Announcement

**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:30 AM

Six-pack for Wednesday

-- Last year, Buzz Williams was coach at New Orleans, school riddled by Hurricane Katrina; he quit to become Tom Crean's assistant at Marquette, and now he's a Big East head coach, replacing Crean as the coach at Marquette.

-- David Garrard signed $60M, seven-year deal with Jaguars, who also locked up coach Del Rio last week. Good moves.

-- Jets are moving their practice facility from Long Island to New Jersey, a switch that is probably long overdue.

-- Stanley Cup playoffs open Wednesday; Detroit, top seed in west, is -$600 over Nashville in first round; Montreal, top seed in east, is -$370 to oust Bruins in the opening round.

-- Spurs may have won four NBA titles in nine years, but no back/back titles. Western Conference is going to be quite a gauntlet to run; will survivor beat Celtics or Pistons?

-- As far as the Bill Self/Oklahoma State thing goes, if anyone offers me 3X my current salary to move, I'd be a liar if I said I'd turn it down. You can't criticize Self if he goes to Stillwater.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:31 AM

Wednesday's Armadillo's Den: Checking in on the AL

Orioles-- Off to stunning 6-1 start, scoring 38 runs in a 6-game win streak. Aubrey Huff off to unusually fast start. This is all against Rays-Seattle-Texas, but still, 6-1 is 6-1.

Red Sox-- Matsuzaka allowed three runs in 18.1 IP in first three starts; long term key is going to be Beckett's health. Ortiz is off to sluggish start, hitting .103 with one extra base hit.

White Sox-- Won last five games, allowing 15 runs; Crede has bounced back from back surgery with .393 start (10 RBI). Dye is hitting .429, Pierzynski .458. AL Central appears wide open.

Indians-- Rallied in ninth to grab lead in Anaheim for second straight night Tuesday, on long Hafner homer, just second win in last six games. Five of nine guys who started Tuesday are hitting under .220, four under .180.

Tigers-- Majors' only winless team (0-7) has $138M payroll; it hurts that offensive catalyst Granderson is out, and if pitchers suffer any injuries, they have almost no depth. Very ugly start.

Royals-- Pitching is vastly improved; Burgos-for-Bannister is looking like major steal. Young hitters Gordon/Butler look like they belong in bigs. Even the stadium is getting refurbished.

Angels-- Hunter's walkoff grand slam Monday extended streak to 163 Angel wins in row when they lead after 8th inning, but streak ended Tuesday when Hafner went yard against Speier.

Twins-- Hopefully getting Liriano back soon; how long can the ancient Livan Hernandez carry the staff? Carlos Gomez is off to .333 start, after being acquired in Santana trade. Why isn't the new ballpark going to have a retractable dome?

Bronx-- Why won't they put ARod at short when Jeter is hurt? He's better than Jeter anyway, and they have Ensberg to play third. Only team in American League without a stolen base.

A's-- Fairly tough schedule to open season (Bosox-Tribe-Jays) but they're 4-4, with three one-run losses. Harden's back could be major problem; at least Crosby is playing every day.

Mariners-- Closer Putz is out, so bullpen struggling, and their ace starter Bedard has health issues. Ichiro is hitting the usual .324, but hitters 6-8 Tuesday are hitting .095/.133/.080. Yuk.

Rays-- Hitting .226 as team, getting nothing from top of order; plus, two of their top three starters are hurt. The new uniforms are nice, though- they have that going for them. Cliff Floyd is hurt already, giving them an overpaid stiff platoon in outfield.

Rangers-- Millwood has 1.29 ERA in two starts, but lost both games; Hamilton-Murphy-Broussard all have 15 RBI each. In their four losses, they scored five runs- in three wins, 26 runs.

Blue Jays-- If they really expect to compete with Red Sox and Bronx in AL East, they have to win home games when scoring eight runs. Their offense is topflight, their bullpen has issues.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:32 AM

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up

Wednesday, April 9

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Terms "hot/cold pitchers" is relative, since for the next week or so, it refers to last year, Please keep that in mind.

Hot Pitchers
-- Arizona won four of last five Owings starts. Kuroda won 7-1 in his American debut vs Padres, allowing one run in seven IP.
-- Phillies won four of last five Kendrick starts.
-- Dempster won first '08 start 6-3, allowing two runs in six IP.
-- Braves won James' last four starts LY (2-0, 4.05); he comes off DL to start here.

-- Red Sox are 11-3 in last fourteen Lester starts.
-- Toronto won three of McGowan's last four home starts.
-- Greinke has 1.98 RA in his last eight starts.
-- Trachsel has 2.37 RA in his last three starts. Rangers are 6-2 in last eight Gabbard starts.
-- Danks allowed one run in 6.2 IP at Cleveland in his '08 debut.

Cold Pitchers
-- Duke is 0-3, 6.53 in his last four starts.
-- Olsen has an 11.43 RA in his last eight starts. Bergmann has 5.51 RA in his last five starts.
-- Sampson is 0-2, 7.94 in his last three home starts. Looper has 15.13 RA in his last two road starts.
-- Fogg has 9.72 RA in his last four starts. Bush has 7.77 RA in his last five starts.
-- Redman has 5.14 RA in last four starts; Braves released him LY, after he made five mostly lousy starts for them.
-- Germano is 0-3, 5.85 in his last four starts. Sanchez is 0-4, 8.85 in his last five starts.

