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**BettorsChat** · 06-13-2010, 11:00 AM

gl Stardust

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:25 AM

NBA Finals Game 5 – Find a Way to Win

Nothing official has come forward, but expect Paul Pierce has to be pleased going back to Los Angeles and he might even fly back with his teammates leading in the series. Say what you want about the Boston Celtics, this group is buoyant and tenacious, from the starters to the bench players and their coach might be a blast at a black jack table, hitting on 16 because he feels a five coming as next card.

If Glen Davis, Nate Robinson, Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen sound like the makeup of an NBA expansion team, that belief would likely be correct. However, this group of bench jockey’s scored on the first nine possessions of the final stanza for the Celtics and largely cemented the game away against the Lakers regular starters.

Coach Doc Rivers took a gamble, not calculated, but heart-felt and emotional, that this contingent had just a bit more to give with over 240 seconds left in Game 4 and his team leading by nine points and waved back his starting subs back to the bench.

“Hell, Rondo and all of them were begging me to keep guys in. 'Don't take them out. Don't take them out,'" Rivers recalled. "It was great. That was the loudest I've seen our bench, and it was our starters cheering from the bench. I thought it was terrific."

This enabled the Celtics to tie the series and moved their record to 8-3 SU and ATS at TD Garden in the postseason with one more to go.

Boston could be gaining some advantages as the series is wearing on. Pierce was much more efficient in running off screen and roles, getting Ron Artest out of his face, scoring 19 points and handing out five assists.
The player formerly known as “Big Baby” has been a man, as Davis’ internal flame has him continually outhustling the Los Angeles big men and he found a way to not let his height be a detriment in the paint against the taller L.A. players in making seven of 10 shots and collecting five boards (four offensive).

Going from the speed and quickness of Rajon Rondo to Nate Robinson allows the Celtics to have accelerator to the floor like a NASCAR driver in a straight away if they choose for all 48 minutes.

The Lakers give the appearance of being in control, but cracks are formulating. Andrew Bynum knee not only limits him, but forces Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to log more minutes against the more physical Boston frontline.

Though Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in last conflict, the Allen Gang (Tony and Ray) are making life difficult, as witnessed by his seven turnovers.

Bryant said, "They got all the energy points, the hustle points, the second-chance points ... "

" ... points in the paint, beat us to the loose balls," Bryant continued. "I mean, that's how the game turned around."

For the third time in this year’s playoffs, Los Angeles is 2-2 and our ******* premier database has them are 19-6 ATS when a series is tied and 18-6 ATS in road games having lost two of their last three tilts. The extra day off should help Bynum and the exhausted looking Lakers should be fresher.

Sportsbook.com has Boston as 2.5-point home faves with total slipping to 187.5 after a pair of Under’s.

The Celtics are 8-2 ATS in last 10 NBA Finals’ affairs and 5-0 ATS with two days off. They are 6-0-1 UNDER in last seven home assignments.

The Lakers are still a potent 37-21 as an underdog, including 5-2 ATS in previous seven tries. Phil Jackson must devise ways to get better looks and increase the tempo since his club is 15-6 UNDER as a road underdog of six points or less this season, which has them being outscored 3.9 points per game when this happens.

ABC will have Game 5 at 8:00 Eastern and the team that snares the most rebounds in 4-0 SU and ATS in the Finals.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:26 AM

MLB Series Betting- L.A. Angels at L.A. Dodgers

In Southern California, it is simply known as the I-5 Freeway Series when these two teams meet annually in interleague action. The interstate is known for its sprawling expanse and both teams play has resembled this roadway. Early in the season both Los Angeles’ teams played like they were stuck in neutral playing very ordinary baseball. However recently, both are like a car that just cleared an accident area, where the road opens up and you can punch the accelerator and take out off.

The Dodgers (36-24, +5.8 units) have been the best team in baseball since May 9, posting a 23-7 record to storm back and recapture first place in the NL West. The Dodgers offense has been relatively steady most of the season and ranks fifth in the National League; however it has been its pitching that has been the difference-maker. They have held opposing teams to three runs or less in 18 of last 30 games and moved from 14th to 8th in ERA in the senior circuit, now at 3.95. Joe Torre’s club doesn’t exactly have a collection of Golden Glover’s; nevertheless they are 15-3 after two straight games where they committed zero errors this season.

