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**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:30 AM

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores

1:10 PM EDT
951 CHICAGO CUBS (R) Arrieta, J -120 -120 -115 -1.5(+148)
952 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Desclafani, A 7.5u20 7.5u20 7o20 +1.5(-161)
TV: FS-Ohio, DTV: 661
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4:10 PM EDT
953 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Strasburg, S -130 -130 / -125 -129 -1.5(+134)
954 MIAMI MARLINS (R) Koehler, T 7.5u25 7.5u25 7.5u20 +1.5(-145)
TV: FS-Florida, MASN, DTV: 640, 654
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7:05 PM EDT
955 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Miller, S -125 -125 / -135 / -129 -130 -1.5(+135)
956 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Buchanan, D 7.5u25 7.5u25 / 7.5u20 7o20 +1.5(-146)
TV: FS-South, DTV: 646
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7:10 PM EDT
957 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Wainwright, A -150 -150 -160 -1.5(+107)
958 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Peralta, W 7o25 7o15 / 7o25 / 7o27 7o30 +1.5(-116)
MIL-CF-Carlos Gomez-OUT | TV: FS-Midwest, FS-Wisconsin, DTV: 669, 671
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8:10 PM EDT
959 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (R) Burnett, A -125 -125 -120 -1.5(+137)
960 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (R) De La Rosa, R 8.5o20 8.5o20 9u20 +1.5(-149)
TV: FS-Arizona, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 659, 686
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8:10 PM EDT
961 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Hudson, T 10u20 10u20 10o15 +1.5(-186)
962 COLORADO ROCKIES (L) De La Rosa, J -120 -120 / -115 -118 -1.5(+171)
TV: CSN-Bay, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 683, 696
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8:40 PM EDT
963 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (R) Mccarthy, B 7u25 +100 / -106 / -120 -124 -1.5(+139)
964 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Kennedy, I -108 7u20 / 7u23 / 7u25 7u30 +1.5(-151)
TV: FS-San Diego, DTV: 694
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1:05 PM EDT
965 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Bauer, T 8 8 / 8u15 8o20 +1.5(-190)
966 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Simon, A -135 -135 / -133 / -130 -128 -1.5(+174)
TV: FS-1, FS-Detroit, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 219, 662, 663
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2:10 PM EDT
967 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Volquez, E -115 -130 / -135 / -130 -127 -1.5(+135)
968 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Danks, J 8 8u15 / 8 / 8u19 8u20 +1.5(-146)
TV: CSN-Chicago, FS-Kansas City, DTV: 665, 672
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4:05 PM EDT
969 HOUSTON ASTROS (R) Feldman, S 8u15 8u15 / 8 / 8u22 8u20 +1.5(-183)
970 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (R) Graveman, K -130 -130 -125 -1.5(+168)
TV: CSN-California, ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 674, 698
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6:10 PM EDT
971 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (L) Norris, D
972 TAMPA BAY RAYS
TOR-RF-Jose Bautista-Doubtful | TV: SunSports, DTV: 653
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7:05 PM EDT
973 BOSTON RED SOX (R) Masterson, J 8o15 8.5 / 9u20 / 9u29 8.5 +1.5(-200)
974 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (L) Chen, W -120 -125 / -121 / -119 -115 -1.5(+183)
TV: MASN2, NESN, DTV: 628, 641
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9:05 PM EDT
975 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Lewis, C 8u15 8u15 8 +1.5(-140)
976 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (L) Wilson, C -170 -170 / -167 -165 -1.5(+129)
TEX-P-Yu Darvish-OUT | TV: FS-Southwest, FS-West, DTV: 676, 692
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9:10 PM EDT
977 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) May, T 7.5u15 7.5u15 / 7.5 / 7.5u22 7.5u20 +1.5(-145)
978 SEATTLE MARINERS (L) Paxton, J -160 -160 / -162 -160 -1.5(+134)
TV: FS-North, ROOT-Northwest, DTV: 668, 687
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4:05 PM EDT
979 NEW YORK METS (R) Harvey, M -120 7o20 +1.5(-214)
980 NEW YORK YANKEES (L) Sabathia, C 7o20 +100 / -102 -105 -1.5(+196)
TV: FS-1, SNY, DTV: 219, 639
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**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:33 AM

Weekend Primer

April 24, 2015

Astoundingly, it’s already the last weekend of April. Of course, with baseball starting a bit later than usual this year, this is only the third April weekend that will consist of MLB action, but this upcoming slate of matchups could also prove to be the most exciting weekend of the month. Let’s take a look.

Series To Watch

New York Mets at New York Yankees

It’s only April but this first installment of the 2015 Subway Series has to be considered as the most intriguing meeting between the two New York clubs in several years. On one side, you have the rapidly surging Mets -- aka my main breakout pick for this season -- winners of 11 in a row while improbably owning baseball’s best record. Their opponents, the reemerging Yankees, have played well since a 1-4 start, going 8-3 since that point, including winning three out of four in Detroit this past week.

As a result, the suspense is getting high concerning how both clubs matchup while flashing their impressive streaks. Can the Mets continue their incredible win streak against arguably their toughest competition over this current stretch? Will the Yankees continue to soar and get separation from all the AL East teams that are currently packed together? This is quite the meaningful series.

In the opener on Friday, we could arguably have the most compelling pitching matchup, as reigning NL Rookie of the Year winner Jacob deGrom, who has looked fabulous in his sophomore campaign and enters this one carrying a scoreless streak of over 18 innings, takes on the frequently overpowering Michael Pineda. Tomorrow for the game two, Matt Harvey will make his highly-anticipated first start of the year against the Bronx Bombers, despite being a little dinged up.

Interestingly, both teams currently share the distinction of having the best record in baseball for Over bets. Each team is 10-5-1 towards the Over, including a 4-1 mark for the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Whether it be having action on the ML, RL, or over/under, this should be a pretty dramatic series to watch unfold. It could also provide further clues concerning how legit each club is. I certainly know both are, given my high predictions for each coming into the season, but this series could further solidify that.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres

These two NL West rivals met in the first series of the season, and since then, each has further confirmed my confident prediction that both clubs would be battling neck-and-neck for first place in the division. San Diego has pulled off their impressive start, thanks in large part to their revamped offense, which is performing, by far, at its best in years, with significantly more home runs and a much higher batting average. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are also getting notable offensive production, which has been more consistent than their usually reliable starting pitching, as both teams enter this intriguing clash tied for the division lead.

