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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:30 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, March 19

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: First-round matchups at the Big Dance dominate the sports scene, with UConn, Memphis, UNC, and Duke all in action.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA has just three matchups on its schedule for Thursday night as the basketball world focuses on the college game. Starting things off is Dallas at Atlanta at 7:00pm ET, with the Mavericks coming off a 103-101 win over the Pistons on Tuesday night. LeBron James and the Cavaliers then play host to the Trail Blazers in an 8:00pm ET matchup, while Kobe Bryant and the Lakers get a visit from the Warriors at 10:30pm ET. Los Angeles was beaten 94-93 by the Sixers in their last outing Tuesday night, with Bryant being held to just 11 points.

The search for Cinderella . . .

North Carolina is one of two top seeds in action at the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, as they'll see how badly they're able to beat No. 16 Radford in an afternoon contest. The Tar Heels are 26-point favorites in that South Region matchup. Other South games on tap for Thursday: No. 9 Butler vs. No. 8 LSU (-2.5), No. 10 Michigan vs. No. 7 Clemson (-5.5), No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 Gonzaga (-12.5), No. 15 Morgan State vs. No. 2 Oklahoma (-16.5), and No. 12 Western Kentucky vs. No. 5 Illinois (-4.5). The Hilltoppers won their opening game in '08.

The other No. 1 in action on Thursday is Connecticut, which will take on Chattanooga as a 20.5-point favorite in West Region action. Also in that quarter of the bracket on Thursday: No. 15 CSU Northridge vs. No. 2 Memphis (-19.5), No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 8 BYU (-2), No. 12 Northern Iowa vs. No. 5 Purdue (-8), No. 10 Maryland vs. No. 7 California (-1), and No. 13 Mississippi State vs. No. 4 Washington (-5.5). Mississippi State won the SEC Tournament last weekend.

Four East Region games round out the Thursday Madness schedule, with that slate highlighted by No. 2 Duke taking on No. 15 Binghamton. The Blue Devils have been pegged as big 21.5-point favorites. As well, it'll be No. 10 Minnesota vs. No. 7 Texas (-4), No. 14 American vs. No. 3 Villanova (-16.5), and No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 UCLA (-7). The Bruins were upset last week in the Pac-10 tourney.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The Sharks will be looking to bounce back from a loss to the lowly Coyotes on Thursday night when they take on the Predators in one of eight games on the NHL schedule. Also on the slate: Los Angeles at Boston, Montreal at Ottawa, Washington at Tampa Bay, Toronto at Florida, Edmonton at Colorado, and St. Louis at Vancouver, while Phoenix returns to the ice at home against the Ducks.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, the second round of the World Baseball Classic concludes on Thursday night with Korea taking on the winner of Wednesday night's late matchup between Japan and Cuba at San Diego's PETCO Park. Whoever comes out on top in that contest on Thursday will claim top spot in Pool 1. The semifinals of the tournament will take place on Saturday and Sunday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and the World Baseball Classic champion will be decided on March 23.

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:30 AM

Six-pack for Thursday

Some more information on first round NCAA games........

-- According to efficiency ratings I look at, the two worst offensive teams in NCAAs are Stephen F. Austin (242) and Radford (210).

-- Two worst defensive teams: Radford (288), Portland State (200)

-- Fastest-paced first-round games figure to be UNC-Radford (pace of 7/48), Miss St-Washington (92/6), Okla St-Tennessee (34/67)

-- Slowest-paced games figure to be: Temple-Arizona St (260/333), Florida St-Wisconsin (144-344), West Ky-Illinois (187/283).

-- Since 1985, Arizona is 0-7 in NCAA tournament when they're seeded lower than 4th. Thats 0-7 over 25 years. Pretty strong.

-- There are now four postseason basketball tournaments, so 129 of the 344 D-I teams get to participate in a tournament. By the time NCAA games start Thursday, that 129 will be down to 96.

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:31 AM

Thursday's List of 13: Random thoughts on Field of 65......

13) One of the great things about March Madness is that its truly a national event; UCLA-VCU, Arizona State-Temple, Gonzaga-Akron USC-Boston College...........the one game that sticks in my mind was a Montana State-St John's tourney game-- in what other sport would you see a team from New York City playng freakin' Montana State?

