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**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:01 AM

MLB MONEYLINE

MLB > (919) BALTIMORE@ (920) BOSTON | 04/18/2015 - 04:05 PM
Play ON BALTIMORE using the money line in Road games against division opponents
The record is 27 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.5 units)

MLB RUNLINE

MLB > (915) CHI WHITE SOX@ (916) DETROIT | 04/18/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play ON DETROIT using the in All games in all games
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+10.75 units)

MLB TOTALS

MLB > (913) COLORADO@ (914) LA DODGERS | 04/18/2015 - 09:10 PM
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games against right-handed starters
The record is 46 Overs and 22 Unders for the last two seasons (+24.4 units)

MLB > (917) CLEVELAND@ (918) MINNESOTA | 04/18/2015 - 02:10 PM
Play OVER MINNESOTA on the total in All games in April games
The record is 23 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.1 units)

MLB > (923) OAKLAND@ (924) KANSAS CITY | 04/18/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games in April games
The record is 45 Overs and 20 Unders for the last three seasons (+25.1 units)

MLB > (925) LA ANGELS@ (926) HOUSTON | 04/18/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play OVER LA ANGELS on the total in All games as a road underdog of +100 to +125
The record is 21 Overs and 7 Unders for the last two seasons (+14 units)

MLB TOP POWERLINE

MLB > (915) CHI WHITE SOX @ (916) DETROIT | 04/18/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: DETROIT -120 BTB PowerLine: DETROIT -134
Edge On: DETROIT (14)

MLB > (901) PHILADELPHIA @ (902) WASHINGTON | 04/18/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: WASHINGTON -200 BTB PowerLine: WASHINGTON -192
Edge On: WASHINGTON (8)

MLB > (917) CLEVELAND @ (918) MINNESOTA | 04/18/2015 - 02:10 PM
Line: MINNESOTA -110 BTB PowerLine: MINNESOTA 103
Edge On: MINNESOTA (13)

MLB > (905) SAN DIEGO @ (906) CHICAGO CUBS | 04/18/2015 - 02:20 PM
Line: CHICAGO CUBS -115 BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO CUBS -104
Edge On: CHICAGO CUBS (11)

MLB > (919) BALTIMORE @ (920) BOSTON | 04/18/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: BOSTON -150 BTB PowerLine: BOSTON 152
Edge On: BOSTON (82)

MLB > (907) MILWAUKEE @ (908) PITTSBURGH | 04/18/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: PITTSBURGH -140 BTB PowerLine: PITTSBURGH -167
Edge On: PITTSBURGH (27)

MLB > (921) NY YANKEES @ (922) TAMPA BAY | 04/18/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: TAMPA BAY -110 BTB PowerLine: TAMPA BAY 132
Edge On: TAMPA BAY (22)

MLB > (911) ARIZONA @ (912) SAN FRANCISCO | 04/18/2015 - 09:05 PM
Line: SAN FRANCISCO -140 BTB PowerLine: SAN FRANCISCO -187
Edge On: SAN FRANCISCO (47)

MLB > (927) TEXAS @ (928) SEATTLE | 04/18/2015 - 09:10 PM
Line: SEATTLE -220 BTB PowerLine: SEATTLE -198
Edge On: SEATTLE (22)

MLB > (913) COLORADO @ (914) LA DODGERS | 04/18/2015 - 09:10 PM
Line: LA DODGERS -195 BTB PowerLine: LA DODGERS -184
Edge On: LA DODGERS (11)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:09 AM

NBA ATS

NBA > (703) NEW ORLEANS@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 04/18/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using the against the spread in Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 17 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.5 units)

NBA > (701) WASHINGTON@ (702) TORONTO | 04/18/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON using the against the spread in All games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 4 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-12.5 units)

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (705) MILWAUKEE@ (706) CHICAGO | 04/18/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 10 Wins and 36 Losses for the last two seasons (-28.05 units)

NBA > (703) NEW ORLEANS@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 04/18/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using the money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 5 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-13.5 units)

NBA > (701) WASHINGTON@ (702) TORONTO | 04/18/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON using the money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 4 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (-11.75 units)

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (703) NEW ORLEANS@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 04/18/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS in the first half in Road games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-11.1 units)

NBA TOTALS
NBA > (703) NEW ORLEANS@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 04/18/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the total in All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 22 Overs and 57 Unders for the last two seasons (+32.8 units)

NBA > (701) WASHINGTON@ (702) TORONTO | 04/18/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play OVER WASHINGTON on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 15 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+11.7 units)

NBA TOP POWERLINE

NBA > (701) WASHINGTON @ (702) TORONTO | 04/18/2015 - 12:35 PM
Line: TORONTO -4 BTB PowerLine: TORONTO -5
Edge On: TORONTO (1)

NBA > (703) NEW ORLEANS @ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 04/18/2015 - 03:35 PM
Line: GOLDEN STATE -12 BTB PowerLine: GOLDEN STATE -9
Edge On: GOLDEN STATE (3)

NBA > (705) MILWAUKEE @ (706) CHICAGO | 04/18/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: CHICAGO -7.5 BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO -7
Edge On: CHICAGO (0.5)

NBA > (707) DALLAS @ (708) HOUSTON | 04/18/2015 - 09:35 PM
Line: HOUSTON -5 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -9
Edge On: HOUSTON (4)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:13 AM

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (31) WINNIPEG@ (32) ANAHEIM | 04/18/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the money line in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.15 units)

NHL > (29) PITTSBURGH@ (30) NY RANGERS | 04/18/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON NY RANGERS using the money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 24 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+16.95 units)

NHL > (25) MINNESOTA@ (26) ST LOUIS | 04/18/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 17 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+12 units)

NHL > (27) DETROIT@ (28) TAMPA BAY | 04/18/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 11 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-15 units)

NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (31) WINNIPEG@ (32) ANAHEIM | 04/18/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+10.15 units)

NHL > (29) PITTSBURGH@ (30) NY RANGERS | 04/18/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON NY RANGERS using the in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 24 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+16.95 units)

NHL > (25) MINNESOTA@ (26) ST LOUIS | 04/18/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the in Road games second half of the season
The record is 17 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+12 units)

NHL > (27) DETROIT@ (28) TAMPA BAY | 04/18/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 11 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-15 units)

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (25) MINNESOTA@ (26) ST LOUIS | 04/18/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play OVER ST LOUIS on the total in All games on Saturday games
The record is 26 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.9 units)

NHL > (29) PITTSBURGH@ (30) NY RANGERS | 04/18/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER PITTSBURGH on the total in All games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 10 Overs and 23 Unders for the this season (+12.45 units)

NHL > (31) WINNIPEG@ (32) ANAHEIM | 04/18/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play OVER WINNIPEG on the total in Road games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 15 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+10.5 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:16 AM

Handicapping the Playoffs

April 17, 2015

How Efficient do you have to be to be NBA Champion?

Efficiency rating and rankings have become the standard measurement of teams and players and if you are not familiar with those numbers, and you’re a sports bettor, you might want to do a little research and get to know what they mean.

Very simply put Offensive Efficiency (OEFF = points scored per 100 possessions) and Defensive Efficiency (DEFF = points allowed per 100 possessions) are great ways to evaluate teams and how good they truly are.