The Angels (33-30, +2.3) lost key members in the offseason via free agency and were expected to contend, not control the AL West in 2010. They met the lower expectations set for them playing below .500 since the third game of the season and even their most thrilling moment of the campaign turned into calamity, when their best hitter Kendry Morales fractured his fibula jumping on home plate after smacking walk-off grand slam home run. Baseball experts on ESPN and MLB immediately wrote off the Halos, but they forgot about the manager, Mike Scioscia. Instead of folding, the Angels have persevered; winning 10 of last 13, to move into second place, 1.5 games behind Texas. They will start this series 15-3 in road games after six consecutive starts versus division rivals.

The Blue Crew will have a decided pitching edge in the opener, with Chad Billingsley (6-3, 3.80 ERA) meeting Joel Pineiro (4-6, 5.23). Billingsley is 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA in his last six starts and versus the Angels disharmonious bullpen (4.88, 1.664 WHIP), the home team is 10-1 against a horrible pen whose WHIP is 1.650 or worse over the last two seasons.

Pineiro snapped a personal three-game losing streak, but was far from impressive in permitting nine hits and four runs over six innings at Seattle in 9-4 triumph and is a disheveled 0-8 in interleague action the last two years. (Team's Record) It stands to reason for the Dodgers to be -164 money line favorite at Sportsbook.com in the opener as online sports betting activists will note.

Game 1 Edge: Dodgers

If the term “opposites attract”, these teams are a perfect match. Like all cities that support two baseball organizations, when one team is home the other is on the road. That is the case here as the Dodgers are 8-2 on their longest homestand of the season with three games left. This in turn has the Angels away from the Big A for 14 road contests and they’ve held up well with 8-3 record thus far.

Interleague baseball seems to bring out the best and worst of each squad, as the team from Anaheim has one of the best records since 2007 with 39-18 (+17.6) mark. The team playing in Chavez Ravine is among the weakest in baseball at 21-30 (-11.75).

Scott Kazmir (5-5, 5.40) will take the ball for the Halos, having won three of his last four starts. He’s spotted his pitches better of late, but command is his worst enemy. After having a better than 2-to-1 ratio of strikes and walks for his career, he has 39 punch-outs and handed out 27 free passes this year. He’ll be relying on his club’s history that shows 19-7 interleague road record coming into the series.

John Ely (3-2, 3.00) might not throw in the high 90’s, however has displayed pitching acumen by throwing strikes and staying out of trouble. His pinpoint location has kept his team in games and the Dodgers are 6-2 when Ely starts.

Game 2 Edge: Dodgers

Jered Weaver (5-3, 3.20) seldom has two poor outings in a row and he was rocked for 12 hits and six runs his last time out in Oakland. Weaver is tied for the AL lead in K’s with 89 and is 3-2 with a 2.94 ERA in six career starts against the Dodgers. He’s been especially fond of Dodger Stadium with a 0.55 ERA in three outings and the Angels are 14-9 in day games this season.

Rookie Carlos Monasterios (3-0, 2.27) was forced into duty when Vicente Padilla went on disabled list and the Dodgers were really hurting for a fifth starter. Despite almost no experience at this level, Monasterious has thrown better than anyone could have imagined and his .215 batting average allowed is the lowest among first year pitchers with two or more starts in a season full of rookie pitchers making big introductions. The Dodgers began this series 23-10 at home.

Game 3 Edge: Angels

This should be an entertaining series with anything possible. The teams have split 12 encounters the last two seasons with the road club taking the series each time. The Dodgers are playing better baseball, have the better bullpen (Closer Jonathan Broxton has converted 15 straight save opportunities) and have been exceptional at home. If the games are tight, the team in the white uniforms is 15-6 in one run affairs, including 9-1 at home. Give the edge to the team from L.A., the one closer to Hollywood.

Sportsbook.com series odds: Angels +140, Dodgers -180

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:39 AM

Top MLB Interleague Weekend Power Trends 6/11-6/13

The second batch of interleague games in Major League Baseball is on tap for this weekend, and as usual, there are some great regional, and even inter-city rivalries highlighting the slate. Unlike recent seasons, the National League proved more than competitive the first time around against its counterparts from the Junior Circuit, winning 22 of the 42 games. This weekend’s games should prove whether or not that was simply a fluke, or if the N.L. truly is closing the gap. Let’s take a look at some of the best matchups, including 3-game sets in Chicago, Tampa, Boston, and Minnesota, while also revealing this weekend’s list of Top ******* Power Trends to consider.