12) Unlike football, teams with smaller budgets can compete with the big money teams. Schools like Gonzaga, Marquette, Siena can go up against bigger schools and beat team. Just doesn't take as many guys to win at basketball as it does in football-baseball-hockey.

11) One of the best things about CBS' coverage of the tournament; no Robert M. Knight or Richard Phelps in the studio. Thank God.

10) Its funny when you see people filling out their brackets, and you didn't think they even liked basketball. This might be the #1 argument for not expanding the field; more teams wouldn't fit on one sheet of brackets. Some NCAA tournament pools are for serious money.

9) Filling out my brackets on Facebook was kind of fun; you click on the team name, and it automatically advances that team to next line. Not that I'm easily amused or anything........

8) Wonder if NBA stars like Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard ever regret not having gone to college so they could play in the NCAA tournament? We know they don't regret making all the money they've made, thats understood, but as competitors, maybe it bugs them a bit that they never played in such a popular event.

7) Amazing NIT game Wednesday, as Duquesne erased 13-pt deficit in second half at Virginia Tech, in game Hokies won 116-108 in two overtimes. Dukes' Aaron Jackson was a warrior in his last collegiate game, scoring 46 points in a losing cause.

6) Chances are, we won't hear the word "bubble" all weekend.

5) Best nicknames in the tournament are: Matadors (Cal-Northridge), Zips (Akron), Moccasins (Chattanooga), Sun Devils (Arizona State)

4) Little weird that Arizona, Arizona State both got sent to Miami-- they see good weather every day, send them to Boise or Dayton so they can freeze like the rest of us.

3) Still surprised how tough Pitt's second-round game looks; either Oklahoma State or Tennessee. Tough road for a #1 seed.

2) Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman was Jason Kidd's coach at Cal in early 90's; he wound up in trouble with the NCAA, but he's back now with the MEAC champs, who won at Maryland in January. Its good to see people make the most of a second chance.

1) My last thought before the tournament starts is that there's decent amount of pressure on ACC/Big East teams, to live up to the hype of the regular season. Its time to shut up and play; enjoy the games!!!!

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:32 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 19

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DALLAS (41 - 27) at ATLANTA (40 - 28) - 3/19/2009, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 38-29 ATS (+6.1 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
ATLANTA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games in March games this season.
ATLANTA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 42-27 ATS (+12.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games this season.
ATLANTA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
ATLANTA is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 213-168 ATS (+28.2 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 206-147 ATS (+44.3 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 4-1 straight up against ATLANTA 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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PORTLAND (42 - 25) at CLEVELAND (54 - 13) - 3/19/2009, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 41-26 ATS (+12.4 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 36-21 ATS (+12.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) against Northwest division opponents since 1996.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (24 - 43) at LA LAKERS (53 - 14) - 3/19/2009, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-81 ATS (-23.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 2-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more this season.
LA LAKERS are 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 46-31 ATS (+11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 29-12 ATS (+15.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.

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

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:32 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Thursday, March 19

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won, covered their last six games. Mavericks are 8-4 in last 12 games.
-- Cavaliers won last six games, failed to cover last three. Portland is 8-3 in its last eleven games.
-- Warriors won three of their last four games. Lakers won five of their last seven contests.

Cold Teams
-- None.

Totals
-- Five of last six Atlanta games stayed under the total; nine of last 12 Dallas games went over.
-- Last six Cleveland home games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Golden State games went over the total.

Back-to Back
-- Dallas is 4-0 vs spread playing first of two consecutive nites on road.
-- Warriors are 3-9 vs spread if they play again the next night.

**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:34 AM

NBA

Thursday, March 19

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
DALLAS vs. ATLANTA
Dallas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Atlanta
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. CLEVELAND
Portland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Portland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA LAKERS
Golden State is 1-10 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games when playing Golden State
LA Lakers are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games when playing Golden State

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:35 AM

NBA

Thursday, March 19

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Pick 'n' Roll: Thursday's best NBA bets
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Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (-13, 233)

Golden State has been able to hold its own without starters Andris Biedrins and Jamal Crawford.

