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**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 10:14 AM

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Klay Thompson had 37 points Monday........in the first half.

-- Nebraska had just under 77,000 fans for its spring football game.

-- Boise State offered a 9th grader a basketball scholarship.

-- Urban Meyer makes more $$$ than 25 of 32 NFL head coaches.

-- Would the Chargers trade Philip Rivers for the #2 pick in the draft?

-- ESPN parted ways with Lou Holtz, meaning college football Saturdays on TV.just got a little better.

**********

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

13) Wonder what New Orleans Pelicans thought about the NBA rescinding Russell Westbrook's 16th technical foul, which allowed him to play Monday night against Portland? Pelicans/Thunder are tied for the last playoff spot.

12) Kris Byant has seven RBI in his first five AAA games; when will the Cubs bring him up? Pretty bovious he is major league-ready.

11) Since the start of 2014 season, lefthanded hitters are 17-144 (.149) against Mets' lefty reliever Jerry Blevins, with six walks and 44 strikeouts.

10) In addition to Urban Meyer making $6.5M a year, he also gets the use of a private jet for 50 hours a year, up from 35 in his last contract.

9) Pepsi replaces Coke as the official soft drink of the NBA; ton of money in this stuff. When I stayed at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas last November, they were in midst of switching from Coke to Pepsi and ran out of regular Coke while I was there. No bueno. In my humble opinion, Coke is way better.

8) Speaking of the NBA, I'm probably not renewing my NBA League Pass for next year; the product just isn't good enough to justify the expense. Too many guys taking nights off; good teams rest guys for playoffs, bad teams do not try hard enough to win.

If someone who likes basketball as much as I do doesn't want the League Pass, thats bad news for the NBA- they need to stretch out their schedule to create less back/backs, so players will try to play 82 games again.

7) Ron Baker/Fred Van Vleet are both coming back to Wichita State next year, which means the Shockers will be a preseason top 10 team. Decisions like this make or break programs; it gives Gregg Marshall another year of national TV exposure and more time to recruit their replacements.

6) Stuff like this reminds me of when Rob Evans was coach at Arizona State; he went 18-14 in 2005 with Ike Diogu his best player- they seemed like a team on the rise, but then Diogu left a year early for the NBA, the Sun Devils fell off the cliff and Evans got fired. Had Diogu stayed and ASU made the NCAAs, Evans gets a contract extension and the course of their program is way different.

5) Virginia took a hit with Justin Anderson going to the NBA; Cavaliers will still be good, but they're out of the preseason top 10 now. Tony Bennett has no chance of being fired; they're still a strong program, but they're not going to be a threat to get to the Final Four now.

4) Transfer list for college basketball is now over 450 kids; lot of turnover all over the country. There are 351 D-I teams. Kids don't like to sit on the bench anymore; if they ain't playing, they ain't staying.

3) Tigers' pitcher David Price says that every time he is consistently throwing 95-96 mph, which he doesn't always do, he gets "randomly" tested for drugs before his next start. He doesn't think it is a coincidence.

2) Forget to mention this yesterday; the catch George Springer made Sunday in Arlington was amazing-- it saved the game in extra innings. He robbed the Rangers of a game-winning grand slam and the Astros won three innings later.

1) If you haven't filed your taxes yet, today would be a good day to do it.

**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 10:15 AM

How to safely bet the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs

The NHL playoffs, more so than any other sport’s postseason, are about as different from the regular season as you can get.

Teams that dominated during the regular schedule suddenly find themselves on the brink of elimination, and clubs that squeaked into the playoff picture can catch fire and ride a hot goalie all the way to the Stanley Cup.

In order to help hockey bettors navigate the upside-down world of postseason puck, we asked some of Covers Experts’ top handicappers to share their best tips, tactics, and trends when it comes to successfully wagering on the NHL’s second season.

Hot goaltenders

Like pitching in baseball, goaltending can singlehandedly win a playoff series. Year after year, hockey bettors witness incredible performances between the pipes and make a small mint riding these red-hot keepers.

On the other side of the coin, not having a proven No. 1 goalie can quickly put a wrap on the season – no matter how many goals a team can score. Covers Expert Jesse Schule points to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have been ushered out of the playoffs the past three years thanks to shaky play in the crease.

“When I'm looking to narrow down the field to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, I always look at the goaltenders first,” agrees Covers Expert Sean Murphy. “Which ones are capable of carrying a team on their shoulders if need be? Who can steal a game, or even a series?”

