OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a winner Monday and it’s on the San Antonio Spurs (-1.5) at Memphis.

San Antonio skunked me right here in that last game as they lost by three when getting two and now trail the series 2-1 to Memphis. Is Greg Popovich’s team really going to fall behind 3-1 in the series? It’s possible as the Spurs are beatable but I just don’t see it happening in the end.

Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are still extremely professional and still extremely capable. They are getting longer in the tooth and are a threesome that I have faded a bunch down the stretch but, in this spot in a must win game, how can I not believe they will pull it out?

Don’t get me wrong, Memphis is a very good team that will fight for everything. Zach Randolph is playing like an absolute superstar and other guys like Mike Conley, Jr. and Marc Gasol are no joke. The Grizzlies are playing at a high level, even without Rudy Gay, and it’s far from a fluke. But they are still a young squad that at some point will start to realize what they are up against. You rarely see a team make the playoffs as an eighth seed in the NBA and shock the one seed and there’s a reason for that. Talent is certainly one of the factors.  Say what you want the Spurs are still the superior basketball players and Pop’s boys have been there and done that which equals priceless experience.

This game should be tight throughout and hinge on a key play late. I can’t help but believe that the Spurs will be the team that makes that play down the stretch tonight. Oh and Zach, feel free to shoot another three in the final minute, I’m fine with that.

Top expert pick on this game: San Antonio

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OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has an NBA playoffs pick Saturday is on the Atlanta Hawks (+8.5) at Orlando.

Reasoning: I am not saying that Atlanta is really ready to fully compete as the last few months were not good for Larry Drew’s team but I’m also not fully buying this current Orlando team. The trades were not as successful as Otis Smith had hoped and Stan Van Gundy’s team has a lot of deficiencies and frankly too many to just lace them up and win going away. Certainly being in the Magic Kingdom is monstrous for Dwight Howard and the home squad and it should result in a victory but this thing is not going to get out of hand like the easy four game sweep a season ago.

The Hawks actually took three of the four meetings this season and even though Howard will dominate the paint Al Horford is a good enough matchup to disrupt Howard, do enough to hold his own and limit a ton of damage. Plus the Atlanta defense is the fourth best in the entire NBA in terms of defending the three point shot and we all know how the Magic will try and go small and bomb away with guys like Richardson, Arenas, Turkoglu and others.

Atlanta has scuffled at times and has regressed a bit. They have had mind scratching horrific 30 plus point blowout losses showing a lack of focus at times, which really isn’t very conducive to success when the chips are down. But I am not all in on this Magic team and still like the talent that the Hawks possess. Orlando has become one of the smaller teams in the league as it’s Howard and Brandon Bass down low and that’s about it, truly.

Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Horford and Jamal Crawford have game. Kirk Hinrich has not exactly been the answer at the point but the guy is at least experienced and good enough. In the end I do believe we are going to see a competitive game that comes enough down the wire for the visitors to grab that cash.

Top expert pick on this game: Atlanta Hawks from Matt Rivers

For more information: Another million or so stars of profit are there for the taking tonight as I continue to prove that I am the best there is in the business. The big game last night was rained out which stinks but so be it. A trio of fire hot locks today including two on the diamond and one on the hardwoods. 400,000* Mets-Braves in whichever game involves DJ Carrasco plus a 300,000* 76ers-Heat and a 200,000* Marlins-Phillies. Feeling tremendous and you will be as well pretty soon! Matt Rivers picks

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free pick in MLB on the Minnesota Twins (+122) to Tampa.

Reasoning: Tampa Bay is a bad baseball team right now and to not have to lay money with a far better Minnesota team is fine with me. And yes I know all about the recent wins including the Johnny Damon walk-off last night.

Yes the Rays won yesterday and the two games at Fenway Park but what the heck are the Red Sox right now? Daisuke is a total disgrace and taking those two games doesn’t impress me all that much. They have been better, I guess, but the talent level is still very low and very much lacking.

After losing Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena in the offseason and now without Evan Longoria the Tampa offense is fairly awful. Every team will have that one game where everything clicks so I do not believe that Joe Maddon’s Punch and Judy hitters have just all of a sudden found something. They are a bad bad offense right now and just cannot compare with Justin Morneau, Delmon Young, Michael Cuddyer and the Twins. Joe Mauer is on the DL which does hurt but it’s also not the end all as we saw with this team after losing Morneau. Plus I love teams off bad losses as they usually rebound and last night was the epitome of such.

