Money Moves | February 27, 2026 | Hour 2

>> This is Money Moves on V-Send, the SportsBetting Network. >> Second hour here of this Friday edition of Money Moves, based in the SportsBetting Network. Stormbond Tony, Jonathan Vantoba with you at Live in Downtown Las Vegas, Circa Resort and Casino. You missed any of the show earlier. Remember, you can always get Money Moves in Podcast Forum wherever you download your podcast. Also, make sure you tweet at us. We want to interact with you at me, JVT, at Stormbond and Tony. We also have an email of social media's, not your vibe. [email protected] is how you can send anything in. Coming up this hour in about 30 minutes, V-Send Zone's at Cohen's going to join the program. We'll get some of his best prop bets in the NBA. Short slate, just five games. Short slate in the NHL as well, just a four game card for hockey, but puck around and find out. Coming up in 15 minutes. But we're going to kick things off here, continuing our Playball series, previewing each and every team across Major League Baseball ahead of the season, spring training underway, and the team that we are previewing today, JVT, even though we have not even got today one of the Major League Baseball season already has a handful of notable players dealing with injuries. The Arizona Diamondbacks. We're going to dive into this one. In Casey, Miss the News, Corbin Carroll, who's coming off a career year in home runs in our REI, starting the season with a broken hamate bone. We also have, what is this, he's going to miss all of full spring training in the World Baseball Classic, hoping that he's ready for opening day, resigned Merrill Kelly to a two-year deal, who's supposed to be the opening day starter, not expected to be available for that start either. Corbin Burns had Tommy John last June. Timeline should have him back by the All Star break and outfield or Lordeys Carriale, Jr., starting the season on I.O. with a torn ACL. So a lot to get to as we begin to play ball. [MUSIC] Go ahead. What are we doing here? What are we doing? All right. Anyway, yes, we are going to play ball here. This is, I think, an interesting team when you look at everything you have already laid out in terms of injuries. The hitting, I think, is going to be a strength for this group when the offense is fully put together. I think that's what they're really going to lean on, but you've hit all of it. Even when they're healthy, I don't know what you're getting out of this pitching staff. Some of the projections for all of these guys, you talk about a starting group with a single do, without a single do, to say, that has a projected ERA for the season that's under four. So the starting rotation is going to be, I think, a massive weak link for this group. And your strategy is just going to be, hey, man, we just got to outscore almost everybody that we play here. And I don't know if that's going to be something that you can consistently do over the course of 162 games. I think that this seems like it could be yet again a pretty rough year for Arizona. So even go back, our guy at a birth point of this out in the M.O.B. vending guide, go back to the year in which they had made the World Series. That was a year in which they had a negative run differential. It was a deepest run we'd seen from a team with a negative run differential in the regular season. So I just look at this team overall. You've got some upside in offense that's always been the case. But what in the world does this pitching staff look like? And how in the world are you going to get enough consistency at the front end that you're going to be able to get some of these wins? And I just don't see that that being the case. So last season, 80 and 82, the win total looking ahead to 2026, 79 and a half. And I feel like the projections that I've seen around this team are all teetering right around that number. Pecota has 78.9, fan graphs, 81.6. So a pretty narrow margin when you look at where the market is compared to some of these analytic sites that put that info out there. Yeah. I mean, I think it seems right where it probably should be. I guess the question is, you know, what's the upside? If something hits or if you're going to get the positive outcome, what is it? And I guess it's better health by the time like everybody comes back near the tail end of the early portion of their recovery periods. Guys like Burns come back and actually provides something for you that gives you a stronger push toward the end of the season. But with so much of the issues around a team are dealing with injury. It's hard to really bank in on a group going over a win total when so many key pieces are dealing with certain issues. And you have to expect that that's going to have a negative effect on what you're going to be as a team. And then you zoom out even further and you look at the national league west as a whole. I mean, obviously you look at the Dodgers and the giants who are in this thing that are going to be very tough outs. This is going to be a division overall that's going to be very difficult to navigate. 22 to 1 in the NLS. And as we've talked about some of these other teams, the giants as you reference, we've always brought up who's at the top of this division. And it is Los Angeles Dodgers to the surprise of no one who are obviously favorites to win yet another world series this year. But that $6 price is, is that surprising to you at all? Can anyone even come close to contending with this team in the division? Is there hope for anyone else from a regular season standpoint? Probably not. I mean, you can talk about the podgers when we get to them as well. But the Dodgers are just set up to dominate from the regular season standpoint. We've always talked about the oddity of the MLB postseason, how weird it can get. So there is certainly a chance that the Dodgers maybe get upended at one point. But from the course of, I mean, baseball is built over the course of 162 games for the cream to rise the top. You have to do all the data points. The best should be there. There's no reason to expect the Los Angeles Dodgers unless they are just absolutely demolished with injuries. I mean, like almost every position it would seem. There's really no realistic case. I think to be made that they're not going to be the team that wins this division. Make the playoff numbers for the Diamondbacks plus 270, miss minus 340, the National League Gods 35 to 1 World Series 65 to 1 division finishing position for inquiring minds. As we mentioned, they're 22 to 1 to win the division. But