Sunday Trends and Indexes 03/23

[Udog]

NBA
Long Sheet


Sunday, March 23


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SAN ANTONIO (46 - 23) at DALLAS (44 - 25) - 3/23/2008, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) in road games this season.
DALLAS is 39-18 ATS (+19.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 197-157 ATS (+24.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 13-5 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 10-8 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (41 - 28) at TORONTO (35 - 34) - 3/23/2008, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 84-70 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 85-70 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 37-22 ATS (+12.8 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 54-39 ATS (+11.1 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (49 - 19) at WASHINGTON (35 - 33) - 3/23/2008, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 3-16 ATS (-14.6 Units) in road games after scoring 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 39-28 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after a division game this season.
DETROIT is 49-34 ATS (+11.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 23-46 ATS (-27.6 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 8-24 ATS (-18.4 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-3 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (42 - 26) at LA LAKERS (48 - 21) - 3/23/2008, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-39 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 42-69 ATS (-33.9 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
LA LAKERS are 42-26 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
LA LAKERS are 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
LA LAKERS are 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
LA LAKERS are 26-8 ATS (+17.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
LA LAKERS are 13-1 ATS (+11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 7-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 9-1 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[Udog]

NCAAB
Dunkel


Miami (FL) vs. Texas
The Hurricanes picked up a win over St. Mary's (CA) in the opening round, but run into a Texas team today that has won five of its last six with the only loss coming against top-rated Kansas in the Big 12 championship. The Longhorns are the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has Texas favored by 10. Dunkel Pick: Texas (-6). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Game 709-710: San Diego vs. Western Kentucky
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego 61.655; Western Kentucky 63.517
Dunkel Line: Western Kentucky by 2
Vegas Line: Western Kentucky by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+5 1/2)

Game 711-712: Siena at Villanova
Dunkel Ratings: Siena 61.575; Villanova 69.237
Dunkel Line: Villanova by 8
Vegas Line: Villanova by 5
Dunkel Pick: Villanova (-5)

Game 713-714: Davidson vs. Georgetown
Dunkel Ratings: Davidson 67.350; Georgetown 75.676
Dunkel Line: Georgetown by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Georgetown by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgetown (-4 1/2)

Game 715-716: Arkansas vs. North Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Arkansas 66.473; North Carolina 78.521
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 12
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 11
Dunkel Pick: North Carolina (-11)

Game 717-718: Miami (FL) vs. Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (FL) 65.369; Texas 75.192
Dunkel Line: Texas by 10
Vegas Line: Texas by 6
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-6)

Game 719-720: Mississippi State vs. Memphis
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 65.510; Memphis 77.692
Dunkel Line: Memphis by 12
Vegas Line: Memphis by 9
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-9)

Game 721-722: Butler vs. Tennessee
Dunkel Ratings: Butler 67.220; Tennessee 73.381
Dunkel Line: Tennessee by 6
Vegas Line: Tennessee by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee (-4 1/2)

Game 723-724: Oklahoma vs. Louisville
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma 69.000; Louisville 73.378
Dunkel Line: Louisville by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Louisville by 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma (+7 1/2)

[Udog]

NBA
Power Index


Guys, 6-5 SU yesterday for 44-20 SU overall. Not too good ATS last night at 3-8.


Sunday, March 23

Dallas* 3.5 over San Antonio
Toronto* 1.5 over Denver
Detroit 2 over Washington*
L.A. Lakers* 8.5 over Golden State

[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel


San Antonio at Dallas
The Mavs have lost two straight to Boston and the Lakers, but look to take advantage of a Spurs team that has lost six of its last nine. Dallas is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Mavericks favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Game 701-702: San Antonio at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 119.771; Dallas 127.010
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 7 1/2; 180
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 3 1/2; 184 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-3 1/2); Under

Game 703-704: Denver at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 118.989; Toronto 124.207
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 5; 230
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 2 1/2; 228 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-2 1/2); Over

Game 705-706: Detroit at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 123.879; Washington 120.361
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 3 1/2; 184
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 3; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-3); Under

Game 707-708: Golden State at LA Lakers
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 118.633; LA Lakers 129.739
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 11; 235
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 6 1/2; 231
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-6 1/2); Over

[Udog]

NBA
Hot Lines


Sunday, March 23

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Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best NBA bets
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San Antonio at Dallas (-3 1/2, 184)

The pattern has been the same for the Dallas Mavericks since Jason Kidd's arrival last month - dominate opponents with losing records and drop close games to teams likely to be in the playoffs.

