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Tides’ Takes: Free NBA, MLB & NHL Betting Picks For Today (4/21/22)

Timothy Buell Thu 4/21 10:39am PT
Image Credit: Imagn

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

Happy Thursday 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.  

We have three NBA games, three MLB games and 11 NHL games to choose from this evening.  Let’s get started with the betting picks! 

Free NBA Betting Picks For Today

Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves

Looking at the overall statistics of both of these teams I feel like the books have to set the line this high, but I really like the under today.  Models aren’t going to account for the defensive intensity that both of these teams will be throwing at each other, Game 3’s are absolutely pivotal to the outcome of any series and with this series tied at 1-1, I am predicting a low scoring, physical game. 

Towns and Russell have really struggled in this series and although I don’t see them being as bad as they’ve been I don’t see any kind of huge bounceback tonight.  The Minnesota crowd will try to keep them in this game and I do expect it to be close but I think we see a lot of physicality and significantly lower scoring than the books are predicting.   

NBA Player Prop – Nikola Jokic

I am expecting a big performance from Jokic and his teammates today at home against the Warriors. Yes, the Warriors are the far superior team, especially with their small-ball lineup, but I don’t think Jokic and company go down without winning – or at least keeping a game super close. So if I expect this game to be super competitive I feel like Jokic will have to be on his “A” game. This spread is only two, so Jokic should play close to 40 minutes. Keep in mind that Jokic has put up a double double in each of his first two games of the series but only fell short in the assist category both times which makes sense because both games were blowouts. 
If I project this game as being close which both me and the oddsmakers do than I think there is value in betting Jokic’s triple double prop at almost 3-1 odds.   

Free MLB Betting Picks For Today

Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs

Most likely every book will have this line up to 8.5 as the day progresses, whether you can get it at 8 or 8.5 is completely fine. The weather seems like it will be fairly good for bats at least for this time of year with temperatures in the 60’s with a slight wind blowing out. That is huge for a park like Wrigley Field where every bit of wind makes a huge difference. Also looking at the pitching for these two teams makes me really like the over.

Both Bryse Wilson and Mark Leiter Jr. are far below league average in terms of skill set and neither have any strikeout ability. Needless to say there will be plenty of ball put in play today and even though I don’t have a lot of faith in the Pirates offense as a whole this is about as good a matchup they will get. Both teams are more than capable of accumulating enough baserunners to reach this over pretty easily. 

Free NHL Betting Picks For Today

NHL Player Prop – Nico Hischier

With no Jack Hughes for the Devils and Jasper Bratt questionable due to an illness, Nico Hischier is the top line center for the Devils, and will have to make up for those two top-6 absences. He is playing right around the twenty minute mark which is what we want to see anytime we get exposure to a player in the shot prop market. 

He gets a home matchup against the Buffalo Sabres which means he should be able to be going up against the depth matchups of Buffalo. That’s great given that he should be in the offensive zone more which allows more opportunities for shots. I was surprised to see this +140 line, I thought it should be closer to even money or even -110 so I was thrilled when I saw the volume on this line. 

NHL Player Prop – Ivan Provorov

He lost his top power play role to Travis Sanheim but that isn’t going to keep me away from his shot prop against one of the worst defensive teams in all of hockey. Provorov is still playing minutes in the mid 20’s and will get plenty of offensive zone time. Very similar to the Hischier prop I was surprised how much value there is at the +140 number. At times he has been inconsistent about shooting the puck but this matchup is too good pass up. I am also considering betting him to record a point at +145, but I won’t be making that a official play.