Here's how the NBA and the Rockets can bounce back
POINT BLANK IS PRESENTED BY FITZ ROOFING
12 March 2020
It's hard to know how the NBA will proceed when the suspension is lifted and it's time to play basketball again.
ESPN 97.5's Joel Blank makes an argument for the NBA regular season to be over effective immediately, and to start the playoffs in April or May with the current NBA standings.
Point Blank is presented by Fitz Roofing.
Quiet variables that could shape Astros’ series with Cleveland
Jul 7, 2025, 12:52 pm
The Houston Astros return home riding high and red-hot, while the Cleveland Guardians limp into Daikin Park desperately searching for answers.
Winners of eight of their last ten, the Astros (55-35) open a three-game set Monday night against a Guardians club that hasn’t won in ten straight. Houston has risen to the top of the AL West thanks to a combination of dominant pitching and a surging offense, and they’ll look to keep that momentum rolling behind rookie lefty Colton Gordon (3-1, 4.37 ERA). Gordon has given Houston quality innings over the past month, and he’ll get the ball against a Guardians offense that has been ice-cold in July.
Cleveland (40-48) enters the night on a three-game road skid and with just 20 wins away from home all season. They’re hitting just .166 over their last ten games and have been outscored by 33 runs during that stretch. If they’re going to end the slide, they’ll need right-hander Tanner Bibee (4-9, 4.10 ERA) to contain an Astros lineup that’s been clicking. The 25-year-old Bibee has been better than his record shows, but Houston’s .304 team average over the last ten games suggests he’ll have his hands full.
All eyes remain on Jose Altuve, who has caught fire with 13 hits and four homers in his last 10 games. On the Cleveland side, Jose Ramirez continues to be the heartbeat of the offense, leading the club in homers, RBIs, and batting average. But he’ll need help, something that’s been sorely lacking during the Guardians’ recent skid.
Houston has been dominant at Daikin Park with a 32-14 home record, and if recent trends hold, they’ll be a tough draw for a Guardians team in freefall. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -162, Guardians +136; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
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