The Bum's Best Bets For Tuesday April 28th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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Preview: Angels (9-10) at Athletics (8-12)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: April 28, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

Jered Weaver is winless through the first four starts of a season for the first time in part because Sonny Gray bettered him less than a week ago.

For Gray, it was an extension of an impressive start to his second full season, while Weaver limited damage but continued getting hit at a clip he's not quite used to.

The right-handers square off again as the Oakland Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night to open a three-game series, with some additional buzz surrounding the Angels after the departure of Josh Hamilton in a trade with Texas.

Gray (2-0, 1.91 ERA) held Los Angeles to a run and two hits while striking out seven in seven innings of Wednesday's 9-2 Athletics victory at Anaheim.

"For the most part, he's basically pitched the same game every time this year," manager Bob Melvin said. "He gets a strikeout when he needs one, gets the ball on the ground when he needs it, and his competitiveness shows up every time. He kicks it into another gear."

Gray moved to 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in seven career games against the Angels (9-10). Of his six starts, two have come against Weaver and Gray has won both.

Albert Pujols' 1-for-16 mark highlights the Angels' offensive shortcomings against him, while Kole Calhoun (2 for 18 with seven strikeouts), Matt Joyce (2 for 11) and Chris Iannetta (0 for 7) have also struggled. Mike Trout is 4 for 16 with two home runs and seven strikeouts.

Weaver (0-2, 5.25) allowed a run and eight hits in six innings of the last matchup before the bullpen let things get out of hand. He didn't surrender a home run for the first time this season, but hasn't lasted more than six innings in any of his four starts.

"I've just got to prove to (manager Mike Scioscia) that I can get deeper in games," Weaver said. "I'm still trying to find my way, and it's getting better each and every time."

Limited offense has also been a factor, as Los Angeles has supplied Weaver with 2.42 runs of support per game.

Weaver has gone 7-2 with a 1.79 ERA in his last 11 starts against the Athletics (8-12), though he hit a rough patch in Oakland last season, going 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two starts.

The clubs split four games last week. Oakland dropped the series finale and has lost four in a row after being swept by Houston at home over the weekend.

The A's longest skid last year was five games and they're four under .500 for the first time since July 1, 2012, but they aren't panicking.

Oakland's off day Monday - just its second - provided a tired bullpen with some rest. The relievers have posted a 7.91 ERA in six games and have pitched 25 1-3 innings in the past seven - among the most in baseball in that span.

"With the state of our bullpen right now, we need a day off," manager Bob Melvin said. "We're one of the few teams that's only had one, if not the only one. We did a lot of good things right today, but we're doing just enough to lose games right now."

Los Angeles has been more concerned with its lineup after entering Sunday's matchup with Texas with a .219 average. Despite a 15-hit day, the Angels fell 5-4 to snap their three-game win streak.

Pujols bumped his average to .200 with two hits while Calhoun had three and is 12 for 25 over six games. C.J. Cron entered the series batting .154 but went 8 for 12.

Hamilton will no longer be a part of that lineup, though he hadn't made an appearance for Los Angeles this year anyway. The talented but troubled slugger was returned to the Rangers on Monday for a player to be named or cash.

Hamilton endured two troublesome seasons with the Angels on a $125 million, five-year contract, suffering a relapse of alcohol and cocaine abuse this past offseason and spending all of this season on the disabled list after shoulder surgery. However, he was an All-Star each year for the Rangers from 2008-12 and was the 2010 AL MVP.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Athletics
Tue, Apr 28 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Angels at Athletics
Wed, Apr 29 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Angels at Athletics
Thu, Apr 30 - 3:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (7-11) at Rangers (7-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: April 28, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers got Josh Hamilton back, but he's not going to help their anemic offense just yet.

With Hamilton's arrival not expected until next month, the Rangers try to avoid their longest single-season losing streak to the Seattle Mariners in eight years Tuesday night.

Texas (7-12) has the majors' lowest batting average at .213 and is averaging 2.8 runs while going 4 for 34 with runners in scoring position during a 1-4 stretch. In an effort to improve those dreadful numbers, the Rangers finally landed Hamilton in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday in exchange for a player to be named or cash.

General manager Jon Daniels said Hamilton is "a player we feel can be productive and help us win games."

It'll be awhile until he can do that since Hamilton - the 2010 AL MVP with Texas - is recovering from shoulder surgery and will report Tuesday to the Rangers' spring training facility in Arizona. He's expected to be activated by the second half of May.

Hours after re-acquiring Hamilton, Texas had eight hits and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position in Monday's 3-1 home loss to Seattle.

"I believe that these guys are, they're continuing to grind it out. They're obviously not getting the results that we want," manager Jeff Banister said. "We're talking about controlling the at_bats, controlling the emotions."

Texas' best offensive showing of the season came in Ross Detwiler's last start on April 19, albeit in an 11-10 loss at Seattle. The Rangers are trying to avoid losing four straight meetings with the Mariners (8-11) in a season for the first time since 2007.

Detwiler (0-2, 10.95 ERA) was hammered for five runs and three homers before being pulled with one out in the third inning in his first meeting with the Mariners.

A pair of off days since then allowed Texas to give the left-hander extra time to regroup since he's surrendered five runs in each of his three starts this season.

"It gives (Detwiler) extra rest, and it gives him an opportunity to work on getting an extra bullpen and getting some extra time with (pitching coach Mike Maddux and bullpen coach Andy Hawkins)," Bannister told MLB's official website.

Detwiler served up two homers to Nelson Cruz earlier this month, and the right fielder leads the majors with nine homers and 21 RBIs after getting a run-scoring single Monday. He's 8 for 18 with six RBIs in four meetings with his former team this season.

The Mariners turn to J.A. Happ (1-1, 2.61), who has been a pleasant surprise through three starts. The left-hander is coming off another strong outing, yielding two runs before leaving with one out in the eighth of a 3-2 win over Houston on Wednesday.

"Just being aggressive and trying to get ahead of guys is big for me," Happ said. "Been able to throw strikes and get ahead of guys. That's the way I'm successful."

Happ has allowed three runs in 13 innings while splitting his last two starts against the Rangers. He was the hard-luck loser April 17, yielding two runs in seven innings in a 3-1 home defeat.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Rangers
Mon, Apr 27 - 8:05PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Rangers
Tue, Apr 28 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Rangers
Wed, Apr 29 - 8:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (11-8) at Diamondbacks (8-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: April 28, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

Archie Bradley has so far lived up to his billing as one of the top pitching prospects in the majors, and the Arizona Diamondbacks could use another superb effort from their young right-hander.

They haven't won since Bradley's latest start and will try again to snap their skid Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.

The 22-year-old Bradley has gone 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA in his first three games while pitching opposite Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Yovani Gallardo. He took an 8-5 win over Texas on Wednesday by yielding one run and two hits in six innings.

Bradley also kept five walks from damaging his outing and has the lowest ERA for a Diamondbacks starter after his first three major league contests.

"That's what I'm most proud of ... to grind through six innings and leave with my team winning," Bradley told MLB's official website. "I think that's where you've seen some of the growth in me out there. Even though it still wasn't pretty, and I still had the walks and the high pitch count (92), I was able to make some quality pitches and put some balls on the ground for the guys up the middle to make plays."

