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**BettorsChat** · 04-20-2010, 03:53 PM

gl Stardust

**Red Bill** · 04-20-2010, 03:56 PM

GL like the Milwaukee over play

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:12 PM

Lets hope so....I've been slumping here in the NBA......but things will turn around........good luck to us with that one..

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:13 PM

Heat and Suns have to play better

While the biggest story surrounding game two between Miami and Boston centers around the Kevin Garnett suspension, Heat players know the real issue involves shooting 39.8 percent, scoring 76 points and committing 22 turnovers. They do that again they jump into 0-2 hole they helped dig. At least Miami hasn’t lost at home, something Phoenix can’t say. The Suns players should have listened to local talk radio, as their fans assumed they would be mature and take the game to the short-handed Portland. Instead, they waltzed around and let the Trailblazers steal opening game. Two NBA teams, two NBA situations, the Heat and Suns must address.

Miami at Boston 8:00E TNT

The Heat knew what to expect against Boston, they had already lost to them three times this season, yet once again they failed to find the answer. Dwayne Wade can win a game or possibly even two with the right set of circumstances; however he can’t go at it alone to win a series.
Boston strategy is to do the best they can with Wade defensively, but more importantly, don’t let anyone else become a factor. Other than the former Marquette product, no other Miami player has scored 20 points this season against the Celtics and in series opener, Quentin Richardson was the only other player to reach double digits (15 points).

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said, "We just did not show a lot of composure. ... To play to that kind of pressure, a little bit of duress, a little bit of adversity, we did not respond well to it." His club is 6-19 ATS is road encounters revenging four or more losses to same opponent.

Boston will miss KG, but coach Doc Rivers will do what he does best, rally the troops for key moments.

“Kevin also facilitates a lot of offense. In the first game, a lot of our open shots came off Kevin being involved in the play. That’s my biggest concern. You’re losing 15 points and, more importantly, you’re losing all the picks, all the postups where they had to trap. That’s big. We’re going to have to try to find some points somewhere.” Rivers also talked about Garnett’s defensive energy and will present this as challenge to Glen Davis, Rasheed Wallace and others to pitch in.

Bookmaker.com saw Boston go off as 4.5-point in the first matchup and took revenge and no Garnett into consideration and dropped the Celtics to two-point choice, with the wagering public taking it a step further. The Celtics are now listed as single point home favorites, with steady total of 179.

Boston has won six straight over Miami at home (3-3 ATS) yet is merely 13-26-2 ATS as a home favorite and 21-12 UNDER after they’ve covered the spread this season. The Heat is going to have to force the tempo and make shots. They are 8-0 OVER off a road loss scoring less than 80 points, winning by 7.8 points per game.

Portland at Phoenix 10:00E NBA-TV

The clues were there and the intelligent sports bettor spotted them and played Portland in Game 1. Phoenix was an eight-point favorite with total of 204, suggesting the Suns should have won first round opening tilt 106-98. The score relating to the Trailblazers exactly matched their season total home and away. Phoenix however averages 110.1 points a game and over 112 at home. The numbers didn’t add up and Portland got the upset.

Every typical flaw the Suns have was exposed by outstanding game plan by coach Nate McMillian.

Defensively they pressured Steve Nash early in the shot clock, making him yo-yo the dribble and eat up time. Phoenix prefers to get right into offense and most times they didn’t get anything started until 15 or less seconds. They doubled Amare Stoudemire wherever possible and he needed 19 shots to accumulate 18 points.

On offense, Portland ran when given the opportunity and Andre Miller kept driving to the rim and Phoenix had no answer. This allowed Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge to score in deep. A 14-2 and 11-4-1 ATS close to the season meant nothing after four quarters of playoff basketball for coach Alvin Gentry’s squad.

Nash was candid about how his team played, even if it seemed unusual. “We didn’t quite have the spirit or the energy collectively that we had in the last few games of the regular season,” Nash said. “Sometimes that happens.”

When asked about the importance of this being playoff time he responded, “You can never predict. I mean, I thought we played hard. I just thought we didn’t quite have that spark that we needed,” he said. “I don’t know— biorhythms.”

Phoenix’ compelling season could be all but over with another loss and they are 8-1 ATS at home after a defeat by six points or less this season. The Suns are 8.5-point faves with total of 204.5 and they are 41-24 OVER revenging a same season failure the last three seasons.

