The NBA and NHL continue to ramp up as we move through the year’s first half. With a few big games scheduled, let’s look at how we think three matches will play out.

New York Islanders (+100) over Nashville Predators

The New York Islanders might be underdogs but they’re our pick to win tonight. So far, the Islanders have a record of 11-6-0 and are 5-3-0 on the road. Leading the team in points is Brock Nelson, who has put up nine goals this season. As a team, they’re averaging 3.35 goals per game while allowing just 2.53.

The Nashville Predators have a 7-8-1 record this season. With a 4-3-1 record at home, the Predators are favored to win this game. They’ve won their last two games, one over the Minnesota Wild and the other over the New York Rangers. They’re a good team, but they’re giving up 3.19 goals per game. That’s why we’ll take the Islanders at +100.

Portland Trail Blazers (-2.5) over Brooklyn Nets

Don’t get us wrong here, the Brooklyn Nets could win this game. However, when looking at their 6-9 record, they don’t inspire much confidence. Kyrie Irving is still out so it’s up to Kevin Durant again to lead the team. Durant averages 30.3 points per game but his individual stats don’t always result in team wins.

The main problem we see for the Trail Blazers is all of the injuries they’ve suffered so far. Center Jusuf Nurkic is out and so is SG Gary Payton II. However, even with all of these injuries the Trail Blazers are 4-1 in their last five games. Considering they’ll only have to cover 2.5 points, they’re the better pick in this game.

Sacramento Kings (-6.5) over San Antonio Spurs

Our final game of the day will see the San Antonio Spurs visit the Sacramento Kings. Over the last five games, the Spurs have a 1-4 record. Their sole win over these last few games was surprisingly against the Milwaukee Bucks. They followed up that win with a 132-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The San Antonio Spurs have gone on a four-game winning streak. These were all against really good teams as well, including the Warriors. Perhaps their most impressive win was a 127-120 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Go with the Kings at home -6.5 over the San Antonio Spurs.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.