While neither of the teams in Chicago have gotten off to good starts in 2010, when the Sox and Cubs go head-to-head, it is always intense. The South Siders are 7-games under .500 while their neighbors to the north, the Cubs are 6-games below the median. The White Sox are embarking on a 3-stop road trip and come in as winners in three of their last four games overall. They are 7-5 against the Cubs over the last three years, but the latter are 4-2 at home during that stretch. The Cubs open a lengthy homestand in this set.

One of the more interesting series’ of the weekend is in Tampa, where the Rays host the Marlins. Florida has been one of the few N.L. teams that has actually fared well in interleague play since its inception, but still, they will be looking to snap a 2-10 skid against the Rays. Tampa Bay remains the league’s best team at this point, 18-games over .500 and leading the Yankees by 2-games in the A.L. East.

In Boston, the Phillies and Red Sox renew their emerging rivalry. Boston took two of three games in Philly two weeks back. There are distinct trends in interleague play converging on this series, with Phiilies’ manager Charlie Manuel owning an ugly 24-41 mark vs. A.L. East teams, and Sox skipper Terry Francona boasting a 43-17 record against the N.L. East clubs.

At new Target Field in Minneapolis, a pair of division leaders will get together for three games when the Braves visit the Twins. Surging Atlanta has taken control of the N.L. East Division with a huge run since early May. Ironically, they have cooled off of late, going just 3-4 in their L7 games despite pounding out over 11 hits per game during the stretch. The Twins have been one of the league’s best teams at home this year, going 20-10 while hitting .291 as a club, much of the reason for the comfy 4.5-game lead in the A.L. Central. Minnesota has also been great in interleague play, 28-11 for +16.8 units over the last three seasons.

There are also big series’ out west between the A’s and Giants, as well as the Dodgers and Angels, a series which is covered fully in the ******* MLB Series Betting regular feature.

Now, here’s a look at some of the Top ******* Power Trends you’ll want to utilize in your weekend wagering, including several focusing on interleague performance.

ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

ARIZONA is 11-3 OVER (+7.9 Units) when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) this season. The average score was ARIZONA 6.1, OPPONENT 5.2 - (Rating = 1*)

CHI WHITE SOX at CHICAGO CUBS

CHICAGO CUBS are 10-20 (-19.3 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscored by opp by 0.5 or more runs/game this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 4.1, OPPONENT 4.7 - (Rating = 3*)

HOUSTON at NY YANKEES

NY YANKEES are 9-0 UNDER (+9.0 Units) in home games vs. NL teams allowing 4.8 or more runs/game on the season over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NY YANKEES 2.7, OPPONENT 3.9 - (Rating = 1*)

NY METS at BALTIMORE

NY METS are 18-5 UNDER (+12.3 Units) when playing against a terrible team (Win Pct. <=38%) over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NY METS 3.9, OPPONENT 3.5 - (Rating = 2*)

WASHINGTON at CLEVELAND

WASHINGTON is 17-6 UNDER (+9.9 Units) vs. a poor bullpen whose ERA is 4.50 or worse this season. The average score was WASHINGTON 4.0, OPPONENT 3.9 - (Rating = 1*)

PITTSBURGH at DETROIT

DETROIT is 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season over the last 3 seasons. The average score was DETROIT 6.2, OPPONENT 3.7 - (Rating = 1*)

FLORIDA at TAMPA BAY

FLORIDA is 13-4 (+11.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 62%) over the last 3 seasons. The average score was FLORIDA 5.1, OPPONENT 3.8 - (Rating = 2*)

PHILADELPHIA at BOSTON

PHILADELPHIA is 18-6 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in road games vs. a poor bullpen whose ERA is 4.50 or worse over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 5.4, OPPONENT 4.5 - (Rating = 1*)

KANSAS CITY at CINCINNATI

CINCINNATI is 14-3 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 38% to 46%) this season. The average score was CINCINNATI 5.2, OPPONENT 3.0 - (Rating = 2*)

