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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:08 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Wednesday, October 28

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Magic open their season against the Sixers, and the Yankees and Phillies begin the World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The World Series gets underway on Wednesday night, with the Yankees hosting the Phillies in Game 1 of the seven-game set. Cliff Lee will get the ball for Philadelphia in the opener; the lefthander pitched once in the NLCS against the Dodgers, throwing eight shutout innings and giving up three hits while fanning 10 batters. Philly has won all three of Lee's playoff outings. The Yankees counter with lefthander CC Sabathia, who is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in three playoff outings.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA offers up a dozen games on Wednesday night as the regular season begins in earnest, including Philadelphia at Orlando. The Magic picked up G Vince Carter in the offseason as they try to take one more step this year and win the NBA Championship; Carter averaged 20.8 points per game last season for the Nets. Orlando, which will be without the suspended Rashard Lewis until November 16, is pegged as the 8.5-point home favorite for Wednesday's game.

Elsewhere on the pro hardwood on Wednesday: Indiana at Atlanta, Cleveland at Toronto, Charlotte at Boston, New York at Miami, Sacramento at Oklahoma City, New Orleans at San Antonio, New Jersey at Minnesota, Detroit at Memphis, Phoenix at the Clippers, Houston at Golden State, and Utah at Denver. The oddsmakers like the Nuggets over the division-rival Jazz, as they're listed as the 6.5-point home favorites. Denver G J.R. Smith is suspended until November 10.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, the National Hockey League has 10 games on tap for Wednesday night, including the Rangers at the Islanders. The Rangers are coming off a 5-2 home win over the Coyotes on Monday night, with Marian Gaborik scoring twice before limping off the ice with an injury. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 30 of 32 Phoenix shots. The Islanders fell 3-2 in overtime to the Canadiens on Monday night, with Jeff Tambellini scoring both of the team's goals. Martin Biron stopped 28 shots.

Also on the ice on Wednesday: St. Louis at Carolina, Phoenix at Columbus, Buffalo at New Jersey, Ottawa at Florida, Nashville at Minnesota, Toronto at Dallas, Colorado at Calgary, Los Angeles at San Jose, and Montreal at Pittsburgh. The Canadiens got goals from Jaroslav Spacek and Travis Moen in regulation against the Islanders, while Roman Hamrlik potted the OT winner. Jaroslav Halak started in nets for Montreal, stopping 29 of the 31 New York shots.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:08 AM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Wednesday, October 28

A vote for Pedro

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced Tuesday that Pedro Martinez will start Game 2 of the World Series. Martinez is 1-1 with a no-decision in his last three starts against the New York Yankees, all as a member of the New York Mets. In the 2004 ALCS with Boston, Martinez was 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in three appearances vs. the Yankees. He has made one start in this postseason, tossing seven scoreless innings vs. Los Angeles. By pitching Game 2, Martinez would be able to pitch Game 6 on an extra day of rest.

Ready for liftoff?

When the Houston Rockets visit the Golden State Warriors, they will be looking to extend a pair of streaks. The Rockets have won the previous six meetings, going 5-1 against the spread. Houston also is 4-1 against the spread in the second of back-to-back road games, dating to December. The Rockets are getting 6.5 points with a total of 216.5.

Grounded

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook may miss Sunday night's key NFC East game vs. the New York Giants with a concussion suffered Monday night at Washington, the Philadelphia Daily News reported. Westbrook sat out Week 3 with an ankle injury and has just 81 yards on 15 carries since. He would be replaced by LeSean McCoy, who actualy leads the Eagles in rushing yards. Philadelphia is giving one points with a total of 44.

Road warriors

The Buffalo Sabres put their 3-0-0 road mark on the line against the New Jersey Devils. The Sabres have allowed just four goals on the road this season, offsetting a road power play that ranks 29th. They also have won their last two visits to New Jersey. Buffalo is +112 with a total of 5.5.

Howling Wolf

The Minnesota Timberwolves will have center Al Jefferson for their season opener vs. the New Jersey Nets. Jefferson had been bothered by an Achilles tendon injury but has been pain free lately. Last season was shortened by a torn Achilles tendon. The Timberwolves are giving two points - just the second time in the last 20 games that they are favored - and are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 meetings with New Jersey.

Notable quotable

"It’s just weird because a couple years ago we were talking about maybe pitching in a World Series together. Now we’re in different clubhouses. We’re close. You know, we always have been. We came up together."