I can’t say that I love the on again off again Nick Blackburn. The guy has had some quality moments but he has also had some lean times as well. In terms of upside and overall stuff Wade Davis may be on a higher level. The Tampa hurler had a very successful second half of the season last year and is good. But all in all he is not a guy that should be able to dominate the lefty bats of the Twinkies and to get Minnesota here, in some revenge, at this price is a must play in some way, shape or form.

I still do not think this Tampa Bay team is very good and I’m therefore just fine with fading them in a spot like this against the far better team.

Top expert pick on this game: Matt Rivers has Minnesota

For more information: It really is just that easy. 29 of 40 winning days now and a beyond amazing 8.4 million* of profit after another 2-0 Thursday sweep with a 300,000* on the Cardinals in blowout fashion along with the 200,000* Brewers in shutout fashion, 4-0. The biggest play I own, a 500,000*, and one of the most powerful plays in the entire industry is on display tonight. This thing is going to probably be wrapped up by the fourth inning and win in the end by 6-8 runs. My 1^st 500,000* Run-Line Game of the Year! I am more times than not an underdog guy but there are those rare situations where a chalk sticks out like a sore thumb and becomes a must play laying that extra run. Today is just that.

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OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a baseball pick Saturday and it is on the NY Yankees (+120) to Boston.

When push comes to shove, 1-6 or not 1-6, I do think the Red Sox are the overall superior team when compared to the Yankees and the boys from Beantown showed that yesterday in their first victory. But these New York-Boston rivalry games are always high scoring slugfests that can go either way and in the end I’ll grab a solid price back on the still super talented Yankees.

One can never go wrong when getting such a takeback with Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and the rest of the Bronx Bombers. This team has been there and done that and Joe Girardi’s squad can without a doubt win this game. It’s not like the Yankee players are going to be intimidated by the Fenway faithful. Guys like Jeter and Arod and Rivera are guys who have won there and will win there again.

Ivan Nova is a young kid who knows how to get himself in trouble at times but the right-hander also knows how to get himself out of it and I like this guy. He doesn’t have the blue chip no-hit, when on, type stuff of Clay Bucholz but I don’t fully trust the Boston right-hander in Fenway against the potent Pinstripers. Sure Nova will get hit a bit but so will Bucholz and I don’t expect either guy to really last all that long.

The Sox drew first blood in the opener and there is no doubt that the Yanks can even up the series by getting enough from Nova and more from the offense.

Top expert pick on this game: NY Yankees

For more information: An extremely rare and poor Friday but the funny thing is that it’s not like I made dreadful calls. The beats were horrible and if you were following how everything went down you know as such. The Wizards were literally within 4 points and getting 13 ½ with seven minutes left in the game before getting outscored 17-2 to end it, save a meaningless three at the buzzer. The Cavs were right at the number and missed a slam dunk at the end for the cover and the Phillies had an all world superstar in Cliff Lee on the bump leading 3-0 before inexplicably blowing it thanks in part to an uncharacteristically horrible fielding play by Shane Victorino which allowed three runs to score. It happens, breaks at times will all go against you and that about sums up Friday.

I am still ridiculously ahead of the game and will put yet another winning notch in my belt today with a pair of locks on the diamond. 300,000* Toronto-Anaheim plus a 200,000* St. Louis-San Francisco. About to be 27 of 35 winning days! Click now to purchase

The 2011 Final 4 is here and it is time for the official betting preview of Virginia Commonwealth vs. Butler and Kentucky vs. Connecticut.

Commencing with the Cinderella Bowl, sportsbooks have Butler (-2.5) as the small favorites with a total of 133.

VCU is 28-11 straight up and 18-20 against the spread, going over at an 18-17 rate. The Bulldogs are 27-9 straight up, 19-13 against the spread going over 19-14.

The Rams score 71.8 points per game to teams that normally allow 65.9, shooting 43.6 percent from the field to defenses that permit 42.4.

On the defensive side of the ball, Shaka Smart’s boys clearly are not here because of their ability to shut down teams as they allow 66.7 points per game to teams normally getting 68.1 on a very poor 44.8 field goal percentage against versus squads that earn 44.1.