ATLANTA at MINNESOTA

MINNESOTA is 39-25 (+19.7 Units) against the money line vs. NL teams scoring 4.8 or more runs/game on the season since 1997. The average score was MINNESOTA 5.5, OPPONENT 4.2 - (Rating = 0*)

TEXAS at MILWAUKEE

TEXAS is 27-9 (+17.7 Units) against the money line vs. a poor bullpen whose WHIP is 1.550 or worse over the last 2 seasons. The average score was TEXAS 6.1, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 2*)

TORONTO at COLORADO

COLORADO is 51-28 UNDER (+20.6 Units) vs. AL teams allowing 4.7 or less runs/game on the season since 1997. The average score was COLORADO 4.4, OPPONENT 5.0 - (Rating = 1*)

SEATTLE at SAN DIEGO

SEATTLE is 30-15 UNDER (+12.9 Units) vs. a very good bullpen whose ERA is 3.33 or better over the last 3 seasons. The average score was SEATTLE 3.8, OPPONENT 3.8 - (Rating = 0*)

LA ANGELS at LA DODGERS

LA ANGELS are 8-1 (+8.9 Units) against the money line in road games against NL West opponents over the last 2 seasons. The average score was LA ANGELS 7.1, OPPONENT 4.0 - (Rating = 1*)

OAKLAND at SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO is 68-44 UNDER (+17.2 Units) vs. teams whose hitters strike out 7 or more times/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was SAN FRANCISCO 4.1, OPPONENT 3.5 - (Rating = 1*)

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:40 AM

Current favorites haven't fared well at Michigan

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues its summer tour with the first of two stops over the next eight weeks at Michigan International Speedway. The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 is slated for Sunday and a quick check of the odds board finds all of the usual top dogs expected to win. Jimmie Johnson is the official favorite at 7-2, with Kyle Busch next at 5-1, and both Jeff Gordon & Denny Hamlin the only other drivers in single digits at 8-1. Strangely, none of that quartet has won at Michigan since Jeff Gordon did so in 2001. In fact, he is the only one of them who has a win at this facility. Perhaps oddsmakers, or more importantly bettors, should take a closer look at drivers like Carl Edwards (20-1) Kurt Busch (10-1), or Matt Kenseth (15-1), more recent winners at MIS. Mark Martin (20-1), the defending champion of this race, could also be worth a shot.

The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 will be the first of two season races around the 2-mile oval in Brooklyn, Michigan. Considering that the other event will be just two short months from now, both of the races figure to have a big impact on the point standings as the series moves closer and closer to the cutoff point in the “Chase for the Cup”. Currently, Kevin Harvick (20-1) leads the standings by 19 points over Kyle Busch. The hot driver though is Denny Hamlin, who sits in third, 136 points back. Hamlin picked up his fourth win of the young season last week at Pocono. Again though, none of the three has ever won at Michigan and moreover, none has averaged any better than an average finish of 12.5 in the four COT races run at this track over the last two years. If there ever was a race where an upset winner could emerge this might be it. When you consider that Brian Vickers won in the most recent race here last August, the chances are even greater.

When looking at the potential contenders for Sunday, Carl Edwards is the top dog. He is at the top of the list in terms of career average finish (6.1), and average finish over the last two years (4.0). In his last four starts, he has won, scored three Top 5’s, and led 107 total laps. Matt Kenseth should also be given some serious consideration as well, as he is the only other driver with an average career MIS finish of less than 10th (9.9), and also has two Top 5 finishes in the last four races. Elsewhere, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Greg Biffle, and Jeff Gordon each also boast a pair Top 5 finishes in the COT. If you’ve noticed a pattern here, it’s that Roush Racing seems to have a good handle on what it takes to win at Michigan. You may have also noticed that the name of Jimmie Johnson has not been mentioned in the top finishing stats. That is because he has endured some bad luck at MIS of late, much like his recent 2010 season. Though he has led a dominant 356 laps in the last four races here, he has averaged a finish of 19.5 without a single Top 5.

So much of what happens nowadays in NASCAR hinges on which drivers are hot lately. As such, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin have to be considered contenders on Sunday. Between the three of them, they have won six of the last seven races overall. They are also three of the Top 5 in the season standings. Of those, Kyle has the best recent resume at Michigan, with an average finish of 12.8 in the COT and 48 laps led during that four-race span. Hamlin has done reasonably well throughout his career, with an average finish of 13.3 but just 5 total laps led in eight starts. Kurt has two career wins at MIS, but those are his only Top 5 finishes among an average of 20.3 in 18 starts.

