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Thursday’s Best NBA, MLB & WNBA Bets (6/1)

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No matter your sport of choice, there's always sports betting action to be had. We'll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are all of our best bets across each major sport in action today.

Today's Best Bets

Here are today's best bets.

MLB Best Bets

San Diego Padres (-132) at Miami Marlins (+174) | O/U 7.5 (-122/+100)

The Padres are having an underwhelming season, and the big-money offense is struggling as they're 24th in runs scored and 29th in batting average. Joe Musgrove had his best start last time, allowing one earned against the Yankees. He still has swing-and-miss stuff, but he's allowing too many runners on and paying for it.

The Marlins are sitting in second place in the National League East and ended the month with a win to set up for the rubber match in this series. Jesus Luzardo is having another spectacular season after putting up some career-bests last year. He's coming in allowing just one earned run in three of his previous four starts.

This game will feature two strikeout pitchers against two lineups in the bottom half of the league in strikeouts. We saw a low-scoring game yesterday, and it will happen again.

Pick: Under 7.5 (+100)

Check out our other MLB Odds, Picks & Predictions:

NBA Playoffs Best Bets

Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat

Those of us betting against the Heat have lost a pretty penny this postseason, and this number (Heat +9) is surely an enticing one... but it is difficult to endorse anything other than the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Situationally, it does not get any better than this for the Nuggets. It's been 10 days since Denver last took the floor, and their injury report is bare. Conversely, the Heat return to the court after an exhaustive seven-game series, and their best player, Jimmy Butler, is still on the mend. Additionally, Denver has been exceptional at home this season, logging a 30-18-1 ATS record and 42-7 SU record on their home floor to this point. Assume an even greater home-court advantage as their crowd anticipates the franchise's first-ever NBA Finals game.

In terms of the matchup, Denver should have a significant edge as well. The question of this Game 1 is whether or not the Heat can stall the Nuggets on the offensive end, and one is quite skeptical that they'll be able to do so. Miami's calling card has been their employment of the zone defense, yet the Nuggets don't profile as a team you'd want to play zone against. Denver C Nikola Jokic is the prototype big man to have for such a defense, and if the Nuggets' supporting cast finds the bottom of the net from deep, Miami may have to rethink their strategy moving forward.

It is both a tough situation and matchup for the Miami Heat, and though the Heat has burned their detractors thus far this postseason, one shouldn't hesitate to fade them in this spot.

Bet: Nuggets -9 (-110)

Check out our other NBA Playoffs Best Bets:

WNBA Best Bets

Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx

The Connecticut Sun responded well against Indiana after a road loss to the Liberty. The Sun escaped Indiana and won their most recent game at 81-78, and Connecticut is now 4-1. However, they've scored 76.8 points per game and have allowed 75 points per game.

They're not playing their best basketball to begin the year.

The Sun has shot 38.2% from the field. But that's led to the Sun averaging the second-most rebounds per game this season.

Connecticut has only shot 31.7% from downtown and averages just over six threes per game. And while they're getting to the foul line at a high rate, the Sun has shot just 73.5% from the charity stripe.

The Sun is led by DeWanna Bonner, who has added 15.4 points per game. But she's shooting just 34.3% from the field. Alyssa Thomas has done the dirty work, adding an average of 12.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

Minnesota's Jessica Shepard plays the same way as Thomas; she's added 9.2 rebounds and five assists per game for the Lynx. However, it's Napheesa Collier doing the scoring, as she has added 16.6 points per game on 42.3% from the field.

Meanwhile, the Lynx are still looking for their first win of the season, although they've come close at times. The Lynx lost to the Dallas Wings with a score of 94-89 and had two other single-digit losses.

Minnesota has shot above 40% from the field. They're also shooting at about the same rate from downtown as the Sun. Minnesota will be less active on the glass and won't see the foul line as much, but they've shot 83.2% from the foul line anyway.

The Lynx average more assists per game and are shooting at a higher percentage, although the defense has been lacking. But in their home building against a Connecticut team that continues to struggle from the field, I like Minnesota's chances of at least covering the 7.5 points.

Bet: Lynx +7.5 (-110)

Also check out our lookahead for the Stanley Cup Finals, which start on Saturday:


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