The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated last season’s NFC champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the Wild Card Round. Now, they’re hoping they can do the same against the Detroit Lions. This time, however, they’re playing on the road against a team that suffered only two losses during the regular season.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
• Date: Sunday, January 21, 2024
• Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBC

Can the Bucs Pull Off Another Surprise?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers demolished the Philadelphia Eagles who were three-point favorites ahead of the Wild Card Round duel. The final score was 32-9 for the Bucs, which was their biggest win in the 2023-24 campaign.

In fact, the last time they defeated someone by 23 points or more was back in January 2022 when they beat the Carolina Panthers 41-17.

So, how did they manage to beat the mighty Eagles? Tampa’s quarterback Baker Mayfield had a fantastic game, going 22-for-36 for 337 yards and three touchdowns, without suffering a single interception. The Bucs also did great defensively, keeping the Eagles offense to just one touchdown.

Detroit Lions Dreaming of the NFC Title Game

This is the first time the Detroit Lions reached the Divisional Round after 22 years. If they win on Sunday, they will get a shot at the conference title, which they last won back in the 1950s. Knowing all this, it’s clear that these guys will be super motivated against the Bucs.

They’ve got the motivation, but do they have the player power to pull it off? Well, their roster might be inexperienced, but that hasn’t bothered them this season. They finished the regular season with a 12-5 record, then went on to beat the in-form Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round.

It was a close game, which they won by a single point. Their next game is almost certainly going to be difficult as well, but will they manage to grab another win?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions Prediction

Our prediction is that the Detroit Lions will win this game. They’ve looked much better than the Bucs throughout the 2023-24 campaign. Plus, they have huge motivation to win on Sunday and write the franchise’s history. They’re also going to have their fans at Ford Field to cheer them on.

Speaking of Ford Field, the weather forecast says the temperature around this venue is going to be 18°F at the kickoff. That’s the temperature the Lions are used to, but the Bucs prefer playing in sunny Florida. The temperature in Tampa is going to be around 60°F this weekend.

Pick: Detroit Lions -6.0 

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The Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions 2024 Playoff game is a homecoming game for Matt Stafford. The Rams’ signal-caller is coming back to Ford Field for the first time since moving to LA in 2021 after spending 11 years in Detroit.

He probably won’t get a warm welcome from the Lions’ fans who have a new favorite – Jared Goff – who used to play for the Rams in the past. With his new team, Goff has been brilliant and is looking to take the Lions to the Divisional Playoffs for the first time since 1991. Will his former team crush his dream?

Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions 2024 NFL Playoffs Odds

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When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan    
• Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBC

Los Angeles Rams Looking to Cash In On Their Good Form

The Rams finished the regular season on a 10-7 record, with seven of those wins happening in the final eight game weeks.

The only game they lost during that period was the one against the AFC No. 1 seed, the Baltimore Ravens, in a game played in Maryland. But the Ravens too struggled to beat them – they won only after overtime.

So, what have the Rams been doing well lately? They’ve been playing carefully on the offense, with QB Matt Stafford opting to make fewer risky passes than usual. The result is that in four of his last five games, he had zero interceptions.

We also saw him throw for well over 250 yards per game in most games this season. Even when his passes didn’t result in a touchdown, he still made it easy for placekickers to score field goals.

The Rams also did okay defensively, although there’s definitely room for improvement in this aspect. They’re among the top 10 worst teams in the NFL when it comes to opponent passing yards (231.1 allowed per game) and opponent passing TDs (1.4 conceded per game).

Is this something that should worry them ahead of the trip to Detroit? It definitely is! It’s because Dallas is the No. 3 team in the NFL in terms of passing yards.

Can Detroit Get to the Divisional Round for the First Time In 32 Years?

The Detroit Lions are favored to win on Sunday, with the bookies seeing them as 3-point favorites. The main reason is that the Lions were brilliant during the regular season. They won the NFC North Division, going 12-5 overall.

Their strongest weapon has been their passing game, with 258.6 passing yards on average. It’s no surprise given that their quarterback Jared Goff has been on form with his throws, recording a total of 30 touchdown passes.

Truth be told, he’s had a relatively easy job given that Detroit’s receivers have been sensational this season. Wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta scored 10 receiving TDs each, while another five players passed the end line at least once this season.

Apart from being good at passing, the Lions have also been dangerous running the ball, especially when David Montgomery or Jahmyr Gibbs get ahold of it. 

Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions Prediction

This is one of the trickiest Wild Card Round games to predict as the Lions look more talented on paper, but the Rams have experience on their side. It’s really 50-50 if you’re asking us.

However, our Rams vs. Lions pick is going to be the Rams +3.0. The key reason for this is that these guys have been in brilliant form lately. They might not necessarily win, but we think they’re going to give the Lions a really hard time on Sunday.

Pick: Los Angeles Rams +3.0

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Milwaukee’s superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was struggling with injury, which is why he missed two of the playoff games. He made his comeback on Monday with a decent performance, but that didn’t help the Bucks avoid losing. Now, he needs to do even better to help his team stay in the playoffs. So, can they beat the Heat on Wednesday evening?

Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023
• Time: 9:30 PM ET
• How to Watch: NBA TV

The Heat Might Not Be Too Great Away from Home

The Miami Heat are 3-1 in the playoffs, with two of those wins happening in Florida. Now, they’re traveling to Wisconsin, which is where they won one game of the series. It happened last week, and it was their first win at Fiserv Forum since October 2019.

In fact, the Heat aren’t famous as a team that usually does well on the road. In the regular season, for example, they went 17-24 in away games. In comparison, their home record was 27-14.

Giannis Is Back!

Giannis Antetokounmpo is back after missing two games. On his comeback, the Greek Freak scored 26 points, while also recording 10 rebounds and 13 assists. It wasn’t enough to save his team from losing – the Heat beat them 119-114.

Giannis did well, but he wasn’t the Bucks’ top scorer that day. Instead, it was center Brook Lopez who scored 36 points. Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton also did okay, but they will need to up their form even more in order to get a win on Wednesday.

Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction

The Milwaukee Bucks have no other option but to give their utmost on Wednesday. And when give their maximum, they usually win. That said, we expect them to blow out the Heat, covering the spread along the way.

Pick: Milwaukee Bucks to win and cover the spread.

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The Phoenix Suns made it to the West Semifinals after beating the Los Angeles Clippers 4-1 in the series. The Denver Nuggets got there by doing the same to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, it’s time for the sixth Suns vs Nuggets clash of the season, which is going to be their first meeting in the postseason since 2021, when Phoenix won the series 4-0. Is it time for Denver’s revenge?

Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
• Date: Saturday, April 29, 2023
• Time: TBA
• How to Watch: TNT

Phoenix Suns Have Great History Against Denver Nuggets

In the 2022-23 season, the Suns played against the Nuggets on five occasions, winning two of those. It doesn’t seem too impressive, but both of those wins happened relatively recently – in their last two meetings. One happened on the last day of March (100-93), while the other was on April 6 (119-115).

What’s interesting is that both of those victories happened in Phoenix. In fact, this team has a great record against the Nuggets in games played at Footprint Center. On the road, however, it’s a bit different story.

In fact, the Suns lost each of their three previous games played in Denver. Plus, they did not do too great against other opponents on the road as well. In the regular season, their away record was 17-24. In comparison, their home record was 28-13.

Still, we did see them put on two brilliant performances on the road in the playoffs. They destroyed the Los Angeles Clippers in both of the games played in California.

Another Great Offensive Display Expected from Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets got to the West Semis after beating the Timberwolves 3-1 in the series. The only loss they suffered happened after overtime. In that game, we saw the Nuggets score just 96 points in regulation. Actually, they’ve been scoring modestly since the start of the postseason, with their best performance being 122 points in Game 2.

The reason behind this isn’t that they’ve suddenly become bad in the offense. It’s just that they were playing against one of the best defensive teams in the league. But this time, it’s going to be different. Against the Nets, they’re bound to do much, much better scoring-wise.

It’s not just because the boys from Arizona tend to concede a relatively high number of points, but also because Denver’s key men have entered a beast mode. The reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has been sensational, and so has Jamal Murray.

Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets Prediction

At home, the Nuggets look capable of beating any other team. We think they’re going to beat the Suns. And we think it’s going to be a big one. We’re probably going to witness a lot of points on both ends, with the Nuggets scoring just enough to cover the spread.

Pick: Denver Nuggets to win and cover the spread; points “over” to hit

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The New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers is one of the most interesting matchups of the first day of the NBA Playoff action. Both teams got to the Playoffs directly. The Knicks ended in the No. 5 spot; the Cavaliers ended the regular season one spot above them in the Eastern Conference.

Knicks at Cavaliers Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio
• Date: Saturday, April 15, 2023
• Time: 6:00 PM ET
• How to Watch: ESPN

The Knicks Looking for Their Fourth Straight Win Over the Cavs

Even though they finished lower in the Eastern Conference standings than the Cavaliers, the Knicks did do great against this opponent in the regular season. They defeated the boys from Ohio in three of their four duels in the 2022-23 season.

The last time they met was in Cleveland and the visitors won 130-116. It happened on the last day of March when we saw Jalen Brunson score 48 points. It was his best performance of the season, during which he’s been struggling with all sorts of injuries. In fact, he still remains doubtful for Saturday’s game. He might play, but he probably won’t stay on the court for too long.

The Cavaliers Ready to Show How Good They Are Defensively

Even if Brunson plays for the Knicks on Saturday, this team is bound to struggle to score a lot of points. It’s because their opponents are terrific in defense.

In fact, Cleveland is the team that’s conceded the fewest number of points in the regular season. The Cavaliers were conceding just 106.9 points per game on average. In comparison, the Knicks were allowing 113.1 PPG.

The Cavs haven’t been too impressive scoring-wise, but they do have some amazing players on the roster. Donovan Mitchell looks like someone who can easily score 40 in a game (actually, he did do that a couple of times this season), but unfortunately, he’s struggling with a hand injury.

New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction

One thing is certain, this is going to be a low-scoring game. But which team will win this encounter? Our vote goes to the Cavaliers. They’re the ones with a better roster, not to mention that the first game of the series is played on their turf.

Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers to win; under to hit

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