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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:02 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Sunday, March 14

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Formula One season gets underway, while the Cavaliers play host to the Celtics, and college hoops finalizes its field.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA has eight games on tap for Sunday, with Indiana at Milwaukee, Utah at Oklahoma City, Philadelphia at Miami, Charlotte at Orlando, New Orleans at Phoenix, Toronto at Portland, Minnesota at Sacramento, and Boston at Cleveland. The Cavaliers blasted the Celtics 108-88 in Boston in their last meeting on February 25, winning the OVER result as a 3-point road favorite. LeBron James was good for 36 points, seven boards, and nine assists for Cleveland in that win, while Mo Williams tossed in 19 points. Ray Allen was good for 21 points in that losing cause for Boston, with Rajon Rondo scoring 19 points.

As well, conference tournaments come to an end on Sunday in advance of the NCAA Tournament's Selection Show. There are four tourney championships on the schedule for Sunday, including the ACC title game in Greensboro, the Atlantic 10 title game in Atlantic City, and the SEC title game in Nashville - those three matchups all get underway at 1:00pm ET. The Big Ten then concludes championship week with its title game in Indianapolis - that one tips off at 3:30pm ET. The Selection Committee will then announce this year's Field of 65.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

There are 10 games on the NHL's schedule for Sunday, including a possible Stanley Cup final preview in Chicago with the Blackhawks playing host to the Capitals. As well, it's Nashville at Los Angeles, Colorado at Dallas, Phoenix at Atlanta, Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, Toronto at the Islanders, San Jose at Anaheim, St. Louis at Minnesota, Calgary at Vancouver, and Philadelphia at the Rangers. The Flyers blanked the Rangers 2-0 in Philadelphia the last time the two teams met January 21, with now-injured Philly netminder Ray Emery making 24 saves for the shutout. James van Riemsdyk and Mike Richards had the goals.

Roaring around the track . . .

Finally, Formula One begins its 2010 season on Sunday with the Bahrain Grand Prix. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is the 11/4 sportsbook favorite to take the checkered flag on Sunday, followed by Lewis Hamilton at 7/2, Sebastian Vettel at 5/1, and both Felipe Massa and the un-retired Michael Schumacher at 7/1. Defending champion Jenson Button is farther back at 12/1 to get the race victory.

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:03 AM

Bettor's best friend: Sunday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers – Antawn Jamison (knee) missed the team’s last game but expects to play on Sunday.

Charlotte Bobcats at Orlando Magic – Gerald Wallace has a sprained left ankle and is questionable (see below).

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat – Michael Beasley (thigh) missed the Heat’s last game but is expected to return. Marreese Speights (knee) is questionable.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Sacramento Kings – Kevin Love (foot) did not play on Friday and is questionable.

Weather to watch

The wind wasn’t as strong in the third round of the WGC-CA Championship and the scores dropped. Sunday’s forecast calls for more tempered wind again, blowing between 12-16 mph during the final round.

The Puerto Rico Open suspended play on Saturday due to darkness. Organizers are attempting to lengthen rounds after the tournament did not begin until Saturday because of heavy rain. The event is likely headed for a Monday finish.

Who’s hot

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is 6-1-0 with a 1.98 GAA and two shutouts in the last games in L.A.

Minnesota has covered in four straight and is 8-2 ATS over its last 10 games.

The Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last five outings.

Who’s not

The Hornets have lost six straight ATS and are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games.

The Thrashers have dropped five in a row, scoring a total of six goals in that span.

Key stat

25 – Number of SEC basketball championships claimed by Kentucky. Of the Wildcats seven national titles, only three came when they won the conference tournament.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Gerald Wallace left in the first half of Friday’s game after spraining his left ankle. Wallace traveled with the for its two-game road trip which begins Sunday in Orlando and is considered day-to-day. The All-Star is averaging 18.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season.

Games of the day

Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers

Washington Capitals at Chicago Blackhawks (-125, 7)

Notable quotable

“The season just keeps going. Any time you think, 'we're there, we've turned a corner' or whatever you find out that you're not."

-- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of the grind and perseverance in staying consistent throughout an NBA season. Orlando has won 20 of its 25 games since Jan. 18.