The league average for OEFF this season was 105.4 while the defensive number was 105.5. The LA Clippers were the most efficient offensive in the NBA at 112.2 points per 100 possessions while the Golden State Warriors held the best defensive efficiency rating in the league of 101.3.

These numbers can be useful in predicting an NBA Champion if past history tells us anything which we’ll explain below.

Going back to the 2008-09 season the NBA Finals featured the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic which the Lakers won in five games. The Lakers finished the regular season ranked 3rd in OEFF and 6th in DEFF.

Going forward from that season below are the Finals Champions and their overall efficiency rankings for that season.

2009-10 LA Lakers (OEFF = 11th, DEFF = 4)
2010-11 Dallas Mavericks (OEFF = 8th, DEFF = 7th)
2011-12 Miami Heat (OEFF = 8th, DEFF = 4th)
2012-13 Miami Heat (OEFF = 1st, DEFF = 9th)
2013-14 San Antonio Spurs (OEFF 7th, DEFF = 3rd)

So you can see for yourself the only team that won a Championship in the last six years that had an OEFF or DEFF not in the top 10 of the NBA for that season was the 2009-10 Lakers (11th in offensive efficiency).

So using this model to predict this year’s champion we can eliminate everyone but four teams: Golden State, Portland, San Antonio and Atlanta.

Chicago is on the outside looking in as they rank 11th in both OEFF and DEFF, but using the above premise you must rank in the top 10 in at least one of the two categories and 11th or better in the other.

Golden State Warriors: OEFF 2nd, DEFF 1st
Portland Trailblazers: OEFF 9th, DEFF 10th
San Antonio Spurs: OEFF 7th, DEFF 2nd
Atlanta Hawks: OEFF 6th, DEFF 6th

So clearly one obvious team is missing from the list above and that’s the odds on favorite to win it all this season the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. If the past six year trend continues the Cavs 17th ranked defensive efficiency rating isn’t good enough to help them win this season’s trophy. In fact, we are in the minority but we actually like the Hawks to beat the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Hawks took the Spurs blueprint for success and built a legitimate Title contender in the East. Along with the statistical advantages the Hawks own home court advantage where they were 35-6 SU this season and had the 3rd best home efficiency differential (OEFF – DEFF) at +9.2. Again based on numbers the Cavs and Hawks are near identical statistically when it comes to starters but Atlanta has a big advantage when it comes to their bench strength in both OEFF and DEFF.

So we like Atlanta to come out of the East.

NBA Champions: The eventual champion though comes from the West and we believe it will be the Golden State Warriors. Golden State is simply too good and by far and away the best team in the league. Statistically it’s not even close as the Warriors played in the wicked tough Western Conference AND still finished 2nd in OEFF and 1st in DEFF.

Golden State is deep, has so many different scoring options, size, toughness, rebounding and the best backcourt in the NBA right now. Their efficiency differential was +10.3 which was a full 4.6-points better than the second place Clippers. Our money is on the Warriors to win this year’s Championship.

Series Winners: We will make small wagers on the Wizards +150 over Toronto (near identical efficiency numbers), Portland +155 over Memphis (would like this more if the Blazers were completely healthy) and Houston -310 over Dallas (normally don’t like taking a favorite but we’ll make an exception here).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:21 AM

Saturday's Top Action

April 17, 2015

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (41-41) at CHICAGO BULLS (50-32)

Eastern Conference - First Round
Tip-off: Saturday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Chicago -7.5, Total: 186

The Bucks head to Chicago for Game 1 of this opening round series on Saturday.

The Bucks played the Celtics in Milwaukee in their last regular season game and the team lost 105-100 as a 5.5-point home favorite. The Bucks had, however, won three straight games heading into that one and hope to recapture that magic against Chicago in Game 1.

The Bulls ended the regular season with a 91-85 victory as 5-point home favorites against the Hawks on Tuesday.

Chicago has won four straight games SU and three of those four games ATS. In four meetings between these two teams during the regular season, the Bulls won-and-covered in three games. Over the past three seasons, Chicago is also 8-4 SU and 7-5 ATS versus Milwaukee.

The Bucks are 13-4 ATS in road games after having won two of their past three games this season. They are also 29-19 ATS when playing as an underdog this season. The Bulls, meanwhile, are 46-30 ATS when revenging a loss versus an opponent over the past two seasons. They also get to face a Bucks team that is 20-35 ATS on Saturday games over the past three seasons.

Both teams enter this game with relatively healthy lineups, but PG Derrick Rose (knee) has been experiencing some soreness.

The Bucks have been a surprise team this season and they’ll now look to prove that they belong in their first round matchup with the Chicago Bulls.

If Milwaukee is going to compete in this series then PG Michael Carter-Williams (14.6 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG) is going to need to play at a high level. In his only meeting with the Bulls this season, the guard had 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal in 33 minutes of action. He must play solid defense on Derrick Rose and also find his teammates for some good looks at the basket.

SG Khris Middleton (13.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG) is going to need to hit his shots in this series. Middleton has been a marksman from the outside this season (41% 3PT) and is shooting 47% from behind the arc over his past five games. He can really change a game with his ability to score and he also plays very disrupting defense.

SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (12.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.0 SPG) is going to need to play well in this series or the Bucks really have no chance. He is the team’s most talented player, but has been in Jason Kidd’s doghouse recently. He must be efficient in this series and play hard on both ends of the floor.

PF Ersan Ilyasova (11.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG) has scored 21 points in two of the past three games. Ilyasova can get hot in a hurry and is a very good shooter (39% 3PT), especially for a guy his size. He’s going to need to have some big games in this series.

The Bulls have an NBA title on their minds, but the health of PG Derrick Rose (17.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.2 RPG) is a major question mark. He left the regular season finale against the Atlanta Hawks after just 10 minutes of playing time. If he is not at 100% then the Bulls will have plenty of trouble winning this series.

SG Jimmy Butler (20.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG) is averaging just 14.8 PPG against the Bucks this season, but he did average 7.5 RPG, 6.0 APG and 2.3 SPG in those contests. He is one of the best two-way players in basketball and must put his stamp on this series.

PF Pau Gasol (18.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.9 BPG) has had a career resurgence in Chicago this season and enters the playoffs after putting up double-doubles in the last four regular season games. He dominated the Bucks this season, averaging 24.3 PPG and 13.3 RPG in four meetings with the team. He has too much size and strength for Ilyasova to deal with inside, but he must also stop the Bucks’ forward on the defensive end.

C Joakim Noah (7.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 BPG) hurt his hamstring and missed the last two games of the regular season. He will play in this one though and will need to protect the rim and also be very effective on the glass. PF Nikola Mirotic (10.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG) has the ability to change this series off the bench. He is a very good scorer and can put points on the board in bunches if he sees the minutes.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (50-32) at HOUSTON ROCKETS (56-36)

Western Conference - First Round
Tip-off: Saturday, 9:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Houston -5.5, Total: 210

The Mavericks and Rockets meet in Houston for Game 1 of their first round matchup.

The Mavericks won four of their last five regular season games SU, defeating the Blazers 114-98 as 6-point home favorites in their final game. Dallas has covered in three of its past four games and has shot 45% or better from the field in four of its past five contests.

The Rockets, meanwhile, won 117-91 as 11.5-point home favorites against Utah in their season finale. Houston enters the playoffs after winning three straight games SU and 10 of its past 13 as well. The Rockets also held their opponents to just 90.5 PPG in their last two regular season games.