fourth is the favorite in terms of that finishing position at minus 105. Third plus 170 second plus 390, fifth 35 to 1. You mentioned Adam Burke and the right up that he's got in our MLB bedding guide that is out now, both Adam and Jensen Lewis previewing and doing deep dives in each and every team throughout the course of the Major League Baseball season. By the way, Vison dot com. You could get the guide. I'll a cart. You could also come join us on a full time basis right now because we do have our Hoops mania special that's going on. You can join us 29 99 get access to everything that we do with the network. That's the best bets. It's the daily articles unlimited access to all of them, the bedding splits and our March Mania bedding guide, which will be here before you know it with March madness upon us. Vison dot com slash subscribe with that in mind. That's shift gears to a little college basketball because we do have a couple big games on deck tonight. Number three Michigan at number 10 Illinois. We previewed this a bit with Will Hill a little bit earlier on the program. He likes the dog in Illinois in this spot. Ken Palm. Based on these two teams, I mentioned three first 10 Ken Palm has him two V four has this as a slight Michigan win. Where do you see it? I think it obviously depends on how Illinois is going to shoot the ball, but Michigan does tend to give up three point attempts. Now it depends on whether or not those are going to go in once they leave the hand to tend to get pretty random and for a team, there are top 10 three point percentage defense, giving up under 30% from beyond the arc. But if you're going to allow Illinois to get those threes off, I mean, that's exactly what they want. There are top 10 team in terms of three point rate. There are top 80 team in terms of three point percentage. So that is going to be how they do their damage as we know. And they're good enough defensively, I think to at least keep themselves in uncertain possessions. I would expect as we're looking at here, I mean, the projected total is what 161 were down to 158 and a half with the actual total. This maybe could be a higher scoring game. Illinois does play at a slow tempo as does Michigan, but, or excuse me, not to Michigan, they want Michigan to play at that slow tempo as well. But if they can't even slow it down, they're still going to have those high variance attempts where you're talking about from three point range where you can maybe get this over. But I would expect that Illinois is going to potentially be able to get this done. They're at home familiar shooting backgrounds, taking a lot of threes against the team that gives them up. I can, I can vibe at least what will is putting down here when you're talking about supporting the Alina. And I mean, he's dead on two talking about how Illinois has kind of been the kryptonite of Michigan, at least in recent history, winning nine straight in the seasons. Michigan has not won since January of 2019 against the Alina. And I think that over time lost that they had against UCLA. Even though there's a week separating the games, pretty clear look ahead spot, which we talk about those types of games all the time. I did think this was interesting too, just going through the game logs for Michigan throughout the course of the season, aside from being a two and a half point dog against Gonzaga back in November, a game in which if you remember, they absolutely torch the Zags in that game by like 40. That's the shortest spread we've seen on the world. This is the shortest spread we've seen on the Wolverines all season with the exception of that even the game against Duke. They were two and a half point favorite. So we'll see what this ultimately looks like when all is said and done the other top 25 game tonight, number 21 Miami of Ohio at Western Michigan 28 and no, the red hogs trying to keep this thing alive. Three more opportunities to see if they can have a perfect regular season. 19 and 6, ATS. They play three no spread games by the way for those of you who are doing the quick math on that. The first meeting back in January, Miami of Ohio 187 76 did not cover the 14 and a half point spread. We're now looking at the 11 and a half to 12 and a half point range, depending where you look. Yeah, but I mean, they've been covering numbers. That's the thing. It's not like Miami Ohio has been flirting with disaster. They've been coming in and covering everything you asked them to. And that is the odd part about this. Now, they're probably the top of the market. We talk about this all the time. You saw this open at some spots, what 12 and a half or down to that 11 and a half. As you noted, going on the road and playing your style of basketball is always going to be a question high tempo. A lot of threes relying on the three point shot. That's always going to be something where if you're walking into an environment like Western Michigan, or you're going to be able to keep that up. Now, their defense has been abysmal, the Broncos. They are dead last I think right now. Yeah, they're last right now in Mac play in defensive efficiency. They do tend to give up quite a bit inside so that kind of helps you here against Miami. They can't get inside, but really it's about what you do from beyond the arc. If you're the Red Hawks, I can understand, you know, third road game and four tries against the Western Michigan team that's going to try to at least slow this down their 10th in the Mac in terms of tempo. I can understand why at least the market's going to sit here and say, all right, 12 and a half, I'll take that and I'll go against Miami Ohio. And I expect them to lose, but at the very least have trouble covering a really big number. And maybe we're in the territory now where we should start to play against them again, considering they've been meeting those expectations. You mentioned three in the four games, also second road game last four days. So there's that element of it too. And like I don't know how much you think about this stuff, but are we getting to the point where there are distractions about being undefeated and there's a big game against Toledo that's going to be coming up in the conference and the pressure of winning all of your game so that it doesn't have to be a win in the conference tournament. Does that layer into your thinking at all? I mean, I would assume it's maybe part of the conversation for sure. You're talking, you have to be talking about it at this point. It would be human nature if you're sitting there and going, yeah, like