If you haven't been paying attention to Cleveland lately, now is the time to start. Since acquiring James Harden on February 3rd, the Cavaliers have gone from a Mitchell-dependent playoff hopeful into perhaps the most dangerous offense in basketball. The market has noticed, installing them as Eastern Conference favorites (+280) and fourth to win the NBA Finals at +1100. The question is whether that price still has value, or whether the window to act has already closed.

When the lineup features both Harden and Mitchell, they’re posting a 128.8 offensive rating, which is top of the entire league. The team's half-court offensive rating since the trade sits second in the entire NBA. It’s even better when you add Jarrett Allen to the mix.

Allen is averaging over 20 points per game in the seven games since the trade, up from 14.8 on the season, largely because Harden's pick-and-roll gravity puts him in uncontested situations at the rim. Sam Merrill, now with the cleanest looks of his career, recently torched Washington for 32 points on 9-of-10 from three. Dennis Schroder, one of the other pieces acquired at the deadline, dropped 26 points and 5 assists against Milwaukee. The depth is there.

Now for the uncomfortable part, because there always is one. Cleveland ranks 29th in defensive rebounding percentage since the trade. In a playoff series against a physical team, that will absolutely let you down. Harden's perimeter defense remains a liability, and his career postseason record of 10-16 in elimination games is a topic that tends to resurface every year around the playoffs.

With Jayson Tatum still recovering for Boston and the Knicks looking inconsistent, the Eastern Conference path to the Finals is about as open as it has been in years. At +1100 to be NBA Champion, the Cavaliers are worth serious consideration. That number won’t last long if Harden, Mitchell, and Allen are still healthy and clicking in a couple months.

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Haven't signed up yet? There's still time.

🏀 Three NBA Plays for an Injury-Riddled Slate

With the injury report wreaking havoc on Friday's NBA slate, the smart money is on finding clear, quantifiable edges rather than chasing inflated lines on other players. Here are three plays with a reason to bet them.

Karl-Anthony Towns Over 10.5 Rebounds (-105)

This one starts and ends with Miles McBride being ruled out. In 23 games without McBride in the lineup this season, KAT has averaged 12.39 rebounds compared to 11.18 with him active. Towns has hit this number in 70% of his last 10 and last 20 games, and he is currently the second-best rebounder at his position in the entire league, operating in the 99th percentile among bigs for total boards.

The matchup only makes things better. Giannis Antetokounmpo is ruled out for Milwaukee, and without him, the Bucks lose their primary interior presence. Milwaukee already ranks just 15th in defensive rebound percentage, and that number is going to get worse without the Greek Freak patrolling the paint. KAT has averaged 13.0 rebounds per game across his last three matchups against this Bucks team. This is the most comfortable play on the board tonight.

Kyle Kuzma Over 11.5 Points (-114)

Staying in this same game, Kuzma is the natural beneficiary of Giannis sitting out. Over his last 10 games, Kuzma is averaging 14.1 points and has cleared this 11.5-point line in 8 of those contests. When Giannis is out, the Bucks need to replace 30-plus points of production, and Kuzma's usage rate climbs accordingly.

The Knicks rank just 17th in effective field goal percentage allowed in the midrange, and Kuzma operates in the 82nd percentile for shot frequency from that exact area. New York is disciplined at the rim and from three, but Kuzma lives in the one zone where their defense is softest. He is also at home, where he has averaged nearly 13 points per game this season.

Jaylen Brown Under 29.5 Points (-110)

Brown has scored under 29.5 points in every single matchup against Brooklyn over the last two seasons, averaging just 22.8 points across five meetings. He’s scored under 30 in eight straight against them and four of those were played without Tatum so that’s not an excuse.

This season specifically, he has put up 29, 27, and 26 in three games against them, consistently productive but consistently capped. Yes, his usage rate is in the 100th percentile with Tatum sidelined, but Brooklyn has shown a disciplined ability to make Brown work for every bucket. Well, maybe less so their ability to stop him and more the fact that the Celtics win by so much that he can sit the whole 4th quarter.