With a chance for one of these clubs to really make a statement and grab the first stronghold of the year for NL West supremacy, this could be a very telling series in the early going, and it could be the result of the streaks both teams are currently riding. You have to like the momentum San Diego is on, as despite losing the last two of their four-game set with Colorado, they’re 9-4 and playing with a glaring sense of confidence, as their offense has already proven how legitimate they are, which has given the club a breath of fresh air considering their many dreadful lineups from years’ past.

Los Angeles, on the other hand, is coming off getting swept by their big rivals, the Giants, this past week in San Francisco, despite winning seven in a row prior to that series. Now they come to Petco Park, looking to get back on track, but it won’t be easy, as San Diego looks poised to continue their current run. Game one could be a critical one in terms of momentum, with Zack Greinke taking on Andrew Cashner. Both pitchers are out to nice starts this year and they can potentially set the tone for the rest of the slate. The Dodgers are 1-5 on the road so far this year, perhaps indicating the Padres are in prime position to secure the upper hand here. I’d recommend taking San Diego’s series odds, and then play it by matchup. The pitching matchup in the opener, for example, looks even and should be close.

Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles

Last year, it was the Orioles who won the AL East, while the Red Sox shockingly finished in last, but the teams have flipped positions here in the early going, with Boston assuming a share of first place, and Baltimore finding itself somehow in the division cellar. At the same time, they’re only two games out and potentially could jump back to the top, but with how closely bunched up everyone is at the moment, this looks like it will be a noteworthy American League series in the final weekend of April.

Despite losing their past two games to the fellow division-residing Rays, there’s a lot of positives to take from how Boston has played so far, such as a much improved offense from a year ago. In fact, they’re sixth in baseball with 77 runs scored, which is an average of almost five a game. As a result, they’ve been a terrific play for Over bets, being 10-6 in that regard. There’s no doubt they’ll continue to ride their offense to potential success, making them a seemingly trustworthy play when playing in hitter-friendly parks like Camden Yards.

Baltimore, however, has also been scoring at nice rate, plating only one run less than its counterpart in the same amount of games. Additionally, they’re also tied for the Major League-lead with 22 home runs. Thus, Overs could be the theme of this series, as they generally are when these two offensive-minded clubs meet. When the organizations clashed last weekend, though in a four-game series, it was the Under that went 2-1 (Their Patriot’s Day game Monday morning was called before nine innings so there was no action on any over/under bets in that game). The Orioles enter this series having lost four in a row and definitely need to get back on track after being swept by the Blue Jays, but the Red Sox will certainly seek to pounce on their current misfortunes.

Other Weekend Thoughts

-- Don’t look now but the Astros are in sole possession of first place in the AL West. Yes, it’s only the third week of the season, and yes, every other team in the AL West is currently under .500 -- something that obviously won’t last -- but it’s still very encouraging to see Houston out to their current 8-7 start, after beginning the past handful of seasons dreadfully, which would often result in over losses at season’s end. This year’s version, however, looks pretty legitimate, getting really good pitching from their emerging 1-2 punch of Dallas Keuchel and Colin McHugh, while also seeing their offense start to come into form. With a trio of Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Chris Carter, I really like the foundation and the direction that the lineup is going in. They’ll really be tested this weekend against a team that led the division for a majority of last year, the Athletics, who currently trail right behind them being only one game back. This series also represents a unique clash of teams on the over/under spectrum, with Oakland sporting an MLB-best 11-6-1 record towards Over bets, while Houston has an MLB-best mark for Unders, being 10-4-1 in that department. This is definitely one of the top series of the weekend.

-- With yet another major top prospect up in the bigs, that being Addison Russell, the Cubs are really starting to come into shape as real contender. Kris Bryant, who I pegged two years to become one of the future faces of baseball, has been tremendous, which is especially encouraging after his somewhat disappointing Major League debut, and I easily envision him continuing on his tear consistently as the rest of his rookie season unfolds. Another one of their standout young pups, Jorge Soler, has also looked really good in the early going and has exhibited the potential to finish with over 30 homers this year. They’re just immensely talented and it should be enough to help them separate from most teams sooner than later. That quest begins continues with their second series this year against the division rival Reds, who have slipped up a bit since their 4-0 start. They’re 4-8 since then, including losing that first series to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, so they’ll want to turn it back around or risk extending their slump that would all but erase their promising beginning to the year. I think Chicago will take this series, although you’d like to believe this is the weekend Jon Lester gets back into form already. He’s assigned for game one opposite Mike Leake.

-- Since owning baseball’s best record at 11-2, the Tigers all of a sudden find themselves on their first losing streak of the year, after losing three straight at home to the Yankees. I mention this upcoming series with the Indians because it can be viewed as important for both teams. Aside from the obvious that this is a rivalry series, Detroit will want to regain its strong momentum from the first two weeks of the year, when they were evidently cruising against all comers. Plus, with Kansas City also playing really well, they’re going to want to keep up with last year’s division runner-up, as to avoid being in the tricky Wild Card situation. Cleveland, meanwhile, has slumped, losing eight of their past 11, and cannot afford to fall any further, given how well the top two teams in their division are playing. It will be a tough task to take a series in Detroit, but they need this to snuff out their current losing ways. Nobody wants to enter the second month of the year in a decisive hole.