we're on the verge right now. We're 28. No, we're on the verge of going 31 and 0. And by the way, our schedule sets up pretty nicely. You have Western Michigan Toledo and Ohio. Two of those teams are bottom two 20 teams when you're talking about the Kenpon rankings at the very least. One other thing I will say for those of you that are looking to take the points potentially with Western Michigan much better at home than they are on the road. Like I listen, I get it. They're not a great team. However, back in Kalamazoo tonight, seven and four ATS after they had a pretty long stretch of being on the road for a while to have the opportunity to be back at home in a game like this where you know they're going to give their best effort. Everybody wants to be that team to be able to upset Miami, Ohio and what has been a perfect season for them. Total for this game, by the way, 163 and a half. When we come back from this break, one other college basketball thing I do want to bring up and I know it's been talked about on a number of shows. It cashed again yesterday. So we got to give our boy Luke Devasta a little bit of credit when we come back and then diving into the NHL card just four games on deck, but stick around. If not, we're going to put the round and find out. So you're listening to this podcast because you want an edge, but what if I told you you're only halfway there? You've got the mindset. Now it's time to get the toolkit to match. Here's the thing. Pro better spend thousands on data and tools, but what they don't want you to know is that you can get the same edge for a fraction of the cost with Vsyn Pro. Vsyn Pro gives you access to expert picks, public betting data, prop projections, powerful tools, analytics and more. Just tap the link in the description and see why thousands of bettors are already using Vsyn Pro to cash more bets. Back here on Money Moves, this segment of the program sponsored by Upside where you can turn your gas purchases into real cash back with the free upside app. Download upside now. Use promo code sports for 25 cents back per gallon on your first fill up story. Bonitone, Jonathan Vontobl with you. Did you see this by the way? You're all of the to do about from the league about not allowing the NFL PA to publicize and make everyone aware of what those report card grades were that they instantly got leaked. Like, ESPN was the first to actually publish them, but you saw all of these other insiders and reporters coming out like, yeah, I got them too. I did see some of them. Yes. What was the giant? Was it the giant who got it? There was a couple of teams who got into some of them. A number of them. The big one was the Steelers draw for 28 to last. Shocked. Shocked. What I thought was kind of funny was how Woody Johnson was leading the charge, the owner of the New York Jets, and their grade actually improved significantly. They had an F last year. They got to be this season. Oh, good for them. So they actually did better. So maybe that's why he didn't want it is like, oh, we you guys expect us to actually make change in investment our facilities and do things better. Unacceptable. Or he had no idea what was going to happen. So he was scared of having another F for a second consecutive offseason. Yeah. Erring Glen must stay awake in those meetings because he got a B. Yeah, that was weird. Fallen asleep in the draft. I mean, I mean, I think we're all kind of there at some point. You know, I don't know if I'm not good at falling asleep. I can't fall asleep in public. So doing something. I guess that's a little bit more of a private. He's up in a suite, whatever it is. But I can't. I see people like knocked out in public places. I still cigarette from somebody when I was a kid. Who's sleeping on a bus? Like he was falling. He fell asleep on the bus. So when I was a kid, I was like teenage, but I can't understand sleeping in public places like that. I find it so easy. I can fall asleep anywhere. That's weird on a dime. Yeah. I don't know if it's because you have no sense of like, what I say, what was your term? Is he back there? What was his term the other day? His sense of space? No, it was a spatial where it's like sense of self or something like that. You know, it was something spatially. It was. But I know it's not really that. I don't know if it's just because like I've had to sleep certain places. Like I've had to sleep overnight in airports multiple times. That's weird. Yeah, I can fall asleep pretty easily. I remember working for the Mountain West years ago at the swimming and diving championship. And I got like a 20 minute break and they were like, okay, go get lunch, go do whatever. And for an event like that to practice diving, they have like these really big mats, almost like if you were at a gymnastics facility, it's really big mats. And I just laid down and went and passed out for the entire 20 minutes and people would come just nudge me. You're like, okay, time to get back to work. I just don't trust other humans enough to be able to fall asleep. I do clutch my bag when I'm falling asleep in an airport or something like that. I have it in my hand. But yeah, I can fall asleep pretty much anyway. The cigarette I stole was a palm all. It wasn't very good. Said before the break that I wanted to make sure we gave a little shout out to our guy, Luke Devosta. So this has been going around who doesn't sleep in public places, by the way. I don't know that for a fact, but I was like, that's not the thing. He's a good man. We don't know that. He's taking care of that. There we go. Yeah, I did it. I did it. I haven't heard though this system that he's put together called the angle is on a 9-0 ATS run it cashed again yesterday. Justin and I are producer. We're talking about how like we had the city account yesterday. We wanted to join in the fun. It ended up winning 38 and 10 ATS since he started playing the system. And here he is yesterday on follow the money explaining what that is. Defined it, please. Yeah, so the angle essentially comes down to these three sites, Bart Torvick, Asometrics and then Greg Peterson here on Veson. So two of those sites are free one. You're subscribing for here. But if those three sites say one team is favored and you check the book and it has the opposite team favored, that's when you agree with these three sites. You take the dog at the book and enroll from there. So that's why every single play we see is a dog. They can't be favorites. And every single one is obviously close to one and a half, two and a half, three