Friday June 14 Best Sports Betting Picks & Predictions For NBA Finals Game 4, MLB, US Open

Are you a dad eager to add to your forthcoming Father’s Day haul or an enterprising, over-21 lad out to impress the old man?

These betting picks apply even if the answer is “no,” but hitting on a few wagers surely is more satisfying than getting or giving another tie, right? Especially in this work from home climate.

We’re on the verge of crowning a new -- but not unfamiliar -- NBA champion, the Boston Celtics, while Beantown’s summer darling, the Red Sox, tries to stay afloat against its Major League-leading rival, the New York Yankees. There’s a Major golf tournament under way in Pinehurst, N.C., too. Let’s take a look.

BOSTON CELTICS AT DALLAS MAVERICKS

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum sputtered to a slow start in the NBA Finals, scoring just 34 points in the first two games on 12-for-38 combined shooting.

He returned to form in Wednesday’s Game 3, rolling to 20 points by the break before finishing with 31, his highest output since a 36-point effort against Indiana in the third game of the Eastern Conference finals.

Boston’s depth and dominance have been well documented throughout the season and are big reasons why the club is one win shy of its league-best 18th title. Jaylen Brown arguably has been the bigger star for the Celtics over the last week, but Tatum remains a stalwart who’s vying for an NBA MVP.

Expect big things from Tatum in a closeout effort. Though the Celtics are unsure about the services of Kristaps Porzingis (left leg) and can’t count on another bout of late-game foul trouble from Mavs dynamo Luka Doncic, they can rely on a hungry Tatum.

“I want to win more than anybody can imagine,” he said.

Jayson Tatum over 27.5 points and Celtics -5.5 (+290 at BetMGM)

NEW YORK YANKEES AT BOSTON RED SOX

Writing in this space a week ago, yours truly thought the Yankees would be fine in the short- or long-term without resurgent outfielder Juan Soto, who injured his left forearm June 6.

After sitting out a weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which LA claimed two games to one, Soto returned to the mix this week. He went 4-for-11 and scored six runs to help the visiting Yankees win three of four against the Kansas City Royals.

Look for Soto to keep rolling in Friday’s series opener against the Red Sox. He hasn’t faced scheduled Boston starter Bryan Bello in his career but is batting .320 against everyone else this season. Besides, Bello has pitched to a 7.36 ERA in two June starts and allowed nine hits and a homer to the lowly Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Juan Soto over 0.5 hits (-275 at BetMGM)

U.S. OPEN GOLF

It’s not how you start in golf, the saying goes, and Rory McIlroy sure can attest to the importance of finishing.

McIlroy called Thursday’s 65 “a really controlled round of golf” as the U.S. Open kicked off at Pinehurst No. 2. Three more and he’ll be primed to end a Major championship drought that has spanned nearly a decade.

Thirteen years have passed since McIlroy won his lone U.S. Open. Sure, he’s due, but the logic here goes beyond that. McIlroy seems to be more steeled in this tournament. He has five straight Top 10 finishes at the U.S. Open and last year ended one shot of the pace of champion Wyndham Clark.

Rory glory is the story this time around and oddsmakers seem to agree. Patrick Cantlay opened with a 65, too, but at +700 has longer odds than McIlroy to take home the trophy.

Rory McIlroy to win tournament (+400 at BetMGM).