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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:53 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 20

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Celtics and Heat do battle in Game 2, the Braves and Phillies square off, and the Avalanche look to bury the Sharks in Game 3.

Tipping off on the hardwood…

The NBA playoffs continue Tuesday night with four games on the schedule: Milwaukee at Atlanta, Portland at Phoenix, Oklahoma City at the Lakers and Miami at Boston. Game 2 between the Heat and Celtics should be an interesting matchup based on the way Game 1 concluded. Boston defeated Miami 85-76 as a 5-point favorite, but a dustup near the end of the game resulted in Kevin Garnett being slapped with a suspension for elbowing Quentin Richardson in the face. With Garnett out, the Celtics are only a 1.5-point favorite in Game 2.

Meeting up on the diamond…

The American League’s Tuesday schedule includes Kansas City at Toronto, Texas at Boston, Cleveland at Minnesota, the Yankees at Oakland, Detroit at the Angels and Baltimore at Seattle. Also on tap is Tampa Bay at the White Sox, featuring a battle of southpaws between David Price (2-0, 2.45) and John Danks (1-0, 1.38). Price has been stellar in a pair of wins this season, and last time out he held the Orioles to one run on four hits over seven innings. Danks has also been dominant to start the season and held Toronto to one run on two hits in seven innings in his last start.

Tuesday’s National League schedule includes Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, Colorado at Washington, the Cubs at the Mets, the Dodgers at Cincinnati, Florida at Houston, St. Louis at Arizona and San Francisco at San Diego. The Phillies and Braves also meet up in a NL East showdown with two young guns, Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 17.47) and Tommy Hanson (1-1, 2.38), taking the mound. Kendrick has had a rough start to the season and in his last start the Nationals pounded him for six runs in only 1 1-3 innings. Hanson pitched a gem last time out, limiting San Diego to one run on four hits in six innings.

Taking a trip around the rink…

It’s a very busy night in the NHL playoffs on Tuesday with five games on the schedule. They include Game 4 between Phoenix and Detroit, Pittsburgh and Ottawa, New Jersey and Philadelphia and San Jose and Colorado, as well as Game 3 between Chicago and Nashville.

Colorado can put the Sharks in a tight spot with a win tonight. A victory by the Avalanche would give them a 3-1 series lead after their surprising win on Sunday night. Colorado won Game 3 by a 1-0 score in overtime after Dan Boyle accidentally scored into his own net. Netminder Craig Anderson played a big part in the victory with a 51-save performance to earn the shutout.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:54 AM

Bettor's best friend: Tuesday's wagering tips

Lines to keep an eye on

The total in the Bucks-Hawks game has dropped from an opener of 189 to 187.5. The first game of this series went over the posted total by 8 points.

Most sportsbooks are offering the Celtics as 1-point favorites over Miami after opening at 2. Kevin Garnett will miss the game because of a suspension.

An opening total of 190.5 has been bet down to 189 in the Thunder-Lakers matchup. Game 1 went under the total by 33 points.

Toronto opened as -128 favorites over the Royals but that number can now be found as high as -150 in the offshore market. The Jays have dropped three straight.

The Braves opened as -150 favorites against Philadelphia on Tuesday but most shops are working with a -175 moneyline now (see note below).

The total in the Rangers-Red Sox game has jumped a half run from its opener and now stands at 9.5. Nine of the last 10 games in this series have gone under.

Most sportsbooks are working with a total of 8.5 in the Marlins-Astros matchup after opening the number at 8. The last three games in this series have gone under.

Weather report

There is a 70 percent chance of rain in the Yankees-A’s game as the Bay Area is expected to get drenched on Tuesday.

Who’s hot

The Avs have won twice as underdogs in the San Jose series and covered the puckline in all three outings.

Atlanta is 4-0 ATS in its last four games.

Tampa Bay has won seven consecutive games and is essentially a pick ‘em on Tuesday.

Who’s not

The Red Sox have lost five straight, dropping 6.96 units on the moneyline.

Oklahoma City is 3-5 ATS in its last eight games.

The Red Wings have been favored in all three games versus Phoenix but have only won once.

