday night, the Celtics played against the New York Knicks. While the Cavaliers won two of their last 3 games, sacking the Detroit Pistons in a 114-90 final on Saturday.
For a well-rounded Betting preview of the Celtics and Raptors game, you can visit MatchPlug. We have the best NBA Predictions Tonight for top games in this league.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Boston Celtics NBA Regular Season GameÂ
Venue: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland.
When: Monday, March 6th, 2023
Time: 16:00 GMT
Teams to play: Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston CelticsÂ
The Cleveland Cavaliers were extremely hot going into the All-Star break, winning seven straight games from the end of January to the middle of February.
Then they lost 4 out of their next 5 games, including last Wednesday’s game against the Celtics. But, they quickly got up on their feet to dominate the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, bringing in a 114-90 win. Every Cavalier present, contributed to the success of this match, Darius Garland scored 21 points, Donovan Mitchell added 20, and Evan Mobley topped it off with a double-double; 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Although Mitchell sprained a finger in the third quarter, he is expected to play tonight’s match.
Cleveland places fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, resting 2.5 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for third place. They are 1.5 games ahead of the Knicks, this makes every game they play in the Eastern Conference now, critical.
The Cavaliers have depended too much on its top-ranked defense this campaign because its offense is No.26 in the league in scoring (112.0). Donovan Mitchell leads the way with 27.4 points and 4.8 assists per game, and Darius Garland is pulling 22.0 points and 7.9 assists. Evan Mobley on his own part added a notable interior presence, averaging 15.9 points and 8.9 rebounds.Â
Today they’ll be facing a Boston defense that places 8th allowing 112.1 points per game.
Betting On The Boston Celtics
1XBet Spread: +7.5
1XBet Moneyline: 4.3
1XBet Over/Under: Over 218.5
BetMGM Spread: +7.5
BetMGM Moneyline: 3.80
BetMGM Over/Under: Over 218.5
The Boston Celtics would be playing a back-to-back today night after hosting the Knicks on Sunday night in another Eastern Conference battle. They won 9 of 11 games before losing the last two of their three games – the Knicks last week Monday and Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Tonight would be an immediate rematch of when the Cavaliers and Celtics played last week Wednesday, with Boston securing a 117-113 final. They were paced by 41 points from Jayson Tatum, who had 11 rebounds and 8 assists. They couldn’t ride on that performance, getting thrown off their game by the Nets as 10-point favourites on Friday night.
That game was one of the worst showings the Nets have had this season, as they blew a whole 28-point lead and scored only 41 points in the second half. Boston is contesting to be the top seed in the Eastern Conference, going into Sunday night’s slate a half-game back of the Milwaukee Bucks in the standings.Â
They are 3.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers and 7.5 games ahead of New York in the Atlantic Division. Center, Robert Williams got off the court in the third quarter and didn’t come back, he was held out of Sunday’s game too. Williams will miss 7-10 days, so he won’t be playing today.
Malcolm Brogdon is another player that missed Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury and his presence is questionable for today’s match. Presently, Boston ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring (117.5) and is playing a Cleveland defense that leads the league (106.4).
MatchPlug PredictionÂ
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the best home teams in the NBA this season, going 27-7 in 34 outings. They also covered the spread at a 21-11-2 clip in those matches, so they’ve been a great option to bet on at home.
NBA Expert Picks say, today’s game is another profitable moment to back the Cavaliers, as the Boston Celtics are on the second leg of a back-to-back and will lack the energy to engage the top defense in the league.
The Cavaliers are coming off a win against the Pistons and have all the motivation to get back at the Celtics for winning them last week. The Boston team is struggling with injuries, which is another good reason to support the Cavaliers today.
The Kansas City Royals VS Arizona Diamondbacks matchup will hold at the Major League Baseball training camp.Â
There, two middle teams will battle for significant points, and it doesn’t seem like the thrill of this matchup will die down until the final inning.
One thing you should know, Arizona has a history of head-to-head out of the two teams. Last year, they defeated Kansas City three times, losing only two games.
MatchPlug has laid out every information about the game below, as well as some MLB Predictions Today surrounding the Royals and Diamondbacks.
The Kansas City Royals have not failed to deliver top-quality baseball to fans. The squad has completed 6 games out of seven as the victors, losing only to the Los Angeles Angels in a tough struggle (6:7).
Kansas City coach, Matt Quatraro makes the main bet on betters, which continually brings the desired result. Yesterday, Matt Duffy who has 1 run and 3 hits, was in his best form. Although the brunt of the work was done by the pitchers.
Betting On The Arizona Diamondbacks
1XBet Spread: +1.5
1XBet Moneyline: 2.1
1XBet Over/Under: Under 10.5
It should be noted that the Arizona Diamondbacks have varying success in their performance.
During the weekend, they won the San Francisco Giants (9:5) and the Cleveland Guardians (6:4), but they couldn’t break the San Diego Padres’ resistance (4:5).
Yairo Munyar was impressed with two outstanding performances in a row, making the most significant contribution to the Diamondbacks’ cause. But, the team could work harder on concentration, which would give them an edge to find a spot in playoffs at least.
MatchPlug Prediction
The current form of the Arizona Diamondbacks lacks credibility, and experts believe that they would be weaker that the Kansas City Royals who are more active and progressive than they are.
A win for the Royals is a reliable option for today’s matchup.