Portland has the second best road record in the NBA at 25-17 (26-14-2 ATS) and is 18-6 ATS off a road win this season. It will be imperative for the Blazers to again contain the tempo as assuredly the Suns will want to play at more aggressive pace and they are 21-8 UNDER as visitors when the total is greater than or equal to 200.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:14 PM

Today’s Betting Information

With four games on the NBA docket this evening, sports bettors are making noise about how they view the opening numbers. Without Kevin Garnett and Miami off 39.7 percent shooting performance, the total has been on the rise from 179 to 181.5. The market has also had a correction on the Celtics, taking them from -2 to -1.

Milwaukee and Atlanta totaled 194 points in their first game, nonetheless totals players view this contest still to being relatively low scoring, taking the number down 1.5-points to 187.5, despite the Hawks 16-5 OVER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points this season.

Portland controlled the tempo against Phoenix in the series opener and that view is being taken again at the total has tumbled from 205 to 203 or 202.5 at online sportsbooks.

In the NHL Playoffs, Phoenix was a +170 underdog in Game 3 in Detroit and after the upset victory and with captain Shane Doan out, the Coyotes are really desert dogs at +195 for tonight’s encounter.

on the diamond, the Washington Nationals are off to their best start (7-6) since the 2005 season when they moved into the nation’s capital (8-6 on this date five years ago) and are earning some props from bettors. The Nationals opened as +145 money line underdogs to Colorado, but having won four of five, scoring five runs a game, the number is now at +125 or less at most wagering outlets.

Milwaukee’s 5-7 start and bullpen carrying an ERA of 7.65 on the road, has the Brew Crew as -120 road favorites after opening up at -145 traveling to Pittsburgh.

Texas has scored eight runs in losing four straight and Boston has averaged less than two runs a contest in their five game losing streak, nonetheless the total moved upward to 9.5 for tonight’s ballgame.

Two young stud pitchers match tosses on the South Side of Chicago. David Price of Tampa Bay and John Danks of the White Sox will duel and the oddsmakers total of eight has fallen to 7.5.

NBA Betting Nuggets

Play on home teams like Dallas after successfully covering the spread in four or more consecutive games, in a game involving two good teams with 60 to 75 win percentage. (33-9 ATS)

Oklahoma City is is 24-8 ATS after one or more losses this season.

MLB Betting Nuggets

Play Under on road teams like the Rays against the total after three straight games where they stranded five or less runners on base, after a contest where the bullpen gave up no earned runs. (67-27 L5Y)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 15-4 (+15 Units) against the ML at PNC Park vs. NL teams scoring 4.8 or more runs a game on the season over the last two seasons.

Hockey Betting Nuggets

Play Against any team as a # 2 seed in the playoffs (Chicago), in the third game of a playoff series. (36-16)

The Phoenix Coyotes are 16-3 UNDER after a win by two goals or more this season.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:15 PM

Atlanta favored to catch front-running Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have owned the NL East the last two years, and they have an early lead again. The Atlanta Braves hope a newcomer can help swing the division in their favor. After rookie Jason Heyward’s walk-off hit led to their fourth win in five games, the Braves will try to carry the momentum into Tuesday’s opener of a three-game series against the visiting Phillies.

The Braves won 14 consecutive division titles through 2005, but Philadelphia (8-4, +1.2 units) has become the team to beat in the East after back-to-back trips to the World Series, including their 2008 championship. The Phillies are back at the top of the division thanks to a 7-1 start, but they’ve since lost three of four. They lead the majors with 78 runs but were held to one while losing its last two to Florida, getting blanked for the first time in Sunday’s 2-0 loss.

Leadoff man Jimmy Rollins remains on the disabled list. “There’s no concern right now,” slugger Ryan Howard told the Phillies’ official website after going hitless in the last two games. “It’s just baseball. There’s going to be hot streaks, I wouldn’t even call this a cold streak.
We just ran into two guys who were on top of their game and we just kind of happened to cool off.” Philly hits the road where they are 10-1 after five or more home games the last two seasons.

They will face another starter who has been sharp Tuesday as Tommy Hanson (1-1, 2.38 ERA) tries to build on his first win. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up one run in six innings of a 6-1 victory at San Diego on Wednesday and already has 14 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. “Hanson is a good young pitcher,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “He’s got a combo of the good velocity with the sharp breaking ball - pretty tough.”

Hanson, 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA against the Phillies as a rookie in 2009, has been overshadowed by the Braves’ other young phenom.

Heyward is already living up to lofty expectations, batting .302 with 15 RBIs in his first 12 major league games. He delivered in the clutch Sunday, ripping a sharp two-run single with two strikes and two outs in the ninth inning to give the Braves a 4-3 win over Colorado. “He’s got fortitude like no other 20-year-old,” teammate Matt Diaz said. “The best part about it was we got to see a little emotion out of him, jumping up and down out there at second base.”