-- New York Yankees lefthander C.C. Sabathia, on his friendship with Philadelphia Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee. The two were teammates and good friends for six years in Cleveland.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:09 AM

Six-pack for Wednesday

-- As if things couldn't get worse, Redskins' TE Chris Cooley broke a bone in his ankle and is out for at least a month.

-- Phillies took the train to New York Monday; when was last time a World Series team took the train to a road game?

-- Bud Selig's sport needs a good World Series; the last five Series all lasted five or less games.

-- 8 of the 12 SEC basketball teams return 4 or 5 starters this year, so that figures to be a very strong league this winter.

-- Home underdogs in college football were 4-13 vs spread last week.

-- When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was on Jeopardy, he lost to the guy who played Lenny on Laverne and Shirley. Not good.

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

13) If you're a Cleveland Indian fan, you're excused from watching the World Series Wednesday, since Lee/Sabathia matchup is two pitchers who were on the Indians until July '08. It is the first time two reigning Cy Young winners were traded in consecutive seasons. So of course the Tribe fired manager Eric Wedge-- it had to be his fault, right?

12) Every NFL team has a scouting board where they rank prospects, just like all college teams have a board for HS/JC kids; wouldn't it be a lot of fun to see your favorite team's draft board, just to know what’s on their mind for next April?

11) Carolina Panthers need a franchise QB, but don't have a first round pick in next April's draft, the strongest in years. Whoops.

10) Irony of the BCS system is that once you beat a team, then you're really rooting for that team, since their wins make you look better. For example, every game Oregon wins makes Boise State look better.

9) Glad to see the NBA resolve the differences with its officials.

8) Oregon State's basketball team is making the long trip to Washington DC for the second year in a row, a not-too-subtle reminder of who the Oregon State coach is related to........the President of the United States.

7) My dad and I disagree about how much grief Mark McGwire will be getting from the media next spring/summer. I say he'll have a few really unpleasant days-- my dad says people have moved on. We'll see.

6) Interesting item from Detroit, where Lions' coach Jim Schwartz put a lot more free weights in the Detroit weight room, trying to get his team to be physically stronger. He said they'd been pushed around in past.

5) The Titans are 0-6, lost their last game 59-0 but are favored to win on Sunday against a Jacksonville team they already lost to once. Go figure.

4) NFL home underdogs are 7-15 vs spread in non-division games, 7-6 in division games......home favorites are 8-13 vs spread in division games, 25-19 in non-divisional contests. Just thought you'd like to know.

3) Odd stat of the week: If you look at NFC North teams' home games against non-division opponents, the underdog is 6-0 vs spread in those games. Look at their road games- the underdog is 0-9 vs spread there.

2) Rutgers' basketball team plays its first ten games on road; their first away game is a Dec 28 lo--- I mean game at North Carolina.

1) In a perfect world, Michael Jordan would tell his son to wear what his teammates wear at Central Florida and play in Adidas sneakers, and of course, Adidas would tell Central Florida it’s OK if Marcus Jordan wore Nikes. But this world being what it is, neither is likely to happen.

From: Armadillo
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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:10 AM

Len’s Top Five

Wednesday, October 28

Len's Top 5

Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 28, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

Game 1 of the World Series is tonight, Phillies @ Yankees 7:57pm ET FOX

The IOC will convene a medical conference to deal with the thorny issue of gender identification.

In a new autobiography, Andre Agassi admits to using crystal meth while he was on tour in 1997. Not surprisingly he didn't win a major that year.

Here's how not to make friends and influence people. Do what Kansas City running back Larry Johnson did. He criticized his coach on twitter and used gay slurs. Needless to say he's been barred from the team.

2. The Fall Classic

Bunting in the Bronx. George Steinbrenner in the house. Here we go with the World Series. If you think this is rough for Mets fans, subscriber Pete E. wrote, "How do you think Indians fans feel about the series? CC for the Yankees and Cliff Lee for the Phillies. (Tonight's starting pitchers.) The Indians had both and now one of them is going to win the World Series." And Pete says Indians prospects stink because of the economic nature of things.

The Yanks are # 1 in payroll, the Phillies # 7. The only "low rent" team to make the postseason in 2009 was the Twins. The money gap continues to be a major flaw in baseball.

3. Belt Tightening

As I mentioned yesterday the new NBA season arrives without being recession proof. Many NBA teams are not hiring the maximum 15 players for their roster. Several teams have cut the number of assistant coaches. Now bah, humbug. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Cleveland Cavaliers are sending Christmas cards by email. They'll save
$40-thousand. Or the amount of money LeBron James makes playing 10 minutes of any single game.

