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Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Golden Knights March 5: Back John Tavares and Matthew Knies for Toronto

The pregame narrative: Toronto has a plethora of offensive options at its disposal and I’m backing two of its forwards — John Tavares and Matthew Knies — to get on the score sheet.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. the Golden Knights for March 5.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Golden Knights

Best Bet: Tavares 1+ points (-150)

The former captain is having a bounce-back season and the Leafs needed it.

Tavares is in the final year of his lucrative deal with his hometown Leafs and fans were ready to start a riot after he looked washed last season.

His 65 points in 80 games were the fewest in his career (aside from the shortened 2020 season, when he had 50 points in 56 games).

This year, he’s at nearly a point-per-game pace, recording 52 points in 54 outings. That’s probably still not worth the $11 million he’s owed, but it’s more manageable for a Toronto squad in serious pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

Plus Tavares has been rolling since the break. He has seven points in six games and is 5-1 against this wager.

Key stat: In the Leafs’ first game against Vegas back on Nov. 20, Tavares had two assists in a 3-0 win.

Quick pick

Knies 1+ points (+100): I think it’s gone way under the radar, but Knies is having a breakout season on the offensively stacked Leafs.

He’s not only been productive, but he’s carved out an important role on the Atlantic Division’s best team. Take a look at his stats:

57 games
41 points
18:26 average ice time
2:21 power play time

Knies is on a tidy four-game point streak, too, tallying three goals and two assists during that time.

Shea Theodore remains sidelined for Vegas after picking up an injury in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Golden Knights allowed five goals against in two of the four games since.

Knies plays on the first line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and while those two skaters carry odds shorter than -220 to score a point, the left winger has a plus-money price tag on Wednesday.

Picks made at 3:08 p.m. ET 03/05/2025.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Golden Knights March 5: Back John Tavares and Matthew Knies for Toronto

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their Western Conference road trip with a game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The pregame narrative: Toronto has a plethora of offensive options at its disposal and I’m backing two of its forwards — John Tavares and Matthew Knies — to get on the score sheet.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. the Golden Knights for March 5.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Golden Knights

Best Bet: Tavares 1+ points (-137)

Embed: #110832

The former captain is having a bounce-back season and the Leafs needed it.

Tavares is in the final year of his lucrative deal with his hometown Leafs and fans were ready to start a riot after he looked washed last season.

His 65 points in 80 games were the fewest in his career (aside from the shortened 2020 season, when he had 50 points in 56 games).

This year, he’s at nearly a point-per-game pace, recording 52 points in 54 outings. That’s probably still not worth the $11 million he’s owed, but it’s more manageable for a Toronto squad in serious pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

Plus Tavares has been rolling since the break. He has seven points in six games and is 5-1 against this wager.

Key stat: In the Leafs’ first game against Vegas back on Nov. 20, Tavares had two assists in a 3-0 win.

Quick pick

Knies 1+ points (+110): I think it’s gone way under the radar, but Knies is having a breakout season on the offensively stacked Leafs.

He’s not only been productive, but he’s carved out an important role on the Atlantic Division’s best team. Take a look at his stats:

57 games
41 points
18:26 average ice time
2:21 power play time

Knies is on a tidy four-game point streak, too, tallying three goals and two assists during that time.

Shea Theodore remains sidelined for Vegas after picking up an injury in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Golden Knights allowed five goals against in two of the four games since.

Knies plays on the first line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and while those two skaters carry odds shorter than -220 to score a point, the left winger has a plus-money price tag on Wednesday.

Picks made at 11:22 a.m. ET 03/05/2025.

Champions League Round of 16 picks and predictions March 5: Bet on Salah to provide offence

The top two German clubs meet in the first leg of the UCL Round of 16.

The pregame narrative: I’m expecting a safe approach from both sides, so I’ll take the under between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. Elsewhere, Mohamed Salah has value for Liverpool.

Check out the best Champions League predictions for the Round of 16.

Champions League predictions

Go to full Champions League betting markets.

Best Bet: Bayern Munich/Bayer Leverkusen under 2.5 goals (+110)

Bayern Munich fields a very productive offence, recording the most shots on target per game (8.4) and ranking third in goals per match (2.3).

But Leverkusen has the tools to counter. The side conceded seven goals and only 8.2 xG in the league phase. That places among the top defensive clubs like Inter Milan, Arsenal and Liverpool.

According to Fotmob, these are the top two passing sides. Munich recorded 658.8 accurate passes per match and Leverkusen tails with 517.9.

Turnovers should be limited and I can’t see either team taking risks with a spot in the quarterfinal on the line.

Key stat: All three meetings between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen this season stayed under 2.5 goals.

Quick pick

Salah anytime goalscorer (+105): If there’s one player prop that’s consistently hit this season, it’s this one.

