Jesse Schule – Sports Handicapper

This is a play on Atalanta vs Manchester City over 2.5 goals.

Manchester City is hosting the third place team from the Series A on UCL Match Day 3, and Atalanta is the highest scoring team in the Italian League. In just eight matches they have 21 goals, a whopping five more than first place Juventus. Their potent offense has made up for their mediocre defending, as they have also conceded 13 goals in eight matches. Manchester City might be behind Liverpool in the Premier League table, but their +20 goal differential is the best in England. We should see a shootout at the Etihad in Manchester.

Take Over.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the LA Clippers.

The Clippers were a playoff team last year and the Lakers were not. The Lakers are expected to be dramatically better with Anthony Davis, and so are the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Lakers though are old, I don't like their depth, and I think it's inevitable that LeBron loses a step. The Clippers are shorthanded without Paul George, but the Lakers won't have Kyle Kuzma. Anthony Davis isn't 100 percent either, and I think this Lakers team is going to really struggle to live up to all the hype. My money is on Kawhi to become the NEW .. King of LA.

Take KAWHI over LEBRON.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Toronto Raptors.

There is no doubt that Kawhi Leonard deserved plenty of credit for bringing a title to Toronto, but I believe that there is a false narrative that he did it by himself. Many people question how competitive the Raptors can be without Kawhi. I would point out that last year they actually had a higher winning percentage in games he missed due to load management, than they did in the games he played. This is also a team that finished at or near the top of the Eastern Conference several seasons in a row prior to the arrival of Kawhi. Players like Fred Van Fleet and Pascal Siakam should be primed to thrive in a greater role. I caution against sleeping on the Raptors, and I'll take them in a home opener against the short-handed Pelicans.

Take TOR.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Washington Nationals +1.5.

The Nats are the surprise team in the World Series, facing an Astros team that was favored to win it all since the beginning of the season. In a battle of aces, and with Washington having the hotter bats, the underdog looks like the play here.

Gerrit Cole will toe the slab for Houston, and he's been untouchable in the post-season. He will face a Washington lineup that has had some success against him in the past. The Nats have been the highest scoring team in the playoffs, hitting for the highest average. Anthony Rendon is batting .385 lifetime versus Cole (13 at bats) and he comes into the World Series with the highest post-season batting average (.375) of any of the active players.

The Nats hand the ball to Max Scherzer, who is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the playoffs. He tossed seven scoreless innings, striking out 11 in his last start. Scherzer averaged nine strikeouts per start in the regular season.

Jose Altuve is 2-for-11 lifetime versus Scherzer.

Take WAS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Nashville Predators.

It's been a fantastic start to the season for an Anaheim Ducks team that was one of the worst in the Western Conference last year. It's hard not to peg them as overacheivers at this point, and they are in a tough spot on the road at Nasvhille tonight. The Ducks are 7-21 in their last 28 road games versus a team with a winning home record, while the Predators are 69-23 in their last 92 games as a favorite of -201 or greater. The home team has won five straight in this series, and the favorite in 5-2 in the last seven head to head meetings. John Gibson has lost two of his three starts on the road this year, and he gave up four goals in a loss at Nashville in his only visit last season.

Take NAS.

GL,

Jesse Schule