-- Angels are 2-5 in Moseley's last seven starts. Byrd is 2-3, 6.62 in his last six starts.
-- Bonderman has 5.91 RA in his last four starts.
-- Mariners lost nine of last twelve Washburn starts. Tampa is 2-12 with Sonnanstine if they score less than seven runs.
-- Kennedy gave up six runs in 2.1 IP in his '08 debut.
-- Baker has a 5.47 RA in his last five starts.

Pitchers vs Teams
-- Owings was 0-1, 6.30 in two starts vs LA LY.
-- Duke was 0-1, 5.91 in two starts vs Cubs LY.
-- Pelfrey lost 5-3 to Phils LY (three runs in five IP). Kendrick won that game, allowing two runs in 6.2 IP.
-- Bergmann was 1-0, 7.15 in two starts vs Nationals LY. Olsen had 5.88 RA in five starts vs Washington LY.
-- Sampson was 1-1, 4.26 vs St Louis LY. Looper was 2-1, 3.28 in his four starts vs Astros LY.
-- Fogg beat Brewers 6-2 LY (two runs in seven IP). Bush had a 12.71 RA in three starts vs Reds LY; they got eight runs off him in 1+ IP last September.
-- James had 6.97 RA in two starts vs Rockies LY.
-- Germano was 1-0, 3.29 in two starts vs Giants LY.

-- Byrd was 0-1, 5.40 in two starts vs Angels LY. Moseley gave up one run in six IP in his only '07 start vs Tribe.
-- Bonderman allowed two runs in eight IP in only '07 start vs Boston, a game Tigers won in extra innings.
-- McGowan was 1-0, 2.25 in two starts vs A's last season.
-- Washburn was 1-1, 4.22 against Tampa LY.
-- Greinke lost 6-3 at home to Bronx LY, allowing three runs in 3.2 IP. Kennedy allowed two runs in five IP vs Royals LY.
-- Gabbard was winning pitcher when Texas crushed Orioles in first game of twinbill LY, 30-3.
-- Danks was 1-2, 5.63 against Minnesota LY. Baker allowed 16 runs in 10 IP in three starts vs Pale Hose LY.

Totals
-- Under is 5-2-1 in first eight Dodger games.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Pittsburgh games this season.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in Phillies' last four games.
-- Over is 6-0-1 in Florida games this season.
-- Under is 7-2 in Houston games this season.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in Reds' last six games.
-- Five of last six Colorado games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in Padre games this season.

-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Cleveland games.
-- Under is 7-1 in last eight Lester starts.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Oakland games.
-- Three of last four Tampa games stayed under the total.
-- Orioles' last three games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of first eight Bronx games stayed under total.
-- Three of last four White Sox games went over the total.

Hot Teams
-- Cubs won last three games, scoring 22 runs.
-- Marlins won three of their last four games.
-- Phillies won their last nine games against the Mets.
-- Brewers won six of their first seven games.
-- Cardinals won six of their last seven games.
-- Arizona won last five games, scoring 39 runs.
-- Padres are 3-0 in game following a loss this season.

-- Angels are 3-0 in game after a loss this season.
-- A's, Toronto both won three of their last four games.
-- Orioles won last six games, scoring 38 runs. Rangers are 3-0 in game after a loss this season.
-- Royals won five of their first seven games.
-- White Sox won last five games, outscoring foes 35-15.

Cold Teams
-- Dodgers lost three of their last four games.
-- Pirates lost three of their last four games.
-- Mets lost four of their last five games, outscored 19-8 in last three contests; they also lost last nine vs Phillies.
-- Nationals lost last five games, allowing 31 runs.
-- Astros lost three of their last four games.
-- Giants lost six of their first eight games.

-- Red Sox lost three of last four games. Detroit is 0-7 to open the season- they scored five runs in last three games.
-- Twins lost five of their last seven games.
-- Mariners lost four of their last five games. Rays lost three in a row, scoring total of six runs.
-- Indians lost four of their last six games.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:33 AM

National Basketball Association – Write up

NBA
Write-up

Wednesday, April 9

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NBA Games

Celtics won last seven games (6-1 vs spread); they are 10-1 in last 11 road games- four of last five games stayed under total, but five of last six Wizard games went over. Washington is 2-1 against Celtics this year, beating them Jan 12,14 by 7,5 points.
Bucks lost at home in OT to Celtics last night, their third loss in row- they're 4-2 vs spread in last six games. Over is 13-5 in Bucks' last 18 games. Raptors lost three in row, 11 of last 15 games-- five of their last six games went over the total.

Cavaliers lost five of last seven games, as they limp towards a playoff berth; they covered one of last six as favorite. Cavs are 0-3 vs Nets this season, losing by 21-8-5 points. New Jersey is 1-4 in last five games- they lost 11 of their last 12 road games.