The Diamondbacks (8-11) have dropped four in a row since that game - all at Chase Field - and not even an improved effort at the plate could get them past the Rockies (11-8) in Monday's opener. Arizona had nine hits in the 5-4 defeat after batting .189 and getting outscored 14-2 in being swept by Pittsburgh last weekend.

Colorado never trailed after Justin Morneau's three-run homer in the first inning, his first longball in 14 games.

"We made a little tough on ourselves, but wins in this league are gold and wins on the road are even more gold," manager Walt Weiss said.

Colorado has won five in a row over Arizona for the first time since a seven-game streak in 2004.

Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 6.85) will seek to add to that run while attempting to regain the splendid form he showed in the Rockies' opener April 6, a 10-0 win in Milwaukee in which he lasted seven innings.

The right-hander went seven innings again Wednesday versus San Diego, but gave up four runs and only avoided a loss when Colorado rallied for a 5-4 victory. He's 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA in his last three outings.

Kendrick is 1-2 with a 5.61 ERA in eight career starts against the Diamondbacks but earned that lone win in his most recent matchup July 25.

Aaron Hill is 8 for 12 with four doubles lifetime against Kendrick but 3 for 36 in his last 11 games.

Paul Goldschmidt had three hits Monday and is now batting .451 with five homers and 23 RBIs in his last 18 games against Colorado. He's 16 for 32 in the last seven, posting six multihit games in that span.

Troy Tulowitzki, who went 1 for 3, is hitting .435 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in his past 31 versus Arizona.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Diamondbacks
Mon, Apr 27 Final 5 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Diamondbacks
Tue, Apr 28 - 9:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Rockies at Diamondbacks
Wed, Apr 29 - 9:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Astros (12-7) at Padres (11-10)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: April 28, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Jose Altuve and Jake Marisnick may be the Houston Astros' top hitters, but it may be time to add Colby Rasmus to that list.

Rasmus looks to continue his hot hitting and help the Astros to a ninth win in 10 games Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres.

Houston (12-7) is unexpectedly atop the AL West, but Altuve's success at the plate isn't a surprise since he led the majors with a career-best .341 average last year.

The All-Star second baseman is batting .325 in 2015, going 11 for 29 (.379) with eight RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

While Altuve is expected to produce in the leadoff spot, Marisnick is providing the Astros with some offense at the bottom of the order. The center fielder is hitting .362, 118 points above his career average.

Rasmus has heated up after a slow start, going 10 for 29 (.345) with two homers, two doubles and five RBIs in seven games. The left fielder has two hits in each of the last three games, connecting for a two-run homer and an RBI single in Monday's 9-4 series-opening win.

'Rasmus had the separation home run, and that's sort of who we are,' manager A.J. Hinch said. 'We lay in the weeds and then we do it. It's an interesting offense.'

Roberto Hernandez (0-2, 3.57) will try to pitch the Astros to their fifth straight win following his best outing of the season. The right-hander allowed three runs over the first four innings before completing seven in a 3-2 loss at Seattle on Wednesday.

"In the first few innings the ball was kind of flat, but I was able to keep the ball down and started moving more and got comfortable," Hernandez said through an interpreter.

Hernandez is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against the Padres, losing both last season while surrendering nine runs in eight innings.

He'll be facing a San Diego (11-10) team that's batting .219 and averaging 3.3 runs while dropping five of six games after winning nine of the previous 11 behind a .304 average and 6.0 runs.

Yonder Alonso is a major culprit, going 1 for 14 in four games after hitting .400 through the first 16.

Tyson Ross (1-1, 3.97) starts for the Padres seeking better command. The right-hander has walked nine in his last two starts and needed 106 pitches to complete five innings in a 2-1 loss at Colorado on Thursday. He loaded the bases and walked in a run in the opening inning before settling down and allowing one run over the next four innings.

"He threw some pitches that I thought from the side looked real close," manager Bud Black said. "Some real borderline pitches that didn't go his way. But at the end of the day he gave us a chance to win, even though he wasn't at the top of his game."

A change of venue could be just what Ross needs in his first meeting with Houston. He's 6-0 with a 1.55 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 46 1-3 innings over his last seven home starts, and they've all ended in Padres victories.

Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie homered Monday before leaving in the eighth inning after injuring his right thumb on a slide. He will return to Houston on Tuesday and have an MRI.

'It's swollen. It doesn't feel good,' he said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Padres
Mon, Apr 27 Final 9 to 4
Boxscores

GAME 2
Astros at Padres
Tue, Apr 28 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at Padres
Wed, Apr 29 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Tip Sheet

April 28, 2015

Mavericks at Rockets – 8:05 PM EST – TNT
Game 5 – Houston leads 3-1

Addition by subtraction seems like the best for Dallas, even though the Mavericks still have a long way to go if they want to advance to the second round. Since point guard Rajon Rondo has been out of the lineup the last two games, Dallas has been much more competitive against Houston, finally getting over the hump with a 121-109 home victory in Game 4 as three-point underdogs to avoid a first round sweep.

Dallas erased an early 12-point deficit by outscoring Houston, 36-19 in the second quarter to grab a 61-53 halftime advantage. The Rockets struggled from the outside in Game 4, converting just 7-of-31 shots from three-point range, including a 1-for-7 effort from MVP candidate James Harden. The insertion of J.J. Barea into the starting lineup at point guard paid dividends for the Mavs, scoring 17 points and dishing out 13 assists in place of the injured Rondo. Monta Ellis paced Dallas by putting up at least 30 points for the second straight contest, scoring a game-high 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting.

Now, the Mavericks need to keep up this scoring pace at a venue that hasn’t been friendly to Rick Carlisle’s team this season. Dallas is 0-4 SU/ATS at the Toyota Center this season, while busting the 100-point mark just once in four visits to Houston, coming in the Game 1 loss of this series when the Mavs posted 108 points. Since the end of March, the Mavs are on an impressive 11-2 run to the ‘over,’ which includes 3-1 in this series.

VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David checks in with his thoughts on Game 5, “When it comes to laying a healthy amount of points, I’ve learned that you should only feel confident when you’re backing a team that plays defense and neither of these clubs do. The Mavericks (103 PPG) were ranked last in scoring defense amongst all 16 teams and the Rockets were the 13th. With that being said, you’re betting on which team can score more and my lean would be Houston based on its depth and I doubt the Mavericks can keep up again without Rondo and Chandler Parsons suited up.”

From a totals standpoint, it’s obvious this teams can light up the scoreboard, but David isn’t afraid to lean ‘over’ again, “You can argue that the total is a tad inflated at 222 for Game 5 but this number is very doable just on the pace and the ridiculous amount of 3-pointers and free throws attempted by both clubs. To put things in perspective, the pair have played 16 quarters thus far and only four have seen combined points or 50 or less posted. All you need is to average 55 or 56 a quarter to go ‘over’ Tuesday’s number and I certainly wouldn’t go against the trend now.”

