The New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors need to win at home on Wednesday night to keep their seasons alive.
The Knicks are trailing the Miami Heat 3-1 in their Eastern Conference Semifinals while the Warriors are trailing the Los Angeles lakers 3-1 in their Western Conference Semifinals.
Both teams are favorites on Wednesday night and we'll start with the first game in New York (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT). The Knicks were surrounded by the Heat during the series when Jimmy Butler was on the court is the 3.5-point favorite at BetMGM.
The Knicks got a combined 52 points from Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson in Game 4, yet lost by eight. The Knicks also got 24 points from RJ Barrett, but only 25 from the other six players who saw the court in the game. Butler scored 27 points in 42 minutes.
Randle has shot just 22% from behind the 3-point line in the three games he has played in this series and is just 44% from the field. He will need to play a big game for the Knicks if they are to move the series to a sixth game in Miami.
The NBA wouldn't be too sad if the Knicks kept that series alive for a game or two. And they really won't be sad if the Warriors pull out a win Wednesday night (10 p.m. ET, TNT) to continue the marquee series of the Conference Semifinals.
The Warriors are 7.5-point favorites against the Lakers in Game 5 after losing both Game 3 and Game 4 in Los Angeles. The Warriors lost 30 in Game 3, before a miscue in the final minutes of Game 4 forced them to a three-point loss and a two-game deficit in the series.
Golden State has already won three consecutive games against the Kings in their series during the first round of the playoffs and needs to do so again to reach the Western Conference Finals. If Golden State loses on Wednesday night or a possible Game 6 or Game 7, it will be the first time Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson have lost a Western Conference playoff series.
The line is so huge in this game for some obvious reason. It's hard to see the defending champions losing that easily – even if it's to a team led by LeBron James – and they had one of the best home records in the NBA this season. But Anthony Davis has soared a double-double in each of the Lakers' three wins in the series so far and has been the best player on the court. Unless Golden State can figure out a way to consistently slow Davis down — he's shooting nearly 60% from the field — it's hard to see how the Warriors can bring this series down to a decisive seventh game.
A Milan derby in the Champions League
The second Champions League semifinal begins Wednesday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, CBS) as AC Milan takes on Inter Milan.
Inter are slight favorites to win the game at home at +145, although we use the term home lightly. Both teams share the San Siro stadium. AC Milan is at +210 to win and the tie is at the same odds in regulation.
The over/under is set at 2.5 goals with the over +138 and the under -190. The audiomakers will clearly be expecting a tight defensive performance to open up the tie.
the yankees are the big favorites
225 for the New York Yankees to win at home against the Oakland A's on Wednesday night. Johnny Brito is set to start for the A's against Kyle Mueller for the Yankees. The Yankees are the top favorite for any team playing on Wednesday, and first pitch for the game is at 12:35 ET. Be sure to place your bets early.
Every MLB team is in action on Wednesday and most are playing during the day. Nine of the 15 games scheduled for Wednesday start before 5 p.m. ET and none of the six evening games start after 7:40 p.m. ET.
Who redeemed the ticket on Tuesday?
Sixers bettors played like bandits on Tuesday night as Philadelphia took a 3-2 lead over Boston in their Eastern Conference semifinals. The Sixers got a huge road win against the Celtics because of Joel Embiid's stellar game.
The Denver Nuggets got a 16-point win at home over the Phoenix Suns as the Sixers took a 3–2 lead in their Western Conference series.