The Ottawa Senators are hoping rookie sensation Andrew Hammond can step up to the challenge after a breakout campaign. Hammond finished with a 20-1-2 record and a 1.79 GAA, and finished April with a 5-0-1 record and 1.60 GAA heading into the playoffs.

Depth and toughness

Ever watch a hockey player get interviewed about his team’s deep postseason run? More often than not, the guy’s face looks like someone dropped a plate of spaghetti on the floor and then tried to sew it back together.

The NHL playoffs are a grueling challenge of teams’ overall talent and toughness. When a series goes six or seven games, the true depth of a roster is drawn to the surface.

Injuries can spoil an NHL bet faster than a Zdeno Chara slapshot and knowing which teams are healthy, getting healthy, and beat up entering the playoffs is a good way to gauge just where you should put your money.

“Some teams that were banged up earlier this season are healthy now and could perform better than expected, while the opposite could be true of teams suffering through multiple injuries at the moment,” says Covers Experts’ Doc’s Sports.

Teams that can get production from their third and fourth lines are the ones who survive, while clubs that rely on a few key players to carry the team often find themselves trading hockey sticks for golf clubs. Opponents draw up schemes to shadow and lock down these stars and force role players to beat them.

“It's important to consider depth,” says Murphy. “Which teams can roll four lines and get steady production from their role players? Unlike other sports, the NHL playoffs aren't all about the superstars. It's the grinders that often decide which team is left standing in June.”

Physicality also plays a major role in the outcome of the playoffs, with every hit looked at as an investment. Finesse teams can get worn down over the course of a series while teams that like to lay the lumber excel in the furious pace of the postseason.

“Some teams might not be the fastest and most skilled, but instead they out-work, out-hit, and physically dominate their opponents,” says Schule.

Road Warriors

Another big difference between the NHL playoffs and other sports’ tournaments is the importance - or lack thereof - when it comes to home ice.

In basketball and football, having the crowd on your side is crucial to a championship run. However, in hockey, bettors get great value with road teams in the postseason. Hot home teams like Tampa Bay or Nashville may be good fade bait while tough road clubs, like the New York Rangers, can hold added pop on the road.

“Other than getting the final line change, there is really not much of an edge for the home team,” says Covers Expert Steve Merril. “Obviously, the crowd will be supporting them. But unlike the NBA, it does not influence officials as much, as penalties are normally called evenly and on an alternating makeup basis. NHL playoffs is the one sport where I feel home teams are generally overvalued, especially since travel is not a factor and both teams in a best-of-seven series have the same travel schedule.”

Covers Expert Ben Burns believes each NHL postseason game is unique and doesn't carry as much momentum from one contest to the next. Teams quickly make adjustments, line changes and roster moves based on the game before and can have a completely different feel when they face off next. A high-scoring Game 1 can produce a low-scoring Game 2 with teams tightening up on defense.

Special teams

Referees do tend to let a lot more slide in the postseason compared to regular season action, so it makes it even more important for teams to capitalize on those man-advantages when the whistle does blow.

“It is absolutely imperative to score on the power play, in order to discourage opponents from taking cheap shots at your best players,” says Schule.

Entering the postseason, the Washington Capitals boast the top power-play attack in the league with 60 goals with the man advantage and a 25.3 power-play percentage. At the bottom of the scale, the Anaheim Ducks boast the lowest power-play percentage in the playoffs at 15.7 percent.

As for killing off those penalties, the Minnesota Wild didn’t get burned much with a man in the box ranking second in the NHL with an 86.3 penalty-kill percentage. The Vancouver Canucks and Penguins followed them, killing off 85.7 and 84.8 percent of their penalties, respectively. The New York Islanders have the worst PK among playoff teams at 77.9 percent.

**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 10:20 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 14

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TORONTO (48 - 32) at BOSTON (38 - 42) - 4/14/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
TORONTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games this season.
BOSTON is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 87-120 ATS (-45.0 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 7-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 6-5 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (46 - 34) at INDIANA (37 - 43) - 4/14/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 32-45 ATS (-17.5 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 16-25 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
INDIANA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
INDIANA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
WASHINGTON is 77-55 ATS (+16.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-8 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 10-6 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (55 - 26) at PHOENIX (39 - 42) - 4/14/2015, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 7-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 9-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA

Tuesday, April 14

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 7-15-1 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Boston
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 12 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Toronto

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Washington is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing Washington
Indiana is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing Washington

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. PHOENIX
LA Clippers are 5-14 SU in their last 19 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Clippers last 8 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Phoenix's last 19 games
Phoenix is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games