4. Welcome Back Brett

This Sunday, long time Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre will return to town to face his old team as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. The Mayor of Green Bay is asking for "tasteful" suggestions on how to welcome him back. Since Favre can never make up his mind, suggestions have ranged from making the world's largest waffle with the No. 4 on it, to total silence when he comes onto the field. I thought the suggestion of wearing flip flops was pretty cool. Especially if it's as cold as that Packer/Giant game a couple of years back. (The coldest I've ever been in my life.)

5. Happily Wedded Bli$$

Thank you TMZ. I can now sleep at night knowing that Lamar Odom of the Lakers and Khloe Kardashian have a prenup. Odom's $33-million from the Lakers is "out of bounds." And Khloe won't be getting Lakers tickets from her husband. Sounds like this marriage is off to a solid start.

Happy Birthday: 1976 Olympic Decathlon winner Bruce Jenner. 60.
Bonus Birthday: Pretty Woman. Actress Julia Roberts. 42.

Today in Sports: The Atlanta Braves win their first and only World Series. 1995.
Bonus Event: Ground is broken for the new Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium. It could have been called "The Flush" but they liked the name Shea Stadium better. 1961.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:12 AM

This Day in Baseball

On October 28 in Baseball History...

1953 - Red Barber resigns from the Dodgers broadcast booth and takes a job with the rival New York Yankees.

1954 - Major league owners vote down the sale of the Athletics to a Philadelphia syndicate. A week later Arnold Johnson buys a controlling interest in the Athletics from the Mack family for $3.5 million and moves the team to Kansas City.

1958 - Construction began on the new ballpark for the Giants in San Francisco. The rocks in the area resembled candlesticks.

1981 - The Los Angeles Dodgers, behind Pedro Guerrero's five RBIs, beat the New York Yankees, 9-2, to win the World Series in six games.

1961 - Ground is broken for the Flushing Meadows stadium, the future home of the New York Mets.

1979 - George Steinbrenner announces that Billy Martin is fired (again) as a result of his barroom fight with a marshmallow salesman. Dick Howser is named to replace Martin.

1989 - The Oakland Athletics completed a sweep of San Francisco in the World Series with a 9-6 win over the Giants.

1995 - The Braves won their first World Series since moving to Atlanta with a 1-0 win over Cleveland in Game 6. Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers combined on a one-hitter and David Justice homered in the sixth inning.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:14 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

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Wednesday, October 28
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PHILADELPHIA (43 - 45) at ORLANDO (72 - 34) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 62-44 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 80-58 ATS (+16.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 7-6 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (36 - 46) at ATLANTA (51 - 42) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CLEVELAND (76 - 20) at TORONTO (33 - 49) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 57-38 ATS (+15.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 51-30 ATS (+18.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 32-48 ATS (-20.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 5-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 6-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHARLOTTE (35 - 47) at BOSTON (69 - 27) - 10/28/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 116-86 ATS (+21.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 6-1 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 5-2 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (32 - 50) at MIAMI (46 - 43) - 10/28/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 47-34 ATS (+9.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 20-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 4-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 4-3 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (39 - 47) at MEMPHIS (24 - 58) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 34-52 ATS (-23.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

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

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SACRAMENTO (17 - 65) at OKLAHOMA CITY (23 - 59) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 4-3 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 4-3 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (50 - 37) at SAN ANTONIO (55 - 32) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 36-50 ATS (-19.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 8-7 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-7 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (34 - 48) at MINNESOTA (24 - 58) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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UTAH (49 - 38) at DENVER (64 - 34) - 10/28/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 58-39 ATS (+15.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 38-25 ATS (+10.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 5-3 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 5-3 straight up against DENVER 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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HOUSTON (60 - 35) at GOLDEN STATE (29 - 53) - 10/28/2009, 10:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 6-2 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (46 - 36) at LA CLIPPERS (19 - 63) - 10/28/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 32-50 ATS (-23.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 31-51 ATS (-25.1 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 4-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 7-1 straight up against LA CLIPPERS 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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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:15 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, October 28

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PHILADELPHIA at ORLANDO, 7:00 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA: 8-4 ATS Away if the total is between 195 and 199.5
ORLANDO: 33-17 Under as home favorite

INDIANA at ATLANTA, 7:00 PM ET
INDIANA: 15-8 Over at Atlanta
ATLANTA: 50-40 ATS in home games

CLEVELAND at TORONTO, 7:00 PM ET
CLEVELAND: 14-4 ATS vs. Atlantic Division
TORONTO: 7-18 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points