Key stat

44-0 – Phil Jackson’s NBA playoffs series record after winning the first game of the series. The Lakers took down Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Sunday and are -900 to win the series.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Astros first baseman Lance Berkman is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the first 12 games of the season. Berkman said, “I anticipate being in the lineup Tuesday and not coming out until the end of the year.” That’s good news for a Houston team that’s gotten off to a 3-9 start and is averaging 2.33 runs per game – the lowest in the bigs.

Game of the Day

Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5, 189)

Notable quotable

"We do tend to lose focus in a 48-minute ballgame but we can't do that in these games."

-- Joe Johnson said after the Hawks blew a sizeable lead against Milwaukee in Game 1.

Tips and notes

- Scott Kazmir said he was ready to go at the start of the season but the Angels put him on the DL and then in the minors. It looks like he should have stayed there. In his season debut Thursday, Kazmir was lit up for six runs on eight hits in four innings of work, he also walked three. It’s clear L.A. didn’t have a lot of confidence in Kazmir to start the season and bettors shouldn’t either. The Angels are laying -125 for his start on Tuesday.

- Jerry Manuel is on the hot seat because the Mets aren’t producing wins or runs. The manager is hoping that an early call-up for first-base prospect Ike Davis will ease his pain. Davis is expected to hit sixth in the New York lineup and Manuel has also recently discussed moving Jose Reyes around in the lineup, maybe to the three-hole. The Mets are averaging 4.0 runs a game and have posted three or fewer in 7-of-10. It will be interesting to see if a tinkered lineup will help NY get back on track.

- Braves ace Tommy Hanson is looking to exact revenge on the Phillies Tuesday. Hanson only lost four games during his rookie season and two of those came against Philly (0-2, 6.43 ERA). Hanson said, “Any time you face the Phillies, it’s a big game. I had a rough one against them last year and I’m excited to get back out there.” Nate McClouth backed up his pitcher saying they have the “mindset of winning this series.” The Braves won 10-of-18 versus Philadelphia last season and oddsmakers have given Atlanta -110 odds to win the series.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:55 AM

Tuesday six-pack

-- Ike Davis had two hits and an RBI in his big league debut, as Mets beat the Cubs and found themselves a first baseman.

-- Best new name of a minor league team: Richmond Flying Squirrels, but the logo on their hat looks more like Mighty Mouse.

-- 25 college football coaches earned at least $2M last season.

-- #125 on PGA money list is Greg Chalmers, with $198,108; already this season, 23 golfers have earned $1M+.

-- Lowest average ticket price in NBA playoffs: Hawks $35. Highest average ticket price: Lakers $179.

-- Denny Hamlin won NASCAR race in Texas Monday, 20 days after he had his ACL surgically repaired. Race car drivers are tough guys.

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Tuesday's List of 13: Random stuff on a terrific Tuesday.......

13) Rams' GM Billy Devaney might not be sleeping well this week, as he has first pick in Thursday's NFL Draft and is probably taking Sooner QB Sam Bradford; Devaney was in Atlanta during the Vick debacle, and he was in San Diego when they drafted Ryan Leaf. Now that I'm reading that last sentence, I might not sleep too well this week either.

12) Colorado ignored its players' wishes and hired Tad Boyle away from Northern Colorado as its new basketball coach. Boyle was captain of the Kansas team that won national title with Danny Manning in 1988. Steve McClain, the players' choice, is headed to Indiana as an assistant.

11) Mets-Padres-Rays are only three teams that haven't throw no-hitter; of the 27 teams that have had a no-hitter, Cleveland has waited longest since its last one (Len Barker's perfect game in 1981).

10) Arizona starting pitchers allowed two runs in 17 IP over weekend in San Diego, yet Diamondbacks lost all three games. Go figure.

9) Rangers are 0-4 vs lefty starting pitchers, scoring total of six runs.

8) In Zach Greinke's three starts, Kansas City bullpen has allowed total of 16 runs in just 8.1 innings pitched.

7) We mentioned that Alabama drew 91,312 for its spring football game; Nebraska drew 77,936 for its spring game. Will there ever be a day when teams have live scrimmages against other teams in the spring to bring in more money? Imagine a Texas-Ohio State scrimmage, something like that.

6) June 30 is the deadline for conferences to re-organize so leagues can begin play in their new formats for the 2011-12 school year.

5) Ever see the TV reality show Basketball Wives, which shows various wives/girlfriends of NBA players? Its one of the few times in my life I was glad not to be rich; if thats the kind of people money attracts, thank the Lord I don't have a whole lot of it.