The Rockets and Mavs met four times this season and Houston won-and-covered in three of those games. Over the past three seasons, the two teams have split wins both SU and ATS but the Rockets are 4-2 both SU and ATS when hosting the Mavericks. Dallas is 14-3 ATS in road games in April over the past three seasons but does face a Houston team that is 12-3 ATS in home games when playing with two days of rest over the past two seasons.

PG Devin Harris (Toe) is probable for this game and SF Chandler Parsons (Knee) is questionable for the Mavericks. PF Donatas Motiejunas (Back) is out for the season for the Rockets and PG Patrick Beverley (Wrist) is not likely to return this series.

The Mavericks acquired PG Rajon Rondo (8.9 PPG, 7.9 APG, 5.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG) partly because of his ability to perform at a high level in the playoffs and now is when he must get himself going. Rondo struggled with the Mavericks during the regular season but he can erase that with some solid play in the postseason. The Rockets are weak at the point guard position with Patrick Beverley out and Rondo must take advantage of that.

PF Dirk Nowitzki (17.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG) averaged 14.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG on 39.6% shooting from the field in four meetings with the Rockets this season. Nowitzki must shoot the ball well in this series if the Mavericks are going to upset Houston.

C Tyson Chandler (10.3 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.2 BPG) is going to need to hold his own against Dwight Howard in this series. Chandler is a monster on the glass and can really protect the rim, but stopping Howard will not be easy.

Another guy who must hold his own in his one-on-one matchup is SG Monta Ellis (18.9 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.9 SPG). Ellis averaged 20.3 PPG in four games against James Harden and the Rockets this season and he must play like that in this series.

SF Chandler Parsons (15.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG) would be a big loss if he does not play on Saturday. He is an excellent two-way player and the Mavericks need his athleticism on the floor.

The Rockets finished the season off strong and will now look to carry over their success into the playoffs.

SG James Harden (27.4 PPG, 7.0 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG) played at an MVP level throughout the year and ended the season with a triple-double against Utah. Harden will need to use his strength to bully Monta Ellis in this series and if he is not able to get to the free-throw line then the Rockets could be in trouble.

C Dwight Howard (15.8 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG) must also be healthy for the team to win this series. Howard played 24.5 MPG in the last four games he played in the regular season and will need to be able to play more in the playoffs. He should be able to move Tyson Chandler with his strength when he gets in the post and he must be ready to rebound at a high level.

SF Trevor Ariza (12.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG) will need to knock down some outside shots in this series. He was solid from behind the arc this season (35% 3PT) and also plays very good defense. If he catches fire then it will take a lot of pressure off of Harden and Howard.

PF Josh Smith (12.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.0 SPG) will need to have a big series for Houston. He averaged 15.4 PPG in the last five games of the regular season and must keep that up and also play well defensively.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:24 AM

Saturday's Early Tips

April 17, 2015

Wizards at Raptors – 12:30 PM EST
After advancing to the conference semifinals last year, the Wizards regressed during the regular season. They were supposed to compete for the Southwest Division title and finished 14 games back, the largest deficit of any second-place team in the entire NBA. Head coach Randy Wittman, who got himself an extension after defeating Chicago in last year’s playoffs, was the subject of scorn and criticism throughout multiple Washington losing streaks, particularly since they often blew leads and looked powerless to stop it. John Wall averaged 19.0 points and an NBA-high 10 assists this season and maintained clips of 19.0 and 9.0 in the three games he played in against Toronto, which swept all three games in the season series. That can be taken with a grain of salt since Bradley Beal was only healthy enough to play a single game against the Raptors, scoring 26 points in 45 minutes in a 120-116 OT loss in D.C. on Jan. 31. Wall had 28 points and 12 assists in the setback. Paul Pierce, who helped Brooklyn overcome the Raptors in last year’s first round, shot 48.5 percent and averaged 14.7 points against the Raptors, the most he averaged against any Eastern Conference opponent except Boston. Nene has practiced the last few games after sitting out with an injured ankle. He averaged 12.3 points but just 3.3 rebounds, the lowest number he managed against Eastern Conference competition, which isn’t going to fly if Washington is to win this series. Marcin Gortat also struggled against Toronto, shooting 39 percent and averaging just 6.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, all well below his season averages. The Wizards are +165 to pull the upset in this series according to Sportsbook.ag.. Four of Washington’s last five games have gone over the posted total.

The Raptors set a single-season record for wins, picking up 49, which fell under the posted season total at Westgate Superbook but won at other spots that posted friendlier numbers. Because of how awful the Atlantic Division was, Toronto should’ve probably topped the 50-win plateau for the first time and finished higher than No. 4, but avoiding East favorite Cleveland and drawing a team they swept during the regular season has the #WeTheNorth contingent excited. All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry has shot just 34.4 percent since returning from a seven-game absence due to back issues, but hit 6-of-9 3-pointers in the season finale against Charlotte, scoring 26 points, his second-highest output of 2015. 7-footer Jonas Valanciunas also responded in Wednesday’s 92-87 win over the Hornets, hitting 9-of-11 shots, but averaged just 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in three games with Toronto, averaging just 20.3 minutes. Amir Johnson (ankle) is a go and should be heavily involved up front. DeMar DeRozan averaged 21.0 and 5.3 rebounds in the three wins over the Wizards, but shot just 38.3 percent. Washington would take it if it can hold Toronto’s most explosive scorer to that shooting clip. The Raptors are -190 to win the series according to Sportsbook.ag.. They’re 2-5 ATS in their last seven and have seen four of their last five games go under the posted total.

Pelicans at Warriors – 3:30 PM EST

When the Pelicans held off the Warriors 103-100 on April 7, Anthony Davis told reporters they considered themselves “an elite team” that “can play with anybody and beat anybody on any given night.” Having made the playoffs thanks to Wednesday’s eye-opening upset of San Antonio, New Orleans has even more reason to believe it can make something more out of this postseason than just a learning experience. Point guard Jrue Holiday is back from a 41-game absence (stress reaction, leg), coming off the bench and averaging 10.0 points and 3.3 assists, providing a significant boost to the second unit. Ryan Anderson returned after missing most of March and hasn’t been able to find the range, shooting 32 percent over nine April contests, but he figures to heat up as he gets healthier. Eric Gordon shot just 33 percent in two games and is 24-for-50 (48 pct) from beyond the arc in April. Tyreke Evans averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists, shooting just 42 percent. Those numbers are all slightly below his season averages, which means he lineup as the team’s biggest variable if he can improve his efficiency. Don’t underestimate the Quincy Pondexter factor. He only played the Warriors twice, but averaged 17.5 points, more than double his 7.2 scoring average, shooting 10-for-16 from the field and 7-for-9 from 3-point range. The Pelicans opened at +1800 at Sportsbook.ag..The under has gone 5-2-1 in the Pelicans’ last eight regular-season contests.

