Will Rogers

The set-up: LaMarcus Aldridge has been the Spurs' lone consistent scorer this series(actually, this season) and he again led the way for San Antonio with 22 points and 10 rebounds in Sunday's Game 4. However, the team's spark was provided by Manu Ginobili, the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer. Ginobili had scored a total of just 19 points in the first three games of the series, as the Spurs fell behind 0-3. However, he scored 16 points in 25 minutes on Sunday, as the Spurs proved they had too much pride to get swept on their homecourt by the Golden State Warriors for the second straight season, earning a 103-90 win in Game 4. San Antonio went 15-of-28 from three-point range in Game 4, while the Warriors shot 37.8% from the floor, including just 7-of-28 on threes.

San Antonio: The Spurs will be operating without head coach Gregg Popovich for the third straight game following the death of his wife, as interim head coach Ettore Messina takes over. Aldridge's 22 & 10 was his third straight double-double in the series. San Antonio never trailed on Sunday, this after the Spurs having fallen behind by at least 19 points in each of the first three games of the series. Ginobili and PG Tony Parker set an NBA record on Sunday with their 132nd playoff win as teammates. This marks Game No. 133 but will be it be their last?

Golden State: Klay Thompson shot 63.3 percent from the floor and 65 percent from three-point range while averaging 25.7 points in the first three games of the series but slumped to 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting in Game 4. The Warriors committed seven of their 18 turnovers in the first quarter, setting the tone for a sloppy performance. Kevin Durant is averaging 29 points and 9.3 rebounds in the series, while Draymond Green is shooting just 33.3 percent from the floor in the series. The Warriors are not really "the Warriors," without Curry.

The Warriors know they got a break drawing the Leonard-less Spurs in the opening round and I can't imagine Golden State will miss a chance to close out the series right here. However, during the regular season, Golden State lost 12 times, after losing just NINE times in making the NBA Finals in each of the last three years (won two NBA titles). What's more, Golden State was a money-burning 16-24-1 ATS at home during the regular season. Sure, the Warriors won and covered Games 1 and 2 at home in this series but I'd prefer to concentrate on the over/under in this contest, as the the Warriors have held the Spurs to just 100.3 PPG in the series, so far. OK, San Antonio went 15 of 28 (53.6 percent) in Game 4 from three-point range but that's after connecting on a combined 20 of 83 (24.1 percent) on three-pointers in the first three games of the series. The Under is a 10* play.

The set-up: The Celtics 'held serve' at Boston in Games 1 and 2, with the Bucks' returning the favor in Games 3 and 4 at Milwaukee. The two teams will both battle history Tuesday night at TD Garden in Game 5. The Bucks are looking for their first series victory since 2001 but have never won a series after trailing 0-2, going 0-17 in such situations. Meanwhile, the Celtics have never lost a series they led 2-0, winning all 35 times going into their current situation. League history tells us that teams are 19-274 all-time when trailing a series 0-2, including the Portland Trail Blazers going out in four straight against the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2018 playoffs (the Spurs, T-wolves and Bucks can add to that sorry history by failing to win their respective series this postseason).

Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo is enjoying his time in the spotlight and his reputation for being a clutch player, which was evidenced when he tipped in the winning basket with 5.1 seconds left in Game 4 to give the Bucks a series-tying 104-102 victory. Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists through four games and small forward Khris Middleton has been the second half of Milwaukee's "dynamic duo," averaging 25.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Jabari Parker, the 2014 draft's overall No. 2 pick, came up big in the back-to-back victories by averaging 16.5 points, six rebounds, two blocked shots and 1.5 steals, after averaging one point and three rebounds with no blocks or steals in the first two games. The Bucks set a franchise record with 14 blocks in Game 4, with 21-year-old backup C Thon Maker swatting away five shots for the second straight game.

Boston: Shooting guard Jaylen Brown continues to excel while picking up the scoring slack in Kyrie Irving's absence. He had 34 points, eight rebounds and three steals in Game 4, his second 30-point effort of the series (he's averaging a team-high 23.8 points in the series). Point guard Terry Rozier scored 23 points in each of Boston's two home wins came back to earth by averaging 9.5 points on 5-of-19 shooting in the two losses in Milwaukee. Marcus Smart (thumb) is eyeing a return for Game 6 if he gets cleared for contact. Boston returns home after shooting 41.4% and 40.0% in the two losses in Milwaukee.

The pick: Is it really as simple as coming home for Boston to regain its mojo? Can the Bucks reverse their awful postseason history while in the process, end Boston's perfect record of going 35-0 in series in which the Celtics have gone up 2-0? The winner of this game can't take the series tonight but the winner will put itself in prime to position to win. Antetokounmpo is the series' best player plus I believe Milwaukee is the better team with Irving sidelined for Boston. Make the Bucks an 8* play.