Michigan International Speedway is a 2-mile raceway known for its wide surface, which promotes three, and even sometimes four wide, racing. It is very similar to California Speedway, site of this season’s second race won by Jimmie Johnson, who held off the trio of Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin and Joey Logano. With this being the “sister-track”, expect all of those guys to be among the frontrunners at various times on Sunday.

The events at Michigan have historically been run very clean and fast, as the 400-mile jaunt around this track typically ends up short of three hours. Sometimes, the winner at Michigan is determined through pit stop and strategy execution, while at other times it is pure horsepower that gets it done. Most often it simply depends upon the timing of the cautions in the race, and the critical late lap pit decisions made. In looking at past winners, you’ll find nine different winners in the last eight events, including four for team Roush. In fact, extending that look back to 14 races, Roush still owns six of the trips to Victory Lane.

Qualifying has proven important historically, with 57% of the modern era winners coming from the first two starting rows, however, seven of the last 10 winners, including Mark Martin last year (32nd), started outside the Top 10. In fact, Martin became the first driver to start worse than 28th and win. Practice in the COT era has been a huge factor, with the winner in the last four races averaging a rank of 2.75 in Happy Hour with three of the four ranking first or second. Qualifying for this race is scheduled for 3:10 PM ET on Friday. The green flag for the race is set to drop at 1:15 PM ET on Sunday. As always, the ******* NASCAR FoxSheet, Driver Pages, & Matchup Analyzer are here to prepare you for all the high speed excitement…

**jt4545** · 06-13-2010, 11:40 AM

Good luck bum and thanks

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:42 AM

Lakers at Celtics, Game 5

Before the NBA Finals move back to the West coast, there’s this little matter of Game 5 in Beantown. The series is tied at 2-2 after Boston (64-39 straight up, 47-54-2 against the spread) captured a 96-89 win over the Lakers in Thursday’s Game 4. The Celtics covered the number as four-point home favorites, outscoring Phil Jackson’s club 36-27 in the final stanza.

The 185 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 190-point total.

Most sports books have installed Doc Rivers’ squad as a 2 ½-point favorite with a total of 187. Bettors can take Los Angeles (71-31 SU, 44-55-3 ATS) to win outright for a plus-125 return. Most spots have the C’s as 1 ½-point favorites for first-half wagers, while the total is 94.

Six Boston players scored in double figures in the Game 4 victory. Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis and Nate Robinson produced huge performances from off the bench. Davis erupted for 18 points and five rebounds in just 22 minutes of playing time. Robinson chipped in with 12 points, knocking down 4-of-8 shots, including a pair of treys, in nearly 17 minutes of action.

Paul Pierce scored a team-high 19 points and also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists.

Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 33 points in the losing effort, but he also had an abysmal 2/7 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Pau Gasol added 21 points, but he was blanked at crunch time and committed four turnovers. Lamar Odom added 10 points and seven boards from off the bench.

Andrew Bynum tweaked his torn meniscus in Game 3 and wasn’t able to go in the second half of Game 4. He was limited to just 12 minutes of playing time, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds. Bynum is expected to give it a go in Game 5, but there’s no telling how many minutes he’s going to play due to fluid buildup in his knee.

VI capper Kevin Rogers feels that the Lakers need to grab this game to ease the trip back to Los Angeles, "These two teams have failed to put together any kind of consistent effort in this series, so the tide seems to be favoring the Lakers in Game 5. However, L.A. needs to limit the contributions of Boston's role players, as the Suns did a similar thing with their bench being a huge factor in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals."

Boston has compiled a 32-20 SU record and a 21-30-1 spread mark at home this year. During the playoffs, the Celtics have gone 8-3 both SU and ATS at home.

The Lakers have posted a 28-23 SU record and a 22-28-1 spread ledger in their road assignments this season. During the postseason, they are 5-5 both SU and ATS in 10 road games.

The ‘under’ is on a 4-1-1 run for the Lakers (regardless of venue), but they have seen the ‘over’ go 5-4-1 in their 10 road playoff games. For the season, L.A. has watched the ‘under’ go 53-46-3 overall, 27-23-1 in its road outings.