4) Georgia Bulldogs have ten starters back on offense this year, but will have a new QB; one of the three candidates to start just got tossed off the team, which leaves Dawgs both inexperienced, dangerously thin at QB.

3) Tennessee won't have more than 70 players on scholarship until the freshmen arrive on campus this summer; the limit is 85, so you can see the Vols will be playing shorthanded in Derek Dooley's first season.

2) By the way, its now been 21 years since an SEC-Pac 10 bowl game; it would be good theater if Tennessee-USC matched up in a bowl soon.

1) I admire the guts and mental toughness of long distance runners, but no way in hell is it good for your body to run 26 miles at one time. Can't be.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:55 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 20

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MILWAUKEE (46 - 37) at ATLANTA (54 - 29) - 4/20/2010, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 48-34 ATS (+10.6 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 37-26 ATS (+8.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
ATLANTA is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
ATLANTA is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 51-29 ATS (+19.1 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
MILWAUKEE is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MILWAUKEE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-5 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 8-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (47 - 36) at BOSTON (51 - 32) - 4/20/2010, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 34-47 ATS (-17.7 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 25-38 ATS (-16.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) in home games this season.
BOSTON is 12-28 ATS (-18.8 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 11-1 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (51 - 32) at PHOENIX (54 - 29) - 4/20/2010, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 6-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 6-5 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (50 - 33) at LA LAKERS (58 - 25) - 4/20/2010, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 59-41 ATS (+13.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 32-23 ATS (+6.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
LA LAKERS are 35-46 ATS (-15.6 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 6-6 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 11-1 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Wednesday, April 21

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CHARLOTTE (44 - 39) at ORLANDO (60 - 23) - 4/21/2010, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 44-34 ATS (+6.6 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
ORLANDO is 79-58 ATS (+15.2 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 45-37 ATS (+4.3 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 56-40 ATS (+12.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CHARLOTTE is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
CHARLOTTE is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 7-6 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 11-2 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (50 - 33) at DALLAS (56 - 27) - 4/21/2010, 9:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 11-6 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 11-7 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:56 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 20

Hawks led 62-40 at half in Game 1, coasted to 102-92 win (-8.5); they blocked 11 shots in game, shot 53.9% from floor, 6-11 from arc. Bucks are 0-3 vs Atlanta this season, losing by 4-8-10 points. Thomas was +4 in 29:51 on court in Game 1; Milwaukee was -14 in 18:09 while he was on bench. Jennings scored 34 pts in Game 1; Bucks' starting frontcourt just 16 points.

Boston-Miami series quickly got chippy; Garnett is suspended for this game after elbowing Richardson in the face. Glen Davis (+15 in 23:37 in Game 1) figures to get most of Garnett's minutes. Miami is 0-4 against Boston this year; they had 19 turnovers, shot just 39.7% from floor in Game 1. Bench will have to shoot better than their 9-28 in Game 1.

Portland was only road team to win Game 1, going 23-31 from foul line as Phoenix was just 13-16 at line, 11-32 from arc. Miller had 31 points, 8 assists in unusual offensive performance. Interesting to see if Blazers give Webster (-16 in 19:49 of Game 1) as much playing time in Game 2. Suns are better of when Nash distributes more than he scores; he had 25 points in Game 1. Stoudemire was just 8-19, got to line only three times.

Artest tormented Durant in Game 1; kid was just 7-24 in first playoff game; other than Durant/Westbrook, Thunder was 12-32 from floor, in a game they made just 2-16 from arc. Jackson is 44-0 in playoff series if he wins Game 1. OC did good job on Bryant, holding him to 6-19 from floor, but Gasol had 19 points, 13 rebounds. Lakers blocked nine shots, held Thunder to 40.3% from the floor.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:57 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ATLANTA
Milwaukee is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
MIAMI vs. BOSTON
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Miami's last 17 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games

10:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. PHOENIX
Portland is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Portland
Phoenix is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Portland

10:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. LA LAKERS
Oklahoma City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 8 games on the road
LA Lakers are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games at home
LA Lakers are 19-4 SU in their last 23 games at home

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:58 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 20

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Game of the day: Thunder at Lakers
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5, 189)

Game 2 of the Western Conference playoff series between the Lakers and the Thunder tips off at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Tuesday night. Let’s take a look at how the two teams match up.