Prior to this series, the Mavericks owned an impressive 5-1 ATS record from 2012 through 2014 as a road underdog in the playoffs, but have failed to cover in two opportunities against Houston. Since late January, Dallas has been the ultimate fade team as an away ‘dog, compiling a dreadful 2-11 SU/ATS record in this role. The Rockets are looking to advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2009, when the Lakers eliminated Houston in seven games.

Spurs at Clippers – 10:35 PM EST – TNT
Game 5 – Series tied 2-2

As expected, this series between San Antonio and Los Angeles has gone back and forth with each team winning a home game and stealing one on the road. The Clippers bounced back from an embarrassing Game 3 effort in a 100-73 setback to grab Game 4 at the AT&T Center on Sunday, 114-105 to cash as six-point underdogs. L.A. controlled the pace pretty much the whole way, as San Antonio’s largest lead was just three points, as the Clippers shot 53% from the floor for their second road win against the Spurs this season. Chris Paul took over for the Clippers with a 34-point effort, while fellow All-Star Blake Griffin put up an impressive line of 20 points and 19 rebounds to head back west tied at 2-2.

The Spurs struggled from long distance, knocking down just 6-of-25 attempts from three-point range, which includes an 0-for-6 showing from Danny Green. San Antonio’s frontcourt of Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan kept the Spurs in the game by combining for 48 points, but the defending champions couldn’t duplicate the Game 3 effort as they dropped to 2-4 ATS as a home favorite in first round action since 2014.

However, San Antonio is flipped back to the road underdog role for tonight’s pivotal Game 5, as the Spurs own a solid 10-5 ATS record when receiving points on the highway since 2013. On the flip side, the Clippers have covered just three of their past 14 playoff games when listed as a favorite, which includes five outright losses at Staples Center.

David has been high on Los Angeles entering this series and still believes in Los Angeles to advance, “Great win by the Clippers in Game 4 and if you’ve read our coverage in this year’s playoffs, then you know I’m not surprised. I picked Los Angeles to win in six games and even though they looked horrible on Friday, it bounced back strong on Sunday and I feel the momentum will carry over in this spot. The oddsmakers are expecting a tight affair in Game 5 and I believe the number is directly attributed to the public’s perception on the Spurs off a loss. For those backing San Antonio, make a note that it did lose back-to-back games twice in last year’s championship run, which tells you nothing is guaranteed.”

Looking ahead in the playoffs, David says it’s not a bad idea to back the Clippers, “If you’re a future bettor, I would invest on the Clippers at 6/1 odds to win the Western Conference and sprinkle a couple dollars on the NBA Finals at 14/1 too. If Los Angeles gets past San Antonio, it will likely meet Houston and the Clippers have won six of their last eight against the Rockets. If L.A. reaches the Western Conference Finals, you buy out of your wager or hope the Clippers defeat the Warriors, something they did in last year’s playoffs.”

Since the 2013 playoffs, home teams in a series tied at 2-2 have put together a 9-3 SU and 7-5 ATS record in Game 5, as the Clippers knocked off the Warriors in this situation last season, 113-103 as seven-point favorites. The Spurs won all three times in this situation during this span, but each game was played at the AT&T Center.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Top Playoff Action

April 28, 2015


SAN ANTONIO SPURS (57-29) at LA CLIPPERS (58-28)

NBA Playoffs
Western Conference - First Round
Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Los Angeles -2, Total: 205

The Clippers and Spurs battle for a lead in the series when the two teams meet in Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday.

The Clippers went into San Antonio down 2-1 in Game 4 Sunday and played an unbelievable game, winning 114-105 as 6-point underdogs. Los Angeles was in a must-win situation and came through on both ends of the floor, shooting 53.6% from the field and also holding the Spurs to 44.0% shooting.

The Clippers desperately needed to shoot the ball well, as they could have suffered from a loss of confidence after shooting 34.1% from the field in Game 3. These teams have now split victories both SU and ATS in this series. Two of the games have gone Under the total and the other two both went Over. Over the past three seasons, these teams have split victories both SU and ATS when playing at Staples Center.

San Antonio is 10-0 ATS after a game committing eight or less turnovers this season and gets to face a Clippers team that is 4-13 ATS in home games after a combined score of 215 points or more on the season. The Spurs are not currently dealing with any injuries and both SF Matt Barnes (Shoulder) and PF Blake Griffin (Shoulder) are probable for the Clippers in this one.

The Spurs were unable to take a 3-1 lead by defeating the Clippers at home in Game 4 and will now look to steal a win in Los Angeles in order to give themselves a chance to close it out at home in Game 6.

SF Kawhi Leonard (24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 BPG in playoffs) had 26 points, seven boards and five assists in 40 minutes of action on Sunday. Leonard is shooting 56.3% from the outside over the past five games and has been outstanding on both sides of the ball. It would not be surprising at all if the Spurs turn him loose offensively in this one. He is one of the only players who has consistently created his own shot in this series.

PF Tim Duncan (16.3 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.3 BPG in playoffs) had 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in Game 4. He did, however, foul out in the game and must be more disciplined on the defensive end. He has been able to score around the basket, but he hasn’t done a good job of defending Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan when called upon.

PG Tony Parker (8.8 PPG, 2.5 APG in playoffs) had 18 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field in Game 4. It was his best offensive performance of the postseason and he’ll need to find a way to be effective in Game 5.

The Clippers won a huge game on the road in Game 4 and PG Chris Paul (23.5 PPG, 6.0 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) caught fire for Los Angeles. Paul had 34 points and seven assists in 38 minutes of action and has torched every Spurs guard that has tried to cover him so far. He’ll need to continue to be aggressive as a scorer moving forward, as San Antonio does not have an answer for him.

PF Blake Griffin (22.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) has also had a fantastic series for the Clippers. Griffin had 20 points, 19 boards, seven assists and a steal in 43 minutes of action on Sunday. His speed has been too much to handle for Tim Duncan and he’ll need to continue to attack the rim moving forward.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.3 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.0 BPG) has had everybody’s back defensively in this series and blocked four shots in Game 4. He is, however, shooting just 33.3% from the line in this series and has been a liability at times when the Spurs turn to the “Hack-a-Shaq”. One player who really stepped his game up in Game 4 was PG Austin Rivers (8.3 PPG in playoffs). Rivers had 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field and provided the scoring spark that Los Angeles needed to get over the hump.

[StarDust Bum]

Clips-Spurs provide rare bit of intrigue

April 27, 2015

Sure, the Celtics-Cavaliers series got testy in Game 4. And Steph Curry's 3-pointer in the corner of Game 3 against New Orleans was something to behold.

But the first round of the NBA playoffs has been a bit of a dud, with three sweeps already in the books and the Grizzlies, Bulls and Rockets each winning the first three games of their series.

Thankfully, the Spurs and Clippers are throwing haymakers at each other the way most expected when the series began. It's tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

''They are a good team. It's not like we were supposed to have it easy,'' Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. ''They are tough and we're going to have to play much better and not make so many mistakes.''

The Rockets host the Mavericks in the other game Tuesday night, needing a win to get the series back home to Dallas for a Game 6.

