Lots to like about the Rays at the moment...

Did the D-backs bottom out on Wednesday?...

The Yanks have waited seven months for this revenge chance...

This is a bit like last season, when the Mariners were prone to flat stretches when the offense went into extended slumps. Into tonight, while losing five of eight, Seattle has been blanked twice (including last night) and held to two runs or fewer on two other occasions. Thursday starter Emerson Hancock does seem blessed by good fortune, as despite a 5.95 ERA, the Mariners have won in six of his last seven starts. But the way the offense is struggling, and Mackenzie Gore (3.48 ERA) mostly solid on the mound for the Nats, not sure Hancock gets customary run support tonight. Play Nats on the Money Line.

Houston...we might have a problem. Roniel Blanco onto the shelf means that the Astros' staff is getting a bit thin, and Ryan Gusto's audition for a spot in the rotation might be turning permanent despite his so-so numbers, including a 4.58 ERA. Houston has also lost in the last four games in which Gusto appeared (two starts). Meanwhile, after a shaky stretch, Shane Baz straightened out for the Rays in his last start, limiting Toronto to one run and four hits across 5 2/3 IP while picking up a win last Saturday, resembling his April form when posting a 2.48 ERA. Tampa Bay pitching has excelled in the current 7-1 uptick, allowing only 14 runs, with the bullpen especially effective. Play Rays on Money Line

The 4-1 scoreline in Game 4 was deceiving, padded by a pair of empty-net Oilers goals in the last three minutes. Dallas was in position to level the series with only Oilers' goalkeeper Stuart Skinner keeping them at bay. Edmonton will now be proceeding without one of its key cogs, Zach Hyman, and while there are others, Hyman will be hard to replace. The Stars, apt to score goals in bunches earlier in the playoffs, need to rediscover that form while GK Jake Oettinger keeps the door shut. Refer to Game 5 of the Dallas-Colorado series when the Stars, on the ropes, jumped out quickly for their best game of the playoffs to date. Repeat tonight? Play Stars on the Puck Line.

What has happened to the Dallas offense? What has happen to Mikko Rantanen? The Stars looked like they might be headed to the Stanley Cup finals after their 6-3 win in Game One, but only two goals have ensued. Even-strength goals have been rare in this series for Dallas, which got three rapid-fire power-play strikes in Game One and another in Game Four. But that's been about it vs. Stuart Skinner. As for Rantanen, who looked on course for the Conn Smythe earlier in the playoffs, he hasn't scored now in seven straight games. With Jake Oettinger, Dallas can recover, and there has been an under bent to results both ways since later in their respective second round matchups. Play Oilers-Stars Under.

The Knicks are in trouble, but they only need to win one game--not three--on Thursday to stay alive. Still some real concerns for NY, including the supposed edge of playing at Madison Square Garden. Even Spike Lee can't explain the Knicks' 3-5 straight-up mark at home in these playoffs, which includes NY losses in Games 1 & 2 of this series. Now there is worry about the condition of Karl-Anthony Towns, dealing with a knee contusion. We suspected from the outset that Indiana's depth would provide the ultimate advantage vs. the Knicks, and we've seen nothing in the first four games to change our opinion. The Pacers are well capable of closing out another series in a Game 5 on the road. Play Pacers.

Though Jalen Brunson, who scored another 31 in Game 4, is doing his best, the Knicks are beginning to tire. We saw this in the 4th Q on Tuesday when struggling to get stops vs. the Pacers' onslaught led by Tyrese Haliburton, who posted 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds in Game 4. Still, Rick Carlisle has been getting big buckets throughout the playoffs from others such as Pascal Siakam (his second 30-point game of the series in Game 4), Game 1 hero Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, and an assortment of contributors from his bench (on Tuesday it was Bennedict Mathurin with 20 points; Obi Toppin and CJ McConnell have also posted big buckets in this series). Play Pacers-Knicks Over.

Chris Sale can probably sue for non-support. The Braves are guilty of paltry offense behind him, and have scored only 11 runs across his last five starts. That hasn't deterred Sale, who has posted a 1.37 ERA in May and is now working into the eighth inning in recent starts. Atlanta also represents a step up from recent Phils foes such as Pittsburgh, Colorado, and the A's, who helped a recent nine-game Philly win streak. Still, the Braves were also blanked by Ranger Suarez and Philly relievers 2-0 on Tuesday, and Thursday starter Zack Wheeler has an 0.68 ERA across four May starts. Play Braves-Phillies Under (Gm 2 DH).

A belated ninth-inning rally by the Halos got them inside of the Run Line last night, but it was still a fourth loss in a row following eight straight wins. The offense has stalled, having scored just once in 26 innings before the two runs in the ninth last night, but this happens to a homer-centric offense that otherwise can't manufacture runs. Also, note no walks and 11 Ks by Halo batters on Tuesday, another telltale sign of problems, as plate discipline is always capable of hurting the Angels. Note Clarke Schmidt's last four starts at sea level have a 3.13 ERA as the Yanks have won 8 of 9 and go for the Big A sweep tonight. Play Yankees on Run Line

Check out this...461-460. That's the total scoreline of this series thru four games, a one-point edge for the Thunder, and suggesting that despite the fact OKC can sew up matters tonight, this series isn't as one-sided as some believe. True, three of the games were one-sided, including OKC's home wins in Games 1 & 2, but even those games weren't one-way traffic all the way, OKC using second-half spurts to pull clear. Minnesota, however, did seem to gain confidence in the games at Target Center, and though losing on Monday, came within 2 points, despite Julius Randle scoring only 5, while the bench contributed 64 points. Meanwhile, can SGA (40 points Game 4) & Jalen Williams (34 points) play any better? Play T-wolves.

The only game of a previous seven landing beneath 218 between these sides this season came in Game One of this series when the T-wolves went ice-cold in the second half. In games 3 and 4, scorelines reached 244 and 254, respectively. The Wolves are having obvious problems slowing down SGA (40 points in game 4) and Jalen Williams (34 points on Monday), hardly keeping scorelines down. Meanwhile, Minnesota scored 126 on Monday even with Julius Randle contributing only 5, suggesting Chris Finch has some other options, including Illinois rookie Terrence Shannon, Jr along with Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Naz Reid, able to contribute 64 points off the bench in Game 4 and give the Wolves enough options to keep pace. Play Wolves-Thunder Over

Rewind to last year's finals vs. Edmonton, when Florida let a 3-0 series lead slip to 3-3 before finally nudging out a win in Game 7 to claim the Cup. This postseason, some unexpected flops at home, such as Game 3, holding a 2-0 lead, vs. the Lightning, and how about Game 6 in the last round vs. the Leafs, with a chance to close out matters before being blanked by Joseph Woll, 2-0? Carolina did finally break its 15-game conference finals skid on Monday, but we suggest it was more a matter of this curious Panthers close-out pattern, as Florida has proven capable of bouncing back quickly, and did have a 16-4 scoring edge the first three games. Play Panthers on Puck Line

The Panthers have been prone to flat efforts (in close-out games, no less) like Game 4, but usually recover with a vengeance. Florida has mostly been able to swarm Freddy Andersen in the Carolina goal, and had scored 16 times across the first three games before getting blanked on Monday. Sam Reinhart also apparently returns for Paul Maurice tonight. The Panthers were also blanked in Game 6 at home vs. the Leafs before recovering for a 6-1 road win in Game 7 in the last round, and as always, there is risk of a trailing team about ready to get closed out, pulling tis goalie earlier than it might and risking more empty-netters if behind late. That's another Carolina risk tonight. Play Panthers-Canes Over