Size matters

The Lakers managed an 87-79 victory over a young and inexperienced Oklahoma City squad in Game 1 of this series, while capitalizing on their height and length advantage over the smaller Thunder.

With 7-foot-2 center Andrew Bynum back in the Lakers’ lineup for the first time since Mar. 19, Los Angeles was able to take advantage of its inside presence early in the game with high percentage looks from down low.

Bynum showed little rust with 13 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in 30 minutes of work. He was aggressive, reminiscent of dominant Lakers centers in the past (i.e. - Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal).

Along with fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol, the Lakers frontline features skill, energy and athletic ability perhaps unsurpassed in the league.

"Energy, size, intimidation and a lot of good rebounding," is how Gasol assessed Bynum's return.

The Thunder noticed.

"With Bynum and Gasol inside, it makes it tough to go to the basket," said Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha.

By the end of the game, though, the Lakers began settling for outside shots in one-and-done offensive sets, allowing for transition sets for Oklahoma City. Rest assured Lakers coach Phil Jackson took notice of the game’s dichotomy.

Thunder and lightning

For a franchise making its first playoff appearance since 2005, when they last resided in Seattle, the Thunder needed only two years to make it to the post-season after making the move to Oklahoma.

Thanks to judicious player personnel moves and draft choices, Oklahoma City has built a young, athletic team gifted with speed and talented players in short order.

They play scrappy defense (No. 11 in the league this season, allowing 98.0 PPG) and, most important of all, play a selfless style of basketball. Although Kevin Durant is a superstar, you would never know it.

While they appeared unsure and overmatched at times in Sunday’s loss to the defending champs, OKC coach Scott Brooks was not discouraged by the defeat.

“We didn't play well. The Lakers are a good team. They're so long. But I'm encouraged that we came out and competed. You never know what to expect. It's a lot of our first times playing in the playoffs. Nervous, I didn't see that. I saw a team that played a lot of effort," said Brooks.

Kobe steak

Last year’s MVP Kobe Bryant returned to the Lakers lineup Sunday after missing the final two games of the regular season. He was 6-for-19 from the field and 7-for12 for the stripe, good for 21 points.

Not 100 percent fit, Bryant was impressed by the speed of the Thunder.

"They all run like deers." Bryant said when asked about Oklahoma City's young players.

Kobe missed nine games this season. In those contests, the Lakers were 6-3 straight up (SU) and 5-4 against the spread (ATS), including 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in non-division games. With Bryant in the lineup, Los Angeles is 52-22 SU and 30-43-1 ATS this season.

Durant Durant

Hungry like the wolf? That would be OKC star forward Durant - especially after a ‘disappointing’ 24-point performance against the Lakers in Game 1.

The only matchup the Thunder holds an edge over the defending champions is at the small forward position, where MVP nominee Durant excels over Ron Artest.

Artest held Durant to 7-of-24 from the floor, including 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. Many feel it’s only a matter of time before Durantula puts the bite on Ron-Ron.

That’s because prior to Sunday’s effort, Durant ended the season on a run of seven straight games in which he tallied 30 or more points, including three in which he scored 40-plus.

KD has been held under 25 points only nine times this campaign. He bounced back to average 32.3 points per game in the next contest.

If OKC is going to upset the Lakers in this first-round playoff, Durant is going to have to reclaim his shooting stroke faster than Bryant does.

Durant is excited about his chances tonight.

"He plays physical every time we go at it," he said of Artest. "I got some great opportunities to make shots and they didn't fall. It's going to be like that all series, I'm looking forward to it."

Trendencies

Oklahoma City is 18-7 SU and 21-4 ATS in games off a SU and ATS loss this season.

Los Angeles is 7-4 SU and 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games as a host in this series when facing same season revenge.

Lakers coach Jackson is 44-0 in a playoff series after winning Game 1.

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 04:59 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 20

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets
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Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (-1, 179)

Kevin Garnett will not play in Game 2. His errant elbow thrown at Heat forward Quentin Richardson in Game 1 earned him a one-game ban.
So how much is the 2010 version of Garnett worth to the Celtics? Last season, the C’s put up a good fight but couldn’t win a Game 7 at home against Orlando without KG in the lineup.

“If he has to sit out we just have to go out there and play,” Paul Pierce told the Boston Herald before the suspension became official. “We can’t use that as an excuse. We’ve played without KG in series, and we’ve won."