The ‘under’ is 51-50-2 overall for the Celtics, 26-25-1 in their home games.

Tip-off for Game 5 on Sunday night is slated for 8:05 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--The team that has won the rebounding battle has won all four games of this series to date.

--As of Saturday afternoon, only a few books had released prop bets. At those betting shops, most had Kobe Bryant’s ‘over/under’ for points scored at 29 ½. He has had the following scoring outputs in the first four games of the NBA Finals: 30, 21, 29 and 33.

--Pierce’s ‘over/under’ is 19 ½ at most spots. His scoring totals have looked like this: 24, 10, 15 and 19.

--Bettors can take the ‘over’ or ‘under’ for the total points scored by each team. Boston’s total is 95, while L.A.’s is 92.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:43 AM

Lakers' Bynum says he'll play Sunday

BOSTON (AP) -Andrew Bynum says he'll play in Game 5 of the NBA finals Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers center said Saturday he had fluid drained from his right knee after playing only 12 minutes Thursday night when the Boston Celtics evened the series at 2-2 with a 96-89 win.

Bynum has torn cartilage and had fluid drained from it earlier.

Without him, the Celtics dominated inside in the fourth quarter when they came from behind in Game 4. Power forward Glen Davis had nine of his 18 points in the period.

Bynum said the amount of time he plays Sunday would depend on his knee.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:43 AM

Big 3 has been inconsistent for Celtics

BOSTON (AP) -The Big Three hasn't been all that big for the Celtics in the NBA finals.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have all contributed at times, but Boston's All-Star trio has yet to do so in the same game.

Allen has been the most inconsistent. He set an NBA record with eight 3-pointers in Game 2, then missed all 13 of his shots the next game.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers says he's not worried about his stars for Game 5 on Sunday night, and he'll try to get them all into the flow.

Pierce says he doesn't worry about his scoring as long as he's contributing with his passing and defense.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:44 AM

'Miserable' Bryant ready for Game 5

BOSTON (AP) -The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are headed to a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA finals in the latest chapter of basketball's most storied rivalry.

Have to love it, right?

Not if you're Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers star says Saturday he's ``miserable,'' and some of that must be because of the Celtics. They guarded him well in the fourth quarter of their 96-89 victory that evened the series at two games apiece.

Game 5 is Sunday, and the Lakers expect to have center Andrew Bynum back after he played only 12 minutes on Thursday because of a sore right knee.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson thought Bryant looked tired in that game, but last year's finals MVP says he's ``well rested'' and ready for the Celtics and their tough defense.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:45 AM

Jackson thinks Lakers can win Game 5

BOSTON (AP) -Lakers coach Phil Jackson does not have ``any expectations'' for injured center Andrew Bynum.

Jackson, however, does believe Los Angeles can win Game 5 of the NBA finals and take a 3-2 lead back home whether or not Bynum plays.

A sore right knee limited Bynum to 12 minutes Thursday night and the Boston Celtics took advantage inside for a 96-89 victory that evened the series at two games apiece.

With two days off before the teams meet again Sunday, Bynum will get treatment with the hope that he can play. Jackson said on Friday that the Lakers will use Bynum if he is ``available and able,'' but not if he would hurt either himself or the team.

Without Bynum to protect the rim, the Celtics had a 54-34 advantage in points in the paint Thursday.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-13-2010, 11:47 AM

Sunday Tips

The Sunday interleague card wraps up with the encore presentation of Stephen Strasburg, coming off his 14-strikeout performance in his Major League debut against the Pirates. Strasburg and the Nationals are in Cleveland to battle the Indians, while the rest of the card is filled with plenty of other interesting pitching matchups. We'll start by the lake with a game that many people would have brushed over until last week.

Nationals at Indians - 1:05 PM EST

Washington is getting plenty of notice recently thanks to the impressive debut by Strasburg this past Tuesday against Pittsburgh. The former top pick will be tested for the first time on the road as the Nats look to avoid the sweep at Progressive Field.

Strasburg (1-0, 2.57 ERA) struck out 14 and walked none in a 5-2 home victory over the Pirates in his first big-league start as a $2.00 favorite. The 21-year old did face the least productive offense in baseball (198 runs), while the Pirates rank second-to-last in batting average (.237). Strasburg doesn't really step up in class when he faces a Cleveland offense (.247, 258 runs) that has had its share of struggles this season. However, the Tribe has plated 33 runs in their last four games, all victories.