and half because you're able to flip the. And so the diamond in the rough yesterday was Eastern Washington against Northern Colorado. There were one and a half point dog ended up winning that game pulling away late by 10. Again, a 9 to 0 ATS run right now. No matches today. It's a shorter slate of basketball in general. But on our crew, Veson meeting earlier this morning, like the All Hands Weekly Friday morning meeting, Luke did say that there are a ton of them that he's going to go through for the Saturday card of games. And so there is a link to the doc available on Veson.com right now on the picks page. It's going to be updated. Book market as well right now so that you can save it and go through not only this weekend, but moving forward. But a very, very cool run for something that is unique and going through those metrics. We talk how often do we talk about Haslam metrics or Bart Torbick or Ken Palm, what Greg does each and every week. So great starting off point there. If you're just looking to jump in and have a little bit of fun. Now though to get into what is a four game slate in the national hockey league, let's puck around and find out. Cold takes not here. It's time to puck around and find out. Let's do it. JVT lots of coin flip games tonight. The most expensive money line favorite as I look at the four games right now is that Utah game. Yeah, that Mike Palm brought up a little bit earlier on in the program. The highest number minus one 42 at draft Kings, but shop around because if you do like Utah tonight, there's as low as minus one 30 in the market as well. So we talked about this all the time. Do your due diligence. What I am going to be betting in this game though is another over. I know we got so lucky with it yesterday. We talked about that four goals scored in the final five minutes of that thing, including two in the last minutes. Ultimately get us there. However, we're on the 19 and two run the last 21. This is something that is cash for us frequently in Minnesota wild games and going through the match up with the mammoth today should be Jesper wallstep in net for Minnesota. And while I do expect it to be better than the weirdness, we saw the three him thrust into in the last minute of that game where then Colorado scores will want him like seven seconds in. I expect him to be better, but still not particularly good. He had an unreal December and has not played anywhere near that this recent stretch. 14 five and four on the season JVT with a two seven six goals against average nine one three save percentage. The last 10 though. Four four and two given up three plus goals in nine of those 10 three eight five goals against average eight eight one save percentage in that time average total goals in those games because remember as well. Minnesota is a top 10 scoring offense. They have one of the best power plays in the NHL seven point three. So give me another over today. I think that it's the way to go. Okay. That's one of my favorite bets today. And I know it's like. It's a little bit dicey after what transpired yesterday, but I like it. It's a new day. Data point is irrelevant from yesterday. This is a different matchup. I don't know if it's a relevant. I think it's probably relevant, but. All right. That's great. But we got that upset. You want to talk about your panthers? Not my panthers. The Buffalo Sabers. I don't know why you put that evil on me. Well, you did win a cup with them last year. That is very true. Floor. I mean, I don't know. Look, with Florida, I'm not entirely sure how to read this team. And my love for the Buffalo Sabers is more of a big picture. And I talked about this a bike. Their offense is very clearly one of the better ones in the national hockey league when you look a lot of the different metrics for them, especially at five on five. And their goal-tending is I keep describing it as good enough. It would seem at this point to make some noise here in the Eastern Conference on an individual night like tonight, where you were just playing. And now you have to go and take on Florida. Seems like maybe a little dicey to back them here in this situation. But I think we're probably you would read the market better than me. Are we getting to the point where the sabers are getting a little bit more respect here? Because on first blush, as somebody who has the limited knowledge that I do, might just want 15 seems cheap for Florida here in this spot. Unless I'm missing something. Uh, yeah, I think hypothetically, right? Everything's relative. Florida, I think, still has a little bit of the allure and expectation. People think that even though they're odds on in a pretty hefty number to miss the playoffs right now, that they're they're going to surge. You see them put up a five one win over Toronto, who isn't good. And by the way, that loss yesterday, the way that they have started since the break, they'll maple leafs. I hope is assigned to leadership that they should sell and not try to make some sort of a push to the playoffs is just like mean girls stop trying to make fetch happen. It's not going to happen. That's how I feel about the Toronto Maple Leafs right now that said with the Panthers, I just I think that Buffalo is playing was playing so well going into the break. And I know they stumbled a little bit those final games, but 22, 4 and 2 in all since December 9, which included a five three win in Sunrise earlier this month as well. The head to head has been good. Alex Lyons, a former Panther by the way, 2 and 0 against his former team this season. He's been steady for me. A lot of things just showed up Buffalo tonight. So I did do a small play on them. And it seems like they're getting back. I mean, not significantly, but they were even money when this opened last night and now minus 105. So a slight tick toward the Buffalo Sabers to what we've seen to this point. Six and a half the goal total for that game with Bob starting last night. It looks like likely to Neil Terrasop in net for the Florida Panthers tonight as well. That's a better option, right? He's been better than Sergey, yeah, which is weird to say again as well. Like this Florida team is so it's so interesting how much people still want to believe that they're going to going to really put something together and make the playoffs. I don't see that at all. I mean, if we're into the point of this game as well, if I'm getting the better option in goal to this, it speaks to the out of the what this price is for this game. Are the ducks? There's ridiculous comeback the other day for