Best Bets
The Daredevils have been unlucky this season with some close losses keeping them at the bottom of the IPL ladder. Aussie Glenn Maxwell is being wasted batting in the middle order. The Royals haven’t been setting the world on fire this season and they’ll want to see Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler play to their potential in the middle order. The Royals have included Jofra Archer and Ish Sodhi in their bowling attack and the duo have been devastating on the T20 circuit. Archer made a name for himself in the BBL, helping the Hurricanes to the BBL final this season and Sodhi is ranked at number four in the T20I standings. The Royals have a better balanced bowling attack that should help them to a comfortable win against the Daredevils.
Roma will be looking for another miracle when they host Liverpool in the second-leg of their semi-final. To advance to the Champions League Final, the Italians will need to repeat their heroics that they performed against Barcelona and overcome a three-goal deficit for the second time. Liverpool have been in sensational form and are unbeaten in European competition this season, thanks to the scoring exploits of Mo Salah. The Egyptian international is one of the hottest players in European football and I’m backing the Reds to win in Rome and advance to the Champions League Final against Real Madrid.
Best Dark Horse Bets
The Cavs will be relying on LeBron James to carry them to their fourth consecutive conference finals and will need the King to find another gear against the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Toronto have had their best season in franchise history but carry a significant amount of baggage after being eliminated from the finals race twice by the Cavs in as many seasons. While the stats are stacked against Cleveland they have the best player in the league in their roster. James single-handedly won the series for the Cavs against the Pacers, averaging 35 (PPG). The only thing that can stop LeBron at the moment is kryptonite and I’m backing the playoff version of LeBron to put the bite on the Raptors.
The Warriors are still to welcome back Steph Curry to their line-up and hold a 1-0 lead over the Pelicans after a comprehensive victory in the first game of the series. The Warriors are one of the best offensive units in the history of the game and had the Pelicans covered in Game One. New Orleans are an underrated team in my book and will bounce back in Game Two. Anthony Davis has been sensational form in the last month of the regular season and would be a serious contender for the league MVP if it wasn’t for the form of James Harden and LeBron James. The Pelicans have the potential to shock the Warriors and I’m tipping Anthony Davis to lead a revival for the Pelicans and level the series at 1-1