CHARLOTTE at BOSTON, 7:30 PM ET
CHARLOTTE: 7-11 ATS as DD dog
BOSTON: 32-17 Over in home games

NEW YORK at MIAMI, 7:30 PM ET
NEW YORK: 25-13 ATS as road dog
MIAMI: 8-2 Over if total is 210 or higher

DETROIT at MEMPHIS, 8:00 PM ET
DETROIT: 19-31 ATS as home favorite
MEMPHIS: 8-0 Under if home dog is 3pts or less

SACRAMENTO at OKLAHOMA CITY, 8:00 PM ET
SACRAMENTO: 14-7 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points
OKLAHOMA CITY: 26-15 Under at home

NEW ORLEANS at SAN ANTONIO, 8:00 PM ET ESPN
NEW ORLEANS: 5-16 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points
SAN ANTONIO: 166-126 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points

NEW JERSEY at MINNESOTA, 8:00 PM ET
NEW JERSEY: 7-13 ATS vs. Northwest Division
MINNESOTA: 13-7 ATS vs. Atlantic Division

UTAH at DENVER, 10:30 PM ET ESPN
UTAH: 20-6 Over as road underdog
DENVER: 10-1 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points

HOUSTON at GOLDEN STATE, 10:30 PM ET
HOUSTON: 18-25 ATS vs. Pacific Division
GOLDEN STATE: 54-28 Over in home games

PHOENIX at LA CLIPPERS, 10:30 PM ET
PHOENIX: 48-34 Over last season
LA CLIPPERS: 11-24 ATS when the line is +3 to -3

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:15 AM

NBA
Write-up

Wednesday, October 28

NBA writeups will start when teams get a few games under their belt, probably early next week.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:16 AM

NBA

Wednesday, October 28

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. TORONTO
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Cleveland is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Toronto is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Toronto is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Cleveland

7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Indiana is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games at home

7:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ORLANDO
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Orlando is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Orlando is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:30 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. BOSTON
Charlotte is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Boston
Charlotte is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Boston is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 8-16 ATS in its last 24 games at home

7:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. MIAMI
New York is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Miami
Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. MEMPHIS
Detroit is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Detroit is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Memphis is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
Memphis is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Detroit

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. MINNESOTA
New Jersey is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing New Jersey
Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. SAN ANTONIO
New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
New Orleans is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Sacramento is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Oklahoma City
Sacramento is 3-18 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Oklahoma City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Sacramento

10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
Houston is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Golden State
Golden State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston
Golden State is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Houston

10:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. LA CLIPPERS
Phoenix is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games
LA Clippers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
LA Clippers are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Phoenix

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. DENVER
Utah is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games
Utah is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Utah
Denver is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Utah

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 04:17 AM

NBA

Wednesday, October 28

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: Today's best NBL bets
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Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks (-7.5, 208.5)

The Atlanta Hawks are the only team in the Southeast Division that will be starting the same five players who ended last season.

That sort of continuity is what has helped the Hawks improve their record in each of the last four seasons, including a 10-game jump to 47 wins last season.

The Indiana Pacers, who haven't made the playoffs in three seasons, are starting a pair of second-year players in shooting guard Brandon Rush and center Roy Hibbert. Both played sporadically last season.

In addition, All-Star forward Danny Granger is doubtful with a sore heel, raising serious questions about who the Pacers will go to on offense. It probably won't be Rush or Hibbert.

The Hawks have won the last three meetings, going 2-1 vs. the spread.

Pick: Atlanta

Charlotte Bobcats at Boston Celtics (-10.5, 185)

Although it is a step down from their season-opening matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics would be smart to take the Bobcats seriously.

Since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came on board at the start of the 2007 season, the Celtics are 5-2 vs. the Bobcats but just 1-6 against the spread.

One of the wins was in overtime and another came on a buzzer-beater by Allen after a deflected pass.

The Celtics also have a lot swirling around them. In addition to Glen Davis' thumb injury suffered in a fight with a former college teammate, guard Rajon Rondo's agent announced his client will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season as the sides are far apart on a contract extension.

The Bobcats will be playing their season opener.