Chicago lost to the Heat last night; they're 1-3 in last four tilts, 4-9 vs spread in last thirteen, with three of its last four stayng under total. Orlando is 3-5 in last eight games; ten of their last twelve contests stayed under the total.

Pistons lost at home to the Knicks last night; they're 5-1 in last six games, with six of last seven games staying under the total. 76ers won 15 of last 21 games, with three of last four at home staying under total- they did lose their last two home games.

Knicks won last two games, covered seven of last eight; eight of their last 11 games went over total. Home team won both of their games vs Charlotte this year. Bobcats are 6-4 in their last ten games, with four of their last five going over the total.

Hornets were held to 66 points at home by Utah Tuesday, first loss in last six games for NO; four of its last five games stayed under total. Minnesota lost fifth game in row last night (1-3 vs spread in last four) with three of last four going over the total.

Rockets won last three games, by 9-13-26 points, allowing just 77 ppg- three of their last four games stayed under. Houston held Sonics to 66 points in Seattle Friday. Sonics lost six of its last seven; seven of their last nine games stayed under total.

Spurs won nine of last 10 games but scored just 64-72 points in last two; they're 1-2 vs Suns this year, losing by five in Suns' only visit to Alamo-- five of Spurs' last seven games went over total. Phoenix won five of its last seven games.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:34 AM

National Basketball Association – Additional

NBA

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Trend Sheet
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APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

BOSTON vs. WASHINGTON
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston

APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

CHICAGO vs. ORLANDO
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Chicago is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Orlando
Orlando is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Chicago
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago

APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

DETROIT vs. PHILADELPHIA
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Detroit is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit

APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

MILWAUKEE vs. TORONTO
Milwaukee is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games
Milwaukee is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
Toronto is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Toronto is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

NEW JERSEY vs. CLEVELAND
New Jersey is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
New Jersey is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

APRIL 9, 7:30 PM

CHARLOTTE vs. NEW YORK

Charlotte is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing New York
Charlotte is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing New York
New York is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
New York is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games at home

APRIL 9, 8:00 PM

NEW ORLEANS vs. MINNESOTA
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
New Orleans is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans

APRIL 9, 8:30 PM

SEATTLE vs. HOUSTON
Seattle is 5-1-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston
Seattle is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Seattle
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle

APRIL 9, 9:30 PM

PHOENIX vs. SAN ANTONIO
Phoenix is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games
Phoenix is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing Phoenix

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:35 AM

National Hockey League – Long Sheet

NHL
Long Sheet

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Wednesday, April 9

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OTTAWA (43-31-0-8, 94 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (47-27-0-8, 102 pts.) - 4/9/2008, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 43-39 ATS (-21.4 Units) in all games this season.
OTTAWA is 18-26 ATS (-22.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
OTTAWA is 14-17 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a division game this season.
OTTAWA is 7-12 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 47-35 ATS (+0.8 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 27-17 ATS (+1.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 12-4 ATS (+7.2 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 12-5 (+2.8 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 12-5-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.7 Units)

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NY RANGERS (42-27-0-13, 97 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (46-29-0-7, 99 pts.) - 4/9/2008, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 42-40 ATS (-14.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 24-6 ATS (+13.7 Units) in April games over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 12-4 ATS (+7.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NEW JERSEY is 13-19 ATS (-15.8 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NEW JERSEY is 12-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 14-14-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
17 of 22 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+11.2 Units)

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COLORADO (44-31-0-7, 95 pts.) at MINNESOTA (44-28-0-10, 98 pts.) - 4/9/2008, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 46-23 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more since 1996.
COLORADO is 25-20 ATS (+48.0 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 33-13 ATS (+14.6 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 41-35 ATS (+76.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 12-12-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
12 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.1 Units)

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CALGARY (42-30-0-10, 94 pts.) at SAN JOSE (49-23-0-10, 108 pts.) - 4/9/2008, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 10-23 ATS (+33.6 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 19-44 ATS (+77.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 70-41 ATS (+5.3 Units) in April games since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 55-28 ATS (+19.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 26-19 ATS (+0.9 Units) in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 239-228 ATS (-4.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
CALGARY is 13-5 ATS (+18.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 51-57 ATS (-37.7 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 7-11 ATS (-15.0 Units) in home games after a division game this season.
SAN JOSE is 1-5 ATS (+1.0 Units) in home games revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 7-5 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-5-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.9 Units)