Fearless Prediction

I’ve been flawless with my “Fearless Prediction” segment through the season thus far in these weekly articles so let’s try and keep it going here. And I plan on doing it with a very safe pick, actually, anointing the Mariners as this weekend’s team to tail, either for the series and/or for each individual game, when they welcome the Twins to Safeco Field. Both teams currently sport the same undesirable 6-9 record, but it’s the Mariners who have the far loftier expectations, with several people, including myself, projecting them to win the division, so I simply think they’ll get on that path here. Minnesota is playing relatively well lately in their own right, having won five of eight since an alarming 1-6 start, but I don’t think that can continue on the road against a superior team that is looking to up their sense of urgency and begin fulfilling their potential; they’ve certainly shown signs of that, especially with the distinct emergence of Nelson Cruz. Plus, the Twins will have to deal with the King himself, Felix Hernandez, in game one, and will counter with their own Opening Day starter, Phil Hughes. If Minnesota can somehow steal that game, then maybe there’s potential for them to steal the series, but Hernandez should get the better of Hughes at home with his very own “King’s Court” surrounding the proceedings.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:42 AM

NBA ATS

NBA > (747) CHICAGO@ (748) MILWAUKEE | 04/25/2015 - 05:35 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the against the spread in Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 16 Wins and 39 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.9 units)

NBA > (749) GOLDEN STATE@ (750) NEW ORLEANS | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON NEW ORLEANS using the against the spread in All games as an underdog
The record is 28 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (+13.7 units)

NBA > (745) ATLANTA@ (746) BROOKLYN | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play ON ATLANTA using the against the spread in All games in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units)

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (745) ATLANTA@ (746) BROOKLYN | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play ON ATLANTA using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 59 Wins and 21 Losses for the this season (+28.75 units)

NBA > (751) MEMPHIS@ (752) PORTLAND | 04/25/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play ON MEMPHIS using the money line in All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 34 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+22.6 units)

NBA > (749) GOLDEN STATE@ (750) NEW ORLEANS | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON NEW ORLEANS using the money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 15 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+16.65 units)

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (751) MEMPHIS@ (752) PORTLAND | 04/25/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play AGAINST PORTLAND in the first half in All games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 14 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.4 units)

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (751) MEMPHIS@ (752) PORTLAND | 04/25/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the this season (+14.4 units)

NBA > (745) ATLANTA@ (746) BROOKLYN | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the total in All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 19 Overs and 41 Unders for the this season (+20.1 units)

NBA > (749) GOLDEN STATE@ (750) NEW ORLEANS | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the total in All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 30 Overs and 52 Unders for the this season (+19 units)

NBA > (747) CHICAGO@ (748) MILWAUKEE | 04/25/2015 - 05:35 PM
Play OVER CHICAGO on the total in All games on Saturday games
The record is 12 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)

NBA TOP POWERLINES

NBA > (745) ATLANTA @ (746) BROOKLYN | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Line: BROOKLYN 2.5 BTB PowerLine: BROOKLYN 3
Edge On: BROOKLYN (0.5)

NBA > (749) GOLDEN STATE @ (750) NEW ORLEANS | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: NEW ORLEANS 7 BTB PowerLine: NEW ORLEANS 3
Edge On: NEW ORLEANS (4)

NBA > (751) MEMPHIS @ (752) PORTLAND | 04/25/2015 - 10:35 PM
Line: PORTLAND -3 BTB PowerLine: PORTLAND 3
Edge On: PORTLAND (6)

NBA > (501) CLEVELAND @ (502) BOSTON | 04/26/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: BOSTON 8 BTB PowerLine: BOSTON -1
Edge On: BOSTON (9)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:43 AM

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores

3:05 PM EDT
745 ATLANTA HAWKS -2.5 -05 -2.5 -16 / -2.5 / -3 -05 -2.5 -140
746 BROOKLYN NETS 200.5 200.5 / 201.5 / 201 200.5 +120
TV: TNT, DTV: 245
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5:35 PM EDT
747 CHICAGO BULLS -4 -05 -5 / -4.5 / -4.5 -05 -5 -220
748 MILWAUKEE BUCKS 188.5 188.5 189 +185
TV: TNT, DTV: 245
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8:05 PM EDT
749 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS -6 -05 -7 -15 / -7.5 / -7 -05 -7 -15 -325
750 NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 206 206 / 206u26 / 205 205.5 +265
TV: ESPN, DTV: 206
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10:35 PM EDT
751 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 188.5 189 / 189u12 / 188.5 189 +135
752 PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS -3 -3 / -3 -05 -3 -15 -160
POR-SG-Wesley Matthews-OUT | TV: ESPN, DTV: 206

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:45 AM

Saturday's Early Tips

April 24, 2015

**Atlanta at Brooklyn**

-- As of early Friday afternoon, most betting shops had Atlanta (62-22 straight up, 50-32-2 against the spread) installed as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 200.5 points. Gamblers can back the Nets on the money line for a +120 return (risk $100 to win $120). For first-half bets, the Hawks are favored by one with a total of 98.5.

-- Atlanta took a 2-0 lead with a pair of home wins in the first two games of this best-of-seven series. Now we move to Barclays Arena for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday. The Nets have taken the cash in the first two encounters, but we're obviously looking at a more reasonable number in Game 3.

-- Atlanta has won all six head-to-head meetings between these clubs this year, including a pair of games in Brooklyn. The Hawks took a 2-0 advantage with Wednesday's 96-91 triumph, but the Nets took the cash as 9.5-point road underdogs.

-- Atlanta All-Star power forward Paul Millsap was the catalyst in Game 2. After missing five games with a shoulder sprain, Millsap returned to the court in the regular-season finale and in Game 1. Wearing a protective pad, however, he struggled with his shooting by going just 4-of-20 from the field. But Millsap shed the pad for Game 2 and was clearly more comfortable. He drained all four of his 3-point attempts and finished 7-of-11 from the floor en route to scoring a team-best 19 points. Millsap also had seven rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Kyle Korver scored 17 points, including a pair of game-clinching free throws in the final seconds. Jeff Teague had 16 points and six assists, while Al Horford posted a double-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and a pair of blocked shots.

-- In the Game 2 loss, veteran reserve point guard Jarrett Jack was nothing short of sensational while playing in the town where he had a storied collegiate career at Ga. Tech. Jack produced a game-high 23 points by hitting 9-of-13 shots from the field, including a trey that trimmed the deficit to 90-89 with two minutes remaining. Jack also had five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Brook Lopez was outstanding as well, tallying 20 points, seven boards and three rejections. Joe Johnson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Alan Anderson came off the bench to score in double figures with 13 points. Deron Williams had a solid floor game, snaring 10 rebounds and dishing out eight assists, but he was only 1-of-7 from the field and scored two points. Williams missed a potential game-tying shot in the final minute on a clean look from 15 feet out on the baseline. Don't be surprised if Lionel Hollins give Jack more of Williams's minutes in Game 3.

-- Brooklyn (38-46 SU, 41-41-2 ATS) went 19-22 SU and 16-23-2 ATS at home during the regular season.

-- Atlanta owns a 24-15-2 spread record on the road this season.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (42-42) for Atlanta this season. The 'over' has hit at a 22-19 clip in the Hawks' road assignments.