Biedrins is expected to miss at least a week with a sprained ankle and head coach Don Nelson has decided to rest Crawford for a couple of nights in favor of a younger lineup.

Despite its revolving lineup, Golden State is 3-1 in its last four overall and is shooting the lights out. It has made 45 percent of its shots in its last five games and is scoring more than 115 points a night in that period.

The Warriors got past the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday and Monta Ellis, who had missed six of the club’s last 10 games, scored a season-high 29 points.

“He (Ellis) took another nice step,” Nelson told reporters. “There’s nothing wrong with being a scoring point guard. He tried to make plays, ran what coach wanted and showed good vision.”

The Lakers, meanwhile, are coming off a home setback and are just 1-3 against the spread (ATS) in their last four overall in L.A.

Pick: Warriors +13

Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks (-5.5, 196.5)

Don’t expect the soaring Hawks to flutter against Dallas.

The Hawks, who have won six straight contests, are the league’s hottest club and are 3½ games ahead of the fifth-place Miami Heat.

The Hawks have picked up their defensive intensity lately as they prepare for the postseason. In its last six, Atlanta has held four of its opponents to less than 90 points and has covered the spread in each of those outings.

“If they hadn’t realized it’s the defense and rebounding that’s been doing that, then we’re fooling ourselves,” Hawks head coach Mike Woodson told reporters. “Because that’s the only way I think you win in this league is to defend and rebound and share it offensively, and these last six games we’ve done that.”

Dallas, meanwhile, is just 1-2 in its last three overall and is 1-2 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) in its last three against the Hawks.

The Hawks are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 at home and the home club is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between them and Dallas.

Pick: Hawks -5.5

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:37 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 19

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LOS ANGELES (29-30-0-10, 68 pts.) at BOSTON (45-16-0-10, 100 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 37-19 ATS (+59.4 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 11-6 ATS (+20.9 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 17-17 ATS (-17.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 115-108 ATS (-48.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 1-0 (+1.4 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 1-0-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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WASHINGTON (44-22-0-6, 94 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (23-32-0-15, 61 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 23-47 ATS (-76.2 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 17-34 ATS (+56.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 11-8 (+4.4 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 11-8-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
13 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+7.6 Units)

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TORONTO (29-29-0-13, 71 pts.) at FLORIDA (34-26-0-10, 78 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 45-62 ATS (-23.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 15-7 ATS (+6.7 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
FLORIDA is 10-4 ATS (+14.2 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
TORONTO is 8-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 22-17 ATS (+47.0 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 13-19 ATS (-14.0 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 210-236 ATS (+533.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
FLORIDA is 100-126 ATS (-57.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 6-5 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 6-5-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.1 Units, Under=-0.0 Units)

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MONTREAL (36-25-0-9, 81 pts.) at OTTAWA (29-30-0-10, 68 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 5-14 ATS (+20.0 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
MONTREAL is 3-12 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
MONTREAL is 41-40 ATS (-18.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 54-40 ATS (+94.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
OTTAWA is 72-83 ATS (-46.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 20-24 ATS (-14.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 34-48 ATS (-53.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 32-41 ATS (-28.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 10-10 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 10-10-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
11 of 19 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.5 Units)

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EDMONTON (33-27-0-9, 75 pts.) at COLORADO (31-38-0-2, 64 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 74-77 ATS (+162.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 41-34 ATS (+82.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 17-13 ATS (+31.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
EDMONTON is 20-16 ATS (+39.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 83-80 ATS (-85.3 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.
COLORADO is 4-13 ATS (-10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 13-8 (+2.7 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 13-8-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
11 of 21 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-2.1 Units)

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ANAHEIM (32-31-0-6, 70 pts.) at PHOENIX (29-35-0-6, 64 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 32-37 ATS (-12.0 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 59-50 ATS (-32.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 2-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
PHOENIX is 28-20 ATS (+58.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 20-30 ATS (+60.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 119-147 ATS (-79.3 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 9-20 ATS (+29.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 8-11 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 11-8-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.5 Units, Under=-1.3 Units)