The Braves (7-5, +1 unit) hope he can spark an offense that was mediocre in 2009 as the team tries to return to the playoffs in manager Bobby Cox’s final season. Atlanta had totaled 21 runs while winning three straight before getting no-hit Saturday by Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. Atlanta was able save its bullpen in last contest and is 14-2 after the non-starters pitched one inning or less.

Philadelphia’s Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 17.47) doesn’t seem like a good candidate to shut down the Braves after having major problems in his first two starts, both against Washington. The right-hander, whose time in Philadelphia’s rotation could be nearing an end as Joe Blanton works his way back from an oblique injury, gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings Wednesday but was bailed out by his offense and bullpen in a 14-7 win.

“I was bad,” Kendrick said. “I fell behind hitters and wasn’t aggressive.” Kendrick has been much better against the Braves, going 4-1 with a 3.29 ERA in seven career appearances and the right-hander is 14-3 OVER in road games over the last three seasons. (Phillies Record) He won in relief with four shutout innings during Philadelphia’s 9-4 victory at Turner Field on Sept. 18, but Atlanta was still the only NL East team to win the season series against the Phillies last year, going 10-8.

Bookmaker.com has Atlanta out as -155 money line favorites with total of 8.5, but they are beggarly 2-9 (-10.5 Units) against the ML at home vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .275 or better. The Braves are 18-7 UNDER at Turner Field vs. clubs outscoring opponents by 0.5 or more runs a game on the year.

This Eastern Division battle has a 7:10 Eastern start time and in available on MLB.tv with the Phils 13-5 at Atlanta the last two years and 31-14 (+19.4 Units) against the ML in road games in the first half of the season since last year.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:15 PM

NHL high seeds try and break hex

One of the most feared predators on the planet is the shark. They come in all sizes and shapes in the water, from the 50-foot whale shark, to the fiercest meat-eating monster, the Great White. Not every shark is consider a danger to man, like the pygmy ribbontail catshark, which is 6 to 7 1/2 inches in length or the oft times docile San Jose Sharks, who are almost timid when April and May come around.

If this team were based in New Orleans, an exorcism would be preformed to break the curse, because no team could be as continually brilliant year after year in the regular season and fold like a cardboard box in the postseason. Maybe the these Sharks need one of the teams from CSI or the gang from Criminal Minds to determine a profile as what the - H E double hockey sticks - is wrong with this team.

In Game 1 against outclassed Colorado club, the Avs Chris Stewart fires centering pass into toward the goal and San Jose’s Rod Blake’s skate redirects the puck past helpless goalie Evgeni Nabokov with 50 seconds in the game to give the Avalanche unexpected 2-1 road win.

Game 2 the Sharks out-shoot Colorado 52-22, but need goal with 32 seconds to tie and eventually win in OT.

Game 3 was tense scoreless struggle thru regulation, although all the pressure was on Avs netminder Craig Anderson, with San Jose putting on relentless pressure with incomprehensible 42-7 edge in shots on goal the last two periods. Just as fans were getting back in their seats for OT, San Jose’s Dan Boyle’s errant pass managed to beat his own goalie and Colorado led in series 2-1.

“We didn’t beat their goalie,” Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. “We found a way to beat ours.”

Exasperation can’t describe the emotions San Jose players and fans have to be feeling, as they have seen this remake of Bill Murray’s “Groundhog Day” before and they are 4-10 in road games after losing their previous game in overtime.

Colorado is playing like they are walking around with four-leaf clovers under their sweaters and are 10-1 on home ice after winning in extra session. San Jose is a -160 money line favorite with total of 5.5 at Bookmaker.com and has to feel they are firing the puck into 1x1 black hole area, with Anderson stoning everything. The Sharks are a very lonely 3-9 in last dozen road games.

Another team that needs a hug is second seeded New Jersey, who must hate orange and black. If hockey periods were like boxing scoring, the Devils would probably be ahead 5-2-2 on points thru three games, yet trail 2-1 to Philadelphia after Daniel Carcillo’s overtime goal in Game 3.

New Jersey is now 2-7 against Philly this season and just don’t seem to matchup up well against them and the Flyers have great confidence facing the Devils.

That feeling of confidence has extended to goalie Brian Boucher, who is playing only because of injuries to top two Philadelphia netminders and is seeking the most improbable of journey’s, trying to lead the Flyers to East Finals, like he did a decade ago.