The Brooklyn Nets evened their series with top-seeded Atlanta with a victory Monday night and the Milwaukee Bucks won their second straight over Chicago to force a Game 6 and add some much-needed drama to those matchups.

But the Clippers and Spurs have been going back and forth since Game 1, with each team responding so emphatically after a defeat that no feasible momentum has been established either way. Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan are leading the way for San Antonio while Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are trying to get to the Clippers to play with a sense of urgency every night.

Both teams are playing with a welcome edge in this series, having already experienced how thin the margin for error can be.

''We know we're getting beat by 30 if we don't,'' forward Matt Barnes said, referencing the 100-73 shellacking in Game 3. ''This is a team that ... they play at an 8 consistently, sometimes a 9. If you don't match that or go above it, you're going to lose. If you don't play a complete team game, you're going to get blown out. I think we finally realized that now.''

A look at Tuesday night's games. All times EDT:

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Mavericks at Rockets, Houston leads 3-1, 8 p.m., TNT

Clinging to their playoff lives in Game 4, the Mavericks called on the two most obvious candidates to keep them in the series - Al-Farouq Aminu and J.J. Barea.

The two role players had huge nights - Aminu had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Barea added 17 points and 13 assists - to breathe some life into a team that desperately needed it. Now the Mavericks will hope they can bring a similar energy in Game 5.

''Farouq is pound for pound one of our better rebounders so that does help,'' said coach Rick Carlisle, who called the 52-28 rebounding advantage the key to their win. ''It doesn't matter who's out there. We just have to have five guys in a pursuit mode, in a pursuit mindset going after everything that's in the air.''

The Rockets may have gotten a little complacent with a 3-0 lead and now will have to adjust to a new-look Dallas lineup.

''We didn't give our best effort,'' Rockets forward Trevor Ariza said. ''They're not just going to lay down. They're not a team that's just going to sit down. We should have come with a better effort which we didn't. But (Tuesday) we have to give maximum effort.''

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Spurs at Clippers, Tied 2-2, 10:30 p.m., TNT

Little by little, the Spurs are seeing more of the old Tony Parker. And that's not a good sign for the Clippers.

Parker has been bothered by injuries for much of the season and was hobbling around for much of the first two games of the series. But he was more aggressive in Game 4 when he scored 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting.

''He is starting to feel a lot better,'' Duncan said. ''It was great to see him going to the basket and making some plays for us. That will make a big difference with the rest of this series.''

The Clippers have been trying to speed up the game, getting out in transition with Paul, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan against a Spurs team that is better in the halfcourt. Griffin said the key to playing that way starts on the other end of the court.

''When you have to take the ball out of the net every time, it's hard to push the ball,'' Griffin said. ''That pace starts on defense for us.''

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- White Sox-Oriole game was postponed because of rioting in Baltimore.

-- Dodgers lose pitcher Brandon McCarthy for the year (torn UCL).

-- Last night was Tampa Bay's 20th game, but their first outdoor game; their road games had been at Toronto/Miami, both domed stadiums.

-- There is a baseball player at U of Iowa named Fenway Parks. Seriously.

-- James Winston threw 18 INTs last year, second-most in country. New Mexico State's quarterback was the only QB who threw more.

-- St John's-Arizona State at MGM Grand in Las Vegas December 22; couple of pretty famous coaches, Chris Mullin and Bobby Hurley.

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Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but........

13) Looks like college basketball will have a 30-second clock next fall; I just don't think its going to make a huge difference, if thats the only rule change. It creates a few more possessions per game, but not really that many more.

12) Part of the reason Texas Rangers took a shot with Josh Hamilton going to Arlington is their attendance is down 11,160 fans a game since 2012. If it is true that the Rangers will only pay Hamilton $5M a year, that means the Angels are paying Hamilton $20.4M this year and $54.8M over the next two years to play against them!!! That must go over great in the Anaheim clubhouse.

11) Golfer Mikko Ilonen should buy Phil Mickelson a nice Christmas present this year; Lefty dropped out of the Match Play tournament this week, which means Ilonen gets in-- even if he loses in the first round, Ilonen bags a check for $50,000 or so.

10) According to college football expert Phil Steele, Washington Huskies will play the hardest schedule this fall; U-Dub's opponents had a 101-56 record last fall- they play at Boise State Labor Day weekend.

9) Next time Alex Rodriguez hits a homer, he ties Willie Mays with 660 in his career and banks a checks for $6M, but his employers are trying to cheap out and not play the $6M, since they can't cash in on ARod's milestone (buy your own commemorative bat for $299.95!!!!) due to his steroid history.

8) Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas closes down for good this Monday, the end of an era, but it is sold out this weekend, with the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight a big ticket in town. Lot of the older casinos in Vegas are slowly going away.

7) There is a beer sold at my local grocery store called Arrogant Bastard Ale; I'm not much of a drinker, but thats a tremendous name.

6) The 2011 San Diego Padres had eight relief pitchers for most of the year; five of those eight guys are now relievers for the surprisingly good Astros.

5) Why teams lose: when the Seahawks took Russell Wilson with the 75th pick in the 2012 Draft, Jacksonvile took a freakin' punter five picks earlier. Why does a team draft a punter in the third round?

4) There have been a total of 73 runs scored in Bud Norris' four starts, with Orioles 2-2, outscored 37-36. In Chris Archer's last four starts, there were a total of only fifteen runs scored- Archer allowed one run in his last 26.2 IP.

3) Boston has pitching problems; Buchholz/Porcello have at least finished the sixth inning in six of their eight starts, but the other three starters finished six innings only two times in nine starts- that creates too much of a strain on their bullpen. Boston has to trade for a quality starter and soon.

2) Both the shortstops on my fantasy team got hurt last night; Jose Reyes has been hurt, but finally went on the DL- he has a broken rib but had been trying to play thru it, not batting lefty because it hurt too much.

Jed Lowrie hurt his thumb sliding into home (why can't anyone slide??); he is flying back to Houston today for an MRI, which sounds ominous. Waiver wire in our 16-team keeper league is amazingly weak at shortstop. Oy.

1) Trevor Bauer pitches against the Royals tonight; last night, he had boxing gloves on (real ones) in the dugout during the game, a reference to the issues Kansas City has been having with other teams this month.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 28

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WASHINGTON (7 - 13) at ATLANTA (10 - 9) - 7:10 PM
A.J. COLE (R) vs. JULIO TEHERAN (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 1-0 (+1.3 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

A.J. COLE vs. ATLANTA since 1997
No recent starts.

JULIO TEHERAN vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
TEHERAN is 3-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.380.
His team's record is 6-2 (+4.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-5. (-2.6 units)

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NY METS (15 - 5) at MIAMI (8 - 12) - 7:10 PM
RAFAEL MONTERO (R) vs. DAVID PHELPS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 18-9 (+11.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 15-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY METS are 36-26 (+14.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 85-87 (+22.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 15-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in April games this season.
NY METS are 14-3 (+11.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
NY METS are 15-5 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY METS are 51-27 (+23.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 5-0 (+5.3 Units) against MIAMI this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

RAFAEL MONTERO vs. MIAMI since 1997
No recent starts.

