I wasn't planning on writing about Game of Thrones today. I sat down at my computer to write this column fully planning on writing about the Warriors and Rockets, or maybe even about the NFL Draft, but then I watched Game of Thrones on Sunday night, and it's been the only thing on my mind since.

If you haven't watched the episode but plan to, scroll past this intro and straight to the picks because spoilers are coming.

First, I want to say I thought it was an excellent episode for the most part. It was a bit dark (the picture, not the story, though both were dark), and it made it more difficult to view, but I can live with that. The only problem I had with the episode was too many others lived with it. It's been the biggest problem I've had with Game of Thrones the last few seasons, or essentially when the books ended and the television show took over the story from George R.R. Martin.

One of the great aspects of the story Martin wrote is that nobody is sacred. The people who you believe to be the heroes of the story are not only flawed, but they suffer the consequences of their mistakes. Ned Stark dies. Robb Stark dies. A lot of good people die, not just the bad guys. And while this latest episode had its deaths, there just weren't enough. There's no way the battle that we watched take place takes place with so few of the main characters dying.

We lose Jorah, a beloved character, and his death made sense as did Theon's. Edd's death was thrown in, but he was always a secondary character, and then there was Lyanna Mormont. She died an awesome death, but that's a character that was initially meant to have one scene in the show but got more because the audience loved her. So her death felt like a way to say "well, we won't kill the people who matter, but we'll kill this one character everyone loves so they can't say we didn't kill anyone."

If these episodes were based on books Martin had written, more people would have died, and it would have been all the more horrific. It would have felt like it mattered more, and it already mattered quite a bit. Though I suppose that's Martin's fault for never actually getting around to writing the final books. Thanks for that George. We've only been waiting eight years now.

I promise I won't make you wait much longer to get to tonight's picks. All odds are via Westgate.

1. 76ers at Raptors: Toronto -6.5

NBA Playoffs Round 2, Game 2: 8 p.m. ET, TNT (watch online with fuboTV -- try for free here)

I do not think what we saw in Game 1 of this series was a fluke. Toronto is a better team than Philly, and it's been that way all season. These two have met five times now, and the Raptors have won four of those games by an average of 13.25 points per. Their lone loss was a 25-point loss in Philly, but Kawhi Leonard didn't play in that game. 

This isn't to say Philly's a bad team, but this isn't a good matchup for the Sixers. I don't think they're going to get swept, but I don't see them winning any of the games in Toronto. Including tonight.

NBA fantasy play doesn't stop in the postseason. DFS millionaire Mike McClure has the best lineups to optimize for today's playoff slate here on SportsLine.

2. Trail Blazers at Nuggets: Over 215.5

NBA playoffs Round 2, Game 1: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT (watch online with fuboTV -- try for free here)

During their four regular-season meetings, Denver generally got the best of things. The Nuggets went 3-1 straight up as well as 3-1 ATS in those games. I'm not comfortable taking them here, though, because they're coming off a complicated seven-game series with San Antonio and are on a day of rest. The Nuggets are only 25-33 ATS on a day of rest this season. Portland, meanwhile, has been off for five days, and the Blazers are 16-5 in their last 21 games with three days of rest or more. So the rest is in Portland's favor, but the matchup appears to be in Denver's. 

So where do we turn? The total provides a clear trend. Not only has the over gone 4-0 in their four meetings this season, but the four games have included an average of 226.5 points, which is a full 11 points over the total listed for this game.

3. Rays at Royals: Kansas City +128

MLB regular season: 8:15 p.m. ET (watch online with fuboTV -- try for free here)

I like the moneyline value here on the Royals at home. The Rays are off to a great start and have the best record in baseball at 18-9. That includes a record of 9-2 on the road, which is not sustainable, and I like the chances of some regression here. Particularly in a park like Kaufmann Stadium, which is difficult enough to hit home runs in as constructed, and it's only more difficult to do so with the wind blowing in and KC's Brad Keller on the mound. The fact the Royals are 7-1 in Keller's last eight home starts doesn't hurt either, and it's just another reason why there's so much value on the Royals at this price point.

Another way to win: DFS millionaire Mike McClure has optimal picks for today's MLB slate on FanDuel and DraftKings. Check them out here on SportsLine.