-- The 'under' is 47-37 overall for Brooklyn, 21-20 in its home games.

-- TNT will have Saturday's broadcast at 3:05 p.m. Eastern.

**Chicago at Milwaukee**

-- As of early Friday afternoon, most books had Chicago (53-32 SU, 42-43 ATS) listed as a five-point favorite with a total of 188.5. Gamblers can back the Bucks to win outright for a +175 return (risk $100 to win $175). For first-half wagers, the Bulls are favored by 2.5 with a total of 95.5.

-- Chicago will be going for the kill shot in this spot after taking a 3-0 series advantage with Thursday's overtime win. The Bulls captured a 113-106 win in double overtime to hook up their backers with a super-fortunate cover as 2.5-point road 'chalk.' Derrick Rose was the catalyst with 34 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. Jimmy Butler's spectacular play in this series continued, as the Marquette product played 53 minutes and tallied 24 points, three steals and a pair of blocked shots. Pau Gasol added 17 points, 14 boards, five assists and two blocks, while Tony Snell scored 16 points from off the bench.

-- In the crushing Game 3 defeat, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Michael Carter-Williams contributed 19 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Khris Middleton had 18 points, seven assists and a pair of steals. John Henson was terrific from off the bench, producing 15 points, 14 boards and three rejections. Jared Dudley was also in double figures with 11 points, but the Bucks couldn't finish at the end of regulation. Rose answered a go-ahead bucket from Middleton, who put Milwaukee up one with 10 seconds remaining, by making 1-of-2 free throws with 4.9 ticks left to force the first extra session. Middleton got a good look for the win moments later, but he was off the mark and OT ensued.

-- Milwaukee (41-44 SU, 46-38-1 ATS) was ahead of the number for 47 minutes and change in Game 2, yet its backers suffered a heartbreaking defeat (for our ATS purposes) in the 91-82 loss as a 7.5-point road underdog. Middleton scored a team-high 22 points in the setback, while Butler's 31 points for Chicago were a game-high.

-- With Thursday's spread cover in Game 3, Chicago improved to 21-21 ATS on the road this year.

-- Chicago is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak and has gone 6-1 versus the number during that span. The Bulls are a perfect 3-0 ATS in this series, while the 'over' has gone 2-1.

-- The Bucks are 20-22 ATS at home in the Bradley Center this season.

-- The 'over' is 43-41-1 overall for the Bulls, but they have watched the 'under' cash at a 23-18-1 clip in their road assignments.

-- The 'under' is 46-39 overall for the Bucks, 24-18 in their home contests.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:47 AM

Bulls' Mirotic uncertain for Game 4

April 24, 2015

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic's bruised left knee is feeling better, though coach Tom Thibodeau is unsure whether the rookie will be available for Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series at Milwaukee on Saturday.

The Bulls can sweep the Bucks following a 113-106 win on Thursday night. Mirotic sat out Thursday after getting hurt during a scrum for a loose ball in Game 2 this week in Chicago. Mirotic also strained his quadriceps.

Thibodeau said that it was a good sign that Mirotic has been shooting, though he had not done any running as of early Friday afternoon.

''We don't want to jump ahead,'' Thibodeau said. ''If he's ready to play, he plays; if he's not ready to play, he'll sit. It's that simple.''

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

Blazers' Afflalo probable for Game 3

April 24, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland guard Arron Afflalo is expected to play Saturday when the Trail Blazers host the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3 of their playoff series.

Afflalo has been sidelined with a right shoulder strain that kept him out of the first two games of the series, both Portland losses in Memphis. He was listed as probable by the team on Friday.

Acquired at the trade deadline from the Denver Nuggets, Afflalo was a key contributor to the Blazers in the absence of starter Wesley Matthews, who is out for the season because of a ruptured Achilles.

Center Chris Kaman, who missed Wednesday night's game against the Grizzlies because of a left ankle sprain, was listed as questionable for Saturday's game. He said at practice Friday that he hopes to play.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:51 AM

Grizzlies are on fire ATS vs. Trail Blazers

The Memphis Grizzlies head west to Portland for Game 3 of their first-round series on Saturday carrying a 2-0 series lead.

History is showing that the Grizz have simply been too much for the Blazers both on the court and at the betting window. The Grizzlies are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 contests against Portland.

The Trail Blazers are presently listed as 3-point underdogs with a total of 188.5.

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

Warriors have become a bad bet all of a sudden

It's been six straight games since the Golden State Warriors covered the spread, a trend Dubs bettors will hope reverses itself Saturday in New Orleans.

The Warriors, who hold a 3-0 lead in their first-round series over the Pelicans, have been tabbed as 7-point road favorites for the clash.

The total was sitting at 205 as of this writing.

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

Game of the Day: Saturday's NBA playoff action

Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets (+2.5, 200.5)

Hawks lead series 2-0

Atlanta forward Paul Millsap went 2-of-11 from the field while playing with a bulky shoulder brace in Game 1. The All-Star ditched the brace for Game 2 and ended up going 4-of-4 from 3-point range and 7-of-11 from the floor en route to a team-high 19 points. “Definitely more range and definitely more mobility,” Millsap told reporters. “When you can’t pick your arms up above your ears, your shoulders up above your ears, it’s kind of tough. So I was able to do that (in Game 2), and more than likely I’ll go without it again the next game.”

Deron Williams, who drew criticism from former teammate Paul Pierce questioning his desire on the eve of the playoffs, is 6-of-18 from the field in the first two games of the series. "He was defending,” Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins told reporters of Williams. “He made some hustle plays. Shooting comes and goes. People can criticize all they want, but if you are not in the game performing and doing it and going through the battle, you can't say anything.” Backup point guard Jarrett Jack led the team with 23 points in Game 2.

TRENDS:

* Hawks are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Brooklyn.
* Under is 5-1 in Nets last six overall.
* Hawks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 vs. NBA Atlantic.

Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks (+4.5, 188.5)

Bulls lead series 3-0

The Chicago Bulls are eyeing a sweep when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks in Saturday’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series. The Bucks have lost nine consecutive playoff contests and blew an opportunity to make it a series by falling 113-106 in double-overtime on Thursday.