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Thursday, April 10

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NASHVILLE (41-32-0-9, 91 pts.) at DETROIT (54-21-0-7, 115 pts.) - 4/10/2008, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 27-8 ATS (+27.0 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
NASHVILLE is 51-46 ATS (+111.4 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 15-9 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 15-9-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
13 of 23 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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BOSTON (41-29-0-12, 94 pts.) at MONTREAL (47-25-0-10, 104 pts.) - 4/10/2008, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 44-80 ATS (+142.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
BOSTON is 41-41 ATS (+86.9 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 18-15 ATS (+39.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
BOSTON is 18-13 ATS (+32.3 Units) after a division game this season.
BOSTON is 14-11 ATS (+32.7 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 20-4 (+15.3 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 20-4-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
12 of 23 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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DALLAS (45-30-0-7, 97 pts.) at ANAHEIM (47-27-0-8, 102 pts.) - 4/10/2008, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 19-32 ATS (-19.3 Units) in road games in April games since 1996.
DALLAS is 53-58 ATS (-35.7 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 28-13 ATS (+9.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
ANAHEIM is 59-36 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 140-130 ATS (+308.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 17-12 ATS (+30.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
DALLAS is 20-12 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 25-12 ATS (+11.9 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
DALLAS is 22-12 ATS (+7.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
DALLAS is 8-2 ATS (+10.1 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
DALLAS is 18-14 ATS (+33.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DALLAS is 27-17 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 15-9 (+5.5 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 15-9-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
12 of 20 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.7 Units)

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Friday April 11

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PHILADELPHIA (42-29-0-11, 95 pts.) at WASHINGTON (43-31-0-8, 94 pts.) - 4/11/2008, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 7-5 (+3.5 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 7-5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.7 Units)

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:36 AM

National Hockey League – Write up

NHL
Write-up

Wednesday, April 9

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2008 NHL playoffs
Opening Round

Senators lost four of last five games, but won last three against Pittsburgh (4-1/4-3/5-4); six of last eight Senator-Penguin tilts went over the total. Six of last seven Pittsburgh games stayed under total; Pens are 11-5 in their last sixteen games, winning last seven home games.

Rangers were 7-1 vs Devils this year, with NJ winning Sunday in SO; four of their eight games went OT- under is 8-4-1 in last 13 Ranger games, 9-2-1 in last twelve games against the Devils. Jersey won four of its last five games; last time teams met in the playoffs, Devils swept Rangers 4-0 two years ago.

Colorado won five of its last six games; over is 4-0-1 in last five games; they're 3-9 in last dozen games vs Minnesota, with last two going into SO. Avalanche lost last five trips to Minnesota. Wild won four of its last five games; under is 3-1-1 in last five. Minnesota won its last six home games.

San Jose lost last two games, but is still 18-4 in last 22; they're 0-3 in last three vs Calgary, all one-goal losses. Calgary is 2-5 in last seven games; seven of Flames' last ten games stayed under total. Calgary is 3-2 in its last five visits to this rink; visitor won three of the four series games this season.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:39 AM

National Hockey League – Previews and Picks

NHL
NHL ~ Previews and Picks

Wednesday, April 9

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NHL playoffs: Eastern Conference series previews & picks
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Boston (8) vs. Montreal (1)

Regular season series: 8-0 Montreal

Series odds: -315 Montreal, Boston +285

This season's been full of surprises for both of these teams. Nobody expected Guy Carbonneau's Canadiens to be heading into the postseason and it's hard to know what you'll get from the Bruins from one game to the next , sometimes dominant, others deplorable.

Montreal has absolutely owned Boston this year, taking all eight meetings between the clubs and it's hard to argue there's any reason for that to change now. Montreal has an excellent coaching staff that knows the ins and outs of playoff hockey, which has this team doing the little things that make all the difference this year.

The Canadiens block shots and kill penalties as well as any team in the league and keep things simple at even strength. And you know the coaching staff is doing something right when it can get Alexei Kovalev back at the top of his game. If captain Saku Koivu is able to return from his broken foot, it'll be a big boost for Montreal, but don't hold your breath.

Meanwhile, Boston can frustrate teams with Claude Julien's tactical, trapping game plan when everything falls in place. The problem is they haven't been able to keep that composure consistently.

The Bruins reeled off six straight wins in one of their better stretches of the season back in February, but then dropped nine of their next dozen. They also have major injury issues. The team hopes to have Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron back sooner rather than later, but that might be wishful thinking even though Bergeron was medically cleared on Monday.

Key handicapping note: Six of the eight meetings between these two teams played over the total, all of which were set at 5 1/2 goals.

Pick: Montreal in six games.

N.Y. Rangers (5) at New Jersey (4)

Regular season series: 7-1 New York

Series odds: New York -115, New Jersey +105

If you're strictly a numbers guy, you'd see New York's 7-1 record against New Jersey and promptly drop a mortgage payment on the Devils. That's where you could be very, very wrong.

Numbers only tell part of the story when it comes to these rival teams and this could end up being the best series we see in the first round.

It took him a while, but Tom Renney was finally able to instill some defensive responsibility with his New York Rangers, who allowed the fourth fewest goals per game in the league this year. The club also has balance in its forward lines with Brandon Dubinsky, Sean Avery and Ryan Callahan providing support for the superstars and decent defensive pairings at the back.

New York's major problem is its power play which converted just 16.3 percent of its opportunities. Basically, it's a case of having too many ballerinas and not enough bouncers when they're up a man. Unless the Rangers can get shots from the point and traffic in front of Martin Brodeur, they're going to be in a world of trouble.