Pick: Charlotte

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**Udog** · 10-28-2009, 07:50 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Sacramento at Oklahoma City
The Kings look to build on their 17-5 ATS record in their last 22 games as an underdog between 5 and 10 1/2 points. Sacramento is the pick (+7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Thunder favored by only 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+7 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28

Game 701-702: Philadelphia at Orlando
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 118.081; Orlando 126.053
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 8; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 9 1/2; 196
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+9 1/2); Under

Game 703-704: Indiana at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 116.253; Atlanta 124.750
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 8 1/2; 216 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 6 1/2; 209 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-6 1/2); Over

Game 705-706: Cleveland at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 127.688; Toronto 117.728
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 10; 184 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 5 1/2; 191
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-5 1/2); Under

Game 707-708: Charlotte at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 111.551; Boston 124.156
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 12 1/2; 183 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 10 1/2; 185
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-10 1/2); Under

Game 709-710: New York at Miami
Dunkel Ratings: New York 116.930; Miami 121.073
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 4; 213 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 6; 208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (+6); Over

Game 711-712: Detroit at Memphis
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 119.195; Memphis 115.031
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 4; 195 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 2 1/2; 191
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-2 1/2); Over

Game 713-714: Sacramento at Oklahoma City
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 108.006; Oklahoma City 111.556
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 3 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 7 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+7 1/2); Over

Game 715-716: New Orleans at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 114.043; San Antonio 121.533
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 192 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 8 1/2; 186 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+8 1/2); Over

Game 717-718: New Jersey at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 113.453; Minnesota 116.966
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 3 1/2; 199 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 198
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-2); Over

Game 719-720: Utah at Denver
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 120.316; Denver 123.458
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 3; 216 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 6 1/2; 209 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+6 1/2); Over

Game 721-722: Houston at Golden State
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 116.757; Golden State 124.653
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 8; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 6 1/2; 216 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-6 1/2); Under

Game 723-724: Phoenix at LA Clippers
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 115.713; LA Clippers 117.802
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 2; 215 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 1; 223
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-1); Under

**Udog** · 10-28-2009, 10:43 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Nashville at Minnesota
The Predators look to take advantage of a Minnesota team that is 0-5 in its last 5 games when playing with 1 day of rest. Nashville is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Predators favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+140). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28

Game 51-52: St. Louis at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.157; Carolina 10.249
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Carolina (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+115); Under

Game 53-54: Buffalo at New Jersey
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 13.617; New Jersey 12.907
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+115); Under

Game 55-56: NY Rangers at NY Islanders
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.616; NY Islanders 10.996
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 57-58: Phoenix at Columbus
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 11.072; Columbus 10.840
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Columbus (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+125); Under

Game 59-60: Montreal at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.342; Pittsburgh 11.955
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-190); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-190); Over

Game 61-62: Ottawa at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 10.760; Florida 10.506
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-130); Over

Game 63-64: Nashville at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.430; Minnesota 10.826
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+140); Under

Game 65-66: Toronto at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.398; Dallas 11.916
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-200); 6
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-200); Under

Game 67-68: Colorado at Calgary
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 13.330; Calgary 12.371
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+165); Over

Game 69-70: Los Angeles at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 12.775; San Jose 13.379
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-175); 6
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-175); Over

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 28

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ST LOUIS (4-4-0-1, 9 pts.) at CAROLINA (2-5-0-3, 7 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all games this season.
CAROLINA is 1-9 ATS (-9.7 Units) first half of the season this season.
CAROLINA is 6-16 ATS (-12.4 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 3 seasons.
CAROLINA is 27-37 ATS (-24.1 Units) in home games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 2-1-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.0 Units)

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BUFFALO (6-2-0-0, 12 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (6-3-0-0, 12 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 22-7 ATS (+13.4 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 12-17 ATS (-14.1 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 5-3 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 5-3-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.6 Units)

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NY RANGERS (8-3-0-1, 17 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (1-5-0-4, 6 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 6-8 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 8-6-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.5 Units)

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PHOENIX (6-4-0-0, 12 pts.) at COLUMBUS (6-4-0-0, 12 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 11-4 ATS (+15.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 72-54 ATS (+135.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 26-24 ATS (+51.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 9-2 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 110-108 ATS (+238.5 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 18-19 ATS (+53.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 103-100 ATS (+221.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 5-4 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-4-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.8 Units)

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MONTREAL (6-5-0-0, 12 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (9-2-0-0, 18 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 47-50 ATS (-18.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 130-88 ATS (+34.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 25-8 ATS (+14.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 26-10 ATS (+13.6 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 19-7 ATS (+9.2 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 15-5 ATS (+8.3 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-4-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.9 Units)

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OTTAWA (5-2-0-2, 12 pts.) at FLORIDA (2-6-0-1, 5 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 84-93 ATS (-36.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 39-45 ATS (-32.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 9-16 ATS (-17.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 18-11 ATS (+29.8 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 100-115 ATS (+228.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 4-4 (+1.5 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 4-4-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.6 Units)