The real question for Heat backers is if Michael Beasley will be able to take advantage offensively playing against Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace instead of the lanky Garnett.

Beasley had just six points and eight rebounds in Game 1.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on somebody, but we need more out of Michael,'' Dwyane Wade told the Miami Herald. "It's simple as that. He's our, quote-unquote, second-best player, and we need him to be that.''

Look for Beasley to respond with a better performance on Tuesday.

Pick: Heat

Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (-8.5, 204.5)

No Brandon Roy, no problem. Despite playing without their best player, Portland edged the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday night. It’s getting to the point where bettors have to wonder if there’s any injury at all that could slow down the Blazers.

Already missing its starting and backup center, Portland entered its first round matchup against the Suns knowing that All-Star shooting guard Brandon Roy would be out.

Portland’s strategy was to attack Steve Nash on offense and see if the aging Suns guard could keep up. The plan worked out well with Andre Miller collecting 31 points and reserve guard Jerryd Bayless finishing with 18 off the bench.

Phoenix should bounce back in Game 2 but it should be a nail-biter.

Pick: Blazers

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:00 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 20

Favorites are just 12-11 so far in playoffs; over is 10-9-4.

Phoenix lost seven of last nine games in this building, but outshot Red Wings 26-18 over last two periods to post Game 3 upset; Coyotes are 0-7 on power play last two games, still scored four goals in each game. Phoenix outscored Wings 7-2 in third period in series. Detroit averaging 15.3 shots on goal in first period, just 10.6 per period rest of the game. Both teams have had 30+ shots on goal in all three games in series.

Flyers won five of last six games vs New Jersey, winning four of last five games played here; Flyers still haven't scored a third period goal in series, but they outshot Jersey 6-1 in OT of Game 3. In last two games, Flyers outshot New Jersey 28-10 in 3rd period/OT. Devils are 3-16 on power play (27:21) in series, Flyers are 4-15 (24:21). Under is 5-3-1 in last nine series games, 3-1-1 in last five played here.

Penguins held Ottawa to three goals, 42 shots in winning last two games, after Senators scored five goals on 26 shots in Game 1. Pittsburgh is 5-3 in last eight games here; they're 3-12 on power play in the series (17:43). Ottawa outshot Penguins 22-18 in first period in series, but Pittsburgh has 58-46 edge in shots rest of the game. Five of last seven series games went over the total.

San Jose outshot Colorado 103-39 in last two games, but Sharks put the puck in own net in first minute of OT in Game 3, giving Avalanche win in game where they got outshot 51-16, 43-8 after first period. Home side won six of last seven series games, with San Jose losing last three visits here, after Sharks were 4-0 vs Colorado LY. Avalanche is 0-6 on power play in last two games (11:13). Sharks were 0-6 in Game 3.

Predators missed playoffs LY; they've never won playoff series, losing in first round four times. Nashville won four of last six games- under is 10-3-1 in its last 14 games. Blackhawks won seven of last nine games, and won three of last four games in this building. Predators are 0-7 on power play (13:49) in series, Chicago 1-7 (12:32). Neither side has had a first period goal in series.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:00 AM

NHL

Tuesday, April 20

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Trend Report
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6:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. DETROIT
Phoenix is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Phoenix is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Detroit is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
Detroit is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Phoenix

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing Ottawa
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Ottawa is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games at home
Ottawa is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:30 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. PHILADELPHIA
New Jersey is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games on the road
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing New Jersey

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. NASHVILLE
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Chicago's last 16 games when playing Nashville
Chicago is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Nashville's last 16 games when playing Chicago
Nashville is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Chicago

9:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. COLORADO
San Jose is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
San Jose is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Colorado's last 15 games
Colorado is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:01 AM

NHL

Tuesday, April 20

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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
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San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (+140, 5.5)

The San Jose Sharks saw a dominant performance come to a heart-breaking end after suffering a 1-0 overtime loss in Colorado Sunday night to fall 2-1 in the series.

Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle scored in his own net on a backhand pass that squeezed by goalie Evgeni Nabokov just 51 seconds into the overtime period.

“That’s pretty much the worst thing that could have happened,” Boyle told the Denver Post. “It’s going to have to be (just one loss). We’re going to have to be strong. I’m going to have to be strong.”