This edition of the Devils is a lot more exciting than the trap-crazy teams we saw years ago. It's not that no-nonsense head coach Brent Sutter doesn't preach defense first, he's just smart enough to know that he'd be stupid not to let a speedy, skilled lineup like this open it up when the opportunity presents itself. Plus, with Brodeur back there, they can afford to gamble every now and then.

The series shakes down to be an absolute seven-game war that could go either way depending on the bounces, with the winning team going a long way in the playoffs.

Key handicapping note: The under is 20-6-6 over the last 32 meetings between these teams.

Pick: Rangers in seven games.

Philadelphia (6) at Washington (3)

Regular season series: 2-2 tie

Series odds: -145 Washington, Philadelphia +135

You can't fault the Washington Capitals for ending up as the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed after a great run down the stretch, but there's no need to handicap them like they're one of the league's elite teams either.

What they do have is a couple of the league's most exciting young players in Alexander Semin, Mike Green, and of course, Alexander Ovechkin. After such a fantastic finish to the regular season, there's a whole lot to be excited about for Capitals bettors.

But are they ready' Did they peak too early just to get into the postseason? Do they have the playoff experience? Will the goaltending hold up? Are they a team that can play hard-nosed, tight-checking playoff hockey? I'm not so sure about any of these questions.

Granted, the Flyers may have to answer some of the same questions themselves, but don't overlook the fact that they did win seven of their last nine to get into the dance, so they're pretty hot too.

What really sets John Stevens' Flyers apart from the Capitals is their grit, depth and special teams play. Philly had six 20-goal scorers in the regular season, the second-best power play in the league, and still managed to scare the bejeesus out of everybody they played.

Key handicapping note: The freewheeling Capitals have allowed just three goals over their last four games, while the Flyers shut out the Penguins and Devils in their final two games of the regular season.

Pick: Flyers in six games.

Ottawa (7) at Pittsburgh (2)

Regular season series: 3-1 Ottawa

Series odds: -255 Pittsburgh, Ottawa +235

Where did it all go wrong for the Ottawa Senators? That's probably one of the first questions Sens coach Bryan Murray will have to answer six games from now.

Ottawa looked poised for another run at the Cup by starting the year 15-2-0, but the success was short lived. From there the Sens ran into a couple key injuries, suffered through a starting goaltender soap opera, fired a head coach, may have contaminated the team's locker room, and eventually slipped into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth.

Things don't look good. You won't see Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson or sparkplug Mike Fisher in the first round after both went down with injuries late last week against the Maple Leafs. That completely bungles any chemistry the forward lines were clinging to.

Can't say the same thing about the Pens. They have two deadly forward lines with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa and Petr Sykora flying around and a power play that's good enough to steal a series with Sergei Gonchar manning the point. That's the stuff everybody mentions when you're talking about the Pens.

What you don't hear very often is how tough this team is and how much it has improved defensively. Pittsburgh has enough veterans to make sure the kids know what they're getting into as the team starts the second season.

Key handicapping note: Pittsburgh has held nine of its last 11 opponents to two or fewer goals.

Pick: Pittsburgh in six games.

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NHL playoffs: Western Conference series previews & picks
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Nashville Predators (8) vs. Detroit Red Wings (1)

Series price: Nashville +440, Detroit -480

Season series: Red Wings 5-3 (two wins came in OT or shootout)

When you look on paper, Wings fans are saying "see you in the second round." Unfortunately, Wings fans should know better than anyone that games aren't played on paper.

The Wings won the President's Trophy as the NHL's best team this season and everywhere you look in the stats, they rank in the top five. That includes scoring (3), goals against (1), power play (3), and ATS (against the spread) winnings (3).

The Wings have 10 players with at least 30 points this year led by Pavel Datsyuk (98 points) and they roll four strong lines at you all night. The blueline is anchored by possibly the best in the game, Niklas Lidstrom, and the recent pickup of Brad Stuart at the trade deadline won't hurt matters once he returns from a hand injury.

But this Nashville team is dangerous. They have strong goaltending for one. Dan Ellis and Chris Mason may have limited playoff experience, but Ellis led the league in save percentage this season (.924) and he finished third in shutouts with six.

Another reason to worry about the Preds is their physical play. These guys love to hit. They don't complicate matters on offense and they just throw the puck into the corner and pound you until it squirts out.

The third reason they're dangerous is they are the No. 2 penalty killing team in the league. If they can limit Detroit's production on the power play ' and Detroit will get its ****** , they have a chance.

The X-factor in this series is Detroit's injuries. Stuart, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby are all banged up and the team recently lost a hugely improved Thomas Kopecky for the season.

Key handicapping factor: Detroit is 1-7 on the puckline this season on three or more days of rest. The first game goes in Detroit on Thursday, four days after their last game of the season.

Pick: Red Wings in six games

Calgary Flames (7) vs. San Jose Sharks (2)

Series price: Calgary +275, San Jose -300

Season series: 4-4 (two Calgary wins came in overtime)

For those who believe the Flames will advance to the second round, the theory goes: hit the Sharks, beat the Sharks.

It seems that some feel just because San Jose has speed, it doesn't have grit. Not so, and if Calgary thinks it can beat the Sharks into submission, this series won't last long.