Tips and notes

- After the T-Wolves got dropped by the Nuggets on Wednesday, forward Kevin Love expressed frustration with his coach. He said he didn’t “feel like (the team) knows 100 percent what we need to do out there.” Love went on to say he didn’t know when the ball was coming to him. Minnesota has lost 9-of-10 and has only covered the spread once in the last seven games.

- Fatigue could be a factor for Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes were taken to double-OT in the semis versus Illinois and the team’s top three scorers played all but one of the 50 minutes. Ohio State’s team really only goes six deep and that was evident Saturday as the last two players off the bench combined for three points in 11 minutes.

- So much for John Calipari saying that winning the SEC tournament means “nothing” to him. As Kentucky began to pull away comfortably from Tennessee in their semifinal game, Calipari told his team during a timeout, “We’re playing to win by 25, if you see a shot take it.” Apparently Coach C doesn’t just want to win the SEC championship, he wants to blow teams out doing it.

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:04 AM

Sunday six-pack

-- ESPN showed the starting lineups and National Anthem before the Big East title game; wonder how the ACC/SEC feel about that league getting treated as the main event in the prime TV slot Saturday night?

-- Halftime score: Minnesota 37, Purdue 11. Yikes.

-- San Diego State, Washington forcibly removed themselves from the bubble by pulling upsets in conference tourney title games.

-- A leaky roof delayed the URI-Temple game in Atlantic City.

-- How did Miami finish last in the ACC? I mean, seriously.....

-- Ohio State hasn't exactly been dominant so far this weekend, winning on a buzzer beater and in double OT, but they did win both games.

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Sunday's List of 13: Baseball knowledge for Selection Sunday

There's really not much more to say about college hoop until we see the brackets tonight, so here's some baseball knowledge, as we move towards Opening Day on April 5........(courtesy of the Bill James Gold Mine)

13) If you don't think the relievers of the Fingers/Sutter/Gossage era were better than today's closers, consider this: Game 1 of the '74 World Series, the A's put Rollie Fingers in the game.......in 5th inning. No disrespect is meant here, but Mariano Rivera might not have his uniform on in the 5th inning of today's games. Closers in the 70's pitched more innings.

12) Speaking of Rivera, he didn't allow a run in 90.3% of innings that he started LY, best mark in big leagues; Trevor Hoffman was second, with 45 scoreless innings out of the 51 innings he started.

11) Clayton Kershaw had a 2.79 RA in '09, but Dodgers were just 14-16 in his starts, in part of because the bullpen had a 4.31 ERA behind hm. LA was 12-8 in Hiroki Kuroda's (3.76) starts, in part because the bullpen had a 1.55 ERA in his starts.

10) Was surprised to see that Minnesota Twins led big leagues with 46 intentional walks LY; Joe Mauer got 14 of them, but for some odd reason, Jason Kubel finished 8th in AL in intentional walks received.

A's whole team got 16 intentional walks LY. Barry Bonds was walked intentionally 18 times in 2004.......just in April.

9) Joel Pineiro led big leagues inducing 317 groundouts LY, while lowering his walk rate by 42%, further evidence that Dave Duncan needs to be the first person elected to the Hall of Fame as a pitching coach. He's the best.

8) Over the last two seasons, Adrian Gonzalez hit .246 with 26 HRs, 85 RBI in home games, .307 with 50 HRs, 133 RBI in road games. Whos the genius who designed Petco Park? A pitching coach?

7) Kansas City dumped both of last year's catchers, after its pitchers had 89 wild pitches LY, 22 more than any other AL team. Jason Kendall will lower that number, but boy, his bat is probably going to hurt them.

6) Josh Hamilton swung at 82.5% of the pitches in the strike zone LY, the highest percentage in baseball; he only took 103 strikes all season.

5) I was surprised by this: Ichiro Suzuki is the first major leaguer ever to lead the major leagues in hits four years in a row. Ever. Wow.

4) Odd stat: Bengie Molina led big leagues in sacrifice flies two years in a row, with 11; sac flies seem like kind of a random stat, but I guess not.

3) Only two relievers have made the All-Star team and won Rookie of the Year in same season: Cincinnati's Scott Williamson, in 1999, Oakland's Andrew Bailey, who did it last season.

2) 77 pitchers won 10+ games LY; Manny Parra's 4.61 ERA was worst of the 77; none of the other 76 had an ERA worse than 4.13.

