OPTIMAL BET · THE SLATE
Tuesday, April 21
Tonight's board: 3 NBA playoff games · 15 MLB · 4 NHL playoff games
The NBA and NHL postseasons share a Tuesday night stage as both leagues push through first-round action, headlined by Wembanyama's Spurs hosting Portland and a four-game NHL card that includes the Presidents' Trophy-winning Avalanche. Meanwhile, a loaded 15-game MLB slate — the biggest board of the night — brings early-season matchups into focus as the Dodgers chase a third consecutive title.
NBA
First Round
The first round continues with three games, including Philadelphia — fresh off its play-in run as the seventh seed — facing a steep climb at Boston, and Portland visiting San Antonio in the night's highest-total matchup.
Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs · 8:00 ET
Frost Bank Center
Market and model align on a San Antonio rout — the consensus spread sits at SA -11.5 with a 220.5 total, and the model's p50 total comes in at 219.4 with an 81.2% Spurs win probability.
Wembanyama's p90 ceiling of 41.1 points and 17.4 rebounds is a dominance tier no Trail Blazer reaches at any percentile, and Castle's p90 of 11.6 assists gives San Antonio a secondary playmaking ceiling Portland simply can't match.
Team | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
POR | Avdija 23.5 | Clingan 9.4 | Avdija 6.0 |
SA | Wembanyama 27.9 | Wembanyama 11.5 | Castle 7.1 |
The full NBA slate
Matchup | Time ET | Line | Total | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PHI @ BOS | 7:00 | BOS -14.5 | 215.5 | BOS 85.6% |
POR @ SA | 8:00 | SA -11.5 | 220.5 | SA 81.2% |
HOU @ LAL | 10:30 | HOU -5.5 | 207.5 | HOU 64.6% |
MLB
15-Game Tuesday
Three weeks into the season, the Dodgers' pursuit of a third consecutive World Series and the league's new automated ball-strike challenge system are the two biggest storylines hovering over a packed Tuesday card.
Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels · 9:38 ET
Angel Stadium
The market installs the Angels as a slight -110 home favorite with a 9.5 total, but the model pushes the other way — projecting a 9.4 total and a 51.7% Toronto win probability.
Corbin gives up innings to Kochanowicz (5.0 IP vs. 5.9 IP projected) but carries a meaningful strikeout edge — his p90 reaches 7.6 K against Kochanowicz's 6.0, a gap that could shape a game with nearly identical top-of-the-lineup production.
Team | Pitcher | IP | K | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TOR | Corbin | 5.0 | 4.2 | 5.0 |
LAA | Kochanowicz | 5.9 | 3.0 | 5.9 |
Top bats (Hits + Runs + RBIs, p50)
Team | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
TOR | Guerrero Jr. 1.9 | Clement 1.8 | Jimenez 1.7 |
LAA | Neto 1.9 | Adell 1.9 | Trout 1.8 |
The full MLB slate
Matchup | Time ET | Line | Total | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
HOU @ CLE | 6:10 | CLE -145 | 8 | CLE 53.7% |
CIN @ TB | 6:40 | CIN -110 | 7.5 | CIN 53.0% |
MIL @ DET | 6:40 | DET -115 | 8.5 | MIL 51.2% |
STL @ MIA | 6:40 | MIA -116 | 8.5 | STL 51.3% |
NYY @ BOS | 6:45 | NYY -110 | 8.5 | NYY 53.2% |
ATL @ WSH | 6:45 | ATL -140 | 8.5 | ATL 57.7% |
MIN @ NYM | 7:10 | NYM -181 | 7.5 | NYM 59.2% |
PHI @ CHC | 7:40 | CHC -120 | 8.5 | PHI 50.3% |
BAL @ KC | 7:40 | KC -130 | 9 | KC 52.0% |
PIT @ TEX | 8:05 | TEX -120 | 8.5 | PIT 51.1% |
SD @ COL | 8:40 | SD -143 | 11 | SD 59.1% |
TOR @ LAA | 9:38 | LAA -110 | 9.5 | TOR 51.7% |
CWS @ ARI | 9:40 | ARI -155 | 9 | ARI 56.0% |
OAK @ SEA | 9:40 | SEA -170 | 7.5 | SEA 57.9% |
LAD @ SF | 9:45 | LAD -185 | 7.5 | LAD 64.5% |
NHL
First Round
The first round opened Saturday with Colorado holding the Presidents's Trophy and Vegas entering the postseason on a 7-0-1 run to close the regular season. Both are in action tonight alongside a Bruins-Sabres tilt and Montreal at Tampa Bay.
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres · 7:30 ET
KeyBank Center
Buffalo enters as a -170 moneyline home favorite with a 6.5 total, and the model tracks close — 59.3% Sabres win probability on a slightly compressed 6.1 p50 total.
The top offensive projections are a mirror image at the median, but McAvoy's blocked shots projection gives Boston's defense a measurable edge in a game the model expects to stay under the posted total.
Team | PTS | SOG | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|
BOS | Pastrnak 1.0 | Pastrnak 3.0 | McAvoy 2.0 |
BUF | Thompson 1.0 | Thompson 3.0 | Dahlin 1.0 |
The full NHL slate
Matchup | Time ET | Line | Total | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MTL @ TBL | 7:00 | TBL -183 | 6 | TBL 61.2% |
BOS @ BUF | 7:30 | BUF -170 | 6.5 | BUF 59.3% |
UTAH @ VGK | 9:30 | VGK -153 | 6.5 | VGK 56.9% |
LAK @ COL | 10:00 | COL -280 | 5.5 | COL 70.0% |