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NASHVILLE (3-6-0-1, 7 pts.) at MINNESOTA (3-8-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 9-1 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 58-57 ATS (+134.7 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 (+1.3 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-3-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.6 Units)

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TORONTO (1-8-0-0, 2 pts.) at DALLAS (5-2-0-4, 14 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 18-31 ATS (-16.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 7-17 ATS (-15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 2-0-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

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COLORADO (9-1-0-2, 20 pts.) at CALGARY (7-2-0-1, 15 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 9:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 1-11 ATS (+15.0 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 9-3 ATS (+13.1 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 12-6 ATS (+20.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is 6 or more over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 9-3 ATS (+13.1 Units) first half of the season this season.
COLORADO is 15-14 ATS (+32.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 17-8 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 7-7 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-7-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.6 Units)

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LOS ANGELES (8-4-0-0, 16 pts.) at SAN JOSE (7-4-0-1, 15 pts.) - 10/28/2009, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 20-3 ATS (+13.4 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 14-2 ATS (+11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 12-6 ATS (+21.6 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 7-2 ATS (+9.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 17-11 ATS (+30.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 54-56 ATS (+132.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 57-61 ATS (-45.4 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 17-18 ATS (-25.4 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-9 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 9-6-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, 10/28/2009

ST LOUIS at CAROLINA, 7:00 PM ET
ST LOUIS: 57-45 SU when playing with 3 or more days rest
CAROLINA: 0-6 SU after 1+ consecutive losses

BUFFALO at NEW JERSEY, 7:00 PM ET
BUFFALO: 13-5 SU AWAY after playing BB road games
NEW JERSEY: 12-17 SU at home after a division game

NY RANGERS at NY ISLANDERS, 7:00 PM ET
NY RANGERS: N/A
NY ISLANDERS: N/A

PHOENIX at COLUMBUS, 7:00 PM ET
PHOENIX: 10-19 SU off a road loss by 2+ goals
COLUMBUS: 6-0 SU at home after playing 3 consecutive road games

MONTREAL at PITTSBURGH, 7:30 PM ET
MONTREAL: 16-8 SU after playing BB home games
PITTSBURGH: 3-8 SU after having won 8 or more of their last 10

OTTAWA at FLORIDA, 7:30 PM ET
OTTAWA: 4-14 SU when playing 5 or less games in 14 days
FLORIDA: 11-3 SU after scoring 2 goals or less in 3 straight

NASHVILLE at MINNESOTA, 8:00 PM ET
NASHVILLE: 12-4 SU after having lost 6 or 7 of their last 8
MINNESOTA: 34-47 SU when playing their 4th game in 7 days

TORONTO at DALLAS, 8:00 PM ET
TORONTO: 14-33 SU after one or more consecutive overs
DALLAS: 38-18 SU in a home game when the total is 6+

COLORADO at CALGARY, 9:30 PM ET
COLORADO: 8-3 SU as an underdog
CALGARY: 41-52 SU after 3+ consecutive overs

LOS ANGELES at SAN JOSE, 10:30 PM ET
LOS ANGELES: 7-2 SU after 3+ consecutive overs
SAN JOSE: 15-24 SU at home after playing 4 consecutive road games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

NHL
Write-Up

Wednesday, October 28

Hot Teams
-- New Jersey won six of its last seven games.
-- Sabres won six of their last seven games.
-- Canadiens won their last four games, three in OT. Penguins won seven of their last eight games.
-- Minnesota is 3-0 at home; home team is 11-0 in their games this year.
-- Colorado won seven of its last eight games. Flames won last three games, scoring 16 goals.
-- Kings won their last four games, scoring 20 goals. Sharks won four of their last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Carolina lost its last six games, outscored 22-13. Blues lost five of their last seven games.
-- Islanders lost three in row, nine of first ten games. Rangers lost three of their last four games.
-- Blue Jackets lost three of their last four games. Coyotes lost their last two games, allowing five goals in each.
-- Panthers lost seven of their last eight games. Senators lost their last two games, allowing 10 goals.
-- Predators lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Maple Leafs lost eight of first nine games. Dallas is 0-4 in the game following a win.

Series Records
-- Carolina won three of last four games against the Blues.
-- Devils are 9-4 in their last thirteen games against Buffalo.
-- Rangers won five of last six games against the Islanders.
-- Coyotes won four of last five games against Columbus.
-- Canadiens won three of last four visits to Pittsburgh.
-- Panthers won three of last four games against Ottawa.
-- Minnesota is 7-3 in last ten games against the Predators.
-- Stars won last three games vs Toronto: 2-1/3-1/8-2.
-- Avalanche lost five of last six visits to Calgary.
-- Home side won seven of last nine LA-San Jose games.