MVP front-runner Stephen Curry took it easy the last few nights of the regular season, letting teammates boost their own confidence heading into the postseason. For the season, his output of 23.5 points in four regular-season meetings with New Orleans is right there near his scoring average over 80 games (23.8), but he did have a night where he shot 4-for-17. Klay Thompson averaged 19.7 points over three games, but shot just 41 percent. Draymond Green averaged a double-double (13.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg) despite being on Anthony Davis duty in two of the four games these teams have played. It marked the first time he’d done that in back-to-back games since before re-injuring his knee in January. Small forward Harrison Barnes has some positive film to review since he had himself a day against the Pelicans earlier this month, scoring 22 points in 20 minutes. Andrew Bogut is the key to the Warriors winning a championship since they can’t replace his rim protection or how well he facilitates on offense from the five-spot. He averaged 7.3 points,8.0 rebounds and 4.7 blocks after posting seven rejections last time out against the Pelicans, finishing up a plus-17 in his time on the floor. Golden State opened at Sportsbook.ag. at -5000 to win this series, by far the largest favorite of the first-round. The Warriors are 1-5 ATS in their last six, but had covered in nine of 10 prior to this stretch. They’re 2-2 ATS against the Pelicans despite winning three of the four encounters. The over/under is 2-2.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:26 AM

Saturday's Late Tips

April 17, 2015

The NBA playoffs opening night concludes with a pair of divisional battles and when you create familiarity, it usually brings tight series.

In last year’s playoffs, the opening round had four series with divisional foes squaring off.

Miami 4 Charlotte 0
San Antonio 4 Dallas 3
L.A. Clippers 4 Golden State 3
Brooklyn 4 Toronto 3

Looking above, you can see that three of those matchups went seven games. Out of the eight matchups in the first round this year, these are the only two that will be divisional battles.

Let’s break down the games.

No. 6 Milwaukee at No. 3 Chicago (ESPN, 7:05 p.m. ET)

Head-to-Head (2014-2015)
Nov 5, 2014 - Chicago 95 at Milwaukee 86 (Bulls -5, Under 191)
Jan 10, 2015 - Milwaukee 87 at Chicago 95 (Bulls -6, Under 194)
Feb 23, 2015 - Milwaukee 71 at Chicago 87 (Bulls -7, Under 193)
Apr 1, 2015 - Chicago 91 at Milwaukee 95 (Bucks +5, Under 191.5)

If Chicago plays to its ability, this series is over in four games. Jason Kidd has done a tremendous job this season as head coach in Milwaukee but his team is nothing more than a bully. The Bucks went 32-14 against sub-.500 teams while producing a 9-32 record versus teams with winning records.

One of those victories came on Apr. 1 against Chicago, who shot 19 percent (5-of-26) from 3-point land and 64.9 percent (24-of-37) from the free throw line in the loss. The Bulls clearly didn’t play to their ability and they still just lost by four to the Bucks on the road.

The Bulls opened as 8 ½-point favorites for Game 1 and that number has dropped to 7 ½ at most betting shops as of Friday. It’s hard to argue against the early money when you look at the tendencies for both teams at the betting counter. Chicago has gone 27-14 SU and 19-22 ATS at the United Center this season, which isn’t terrible but certainly not profitable. Meanwhile, the Bucks produced a 26-14-1 ATS mark on the road while winning 18 of those 41 games straight up.

As a home favorite of seven or more points this season, Chicago went 15-7 SU and 7-15 ATS. That tells you that the Bulls go through the motions and win, but wire-to-wire victories don’t come often in “The Windy City.”

I believe the point guard matchup will be the key to this series and the Bulls have the edge, especially if Derrick Rose continues to regain his form. The Bucks will try to slow him down with Michael Carter-Williams, who is getting his first taste of the playoffs. The former Syracuse product has size and he scored 21 in the recent win over the Bulls but he’s not a consistent weapon on offense and it’s showed in the standings. Since the team acquired him at the trade deadline, Milwaukee has gone 11-18.

The ‘under’ went 4-0 in the regular season and all of the totals were listed in the nineties and none of the games threated the closing number. For Game 1, the total opened 187 and it’s dropped to 184.5 at most outfits. You could argue the number is too low considering Chicago (100.8 PPG) and Milwaukee (97.8 PPG) aren't exactly inept on offense but the defensive scoring numbers for both the Bulls (97.3 PPG) and Bucks (97.8 PPG) are ranked in the Top 10.

The key to any total is pace and both Chicago and Milwaukee average 82 field goal attempts per game, which is slow. However, the Bucks (36.3%) and Bulls (35.3%) both shoot high percentages from 3-point land and Chicago is ranked fourth in free throw attempts per game (25.2). So many people are expecting an ugly series and I do think you’ll get a couple of those in this series but be weary of the ‘over’ on Saturday night, especially if the refs forget to swallow their whistles.

These teams will meet again on Monday in Game 2 from the United Center.

No. 7 Dallas at No. 2 Houston (ESPN, 9:35 p.m. ET)

Head-to-Head (2014-15)
Nov 22, 2014 - Dallas 92 at Houston 95 (Rockets +4, Under 205)
Jan 28, 2015 - Dallas 94 at Houston 99 (Rockets -4, Under 210.5)
Feb 20, 2015 - Houston 100 at Dallas 111 (Mavericks -2.5, Under 212.5)
Apr 2, 2015 - Houston 108 at Dallas 101 (Rockets +2.5, Under 210.5)

I expect Houston to win this series based on talent but Dallas can hang with anybody in the league, when it makes its shots. That’s big if and certainly unpredictable but the oddsmakers are clearly giving Dallas a puncher’s chance in Game 1. Houston opened as a 5 ½-point home favorite and the hook has been dropped at most betting shops.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Kevin Rogers is a little surprised Houston isn’t giving more based on its production at the Toyota Center. He explained, “Houston took care of its business at home, winning 30 of 41 times, while covering 26 times in the regular season. The Rockets went 12-3 at the Toyota Center since the All-Star break with two of those losses coming to the Spurs and Grizzlies, as five of their 26 losses this season came to those two clubs, both contenders.”

While Houston has been strong at home, it’s hard to ignore the effort from Dallas this season on the road. The Mavericks went gone 23-18 SU and 20-21 ATS as visitors but Rogers added that the current form hasn’t been great recently.

“Dallas finished the season at 2-9 ATS in their final 11 as a road underdog with one of those wins coming in double-overtime at Denver,” said Rogers.

My feeling on this series is that Houston’s talent and youth will trump Dallas and its playoff experience. The Mavericks took the Spurs to seven games in last year’s first round while the Rockets were bounced by the Trail Blazers in six games. What people might not remember is that Houston lost three of four games to Portland in that series by a combined six points and two came in overtime.

Everybody knows James Harden is one of the best players in the league and I can’t see anybody on Dallas slowing him down. The Mavericks defense is allowing 102.3 points per game, which is ranked 27th in the NBA and the worst amongst the 16 playoff teams. Even if Houston has an off night, Harden and company get to the free throw line quickly and those points add up quickly.

With all that being said, it’s hard not to lean ‘over’ in every matchup just because the Mavericks will likely start fouling either Dwight Howard or Josh Smith intentionally, hoping the pair struggle at the line. If those two can connect at 50 percent, the points will go up and ‘over’ tickets will cash. Game 1 opened 209 and the number is 211 and climbing. All four regular season matchups went ‘under’ but I don’t expect those trends to continue on Saturday.

The Rockets are listed as minus-280 favorites (Bet $100 to win $35) to win the best-of-seven series while bettors backing the Mavericks can catch a return close to 5/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $250).