DAVID PHELPS vs. NY METS since 1997
PHELPS is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 9.00 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

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MILWAUKEE (4 - 16) at CINCINNATI (9 - 10) - 7:10 PM
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 4-16 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 4-16 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in April games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 9-18 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 40-53 (-17.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 4-16 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 1-12 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 4-14 (-10.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MILWAUKEE is 41-53 (-18.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 45-50 (-17.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 35-27 (+16.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
LOHSE is 12-3 (+11.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LOHSE is 11-3 (+10.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CINCINNATI is 357-381 (-94.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 360-327 (-82.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-1 (+3.2 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.4 Units)

KYLE LOHSE vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
LOHSE is 8-5 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.69 and a WHIP of 1.082.
His team's record is 12-9 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-14. (-8.7 units)

JOHNNY CUETO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
CUETO is 8-3 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 1.063.
His team's record is 12-5 (+7.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-12. (-8.9 units)

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PITTSBURGH (11 - 9) at CHICAGO CUBS (11 - 7) - 8:05 PM
JEFF LOCKE (L) vs. TRAVIS WOOD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 247-481 (-104.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 196-155 (+29.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 102-111 (+29.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 194-154 (+27.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 135-92 (+32.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1398-1560 (-277.3 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 749-730 (-165.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 188-248 (-83.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 355-341 (-87.2 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1341-1473 (-252.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 220-229 (-68.2 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 38-53 (-32.4 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 648-751 (-197.7 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 144-162 (-47.2 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 3-2 (+1.2 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

JEFF LOCKE vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
LOCKE is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.380.
His team's record is 2-4 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.6 units)

TRAVIS WOOD vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WOOD is 4-7 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 4.39 and a WHIP of 1.297.
His team's record is 5-9 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-7. (-0.0 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (8 - 12) at ST LOUIS (12 - 6) - 8:15 PM
SEVERINO GONZALEZ (R) vs. MICHAEL WACHA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 119-63 (+27.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 119-63 (+27.7 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 165-107 (+32.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 100-55 (+33.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-22 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 1-0 (+1.3 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

SEVERINO GONZALEZ vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
No recent starts.

MICHAEL WACHA vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
No recent starts.

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COLORADO (11 - 8) at ARIZONA (8 - 11) - 9:40 PM
KYLE KENDRICK (R) vs. ARCHIE BRADLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 28-63 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 28-63 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 18-47 (-26.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 53-80 (-26.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KENDRICK is 28-21 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 72-109 (-33.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 7-14 (-11.9 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 37-54 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 7-20 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in home games in April games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 195-232 (-60.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
ARIZONA is 72-109 (-33.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 54-81 (-25.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 26-57 (-26.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-0 (+1.2 Units) against ARIZONA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

KYLE KENDRICK vs. ARIZONA since 1997
KENDRICK is 1-2 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 5.61 and a WHIP of 1.592.
His team's record is 5-3 (+2.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-4. (-0.7 units)

ARCHIE BRADLEY vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

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SAN FRANCISCO (8 - 12) at LA DODGERS (12 - 7) - 10:10 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 53-47 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 53-47 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1028-862 (+114.0 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 370-370 (+41.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 722-710 (+45.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
BUMGARNER is 17-6 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUMGARNER is 17-6 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-1 (+2.6 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
BUMGARNER is 11-5 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 2.58 and a WHIP of 0.994.
His team's record is 12-5 (+7.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-10. (-4.2 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
KERSHAW is 14-5 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.48 and a WHIP of 0.814.
His team's record is 16-10 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 18-6. (+11.5 units)

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KANSAS CITY (13 - 6) at CLEVELAND (6 - 12) - 6:05 PM
JEREMY GUTHRIE (R) vs. TREVOR BAUER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 113-83 (+18.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 22-10 (+14.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 58-40 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 109-80 (+16.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 81-56 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 79-57 (+11.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 66-48 (+12.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
GUTHRIE is 42-29 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GUTHRIE is 23-14 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 16-29 (-17.4 Units) against the money line in April games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 4-11 (-9.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-0 (+1.3 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
GUTHRIE is 5-5 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 5.37 and a WHIP of 1.493.
His team's record is 6-5 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-3. (+4.0 units)

TREVOR BAUER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BAUER is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.11 and a WHIP of 1.826.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

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TORONTO (9 - 11) at BOSTON (11 - 9) - 6:10 PM
DREW HUTCHISON (R) vs. CLAY BUCHHOLZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 82-101 (-27.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 7-18 (-13.9 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 39-51 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 38-53 (-17.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 73-87 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 27-36 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 34-49 (-21.0 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
BUCHHOLZ is 2-9 (-9.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-12 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 12-22 (-19.3 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 9-18 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 7-16 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUCHHOLZ is 3-11 (-10.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

DREW HUTCHISON vs. BOSTON since 1997
HUTCHISON is 2-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.64 and a WHIP of 1.453.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)

CLAY BUCHHOLZ vs. TORONTO since 1997
BUCHHOLZ is 11-8 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.17 and a WHIP of 1.208.
His team's record is 13-10 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 14-9. (+4.3 units)

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TAMPA BAY (11 - 9) at NY YANKEES (12 - 8) - 7:05 PM
JAKE ODORIZZI (R) vs. CHASE WHITLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 88-94 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 565-646 (+15.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 34-43 (-17.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 7-18 (-15.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

JAKE ODORIZZI vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
ODORIZZI is 2-2 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.54 and a WHIP of 1.423.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-4. (-4.9 units)

CHASE WHITLEY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.

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CHI WHITE SOX (8 - 9) at BALTIMORE (9 - 10) - 7:05 PM
JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R) vs. UBALDO JIMENEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAMARDZIJA is 13-25 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 4-13 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 13-25 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 7-13 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 7-18 (-15.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 109-80 (+34.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 57-37 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 17-7 (+11.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 96-69 (+30.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 78-46 (+37.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 84-58 (+30.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 60-47 (+15.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 48-32 (+15.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 11-3 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 363-364 (+32.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.

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

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 0-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 5.14 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
JIMENEZ is 2-3 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.01 and a WHIP of 1.635.
His team's record is 5-5 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-7. (-6.1 units)

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SEATTLE (8 - 11) at TEXAS (7 - 12) - 8:05 PM
J.A. HAPP (L) vs. ROSS DETWILER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 4-10 (-9.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 74-82 (-27.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 49-39 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 10-3 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 45-36 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 45-35 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 74-107 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 23-45 (-23.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 8-21 (-11.9 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 35-53 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 15-38 (-25.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 72-103 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 47-84 (-33.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 22-40 (-20.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 3-1 (+1.5 Units) against TEXAS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

J.A. HAPP vs. TEXAS since 1997
HAPP is 1-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.59 and a WHIP of 1.213.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

ROSS DETWILER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
DETWILER is 0-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 19.31 and a WHIP of 3.433.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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DETROIT (14 - 6) at MINNESOTA (8 - 11) - 8:10 PM
ANIBAL SANCHEZ (R) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 131-84 (+37.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
DETROIT is 39-22 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 34-21 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 65-124 (-36.6 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 32-62 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PELFREY is 34-58 (-25.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-0 (+4.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

