NBA Conference Finals Betting Picks, NFC West Preview & MLB MVP Thoughts - Ride the Line Ep. 12

A new episode of “Ride the Line” starring Grant Mitchell and Tanner Kern is live on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts! The co-hosts hit on all sorts of topics, from recent NBA stories and upcoming betting picks to the NFC West to Shohei Ohtani’s MVP hopes.

NBA Playoffs 

The show starts with Grant and Tanner discussing praising Jayson Tatum’s heroic 51-point explosion in Game Seven of the conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. They then react to that win ultimately spelling the end of Doc Rivers and potentially James Harden and decide which one they would be more receptive to holding onto despite the loss.

The show transitions into the present by discussing Boston’s Game-One matchup with the No. 8 Miami Heat. The Heat are +8 underdogs but have made the conference finals in three of the last four years (where they played the Celtics every time) and were one shot away from the NBA Finals last year. Could betting the over of 5.5 series games be in play, given that the Celtics already went six with the Atlanta Hawks and seven with the Sixers?

The tables turn and the conversation focuses on the Denver Nuggets meeting the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Tanner and Grant both like the Lakers in the series but recognize that the Nuggets have unique attributes that could allow them to win if LA isn’t careful. They also break down specific matchups, such as how the Lakers will defend the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray pick-and-roll and how Anthony Davis can influence the series.

NFC West Betting Preview

Week two of eight with the NFL division previews focuses on the AFC West, home to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. They are a -150 favorite to win the division which Tanner notes makes them one of very few teams to crack the +100 barrier for an outcome that is still many months away.

The Los Angeles Chargers are next in line—the key for them, according to the hosts, is health. Their defense is full of other-worldly talent but can’t seem to play 17 games with the same lineup.

The Denver Broncos are third in odds to win the division. Tanner holds optimism for the Broncos and also shares a betting pick on Sean Payton to win coach of the year, which seemingly coincides with them performing well in the division. Grant is not as fully on board but recognizes their great defensive talent and elite head coach.

The Raiders bring up the rear, but both hosts are expecting them to be competitive this year. They have weapons on offense and can get after the pass on defense, although that conversation spurned an impromptu analysis of where Jimmy Garoppolo stands amongst current quarterbacks. 

MLB Talk

The baseball segment of the show heavily features an analysis of MVP odds in each of the leagues, led by Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr., respectively. Tanner believes that Ohtani’s unique ability to be a dominant hitter and pitcher has birthed the need for a rule change in how the MVP can be decided.

The next topic pertains to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ resurgence. They had won six straight and 14 of 16 games at the time of recording, but Tanner still thinks the Atlanta Braves are the best team in baseball. Grant isn’t as convinced and likes Mookie Betts to climb the MVP charts.

The final topic of the day focuses on the Boston Red Sox’s slump and an overall view of not only the AL East but the entire Wild Card picture.

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