Game 2 is slated for Tuesday from the Toyota Center.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 02:28 AM

NBA Finals Best Bets

April 16, 2015

A full list of NBA Championship odds at Sportsbook.ag can be found here:

The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday and that means that it’s time to take a look at who could be hosting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in June:

Golden State Warriors (+220) - The Warriors and Cavaliers are the two favorites to win the NBA title this season, getting pretty favorable odds at +220. Golden State, however, was arguably deserving of being the lone favorite to win it all this season. This Warriors team won the ultra competitive Western Conference by 11 games and finished the season with a point differential of +10.1. Not only did Golden State win games, but it was absolutely dominant while doing so. The Warriors are also nearly impossible to defeat on their home floor, going 39-2 at Oracle Arena this season. PG Stephen Curry (23.8 PPG, 7.7 APG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 SPG) and SG Klay Thompson (21.7 PPG, 1.1 SPG) are guys that can get so hot that they can win the Warriors a game in a quick five-minute stretch. This team is on a mission and as long as C Andrew Bogut (6.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG) can stay healthy, there isn’t much that can get in its way.

San Antonio Spurs (+400) - The Spurs are the team with the best chance to knock off the Warriors. San Antonio closed out the regular season with nine wins in its final 10 games. The defending champs always turn it on when it matters most and they will be hungry to prove that they are not over the hill. SF Kawhi Leonard (16.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.3 SPG) is one of the most dangerous weapons in the entire league, capable of lighting it up offensively or locking down his opponent on the defensive end. He will do whatever he can to win this team another championship and veterans PF Tim Duncan (13.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 BPG), PG Tony Parker (14.4 PPG, 4.9 APG) and SG Manu Ginobili (10.5 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG) are still more than capable of taking over on any given night. Getting the defending champions at 4-to-1 is an excellent value.

Chicago Bulls (+1500) - The Bulls are one of the best teams in the league, but they have really suffered a ton of injuries this season. PG Derrick Rose (17.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.2 RPG) returned from a torn meniscus on Apr. 8, but he is dealing with soreness in his knees heading into the postseason. He is the biggest question mark for this team, as Chicago has a great chance of winning it all if he is able to stay on his feet. The Bulls would be able to stay competitive without Rose in the lineup, but they would not be able to win a championship. At +1500 this team is worth taking a chance on because Rose has played in five straight games heading into the postseason and insists that his knees are feeling fine.

Atlanta Hawks (+1600) - The Hawks finished the season with 60 wins and were dominant in the Eastern Conference throughout the year. They also played very well when facing the Western Conference powerhouses, yet this team is still getting ridiculous +1600 odds. Atlanta is a very well balanced team and played flawless basketball on both ends of the floor this season. The Hawks put up 102.5 PPG (10th in NBA) thanks to 25.7 APG (2nd in NBA) and also allowed just 97.1 PPG (5th in NBA). They went 35-6 when playing at home this season and it will not be easy for opponents to steal a game in Atlanta. This team is a very good value pick and people should not hesitate to make a small play here.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:21 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, April 18

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PHILADELPHIA (3 - 7) at WASHINGTON (4 - 6) - 1:05 PM
AARON HARANG (R) vs. JORDAN ZIMMERMANN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 66-83 (-27.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 30-10 (+16.6 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
ZIMMERMANN is 26-8 (+16.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZIMMERMANN is 51-22 (+22.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 (+0.5 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

AARON HARANG vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HARANG is 3-5 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.05 and a WHIP of 1.396.
His team's record is 6-7 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-5. (+2.5 units)

JORDAN ZIMMERMANN vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
ZIMMERMANN is 6-6 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.301.
His team's record is 6-7 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-7. (-2.6 units)

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CINCINNATI (5 - 4) at ST LOUIS (5 - 3) - 2:15 PM
HOMER BAILEY (R) vs. CARLOS MARTINEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 116-62 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 20-4 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 116-62 (+26.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 90-41 (+30.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 414-281 (+63.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 690-777 (+42.8 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 501-561 (+37.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 2-1 (+0.8 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

HOMER BAILEY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
BAILEY is 6-10 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.98 and a WHIP of 1.514.
His team's record is 6-14 (-8.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-10. (-2.6 units)

CARLOS MARTINEZ vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
MARTINEZ is 0-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.2 units)

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SAN DIEGO (6 - 4) at CHICAGO CUBS (5 - 3) - 2:20 PM
TYSON ROSS (R) vs. KYLE HENDRICKS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 30-54 (-20.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 30-54 (-20.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 39-73 (-26.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
HENDRICKS is 12-2 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 12-1 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HENDRICKS is 8-2 (+7.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 1392-1556 (-279.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 747-728 (-165.2 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 745-788 (-147.6 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1335-1469 (-253.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1021-1155 (-210.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

TYSON ROSS vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
ROSS is 1-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

KYLE HENDRICKS vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
HENDRICKS is 1-0 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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MILWAUKEE (2 - 7) at PITTSBURGH (3 - 6) - 7:05 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. JEFF LOCKE (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 2-1 (+1.2 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
LOHSE is 11-4 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.88 and a WHIP of 1.223.
His team's record is 13-10 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 14-9. (+4.8 units)

JEFF LOCKE vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LOCKE is 3-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 5-3 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.7 units)

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MIAMI (3 - 7) at NY METS (7 - 3) - 7:10 PM
MAT LATOS (R) vs. JACOB DEGROM (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 22-13 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 47-27 (+19.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 81-84 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing with a day off since 1997.
NY METS are 304-320 (-88.6 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MAT LATOS vs. NY METS since 1997
LATOS is 2-3 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.54 and a WHIP of 1.127.
His team's record is 4-4 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.1 units)

JACOB DEGROM vs. MIAMI since 1997
DEGROM is 2-0 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 1.67 and a WHIP of 1.111.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.1 units)

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ARIZONA (5 - 5) at SAN FRANCISCO (3 - 8) - 9:05 PM
RUBBY DE LA ROSA (R) vs. CHRIS HESTON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 69-103 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 69-103 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 51-77 (-24.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1024-859 (+112.8 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-2 (+0.5 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

RUBBY DE LA ROSA vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
DE LA ROSA is 1-0 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 6.97 and a WHIP of 1.839.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

CHRIS HESTON vs. ARIZONA since 1997
HESTON is 1-0 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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COLORADO (7 - 2) at LA DODGERS (6 - 3) - 9:10 PM
JORDAN LYLES (R) vs. ZACK GREINKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 5-26 (-18.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +175 over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 17-45 (-25.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LYLES is 7-30 (-19.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 97-55 (+33.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 23-6 (+13.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 97-55 (+33.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 70-36 (+27.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 6-0 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
COLORADO is 6-0 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in road games in April games this season.
COLORADO is 6-0 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
COLORADO is 6-0 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JORDAN LYLES vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
LYLES is 0-2 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 7.13 and a WHIP of 1.416.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.5 units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. COLORADO since 1997
GREINKE is 6-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.59 and a WHIP of 1.391.
His team's record is 9-4 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-7. (-2.3 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (3 - 5) at DETROIT (8 - 1) - 1:05 PM
CHRIS SALE (L) vs. ANIBAL SANCHEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 161-152 (-47.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
DETROIT is 42-41 (-14.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

CHRIS SALE vs. DETROIT since 1997
SALE is 4-5 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 2.91 and a WHIP of 1.151.
His team's record is 4-7 (-2.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-5. (-0.7 units)