Butler scores 72.1 points per game to defenses that allow an average of 67.2 on 44.3 percent shooting to 43.2.

Defensively they allow just 64.5 points per game to squads that normally accumulate 69.1 on 42.7 shooting to 44 percent.

Top expert pick on this game: Forensic sports handicapping says both sides UConn/Kentucky, Butler/VCU rise to the level of premium lock plays and the earlier tipoff is a Level 5. So is a pro basketball game. Get ready to sweep, sweep, sweep again. Picks at OffshoreInsiders.com

Now to the second game of the sports betting NCAA Tournament card Kentucky vs. Connecticut.

The scores and odds Vegas line is Kentucky -2.5 with a total of 140. UK is 29-8 straight up, 17-14 in the wallet, going under 17-12. UConn is 30-9 outright, 21-12 against the spread, going under at an 18-14 rate.

The Wildcats average 73.3 points per game to squads usually permitting just 66.5 on a stunning 46.3 percent from the field to foes that are permitting an average of just 41.6.

They allow just 63.7 points per game against units that normally get 70.8, allowing 39.3 percent from the field to 44.2.

The Huskies score 73.3 points per game to 65.9 with 43.5 percent shooting to 41.8. They permit just 65.7 points per game to teams normally getting 70.7, allowing 40 percent shooting to 44.4.

Top expert pick on this game: The Lord of the Dance GodsTips owns the Final 4 again. Both side selections are up. The Wise Guy is on UConn and Kentucky side, plus we have the total on that game. Get three Final 4 plays from the winningest handicapper who has ever lived.

Added are two MLB sides, an NBA winner, and even an NCAA women’s basketball winner from a very trusted source. Picks at OffshoreInsiders.com

The Boston Celtics (52-22) and the Atlanta Hawks (43-32) both played like hungry playoff teams in their last games and will look to continue that momentum on Friday when they square off in this ESPN matchup.  Boston (-1) has struggled mightily though when playing on back-to-back nights, which is the scenario here following a 107-97 victory at San Antonio on Thursday.

This will be the second consecutive nationally televised game for the Celtics, who are just 4-12 against the spread when playing with no rest this season.  They have also dropped five of their last six games straight-up in this situation due to their inability to play at a high level on consecutive days as an aging team.

However, Boston’s youngest star came through against the Spurs, as Rajon Rondo totaled a team-high 22 points and game-high 14 assists.  Rondo was 11 of 20 from the field and has scored as many points in his last two games (44) than he totaled in his previous seven combined.  The Celtics improved to 21-2 when he has at least 13 assists and stayed ahead of Miami for the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.  They wrap up a four-game road trip in Atlanta and improved to 23-14 away from home after beating San Antonio.

The Hawks have won their last three games despite failing to score 100 points in any of them and will try to beat Boston for the first time in three meetings.  They are coming off an 85-82 home win against Orlando on Wednesday behind a game-high 26 points from Josh Smith.  Leading scorer Joe Johnson also returned after missing one game due to a thumb injury and added 18 points.

Atlanta is locked into a 4-5 playoff matchup with the Magic and could possibly face the Celtics in the second round if Boston manages to overtake Chicago for the top seed and both teams advance.  Rondo missed the first two meetings with the Hawks this season, but his teammates picked up the slack to help the Celts win both games by a combined 35 points.

Boston had lost the previous four meetings with Atlanta both SU and ATS before this season, and the OVER has cashed in three of the past four games between the teams overall.  The UNDER has cashed in the last three games for the Hawks overall while the total has gone OVER in two straight for the Celtics after 10 consecutive UNDERs.

Top expert pick on today’s card: It’s no joke. America’s Greatest wins long-term more than anyone else. But for those simply wanting to ride the hot hand, we are at the beginning of another in a never-ending line of winning streaks. We are 4-1 our last five and yes it’s the same JD of the ACC you’ve known for decades going back to the scorephone days. So if you got crushed in hoops elsewhere, start anew and have a splendid summer of underdog and small favorites winning in MLB.

The night card has winners in MLB, NBA, and college basketball including the CBI Wise Guy side. Click now to purchase

Arguably, the National League has more hype than the American League entering 2011 MLB betting. After all, the Senior Circuit boasts the defending World Series champion in the Giants, baseball’s answer to the Miami Heat in the Phillies and hot sleeper teams like the Brewers and Braves. Here’s a sports betting blog breakdown of the NL.