They'll look to end that trend Sunday when they host the San Antonio Spurs, who certainly fit into the latter category.

Dallas (44-25) gambled that trading for Kidd, a nine-time All-Star, would be the boost it needed in the crowded Western Conference playoff race. However, Kidd's numbers (8.5 points, 9.6 assists) are down from his days in New Jersey, and more importantly, the Mavericks aren't beating the teams in front of them in the standings.

They're 9-0 against sub-.500 opponents since Kidd arrived, winning by an average of 18.4 points. However, they're 0-7 against teams currently in playoff position, with five of those losses coming by six points or fewer.

Each of Dallas' last two games ended in that fashion. A torrid comeback wasn't enough to get the Mavericks past the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, as they fell 102-100. They led Boston on Thursday in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics rallied for a 94-90 win.

"We're just right there in a lot of these games,'' said Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse, who scored 17 points against Boston. "It's disappointing to keep coming up short.''

The Spurs (46-23) have won back-to-back games, but can't be feeling much better about their recent play against contending teams than the Mavs are. Since their 11-game winning streak was snapped March 7, they're 1-5 against teams over .500.

San Antonio has bounced back from a four-game losing streak with two straight victories. The competition hasn't been stiff - Chicago and Sacramento aren't in playoff position - but Tim Duncan was just happy to get a pair of wins.

"It's great to get a back-to-back, get kind of a little bit of a winning streak going,'' Duncan said after beating the Bulls and Kings on consecutive nights. "The confidence I think is there."

Pick: Spurs


Detroit at Washington (+3, 187 1/2)

Following his best offensive game since a long injury absence, Caron Butler will see if he can build off the performance when he faces one of the league's top defensive teams.

Butler and the Washington Wizards host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday in the second meeting between the teams this season.

Second on the Wizards (35-33) with 20.9 points per game, Butler missed 16 consecutive games from Feb. 6-March 11 with a strained hip flexor. In his first four games back, he averaged 14.5 points on 35.1 percent shooting, but Butler broke out Friday night in a matchup against lowly Miami.

The All-Star forward scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, hitting three 3-pointers, and added six assists as Washington beat the Heat 103-86. He had 16 points in the first half, helping the Wizards build a 52-39 lead.

"I was just trying to assert myself early and try to establish a rhythm because when you're playing a game like this, you want to put teams away," Butler said.

He is averaging 22.8 points in his last eight games against the Pistons (49-19), and Washington has gone 5-3. Butler scored 22 points on Jan. 2 in a 106-93 home loss to Detroit in the only meeting this season.

While the Pistons are likely to finish second in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards are clinging to fifth place with a half-game lead on Toronto. After Sunday's home game, Washington begins a five-game road trip through the end of March.

"We know what we have to do," said Wizards forward Antawn Jamison, averaging 26.1 points and 10.6 rebounds over the last eight games. "Detroit is a great defensive team, so we can't get frustrated if things aren't going well offensively. That's the task at hand, and we'll really need to carry that over to the West Coast trip as well because those teams that we play can really fill up the boxscore."

Washington faces a Detroit team which is holding opponents to 90.8 points per game this season to rank among the league leaders. The Pistons are 27-4 this season when not limiting the opposition under 90 points, but one of those defeats came in their most recent game in an 89-73 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday.

Pick: Pistons

[Udog]

NHL
Hot Lines


Sunday, March 23

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Ice picks: Sunday's best NHL bets
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St. Louis at Chicago (-145, 5 1/2)

A shaky eight-game stretch has dented the Chicago Blackhawks' playoff aspirations with two weeks left in the regular season. They hope a home date with the road-weary St. Louis Blues on Sunday can help bolster their slim postseason chances.

The Blackhawks (35-32-8) have lost six of their last eight games (2-4-2) following a 10-3-1 stretch. Their current run has dropped them into 12th place in the Western Conference, six points behind eighth-place Colorado for the final playoff spot.

Chicago, which has six games remaining, was limited to one point Saturday as it was stopped on two of three shootout attempts in a 2-1 loss at Nashville.

"I'm proud of our guys because they came to work," Blackhawks coach Denis Savard said. "It was a strong effort and that is all that you can ask. We had plenty of chances to get plenty of goals. When you get 38 shots with no power play you've done something pretty good."

Nikolai Khabibulin, who made 33 saves and was beaten on both shootout attempts against the Predators, is expected to be back in net Sunday. The goaltender has been excellent in three games after missing 12 in a row with back spasms. He has stopped 63 of 64 shots while going 1-0-1 in three games - two starts - since returning to the lineup.