1) This has nothing to do with baseball, but Cal-Santa Barbara just won the Big West tournament- I never, ever get tired of watching celebrations after teams win their conference tournaments. Great stuff. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead an hour tonight.

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:07 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 14

The additonal games will be added asap.

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
INDIANA vs. MILWAUKEE
Indiana is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana

3:30 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Boston is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Boston
Cleveland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston

6:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. ORLANDO
Charlotte is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Charlotte is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 7-0-1 SU in its last 8 games
Orlando is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

6:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. MIAMI
Philadelphia is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Miami
Philadelphia is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
UTAH vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Utah is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Oklahoma City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:08 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 14

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks (-9, 203)

Two weeks ago Bucks’ rookie point guard Brandon Jennings was defeated.

And why wouldn’t he be? Jennings was the frontrunner for the NBA Rookie of the Year title a month into the season and then went face first into the rookie wall. Jennings was even quoted as saying he didn’t even “want to shoot the ball.”

"We're not fond of that kind of statement,” coach Scott Skiles said of his 20-year-old’s lack of confidence in an effort to get his head right. “He's too important to our team and our franchise to have any that mindset right now.”

Jennings has responded by averaging 20.3 ppg over his last three games after posting 12 total points in the previous three.

Jennings also said recently that he didn’t care about the ROY award; all that mattered was that his team was going to be in the playoffs (while also pointing out the other candidate’s teams “suck”).

Some bettors predicted the Bucks ATS streak (11-0-1 ATS L12) would end when Boston rolled into Brew City last week but the home team turned the former world champs away. The piping hot Jazz suffered the same fate in Milwaukee as 1-point dogs on Friday night.

There is no question about it; the blazing Bucks are the hottest squad in the Association right now and have covered in five straight against the porous Pacers.

Pick: Bucks

New Orleans Hornets at Phoenix Suns (-8.5, 211.5)

Steve Nash’s list of injuries this season has been as extensive as the ailments of Kobe Bryant.

Much like Bryant, Nash has played through the pain while missing only one game this season, but he is beginning to show signs of breaking down.

"I just have no thrust," Nash said. "Every movement my back tightens, it tries to stop me from going somewhere. Our training staff does a great job to even get me out there at all."

Over the last three games Nash has averaged 10.0 points and just over eight assists while turning the ball over an astounding 16 times. He logged more than 34 minutes of action in each game, but a lot of that had to do with backup point Goran Dragic missing two of those contests.

As the NBA playoffs draw closer, expect Alvin Gentry to chisel down Nash’s playing time, especially with Leandro Barbosa and Dragic back in the lineup.

Pick: Hornets

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:09 AM

NBA

Sunday, March 14

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What bettors need to know: Celtics at Cavaliers
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Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers

Talk the talk, walk the walk

After seeing his team lose two straight games, 86-84 at Milwaukee Tuesday and 111-91 at home against Memphis one day later, Boston head coach Doc Rivers came up with a bit of trickery for motivation.

Rivers read quotes from a newspaper about a team playing with a lack of focus, a lack of urgency and without the appearance of being able to make another trip to the NBA Finals. Quotes from the Celtics, themselves, right?

Wrong.

“Then I told them it was the LA Times and it was from Phil Jackson, Lamar Odom, Kobe Bryant –it was their comments,” Rivers told the Boston Herald. “They all laughed because they thought it was them. I even asked, ‘Do you guys remember saying that?’ and guys were saying, ‘Yeah, I said that.’ And it wasn’t them, it was actually somebody else.”

“Doc did the majority of the talking, but he opened up the floor to everybody to give their two cents and we just spoke freely,” Kevin Garnett said of the meeting prior to Friday night’s home game against Indiana. “It was the first time in a while that we’ve done that.”

It paid off in the form of a 122-103 blowout victory over the Pacers. Boston (41-23, 25-37-2 ATS) came out blazing, led by 20 points at halftime and cruised the rest of the way behind 20 points from Paul Pierce and 15 apiece from Nate Robinson and Michael Finley.

Return of the King

LeBron James returned Friday from missing two games with an ankle injury, leading the Cavaliers to a 100-95 win at Philadelphia. Although he was not at his very best, LeBron scored 23 points on 7-of-18 shooting while dishing out 10 assists and grabbing eight rebounds.