Milwaukee led by as many as 18 points in Game 3 but squandered the lead and later came up empty with chances to win in the final seconds of both regulation and the first overtime. “We had a great chance to win the game twice,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd told reporters. “Effort was there the whole night, and guys played their hearts out to give us a chance to win against a very elite team.” The Chicago backcourt of Derrick Rose (34) and Jimmy Butler (24) combined for 58 points in Game 3 and the Bulls knocked down 14 3-pointers – five from Rose and four apiece from Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell. Chicago center Joakim Noah is averaging 14 rebounds in the series and power forward Pau Gasol (12.7 points, 14.3 rebounds) has posted three straight double-doubles.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Bucks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Over is 12-2 in Bulls last 14 Saturday games.

Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans (+7, 205)

Warriors lead series 3-0

Steph Curry finished with 40 points and Klay Thompson added 28, but Draymond Green’s third double-double of the series and Golden State’s rebounding down the stretch were just as big. Curry missed several shots from deep late in regulation but offensive rebounds led to second chances, including Marreese Speights’ offensive board before the game-tying shot. “It was just determination and will,” Green told reporters. “We have a group of guys whose competitive spirits are through the roof. We never give up.”

Anthony Davis went for 29 points and 15 rebounds in the loss but missed a free throw at the end of regulation that would have put the game out of reach and came up empty on a tying attempt in the final seconds of overtime. The 22-year-old also had trouble keeping the Warriors off the offensive glass down the stretch, even when Golden State went to a small lineup. “We're down 0-3 and it's a must win and we all know that,'' Williams told reporters. ''We had it and we let it go and I can't say it enough, we just didn't execute in the fourth quarter.”

TRENDS:

* Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings.
* Warriors are 0-6 ATS in their last six games overall.

Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers (-3, 188.5)

Grizzlies lead series 2-0

The Portland Trail Blazers still have time to make it a series with Memphis but they need to chime in with a strong Game 3 performance on Saturday to make it happen. The Grizzlies won each of the first two games of the Western Conference first-round series by double digits while controlling both contests.

Memphis’ physical style appears to be more than the Trail Blazers can handle as Portland has lost all six meetings this season with the Grizzlies and trailed by as many as 29 points in the opener and 18 in Game 2. “We can’t look at the first two games and say it’s impossible,” point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. “We’ve just got to keep believing.” Trail Blazers star LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds in the first two games and the Grizzlies were still able to hold Portland to an average of 84 points. And Aldridge had to hoist 54 shots – making a subpar 37 percent – to score one-third of the Trail Blazers’ points.

TRENDS:

* Grizzlies are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Trail Blazers are 0-6 ATS in their last six vs. Western Conference.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 12:59 AM

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (1) DETROIT@ (2) TAMPA BAY | 04/25/2015 - 06:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 22 Losses for the this season (-16.05 units)

NHL > (85) MINNESOTA@ (86) ST LOUIS | 04/24/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 11 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+9 units)

NHL > (5) WASHINGTON@ (6) NY ISLANDERS | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play AGAINST NY ISLANDERS using the money line in All games on Saturday games
The record is 15 Wins and 31 Losses for the last two seasons (-21 units)

NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (3) NASHVILLE@ (4) CHICAGO | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play AGAINST NASHVILLE using the in All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 6 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-14.75 units)

NHL > (1) DETROIT@ (2) TAMPA BAY | 04/25/2015 - 06:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 22 Losses for the this season (-16.05 units)

NHL > (7) VANCOUVER@ (8) CALGARY | 04/25/2015 - 09:05 PM
Play ON CALGARY using the in Home games after a division game
The record is 15 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+12.2 units)

NHL > (5) WASHINGTON@ (6) NY ISLANDERS | 04/25/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play AGAINST NY ISLANDERS using the in All games on Saturday games
The record is 15 Wins and 31 Losses for the last two seasons (-21 units)

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (3) NASHVILLE@ (4) CHICAGO | 04/25/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play OVER NASHVILLE on the total in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 17 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+12.6 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 01:00 AM

Team Open Line Movements Current Puck Line Scores

6:05 PM EDT
1 DETROIT RED WINGS 5o40 5o40 +1.5(-200)
2 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING -185 -185 -1.5(+170)
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8:05 PM EDT
3 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5o35 5o35 5o40 +1.5(-210)
4 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS -170 -170 -165 -1.5(+180)
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3:05 PM EDT
5 WASHINGTON CAPITALS 5o40 5o40 +1.5(-270)
6 NEW YORK ISLANDERS -130 -130 -1.5(+225)
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9:05 PM EDT
7 VANCOUVER CANUCKS 5o20 5o20 +1.5(-270)
8 CALGARY FLAMES -130 -130 -1.5(+225)
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**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 01:04 AM

Predators' Weber will not return in first-round

Nashville Predators star defensemen Shea Weber will not return for the duration of his team's first-round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Weber suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2. The void left by the stalwart blueliner has been filled by Ryan Ellis and Seth Jones on the Preds' top defensive pairing.

In light of Thursday's convincing 5-2 victory, the series shifts back to Chicago with the Hawks holding a 3-2 lead. Books are currently dealing the Preds as +149 underdogs on the moneyline.

--------------------------------------------------------
Blackhawks to stick with Darling in net for Game 6

Despite allowing four goals on 28 shots in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling will be between the pipes in Game 6 Saturday.

Darling, who relieved struggling incumbent starter Corey Crawford in Game 3, has led his squad to three wins in the first-round series. The Hawks own a 3-2 lead with the Windy City set to play host once again on the weekend.

Books are dealing Chicago as healthy -165 moneyline favorites for the postseason clash.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 01:05 AM

Preview: Canucks (48-29) at Flames (45-30)

Date: April 25, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The Vancouver Canucks are brimming with confidence after a season-saving win.

The Calgary Flames are headed home with a chance to advance to the next round.

Facing elimination on Thursday, the Canucks beat the Flames 2-1 in Game 5 to stay alive in their Western Conference playoff series. Now they are talking up the pressure on the Flames to close it out Saturday night and avoid a return trip to Rogers Arena for a winner-take-all Game 7.

'It's hard to close out a series,' goaltender Ryan Miller said after Friday's practice. 'I've been in those situations and you do let doubt get into your mind sometimes. Our job is to keep reinforcing that and keep reminding them we are a good team and they are going to have to beat us.'