Philadelphia is 8-3 on their pond over New Jersey the last three seasons and is currently a +100 underdog, with the Devils 2-8 as road favorites.
Unless New Jersey can break the spell the Flyers have over them, they might be headed back home down 3-1 in the series.

**Spark** · 04-20-2010, 04:16 PM

Good Luck bummer

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:17 PM

Early Action Tips

The higher seeds in the Eastern Conference have lived up to the hype so far, posting a 5-0 record through first round of the NBA playoffs. Can any of the underdogs show up in the East or should we already start looking ahead to the conference semifinals? We’ll find out on Tuesday when Atlanta and Boston look to build 2-0 leads over Milwaukee and Miami respectively.
Let’s take a closer look at the two early games in the East for Tuesday.

Milwaukee at Atlanta

Atlanta opened up its playoff campaign last Saturday with a solid 102-92 home victory over Milwaukee in Game 1. The Hawks came out firing in the first half and wound up building a 22-point lead (62-40) after the first 24 minutes. The Bucks head coach Scott Skiles and his troops didn’t go away quietly, outscoring the Hawks 30-19 in the third stanza but they couldn’t turn the corner. Milwaukee failed to cover as an 8 ½-point underdog and the combined 194 points slipped ‘over’ the closing number of 186 ½ points.

The win for Atlanta was its 13th straight at Philips Arena. Mike Woodson’s team has gone 8-5 against the spread during this streak, and the ‘over’ has also produced an 8-5 record.

Despite the hot streak and impressive performance in Game 1, the number on second-installment for Tuesday has been lowered. Oddsmakers opened the Hawks as 7 ½-point favorites and the total jumped a couple points to 189.

Milwaukee did get an amazing effort in the setback from rookie Brandon Jennings, who posted 34 points on 14-of-25 shots from the field. If you take away the point guard’s production, the team only connected on 40 percent of their shots. The loss of center Andrew Bogut (elbow) was evident on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The Bucks’ starting frontcourt put up 16 points and they lost the battle on the boards (35-40), plus the Hawks racked up 11 blocks as well. The club is 1-3 in the last four games without Bogut and the one victory could be deemed meaningless (at Boston) since backups earned major minutes on the last day of the regular season.

Joe Johnson (22 points) led six Hawk players in double figures, and Jamal Crawford added 17 points off the bench in his first ever playoff appearance. Atlanta shot 55 percent (6-of-11) from 3-point land but only earned 19 trips to the free-throw line, converting 14 attempts.

Atlanta’s success at home (35-7 SU, 26-16 ATS) is nothing new for this team, especially in its last two opening playoff rounds. In the past two postseasons, the Hawks have gone 6-1 both SU and ATS against the Heat and Celtics. Including Saturday, that number is now 7-1 in the last eight and the ‘over’ is 6-2 over the span.

If the trends stay true, most would expect another Hawk win and cover Tuesday. However, you might want to fade the ATL when it visits Wisconsin. Atlanta is 1-7 both SU and ATS in its last eight postseason games on the road, plus its 19-22 SU and 22-18 ATS ledger away from home this year is disappointing for a No. 3 seed.

For whatever reason, the NBA won’t have these teams meet again until Saturday when Game 3 takes place from the Bradley Center. In case you’re wondering, the Bucks (1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS) have struggled with three days of rest or more, while the Hawks (5-1 SU, 5-1 ATS) have thrived. Also, Milwaukee (3-1) and Atlanta (5-1) have both watched the ‘over’ go a combined 8-1 in similar rest scenarios.

Tip-off for this contest is slated for 7:05 p.m. EDT, with NBATV providing coverage.

Miami at Boston

Of all the opening round series that was expected to be the most competitive, a lot of handicappers had their pulse on this matchup and they were right. Boston captured an 85-76 win over Miami in Game 2 but the opener was much tighter than the final score. The Heat led 44-41 at the half and they started the third quarter on fire too, opening up a 14-point lead (61-47) midway through the third. Unfortunately for Miami backers grabbing four points on the road, the offense went into hiding. The team scored 15 points in the final 19 minutes of the game, six of them coming from Dwayne Wade.

Wade did finish with 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists but the rest of the supporting cast failed to show up. Jermaine O’Neal (3-of-14) and Michael Beasley (3-of-8) couldn’t muster up any offense for the Heat, who shot 39.7 percent from the field as a team.

Even though Boston stole a win and cover in Game 1, Doc Rivers’ club will have to step up on Tuesday without Kevin Garnett, who was suspended for one game after he elbowed the Heat’s Quentin Richardson late in the game. The All-Star lost his cool as Paul Pierce fell down in front of Miami’s bench and was caught tossing a cheap shot. Pierce’s shoulder was banged up in the win, but he’s listed as ‘probable’ for Game 2.

