Few things in sports are better than a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No wonder all eyes will be on the showdown later tonight between the Nashville Predators and the Anaheim Ducks, as both teams look to book a ticket to the NHL Western Conference Semifinals. Over at the NBA, the Houston Rockets pay the Golden State Warriors a visit for a pivotal Game 5 of their own series.
Read on below for a quick breakdown of these two critical playoff games and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Portland vs. LA Clippers and Charlotte vs. Miami.
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Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks (10:00 PM ET)
Line: Nashville Predators (+145) at Anaheim Ducks (-165); total: 5.0 – view all NHL lines
A can’t-miss Game 7 is on tap later tonight at the Honda Center as the Predators and the Ducks play the last game of their Western Conference First Round series. Frederik Andersen (3-1, 1.26 GAA, .955 SV% this postseason) is pressured to come up with a great performance tonight, as he’ll be in between the pipes again following the Ducks’ 3-1 loss in Game 6 on Monday. The Preds, meanwhile, will have the ever-reliable Pekka Rinne on the other end of the ice. The Finnish netminder stopped 26 shots in Nashville’s critical Game 6 win. Rinne has a 2.68 GAA and a .901 save percentage in this year’s playoffs.The Ducks are 4-2 in their last six home games against the Preds.
Click here for an in-depth breakdown of this winner-take-all match.
Writer’s Prediction
Anaheim wins, 3-2.
Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors (10:30 PM ET)
Line: Houston Rockets (+9.5) at Golden State Warriors (-9.5); total: 211.5 – view all NBA lines
The Golden State Warriors moved to within a victory of advancing to the second round of the NBA Playoffs with a resounding 121-94 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of their Western Conference showdown. Four players scored in double-figures for the Warriors who now own a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The victory came at a huge price, though, for the Warriors as reigning MVP Stephen Curry suffered a knee injury late in the first half. With Curry out for at least two weeks, the onus is on Klay Thompson to carry the scoring load for Golden State. He scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc in Game 4. He leads the defending champions in scoring this postseason, averaging 22.5 points per game.
The Warriors are 9-0 SU and 6-3 ATS in their last nine home games against the Rockets.
Writer’s Prediction
Golden State wins, 102-92.
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