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**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 10:21 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 14

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Game of the Day: Raptors at Celtics
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Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics (-4, 208)

The Toronto Raptors can set a new franchise record for wins in a season when they travel to Boston on Tuesday. The Raptors locked up home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs by downing the Miami Heat 107-104 on Saturday and remain slightly in front of the Chicago Bulls in the race for the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

"These guys fought for it and scratched for it," Toronto coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "I think you've got to honour that and appreciate that." Boston has racked up four consecutive victories following a 117-78 triumph over the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The Celtics have won six of their last seven to vault into seventh place in the East with a one-game lead over Brooklyn and can clinch a berth in the post-season if the Nets lose on Monday. Boston ended a four-game slide in the series with a wild 117-116 overtime victory over the Raptors on Apr. 8 and hopes to win two straight meetings for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), CSN New England (Boston)

LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Celts as 4-point home faves which is where the line was sitting at the time of writing.

INJURY REPORT: TOR - (Johnson, questionable). BOS - N/A

POWER RANKINGS: Raptors (-7.9) + Celtics (-4.3) + homecourt (-3) = Celtics -0.6

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (48-32): Lou Williams knocked down four 3-pointers, including a dagger with with 31.2 seconds remaining, en route to a team-high 29 points in the win over the Heat. DeMar DeRozan went 9-of-11 from the free-throw line to finish with 24 points and added six rebounds and four steals to help Toronto win in Miami for the first time since Nov. 18, 2008. "We set a record last year with 48 wins," DeRozan told reporters. "Now we tied that and have a chance to break that, so that means something."

ABOUT THE CELTICS (38-42): Isaiah Thomas scored 17 points and handed out six assists off the bench to lead seven players in double figures in the win over the Cavs. Evan Turner tallied 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals as Boston set an NBA season high with 20 steals on Sunday. "We're just trying to get the right flow and keep giving ourselves an opportunity to play longer," Turner told reporters. "If we do, we go into any situation prepared and confident."

TRENDS:

*Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Over is 7-2 in Raptors last 9 road games.
*Raptors are 2-8-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Boston.
*Celtics are 20-8 ATS in their last 28 games following a ATS win.

CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 57 percent of bets are on the Celtics.

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**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 10:22 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 14

NBA roundup: Pelicans on verge of playoff spot

MINNEAPOLIS -- The New Orleans Pelicans moved one step closer to their first playoff appearance since 2011, getting 24 points from forward Anthony Davis to dispatch the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-88 on Monday.

It was the fifth win in six games for the Pelicans, who currently hold the eighth spot in the Western Conference and can clinch a trip to the postseason with a win in their final regular-season game, Wednesday night at home versus San Antonio. If the Pelicans lose to the Spurs, New Orleans could still earn a playoff berth if Oklahoma City also loses its final regular-season game.

Thunder 101, Trail Blazers 90

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Guard Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to keep Oklahoma City's postseason hope alive with one game left to be played Wednesday.

The Blazers were locked into the fourth seed heading into the game. But they have now lost three straight games and four of their last five.

Heat 100, Magic 93

MIAMI -- Four-time defending Eastern Conference champion Miami, a long shot to make the playoffs, remained alive after beating Orlando.

Entering Monday, the Heat's hopes for a seventh straight playoff berth required not only for Miami to win out -- against Orlando on Monday and at Philadelphia on Wednesday -- but also for the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets to lose out.

The Pacers were idle on Monday, but the Heat got help from the Chicago Bulls, who beat the Nets, which clinched a playoff spot for the idle Boston Celtics.

Warriors 111, Grizzlies 107

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Guard Klay Thompson scored 42 points, leading Golden State to a victory over Memphis.

The Warriors won their 17th consecutive home game and struck a painful blow to Grizzlies' hopes of landing the No. 2 playoff seed in the Western Conference or winning the Southwest Division. Memphis sits one game behind San Antonio and Houston with one game remaining.

Guard Jordan Adams came off the bench to lead Memphis with 19 points. Guard Russ Smith had 16 points off the bench, and forwards Zach Randolph and JaMychal Green scored 10 apiece.

Clippers 110, Nuggets 103

LOS ANGELES -- Remaining in the hunt for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, Los Angeles posted a victory over Denver.

The Clippers earned their sixth consecutive win, and they recorded their 13th victory in 14 games and their 20th in 27 since the All-Star break. They remained tied with San Antonio and Houston in the battle for the No. 2 seed, though the Southwest Division winner would beat the Clippers in a tiebreaker.