Playing without KG is nothing new for the Celtics, who advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals last year without the All-Star. During the regular season, Garnett missed 12 games and Boston struggled to a 5-7 record both SU and ATS without his duties, but one of those wins did come against Miami (112-106 OT). The ‘over’ went 8-4 in those games and that could be the look in Game 2. If you recall last year’s opening round series against Boston, the Bulls were able to score at will without KG in the middle, and the ‘over’ posted a 6-1 mark in that best-of-seven series. Rivers will most likely start Rasheed Wallace in his absence, plus look for Glenn Davis to pick up his minutes as well.

The Celtics were favored by 4 1/2-points in Game 1 and the number for Tuesday has dropped to 1 ½ points. The total also fell from 184 to 179. Are the moves based on the KG suspension, Miami’s urgency, Boston’s inconsistent record at home? You could answer “Yes” to all three of those questions and point to other factors too. As bad as Miami played over the final stretch in Game 1, they still only lost by nine points.

While the point-spread leans toward the Heat, it’s hard to ignore that Boston is still 12-1 in its last 13 encounters versus Miami, and the Celtics are 9-4 ATS during this span.

Following this contest, the two clubs will tangle in South Beach for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.

TNT will offer up national coverage of this contest at 8:05 p.m.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:18 PM

Late Tuesday Tips

The favorites have ruled the first two days of the NBA playoffs, as the lone underdog to cash outright is Portland. The Blazers look for a 2-0 series advantage heading back to the Rose Garden, while the Suns try for a split in the Valley. Elsewhere, the Thunder looks to climb out of a 1-0 hole against the defending champion Lakers.

Blazers at Suns - 10:05 PM EST

Portland found a way to capture the opening game without Brandon Roy by upending Phoenix, 105-100 as 8 ½-point underdogs. The Blazers stayed within striking distance the entire game, as Nate McMillan's team never trailed by more than five points. The Suns drilled 11 treys, but Andre Miller, Nicholas Batum, and Jerryd Bayless combined for 67 points in the win.

The Blazers have had the Suns' number this season, beating Phoenix three of four times, including twice without Roy. Now, the Suns try to bounce back from their first home loss since a 102-96 setback to the Lakers on March 12. Phoenix is 5-4 ATS this season off a home defeat, but 2-4 ATS when laying at least 8 ½ points in this situation.

The 'over' has now hit in four of Phoenix's last five home games following Sunday's loss. Some bettors may have received a 'push' if they waited until game-time when the total closed at 205. Many 'under' players weren't pleased with the final quarter of Game 1 after the Blazers outscored the Suns, 35-28, including 24 combined points in the last three minutes. The 'under' has been cashed in five of the previous eight road contests for Portland, while allowing 100 points or less six times in this span.

Portland is a solid 11-4 SU and 10-3 ATS on the road off a road victory, including a 6-2 ATS mark as an underdog. The Suns have rebounded nicely off a SU loss, going 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS the last eight games off a defeat.

Phoenix is listed as an 8 ½-point favorite in most spots, while the total is set at 204 ½.

Thunder at Lakers - 10:35 PM EST

The season's big storyline in the NBA is the surging Oklahoma City Thunder and its 50-win campaign. Now, OKC tries to avoid falling down 0-2 following Sunday's 87-79 loss to the Lakers. The 79 points is the lowest scored by the Thunder since a 74-point spot in the third game of the season against the Blazers.

The strong defensive effort by the Lakers was the fourth time the Purple and Gold has limited an opponent to below 80 points this season. Scoring champion Kevin Durant was held to 7-24 shooting from the floor, including 1-8 from three-point range. Durant did score 24 points, but the Thunder shot a dismal 40% from the field. The Lakers managed a cover as 7 ½-point favorites, only the second time in five meetings this season L.A. has cashed a ticket against Oklahoma City.

Phil Jackson's squad wasn't particularly pretty from the floor either, shooting 41% in the Game 1 victory. The return of center Andrew Bynum obviously gave the Lakers a boost in the middle with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant paced L.A. with a team-high 21 points. The Thunder outscored the Lakers by six points in the final three quarters as OKC needs a better first quarter effort in Game 2 after falling behind 27-13 in the series opener.