Calgary split the first two games of the series in Vancouver and then won back-to-back games at home. It is trying to advance to the second round for the first time since 2004.

The Flames had a similar scenario at the end of the regular season. Needing to win their last home game against the Los Angeles Kings or their finale in Winnipeg to make the playoffs for the first time in six years, the Flames took advantage of the first option.

'We had to win one out of two and we took care of business,' coach Bob Hartley said. 'We took care of the defending Stanley Cup champions right in our barn in front of our fans and we did it.

'Tomorrow, it's exactly the same challenge and we believe in ourselves. I like our players' demeanor.'

Canucks captain Henrik Sedin has been on both sides of 3-1 series leads and said the longer it takes to get that fourth win, the more it can wear a team down.

'There's a lot of pressure on them going back home. Being up 3-1 you have a chance to win it,' said Sedin, who picked up an assist on his brother Daniel's winning goal in Game 5. 'I felt they looked a little tired at the end of the game. We have to bring the same energy. For them to go home and face their crowd, there's a lot of pressure there.'

Miller had 20 saves Thursday night in his first start of the series after replacing Eddie Lack in Game 4.

The Flames were unable to get much traffic in front of Miller, while Calgary goalie Jonas Hiller had 41 saves.

It was the sixth time that the Flames, who led the NHL in blocked shots, allowed over 40 shots this season.

'He plays a little more active game, a little more reactive in the net, whereas Eddie is a little calmer, but I don't think we challenged him enough last night by driving the net and getting in front of him,' Hiller said. 'They blocked a lot of shots that didn't make it to the net.

'If you want to score in this league, it's not always going to be pretty. You have to work for it, put pucks on net and drive the net and I think we were a little too cute last night.'

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 01:14 AM

2015 NHL playoffs first-round matchups and schedule

Eastern Conference

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE
GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Rangers 2, Penguins 1 Rangers lead 1-0 New York 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 2: Penguins 4, Rangers 3 Tied at 1 New York 8 p.m. ET NBC

Game 3: Rangers 2, Penguins 1 Rangers lead 2-1 Pittsburgh 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 4: Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (OT) Rangers lead 3-1 Pittsburgh 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 5: Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (OT) Rangers win 4-1 New York 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators

EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE
GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Canadiens 4, Senators 3 Montreal leads 1-0 Montreal 7 p.m. ET NHL Network

Game 2: Canadiens 3, Senators 2 Montreal leads 2-0 Montreal 7 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 3: Canadiens 2, Senators 1 (OT) Montreal leads 3-0 Ottawa 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 4: Senators 1, Canadiens 0 Montreal leads 3-1 Ottawa 7 p.m. ET USA

Game 5: Senators 5, Canadiens 1 Montreal leads 3-2 Montreal 7 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 6 (If necessary) Sunday, April 26, 2015 Ottawa 6 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 7 (If necessary) Tuesday April 28, 2015 Montreal TBD TBD

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings

EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE
GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Red Wings 3, Lightning 2 Detroit leads 1-0 Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 2: Lightning 5, Red Wings 1 Tied at 1 Tampa Bay 3 p.m. ET NBC

Game 3: Red Wings 3, Lightning 0 Detroit leads 2-1 Detroit 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 4: Lightning 3, Red Wings 2 (OT) Tied at 2 Detroit 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 5 Saturday, April 25, 2015 Tampa Bay 6 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 6 Monday, April 27, 2015 Detroit TBD TBD

Game 7 (If necessary) Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Tampa Bay TBD TBD

New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals

EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE

GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Islanders 4, Capitals 1 New York leads 1-0 Washington 7 p.m. ET USA

Game 2: Capitals 4, Islanders 3 Tied at 1 Washington 7 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 3: Islanders 2, Capitals 1 (OT) New York leads 2-1 New York 12 p.m. ET NBC

Game 4: Capitals 2, Islanders 1 (OT) Tied at 2 New York 7:30 p.m. ET USA

Game 5: Capitals 5, Islanders 1 Washington leads 3-2 Washington 7 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 6 Saturday, April 25, 2015 New York 3 p.m. NBC

Game 7 (If necessary) Monday, April 27, 2015 Washington TBD TBD

Western Conference

Anaheim Ducks vs. Winnipeg Jets

WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE

GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Ducks 4, Jets 2 Anaheim leads 1-0 Anaheim 10:30 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 2: Ducks 2, Jets 1 Ducks lead 2-0 Anaheim 10:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 3: Ducks 5, Jets 4 (OT) Ducks lead 3-0 Winnipeg 9 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 4: Ducks 5, Jets 2 Ducks win 4-0 Winnipeg 9:30 p.m. ET USA

St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild

WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE

GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Wild 4, Blues 2 Minnesota leads 1-0 St. Louis 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 2: Blues 4, Wild 1 Tied at 1 St. Louis 3 p.m. ET NBC

Game 3: Wild 3, Blues 0 Minnesota leads 2-1 Minnesota 8 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 4: Blues 6, Wild 1 Tied at 2 Minnesota 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 5 Friday, April 24, 2015 St. Louis 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 6 Sunday, April 26, 2015 Minnesota 3 p.m. ET NBC

Game 7 (If necessary) Wednesday, April 29, 2015 St. Louis TBD TBD

Nashville Predators vs. Chicago Blackhawks

WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE

GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Blackhawks 4, Predators 3 Chicago leads 1-0 Nashville 8:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 2: Predators 6, Blackhawks 2 Tied at 1 Nashville 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 3: Blackhawks 4, Predators 2 Chicago leads 2-1 Chicago 3 p.m. ET NBC

Game 4: Blackhawks 3, Predators 2 (3 OT) Chicago leads 3-1 Chicago 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 5: Predators 5, Blackhawks 2 Chicago leads 3-2 Nashville 9:30 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 6 Saturday, April 25, 2015 Chicago 8 p.m. ET NBC

Game 7 (If necessary) Monday, April 27, 2015 Nashville TBD TBD

Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames

WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE

GAME DATE/SERIES LOCATION TIME NATIONAL TV

Game 1: Flames 2, Canucks 1 Calgary leads 1-0 Vancouver 10 p.m. ET USA

Game 2: Canucks 4, Flames 1 Tied at 1 Vancouver 10 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 3: Flames 4, Canucks 2 Calgary leads 2-1 Calgary 10 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 4: Flames 3, Canucks 1 Calgary leads 3-1 Calgary 10 p.m. ET USA

Game 5: Canucks 2, Flames 1 Calgary leads 3-2 Vancouver 10 p.m. ET CNBC

Game 6 Saturday, April 25, 2015 Calgary 9 p.m. ET NBCSN

Game 7 (If necessary) Monday, April 27, 2015 Vancouver TBD TBD

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 10:49 AM

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Royals-White Sox game was suspended at 2-2 in 8th inning Friday night; it will be resumed Saturday, before the regularly scheduled game.