“I felt a little off rhythm,” James admitted to reporters. “My wind was a little off, but it felt great to get back on the court with the guys.”

It must feel great for the Cavaliers (51-15, 32-33-1 ATS) as well. They lost for the first time in seven games when James missed his first game of the season, losing 92-85 at Milwaukee last Saturday. Cleveland then squeaked past the Spurs 97-95 Monday.

While LeBron is back in action, not all is well in Cleveland.

Infirmary report

For the Cavs, Mo Williams (shoulder) and Delonte West (back) have also returned, but Shaquille O’Neal (thumb) is out for at least another month and Antawn Jamison is questionable with a knee injury, which is the reason why there is no early line on the game. Jamison (17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds in 10 games with Cleveland) did not travel with the team to Philadelphia but the Associated Press reported on Saturday that he felt fine and expects to play.

Boston’s injury woes have been significant at various times this season, but the team is enjoying its healthiest moment right now. The Celtics have no problems to report.

Prior engagements

The Celtics and Cavs have met twice this season and the road team has prevailed each time. Boston scored a season-opening 95-89 victory as a 5-point underdog in Cleveland on October 27. Playing without West, the Cavs got 38 points from James but saw the Celtics drain 9-of-19 (47 percent) shots from beyond the arc.

Cleveland returned the favor on February 25, going into Boston as a 2.5-point favorite and coming away with a 108-88 win. Behind a James 36-point performance, the Cavs outscored the Celtics 35-14 in the fourth quarter.

Trending topics

The Celtics are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six road games and 4-1-1 ATS in their last six against Eastern Conference opponents.

The Cavs are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games and 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.

Neither Boston (30-33-1 O/U) nor Cleveland (31-32-3 O/U) has been a strong over/under play this season. The under is 4-1 in Boston’s last five against the Eastern Conference and 7-2 in its last nine road games. The under is also 4-0 in Cleveland’s last four overall.

Head-to-head, the Cavs are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against the Celtics. The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two teams in Cleveland.

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:10 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 14

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GEORGIA TECH (21 - 11) vs. DUKE (27 - 5) - 3/14/2010, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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RICHMOND (25 - 7) vs. TEMPLE (27 - 5) - 3/14/2010, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TEMPLE is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games this season.
TEMPLE is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
TEMPLE is 17-9 ATS (+7.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
TEMPLE is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) against conference opponents this season.
TEMPLE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
TEMPLE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in conference tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
TEMPLE is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEMPLE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
RICHMOND is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 19-5 ATS (+13.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 13-6 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
RICHMOND is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
RICHMOND is 3-0 against the spread versus TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
RICHMOND is 2-1 straight up against TEMPLE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MISSISSIPPI ST (22 - 10) vs. KENTUCKY (30 - 2) - 3/14/2010, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 78-53 ATS (+19.7 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 since 1997.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MISSISSIPPI ST is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KENTUCKY is 2-1 against the spread versus MISSISSIPPI ST over the last 3 seasons
MISSISSIPPI ST is 2-1 straight up against KENTUCKY over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (20 - 12) vs. OHIO ST (25 - 7) - 3/14/2010, 3:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OHIO ST is 3-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
OHIO ST is 3-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:11 AM

NHL

Sunday, March 14

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings (-160, 5.5)

Nashville’s man behind the plastic mask got paid in late February, signing a two-year $2.8 million extension with the team, and he’s performed like his worth every penny since.

In four games after the ink dried on the contract, Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is 3-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average. He is coming off a 31-save, shutout performance on Friday over the Ducks.

"He's been a great goalie ever since he's been here," said Shea Weber. "Obviously, the organization wants him for the long run. They showed that by signing him, and he's been rewarding them with his good play.”

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has been just as lights out as Rinne recently, but is 0-3 in his career against Nashville, posting a paltry 3.31 goals-against average.

If Preds’ coach Barry Trotz elects to rest Rinne on Sunday, his second option under the net isn’t bad either. Dan Ellis is undefeated in three starts at the Staples Center and 5-1-0 against the Kings in his career.

The Predators have won six straight and 8-of-9 games versus the Kings. L.A. has lost four in a row at home to Nashville, getting outscored 17-5 in those games.

Pick: Predators

Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (+140, 6)

The Lightning get a new owner and look what happens. In less than a week, Tampa Bay defeats the best team in the NHL on its home ice.