ANIBAL SANCHEZ vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SANCHEZ is 2-4 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.72 and a WHIP of 1.377.
His team's record is 2-4 (-5.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.7 units)

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CLEVELAND (3 - 5) at MINNESOTA (3 - 6) - 2:10 PM
DANNY SALAZAR (R) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 18-36 (-15.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
HUGHES is 13-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 100-52 (+37.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

DANNY SALAZAR vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SALAZAR is 1-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.524.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (+0.0 units)

PHIL HUGHES vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
HUGHES is 4-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 2.80 and a WHIP of 1.044.
His team's record is 5-2 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.3 units)

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BALTIMORE (5 - 4) at BOSTON (6 - 3) - 4:05 PM
CHRIS TILLMAN (R) vs. CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 105-74 (+36.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 25-20 (+13.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 50-38 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 53-33 (+21.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 92-66 (+29.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 81-53 (+32.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 49-33 (+21.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TILLMAN is 27-12 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 7-1 (+8.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 13-5 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 7-0 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in road games in April games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 24-11 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 25-13 (+15.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 77-95 (-25.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 595-535 (-78.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
BOSTON is 36-49 (-25.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 12-20 (-14.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 14-24 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-17 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 69-83 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 25-34 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 13-30 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BUCHHOLZ is 3-11 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 12-21 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 9-17 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

CHRIS TILLMAN vs. BOSTON since 1997
TILLMAN is 7-3 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 2.69 and a WHIP of 1.340.
His team's record is 10-6 (+4.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-9. (-2.2 units)

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 8-4 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.98 and a WHIP of 1.336.
His team's record is 10-6 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-5. (+4.7 units)

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NY YANKEES (3 - 6) at TAMPA BAY (6 - 4) - 7:10 PM
MASAHIRO TANAKA (R) vs. JAKE ODORIZZI (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 22-4 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 560-641 (+15.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
TAMPA BAY is 83-89 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 37-47 (-27.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 37-47 (-27.6 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 44-53 (-25.8 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 28-34 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MASAHIRO TANAKA vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
TANAKA is 1-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.1 units)

JAKE ODORIZZI vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
ODORIZZI is 2-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.85 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.2 units)

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OAKLAND (5 - 5) at KANSAS CITY (7 - 2) - 7:10 PM
JESSE HAHN (R) vs. YORDANO VENTURA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 93-80 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 107-79 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 18-6 (+11.6 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 103-76 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 76-53 (+14.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 76-55 (+11.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 78-42 (+28.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JESSE HAHN vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.

YORDANO VENTURA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
VENTURA is 0-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA ANGELS (4 - 5) at HOUSTON (4 - 5) - 7:10 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
KEUCHEL is 19-12 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KEUCHEL is 13-4 (+13.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KEUCHEL is 18-11 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 754-730 (+72.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 36-18 (+16.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 633-614 (+65.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 55-22 (+23.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 110-122 (-41.6 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

C.J. WILSON vs. HOUSTON since 1997
WILSON is 6-4 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.06 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 9-4 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-9. (-6.7 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
KEUCHEL is 4-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 5.10 and a WHIP of 1.488.
His team's record is 4-3 (+3.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.8 units)

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TEXAS (4 - 6) at SEATTLE (3 - 6) - 9:10 PM
COLBY LEWIS (R) vs. FELIX HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 71-101 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 45-79 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 46-69 (-18.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 21-35 (-17.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 48-31 (+25.7 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 78-87 (-28.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 110-126 (-48.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday since 1997.
SEATTLE is 78-87 (-28.8 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 29-33 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 24-31 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 70-79 (-27.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

COLBY LEWIS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
LEWIS is 7-6 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.72 and a WHIP of 1.272.
His team's record is 10-8 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-12. (-8.0 units)

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. TEXAS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 12-21 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.01 and a WHIP of 1.294.
His team's record is 15-27 (-20.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 21-17. (+1.5 units)

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ATLANTA (6 - 3) at TORONTO (5 - 5) - 1:05 PM
ALEX WOOD (L) vs. R.A. DICKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 5-15 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in road games in an inter-league game over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 65-70 (-16.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 23-11 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 106-121 (-44.4 Units) against the money line in home games in April games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

ALEX WOOD vs. TORONTO since 1997
No recent starts.

R.A. DICKEY vs. ATLANTA since 1997
DICKEY is 2-6 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 5.13 and a WHIP of 1.515.
His team's record is 3-8 (-4.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.7 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:22 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 18

National League
Phillies @ Nationals
Harang is 1-0, 0.73 in two starts this season; his last five stayed under.

Zimmerman is 1-1, 8.72 in two starts this month; Nationals won eight of his last ten starts, with five of last six staying under.

Washington won last three games with Philly, after losing previous eight; under is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Phils lost last six games, outscored 30-12. Four of last five Nationals games went over the total.

Reds @ Cardinals
Bailey is making first '15 start; he was 2-1, 1.62 in his last seven starts LY; six of those seven stayed under the total.

Martinez allowed two runs in six IP (eight Ks) in his first '15 start, which was against the Reds Sunday.

Cincinnati lost five of last seven games with St Louis; five of last six went over total. Reds lost five of last six games overall, after a 4-0 start. St Louis won five of its last six games, allowing 14 runs. Ten games into season and Reds starting pitchers don't have a win yet.

Padres @ Cubs
Ross is 1-0, 3.75 in two starts this year; his last three starts went over.

Hendricks is 1-1, 5.24 in his last four starts; four of his last five home starts stayed under the total.

Cubs lost four of last five games with San Diego; four of those five games went over total. Padres won six of last seven games overall. Chicago won four of its last six games.

Brewers @ Pirates
Lohse is 0-2, 11.17 in two starts this month; Milwaukee was outscored 20-2 in those two games.

Locke is 2-3, 5.29 in his last six starts; five of those six went over total.

Pirates won seven of last ten games with Milwaukee; five of last eight stayed under total. Brewers lost eight of first ten games, scoring total of 15 runs in eight losses. Pittsburgh is off to a 4-6 start this season.

Marlins @ Mets
Latos is 0-4, 10.34 in his last four starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five.

deGrom is 1-1, 1.46 in two starts this month; under is 4-2-1 in his last seven.

Mets won nine of last 12 games with Miami (over 10-1-1). Miami lost eight of its first eleven games- four of their last six went over. Mets won their last six games, allowing 15 runs; over is 6-2-1 in their last nine.

Diamondbacks @ Giants
de la Rosa is 2-0, 7.15 in his first two starts; Arizona scored 15 runs in those two games- his last four starts went over total.

Heston is 1-1, 2.77 in his first two starts this year; both stayed under.

Giants lost their last eight games, outscored 43-15; they lost three of last four games with Arizona, which is 5-3 in its last eight games overall. Four of last five series games went over the total.

Rockies @ Dodgers
Lyles is 1-0, 3.75 in two starts this month; three of his last four went over.

Greinke is 1-0, 0.69 in his first two starts; seven of his last nine went over.

Dodgers won last five games, scoring 31 runs (four of five went over total); they won eight of last 11 games with Colorado, last seven of which went over total. Rockies are off to 7-3 start, 6-1 on road- three of their last four games stayed under total.

American League
White Sox @ Tigers
Sale is 2-1, 2.32 in his last five starts; over is 5-2-1 in his last eight.

