Nov 14, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) and defenseman Colton Parayko (55) celebrate after the Blues defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning at Enterprise Center. credits: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports My laptop wallpaper aesthetic changes automatically each day.
I don’t know how or why, nor do I bother to check the settings.
The randomness has thus far helped keep that new-year smell on 2025 for longer than usual. So thank you, sea turtle (today), rustic landscape (Wednesday), and Co.
I owe you big time unless this is someone masking a long-term hack.
Challenges to the novelty of sports’ new calendar year abound, too. Winning streaks. Losing streaks. Back-to-backs. Home-and-homes. Is it Jan. 16 already? And didn’t the Cavaliers and Thunder just play last week?
Yes and yes, and many among us wagered on that marquee matchup then as they will now.
Here are today’s best bets. Be advised that some may look familiar.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS AT OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
As was the case when they faced off in Cleveland on Jan. 8, the Cavaliers and Thunder are collectively hotter than most aggregate high temperatures in the Midwest.
OKC has won 18 of its last 19 while Cleveland has won 17 of 19. The Cavs’ stretch of victories in that span includes last week’s 129-122 home triumph against the Thunder that snapped their 15-game winning streak.
Cleveland leading scorer Donovan Mitchell contributed just 11 points on 3-for-16 shooting that night, his second-lowest offensive output of the season. A comfortable foe has helped bring out the better in Mitchell recently; he scored 19 points in a home loss to Indiana on Sunday, then struck for 35 on Tuesday to help the Cavs knock off the host Pacers by 10.
While the Thunder lead the league in defensive rating, an injury this week to 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf) looks to open the floor amid big man Chet Holmgren’s ongoing absence. Expect a revived Mitchell to take advantage.
Donovan Mitchell 20+ points, -190 (BetMGM)
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CALGARY FLAMES AT ST. LOUIS BLUES
Even as they’ve proven the viability of the proverbial new-coach bump under Jim Montgomery, the Blues still haven’t won more than twice in a row this season.
St. Louis surely will have to change that trend if it wants its pursuit of a Western Conference playoff spot to stay strong through the spring.
Tonight offers the chance against a Calgary club the Blues edged on the same ice two nights ago.
The Flames (49 points) are vying with Vancouver (48) and St. Louis (46) in a crowded pack for the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Blues have won three of their last four at Enterprise Center, including 2-1 over Calgary on Tuesday.
Take St. Louis again in a low-scoring affair. Goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped 27 shots Tuesday and is 8-1 with a .909 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against average against the Flames in 10 career appearances. He likely will oppose Flames youngster Dustin Wolf, who has started January with a 2.00 GAA and .929 save percentage while winning three of four starts.
Blues moneyline (-145) and under 4.5 goals as two-leg parlay, +475 (BetMGM)
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MONTREAL CANADIENS AT DALLAS STARS
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is tops on the club with 43 points, but rookie defenseman Lane Hutson isn’t far off with 35.
Hutson also is the second-fastest rookie in Montreal CH (that’s “club history” and a nod to the storied logo) to reach 30 assists.
Hutson earned an assist Saturday during Montreal’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Stars north of the border, then had three more at Utah on Tuesday. He has two multi-assist efforts in a five-game point streak.
Lane Hutson over 0.5 points, -105 (BetMGM)
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