The Nets are a bad defense overall, but bad defenses can still keep star players from completely dominating. Back the under on Jaylen.

🌲 The Pine Line

🏒 An 18-year-old just rewrote the NHL record books. The Islanders rookie might be the most exciting defenseman in the league.

⚾️ Is it too soon? We're already picking who belongs in Philadelphia this summer.

🏈 This Hall of Famer is still winning rings. Not on the gridiron, on the felt.

🐕️ Fourteen to seventeen year-olds compete in this weekend’s Jr. Iditarod. Nothing but 150 miles of sled dogs and frozen tundra.

🏒 The NHL’s timing could have been better. Now one player’s family is paying the price.

🏈 NFL Combine Best Bets

by Ed Egros 👉️ Follow on X @EdWithSports

You know you miss football.  

You know you miss betting on football.

You know you’re willing to bet on anything that even remotely resembles football.

You’re in Luck

The NFL Combine is already underway in Indianapolis, where the best from college and beyond hope to impress scouts with their athletic and cognitive abilities and get drafted.  

Each day features a position group that will participate in events like the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, the 3 cone drill, etc. Kickers, defensive linemen and linebackers have already had their turn.

As for the rest of the schedule:

• Friday at 3:00p.m. ET - Tight Ends and Defensive Backs

• Saturday at 1:00p.m. ET - Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers and Running Backs

• Sunday at 1:00p.m. ET - Offensive Linemen

Players to Watch

If you’re already thinking about placing bets on April’s NFL Draft, you may be thinking about a value play for #1 overall if it isn’t Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.  What about who could go #2 overall?  Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese?  Miami EDGE Rueben Bain?  Someone else?  

There are other players who may not be taken in the top ten but should have impressive showings at the Combine.  Mississippi State wide receiver Brenan Thompson could post the fastest 40-yard dash of any prospect in Combine history.  

There’s also Alabama defensive back Domani Jackson, who could also give the crowd collective whiplash with his speed.  

Betting on the Combine

These last two are the types of guys who will help us bet specifically on the Combine.  Using Jaxon’s AI tools, here’s how to make some money off of the “Underwear Olympics”:

Anyone to Break the 40-Yard Dash Record: Yes (+450)

Former Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy is the current record holder at 4.21 seconds, posting it just two years ago.  Before that, John Ross posted a time of 4.22 seconds in 2017.  We’ve seen others come mighty close within the last few years.  

This mark is not one of those unbreakable records that was set several decades ago.  There is a clear trend times are improving thanks to strides in nutrition and training.  

Thompson should be able to do it, Jackson has a chance, even LSU receiver Chris Hilton Jr. has a shot.  We have enough quality chances to break the record, so +450 is great value.  

Also, you can find “fastest 40-yard dash: less than 4.265 seconds” at -115.  If you are concerned about whether the record will be broken, that bet may be more your style.

Highest Vertical Jump to be At Least 44 Inches: No 

Ohio State’s Sonny Styles reached 43.5 inches Thursday.  It’s one of the better marks we’ve seen, but finding anyone to get to 44 may be a challenge.  

The only one who has a realistic chance is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq who recorded a 41.5-inch jump last summer.

Not taking away from anyone’s athleticism, but this mark may be too high (literally) to be reached by this class.

Longest Broad Jump: Over 137.5 Inches (-120)

Vertical jumping and broad jumping are two completely different skills.  Here, we have proof of concept in a couple of players who have proven their potential.

There’s Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell who reportedly had a 141-inch jump recently.  There’s also Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers who was a former long jump champion in high school.

I trust these guys to be able to jump out of the building and land us a win.

🎰 Have you tried Parlay Generator?

Go to the Pine Sports home page and click on the ✨Free Parlay Generator button to get an instant AI-powered parlay for today’s games. Responses include all the relevant stats and insights plus direct betslip links to quickly add the plays to your sportsbook.

👉️ Give it a try!