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ST LOUIS (32-29-0-9, 73 pts.) at VANCOUVER (37-23-0-9, 83 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 18-15 ATS (+37.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
ST LOUIS is 10-5 ATS (+15.8 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
VANCOUVER is 34-39 ATS (-26.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 17-18 ATS (-4.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 7-3 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 7-3-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.7 Units)

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NASHVILLE (35-30-0-5, 75 pts.) at SAN JOSE (45-14-0-10, 100 pts.) - 3/19/2009, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 20-14 ATS (+35.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
SAN JOSE is 17-15 ATS (-21.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 26-28 ATS (-26.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 10-5 (+3.6 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 10-5-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.8 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:38 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Thursday, March 19

Hot teams
-- Washington won four of its last five games.
-- Senators won six of their last seven games.
-- Maple Leafs won three of their last four games.
-- Blues are 10-1 in game that followed their last eleven losses. Canucks won three in row, 11 of last 15 games.

Cold teams
-- Bruins are 6-11 in their last 17 games. Kings lost three in row, and 12 of last 17 contests.
-- Lightning lost 12 of their last 16 games.
-- Panthers lost last four games, scoring total of seven goals.
-- Canadiens lost five of their last seven games.
-- Avalanche lost nine of their last twelve games. Edmonton lost five of its last seven contests.
-- Anaheim is 3-9 in game following its last 12 wins. Coyotes lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Predators lost four of their last six games. Sharks lost six of their last nine games.

Totals
-- Over is 8-3 in Bruins' last eleven games.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Tampa Bay home games.
-- Six of last nine Florida games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Montreal games stayed under the total; seven of last nine Ottawa games went over.
-- Four of last five Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven St Louis games went over the total.
-- Over is 8-4-1 in last thirteen Anaheim games; seven of last ten Coyote games stayed under.
-- Six of last nine Nashville games went over the total; under is 10-3 in last thirteen San Jose games.

Back-to-Back
-- Los Angeles is 2-8 if they play again the next night.
-- Oilers are 5-4 if they play again the next night.
-- Blues are 1-3 playing first of two consecutive nights on road.
-- Ducks are 5-7 if they played the night before.
-- Nashville is 3-3 if it played the night before.

Series Records
-- Visitor won last two Los Angeles-Boston games.
-- Washington won seven of last eight games against the Lightning.
-- Panthers won four of last five games against Toronto.
-- Canadiens won last six games against Ottawa.
-- Avalanche won three of last four games vs Edmonton.
-- Canucks won three of last four games against St Louis.
-- Ducks won four of last five games against Phoenix.
-- Sharks won eight of last nine games against Nashville.

**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:39 AM

NHL

Thursday, March 19

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. BOSTON
Los Angeles is 2-4-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
Los Angeles is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Boston's last 12 games

7:30 PM
MONTREAL vs. OTTAWA
Montreal is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Montreal is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Ottawa
Ottawa is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Montreal
Ottawa is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. FLORIDA
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Florida
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Florida
Florida is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Florida's last 9 games

7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. TAMPA BAY
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Washington's last 19 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games

9:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. COLORADO
Edmonton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Colorado's last 6 games at home
Colorado is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Edmonton

10:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. PHOENIX
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Anaheim is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Phoenix is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Anaheim
Phoenix is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

10:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. VANCOUVER
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Vancouver
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Vancouver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
NASHVILLE vs. SAN JOSE
Nashville is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Nashville's last 9 games when playing San Jose
San Jose is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Nashville
San Jose is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

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**Udog** · 03-19-2009, 06:41 AM

NHL

Thursday, March 19

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Ice picks: Thursday's best NHL bets
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Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers (-215, 6)

The Florida Panthers are slowly watching their playoff hopes slide away thanks to a four game losing streak in which they picked up just two points courtesy of shootout losses. The Panthers’ power-play has struggled over this current four game stretch going just 1-for-13.

The winless slide also coincides with a finger injury to Nathan Horton. Horton, who has 19 goals on the season, isn’t expected to be back until later this month.

The Panthers lost 3-0 to Washington Tuesday night and didn’t record a single shot on goal in the third period.

"We played one period tonight, the second, and you're not going to be anybody - we're not going to beat anybody - playing 20 minutes," Panthers coach Pete DeBoer told the media. "We have to play 60 minutes to compete, just to have a chance to compete with teams. Especially teams like Washington."