Despite not covering, the Thunder is still one of the best road underdogs in the league, going 18-9 ATS when receiving points away the Ford Center. Oklahoma City is a sterling 9-3 ATS as a road 'dog off a loss, while going 8-4 to the 'over.' The only problem in this spot is the Thunder has dropped four consecutive games SU, falling to the Mavs, Cavs, Spurs, and Blazers.

The Lakers are just 2-8-1 ATS since the start of February as a home favorite off a win, including 1-4-1 ATS as a single-digit favorite. The 'under' has turned into a profitable play recently at Staples Center, as six of the last seven at home have hit the 'under' for Los Angeles.

L.A. is currently listed as a 6 ½-point favorite at many sportsbooks, while the total is set at 189 ½.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:31 PM

Playoff Results - First Round

First Round Results

Home teams are 8-2
Favorites are 8-2 straight up
Favorites are 6-4 against the spread
The 'over/under' tally is 4-3-3

Home Visitor Time/Final Score ATS OVER/UNDER

Saturday Apr 17, 2010
Cleveland (-11) Chicago 96-83 FAVORITE UNDER 193.5
Atlanta (-8.5) Milwaukee 102-92 FAVORITE OVER 186.5
Boston (-4.5) Miami 85-76 FAVORITE UNDER 184.5
Denver (-6) Utah 126-113 FAVORITE OVER 209

Sunday Apr 18, 2010
L.A. Lakers (-7.5) Oklahoma City 87-79 FAVORITE UNDER 19
Orlando (-10) Charlotte 98-89 UNDERDOG PUSH 187
Dallas (-4.5) San Antonio 100-94 FAVORITE PUSH 194
Phoenix Portland (+9) 105-100 UNDERDOG PUSH 205

Monday Apr 19, 2010
Cleveland (-10.5) Chicago 112-102 FAVORITE OVER 191.5
Denver Utah (+6.5) 114-111 UNDERDOG OVER 213

Tuesday Apr 20, 2010
Atlanta Milwaukee 7:00 p.m.
Boston Miami 8:00 p.m.
Phoenix Portland 10:00 p.m.
L.A. Lakers Oklahoma City 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday Apr 21, 2010
Orlando Charlotte 7:00 p.m.
Dallas San Antonio 9:30 p.m.

Thursday Apr 22, 2010
Chicago Cleveland 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m.
Portland Phoenix 10:00 p.m.

Friday Apr 23, 2010
Miami Boston 7:00 p.m.
San Antonio Dallas 9:30 p.m.
Utah Denver 10:30 p.m.

Saturday Apr 24, 2010
Charlotte Orlando 2:00 p.m.
Portland Phoenix 4:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Atlanta 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m.

Sunday Apr 25, 2010
Miami Boston 1:00 p.m.
Chicago Cleveland 3:30 p.m.
San Antonio Dallas 7:00 p.m.
Utah Denver 9:30 p.m.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:32 PM

Playoff Results - First Round

First Round Results

Favorites have gone 12-11
Home teams have gone 12-11
The 'over' is 9-8-6 through 23 games
Favorites that have won are 5-7 on the puck-line

Home Visitor Time/Final Score ATS OVER/UNDER

Wed Apr 14, 2010
Penguins Senators (+180) 5-4 UNDERDOG OVER 5.5
Devils Flyers (+145) 2-1 UNDERDOG UNDER 5
Coyotes (+100) Red Wings 3-2 UNDERDOG PUSH 5
Sharks Avalanche (+200 2-1 UNDERDOG UNDER 5.5

Thu Apr 15, 2010
Capitals Canadiens (+240) 3-2 UNDERDOG UNDER 6
Sabres (-155) Bruins 2-1 FAVORITE UNDER 5
Canucks (-185) Kings 3-2 (OT) FAVORITE UNDER 5.5

Fri Apr 16, 2010
Penguins (-300) Senators 2-1 FAVORITE UNDER 5.5
Devils (-180) Flyers 5-3 FAVORITE OVER 5
Blackhawks Predators (+210) 4-1 UNDERDOG PUSH 5
Coyotes Red Wings (-135) 7-4 FAVORITE OVER 5
Sharks (-270) Avalanche 6-5 (OT) FAVORITE OVER 5.5

Sat Apr 17, 2010
Sabres Bruins (+135) 5-3 UNDERDOG OVER 5
Capitals (-360) Canadiens 6-5 (OT) FAVORITE OVER 6
Canucks Kings (+160) 3-2 (OT) UNDERDOG PUSH