the ducks against Edmonton. $3.37 at a couple of spots to win this game tonight against Winnipeg. Yeah, I don't have a firm feel on the side in this game. I was looking at the total here and I played under six and a half. The best price on that was actually here at circa minus 120. They had a great rally the other day against the Illinois. Or like you said, it was a six five come back. Didn't lead all game until I think 74 seconds or there without. You don't five one right? There's out that game. What? Yeah, it was just it was a ridiculous comeback for them. I don't think that they are going to have the same offensive production with Conor Hellebuck back in that tonight. I also don't think that the jets are going to produce the way that the oilers did offensively in that game. So you look at what is an 11 goal total game and say, of course, I want to take the over once again. I feel like we could get like a complete reversal of that tonight. So there are a bunch of sixes in the market where if you're going under that, you're probably getting a better plus money price. But you can shop around because there are six and a halfs and I like that angle of being able to get under the higher number. You're watching Money Moves. Kira and Fiesen. These force betting network. Back at it on the Friday edition of Money Moves. Viesen, these sports betting network series XM Channel 158. Stormy Bontoni, Jonathan Vontobl with you. Short slate in the association tonight, but excited to have our good buddy, Zach Cohen, with us to break it all down. He joined us via the progressive guest line senior editor here at Viesen.com and be a analyst, host, of course, of the Hardwood Handy Capers podcast as well. Fun day last night as well. Was it? Yes. Was it not? I mean, Zach and I both had the magic. We watched them blow an 18 point lead against the Houston rocket. So I wouldn't call that fun. Would you, Zach? That sounds like a personal problem. No, not fun. Honestly, I also had the Clippers plus five and a half expecting Kawaii to play. It ended up closing at eight and a half and they lost by six. So I could have wanted if I waited a little bit longer and still had it. It was just terrible. JVT had a lot of panic as well, texting about Joel and Beat. When he heard the ribs, you ended up getting there. That was okay. We said it closed the game out, though. So I mean, it was a little bit of a sweat that thing out. Fair. That's it. We were talking about the Lakers. Nobody responded to that text, by the way. I was suffering in silence. A little bit earlier. I was wondering if you were doing whatever the hell you do on a day to day basis. As watching Game of Thrones is very busy. Oh my god. For the second time. But Zach, we were talking about the Lakers a little bit earlier and something that I brought up with JVTM Curious, your opinion on real quickly, was the 10 to one on the Lakers not to make the playoffs. Is that something you think could be realistic or just even percentages wise from a number standpoint is 10 to one a good number on something like that? I don't think so because I think that they're awful, but like they're bad when they play decent teams and better. They beat the bad teams whenever they play them. So they generally do handle their business. They already have a nice enough cushion that I'd be really surprised if they don't get in, especially like if they have to go into a play in situation. It's still kind of hard to imagine them like losing two games in that scenario. So I think that they're a pretty safe pick to make the playoffs. I just think that they'll probably go out in the first round no matter who they play. I mean, so playoff, what about play in? I mean, your team has been dealing with injuries and is slid into the play in, but they beat him yesterday. Are they bad enough to slip outside of the top six? It's definitely possible. I mean, Booker will be coming back in like four days. I think I just read. So Phoenix is going to be a full strike soon. I do think this team is still really, really good, but the Brooks injury, I guess we'll see how they look without, you know, Brooks and with Booker in. It still might be a team that struggles a little bit defensively because Brooks was such a tone setter at the point of attack. We got the news that SGA is back coming back from the abdominal strain. And obviously, OK, see what's good as they are, even with him and multiple players out for the most part. We're still staying above water, covering some numbers. They're laying seven and a half today at home against the nuggets. It's another team. I know JVT. You're very high on in the Western conference total 233 and a half. Any angles here that people should be aware of? Yeah, I mean, I like Denver in this game. Plus eight and a half. I know it might be seven and a half some places, but you could still find eight and a half out there. If you have to take eight, that's fine. If you have to take the seven and a half, I'd say I'd still be OK with that, but I do think this is a really tough ask for SGA to come back from such a lengthy absence and play like a superhero in this game. I just think that this is a really tough matchup. Denver is coming off their best defensive performance of the season against Boston last game after coming off two full days of rest, two days to prepare for that Celtics team. Still a good rest situation overall for the week as they headed to this game against the Thunder. We've seen this team trouble OK, see in the past. You just have to go back to last year's playoffs to see a seven game series between the two where David Adelman did a really good job and just kind of throwing different looks at them defensively and offensively, even if there are absences for this nuggets team, I still just trust the Joker to do enough offensive to keep this from being, you know, blow out or a lot of side again. All right, let's go to the big one in the Eastern Conference Cleveland's on the road against Detroit. We're looking at five and a half or six, depending on where you look total to 27. Harden's questionable. I know you've got something with him, though. So you're expecting him to play and then by extension after your prop, if he's going to play, even without Mitchell, can they stay inside of this number? Yeah, I am expecting him to play, but if he doesn't play and you take a player prop on him, it'll just be voided. So it's not really that big of a risk. But I took Harden to go over seven and a half assists in this game. He's averaging eight since arriving in Cleveland, 