ANIBAL SANCHEZ vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SANCHEZ is 3-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 2.34 and a WHIP of 1.162.
His team's record is 5-5 (-3.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-4. (-0.6 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. DETROIT since 1997
PELFREY is 2-3 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.54 and a WHIP of 1.604.
His team's record is 3-3 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-4. (-3.5 units)

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LA ANGELS (9 - 10) at OAKLAND (8 - 12) - 10:05 PM
JERED WEAVER (R) vs. SONNY GRAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 4-20 (-14.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 755-732 (+70.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 634-616 (+64.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 538-517 (+50.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 58-27 (+20.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 96-87 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 22-33 (-19.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 45-48 (-22.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 94-83 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-2 (+0.5 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JERED WEAVER vs. OAKLAND since 1997
WEAVER is 13-9 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 2.46 and a WHIP of 1.090.
His team's record is 17-14 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 21-7. (+12.6 units)

SONNY GRAY vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
GRAY is 3-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.024.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (+0.0 units)

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

HOUSTON (12 - 7) at SAN DIEGO (11 - 10) - 10:10 PM
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ (R) vs. TYSON ROSS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HERNANDEZ is 11-26 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 99-74 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 99-74 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 53-50 (+7.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 82-99 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 8-2 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 8-2 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in road games in April games this season.
HOUSTON is 8-2 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 1-0 (+1.1 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 1-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.643.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

TYSON ROSS vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, April 28

National League
Mets @ Marlins
Montero is making first '15 start; he was 1-0, 0.50 in his last three starts LY, with all three staying under total.

Phelps is 1-0, 0.77 in his two starts this season.

Mets won 13 of last 15 games overall (over is 6-2-1 in last nine), eight of last ten with Miami; over is 8-2-1 in last 11 series games. Miami won five of its last six games, outscoring opponents 30-9; over is 8-3-1 in their last twelve.

Nationals @ Braves
Cole is making his MLB debut; he is 0-0, 2.40 in three AAA starts this year, was 7-0, 3.43 in 11 AAA starts last year.

Teheran is 2-1, 5.48 in his four starts; four of his last five went over.

Braves lost five of their last seven games. Nationals lost their last six games, outscored 36-14; six of last nine games with Atlanta stayed under. Two teams split their last ten games.

Brewers @ Reds
Lohse is 1-3, 7.94 in his four starts, three of which went over.

Cueto is 1-2, 2.17 in his four starts; under is 7-2-1 in his last ten.

Milwaukee lost 11 of last 13 games, outscored 70-38; they lost five of last six games with Cincinnati- under is 7-4 in last 11 series games. Reds lost three of their last four games.

Pirates @ Cubs
Locke is 2-0, 3.32 in his three starts; seven of his last eight went over.

Wood is 1-1, 3.24 in his three starts this season.

Pirates won five of their last six games, allowing 13 runs; under is 4-1-1 in those six games- they're 7-4 in last 11 games with Chicago; over is 6-2-1 in last nine. Cubs won five of last seven games.

Phillies @ Cardinals
SGonzalez is making MLB debut; he is 1-1, 3.57 in his only three AAA starts. He was 9-13, 4.59 in 27 AA starts last year.

Wacha is 3-0, 1.33 in his three starts; four of his last six went over.

Phillies won three of last four gaes against St Louis; under is 6-2-1 in last nine series games. Philly won three of last four games overall, is 2-6 on road this season. Cards won four of last six games; under is 5-1 in their last six at home.

Rockies @ Diamondbacks
Kendrick is 0-2, 9.72 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Bradley is 2-1, 2.45 in his first three MLB starts; Arizona scored 21 runs in the three games.

Rockies lost six of their last nine games, outscored 58-34. Arizona lost six of last seven at home; under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games overall. Rockies won seven of last nine games with Arizona; over is 4-1-1 in last six.

Giants @ Dodgers
Bumgarner is 1-1, 4.63 in his four starts, three of which went over.

Kershaw is 1-1, 5.18 in his four starts; over is 6-3-1 in his last ten.

Home side won last six Giant-Dodger games. Dodgers lost four of their last seven games, but are 9-1 at home; four of their last six games stayed under total. LA lost three of last four games with the Giants, who won four of their last six games overall.

American League
Royals @ Indians
Guthrie is 1-1, 5.50 in his three starts; six of his last eight stayed under.

Bauer missed last start with illness; he is 2-0, 0.95 in his three starts this year, with all three games staying under.

Indians lost six of last eight games, with eight of last 11 staying under the total- they lost three of last four games with Kansas City. Royals lost three of last five games (under 5-3-1 in last nine).

Blue Jays @ Red Sox
Hutchison is 2-0, 5.73 in his four starts, with last three going over total; Jays scored 30 runs in the four games.

Buchholz has made four starts this year; he allowed 10 runs in 3.1 IP in one of them, was 1-1, 1.42 in other three; six of his last eight went over.

Toronto lost five of last seven games with Boston; six of last nine stayed under total. Blue Jays lost five of last six road games. Red Sox lost four of last six games- five of those six went over the total.

White Sox @ Orioles
Samardzija is 1-0, 0.64 in his last two starts; five of his last seven went over.

Jimenez is 1-1, 2.30 in his three starts; under is 3-0-1 in his last four.

Chicago lost eight of last ten games with Baltimore (under 7-2-1); they've won three of last four games- under is 5-0-1 in last six. Orioles won four of last five home games; seven of their nine home games went over.

Rays @ Bronx
Odorizzi is 2-1, 1.65 in his four starts, three of which stayed under.

Whitley is making first '15 start; he was 4-3, 5.23 in 12 MLB starts LY. Whitley is 2-0, 2.12 in three AAA starts this year.

Tampa Bay lost seven of last nine games with Bronx; six of nine went over the total. Rays won five of last six games, allowing eleven runs in last five, four of which stayed under. Bronx won nine of last eleven (over 3-2-1 in last six).

Mariners @ Rangers
Happ is 1-1, 2.61 in his three starts; eight of his last ten stayed under.

Detwiler is 0-2, 13.13 in his three starts; over is 2-0-1 in those games.

Mariners won six of last eight games with Texas; five of last six stayed under total. Seattle lost four of its last seven; four of last five stayed under the total. Rangers lost six of their last eight games.

Tigers @ Twins
Sanchez is 0-2, 8.44 in his last three starts; four of his last five went over.

Pelfrey is 1-1, 2.65 in his three starts this year.

Minnesota lost six of last eight games with Detroit. Twins won three of last five games (under 3-2). Detroit won three in row overall; six of its seven road games- three of their last four games overall went over.

Angels @ A's
Weaver is 0-2, 5.24 in four starts this year, 0-0, 2.25 in his last two; in his last three starts, over is 2-0-1.

Gray is 2-0, 2.22 in his four starts, with all four going over the total.

Oakland is 1-6 in games where winning run scores from 7th inning on; they've lost last four games, outscored 13-13. Six of last seven A's games went over. Angels won seven of last ten games with Oakland; Halos won three of last four games with three of those staying under total.