Sun Apr 18, 2010
Red Wings Coyotes (+170) 4-2 UNDERDOG OVER 5
Flyers (-110) Devils 3-2 (OT) FAVORITE PUSH
Senators Penguins (-130) 4-2 FAVORITE OVER 5.5
Blackhawks (-280) Predators 2-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5
Avalanche (+125) Sharks 1-0 (OT) UNDERDOG UNDER 5.5

Mon Apr 19, 2010
Canadiens Capitals (-175) 2-1 FAVORITE UNDER 5
Bruins (-135) Sabres 5-1 FAVORITE PUSH 6
Kings (-105) Canucks 5-3 UNDERDOG OVER 5

Tue Apr 20, 2010
Red Wings Coyotes 6:30 p.m. EDT - -
Senators Penguins 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Flyers Devils 7:30 p.m. EDT - -
Predators Blackhawks 9:00 p.m. EDT - -
Avalanche Sharks 10:00 p.m. EDT - -

Wed Apr 21, 2010
Canadiens Capitals 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Bruins Sabres 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Kings Canucks 10:00 p.m. EDT - -

Thu Apr 22, 2010
Penguins Senators 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Devils Flyers 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Predators Blackhawks 8:30 p.m. EDT - -
Sharks Avalanche 10:30 p.m. EDT - -

Fri Apr 23, 2010
Capitals Canadiens 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Sabres Bruins 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Canucks Kings 10:00 p.m. EDT - -
Coyotes Red Wings 10:00 p.m. EDT - -

Sat Apr 24, 2010
Blackhawks Predators 3:00 p.m. EDT - -
Senators Penguins 7:00 p.m. EDT - -
Avalanche Sharks TBD - -

Sun Apr 25, 2010
Red Wings Coyotes 2:00 p.m. EDT - -
Flyers Devils TBD - -
Kings Canucks TBD

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:33 PM

Diamond Trends - Tuesday

Tigers at Angels – The Tigers are 9-0 since May 05, 2009 when Rick Porcello starts within 20 cents of pickem vs a team that has hit more grounders than fly balls season-to-date for a net profit of $930

Marlins at Astros – The Marlins are 0-5 since June 26, 2009 after a win in which their opponent left 18+ men on base and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $700 when playing against. The Marlins are 0-5 since May 15, 2009 when Christopher Volstad starts as a favorite in the first game of a series for a net profit of $660 when playing against. The Astros are 7-1 since June 11, 2009 as a home dog after a one run win for a net profit of $770.

Yankees at Athletics – The Yankees are 8-0 since April 11, 2009 as a road 140+ favorite after a win in which their opponent left fewer than 10 men on base for a net profit of $800. The Athletics are 3-0 since July 25, 2009 when Gio Gonzalez starts after he went less than 5 innings in his previous start for a net profit of $525

Royals at Blue Jays – The Royals are 7-0 since August 11, 2009 when Kyle Davies starts as a dog for a net profit of $1075.

Phillies at Braves – The Phillies are 0-5 since June 26, 2009 on the road after a loss in which they were shut out in the last 6 innings for a net profit of $605 when playing against. The Braves are 6-0 since April 07, 2009 after a win in which their starter pitched at least 8 innings for a net profit of $600

Cardinals at Diamondbacks – The Cardinals are 0-9 since July 27, 2008 when Kyle Lohse starts on the road after his team won the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $970 when playing against. The Diamondbacks are 7-0 since May 23, 2009 when Dan Haren starts as a favorite after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $700

Orioles at Mariners – The Orioles are 0-9 since September 21, 2009 on the road after allowing 6+ runs for a net profit of $900 when playing against.

Cubs at Mets – The Cubs are 8-0 since April 26, 2009 as a favorite after a 5+ run loss and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $800. The Mets are 0-8 since May 19, 2009 as a dog when they won the last two games their starter started for a net profit of $800 when playing against..

Rockies at Nationals – The Rockies are 9-1 since July 08, 2009 when Jorge De La Rosa starts as a 140+ favorite after his team won the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $710

Giants at Padres – The Giants are 0-5 since April 28, 2009 when Jonathan Sanchez starts after going at least 6 innings and giving up no home runs for a net profit of $500 when playing against.

Brewers at Pirates – The Brewers are 1-9 since May 22, 2009 on the road after a win and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $715 when playing against. The Brewers are 12-1 since September 24, 2007 when David Bush starts as a favorite after a quality start for a net profit of $1080

Rangers at Red Sox – The Rangers are 0-7 since September 15, 2009 after a loss in which they left fewer than 10 men on base for a net profit of $810 when playing against.

Dodgers at Reds – The Dodgers are 0-4 since August 01, 2009 after a win in which they drew 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $630 when playing against.