San Jose was frustrated all night by Avs goalie Craig Anderson who made 51 saves and kept his team in the game the entire night. The Sharks outshot the Avs 42-7 in the last two periods of Game 3, but couldn’t get the puck past the sprawling and diving Anderson.

“When you work hard and you stay positive, good results happen and you get the lucky bounces,” Anderson told the Canadian Press. “It’s remarkable.”

Anderson, who led the NHL in shots faced and saves this season, is be used to seeing a flurry of pucks in any given contest. Still, you have to figure if San Jose keeps hacking at the puck, it’s bound to pay off.

Pick: Sharks

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators (+120, 5.5)

The Ottawa Senators just can’t find a way to slow down Sidney Crosby. The Penguins captain led his team to a 4-2 win in Game 3, scoring the game-winner and assisting on the last goal. He also managed to win 11 faceoffs and earn three hits along with three takeaways.

“A lot of guys have drive, a lot of guys want to win”, linemate Bill Guerin told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “With his drive and will, plus his talent, his physical makeup -- all that stuff – it makes something pretty special.”

On the other side of things, while Ottawa stars Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson haven’t been terrible, they haven’t dominated either. And to make matters worse, Alfredsson had to momentarily leave Game 3 in the second period following a hard hit by Crosby. He wouldn’t say whether he was hurt on the play.

“The official explanation is that I needed to go to the locker room for a good pep talk about keeping my head up”, Alfredsson told the Ottawa Citizen.

The momentum in this physical series seems to have shifted in Pittsburgh’s favor. Expect the Penguins to use it to get them one win closer to the second round Tuesday night.

Pick: Penguins

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:02 AM

MLB
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 20

Hot pitchers
-- de la Rosa is 1-1, 3.46 in his first two starts.
-- Pelfrey is 2-0, 1.38 in his first two starts; he also got save Saturday in the 20-inning game, pitching one inning.
-- Hanson is 1-1, 2.38 in his first two starts.
-- Sanchez is 1-0, 2.19 in his first two starts.

-- Eveland is 2-0, 1.35 in his last two starts. Royals won first two Davies starts, scoring 11 runs.
-- Lewis is 2-0, 2.19 in his first couple starts.
-- Slowey is 1-1, 3.48 in his first two starts.
-- Price is 2-0, 2.45 in his last two starts. Danks is 1-0, 2.07 in his first two starts.
-- GGonzalez is 1-0, 3.38 in his first two starts.
-- Porcello is 1-0, 4.09 in his first two starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Olsen allowed four runs in 5.2 IP in his first 2010 start.
-- Milwaukee is 0-2 in Bush starts; bullpen allowed seven runs in 5.1 IP after he left his starts. Morton allowed 14 runs in 9.1 IP in his starts.
-- Bailey is 0-1, 6.97 in his first two starts. Billingsley has 5.73 RA in his first two '10 starts.
-- Zambrano is 1-1, 10.13 in three starts this season.
-- Kendrick allowed 11 runs in 5.2 IP in his first two starts.
-- Volstad, Myers are both 1-1, 4.15 in their first two starts.
-- Haren is 0-1, 5.54 in his last two starts. Lohse is 0-1, 4.15 in his first two starts.
-- Latos is 0-1, 5.91 in his first two starts.

-- Wakefield is 0-1, 5.84 in his first couple starts.
-- Masterson is 0-1, 4.09 in his first two starts.
-- Vazquez is 0-2, 9.82 in his first two starts.
-- Kazmir allowed six runs in four IP in his first '10 start.
-- DHernandez is 0-2, 5.73 in his first two starts. Vargas is 1-1, 5.56 in his last couple starts.

Totals
-- Last three Colorado road games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Milwaukee games went over the total.
-- Last four Cincinnati home games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in Mets' last five games.
-- Four of last five Atlanta home games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Florida road games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Arizona games.
-- Eight of last eleven Giant games went over the total.

-- Eight of last nine Kansas City games went over the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Boston games.
-- Five of six Cleveland road games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last ten Tampa Bay games went over the total. Five of six White Sox games stayed under.
-- Five of six Bronx road games went over the total.
-- Last three Detroit road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in Balitmore road games. Seven of last ten Seattle games stayed under.