San Jose can flat-out skate and the acquisition of Brian Campbell at the trade deadline added a two-way defenseman who can kickstart the breakout, something the Sharks needed.

Joe Thornton leads the 10th-best power play in the league and the Sharks own the best penalty killing unit that can also score on you in a hurry with one misguided pass. Perhaps no team scores better in transition than the Sharks also, who use their speed and long passes through the neutral zone to catch teams on their heels.

The Flames bring some confidence into this series knowing they won the last three meetings with San Jose. You'd think they would beat the Flames by keeping the score low but the two most recent meetings saw 16 combined goals.

Calgary has some firepower with guys like Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay, so you don't want to get careless in your own end. The Flames actually average more goals per game this year with 2.8 compared to the Sharks' 2.6.

This series could come down to goaltending with Mikka Kiprusoff for Calgary and Evgeni Nabokov for San Jose. Both played 77 games this season and had eerily similar numbers, with the slight nod going to Nabokov due shutouts (six) and save percentage (.910).

Key handicapping factor: Don't get too excited if San Jose jumps out to a fast start and you bet the Sharks. No team has more losses (8) when leading after one period. The good news? No team has more wins when leading after two (35).

Pick: Sharks seven games

Colorado Avalanche (6) vs. Minnesota Wild (3)

Series price: Colorado +100, Minnesota -110

Season series: 5-3 Minnesota (one shootout win for Colorado, one for Minny)

In mid-March I traveled to Minnesota to see the Wild take on the Avs, which I discussed in this blog. Based on what I saw, we can expect more of two things in the playoffs in this series: unders and home victories.

The home team went 7-1 in this series this season and the under went 6-2 and it's with good reason.

Minnesota has some of the most passionate fans of any sport I have ever seen. There were more jerseys per fan in the building than you'll likely find in the league and this is an arena built for hockey that can blow your eardrums out after goals. From what I've heard, Denver's Pepsi Center isn't far behind when it comes to cheering on the home team.

Minnesota rides the crowd to play its defensive style to perfection and it's no surprise the under is 12-18 in Wild home games compared to 18-17 in away games. It's tough to get a sniff around the net and Niklas Backstrom makes more saves than not when you get a chance.

The best player on the ice for Colorado, besides Joe Sakic, was Ryan Smyth. It seemed every time he was on the ice, he made something happen and the Avs need more of that. He's one of those guys who drives you crazy because he loses the puck five times in a rush, but it somehow always ends up back on his stick.

Teams have been all over Peter Forsberg , who returned around the trade deadline , and he hasn't looked like the old Forsberg since his return. That means the Avs need offense to come from other places and youngster Paul Stastny will have to come into this series playoff-ready.

Colorado has the third-worst power play in the league and Minnesota has the seventh-best, so the Avs can't afford to get into penalty trouble. Jose Theodore needs a huge series to help his club out because the blueline is not the strength for this club.

Minnesota also got some bad news when it lost Nick Schultz to an appendectomy recently. That means the Wild are without two of their top defenseman, the other being Kurtis Foster.

Stick to home teams and unders in this series and you should come out OK.

Key handicapping factor: The last eight meetings in this series in Minnesota have gone under the total.

Pick: Minnesota seven games

Dallas Stars (5) vs. Anaheim Ducks (4)

Series price: Dallas +190, Anaheim -210

Season series: 5-3 (one shootout win by Anaheim)

It's not often you see a team favored this heavily to win a 4-5 series. It's also not often a team as good as the Ducks finish fourth in the conference.

The Ducks started slowly to the year after traveling to London for a season opening series with the Kings. The miles from that and a long Stanley Cup run seemed to catch up to them. Then Scott Neidermayer came out of retirement in the second half and Teemu Selanne returned too.

Once again, everyone in hockey circles seem to be labeling Anaheim as the scariest team in hockey and it finished the season on an 8-2 run. It's almost not fair.

The Ducks have two of the best defensemen in the league in Chris Pronger and Neidermayer. They have scorers for days and Jean-Sebastien Giguere is a former Conn Smythe winner. Oh yeah , and the Ducks are huge and nasty as heck to boot.

But playoffs are exciting because of the unexpected upsets and this is one I have a hunch about. The Stars didn't beat the Ducks in the season series for no reason and this is one opponent I'd be nervous of in the first round.

Dallas is a sound defensive club with a tough goaltender in Marty Turco. The Stars also added some offensive spunk when they picked up a former Conn Smythe winner of their own, Brad Richards, in one of the biggest trade deadline deals.

Richards is questionable for Game 1 with an upper body injury, along with Mike Ribeiro, who should be back after suffering from the flu. They'll need both players to be at their best to play into May.

Dallas has a better power play and a better penalty killing unit than Anaheim this season. The Stars have also made far more money for bettors at 42-40 ATS. But this one will come down to who wants it more.

Anaheim comes in as the hotter club with an 8-2 record, but Dallas comes in a little angry. The Stars finished the season with a fiery 4-2 win over San Jose and they should carry that edge into Game 1.

Key handicapping factor: Anaheim has allowed 1.8 goals over its last 10. Dallas has allowed 3.1 over the same span.