National League East odds

Philadelphia Phillies: -325

Atlanta Braves: +375

Florida Marlins: +900

New York Mets: +1600

Washington Nationals: +3000

No team is a bigger sportsbook favorite to win its own division than the Philadelphia Phillies – which is pretty amazing considering they share the NL East with another serious World Series contender, the Braves.

But that’s how excited people are about the Phillies this season. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels could be the greatest pitching quartet ever to grace one team. They give the Maddux/Smoltz/Glavine/Avery 1993 Braves a serious run. Still, the Phillies aren’t a slam dunk. Chase Utley’s knee is a concern and Atlanta is a legit threat. The Braves have a budding ace in Tommy Hanson, a future superstar in Jason Heyward and an improved offense thanks to the Dan Uggla trade. They’ll stay in the hunt.

The Marlins have solid pitching but their offense isn’t up to snuff. The Mets are loaded with injury risks – Jason Bay is already hurt again – and have a weak rotation. The Nationals aren’t worth considering until Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are in their Opening Day lineup.

The Phillies will have to work for it but they may get 75-plus wins from their top four starters alone. They have to take the East.

Free pick: Phillies -325

National League Central odds

Milwaukee Brewers: +190

Cincinnati Reds: +200

St. Louis Cardinals: +300

Chicago Cubs: +450

Houston Astros: +2500

Pittsburgh Pirates: +4000

The Milwaukee Brewers’ hype train has zoomed them to the top of the divisional odds and I think the buzz in the sports betting community is justified. This team already had a potent offense; Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the studs and they have plenty of support from guys like Hart, Weeks and McGehee. But now the plot thickens for Milwaukee with Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum joining Yovani Gallardo in a revamped pitching rotation.

The defending NL Central champs, the Reds, will challenge again. Joey Votto is as good as any hitter on the planet and other young guns like Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce help pace a Cincinnati team that is potent offensively and also outstanding defensively. But will the Reds’ pitching hold them back?

Even though Albert Pujols has something to prove in his walk year, I don’t think he can carry St. Louis to the playoffs without Adam Wainwright, who underwent Tommy John surgery this offseason. The Cubs have some talent but also too many aging, slump-prone hitters. The odds for Houston and Pittsburgh are generous; neither of those teams has a chance. It’s worth noting that the Pirates could field an above-average offense this season.

With big power, a solid rotation and Prince Fielder playing for a new contract, the stars have aligned for Milwaukee this season.

Free pick: Brewers +190

National League West odds

San Francisco Giants: +130

Colorado Rockies: +185

Los Angeles Dodgers: +300

San Diego Padres: +1100

Arizona Diamondbacks: +1800

The National League West seems to be hotly contested every year but the gaps between teams seem to be widening. The Giants are still probably the class of the division thanks to their outstanding pitching. They’ll need Buster Posey to avoid the sophomore slump and Pablo Sandoval to recapture his 2009 form if they want to contend for the World Series crown again, though.

It looks like Colorado is the only team with a shot to unseat San Francisco. The Rockies have some amazing talents, like MVP candidates Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzales and Cy Young contender Ubaldo Jimenez. But do they have the depth? Up-and-comers like Dexter Fowler, Ian Stewart and Jorge De La Rosa have to step up.

The Dodgers, like Mets, look like high-profile frauds to me. Good pitching but I hate their offense. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier can’t do it all on their own. The Padres were a total fluke last year and lost Adrian Gonzalez. Gulp. The Diamondbacks have a few good young players but are in rebuild mode. The division looks like San Francisco’s for the taking again.

Free pick: Giants +130

Wild Card pick: Atlanta Braves

National League Pennant pick: Philadelphia Phillies

MLB baseball odds are posted on who will win the National League pennant, American League pennant and of course the 2011 World Series. Despite the uncertainty of injuries to stars Chase Utley and Brad Lidge, the Philadelphia Phillies (+390) are prohibitive favorites according to baseball handicapping picks and predictions headquarters OffshoreInsiders.com. Here are the odds.

NCAA Tournament Spread Previews: Game of March 17, 2011

NCAA Tournament 2011 men’s basketball, AKA the Big Dance or March Madness is here. Get the spread betting preview and breakdown for games of March 17, 2011 with Grandmaster Sports Handicapper Joe Duffy, CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com, the top sports betting site in the world.