Hot teams
-- Nationals are 6-3 in their last nine games.
-- Pirates won four of their last five games.
-- Braves won four of their last five games.
-- Dodgers won three of their last four games.
-- Marlins won four of their last five games. Astros won three of four.
-- Cardinals won nine of their first thirteen games.
-- Padres won last four games, allowing eight runs.

-- Rays won last seven games, scoring 46 runs.
-- Indians won last four games, allowing 11 runs.
-- Twins won three of their last four games.
-- Angels won five of their last six games.
-- Bronx won last four games, scoring 23 runs. A's won six of their last seven home games.
-- Seattle won five of its last six games.

Cold teams
-- Brewers lost six of last nine games, are 0-4 in series openers.
-- Reds lost last five games, outscored 29-15.
-- Rockies lost five of their last six road games.
-- Cubs lost four of their last five games. Mets lost six of their last nine games.
-- Phillies lost three of their last four games.
-- Diamondbacks lost six of last seven games.
-- Giants lost three of their last four games.

-- Red Sox are 3-9 in last twelve games. Rangers lost last four games, outscored 20-8.
-- Blue Jays lost four of their last six games. Royals are 3-6 in their last nine games.
-- White Sox lost last four games, outscored 24-11.
-- Tigers lost five of their last seven games.
-- Orioles lost 12 of their first 14 games.

**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:03 AM

MLB

Tuesday, April 20

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PITTSBURGH
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Milwaukee's last 15 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Pittsburgh is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games when playing Milwaukee

7:05 PM
COLORADO vs. WASHINGTON
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

7:07 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. TORONTO
Kansas City is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Kansas City's last 10 games on the road
Toronto is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Kansas City
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:10 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CINCINNATI
LA Dodgers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of LA Dodgers's last 13 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati's last 13 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Philadelphia's last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 10 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 10 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

7:10 PM
TEXAS vs. BOSTON
Texas is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Boston
Texas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Boston's last 10 games when playing Texas
Boston is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Texas

7:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. NY METS
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Mets's last 12 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs

8:05 PM
FLORIDA vs. HOUSTON
Florida is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Florida's last 9 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games when playing Florida
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Florida

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. MINNESOTA
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Cleveland is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Minnesota is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games at home
Chi White Sox are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games at home

9:40 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 9 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Arizona's last 9 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Arizona is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home

10:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. SAN DIEGO
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
San Francisco is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games
San Diego is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing San Francisco

10:05 PM
DETROIT vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Detroit is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games at home
LA Angels are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of NY Yankees's last 13 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Oakland is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
Oakland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

10:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Baltimore's last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Baltimore's last 20 games
Seattle is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Seattle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

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**Udog** · 04-20-2010, 05:04 AM

MLB

Tuesday, April 20

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Florida Marlins at Houston Astros (-105, 8.5)

The Marlins took the final two games of a three-game series in Philadelphia behind stellar pitching. Florida’s staff only allowed one run and nine hits against a potent Phillies batting order.

"When we pitch, we've got a chance," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "But one run in 18 innings, with that lineup?"

Chris Volstad will take the mound against the ‘Stros on Tuesday and he has been sharp this season, pitching into the seventh inning in both of his starts.

And he may not need to be that good to shutdown a pathetic Houston lineup that is averaging 2.33 runs per game. The Astros have scored two runs or fewer in seven games and have been shut out three times.

Lance Berkman is expected to return to action but the Big Puma isn’t going to be driving in players when there’s nobody on base. Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence are hitting .104 and .156 this season.

Pick: Under

Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox (-105, 8)

The last time the Rays visited the South Side of Chicago, they were humbled as Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect game.

Don’t expect the same results on Tuesday.

The White Sox have dropped four straight and couldn’t bust their way out of a cheap condom right now. Ozzie Guillen’s club is hitting .222 this season.

"I'm just as frustrated as the next guy," said A.J. Pierzynski. "Things aren't working out, but nobody's going to feel sorry for us."

Tampa Bay surely isn’t as it comes into this game riding a seven-game winning streak. The Rays are averaging 6.6 runs per and have blasted 11 home runs during the streak.

Bettors are getting an incredible price with a hot team against a cold team in this matchup. Look for David Price to shut down the Sox on Tuesday.

Pick: Rays

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Announcement

Tuesday Trends and Indexes 4/20 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Tuesday Trends and Indexes 4/20 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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