GAMBLING GUIDE

Bookie Busters: Hoping to continue an epic win streak with Europa League Final, NBA and NHL playoffs

Bookie Busters: Hoping to continue an epic win streak with Europa League Final, NBA and NHL playoffs
The Rockets are in must-win mode. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

An epic run, some would say, as Bookie Busters stayed hot by going undefeated at 8-0-1. We are now on a 37-12 run over the last five weeks. 75.5%. Remember to Practice Bankroll management, that is the key! Let's keep streaking....

8-0-1 SWEEP

Celtics +1   WIN

Soccer

Dynamo vs. Whitecaps

Over 2.5  WIN

RB Leipzig vs. Hertha Berlin

Over 3 WIN

Levante vs. Barcelona

Over 3.5 WIN

Both Teams to score WIN

Liverpool first Half  WIN

Arsenal -1 PUSH

Tottenham Over 3.5  WIN

Colorado Rapids vs. New York Red Bulls

Over 2.5  WIN

Europa League Final

Atletico Madrid vs. Marseille

Marseille come into this match off a disappointing 3-3 draw vs. Guingamp this weekend. The squad leans heavily on the skills of French international Dimitri Payet who has seven assists and three goals in this tournament. Also having a breakthrough season is winger Florian Thauvin, who has netted 21 goals in Ligue 1.  The French side will need every bit of their contributions after being held scoreless in five matches in this competition, something that doesn't bode well facing one of Europe's elite defenses. Atletico Madrid has allowed only 20 goals in the last 37 matches; credit to goalkeeper Jan Oblak who is making a case for one of the worlds best keepers after keeping 26 clean sheets this season. Attempting to recreate the magic of 2010 and 2012, Diego Simeone's team enter this match as 3-1 favorites to claim the Europa title.

The Pick

The French side hasn't had much luck in EL finals, tasting defeat the last two times they made it to a final,  losing to Parma in 1999 and Valencia in 2004. I expect Los Rojiblancos to play a conservative gameplan limiting what Marseille will be able to do on the offensive side of the field. Look for a marginal victory here from a team that is battle tested in big games and their experience, will conclusively lead them to a narrow victory.

Atletico -118

Atletico to nil

Antoine Griezmann to score

Match Result and Both Teams to Score

Madrid and No   +150

Predicted lineups

Marseille starting XI: Mandanda; Sarr, Rami, Luiz Gustavo, Amavi; Sanson, Lopez; Thauvin, Payet, Ocampos; Germain

Atletico Madrid starting XI: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Godin, Lucas; Koke, Saul Niguez, Gabi, Correa; Griezmann, Costa

Other sports

Rockets vs. Warriors Game 2

Rockets -1

Not much to this play, Houston in a must-win situation after losing home court. I believe MDA makes the right adjustments on defense and gets his offense going earlier in the shot clock.

Winnipeg Jets at Vegas Golden Knights - Game 3

Vegas-140 Moneyline

Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers -  Game 3

Over 205

For any questions or comments reach me @JerryBoknowz on Twitter


 

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The Rockets are in it to win it this year. Composite Getty Image.

While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.

The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.

Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.

As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.

The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.

VanVleet signs extension

Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.

For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!

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