Khabibulin is 5-2-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average in his last seven starts against the Blues (30-33-11), including a 20-save performance in a 3-2 road victory on Nov. 3.

The Blackhawks are 3-3-0 this season against the Blues, but have won five of the last six home meetings, including a 6-1 victory on Jan. 16 that was powered by Patrick Kane's goal and two assists.

The 19-year-old rookie, Chicago's leader with 63 points, wasn't as effective in the last matchup between the clubs, going pointless in a 5-1 road defeat on Feb. 19.

The Blues, owners of the second-fewest points in the West, are looking to end a miserable season-high, nine-game road trip on a positive note.

They are 1-6-1 on the trip with the lone victory coming in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout win at Montreal, which snapped a franchise record-tying 10-game road losing streak. St. Louis followed that up two nights later by falling 3-2 at Ottawa as it managed only six shots in the third period.

The Blues have been outscored 11-2 in the final period during the road trip.

Pick: under


New York Islanders at Philadelphia (-220, 5 1/2)

The Philadelphia Flyers were able to break out of a power-play slump in a win over the New York Islanders two weeks ago. Their special teams - and postseason hopes - are in need of yet another boost.

Fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers look to continue their strong play against the Islanders when the teams meet Sunday night.

With seven games remaining, Philadelphia (37-28-10) is hardly assured of returning to the postseason after missing out last year. The Flyers are among several teams vying for one of the final two playoff spots in the East.

Two straight wins have helped the Flyers, who beat the New York Rangers 4-3 in a shootout on Friday night despite going 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Philadelphia has the second-best power-play unit in the league, converting 22.0 percent (79-for-151) of its chances, but is 1-for-17 in its last four games.

The Flyers also were struggling with the man advantage entering their last matchup with the Islanders (33-35-7) on March 8, as they had gone 6-for-63 (9.5 percent) in their previous 15 games. They converted four of seven chances and beat New York 4-1.

Philadelphia is 5-1-0 against the Islanders this season, scoring on 38.5 percent (10-for-26) of its power-play opportunities.

Against the Rangers, the Flyers were good enough at even strength to send the game to a shootout. Danny Briere helped push the game past regulation with two goals in the third period, and Mike Richards and Jeff Carter scored in the shootout to lift Philadelphia.

"I'm hoping that's what is going to get us on a roll," said Briere, who has six goals and four assists in his last 10 games.

Richards also scored in regulation, giving him three goals in his last four games. The third-year center has two goals and two assists in his last three contests versus the Islanders.

Richards and Philadelphia, however, will be facing an Islanders goaltender other than Rick DiPietro for the first time this season. DiPietro, out for New York's remaining seven games after undergoing hip surgery Wednesday, went 1-5-0 with a 3.37 goals-against average against the Flyers.

Wade Dubielewicz has been starting for DiPietro and is coming off perhaps his best game of the season. He made 34 saves as New York snapped a six-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over New Jersey on Friday night.

"We have a lot of young guys out there now and we want to finish the season on a positive note," said Dubielewicz, 2-0-0 with one tie and a 1.82 GAA in three games against the Flyers.

Pick: over

[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel


St. Louis at Chicago
The Blackhawks have won only two of their last eight, but look to pick up a victory against a St. Louis team that has lost seven of its last eight. Chicago is the pick (-145) according to Dunkel, which has the Blackhawks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-145). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Game 51-52: St. Louis at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 10.124; Chicago 11.829
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-145); Over

Game 53-54: NY Islanders at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 9.688; Philadelphia 10.791
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-220); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-220); Over

[Udog]

NBA
Short Sheet


Sunday, March 23rd

San Antonio at Dallas, 1:05 ET ABC
San Antonio: 1-9 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less
Dallas: 39-18 ATS vs. division

Denver at Toronto, 3:35 ET
Denver: 10-1 ATS off BB road games
Toronto: 24-15 Over as a favorite

Detroit at Washington, 8:05 ET
Detroit: 3-16 ATS Away after scoring 85 points or less
Washington: 8-0 Under at home on Sunday

Golden State at LA Lakers, 9:35 ET
Golden State: 10-23 ATS off a home game
LA Lakers: 18-9 ATS playing with revenge

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet


Sunday, March 23rd

St. Louis at Chicago, 3:05 ET
St. Louis: 11-26 SU 2nd half of season
Chicago: 8-3 SU at home vs. St. Louis

NY Islanders at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
NY Islanders: 13-38 SU off road division win
Philadelphia: 7-1 Over on Sunday

** (TC) Denotes Time Change