Interleague
Astros @ Padres
Rodriguez is 0-2, 5.60 in his three starts (under 2-0-1).

Ross is 1-1, 2.97 in his four starts; four of his last five went over.

Astros won eight of last nine games; six of their last seven went over. Padres lost five of last six games, outscored 28-17; four of their last six stayed under. Houston lost four of last six games with San Diego.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
NY-Mia-- Montero 0-0; Phelps 1-1
Wsh-Atl-- Roark 0-0; Teheran 3-1
Mil-Cin-- Lohse 1-3; Cueto 2-2
Pitt-Chi-- Locke 3-0; Wood 2-1
Phil-StL-- Gonzalez 0-0; Wacha 3-0
Colo-Az-- Kendrick 2-2; Bradley 3-0
SF-LA-- Bumgarner 2-2; Kershaw 2-2

KC-Clev-- Guthrie 2-1; Bauer 2-1
Tor-Bos-- Hutchison 3-1; Buchholz 1-3
Chi- Balt-- Samardzija 2-2; Jimenez 1-2
TB-NY-- Odorizzi 3-1; Whitley 0-0
Sea-Tex-- Happ 2-1; Detwiler 0-3
LA-A's-- Weaver 1-3; Gray 2-2
Det-Minn-- Sanchez 1-3; Pelfrey 2-1

Hst-SD-- Hernandez 0-3; Ross 2-2

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
NY-Mia-- Montero 0-0; Phelps 0-2
Wsh-Atl-- Roark 0-0; Teheran 2-4
Mil-Cin-- Lohse 2-4; Cueto 2-4
Pitt-Chi-- Locke 2-3; Wood 1-3
Phil-StL-- Gonzalez 0-0; Wacha 2-3
Colo-Az-- Kendrick 3-4; Bradley 2-3
SF-LA-- Bumgarner 1-4; Kershaw 2-4

KC-Clev-- Guthrie 2-3; Bauer 0-3
Tor-Bos-- Hutchison 1-4; Buchholz 1-4
Chi- Balt-- Samardzija 0-4; Jimenez 1-2
TB-NY-- Odorizzi 0-4; Whitley 0-0
Sea-Tex-- Happ 1-3; Detwiler 1-3
LA-A's-- Weaver 1-4; Gray 0-4
Det-Minn-- Sanchez 1-4; Pelfrey 0-3

Hst-SD-- Hernandez 2-3; Ross 1-4

Umpires
Wsh-Atl-- All four Hoye games stayed under total.
NY-Mia-- Favorites won 14 of last 16 Kulpa games.
Mil-Cin-- Seven of last nine Drake games stayed under.
Pitt-Chi-- 10 of last 13 Iassogna games stayed under.
Phil-StL-- Four of last five Blaser games stayed under.
Col-Ariz-- Five of last six Wegner games stayed under.
SF-LA-- Four of five Cederstrom games went over.

KC-Clev-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Fletcher games.
Tor-Bos-- Underdogs are 6-6 in last 12 Eddings games.
TB-NY-- Over is 3-0-1 in Hudson games this season.
Sea-Tex-- Under is 11-4 in last fifteen Ripperger games.
Det-Minn-- Home side won last seven Bellino games.

Hst-SD-- Under is 17-2-1 in last 20 Reynolds games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, April 28

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Trend Report
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6:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas City's last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Kansas City is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing at home against Kansas City

6:10 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto

7:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. NY YANKEES
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of NY Yankees's last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. BALTIMORE
Chi White Sox are 2-6-1 SU in their last 9 games ,when playing on the road against Baltimore
Chi White Sox are 0-4-1 SU in their last 5 games ,when playing Baltimore
Baltimore6-2-1 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
Baltimore4-0-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox

7:10 PM
NY METS vs. MIAMI
NY Mets are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 12 of NY Mets's last 15 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Miami's last 15 games when playing NY Mets
Miami is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against NY Mets

7:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CINCINNATI
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cincinnati's last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Washington's last 14 games
Atlanta is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing Washington

8:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. TEXAS
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Seattle's last 12 games when playing on the road against Texas
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Texas's last 12 games when playing at home against Seattle
Texas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Seattle

8:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games when playing Pittsburgh
Chi Cubs are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games

8:10 PM
DETROIT vs. MINNESOTA
Detroit is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 9 games on the road
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit

8:15 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ST. LOUIS
Philadelphia is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
Philadelphia is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

9:40 PM
COLORADO vs. ARIZONA
Colorado is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Colorado's last 13 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Arizona's last 8 games
Arizona is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home

10:05 PM
LA ANGELS vs. OAKLAND
LA Angels are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing Oakland
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LA DODGERS
San Francisco is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against San Francisco

10:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. SAN DIEGO
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, April 28


Dallas Mavericks @ Houston Rockets

Game 517-518
April 28, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas Mavericks
121.564
Houston Rockets
125.745
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston Rockets
by 4
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston Rockets
by 7
222
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas Mavericks
(+7); Under

San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Clippers

Game 521-522
April 28, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio Spurs
131.287
Los Angeles Clipp
130.077
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio Spurs
by 1
200
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Clipp
by 2
206
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio Spurs
(+2); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 28

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

DALLAS (51 - 35) at HOUSTON (59 - 27) - 4/28/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 35-47 ATS (-16.7 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
DALLAS is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after a division game this season.
DALLAS is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
DALLAS is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DALLAS is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 51-34 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 36-22 ATS (+11.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 75-52 ATS (+17.8 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 225-182 ATS (+24.8 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 9-7 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 9-7 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (57 - 29) at LA CLIPPERS (58 - 28) - 4/28/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 903-789 ATS (+35.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 407-342 ATS (+30.8 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 138-97 ATS (+31.3 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) when tied in a playoff series since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 74-54 ATS (+14.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 325-271 ATS (+26.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-22 ATS (+6.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 17-26 ATS (-11.6 Units) in home games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 225-278 ATS (-80.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 131-171 ATS (-57.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 8-7 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-7 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, April 28

Houston won seven of last nine games with Dallas; three of four series games went over total. Rockets won nine of last 12 games overall; eight of their last ten games went over. Dallas is 5-4 in its last nine games; 11 of its last 13 went over. Mavericks shot 50%+ in Games 3-4; they scored 72-61 points at half and split pair. Mavs shot 44.4%/37.1% in games at Houston- they were 9-21 from line in Game 4, when Rockets were 7-31 from arc, 26-40 on line- they were 29-69 from arc in first three games.

Clippers shot 51.3%, 53.6% from floor in its two series wins- they shot 42.4%, 34.1% in two losses. LA got huge game from coach's son and evened series at the Alamo Sunday; LA is now 8-2 in its last ten games, but 2-3 in last five home games with Spurs. Spurs won 13 of last 16 games; they won three of last five road games. San Antonio was 16-58 from arc in two losses, 18-49 in two wins. Green/Parker were combined 0-9 from arc Sunday.

Home favorites are 12-12 in this round, home dogs are 5-4; home teams are 21-12 SU-- over is 14-19.