Totals
-- Under is 5-0-1 in last six St Louis games.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Buffalo games; under is 4-1-1 in Devils' last six contests. .
-- Eight of last ten Ranger games went over the total.
-- Last four Columbus games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Montreal games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Ottawa games went over the total.
-- Last five Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last ten Dallas games went over the total.
-- Nine of ten Calgary games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Los Angeles games went over the total.

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**Udog** · 10-28-2009, 10:46 AM

NHL
Additional

Wednesday, October 28

Refer to post #1 for Matchup Links to more trends/stats *

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. NEW JERSEY
Buffalo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Buffalo is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New Jersey is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New Jersey's last 8 games when playing at home against Buffalo

7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. NY ISLANDERS
NY Rangers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Rangers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games at home
NY Islanders are 1-13 SU in their last 14 games

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. COLUMBUS
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Phoenix is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Columbus is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing Phoenix

7:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CAROLINA
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Carolina is 7-14-1 SU in its last 22 games when playing St. Louis

7:30 PM
MONTREAL vs. PITTSBURGH
Montreal is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Montreal's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing at home against Montreal
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal

7:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. FLORIDA
Ottawa is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing Florida
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Florida
Florida is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Florida is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Ottawa

8:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. MINNESOTA
Nashville is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nashville's last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 10 games when playing at home against Nashville

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. DALLAS
Toronto is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Dallas's last 25 games at home

9:30 PM
COLORADO vs. CALGARY
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Colorado's last 7 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Calgary's last 10 games

10:30 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN JOSE
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Colorado Avalanche at Calgary Flames (-170, 5.5)

Goals aren’t hard to come by for the red-hot Flames. Calgary leads the league in goals per game (4.00) and sports a 9-1 over/under record.

The club is getting offense from all lines, making it difficult for opponents to slow the scoring barrage. Calgary has lit the lamp 11 times in its last three games including five Saturday against the Oilers.

Coach Brian Sutter would be much happier with his squad’s play if it wasn’t getting sent to the sin bin so often.

“Where we’ve gotten ourselves into trouble is when we’ve taken too many penalties,” he told the Calgary Herald. “When you’re getting seven, eight, nine minors a night, it’s a tough night for your penalty kill.”

The Flames’ penalty kill is one of their few weaknesses. Look for the Avalanche to draw some penalties and take advantage of their power play opportunities.

Pick: Over

Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (+113, 5.5)

The Sens spent most of their Monday practice trying to improve their 29th-ranked power play. Ottawa failed to capitalize on each of its three opportunities in a 4-3 loss to the Bruins on Saturday.

The buzz in town suggests that the return of defenseman Filip Kuba should bolster the special teams.

“I think he’ll make a big (power-play) improvement as far as just poise, confidence and experience back there,” Senators coach Cory Clouston told the Ottawa Citizen. “He doesn’t have a booming shot, but he’s able to get the shots through, for the most part. He’s very intelligent, as far as reading (the play).”

The Panthers should make a great guinea pig. They’ve given up 13 goals in their last three games and are 1-7 over their last eight matches.

Pick: Sens

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Pucking the trends: Uneven schedule creates value spots
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Getting rich in Atlanta

The last time the Atlanta Thrashers were favored over a team not named the Tampa Bay Lightning or New York Islanders was January 16, 2009.

The Thrashers, however, ended last season on a 12-6-0 run and are off to a respectable start to the 2009-10 campaign.

As Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out, the Thrashers are 25-20-2 since acquiring Rich Peverley off waivers from the Nashville Predators.

“It’s his speed, and he accelerates so quickly,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said. “He’s got great hands. You can certainly see that he’s a talented player.”

The Thrashers recently got some bad news. TSN is reporting that star forward Ilya Kovalchuk will be out three to five weeks with a broken foot.

Miller time

The Buffalo Sabres are climbing many cappers' power rankings and a lot of that has to do with the play of goaltender Ryan Miller.

Miller, currently first in the NHL in goals against average (1.69) and save percentage (.940), is playing down his improved game.

"I worked on the stuff I needed to work on over the summer. The coaching staff addressed what they needed to as far as the system to complement the core group of guys we have, and right now we have guys buying into supporting the puck in a lot of different areas.”

The Sabres (6-1-1) are +115 dogs at New Jersey Wednesday night.

