Rating: 2 Units

The 9-point deficit that Milwaukee faced on Sunday was the key to their defeat. They won the last three quarters before falling in double overtime. The Bucks had every right to win Sunday despite not playing up to their capability. Khris Middleton should be focused after a poor shooting game and expect Eric Bledsoe to have a short leash. Bledsoe is best when he penetrates and makes the right decisions but Malcolm Brogdon has been playing great. George Hill has also been a steadying force on both ends of the floor for Milwaukee. Look for Coach Budenholzer to tweak his offense and use some pick and rolls to allow Giannis to get to the rim

Rating: 2 Units

The San Jose Sharks aren't just facing a deficit heading back to St. Louis for Game 6 of their Western Conference final, they are also facing questions about the availability of some key cogs in their lineup. Coach Peter DeBoer, however, shed little light on the topic ahead of the Sharks' potential elimination game against the Blues today at Enterprise Center. San Jose captain Joe Pavelski (upper body), two-time Norris Trophy recipient Erik Karlsson (undisclosed) and Tomas Hertl (upper body) missed significant time in Sunday's 5-0 setback to St. Louis while Joonas Donskoi (upper body) returned after being injured earlier in the contest. The Blues have outscored the Sharks 7-1 since the controversial hand-pass goal that ended Game 3 and could punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1970 with one more victory.  The clincher:  San Jose is 2-5 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

Milwaukee starter, Gonzalez is 9-2 last eleven overall team-starts, including 6-0 at home and 8-1 in his last nine overall team-starts in May, including 6-0 the last six while Cincinnati is 0-4 away behind Gray this season.

Rating:  2 Units

Kansas City starter, Bailey is trying to find some consistency in his first season with Kansas City and followed up a pair of wins with a loss against Texas on Thursday in which he was reached for six runs - five earned - on eight hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. The veteran Texan issued 20 walks in 45 1/3 innings over his nine starts. Bailey spent the first 12 seasons of his career in the NL Central with Cincinnati and is 6-15 with a 5.56 ERA in 27 career starts against St. Louis, including two losses last season. St. Louis starter, Wacha failed to complete six innings in any of his last four starts but is coming off the best of that stretch after holding the Atlanta Braves to two runs - one earned - and four hits in five frames. The 27-year-old, who ended up with his first loss in a 4-0 final against the Braves, is up to 26 walks in 42 total innings. Wacha won his lone start against Kansas City last season, allowing two runs - one earned - and four hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out six without a walk.

Rating: 2 Units

Oakland starter, Bassitt notched his second victory of the year Thursday at Detroit, allowing four hits and two walks over eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. The 30-year-old has not given up more than three runs in any of his five starts while completing at least five innings in all of them. Carlos Santana is 2-for-5 with a homer and a double versus Bassitt, who is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two his career starts against the Indians. Cleveland's starter, Bauer’s only solid start in three outings this month came at Oakland on May 11 when he gave up two unearned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out 10 over seven innings in a no-decision.