NUGGETS @ SPURS GAME 4 BASKET BRAWLER

The San Antonio Spurs have taken a 2-1 lead in this series after splitting a couple of games at Denver before picking up a 118-108 home victory on Thursday. They've been rock solid home at AT&T Center all season (33-9 SU, 25-17 ATS) while the Denver Nuggets have been rather mediocre on the road (20-22 SU, 17-25 ATS). The Nuggets have lost 14 straight games in San Antonio and Spurs have covered the spread in six of the last eight of those games. 

Spurs have a considerable edge in recent playoff experience, and I think they'll take 3-1 lead in the series with another win here. 

8* play on San Antonio Spurs. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL): MIKE'S TOP RATED TOTAL

The last two games have been low-scoring affairs, and I think that will be the case once again here with the Winnipeg Jets backed into a corner down 3-2 in the series. They will want to make sure not to fall behind as that could prove devastating, and I think the Jets will come out with a very defensive approach. 

The St. Louis Blues will be looking to secure their spot in the Western Conference Semifinals with a win, and the gameplan is clear: "We're just staying with it," Jaden Schwartz told NHL.com after a come from behind 3-2 win in Game 5. "We believe in each other, we believe in the system, and we work as a team. When the team has success, we know that we all get rewarded. We're all playing the same, we're working hard, we're tight defensively, and the power play had a big goal to give us momentum."

It certainly doesn't sound like the Blues have any intentions of turning this into a free flowing game of hockey ... 

Under is 9-1-2 in Blues last 12 Saturday games. Under is 12-5 in Blues last 17 games as a home favorite.

10* play on UNDER. 

TOP RATED 10* MLB PLAY OF THE DAY (TOTAL)

The Cincinnati Reds and the San Diego Padres battled out a low-scoring affair Friday night. I think runs will be few and far between here in Saturday's matchup as well. 

Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (1-1, 1.46 ERA) has had a blistering start to the year, allowing just four runs with 32 Ks through 24 2/3 innings of work. Except for a 14-0 win over Miami, the run support has however been meager with Cincinnati scoring just nine runs in his other three starts. Under is 8-1 in Castillo's last nine starts overall.

The Padres counter with 23 year old southpaw Eric Lauer (2-2, 4.91 ERA) who tossed six scoreless innings of a 2-0 triumph over San Francisco in his season opener. He has not been quite as sharp in recent starts, but we can note that under is 9-0 in Reds last nine games vs. a left-handed starter. Lauer faced Cincinnati twice last year and held the club to one run with 12 Ks through nine innings of work. 

Under is 23-6 in Reds last 29 road games. Under is 8-3 in Padres last 11 home games.

10* play on UNDER. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (SOCCER): MIKE'S BEST SOCCER SIDE FOR APRIL

The Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a four-team race for 7th place in the Premier League. While worth little more than the prestige, it would mean a lot for a small club like Wolves. 

They've been extremely successful home at Molineux Stadium lately with victories in seven of their last eight home games in all competitions, drawing the other. 

Brighton are battling to avoid relegation, but they're doing a poor job and have suffered five straight defeats without scoring a single goal. They've lost 12 of their last 18 overall and dropped six of their last eight away from home. 

10* play on Wolves. 

SATURDAY PREMIER LEAGUE PUNISHER (TOTAL)

Newcastle (15th) and Southampton (16th) are both trying to avoid relegation. They're both on the right side of the relegation zone though (18th and worse) and a low-scoring draw here would probably suit both teams just fine. 

Newcastle are coming off a 1-0 win over Leicester and they have 10 clean sheets on the season. Southampton have done most of their damage at home and have scored just 16 goals in their 16 games away from home on the season. 

Expect a cagey, low-scoring affair with neither team willing to risk dropping points. 

8* play on UNDER.