Sanchez is 1-1, 3.46 in two starts this month; eight of his last nine went over.

Detroit won its last three games with White Sox, allowing five runs; under is 3-0-2 in last five series games. Detroit is off to 9-1 start. White Sox won three of last five games; five of last seven stayed under.

Orioles @ Red Sox
Tillman is 1-1, 7.71 in two starts this year; five of his last six went over.

Buchholz is 1-4, 7.71 in his last five starts, with his last six going over- he gave up ten runs in his last start Sunday night.

Baltimore won six of last nine games with Boston; road team won seven of those nine games. Red Sox won six of last eight games, with seven of eight over the total. Over is 4-2-1 in last seven Oriole games.

Bronx @ Rays
Tanaka is 2-3, 8.74 in his last five starts; four of his last six went over.

Odorizzi is 2-0, 0.61 in two starts this month; four of his last five home starts stayed under the total.

Bronx Bombers lost five of last eight games; eight of their last nine games went over total. Rays won five of last seven games. Bombers won four of last six games with Tampa; under is 5-2 in last seven series games at the Trop.

Indians @ Twins
Salazar is 0-2, 6.05 in his last four starts, three of which went over. This is his first start this season.

Hughes is 0-2, 5.25 in two starts this season; under is 6-4 in his last ten.

Cleveland won four of last six games with Mnnesota; four of the six went over total. Indians lost five of last six games overall. Minnesota won its last three games after a 1-6 start; four of their last six games went over.

A's @ Royals
Hahn is 0-1, 5.40 in two starts this month; three of his last four went over.

Ventura is 2-0, 2.31 in two starts this month; Royals won his last nine starts, with last five going over the total.

Kansas City won six of last seven games with Oakland; four of last five went over total. Oakland outscored foes 42-1 in its five wins; they allowed 38 runs in five losses, are 0-3 in games where winning run scored after sixth inning. Royals won eight of first ten games- five of their last six went over. Seven of last nine A's games went over.

Angels @ Astros
Wilson is 1-1, 4.72 in two starts this season; six of his last nine went over.

Houston won last seven Keuchel starts; he is 1-0, 1.29 in two starts so far in 2015. Eight of his last ten starts stayed under.

Angels won seven of last ten games with Houston; home side won nine of last 11 series games, with under 3-1-1 in last five. Angels lost four of last seven games- over is 4-0-2 in their last six. Astros are 4-6, scoring total of seven runs in six losses- under is 7-2-1 in their games this month.

Rangers @ Mariners
Lewis is 1-1, 3.38 in two starts this month; four of his last six went over.

Hernandez is 1-0, 3.00 in two starts this year; six of his last eight went under the total.

Mariners just got swept in LA, lost seven of last nine overall; they won three of last five games with Texas- eight of last eleven series games stayed under total. Rangers lost three of last five games (over 3-1-1). Six of last eight Seattle games went over.

Interleague
Braves @ Blue Jays
Wood is 1-0, 3.86 in two starts this year; under is 6-2-1 in his last nine.

Dickey is 1-2, 2.30 in his last five starts; Toronto scored total of four runs in his last three.

Toronto lost four of last five games; they scored 10+ runs in last three wins, total of 12 runs in last five losses. Atlanta lost three of last five games, with six of its last seven going over. Braves are 8-3 in last 11 games vs Toronto, with five of last six going over.

Umpires
-- Phil-Wsh-- Underdogs are 9-4 in last 13 Knight games.
-- Cin-StL-- Last three Gonzalez games went over total.
-- SD-Chi-- Underdogs won last three BWelke games.
-- Mil-Pitt-- Seven of last ten Blaser games stayed under.
-- Mia-NY-- Underdogs are 17-11 in last 28 Cederstrom games.
-- Az-SF-- Over is 9-4 in last 13 LBarrett games; dogs won last four.
-- Col-LA-- Seven of last ten Timmons games went over.

-- Chi-Det-- Underdogs won six of last ten Kellogg games.
-- Cle-Min-- Underdogs won 10 of last 14 HGibson games.
-- Blt-Bos-- Last four Meals games went over the total.
-- NY-TB-- Four of last five Davidson games stayed under.
-- A's-KC-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Joyce games.
-- LA-Hst-- Four of last five Nauert games stayed under.
-- Tex-Sea-- Four of last five Hamari games went over.

-- Atl-Tor-- Over is 49-40 in last 89 Dreckman games, his last three years.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:29 AM

NBA

Saturday, April 18

Warriors' Lee ruled out for Game 1 vs. Pelicans

Golden State Warriors big man David Lee has officially been ruled out for his team's opening game of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

Lee has been suffering from nagging back issues. Despite the news, the Dubs had moved from -11.5 to -12 at the time of writing.

Mavs F Parsons plans to play in Game 1

Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons plans to play in Saturday night's series opener against the Houston Rockets.

Parsons, who missed the final six games of the regular season due to a sore right knee, practiced Friday for the first time since leaving an April 2 game against the Rockets.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:29 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 18

Toronto won seven of last eight games with Washington (6-2 vs spread); Wizards lost four of last five played here, losing by 2-19-8-10 points. Raptors/Wizards are both in playoffs for second year in row after a 5-year abesence; Wiz won in first round LY, Toronto hasn't won first round series since '01. Washington lost three of last four games overall, with four of last five going over the total. Raptors won four of last five; four of those five stayed under.

Pelicans won three of last four games, beating Spurs in last game Wednesday to get here; New Orleans lost nine of last ten games with Golden State, beating Warriors by three in NO 11 days ago. Pelicans are in playoffs for first time in four years; their last series win was in 2008. Warriors have had magical (67-15) season, taking they're in playoffs for third year in row, after missing playoffs 15 if previous 16 years. Golden State won eight of last ten games, but covered only one of last six.

Milwaukee is in playoffs for second time in last five years; with its last series was in 2001. Bucks won three of last four games, with four of last five going over total. Bulls went 50-32 despite ton of injuries; they've won six of last seven games with Milwaukee (5-1 vs spread in last six)-- six of last eight games stayed under total. Chicago won last three games, allowing 92.7 ppg; they've lost in first round of playoffs four of last six seasons.

Houston won four of last five games with Dallas; last four series games stayed under total. Rockets won six of last eight overall to grab #2 seed; five of their last six games went over. Dallas is 4-1 in its las five games; eight of its last nine went over. Mavericks have not won playoff series (0-2) in three years since they won '11 title; they're 2-5 overall in last seven first round series. Houston is 1-8 in first round series since 1998- their last series win was in 2009.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:31 AM

NBA

Saturday, April 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Saturday's NBA Playoffs matchups
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors (-3.5, 193.5)

Trash-talking is on high alert status as the Toronto Raptors open the Eastern Conference first-round series against the visiting Washington Wizards on Saturday. Washington forward Paul Pierce was part of the Brooklyn squad that ousted the Raptors out of the first round last season and he made it clear Toronto doesn’t concern him despite the Wizards going 0-3 against the Raptors this season.

“We haven’t done particularly well against Toronto, but I don’t feel they have the ‘It’ that makes you worried,” Pierce told reporters. That didn’t sit well with the Raptors, particularly standout guard DeMar DeRozan. “Paul Pierce has always got to say something,” DeRozan told reporters. “He said something last year. He’s always got to say something. Just let him talk. I could care less what he says.” The Wizards are looking to advance to the second round for the second consecutive season.