"It was probably the best road game we played all year," said goalie Antero Niittymaki. "Not just because we beat Washington. The overall game."

Niittymaki held the Caps to fewer than three goals for only the second time in their last 27 games and slapped Washington with its first home loss since December.

The Penguins come into this game having lost two straight and four of their last five on the road. Goalie Marc Andre-Fleury has been atrocious in those four losses with a 4.77 goals-against average and got yanked from the game in two of those outings.

These two teams have split the season series but Tampa Bay came away the victor in the latest meeting on Jan. 2. The Lightning are battling for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference and need this one more than Pittsburgh does.

Pick: Lightning

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:12 AM

NHL

Sunday, March 14

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NHL on NBC betting: Capitals at Blackhawks
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Washington Capitals at Chicago Blackhawks (-125, 7)

Washington (45-14-9) is coming into this game with the best record in the NHL, while Chicago (44-17-5) is third overall in points.

Washington is off a rare loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team struggling to make the playoffs.

Chicago plays a tough Philadelphia team Saturday before testing themselves against Washington Sunday.

Keys of the game

Both teams’ success comes from their core of high-scoring talent.

In Washington, Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin lead the attack, while in Chicago, young guns Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are regulars on the highlight reels.

Both teams play a fast-paced game and have plenty of offensive firepower. That being said, goaltending will be the biggest factor in the outcome of Sunday’s game.

Battle between the pipes

Chicago's goaltending needs to be strong if it wants a win against Washington on home ice.

There is currently a battle for the No. 1 spot in goal between Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi. According to the Daily Chronicle, Niemi will start in goal Sunday. The biggest question mark going into the game for Chicago will be how the team as a whole will handle the goal-scoring talent of Washington.

Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell says that everyone needs to do a better job of preventing pucks from hitting the back of the net.

"We have to give our goalies an opportunity to make saves instead of breakaways or back-door empty-netters. We have to take care of everything (defensively) first and then go on the attack after that," he told reporters.

And the offensive attack is where the Hawks are looking to punish the Caps.

"As a team we can control the puck offensively, try to eliminate time in our end and be effective when we are down there," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune.

Back on track

Washington needs to rebound from the disappointing loss to Tampa Bay with a solid showing against the Chicago.

If the Capitals plan to beat the Blackhawks Sunday, they are going to have to play with more energy than they did against the Lightning.

"We stayed out too long, we got outworked, and we didn't play the way we're capable of playing, and that's the reason we lost," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters.On Sunday, Boudreau is hoping his team puts more pucks in the net. "We should be able to score with [our] lineup, three goals a game," he said.

The Caps have some of the most dynamic scorers in the game and solid goaltending. This game should have a playoff like atmosphere when two of the top teams in the NHL square off on Sunday.

Trends

Chicago is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.

Washington is 5-2-3 in its last 10 games.

This is the first matchup between these teams this season.

Injuries

Chicago is reporting no injuries prior to the game.

"Knock on wood there,” coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. “You know you're going to need to go and dig deep at times. But it's nice knowing everybody's healthy."

Washington has one player on the injured list. Milan Jurcina will sit out while he recovers from a sports hernia.

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**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 01:14 AM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 12:16 PM

NBA
Dunkel

Utah at Oklahoma City

The Jazz look to build on their 6-1-1 ATS record in their last 8 games as a road underdog. Utah is the pick (+3) according to Dunkel, which has the Jazz favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Utah (+3). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

Game 871-872: Indiana at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 115.258; Milwaukee 126.509
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 11 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 9 1/2; 204
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-9 1/2); Over

Game 873-874: Boston at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 118.703; Cleveland 127.147
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 7 1/2; 195
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-7 1/2); Over

Game 875-876: Philadelphia at Miami
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 113.686; Miami 121.205
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 7 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 6 1/2; 192
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-6 1/2); Over

Game 877-878: Charlotte at Orlando
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 118.486; Orlando 124.857
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 6 1/2; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 9 1/2; 188 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+9 1/2); Under

Game 879-880: Utah at Oklahoma City
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 124.298; Oklahoma City 121.670
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 2 1/2; 201
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 3; 204 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+3); Under

Game 881-882: New Orleans at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 114.967; Phoenix 124.718
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 10; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 9; 212
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-9); Under