Toronto is coming off a remarkable come-from-behind win against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Leafs were trailing 3-0 and ended up winning the game after a long shootout.

"The game got better as it went along and we came back," said Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph, "We had good energy tonight. Sometimes we don't deserve to be in the hockey game, but we deserved everything we got tonight."

In three head-to-head meetings this season, Florida has come away on top all three times. Every game was decided by one goal with two going into a shootout. Toronto will be riding a high after the win in Tampa but Florida really needs these two points.

Pick: Florida

St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks (-182, 5.5)

A 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars moved the 2009 Canucks into the Vancouver records books. The team’s third straight 4-2 win was their tenth consecutive home ice victory.

“No other team has done it wearing a Canucks sweater, so it's good to have your name in the record book," said forward Ryan Kesler, who paced Vancouver with a goal and an assist. "Ten in a row on home ice, that's not easy to do nowadays."

The incentive is certainly there to keep this streak rolling against the Blues. The Canucks have managed to climb their way back into the race for third and fourth in the Western Conference.

"It's nice to catch Chicago," Canucks forward Alex Burrows told reporters. "Obviously they've got some injuries and right now we don't have any injuries. It would be nice to go ahead of them and maybe start catching Calgary for third place."

The St. Louis Blues are smack dab in the middle of things in the ultra-tight Western Conference. The Blues are coming off a 2-1 shootout loss in Edmonton and will be looking to right the ship out on the West Coast. Brad Boyes and Co. are just a few points out of a playoff spot and are 6-3-1 in their last ten.

Both head-to-head meetings this year have finished 6-4 with the home team coming out on top.

Pick: Vancouver

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**pm530** · 03-19-2009, 11:41 AM

NHL
Dunkel Index

Toronto at Florida
The Panthers have dropped four straight and face a Toronto team that has won two in a row. The Leafs are the underdog pick (+180) according to Dunkel, which has Toronto favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+180). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

Game 1-2: Los Angeles at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 10.927; Boston 11.551
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-290); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-290); Under

Game 3-4: Washington at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.015; Tampa Bay 10.934
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-230); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-230); Over

Game 5-6: Toronto at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.993; Florida 10.686
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-215); 6
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+180); Over

Game 7-8: Montreal at Ottawa
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.038; Ottawa 11.826
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-110); Over

Game 9-10: Edmonton at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.240; Colorado 11.494
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Colorado (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-125); Under

Game 11-12: Anaheim at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.044; Phoenix 11.180
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-115); Under

Game 13-14: St. Louis at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 10.938; Vancouver 11.927
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-185); Over

Game 15-16: Nashville at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.260; San Jose 11.001
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-260); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+220); Over

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**pm530** · 03-19-2009, 11:42 AM

NBA
Dunkel Index

Dallas at Atlanta
The Hawks are coming off a 119-97 win over Sacramento and look to build on their 10-4 ATS record after a win by 10 points or more in their previous game. Atlanta is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Hawks favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

Game 701-702: Dallas at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 118.516; Atlanta 126.352
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 8; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 5 1/2; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-5 1/2); Over

Game 703-704: Portland at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 118.893; Cleveland 126.404
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 7 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 9; 186
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+9); Under

Game 705-706: Golden State at LA Lakers
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 114.300; LA Lakers 126.330
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 12; 229
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 13 1/2; 233 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+13 1/2); Under

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**pm530** · 03-19-2009, 11:55 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, March 19

DALLAS at ATLANTA, 7:05 PM ET
DALLAS: 1-15 ATS if committed 11+ turnovers L3 games
ATLANTA: 7-0 ATS at home in March

PORTLAND at CLEVELAND, 8:05 PM ET TNT
PORTLAND: 10-23 ATS Away revenging home loss
CLEVELAND: 22-9 ATS as home favorite

GOLDEN STATE at LA LAKERS, 10:35 PM ET TNT
GOLDEN STATE: 0-10 ATS Away after scoring 110+ points
LA LAKERS: 32-18 ATS vs. division

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Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 3/19 (NBA, NHL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 3/19 (NBA, NHL, Misc.)

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