The set-up:The Philadelphia Phillies last produced a winning season back in 2011 and over the previous five years, have averaged just 69.2 wins per season. However, here in 2018, the Phillies have raced off to a 14-7 mark, including the team's best home start since 1964 in going 9-1. Not to be outdone, the Arizona Diamondbacks' 15-6 mark matches their best 21-game start in franchise history. Winners of four in a row and 13 of 16 overall, the Phillies go for their eighth straight win at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday when they play the opener of a three-game set against the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia recorded its first four-game sweep of Pennsylvania rival Pittsburgh since 1994 when the Phillies outlasted the Pirates 3-2 (11 inn.) on Sunday. Once again, not to be outdone, the Diamondbacks became the first National League team since San Francisco (2003) to win their first seven series of a season with Sunday's 4-2 home victory over the Padres.

The pitching matchup: Arizona will send lefty Robbie Ray (2-0, 4.98 ERA) to the mound, while Philadelphia will counter with Vince Velasquez (1-2, 3.80 ERA). Ray is coming off his second straight no-decision on Wednesday, despite allowing just two runs and striking out nine in six innings versus San Francisco (D'backs lost 4-3 in 10 innings). Ray has been reached for five HRs and has walked 14 in 21 2/3 innings through four starts (Arizona is 3-1)..He owns a 2-1 mark and 4.56 ERA in four career outings versus Philadelphia. Velasquez opened 2018 by allowing seven runs (four earned) in just 2 2/3 innings of a 15-2 loss in Atlanta on March 31. However. he has responded with three straight quality starts, although his last outing resulted in a 7-3 loss at Atlanta (again!) on Wednesday. Note that he only allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings in that one. He has thrown six or more innings in each of his last three starts, after lasting that long only five times over the entire 2017 season (starts). Velasquez has not allowed an earned run and has 11 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings over three career appearances (just one start) against Arizona.

The pick: It should not be ignored that Arizona has enjoyed success in Philadelphia, winning seven straight contests by a combined score of 37-14. However, let's also not ignore that this year's Philly team is a "horse of a different color!" Philadelphia starting pitchers have permitted three runs or fewer in each of their last 12 outings, with Velasquez accounting for three of them. Lastly, there is the Phillies' 9-1 home record here in 2018, where they've outscored the opposition by an average of 6.20-to-2.10 RPG. Make Philly a 10* play.

The set-up: The 2018 New York Yankees were expected to be the second coming of the legendary 1927 Yanks but New York found itself a modest 9-9 before ripping off three wins in the last three games. New York's offense is beginning to flex its muscle, as four players homered and every starter scored at least one time for the Yankees in a 14-1 win in the series opener vs. the Twins on Monday (Yanks have outscored opponents 28-3 during its three-game run). Last night's blowout was Minnesota's fourth straight defeat. The now 8-9 Twins are below .500 for the second time this season and during the skid, are getting outscored 40-15 while pitching to a 10.43 ERA.

The pitching matchup: The Twins will look to end their skid with Jose Berrios (2-1, 1.63 ERA) taking the mound up against the Yankees' CC Sabathia (0-0, 2.70 ERA). Berrios is unscored upon in three of his first four starts of 2018, after limiting Cleveland to three hits over seven scoreless innings on Wednesday. He has 29 strikeouts against one walk (he's faced 99 batters this season) and opponents are hitting .155 against him. Berrios is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against New York but he was reached for three runs on five hits and four walks in just 3 1/3 innings in his only prior outing at Yankee Stadium. Sabathia returned from an early stint on the disabled list Thursday at home against Toronto and gave up two unearned runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has completed five innings just once in his first three outings this season, while throwing an average of just 71 pitches. The 37-year-old defeated the Twins with six solid innings in their lone encounter last season and is 19-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 38 career starts against them.

The pick: Berrios won14 games last season but his start in 2018 seems to me like a guy pitching over his head. Not so for the veteran Sabathia, who is coming off a 2017 season in which his plus-$1163 moneyline mark (NYY were 19-8 in his 27 starts) was the fourth-best among all starters last season. If CC was to get the win here, the Twins would be the third team he has at least 20 career wins against (also the Tigers and Royals). Why shouldn't we expect him to get the win? The veteran lefty is 12-2 with a 2.48 ERA in his last 17 starts against the Twins since the start of the 2007 season and 7-1 in 11 starts against them as a Yankees pitcher. Make the Yankees an 8* play.