Pick: Dallas in six games

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:40 AM

National Hockey League - Gameday

NHL
Gameday

Wednesday, April 9

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NHL Gameday
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Wednesday NHL Gameday

The quest for the Stanley Cup gets underway on Wednesday night, with playoff games in New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and San Jose. Here is your NHL Gameday . . .

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils, 7:00pm ET

The Devils locked up home-ice advantage in this series with a shootout win over the Rangers in their final game of the regular season. New Jersey enters the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, while New York will settle for the No. 5 seed. Is that slight difference going to play a role in the eventual outcome of this first-round set?

Maybe not, since the Rangers beat the Devils three times in New Jersey during the regular season. In fact, New Jersey's home win over their rival to close out the regular season was the only time all year that they'd beaten the Rangers. Jaromir Jagr and company went 4-0 against New Jersey at home this past season, and 3-1 against them on the road. Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist played in each of those eight games.

Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:00pm ET

The Senators knocked the Penguins out of the playoffs last season in the first round, and they'll be trying to turn that same trick this year. However, the Sens definitely aren't entering the postseason on a roll, and they're missing captain Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher (both are out indefinitely). The Pens, who are the East's No. 2 seed, will be looking to ride offensive stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin past the No. 7 Senators.

Ottawa, though, had a lot of success against the Pens during the regular season. The Senators fell 6-5 to Pittsburgh when the teams first met back in November in Canada's capital, but Ottawa has won each of the past three matchups between the two clubs. Pens netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has played just 11 minutes against Ottawa this year.

Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild, 9:00pm ET

The Wild compiled a 6-2-2 record over their final 10 regular-season games to clinch first place in the Northwest Division, while the Avalanche ended up three points behind them in second place. That makes Minnesota the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs, while Colorado will begin the postseason as the No. 6 seed.

And the Wild will be happy to have that home-ice advantage against the Avs in the first round, as they went 4-0 against Colorado in their own building during the regular season. The Avalanche managed to beat the Wild three out of the four times they played at the Pepsi Center in Denver, losing 3-2 at home on January 24. Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom dueled three times during the season, with Backstrom going 3-0.

Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks, 10:00pm ET

The Flames played just .500 hockey over their final 10 games of the regular season, which dropped them into seventh place in the Western Conference standings and set up this first-round matchup with the Sharks. San Jose, the No. 2 seed, took control of the Pacific Division after the trade deadline, and they're 7-2-1 over their past 10 games.

Calgary, though, was trouble for San Jose during the regular season, as Jarome Iginla and company won three of the four games between these two teams. The Sharks' lone victory came on the road way back on October 22; since then the Flames have beaten San Jose once at home and two more times on the road. Those three straight wins were all close, however, as Calgary just edged San Jose by a single goal each outing.

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 04:41 AM

National Hockey League – Additional

NHL

Wednesday, April 9

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Trend Sheet
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APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

NY RANGERS vs. NEW JERSEY
NY Rangers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the NY Rangers last 15 games
New Jersey is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
New Jersey is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing NY Rangers

APRIL 9, 7:00 PM

OTTAWA vs. PITTSBURGH
Ottawa is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Ottawa is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Ottawa
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

APRIL 9, 9:00 PM

COLORADO vs. MINNESOTA
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Colorado
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

APRIL 9, 10:00 PM

CALGARY vs. SAN JOSE
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games on the road
San Jose is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Calgary
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 08:18 AM

National Hockey League - Dunkel Index

NHL
Dunkel Index

NY Rangers at New Jersey
The Rangers look to steal one in New Jersey tonight against a Devils team that lost six of its last 10 to end the regular season. New York is the underdog pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored straight up by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+105). Here are all of today's games.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

Game 1-2: Ottawa at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.220; Pittsburgh 11.586
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-200); Over

Game 3-4: NY Rangers at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.276; New Jersey 10.831
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-125); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+105); Under

Game 5-6: Colorado at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.886; Minnesota 12.095
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-130); Over

Game 7-8: Calgary at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 11.106; San Jose 12.032
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-200); 5
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-200); Under

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 08:20 AM

Major League Baseball - Dunkel Index

MLB
Dunkel Index

NY Yankees at Kansas City
The Yankees were handcuffed by Brian Bannister yesterday and have to turn around and face Zack Greinke, who gave up only one run over seven innings in his first start against Detroit. New York counters with rookie Ian Kennedy, who was shaky in his first start against the Rays (6 runs in 2 1/3 innings). The Royals are the underdog pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has Kansas City favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+110). Here are all of today's games.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

Game 951-952: LA Dodgers at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kuroda) 14.990; Arizona (Owings) 16.435
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-105); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-105); Over

Game 953-954: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Dempster) 14.948; Pittsburgh (Duke) 14.758
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-125); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-125); Over

Game 955-956: Philadelphia at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Kendrick) 15.031; NY Mets (Pelfrey) 15.089
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-135); Under

Game 957-958: Florida at Washington
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Olsen) 14.242; Washington (Bergmann) 15.143
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-130); Over