Across all competitions, Salah has cashed this wager in 26 of 39 matches — an incredible 66.6% hit rate.

The early favourite to win Ballon D’or is balling right now. He doesn’t have to play a European giant like PSG often, mind you, but the French side has shown cracks in this competition.

Against non-Ligue 1 clubs, PSG has conceded at least a goal in six of eight UCL games.

Liverpool is dominating England and Europe right now. The side has only lost two games in the Premier League and Champions League combined (27-7-2).

And Salah has been front and centre. He has 28 goals in 35 games across those competitions. A truly otherworldly season that I expect to continue.

Picks made at 10:45 a.m. on 03/05/25.

Champions League Round of 16 picks and predictions March 5: Bet on Salah to provide offence

The top two German clubs meet in the first leg of the UCL Round of 16.

The pregame narrative: I’m expecting a safe approach from both sides, so I’ll take the under between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. Elsewhere, Mohamed Salah has value for Liverpool.

Check out the best Champions League predictions for the Round of 16.

Champions League predictions

Go to full Champions League betting markets.

Best Bet: Bayern Munich/Bayer Leverkusen under 2.5 goals (+114)

Embed: #110785

Bayern Munich fields a very productive offence, recording the most shots on target per game (8.4) and ranking third in goals per match (2.3).

But Leverkusen has the tools to counter. The side conceded seven goals and only 8.2 xG in the league phase. That places among the top defensive clubs like Inter Milan, Arsenal and Liverpool.

According to Fotmob, these are the top two passing sides. Munich recorded 658.8 accurate passes per match and Leverkusen tails with 517.9.

Turnovers should be limited and I can’t see either team taking risks with a spot in the quarterfinal on the line.

Key stat: All three meetings between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen this season stayed under 2.5 goals.

Quick pick

Salah to score or give an assist (-106): If there’s one player prop that’s consistently hit this season, it’s this one.

Across all competitions, Salah has cashed this wager in 32 of 39 matches — an incredible 82.1% hit rate.

The early favourite to win Ballon D’or is balling right now. He doesn’t have to play a European giant like PSG often, mind you, but the French side has shown cracks in this competition.

Against non-Ligue 1 clubs, PSG has conceded at least a goal in six of eight UCL games.

Liverpool is dominating England and Europe right now. The side has only lost two games in the Premier League and Champions League combined (27-7-2).

And Salah has been front and centre. He has 28 goals and 21 assists in 35 games across those competitions. A truly otherworldly season that I expect to continue.

Picks made at 9:45 a.m. on 03/05/25.

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Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks March 1: Kyrie Irving is primed for high-scoring performance

The Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks headline Saturday’s NBA slate.

The pregame narrative: The Bucks are steadily climbing the Eastern Conference rankings while the Dallas Mavericks are fighting for position in the loaded West. I’ve got prop picks on Kyrie Irving and Brook Lopez in this exciting matchup.

Check out my Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks for March 1.

Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks

Best bet: Irving over 28.5 points (-112)

There’s no better time for Irving to step up as a scorer.

Anthony Davis remains out for the time being and this is a great matchup for the shifty playmaker.

The Bucks allow the most points per game (25.91) to point guards, per Fantasy Pros.

Irving has cleared this line in four of the past six games, clearing 35 points twice and scoring 42 points against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 12.

He’s playing a ton of minutes right now as he continues attempting to carry the weight of the Mavericks offence on his shoulders.

Dallas’ injury report is loaded. I’ll touch on that more later but it forced Irving to play 39.4 minutes per game in February to keep his team competitive in pursuit of a playoff position.

I expect the same tonight and it’s an A-plus matchup for Irving to take advantage of.

Key stat: Irving has only suited up in one game vs. the Bucks since the acquisition of Damian Lillard. He scored 39 points on 16-of-29 shooting in that contest.

Quick pick

Lopez over 13.5 points (-118): Let’s revisit the injuries on the Mavericks, more specifically to big men.

Anthony Davis (out)
Derek Lively (out)
Daniel Gafford (out)
P.J. Washington (questionable)

The front office signed Moses Brown to a 10-day contract and the seven-footer added much-needed size to the lineup but replacing that production is a lot to ask.

Enter Brook Lopez. The Veteran big man has cleared this line in four of the past five games, averaging 18.2 points.

He should be well-equipped in the Bucks’ gameplan tonight and he should see an uptick to his inside scoring.

Picks made at 4:25 p.m. ET 03/01/2025.

Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks March 1: Kyrie Irving is primed for high-scoring performance

The Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks headline Saturday’s NBA slate.

The pregame narrative: The Bucks are steadily climbing the Eastern Conference rankings while the Dallas Mavericks are fighting for position in the loaded West. I’ve got prop picks on Kyrie Irving and Brook Lopez in this exciting matchup.

Check out my Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks for March 1.