13.7 potential assist per game, 9.7 adjusted assist per game. Just been doing a really, really good job of setting up his teammates with quality looks and taking advantage of the two bigs that he has now in Mobile, in Allen that can both finish plays all the shooting that he's surrounded with. And overall, the role that he's been given with this team where, you know, I know you said it on the podcast yesterday, people were worried about whether or not the ball. There was going to be enough balls to go around for Harden and not of it Mitchell, but Harden's had plenty of chances to run the offense. Now Mitchell is out and his usage rates pie about to go up even more. And I do think that with the broken thumb, he's probably not going to be as aggressive as a score. He's probably going to be looking a little bit more to distribute and get other guys' quality shots, because I'm sure he's not going to be all that confident in his first game playing with this broken thumb. So I tonight, even against a really strong defense, he'll have at least eight assists. And I actually do lean Cleveland, but I'll keep an eye on the injury report because there are some guys questionable. A key on Ellis and Dennis Schroeder. I'd want to know that those guys will be out there without of Mitchell already being out. Next, meanwhile, trying to bounce back from a tough loss to that Cleveland Cavaliers team, they're laying eight and a half in Milwaukee, a buck squad that despite not having you on his own as a Cumpo out there continues to win games straight up as an underdog. Again, eight and a half that number tonight total 218 and a half. What's your read on the game and any player props that you're invested in as well? Yeah, so I do have a player prop. I have Kevin Porter Jr. to go over 30 and a half points rebounds of assists. I do have a lean on Milwaukee overall. I just think this is a lot of points to be giving a team that's been very strong, offensively lately against the team that can't guard pick and rolls, but speaking to that in ability to defend screens. I do think that this is a game where Kevin Porter Jr. just puts up big numbers again. I mean, over the last nine games, he's averaging 21.9 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. Really do a good job serving as the number one for this team without y'all. And as you just said, and I do think this is going to be another situation where the defense really can't cover it. It's a really, really dynamic shot maker off the dribble in this next team, not very good at defending pullups. And I do think that Porter is going to be good for 7/8 assists here. He's been rebounding pretty consistently. I'd just be surprised if we don't see him kind of flirt with these numbers again. And I do believe that off to AI, I'm taking it for like 31.5. So slight edge to the over from them too. All right, so hard and over 7/2 assists, Porter over 30 and a half points rebounds of assists. Am I just 124? And then we talked about that nuggets thunder matchup. I feel like the nuggets there on that side against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Curious your thoughts on one game today that you don't have on your list of bets. Stormy, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at the thought of this Maverick's team, flailing around last night, performance they put together. But she fell into the trap of maybe thinking the nets were the more tank worthy team. Wasn't the case yesterday. My question is, like, why does the market seem to have some belief in this Maverick's team despite the fact that flag is out and they're really thin, Zach. I mean, yesterday's number was pretty large. We saw this open 5 and a half against Memphis today. We've had a pretty poor ATS run here over the last 11, 12 games or so. Why is the market so high on Dallas despite all the injuries? I wish I had an answer for you. Like this stuff with these two taking teams playing against one another, they'll really stay away situations for me. I mean, it could have something to do with Ty Jerome not playing. I know that he was on the injury report. And if he doesn't play, you're really missing back court shot making. And I just think that that maybe is where they view the edge for the Mavericks. But these games are really ugly, really hard to call. You almost have to just look at these slates and almost cross games out. Like I said, a few times, I don't really know what the incentive is for either one of these teams to win. And you don't really know what the rotations are going to look like. I still think we need some time to kind of learn what the post trade deadline rotations look like for all these taking teams. Yeah, 4.5 to spread tonight. We're thinks it right now total 238 and a half. Another really bad team in action as well. The Brooklyn Nets plus 17 and a half in Boston against the Celtics today. 2 10 and a half that number. Was that an easy cross out for you this morning? It was, but I've said it before, like I wouldn't be opposed to like people playing like Jalen Brown, first quarter props, like players that you would normally take a player prop for over the course of an entire game. Take them in the first quarter because you know, they're going to play their normal, you know, minutes load in that quarter. They're probably not going to play the third or fourth if it is a 20 point game. But that doesn't matter if you jump on a number for that first frame only. All right, let's talk really quick in the last couple of minutes. We brought it to the cup of flag missing time. The work of the year race is becoming really interesting. There is no minimum, but I would assume that just building data points, if you're, as you, I think this is your nickname for him, Greg or Greg, excuse me, Zach. I have Kineples Greg. Can you milk me? What do we make of Khan's chances here for rookie of the year? I'm so stupid. That was actually really good, but I will say that. I think that it's not a game limit one, but I do agree with you that, like, Kineple, if he plays really strong basketball over the course of an 82 game season, playing for a playoff team and doing it the way that he's been doing it will end up winning if flag does not end up playing the rest of the way. So I do think this is one that's getting closer and closer and I do think this is going to be an interesting market to watch. Hopefully, flag comes back. But if you've been listening to Harvard handicapers throughout the year, you're hopefully in a situation where you'll profit on either one of them. But yeah, it's