2015 playoffs
Brooklyn vs Atlanta
Atl 99-92, -10, U201.5
Atl 96-91, -9.5, U202
Brook 91-83, +3.5, U199

Boston vs Cleveland
Clev 113-100, -11.5, O203
Clev 99-91, -11, U206
Clev 103-95, -4, U204
Clev 101-93, -6.5, U201.5
Cavaliers won series, 4-0

Milwaukee vs Chicago
Chi 103-91, -8, O186
Chi 91-82, -8, U190.5
Chi 113-106, 2OT, -2.5, O187
Mil 92-90, +4, U190

Washington vs Toronto
Wash 93-86 OT, +4, U194.5
Wash 117-106, +5, O193.5
Wash 106-99, -4.5, O195.5
Wash 125-94, -6.5, O197.5
Wizards win series, 4-0

New Orleans vs Golden State
GSt 106-99, -12, U205
GSt 97-87, -13, U206.5
GSt 123-119 OT, -5, O203
GSt 109-98, -6.5, U208
Warriors win series, 4-0

Dallas vs Houston
Hst 118-108, -5.5, O212.5
Hst 111-99, -6.5, U214
Hst 130-128, +1, O214.5
Dal 121-109, +3, O218.5

San Antonio vs LA Clippers
LAC 107-92, -1.5, U207
SA 111-107 OT, +1.5, O207.5
SA 100-73, -5, U203.5
LAC 114-105, +6, O202.5

Portland vs Memphis
Mem 100-86, -5.5, U188.5
Mem 97-82, -6, U189
Mem 115-109, +3.5, O189

East vs West
SU: West 242-177 ATS: West 214-202-3
East teams HF vs West: 56-57
East teams HU vs West: 46-52
West teams HF vs East: 81-79-3
West teams HU vs East: 24-21




NBA

Tuesday, April 28

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

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games on the road
Dallas is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games when playing at home against Dallas
Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. LA CLIPPERS
San Antonio is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 16-3 SU in their last 19 games
LA Clippers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, April 28

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

Dallas Mavericks at Houston Rockets (-7, 222)

Rockets lead series 3-1

Raymond Felton got the first chance to start in place of Rondo at the point in Game 3 but Carlisle decided to go with more energy in Game 4 and pushed Barea into the first unit. The veteran responded with 17 points and 13 assists in 36 minutes. “I'm trying to push it every time," Barea told reporters. “I'm trying to be aggressive and my teammates, people around me are ballin'. I'm just trying to attack and do my job. If I do my job and I create problems for their defense, then I think everybody else plays a lot looser and more open.”

Houston missed 17 straight shots in a 10-minute span that bridged the half and never recovered in Game 4. “We got slow offensively, the ball stuck,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale told reporters. “We didn’t do very well for that stretch. All that being said, it was our offensive rebounding and our lack of being able to contain the ball that ended up beating us. Our offense sucked for a while. That was a fatal blow, more of our effort overall I think.” MVP candidate James Harden went 1-of-7 from 3-point range in the loss while handing out a series-low five assists.

LINE HISTORY: The Rockets opened as 6-point favorites, while the total opened at 222.

TRENDS:

* Over is 8-1 in Rockets last nine home games.
* Mavericks are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in Houston.
* Rockets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 9-1 in Mavericks last 10 vs. Western Conference.


San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers (-2, 205)

Series tied 2-2

Coach Gregg Popovich was highly disappointed with his club’s Game 4 performance, particularly when you factor in the important of the game. “In general, we lacked a lot of discipline,” Popovich told reporters. “We didn’t execute sharply enough in what we wanted to do strategy-wise or just in general basketball play. I’m just more disappointed in the lack of focus than anything else, and not being as sharp in a lot of situations.” Small forward Kahwi Leonard continued his strong play with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists and is averaging 24.8 points in the series.

Though Chris Paul had a huge game and power forward Blake Griffin stood out with 20 points and 19 rebounds, backup guard Austin Rivers might have provided the biggest impact with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting. Rivers has been much-maligned throughout his three-year NBA career and the criticism has increased since he joined the club coached by father Doc Rivers. “This is something I know I can do,” Rivers told reporters. “It wasn’t a surprise for me. Obviously it is to you guys but I’ve been working so hard and this team has been working so hard.”

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as 2-point home faves while the total opened at 205.

TRENDS:

* Over is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
* Spurs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven vs. Western Conference.
* Clippers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Clippers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. win.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, April 28


NBA roundup: Nets even series with Hawks

NEW YORK -- Rookie guard Bojan Bogdanovic hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 85 seconds left in overtime, and the Brooklyn Nets evened their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with a 120-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece heading to Game 5 on Wednesday in Atlanta. The Washington Wizards, who swept their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors, await the Hawks-Nets winner.

Point guard Deron Williams led the Nets with 35 points. He shot 13-for-25 from the floor overall, and he added seven assists and five rebounds. Williams made seven 3 pointers, three of them in the fourth quarter when the Nets rallied from an eight-point deficit.

Forward DeMarre Carroll and guard Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 20 points apiece.

Bucks 94, Bulls 88

CHICAGO -- Guard Michael Carter-Williams compiled 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and Milwaukee held on for a win against Chicago. The Bucks staved off elimination and trimmed their deficit to 3-2 in the best-of-seven, Eastern Conference first-round series.

Forward Pau Gasol scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Bulls. Guard Jimmy Butler added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago, which trailed for the entire second half.

The Bulls narrowed the deficit to 86-83 with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter after back-to-back jump shots by guard Derrick Rose and Gasol. Milwaukee responded with a jump shot by Carter-Williams and a slam dunk by forward John Henson to re-establish a seven-point lead.

Milwaukee guard Khris Middleton contributed 21 points.

Trail Blazers 99, Grizzlies 92

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Guard Damian Lillard scored 32 points, and Portland rallied from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Memphis and stay alive.

The Trail Blazers outscored the Grizzlies 29-12 over the final 8 1/2 minutes to cut their deficit in the best-of-seven, Western Conference first-round playoff series to 3-1. Memphis will again look to close out Portland in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Tennessee.

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, guard C.J. McCollum had 18 points, forward Meyers Leonard collected 13 points and 13 rebounds, and forward Nicolas Batum contributed 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Blazers.

Center Marc Gasol had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists, for the Grizzlies while Courtney Lee scored 19 points.

[StarDust Bum]

Recapping Monday's Action.....NHL goes 2 - 0.......NBA goes 4 - 2...MLB goes 6 - 4.....a profitable day......

APRIL RATED PLAYS:


MLB


*****...........................31 - 24..................+ 6.79
DOUBLE PLAY.................33 - 39..................- 17.14
TRIPLE PLAY...................22 - 23..................- 12.37
GRAND SLAM..................17 - 18..................- 9.63




NBA PLAYOFFS


*****..................................5 - 9
double play...........................10 - 10
triple play.............................5 - 5
slam dunk.............................5 - 4


NHL PLAYOFFS


*****.............................. 10 - 8 ........,..... + 2.61
double play........................10 - 8 - 3 ..........+ 2.92
triple play..........................5 - 10............... - 15.36
hat trick.............................6 - 3.............. + 10.68