The obvious question coming into this game is whether or not Strasburg can once again silence the opposition in his second time out. Looking back at several young pitchers over the last few years which made their second career start on the road, the results are mixed.

Second starts by Phenom Pitchers
Pitcher Line Result
Tommy Hanson - 2009 at BAL 5.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R W
Luke Hochevar - 2008 at OAK 4.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R L
Tim Lincecum - 2007 at COL 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R W
Cole Hamels - 2006 at MIL 6.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R L
Dontrelle Willis - 2003 at SD 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER W

Strasburg is listed as a $2.00 favorite once again at Cleveland, marking the sixth occurrence this season that a road team is laying at least $2.00. It is usually not recommended to back these teams since a loss is detrimental, but these clubs are 4-1 this season with the lone loss coming on Thursday when the Orioles upset the Yankees.

The Indians will counter with lefty David Huff (2-7, 5.46 ERA), who is going for his first win in four starts. Huff, a San Diego native like Strasburg, allowed three unearned runs in six innings his last time out as the Indians fell to the Red Sox, 3-2. The southpaw hasn't been bad at home, owning a 3.12 ERA and 2-2 mark at Progressive Field.

Since moving to Washington from Montreal in 2005, the Nationals have been listed as a road favorite in interleague play just once. The Orioles beat the Nats at Camden Yards, 3-2 back in 2006, as Washington was laying $1.05. The Indians are 5-10 the last 15 interleague games at home dating back to 2008, including a 2-2 mark this season.

Phillies at Red Sox - 1:35 PM EST

Boston has dominated this series over the previous three seasons, taking eight of the last 11 meetings over Philadelphia. The Red Sox blasted the Phillies on Saturday, 10-2, the fourth straight win of at least five runs against the reigning NL champions.

Cole Hamels (5-5, 3.98 ERA) has lost three straight decisions after a three-game winning streak in early May. The Phillies' lefty took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a 3-1 home loss to the Padres in his last start, his fourth quality outing in five appearances. Hamels has turned into a terrific 'under' play recently, cashing 'unders' in six of his previous seven starts. The Red Sox were shut down by Hamels in the interleague opener this season, 5-1, as the southpaw delivered seven strong innings and struck out eight.

Boston sends out veteran Tim Wakefield (2-4, 5.48 ERA), who silenced the Philadelphia bats the last time he saw the Phillies. Wakefield tossed eight scoreless innings on May 23, scattering five hits, the third consecutive victory over Philadelphia since 2006. The knuckleballer hasn't been solid at home (0-3, 7.29 ERA), while allowing 20 hits and 15 earned runs in his last two starts at Fenway Park, both losses to the A's and Royals.

The Phillies have dropped six straight games as a road underdog, as Philadelphia owns a dreadful 2-9 mark the last 11 contests on the highway. The Red Sox have won six straight interleague starts made by Wakefield, dating back to June 2008.

Braves at Twins - 2:10 PM EST

A battle of division leaders takes place at Target Field in Minnesota with the Braves concluding a ten-game road trip. The Twins and Braves have each won one-run contests in the first two games of this series, with Atlanta coming out on top last night, 3-2.

Kevin Slowey (7-3, 3.45 ERA) takes the hill for the Twins, coming off three fantastic starts. The righty has given up two earned runs his last three trips to the mound, with Minnesota going 2-1. Slowey doesn't walk many (15 all season), while the Twins are 5-2 in his seven home starts this season. Minnesota has dominated interleague when Slowey starts, owning a 10-2 mark in his career, including 7-0 at home.

The Braves trot out Kris Medlen (3-1, 3.21 ERA), who left his last start at Arizona with a sprained left shoulder followed a collision at home plate. Medlen is due to take the mound on Sunday, as Atlanta has won all three of his road starts since taking over for the injured Jair Jurrjens. The righty has gone into the seventh inning only twice in six starts, while not throwing more than 97 pitches in any outing.

Atlanta owns a 7-10 road record in interleague play since 2008, including a 3-5 mark since the start of last season. Minnesota has been nearly automatic at home against NL competition in this same span, winning 17 of the last 23 in interleague.

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