Will Stars cover vs. Oilers? | LeBron James' free agency options

Happy Friday, gamblers.

The Dallas Mavericks were able to eliminate the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 on Thursday night, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 when they defeated the Miami Heat. Luka Doncic was amazing throughout the series, including an astounding 36-point performance on 63.6% shooting in the clincher. The Mavs will be underdogs heading into the championship series with the Boston Celtics, but it should be a very entertaining matchup with tons of firepower on both sides. Consider this a sneak preview of the type of expert analysis and insight you will receive as a SportsLine subscriber.

• The Kings are reportedly lowballing former Coach of the Year Mike Brown.
• The Mets have optioned Brett Baty, Christian Scott to Triple-A amid a roster overhaul.
• Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson reveals why he didn't pursue head coaching jobs this offseason.
• Former NBA forward Drew Gordon, 33,died in a car accident.

All times Eastern |Game odds via SportsLineconsensus

A CLOSER LOOK AT LEBRON JAMES' OPTIONS IN FREE AGENCY

With the NBA Finals set to begin next week, that means that the NBA calendar is getting closer to the offseason, and it should be an intriguing one. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has a player option with the team, so he really holds all the cards in terms of his free agency. CBS Sports NBA writer Sam Quinn speculates that James' most likely scenario is remaining with the Lakers. However, if James chose to decline his option and enter free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers may be the top option for the future Hall of Famer.

• Quinn: "The other team that meets the cap space criteria would be the Philadelphia 76ers. They are far more interesting, and we have covered James' possible fit there in depth here and here. Here's the short version: Philadelphia has essentially trimmed its cap sheet down to just Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. James could partner with those two to give the 76ers the most talented star trio in basketball, and with another $12 million or so in cap space plus the cap room mid-level exception to work with, the 76ers could then cobble together a viable supporting cast for those three."
  

Game 5: Oilers at Stars, 8:30 p.m. | TV: TNT

• The Pick: Stars (-129)
• Key trend: The Stars are 5-0 following a loss during the playoffs this season.

SportsLine expert Griffin Carroll is 10-6 in his last 16 NHL picks.

• Carroll:"The Stars should be able to respond well here following a Game 4 loss to the Oilers as the series heads back to Dallas for a pivotal Game 5. Dallas is 5-0 following their past five losses during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and have outshot their opponents in all but one of those games. Expect the Stars to come out aggressive and take control of this series on Friday."

Here's what else SportsLine is saying about the game:The Projection Model has "C" picks on the moneyline, spread, and total.Get one week of picks from SportsLine completely free with the promo codeNEWSLETTER*.Sign up here to get started!

Padres at Royals, 8:10 p.m. | TV: MLB.TV

• The Projection: Over 8 (-107)| Grade: B -- Moderate

SportsLine's Projection Model has a "B" grade on the total and moneyline with a "C" grade for the spread for the contest. The over is 7-3 in the Royals' last 10 games, so we'll expect that trend to continue in this spot.

SportsLine expert picks:Our staff has combed through the Friday night MLB slate and offered their best plays as the season continues.Get one week of picks from SportsLine completely free with the promo code NEWSLETTER*.
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