-- Mariners 2, Twins 0-- Two complete games; no walks, 18 strikeouts.

-- Rockets 130, Mavericks 128-- Houston was 13-24 from arc, Howard grabbed 26 rebounds in a game that didn't have that many missed shots.

-- Spurs 100, Clippers 73-- LA starters were a combined minus-130. Oy.

-- Rangers 2, Penguins 1 OT-- Four of five series games ended up 2-1.

-- Five of the eight NBA playoff series are 3-0. No bueno.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind......

13) Why would the Rangers trade for Josh Hamilton? They shed themselves of his issues and huge contract, now they're going back down that road, while at same time letting a division rival off the hook from a bad situation.

Am very curious to see how much the Angels are going to eat of the $83M that Hamilton is still owed on that contract.

12) How come I didn't know The Rock and Billy Bob Thornton were in a movie together? Faster, a 2010 movie that was on cable the other night. Not bad.

11) Could we put in a rule that if an NBA playoff series was 3-0, it was then declared over? Teams down 3-0 are now 0-110 in NBA playoff series, all-time.

Hear me out; think how much better a Game 3 would be if the home team was down 2-0; not only would they be trying to stay alive in Game 3, they'd be buying themselves at least two extra games with a win-- if they stayed alive in Game 3, then it is 2-1 in a best-of-7 series. Would make things more interesting.

Its kind of like ping pong, where you play to 21 but if its 11-0, then its over.

10) Royals-White Sox had a near fracas in Thursday's game, during which Sox TV announcer Hawk Harrelson went off on the air, saying Yordano Ventura "....was going to get his fanny beat". Harrelson is in his 70's; he was a hothead in his playing days and hasn't cooled down too much in the broadcast booth.

9) Why did the Red Sox give Rick Porcello $20M a year? He is 77-65, 4.34 in 183 career starts for a very good Detroit team- thats worth $20M a year?

8) Glad to see Providence guard Kris Dunn is coming back to school next season; kids who come back will become better players and improve their draft stock in the long run. Friars will need Dunn to score more next year.

7) The Governor of Colorado is named John Hickenlooper. Unusual name.

6) Gambling can be fun; it can be frustrating; if you bet the under in last night's Houston-Oakland game, the gambling gods owe you one. Game was 0-0 after nine innings, but the bullpens imploded and Houston wound up winning 5-4, going over the total by two runs, after being scoreless thru nine innings.

5) One of the new owners of the Atlanta Hawks is Grant Hill.

4) Friend of mine was in San Antonio couple weeks ago; he is on elevator in his hotel and who gets on but Rockets' coach Kevin McHale. Glad to report McHale is a good guy, just like he seems to be on TV.

3) If you're not old enough to remember the old ABA, they played very fast-paced basketball; just picture last night's Houston-Dallas game, except with a red, white and blue basketball. 130-128 happened all the time back then.

2) There were more than 100 people lined up outside a sneaker store in Las Vegas Friday, waiting to buy the new Flight 23 sneakers. I mean they're not going to run out of sneakers, why wait on line for them? Lot of money in the sneaker industry, which is why athlete endorsers make so much $$$$

1) Tampa Bay Lightning were down 2-0 with 6:00 to play in Detroit in Game 4 of their series; a loss would've left them in dire straits, but Lightning scored twice in 1:14, then won in OT and their radio announcer Dave Mishkin was very happy, as in really, really happy.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-25-2015, 10:51 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 25

National League
Braves @ Phillies
Miller is 2-1, 1.69 in three starts; six of his last seven stayed under total.

Buchanan is 0-3, 9.22 in three starts this year; three of his last four went over.

Phillies lost nine of last 12 games; over is 6-2-2 in their last ten- four of last five played here vs Atlanta stayed under the total. Braves lost four in row, eight of last ten games; seven of last eleven went over.

Nationals @ Marlins
Strasburg is 1-1, 6.00 in his three starts; six of his last eight stayed under the total.

Koehler is 1-2, 6.75 in his three starts; five of his last seven went over.

Washington won eight of last ten games with Miami; nine of last 11 series games stayed under total. Nationals won five of last eight games; seven of their last ten went over. Miami lost five of its last seven ; over is 6-2-1 in their last nine games.

Cubs @ Reds
Arrieta is 2-1, 1.75 in his three starts; under is 3-0-1 in his last four.

DeSclafani is 2-0, 0.86 in three starts, all of which stayed under.

Cubs won six of last seven games with Cincinnati; over is 5-1-2 in last eight games. Reds won three of its last five games; five of last seven games went under. Chicago is 5-4 in its last nine games.

Cardinals @ Brewers
Wainwright is 2-1, 2.57 in three starts; over is 4-1 in his last five road starts.

Peralta is 0-2, 5.68 in his three starts; seven of his last eight stayed under.

Milwaukee lost nine of last ten games, outscored 53-23; they lost seven of last nine games with St Louis-- six of last eight series games stayed under total. Cardinals won seven of last eight games (under 6-2).

Giants @ Rockies
Hudson is 0-2, 3.93 in his last three starts; his last five stayed under.

de la Rosa is 1-2, 6.75 in his last four starts; four of his last six went over.

Colorado won six of last seven games with Giants; under is 7-2-2 in last 11 in series. Rockies lost five of its last seven games, outscored 49-25- over is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Under is 6-3-1 in last ten San Francisco games.

Pirates @ Diamondbacks
Burnett is 0-1, 2.00 in three starts this year; under is 5-2-1 in his last eight.

de la Rosa is 2-1, 6.50 in his three starts; four of his last five went over.

Pittsburgh won three of last four games with Arizona; four of last six went over the total; Pirates won five of last seven games. Arizona lost three of last four at home; four of its last five overall stayed under.

Dodgers @ Padres
McCarthy is 2-0, 4.50 in his three starts; Dodgers scored 20 runs in the three games. Three of his last four starts went over.