Bucks vs. Mavericks prop picks

Best bet: Irving over 27.5 points (-125)

Embed: #110513

There’s no better time for Irving to step up as a scorer.

Anthony Davis remains out for the time being and this is a great matchup for the shifty playmaker.

The Bucks allow the most points per game (25.91) to point guards, per Fantasy Pros.

Irving has cleared this line in four of the past six games, clearing 35 points twice and scoring 42 points against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 12.

He’s playing a ton of minutes right now as he continues attempting to carry the weight of the Mavericks offence on his shoulders.

Dallas’ injury report is loaded. I’ll touch on that more later but it forced Irving to play 39.4 minutes per game in February to keep his team competitive in pursuit of a playoff position.

I expect the same tonight and it’s an A-plus matchup for Irving to take advantage of.

Key stat: Irving has only suited up in one game vs. the Bucks since the acquisition of Damian Lillard. He scored 39 points on 16-of-29 shooting in that contest.

Quick pick

Lopez over 18.5 points/rebounds (-127): Let’s revisit the injuries on the Mavericks, more specifically to big men.

Anthony Davis (out)
Derek Lively (out)
Daniel Gafford (out)
P.J. Washington (questionable)

If you add it up, that’s 34.8 rebounds per game missing from the lineup.

The front office signed Moses Brown to a 10-day contract and the seven-footer added much-needed size to the lineup but replacing that production is a lot to ask.

Enter Brook Lopez. The Veteran big man has cleared this line in five straight games, averaging 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

He should be well equipped in the Bucks’ gameplan tonight and his potential on the glass is sky-high.

Picks made at 2:25 p.m. ET 03/01/2025.

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Kings vs. Rockets same-game parlay predictions March 1: Bet on Sengun and Murray in this +330 wager

The Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets slug it out Saturday night.

The pregame narrative: The Rockets are getting a key piece back in Fred Van Vleet and I’m taking a healthy Houston team to win at home. Picks on Alperen Sengun and Keegan Murray round out this +330 ticket.

Check out my Kings vs. Rockets same-game parlay predictions for March 1.

Kings vs. Rockets predictions

Parlay: Rockets ML | Sengun 31+ points/rebounds | Murray 11+ points (+330)

Embed: #110498

Rockets moneyline (-205): For the first time in a while, the Rockets go into Saturday’s game with a healthy lineup.

Fred Van Vleet returns to the Houston starting five and will be without a minutes restriction, per head coach Ime Udoka.

Considering the Rockets are 30-15 with FVV and 7-7 without, I think it’s safe to say it’s a massive readdition.

Jabari Smith Jr. also returned to the Rockets’ rotation recently and he will move to a bench role. That’s some scary depth.

Houston is 20-9 at home and the Kings are 15-14 on the road. I like this spot for the Rockets.

SGP legs

Sengun 31+ points/rebounds (-122): The Turkish big man is coming into his own as an elite statstuffer.

On a team filled with talent, he averages 18.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game (29.5 PR).

And he’s taking his play to a new level following the all-star break.

In the four games since, he’s cleared this line three times, averaging 32.6 points/rebounds.

Sengun’s played in two contests against the Kings this season and is 2-0 against this wager. He averaged 22.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in those games.

Murray 11+ points (-157): I really like the way Murray’s been playing over the past month or so.

Since Jan. 29, the stretch four has been averaging 13.8 points on 48.8% from the field and 37.7% from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game.

That is encouraging to see in a down-shooting season where Murray is shooting 33.2% from 3. It significantly improves his floor when he’s shooting well and that’s the case right now.

On top of that, Sacramento allows the most points per game (24.7) to power forwards, per Fantasy Pros.

Picks made at 11:40 a.m. ET 03/01/2025.

Best NHL anytime goalscorer picks March 1: Back Tkachuk and Terry on Saturday

I’ve got three anytime goalscorer picks for Saturday’s 13-game NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Brady Tkachuk is back and I expect the Ottawa Senators captain to make a triumphant return to help his team snap out of a five-game losing skid. Troy Terry is my other top pick to score.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for March 1.

NHL anytime goal picks

Best Bet: Tkachuk anytime goalscorer (+125)

Tkachuk hasn’t played since the 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada where he scored a goal in USA’s 3-2 defeat.

If you count the international tournament, the American has four goals in his last five games and is 3-2 against this line.

He’s leading the Sens in goals (21) and is in the best spot possible Saturday to pour on the offence.

Why? Well let me explain:

The Senators score 3.2 goals per game at home compared to 2.4 on the road.

Tkachuk has scored in 11 of Ottawa’s 25 home games (44.0%).

The San Jose Sharks allow the most goals per game (3.7) in the NHL.

My confidence in the Sens offence is sky high and chances are Tkachuk’s heavily involved.

Key stat: The Sharks have given up four-plus goals in six of their past eight road games.