going to be an interesting end of the season. That's a great reminder. Hardwood handicapers, each and every morning, like Zach is crushing it, download wherever you get your podcasts. Every Thursday is great. Appreciate your time. Thursday is the worst ones, though. I've got to say, Zach, thanks for the time, buddy. Thanks, guys. That's when JVT is on, by the way. Senior editor of eason.com, you can follow him on X as well at betting on X and while you guys are listening to the program, I know a lot of you guys are in your car. You're commuting to work to lunch, whatever it is. And when you stop at the pump to fill up the gas tank, if you're not doing it with the upside app, you're doing it wrong. It's a free app where you can get real cash back every time you buy gas. Download upside today and use promo code sports. You'll get $0.25 back per gallon on your first tank. Users are earning hundreds of dollars a year just by driving like they normally do. Cash out whenever you want, straight to your bank account or gift cards. Get started now with the free upside app promo code sports offers a very by user and location. Upside.com. For terms. Upside when we come back though, closing out this Friday edition of the program with our best bets tonight and looking ahead to the weekend. Don't miss it. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh, 4JVT again. New names every day is welcome back here to my moves. So here's a problem. And Matt Brown said this to me one time and I've never forgotten this. So my name, as you can see right there on the screen, is Jonathan Vontowal. That's my last name is Vontowal. Matt Brown, very early on in our relationship at one point, we were talking and I don't know how it came up. He had assumed for the longest time that Vont was my middle name to which my respond it was what kind of a psychopath introduces themselves first, middle and last name. Nobody ever would do that. It's usually and even when they introduce themselves like more other people that would talk about them like that, but it's usually an initial, not a full name. Sure, even that's weird, but like I would never introduce myself with my first middle and last name. Nobody does it. No one would hear me does that. I did a hit with our friends, our neighbors in the North and Canada and they put on the marquee Jonathan Tobal. So I think they assume that again, my middle name is Vontowal, which is not, it's not. I do think that it's a little bit funny that between the two of us, my name is certainly the much more difficult, like to say, to read all of the things. Yet I feel like you have more issues with it. Oh, it's incredible. I do, because people will either do that where it's Jonathan Tobal or they get caught up on the Vaughn and think it's Van Tobal. You get that a ton. So I'm, yeah, who would have thought that between the two of us? I'm also, I'm not a corrector, you know? So I do a certain few in Canada, because this is a regular hit I do. Like I'm Jonathan Van Tobal. Like I do a certain few who listed that program all the time. Yes, and I actually, I saw this live. He was doing a hit in studio prior to money moves beginning. And they started out, you get called Van Tobal. They have some sort of a technical issue where they have to reset the segment. And you didn't just say, hey, by the way, it's Vaughn. It's Vaughn Tobal, by the way. It was like, it was like, it was so, which is surprising to me because of who you are. I feel like, because I'm so famous. It surprises me that you're not a corrector. What is happening? Having worked with you every single day. I don't think, I don't like, like, this was going to look. I'm a forward person, right? You know, like the, you are. And that's why I say I'm surprised that you haven't just. And in certain instances, I'm not like, I'm not a center backer at restaurants. You know, like, you get my name wrong out whatever it's fine. I'll just a center backer. I don't know if I know that word. What is that? Like, somebody returns their meat. Like, it's not good enough. Like, hey, this is it. Oh, a center backer. I was thinking like C-I-N-D-E-R. That's what I was here. I was like, what is that? No, I'm not a center backer. My mom and the other. I mean, the rate of which a meal is sent back with, my mother is a very high probability. That is so dangerous. Is it not? >> I would not more often than not want to risk that and if you are sending something back what could potentially happened with your food or what people are saying about you after that are you not getting get good service after that because they are expecting no tip because you're sending something back sure I feel like that's a recipe for a further negative experience as you all know now you can have inside on it former apple bees waitress this is how she would handle those situations. >> Absolutely not absolutely not. >> But I know that happens at the place the movie waiting exists for a reason okay because there are places that that type of things have a lot of body of everybody I had a card and everything there is something that you are going to be doing though starting very soon with college basketball tomorrow >> I was today. >> Tonight is day one tonight. >> Yes with it Matt humans as announced the college hoops contest returning for the March man is field yet feel the 15 handicap is going to compete in the first time last year went into the final four with the only handicap or mathematically allow able to catch Paul stone for first place but had to play the strategy ultimately didn't get it Paul get got the cabana I think is what he chose so there will be 15 of us in total competing for this prize on Fred Pixar do Saturday morning at 8 a.m. So it won't have the usual Friday contest feel of giving out the picks on a Friday night. >> 15 handicap is including defending champ Paul stone David and he will Hill Chris Sarah just a rallow. >> Let's see docusy area Ryan Kramer Aaron Moore Tim Murray Greg Hoops Peterson Dustin sweetle's and Ken Thompson myself and Matt humans all competing here so as I said last year I was lucky enough to end up finishing pretty high up only goals and on bears myself stormy so that is hopefully what we will do this time around but look forward to it and if I will save that for when I win >> I think that should be really fun though and obviously it's such a hit during football season everything that everyone does on the Friday football invitations also similar concept for college basketball your favorite personalities and some of those betters that I've become