Kennedy comes off DL to start here; he is 3-0, 2.45 in his last four starts- five of his last seven stayed under total.

Dodgers won six of last eight games with San Diego; six of the eight went over the total. LA won eight of its last ten games. Padres won six of their last nine games; in their last seven games, over is 4-2-1.

American League
Red Sox @ Orioles
Masterson is 2-0, 5.75 in three starts; Boston scored 21 runs in three games.

Chen is 0-1, 6.14 in three starts; three of his last five went over.

Baltimore lost last five games, outscored 38-20; they're 6-5 in last 11 games with Boston, with four of last six staying under total. Red Sox won three of last five games; five of their last eight stayed under total. Showalter is not at this game today; he's at memorial service for his father-in-law.

Indians @ Tigers
Bauer is 2-0, 0.95 in his three starts, all of which stayed under.

Simon is 3-0, 1.74 in three starts this season.

Detroit lost its last four games after an 11-2 start; they've won seven of last eight vs Cleveland, scoring 55 runs (over 8-0). Indians lost seven of last 11 games, with seven of last nine staying under the total.

Blue Jays @ Rays
Norris is 1-1, 6.75 in his three starts this season.

Ramirez allowed 19 runs in 6.1 IP in his last two MLB starts.

Rays lost four of last six games, with five of six going over total; they've won five of last six games with Toronto. Blue Jays won three of last four games, scoring 27 runs.

Royals @ White Sox
Friday night's game was suspended at 2-2 in 8th inning.

Volquez is 2-1, 1.99 in three starts this year; under was 2-0-1 in those games.

Danks is 0-2, 6.06 in his three starts, all of which stayed under.

Kansas City won eight of last nine games with Chicago; seven of last ten series games went over. Royals won four of last five games overall; under is 4-1-1 in their last six. White Sox won four of last six home games.

Rangers @ Angels
Lewis is 1-1, 3.79 in his three starts; three of last four stayed under.

Wilson is 1-2, 3.98 in his three starts; over is 6-4 in his last ten.

Rangers lost seven of last ten games; four of last six stayed under. Angels won seven of last ten games with Texas; over is 5-2-1 in last eight. Halos won three of last four games.

Astros @ A's
Feldman is 1-2, 5.60 in his three starts; seven of his last eight stayed under.

Graveman is 1-1, 8.49 in his first three MLB starts.

Houston is 6-5 in last 11 games with Oakland, with five of last seven staying under the total. Astros won five of last six games; three of their last four went over. A's lost three of their last four games- four of their last five went over.

Twins @ Mariners
May is a former Mariner fan who is 1-1, 4.76 in two starts this year; four of his last five starts went over.

Paxton is 0-1, 5,40 in his three starts this year.

Seattle lost seven of last 11 games with Minnesota; four of last five series games stayed under. Twins lost eight of ten road games. Mariners won four of last six games; under is 5-3 in their last eight.

Interleague
Mets @ Bronx
Harvey is 3-0, 3.50 in three starts, all of which went over; Mets scored 19 runs for him in the three games.

Sabathia is 0-5, 6.23 in his last six starts.

Mets won 11 of their last 12 games; over is 5-2-2 in last nine- they've won six of last nine games with Bronx- over is 3-1-1 in last five played here. Bronx won won six of its last seven games; over is 7-3-1 in its last eleven.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Atl-Phil-- Miller 3-0; Buchanan 0-3
Wsh-Mia-- Strasburg 1-2; Koehler 1-2
Chi-Cin-- Arrieta 2-1; DeSclafani 3-0
StL-Mil-- Wainwright 2-1; Peralta 0-3
SF-Col-- Hudson 1-2; JDe la Rosa 0-1
Pitt-Az-- Burnett 0-3; RDe la Rosa 2-1
LA-SD-- McCarthy 3-0; Kennedy 0-1

Bos-Balt-- Masterson 3-0; Chen 1-2
Clev-Det-- Bauer 2-1; Simon 3-0
Tor-TB-- Norris 1-2; Ramirez 1-1
KC-Chi-- Volquez 2-1; Danks 1-2
Tex-LA-- Lewis 1-2; Wilson 1-2
Hst-A's-- Feldman 1-2; Graveman 2-1
Minn-Sea-- May 1-1; Paxton 1-2

NYM-NYY-- Harvey 3-0; Sabathia 0-3

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Atl-Phil-- Miller 0-3; Buchanan 1-3
Wsh-Mia-- Strasburg 0-3; Koehler 0-3
Chi-Cin-- Arrieta 1-3; DeSclafani 0-3
StL-Mil-- Wainwright 1-3; Peralta 1-3
SF-Col-- Hudson 1-3; JDe la Rosa 1-1
Pitt-Az-- Burnett 0-3; RDe la Rosa 2-3
LA-SD-- McCarthy 2-3; Kennedy 0-1

Bos-Balt-- Masterson 0-3; Chen 1-3
Clev-Det-- Bauer 0-3; Simon 0-3
Tor-TB-- Norris 2-3; Ramirez 1-1
KC-Chi-- Volquez 1-3; Danks 1-3
Tex-LA-- Lewis 0-3; Wilson 0-3
Hst-A's-- Feldman 1-3; Graveman 2-3
Minn-Sea-- May 0-2; Paxton 0-3

NYM-NYY-- Harvey 1-3; Sabathia 1-3

Umpires
Chi-Cin-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Diaz games.
Wsh-Mia-- Underdogs won last three West games.
Atl-Phil-- Three of four Carlson games went over.
StL-Mil-- Underdogs won all three Scott games (over 3-0).
Pitt-Az-- Underdogs won five of last six Davis games (over 6-0).
SF-Colo-- Home side won five of last six Hirschbeck games.
LA-SD-- Both Foster games this season went over total.

Clev-Det-- Five of last six Fairchild games went over.
KC-Chi-- Last six TWelke games stayed under total.
Hst-A's-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Barksdale games.
Tor-TB-- Three of four Meals games went over total.
Bos-Balt-- Under is 15-8 in last 23 Little games.
Tex-LA-- Five of last six Culbreth games went over.
Min-Sea-- Nine of last eleven TBarrett games stayed under.

NYM-NYY-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Johnson games.

Announcement

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday April 25th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday April 25th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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