Top picks to score

Terry anytime goalscorer (+200): The Anaheim Ducks are on a bit of a heater at the moment and Terry’s been their best player hands down.

His 45 points lead the team and are 11 more than Ryan Strome, who ranks second with 34.

Anaheim is 7-2-1 in its last 10 and Terry has 10 points during that run. That includes only two goals but the matchup doesn’t get much better than tonight.

The Chicago Blackhawks allow the third most goals (3.5) and shots (31.7) per game.

Picks made at 11:07 a.m. ET on 03/01/2025.

Best NHL anytime goalscorer picks March 1: Back Tkachuk and Terry on Saturday

I’ve got three anytime goalscorer picks for Saturday’s 13-game NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Brady Tkachuk is back and I expect the Ottawa Senators captain to make a triumphant return to help his team snap out of a five-game losing skid. Troy Terry and Patrik Laine are my other two picks to score.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for March 1.

NHL anytime goal picks

Embed: #110481

Best Bet: Tkachuk anytime goalscorer (+130)

Tkachuk hasn’t played since the 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada where he scored a goal in USA’s 3-2 defeat.

If you count the international tournament, the American has four goals in his last five games and is 3-2 against this line.

He’s leading the Sens in goals (21) and is in the best spot possible Saturday to pour on the offence.

Why? Well let me explain:

The Senators score 3.2 goals per game at home compared to 2.4 on the road.

Tkachuk has scored in 11 of Ottawa’s 25 home games (44.0%).

The San Jose Sharks allow the most goals per game (3.7) in the NHL.

My confidence in the Sens offence is sky high and chances are Tkachuk’s heavily involved.

Key stat: The Sharks have given up four-plus goals in six of their past eight road games.

Top picks to score

Terry anytime goalscorer (+160): The Anaheim Ducks are on a bit of a heater at the moment and Terry’s been their best player hands down.

His 45 points lead the team and are 11 more than Ryan Strome, who ranks second with 34.

Anaheim is 7-2-1 in its last 10 and Terry has 10 points during that run. That includes only two goals but the matchup doesn’t get much better than tonight.

The Chicago Blackhawks allow the third most goals (3.5) and shots (31.7) per game.

Laine anytime goalscorer (+200): These odds feel off for Laine.

The Finnish forward was injured in preseason, limiting him to 31 games this season.

However, he’s made the most of the time, scoring 14 goals. That’s a 37-goal pace and he’s been streaking since the break.

In three games, Laine has two goals and three assists. He plays an average of just 14:43 on ice but his involvement on the power play is why he’s been so effective.

Despite missing time, he incredibly ranks tied for second in the NHL with 11 PP goals.

The Buffalo Sabres concede the fourth most goals per game (3.4) and kill penalties at a below-average 77.2% rate.

Picks made at 9:33 a.m. ET on 03/01/2025.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Marin Cilic Dubai Open quarterfinal best bet and odds: Back the Canadian against the spread

Felix Auger-Aliassime is making waves at another ATP 500 event. He plays in the quarterfinal of the Dubai Open against Marin Cilic.

The pregame narrative: The Canadian is having an incredible year and that should continue against the Croatian veteran. Auger-Aliassime -1.5 sets is my best bet for this quarterfinal match.

Check out my Auger-Aliassime vs. Cilic Dubai Open best bet and the odds for the semifinal match on Feb. 27.

Auger-Aliassime vs. Cilic best bet

Go to full Auger-Aliassime vs. Cilic betting markets.

Betting markets	Odds
Auger-Aliassime to win	-239
Cilic to win	+170
Over 23 total games	-112
Under 23 total games	-120

Tennis odds as of 3:53 p.m. ET on 02/26/2025.

Best Bet: Auger-Aliassime -1.5 sets (+110)

If we look at this match at a base level, Auger-Aliassime is the better player. He’s ranked No. 21 in the world, while Cilic is No. 186.

The Canadian is cooking, too, winning multiple titles in 2025 and posting a 14-4 record. That includes a 3-1 record against ATP top-10 players.

Cilic is 2-1 this year, and the 36-year-old has now logged over four-and-a-half hours of court time in this tournament. He’s 3-7 in his last 10 matches.

Auger-Aliassime has played a lot of tennis, but he’s in top form and has the tools to beat the less active veteran.

These two haven’t played each other since 2022. The Canadian was 21 years old at the time and won that matchup in five sets.

Auger-Aliassime continues to be a menace with his serve, recording 19 aces and holding 91% of his service points (30-of-33) at this tournament.

Cilic is good at breaking serves, doing so six times through the first two matches, but that’ll be a lot more difficult in this matchup.

Key stat: Both ATP events won by Auger-Aliassime were played on hard courts, where he has a 10-3 record in 2025.

Picks made at 2:15 p.m. ET on 02/26/2025.