Power forward Blake Griffin led the Clippers 22 points, and he added nine rebounds and eight assists. Shooting guard J.J. Redick had 20 points, as did center DeAndre Jordan, who also contributed a game-high 21 rebounds. Denver small forward Wilson Chandler led all scorers with 32 points.

Knicks 112, Hawks 108

ATLANTA -- Rookie guard Langston Galloway was 6-for-6 on 3-point attempts en route to a career-high 26 points, and last-place New York beat the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

New York forward Jason Smith, who scored 20 points, hit two clinching free throws with 9.3 seconds remaining as the Knicks won their 17th game of the season.

Cavaliers 109, Pistons 97

CLEVELAND -- Cavs forward LeBron James had 21 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his second triple-double of the season.

The Cavs looked ready for the playoffs, provided they make it there healthy. All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving did not play in the second half Monday with what the team described as tightness in his right hip. He had 12 points and three assists before he was pulled for precautionary reasons.

Bulls 113, Nets 86

NEW YORK -- Rookie forward Nikola Mirotic scored 26 points, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers in the final 81 seconds of the third quarter when Chicago took control to prevent Brooklyn from clinching a playoff spot.

Mirotic had his 11th game with at least 20 points, but his biggest baskets helped the Bulls go from being up 78-63 to 87-65 entering the fourth quarter.

Rockets 100, Hornets 90

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Guard James Harden scored 29 points and Houston remained alive in its quest for the Southwest Division title.

With the win, the Rockets moved back into a tie for first in the division with idle San Antonio, with Memphis needing a win at Golden State later Monday night to make it a three-way tie

Bucks 107, 76ers 97

PHILADELPHIA -- Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams said it was "great to be back and see some familiar faces" in Philadelphia. And he sent most of them home unhappy.

Carter-Williams, last year's NBA Rookie of the Year who was traded to Milwaukee on Feb. 19, scored 30 points. He matched his season-high point total, shooting 11 for 17 from the floor. He also had five rebounds and five assists.

Jazz 109, Mavericks 92

SALT LAKE CITY -- Rookie point guard Bryce Cotton topped all scorers with 21 points, and center Rudy Gobert had a big game to help Utah to its seventh win in nine games.

Gobert finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks to lift the Jazz to their second win in a row against a playoff-bound team after Saturday's victory at Portland.

Guard J.J. Barea led Dallas with 18 points, while big men Charlie Villanueva and Amar'e Stoudemire each contributed 15 points.

Kings 102, Lakers 92

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Omri Casspi continued the hottest scoring spell of his career with a game-high 26 points, and Sacramento used a 12-1 run late in the fourth quarter to hand Los Angeles a historic loss Arena

Casspi needed only 13 shots to record his eighth straight game in double digits, the longest streak of his career, and helped send the Lakers to their 60th loss, the first time in the franchise's 67-year history that it has lost that many. Casspi has averaged 19.9 points per game during his eight-game streak.

Forward Derrick Williams added 20 points, and forward Carl Landry contributed 14 for the Kings. Guard Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points to pace the Lakers.

**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 02:21 PM

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, April 14

Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics

Game 701-702
April 14, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto Raptors
123.338
Boston Celtics
119.906
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 3 1/2
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 1
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto Raptors
(-1); Under

Washington Wizards @ Indiana Pacers

Game 703-704
April 14, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington Wizard
116.549
Indiana Pacers
129.534
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana Pacers
by 13
186
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana Pacers
by 9 1/2
192
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana Pacers
(-9 1/2); Under

Los Angeles Clippers @ Phoenix Suns

Game 705-706
April 14, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Clipp
129.998
Phoenix Suns
122.817
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Clipp
by 7
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Clipp
by 10
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix Suns
(+10); Over

**Udog** · 04-14-2015, 05:50 PM

NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, April 14

Toronto at Boston, 7:35 ET
Toronto: 5-17 ATS in road games revenging a straight up loss vs opponent as a home favorite
Boston: 22-8 ATS after playing a game as favorite

Washington at Indiana, 8:00 ET
Washington: 14-5 UNDER after 3 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers
Indiana: 38-23 UNDER off a home win by 10 points or more

LA Clippers at Phoenix, 10:35 ET
LA Clippers: 7-16 ATS after 5 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers
Phoenix: 14-4 ATS off a road loss by 10 points or more

Announcement

Tuesday's NBA and NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 4/14

Tuesday's NBA and NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 4/14

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