Game 883-884: Minnesota at Sacramento
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 109.935; Sacramento 119.135
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 9; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Sacramento by 8; 208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (-8); Over

Game 885-886: Toronto at Portland
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 111.948; Portland 124.512
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 12 1/2; 200
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 8 1/2; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-8 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 12:17 PM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Minnesota vs. Ohio State

The Buckeyes look to take advantage of a Minnesota team that is coming off a 69-42 win over Purdue and is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games after allowing less than 50 points in the previous game. Ohio State is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Buckeyes favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

Game 887-888: Georgia Tech vs. Duke
Dunkel Ratings: Georgia Tech 68.693; Duke 75.778
Dunkel Line: Duke by 7
Vegas Line: Duke by 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Georgia Tech (+9 1/2)

Game 889-890: Richmond vs. Temple
Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 65.777; Temple 65.827
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: Temple by 4
Dunkel Pick: Richmond (+4)

Game 891-892: Mississippi State vs. Kentucky
Dunkel Ratings: Mississippi State 66.246; Kentucky 72.679
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 8
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi State (+8)

Game 893-894: Minnesota vs. Ohio State
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 67.741; Ohio State 75.213
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (-3 1/2)

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 12:21 PM

NHL
Dunkel

Washington at Chicago
The Blackhawks look to build on their 13-3 record in their last 16 games when playing with 0 days of rest. Chicago is the pick (-120) according to Dunkel, which has the Blackhawks favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-120). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

Game 1-2: Philadelphia at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 10.651; NY Rangers 11.952
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-130); Under

Game 3-4: Washington at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.339; Chicago 12.373
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-120); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-120); Over

Game 5-6: Colorado at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.228; Dallas 11.858
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-110); Under

Game 7-8: Nashville at Los Angeles
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 10.627; Los Angeles 12.758
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-160); Over

Game 9-10: Phoenix at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 10.862; Atlanta 10.978
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+115); Under

Game 11-12: Toronto at NY Islanders
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 11.170; NY Islanders 12.188
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Islanders (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (-115); Under

Game 13-14: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.298; Tampa Bay 12.443
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-165); 6
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+145); Over

Game 15-16: St. Louis at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 12.429; Minnesota 11.081
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+110); Over

Game 17-18: San Jose at Anaheim
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 10.202; Anaheim 10.849
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+110); Over

Game 19-20: Calgary at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 12.639; Vancouver 12.598
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-165); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+145); Over

**Udog** · 03-14-2010, 12:34 PM

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 14

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INDIANA (21 - 44) at MILWAUKEE (35 - 29) - 3/14/2010, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
MILWAUKEE is 41-21 ATS (+17.9 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
MILWAUKEE is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 23-5 ATS (+17.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
INDIANA is 281-231 ATS (+26.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 15-31 ATS (-19.1 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 7-3 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 6-5 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (41 - 23) at CLEVELAND (51 - 15) - 3/14/2010, 3:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 13-4 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-8 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (23 - 42) at MIAMI (34 - 32) - 3/14/2010, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CHARLOTTE (33 - 31) at ORLANDO (47 - 20) - 3/14/2010, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 7-4 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-1 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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UTAH (42 - 23) at OKLAHOMA CITY (40 - 24) - 3/14/2010, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 38-26 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
UTAH is 40-22 ATS (+15.8 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) second half of the season this season.
UTAH is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
UTAH is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-5 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 7-3 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (32 - 34) at PHOENIX (40 - 26) - 3/14/2010, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 66-86 ATS (-28.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 23-39 ATS (-19.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 25-38 ATS (-16.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 32-51 ATS (-24.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
PHOENIX is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

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

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MINNESOTA (14 - 52) at SACRAMENTO (22 - 44) - 3/14/2010, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 6-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 5-4 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (32 - 32) at PORTLAND (40 - 28) - 3/14/2010, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 62-80 ATS (-26.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 32-50 ATS (-23.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 48-67 ATS (-25.7 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) when playing on back-to-back days this season.
TORONTO is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 34-48 ATS (-18.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
TORONTO is 24-40 ATS (-20.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PORTLAND is 85-69 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 57-41 ATS (+11.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PORTLAND is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 45-30 ATS (+12.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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Announcement

Sunday Trends and Indexes 3/14 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Sunday Trends and Indexes 3/14 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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