TRENDS:

*Raptors are 7-15 ATS in their last 22 home games.
*Over is 8-0 in Wizards last 8 games playing on 2 days rest.
*Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Toronto.
*Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors (-12, 204.5)

The Golden State Warriors smashed franchise records en route to the best record in the NBA but the real work has yet to begin. The top-seeded Warriors will start that work when they host the No. 8 seed New Orleans Pelicans in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs on Saturday.

The Pelicans battled all the way down to the last day of the regular season to lock up the No. 8 spot and have been in playoff mode for weeks while Golden State long ago clinched its position at the top of the West. Instead of sitting its starters for the final two weeks of the season, the Warriors kept their foot on the gas as much as possible and finished out the season with four straight wins. The streak gave them a Western Conference-record 39 home wins. “To get to this number of wins is really surprising, especially in the West,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “Everything has gone well. Our players have played exceptionally well, both individually and as a team. We’ve also been pretty fortunate health-wise. It’s just been one of those years where it has all come together, and it’s been a lot of fun.”

TRENDS:

*Pelicans are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Golden State.
*Warriors are 15-2 ATS in their last 17 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 4-0 in Pelicans last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
*Over is 9-2 in Warriors last 11 home games.

Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls (-7.5, 184.5)

Derrick Rose continues to experience knee soreness but insists he will be on the floor Saturday when the Chicago Bulls host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the first-round Eastern Conference series. “I think I’m used to knee injuries and my knee being sore,” Rose told reporters. “My whole mindset going into these playoffs are no excuses and get the job done.”

The third-seeded Bulls won three of four regular-season meetings with the sixth-seeded Bucks, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2013. “We talked about the playoffs every day,” guard Khris Middleton told reporters. “That was one of our goals. It was one of the first things we said in our first meeting, and we put ourselves in position to reach it.” Milwaukee cracked the postseason despite losing rookie star Jabari Parker to a season-ending knee injury in December and later revamped the club in February by dealing point guard Brandon Knight and replacing him with Michael Carter-Williams. Chicago received a big season from power forward Pau Gasol, who excelled in his first season since joining the club as a free agent.

TRENDS:

*Bucks are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
*Bulls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
*Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
*Over is 7-2 in Bulls last 9 games following a ATS win.

Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets (-5, 211.5)

The Houston Rockets battled all the way to the last night of the regular season to lock up the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference and roll into the playoffs with that momentum. The seventh-seeded Dallas Mavericks, who visit the Rockets in Game 1 of the first round on Saturday, will try to find a way to slow down James Harden and Houston’s potent attack.

The Rockets earned their first division title since their championship 1993-94 season when they downed the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, outlasting San Antonio and Memphis in a division race that came down to the final day. “It's a blessing. The regular season was great but whatever happened in the regular season we've got to put that behind us,” Houston center Dwight Howard told reporters. “This is a whole new season and we've gotta come out ready to go.” The Mavericks were locked into the No. 7 spot a week ago and ended up fourth in the Southwest despite reaching 50 wins for the first time since the championship season of 2010-11. The intrastate rivals are meeting in the postseason for the first time since 2005.

TRENDS:

*Mavericks are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
*Rockets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
*Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
*Over is 6-0 in Mavericks last 6 overall.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-18-2015, 10:36 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, April 18

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (47-28-0-8, 102 pts.) at ST LOUIS (51-25-0-7, 109 pts.) - 4/18/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 18-10 ATS (+28.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
MINNESOTA is 17-7 ATS (+24.2 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-5 ATS (+17.3 Units) in road games vs. division opponents this season.
MINNESOTA is 15-8 ATS (+6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 9-4 (+3.9 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 9-4-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.4 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DETROIT (44-25-0-14, 102 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (50-25-0-8, 108 pts.) - 4/18/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 11-20 ATS (-16.9 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
DETROIT is 87-94 ATS (-57.6 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 21-7 ATS (+12.0 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 7-3 (+3.3 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 7-3-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.7 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (43-28-0-12, 98 pts.) at NY RANGERS (54-22-0-7, 115 pts.) - 4/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 43-40 ATS (-21.6 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 1-6 ATS (-9.2 Units) in April games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 20-26 ATS (-20.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 9-22 ATS (-26.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
PITTSBURGH is 6-14 ATS (-9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 54-29 ATS (+21.7 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 34-14 ATS (+13.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 24-7 ATS (+13.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NY RANGERS are 128-125 ATS (-62.2 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 166-198 ATS (-112.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 11-10 (+2.5 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 11-10-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
10 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.5 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNIPEG (43-27-0-13, 99 pts.) at ANAHEIM (52-24-0-7, 111 pts.) - 4/18/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 52-31 ATS (+90.6 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 12-1 ATS (+10.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
ANAHEIM is 20-6 ATS (+11.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 33-14 ATS (+17.2 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 20-8 ATS (+8.1 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
ANAHEIM is 54-37 ATS (+1.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 217-205 ATS (+464.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 11-5 ATS (+16.3 Units) on Saturday games this season.
WINNIPEG is 44-38 ATS (+87.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 33-24 ATS (+57.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 6-1 (+4.2 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 6-1-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 18

Rangers won seven of last eight games with Pittsburgh, with only loss in a shootout. Penguins lost last four visits here; five of last seven series games stayed under total. Penguins lost six of last seven games overall, with only win vs lowly Buffalo; seven of their last nine stayed under. Rangers won seven of last eight games overall, with four of last six going over total; they scored 0:28 into Game 1, outshot Pitt 38-25, were just 1-5 on power play (Penguins were 0-1).

Tampa Bay outshot Detroit 46-14 in Game 1, but on seven power plays, Wings actually outscored them 1-0, scoring a shorthanded goal. Lightning won seven of last ten games with Detroit- seven of those ten stayed under the total. Red Wings lost four of last five visits to Tampa, are 4-5 in last nine games overall. Tampa Bay won three of its last four games, allowing eight goals; they won four of last six at home. Under is 4-1-1 in Lightning's last six games.

Minnesota scored two empty net goals late in Game 1; they held Blues to only 21 shots in 4-2 win, four in second period. St Louis won seven of last 11 games with Minnesota; Wild lost three of last five visits to St Louis. St Louis won five of its last seven games overall. Wild won five of its last six road games, but lost four of last seven games overall. Significant pressure on Blues to win here and not go to Minnesota down 2-0, given their recent sordid playoff history.

Anaheim won last four games with Winnipeg, scoring twice in first 2:00 of a period in 4-2 Game 1 win; Jets split last six visits here. Four of last five series games went over the total. Winnipeg won four of last six games; they were 0-3 on power play in Game 1, got beat 40-24 in faceoffs. Anaheim won six of its last eight games; they scored three third period goals in Game 1, after being down 2-1 after two periods. Two of four Anaheim goals came on power play (2-3).

Home teams are 8-4 in this round; over is 6-3-3.

NHL

Saturday, April 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3:00 PM
DETROIT vs. TAMPA BAY
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing Detroit
Tampa Bay is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Detroit

3:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. ST. LOUIS
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
Minnesota is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
St. Louis is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Minnesota

8:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY RANGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the NY Rangers last 13 games

10:30 PM
WINNIPEG vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Anaheim is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

Announcement

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday April 18th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday April 18th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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