more and more well known that said we do a bet to get to for today hit me with how you did yesterday and if you added anything today for record standpoint to a two small profit because one of the wins was the plus one twenty seven money line parlay that we put together yesterday so seventy six years get there might as one and a second time and then we have to have the magic led by eighteen points and a blow you can't cover two and a half Lakers never really in it had a third quarter spread where looked like there was going to pull away wasn't the case so two and two with a small profit from yesterday nothing on the board really that I like so we'll just sit back and see what the weekend brings and we'll have some college bets for tomorrow morning as well. >> All right I have a few went for into yesterday the trailblazers got there easily in Chicago against the bulls he talked about this with Mike Palm just to for the time being old eleven straight up in February one in fourteen their last fifteen two and thirteen eight yes the sharks unfortunately did not get there on the money line against the flames is tied one one with about what five minutes into the third flames then pulled away to win four one Dustin wolf was really really good in net as was Nazim cadre for the flames we had him over two and a half shots on goal easy winner five on the night with a pair of goals wish I bet that sends in regulation did not come through they lose an overtime to the red wings and what's funny I was telling you about this pre show today I previewed this game yesterday talking about how it was a team in the playoffs with bad underlying metrics taking on a team that's outside of the playoffs with good ones the result showed up exactly like that the senators two point two seven expected goals for yesterday to Detroit's one point one seven the scoring chances were twenty seven to seventeen in favor of Ottawa more high danger scoring chances as well and they're the losing side. Euler's kings over six and a half Euler's get there themselves in the eight to one win back to back ugly losses now for this king's team and then the abs and wild over six and a half also got there albeit very very fortunately and we are going back to the well on another wild over against the mammoth today this thing has been been bet up from five and a half to six and a half I got a flat six at super book a little bit juiced minus one twenty minus one twenty five range we have seen this out team on a nineteen and two over run right now cashed a lot of tickets on it we're going to stick with it Utah also seven and three to the over their last ten as well should be just for wall stead in net for Minnesota last ten games four four and two giving up three plus goals in nine of those ten starts three eight five goals against eight eight one safe percentage in that time and I told you this earlier the total goals scored in those games as well because of how good Minnesota has been offensively seven point three this was I don't have a side in this game but Mike Palm brought up earlier his angle on the mammoth in this one and they are the juiciest favorite of the bunch what is this number so they are really really strong at home seventeen nine and two wild have struggled on the second half of back to backs Utah is also one four straight meetings in the series including a six to win back in October so I understand why the market likes Utah I just want goals in this spot we also mentioned Buffalo I'm going minus one five on the money line at Florida in this spot Sabers have been really profitable in the underdog roll seven and three straight up their last ten is a dog twenty two four and two in all since December ninth which included a five three win in sunrise earlier this month as well beat New Jersey two one in that first game back from the break ninth in the league overall and goals for per game and Alex lions going in net he's been really steady nine one three safe percentage wins in eleven of his last thirteen starts as well and then last but certainly not in the league of eight and a half and this is a flat six a lot of places to if you are willing like me to pay a little bit of juice to get the higher number to take the under that's the way that I would play it Conor hella buck back in net for win a peg in this spot I don't think we have nearly the same offensive production that we got from anaheim late in that game against the oilers I also don't think they're gonna they're not facing an offensive team in the jets that are gonna put a ton of goals on them either so under six and a half the angle there so those are my my trio of bets in the NHL Minnesota Utah over six Buffalo money line out Florida and then win a peg anaheim under six and a half like it good luck all right oh so many bets yesterday I was so good job it ended up being a good day yeah four and two is good you how about you so I know that it wasn't the best day for you yesterday you've been on no no no no no no no no no no no I think it's okay because like I'm not jinxing anything now you should get some credit where it's due your NBA record this season has been tremendous what are you doing this weekend what am I doing my dad's coming into town for the third weekend in a row so I'm hanging out with him would you be richy you want to come down to the crib sure you want to hang out with us it's gonna be fun let's see your dad your dad did tell me you wanted to go with beers and tacos can't do that for now but when we're done then can you eat tacos because I know you're not eating bread but does that that's not the same thing yeah I can eat meat okay we can make you a bowl okay I have shredded lettuce I have macchios salsa which I know you love so much I mean the salsa is fine it's just that my dad the other day wanted to take me to we're not going to name the place but I'm just going to say that he wanted to go there and I was like I don't know about that and I was going to text you luckily the the plans changed did I tell you the t-shirt I bought my dad from there white people he goes there every time every I mean that's what we are every time he comes to town he goes to this restaurant and I got him a t-shirt that has a giant tc t on the back which is a toasted cheesy tortilla by the way very very light person Mexican food but it's like a cartoon tc t and he was ecstatic when I gave it to him that's a wrap for us today we'll be back Monday appreciate y'all hanging out that's good luck with the best fall the money with Mitch and Paul coming up after this [Music]