Indians at Twins – The Indians are 0-6 since May 02, 2009 on the road after a win in which they used 5+ pitchers for a net profit of $615 when playing against. The Indians are 0-6 since September 01, 2009 on the road and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $600 when playing against. The Twins are 5-0 since April 25, 2009 when Kevin Slowey starts vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $545

Rays at White Sox – The Rays are 5-0 since July 31, 2009 when David Price starts in the first game of a series for a net profit of $540

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2010, 04:34 PM

MLB Total Trends

The first three weeks of the pro baseball regular season are in the books and some handicappers might feel the sample size might be too small at this point, but there are some telling stats. And with those stats, gamblers can start to notice total trends. Sometimes numbers balance out, but sometimes the trends continue. Let’s take a quick look at some ‘over/under’ tendencies that have developed so far in April.
Over Easy

Did you know Kansas City leads the majors with a team batting average of .309 and 133 hits through Monday? The Royals’ offense shouldn’t come as a surprise, since the team made some quality offseason moves. The addition of Scott Podsednik (21 hits) has given the team needed stability at the top of the lineup, plus Jason Kendall (16 hits) has turned some heads as well in Kansas City. The club only has a 5-8 overall record, due to a team ERA of 5.47. The hot offense and the erratic pitching have produced a 10-3 ‘over’ record.

The Dodgers are right behind the Royals with 131 hits and they lead the National League with a .303 team average. When you couple those numbers with a team ERA of 5.30, it leads to easy ‘over’ winners and that’s been the case this season (10-2). Los Angeles begins a nine-game road trip to the East Coast on Tuesday with series against the Reds, Nationals and Mets. In their first six road games, the Dodgers averaged six runs per game and the 'over' went 5-1 during that span.

Even though the Marlins (9-4) and Phillies (8-4) saw two of their three battles in Philadelphia go ‘under’ over the weekend, the two teams have been solid ‘over’ bets early as well. Florida will stay on the road for six more contests against Houston and Colorado, both hitter friendly parks. Philadelphia will go on the road as well, with a nine-game trip set against the Braves, Diamondbacks and Giants. In thier first six road contests, the Phils put up eight runs or more in four of the battles, which helped the 'over' go 4-2.

Washington (6.34 ERA) and Pittsburgh (6.34 ERA) have proven that you don’t need to have a stacked lineup to cash ‘over’ tickets, you just need bad pitching. The Nationals (8-5) and Pirates (7-3) are tied for the worst ERA in the majors and both rotations have seen a lot of high-scoring affairs.

Lacking a Punch

Houston started the season with eight straight losses, but its gone 3-1 over the last four and the recent success is directly attributed to the pitching staff. Unfortunately for the Astros’ pitchers, they’ll need to stay sharp since their offense is ranked dead-last in average (.215) and runs (28). The result for total players has been an 8-2 ‘under’ mark. Houston is expected to get Lance Berkman (knee) back in the lineup this week, which can only help an attack that has only hit a league-low three home runs so far.

The Indians have quietly ripped off four wins in a row, three coming against the White Sox over the weekend. The offense has put up 19 runs over this span, which is a bit of a surprise considering the attack put up 26 total runs in the first nine games. Cleveland is hitting .219 as a team, which is ranked second to last. The Indians also own a solid ERA of 3.50, which is the ninth best in the majors. Anytime you combine an inconsistent offense with decent arms, you’re going to see ‘under’ tickets come rolling in and that’s the case with the Indians (9-2) this year.

St. Louis might own the best player in Albert Pujols (5 HRs, 15 RBI), yet the offense is only hitting .212 to go with 28 runs on the season. The loss of Rick Ankeil (3 HRs, 9 RBI) to the rival Royals in the offseason has hurt, plus Matt Holiday (6) and Ryan Ludwik (5) have combined for just 11 RBI. Despite the offensive woes, St. Louis leads the NL Central with an 9-4 record behind a 2.45 ERA, which leads the majors. Gamblers backing the ‘under’ for St. Louis have profited to an 9-4 mark, including 5-1 at home.

Another offense that has some big names is Texas, but unfortunately the stars haven’t shown up this season yet. The lineup has mustered up only 46 runs and All Stars Josh Hamilton (.220) and Michael Young (.255) haven’t found their groove yet. The Rangers’ pitching staff (3.41 ERA) has also kept the ball from flying out of the park this season. The ‘under’ has gone 9-3, which includes a 5-1 mark on the road. Texas has three more road tilts this week at Boston, who’s also been struggling. Value could be with the ‘under’ in these spots, especially based on the past perception.

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