Game 959-960: St. Louis at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Looper) 15.817; Houston (Sampson) 14.852
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Houston (-110); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+100); Under

Game 961-962: Cincinnati at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Fogg) 14.674; Milwaukee (Bush) 15.869
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-155); 10
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-155); Under

Game 963-964: Atlanta at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (James) 15.462; Colorado (Redman) 14.485
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-115); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-115); Under

Game 965-966: San Diego at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Germano) 14.806; San Francisco (Sanchez) 13.963
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-130); Over

Game 967-968: Cleveland at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Byrd) 14.732; LA Angels (Moseley) 14.870
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-120); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-120); Under

Game 969-970: Detroit at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Bonderman) 13.913; Boston (Lester) 15.380
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 10
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-125); Under

Game 971-972: Oakland at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Smith) 15.335; Toronto (McGowan) 16.368
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Toronto (-170); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-170); Over

Game 973-974: Seattle at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Washburn) 14.956; Tampa Bay (Sonnanstine) 15.410
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-115); Over

Game 975-976: Baltimore at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Trachsel) 15.709; Texas (Gabbard) 15.395
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: Texas (-155); 10
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+145); Over

Game 977-978: NY Yankees at Kansas City
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Kennedy) 15.014; Kansas City (Greinke) 15.777
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-120); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+110); Under

Game 979-980: Minnesota at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Baker) 14.843; White Sox (Danks) 15.745
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-140); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-140); Under

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**pm530** · 04-09-2008, 08:24 AM

Major League Baseball – Additional

MLB

Wednesday, April 9

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Trend Sheet
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APRIL 9, 3:35 PM

CLEVELAND vs. LA ANGELS
Cleveland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home

APRIL 9, 3:40 PM

LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
LA Dodgers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Arizona
LA Dodgers are 7-15 SU in their last 22 games
Arizona is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
Arizona is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games at home

APRIL 9, 7:05 PM

CHI CUBS vs. PITTSBURGH
Chi Cubs are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Chi Cubs's last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
Pittsburgh is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs

APRIL 9, 7:05 PM

DETROIT vs. BOSTON
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Detroit is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Boston is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

APRIL 9, 7:07 PM

OAKLAND vs. TORONTO
Oakland is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games
Oakland is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Toronto is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Oakland
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oakland

APRIL 9, 7:10 PM

FLORIDA vs. WASHINGTON
Florida is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Florida's last 11 games on the road
Washington is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Florida
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Washington's last 21 games when playing at home against Florida

APRIL 9, 7:10 PM

PHILADELPHIA vs. NY METS
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
NY Mets are 1-10 SU in its last 11 games at home
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

APRIL 9, 7:10 PM

SEATTLE vs. TAMPA BAY
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Seattle is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games when playing Seattle
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle

APRIL 9, 8:05 PM

BALTIMORE vs. TEXAS
Baltimore is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Texas is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

APRIL 9, 8:05 PM

CINCINNATI vs. MILWAUKEE
Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Cincinnati is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Milwaukee is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Cincinnati
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

APRIL 9, 8:05 PM

ST. LOUIS vs. HOUSTON
St. Louis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
St. Louis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

APRIL 9, 8:10 PM

NY YANKEES vs. KANSAS CITY
NY Yankees are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Kansas City
NY Yankees are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games at home
Kansas City is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

APRIL 9, 8:11 PM

MINNESOTA vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Minnesota is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games at home
Chi White Sox are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games

APRIL 9, 8:35 PM

ATLANTA vs. COLORADO
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Colorado is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Colorado is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games

APRIL 9, 10:15 PM

SAN DIEGO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
San Diego is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing San Francisco
San Francisco is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing San Diego
San Francisco is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Diego

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**Udog** · 04-09-2008, 08:55 AM

NBA

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Pick 'n' roll: Wednesday's best NBA bets
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Seattle vs. Houston (-16 1/2, 194)

The rebuilding SuperSonics (18-60) don't qualify as a really good team. They've lost 21 of their last 24 to fall into last place in the West, including a 99-83 defeat at Dallas on Tuesday night.

Sonics rookie Kevin Durant, shooting 49.8 percent from the field in his last 19 games, was just 2-for-17 in a 79-66 home loss to the Rockets on Friday. He missed his first eight attempts, and finished with a season-low four points.In addition to being the lowest point total allowed by Houston, Seattle's 66 points were a season low and the third-lowest point total in franchise history

Pick: under 194

Phoenix vs. San Antonio (-6, 199 1/2)

The Spurs, who've won five straight and 12 of 13 at home, rebounded from a dismal offensive effort with a 72-65 win at Portland on Sunday. In its previous game, San Antonio had lost 90-64 to Utah, meaning its two lowest point totals of the season came in the last two games.

But the team's signature defense seems to be tightening just as the playoffs approach. The Spurs have held their last 11 opponents under 100 points, with those teams averaging just 86.1 points and shooting 40.7 percent from the field.

But the Suns have won two of the first three in the series this season, including a 100-95 win at San Antonio in December and a 94-87 win exactly one month ago.

Pick: under

Announcement

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 04/09

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 04/09

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