Colorado Have-Alanche

Recently acquired Craig Anderson is giving Colorado something the team hasn’t had for sometime: a dependable goaltender.

Anderson’s most recent performance was a 48-save effort in a victory over the Red Wings. Colorado Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater observes that no team has allowed more shots on goal than Colorado.

"He's (Craig Anderson) giving everyone here confidence. You know if you make the odd mistake, he's there to back you up," Avs defender Kyle Quincey said.

Despite its stellar record, Colorado has only been favored once this season, when it was -106 at home to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Wild goal country

Both Alberta teams are scoring goals at an impressive pace. Calgary owns a 9-1 over/under record while Edmonton sits at 8-3.

The Flames are getting offensive contributions from unlikely sources. As Randy Spartak of the Calgary run observes, offensive leaders Jarome Iginla, Olli Jokinen and Daymond Langkow have combined for only six goals.

"Every line is contributing at different times,” said Flames winger Nigel Dawes. “The depth we have is key to it.”

Edmonton’s first line of Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky and Sam Gagne rank first, second and third in Oilers scoring.

“Guess Pat (Edmonton Coach Pat Quinn) looks like a genius putting that line together, eh?” said an NHL executive scouting that game.

Not surprisingly all three games this year between Calgary and Edmonton have gone over the total.

On schedule

The NHL has a condensed schedule this year due to the Olympics and as a result many teams must play back-to-back games or three games in four nights, often against well-rested opponents.

Here are a few upcoming situations that sharp bettors could find useful:

Colorado at Calgary (Oct. 28)

Calgary has been at home since a 5-2 victory over the Oilers on Saturday. The Flames play an Avalanche team on Wednesday that played the night before in Edmonton.

Colorado at San Jose (Oct. 30)

No easy games for the Avalanche this week. They fly out of Calgary on Wednesday and head south for a Friday game against the Sharks. The game will be Colorado’s third on the road in four nights. Other than a Wednesday game at home to the Kings, this will be San Jose’s first match since last Sunday.

Vancouver at Anaheim (Oct. 30)

Vancouver is at home to Detroit on Wednesday then plays the Kings in Los Angeles before flying to Anaheim. Anaheim will not have played since a Monday loss at home to the Maple Leafs.

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**pm530** · 10-28-2009, 11:33 AM

NBA

Wednesday, October 28

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Tips and Trends
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Utah Jazz at Denver Nuggets [ESPN2 | 8:00 PM ET]

Jazz: The Jazz have slid back the past two seasons after making the conference finals in 2007. They’ve lost in the second round and opening round the last two seasons. Defense has been a problem for Utah. So has playing on the road where the Jazz went 15-26 last season. Utah has failed to cover in 10 of its past 14 away matchups. This has been a favorite’s series with the chalk going 22-10-1 against the spread during the past 33 meetings. Utah has failed to cover the past four times it has faced Denver. Utah’s frontline players are healthier than they were last year when Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur all were sidelined. Utah, however, could be without Ronnie Brewer (back spasms) and will be missing reserves C.J. Miles and Kyle Korver. The over has cashed in nine of Utah’s past 10 road games.

The Jazz are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 Western Conference games.
The Jazz are 5-12 against the number in their last 17 games overall.

Key Injuries - Guard Ronnie Brewer (back) is questionable.
Forward C.J. Miles (thumb) is out.
Guard Kyle Korver (knee) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 102

Nuggets (-6.5, O/U 209.5): Denver won 33 of its 41 regular-season home games last year. The Nuggets have covered eight of their last 10 at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets made few changes to a team that reached the conference finals for the first time in 24 years. Four of the team’s five starters are back, including point guard Chauncey Billups. He’s had a full season to work with his teammates after joining Denver last November in a trade from Detroit. Billups averaged 17.9 points and 6.4 assists, while giving Denver a tougher defensive mental outlook. Billups could be backed-up by the team’s No. 1 draft choice, Ty Lawson. The Nuggets did lose role players Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza. The Nuggets finished last season on a nice pointspread roll covering 21 of their last 28 games. They are 21-6 against the spread in their last 27 games versus Western Conference competition.

The Over is 11-4 the past 15 times Denver has been favored in the minus five to minus 10 1/2 range.
Denver has gone Over 4 of the past five times it has played Utah.

Key Injuries - Guard J.R. Smith (suspension) is out

PROJECTED SCORE: 108 (OVER - Total of the Day)

NOTE: The Side of the Day is in MLB

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Announcement

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 10/28 (NBA, NHL, Misc.)

Wednesday Trends and Indexes 10/28 (NBA, NHL, Misc.)

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