Sports Handicapper Joey Tron's Picks & Predictions

I am taking the Mets on the ML here against San Diego. The Mets present some nice value as road dogs and are back in the win column following their 7-1 win last night. While San Diego has been strong at home and will attract public money, the Mets have quietly been playing better baseball over the last couple of weeks thanks to improved starting pitching and timely hitting. The key is New York's ability to keep games close with its pitching staff. The Mets have consistently generated quality starts recently, allowing them to stay competitive even when the offense isn't firing on all cylinders. That becomes especially important in a pitcher-friendly park like Petco, where one or two big swings can decide the outcome. Offensively, New York still has enough firepower throughout the lineup to capitalize on mistakes. Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Juan Soto give the Mets a dangerous top half capable of changing a game with one inning. If they can get traffic on the bases early, they'll have opportunities against a Padres team that has been somewhat inconsistent against quality pitching. Play the Mets ML here. —Joey Tron

I am taking the points with the Sun here against the Mercury. Phoenix is significantly overvalued in this spot and with their recent play, they do not deserve to be laying this amount. Connecticut enters at 2-9 while Chicago sits at 3-6, and despite the records, the gap between these teams hasn't been large enough to justify a spread this high. Chicago has lost five straight games and is still searching for its first home win of the season. The Sky have also struggled against the number recently, making it difficult to trust them to win by margin. Connecticut has been competitive in spots despite its poor record. Rookie Aneesah Morrow continues to be a bright spot, coming off a 20-point, 13-rebound performance, and the Sun rank among the league leaders in offensive rebounding and steals, which helps underdogs stay within striking distance. The biggest factor is that Chicago hasn't shown enough offensive consistency to be trusted as a sizeable favorite. Even if the Sky ultimately win at home, covering this big of a number is a tall task for a team this inconsistent. Take the points with the Sun here. —Joey Tron

I am taking the points with the Knicks here again against the Spurs. We took them points in Game 1 and NYK showed adversity and resilience multiple times throughout and will have another strong showing here. Jalen Brunson dropped 30 points in Game 1, Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double, and Josh Hart's relentless energy on the glass created extra possessions all night. Even when New York isn't shooting efficiently, its defense, rebounding, and toughness keep games within reach. San Antonio should respond with more urgency, but the Knicks have consistently exceeded expectations throughout this playoff run. With New York holding the rest advantage, carrying momentum, and already proving it can win in this building. With 12 straight wins, the Knicks show no signs of slowing down and only get better mentally each game. Take the points with the Knicks here. —Joey Tron 

I am taking the Fire on the ML here against the Mercury. Portland enters off a loss, and have yet to lose back-to-back this season while the Mercury, have been playing severely under their means and will not have an easy out this evening. Despite the final score, the Fire have shown they can compete with anyone when they're taking care of the basketball and playing their aggressive defensive style. Portland is 6-4 on the season and has already shown flashes of being one of the tougher expansion teams in recent WNBA history. The biggest edge for Portland is its balanced scoring attack led by Carla Leite, Bridget Carleton, Emily Engstler, and Megan Gustafson. Leite has emerged as a legitimate clutch scorer, while Gustafson continues to provide a reliable interior presence. When the Fire are forcing turnovers and getting out in transition, they're difficult to defend. Phoenix has struggled to find consistency this season and enters the matchup with a losing record. While the Mercury still possess veteran talent, they've had issues stringing together complete performances and have been vulnerable defensively. With Portland playing at the Moda Center, the Fire's defensive pressure and balanced offense should be enough to get them over the line in a competitive game. Take the Fire ML here. —Joey Tron