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**Udog** · 06-16-2010, 11:15 PM

Bettors' best friend: Thursday's wagering tips

Lines off the board

Dodgers-Reds: No line or total due to pitching change. L.A.'s Chad Billingsley was scheduled to start but was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday for a strained groin. John Ely is the likely candidate to take his spot in the rotation.

Athletics-Cubs: The total is currently off pending the direction and speed of the wind at Wrigley Field.

Lines to keep an eye on

Celtics-Lakers: L.A. opened as a 6.5-point favorite but the line has jumped to 7. The total opened at 188.5 and has dropped to 187.

White Sox-Pirates: The total opened at 8.5 and has fallen to as low as 7.5 at most books.

Weather to watch

Astros-Royals: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, wind blowing out to left field at 18 mph.

Rangers-Marlins: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Angels-Cubs: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms, wind blowing out to center field at 17 mph.

Mariners-Cardinals: 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Who's hot

Yankees have won seven of their last eight.

Mets have won nine of their last 10.

Rangers have won nine of their last 13.

Who's not

Mariners have lost 10 of their last 12.

Pirates have lost 10 of their last 11.

Astros have lost four in a row.

Key stat

$9,442 - Amount Washington Redskins can fine holdout defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth for missing a 15-minute minicamp session on Wednesday. Of course, after already collecting $32 million of the $100 million contract he signed last season, when he made 29 tackles in 12 games, he can afford the fine.

Injury that shouldn't be overlooked

Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins has been ruled out of Thursday's Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers due to his injured right knee. Perkins was averaging just 6.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in the postseason, but his 6-foot-10, 280-pound frame and solid low-post defense helped the Celtics contend with L.A.'s 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Reserve power forwards Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis must step up in Perkins' absence.

Game of the day

Celtics at Lakers (-7, 187)

Notable quotable

"Pele has to go back to the museum. ... We know how the French are and Platini is French and he thinks of himself as being more than the rest of the world. I've never paid him any attention and I won't do it now."

Diego Maradona said of soccer legends Pele and Michel Platini on Wednesday. Maradona and Pele have been involved in a war of words over the World Cup since Pele expressed concerns about an African nation's ability to host the event.

Tips and notes

Argentina's Juan Sebastian Veron will sit out Thursday's match vs. South Korea with a strained right calf muscle. Manager Diego Maradona indicated his decision to sit Veron was a precaution to protect against further injury. The 35-year-old had the assist in Argentina's lone goal against Nigeria in Saturday's opener and has been a key leader in his seven World Cup warmup games. Maradona may have to take the field himself to make up for the lost experience.

Defending champion Roger Federer - not top-ranked Rafael Nadal - received the No. 1 seed for Wimbledon. Federer, who has won six Wimbledon titles to Nadal's one, surrendered the top spot in men's tennis when he lost in the quarterfinals of the French Open. That tournament was won by Nadal, who assumed the No. 1 ranking. However, the report said Wimbledon may use discretion to seed players based on their record on grass. Federer is a 3/2 favorite to win the tournament. Nadal is 5/2.

Four-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is prepared to do the fastest racing of his career if his wife goes into labor while he's at Sonoma this weekend. Wife Chandra Johnson is more than eight months pregnant with their first child and Johnson's team has made arrangements to rush him to the hospital by helicopter if the baby comes this weekend. The No. 48 car would lose a lot of experience if Johnson has to tag out. Aric Almirola, who has never won a Sprint Cup race, is standing by as his replacement. Johnson is a 15/1 pick to win this weekend.

**Udog** · 06-16-2010, 11:18 PM

NBA

Thursday, June 17

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
BOSTON vs. LA LAKERS
Boston is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 13-5 SU in their last 18 games
LA Lakers are 11-1 SU in their last 12 games at home

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Game of the day: Celtics at Lakers
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Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers (-7, 187)

The numbers

The Lakers are set as 7-point favorites for Game 7of the NBA Finals. Game 6's closing line was Los Angeles -6 and this game opened at -6.5, so the number is being shaded toward the favorite. The total is at 187, which is the lowest number in this series and for good reason. The under is 5-1-1 and in some cases 6-1 with four straight coming in.

Another blowout?

For a series that has gone the distance, it hasn’t been very entertaining.

The smallest margin of victory has been seven points - a 96-89 Boston win in Game 5 - while the average margin of victory has been 10.7 points per game. You would think that the finals would produce more close finishes and important last-second possessions, but that has not been the case.

What does this mean for Game 7?

It means we are overdue for a fantastic finish. The entire 2010 playoffs owe us as from the start, as it has been pretty much a dud. Who knows if we will actually get it but if you like playing the odds of it happening, you have to like the Celtics to bounce back from a dreadful Game 6.

Looking purely at probabilities, Boston has a 75 percent chance of covering based on the four different outcomes that can take place. If we do see a blowout, the Lakers or Celtics can be on the winning side, therefore a split cover. Should we see a close game, the Lakers or Celtics can again be on the winning side outright but the Celtics would cover in both instances.

Rebounding

When it comes to winning basketball games, any number of factors comes into play such as shooting, turnovers and free throws. In this series, the biggest factor has been rebounding.

The winning team has had the edge on the glass in all six games so far. The average margin of the boards per game is 7.1, so it is safe to say who wins the battle of the boards in Game 7 will be the NBA champion.

If only it were that easy. The issue now is injuries. The Lakers have had a hobbled Andrew Bynum throughout the series, so the inside advantage they were thought to have heading in ended up being negated. The Celtics have their own problems now that Kendrick Perkins sprained his knee in Game 6 and is doubtful for the season finale.

“He’s a guy that cleans the paint up, let’s say, and not having him there made the Lakers awful long,” Celtics head coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “He's one of our guys that I think gives us great spirit, gives us a lot of toughness and size. You know, I hope he can play. It would be tough if he can't.”

Game 7 history lesson

Only 16 previous NBA Finals have gone to a decisive Game 7 and it has happened only three times since the Lakers and Celtics went the distance in 1984.

Home-court advantage is obviously big now when it comes to the decisive game and history definitely proves that. Overall, the home team has won 13 of 16 Game 7s in the NBA Finals. Tightening that up, since the 2-3-2 playoff format of the NBA Finals was instituted in 1985, there have been three Game 7s and the home team has won all three.

Those three wins were by an average of only 5.3 points per game.

While players and coaches will be treating this game like all others, it is not the same and there are some big names that have never experienced this. This is the first NBA Finals Game 7 for Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, who have played in 393 combined playoff games. Maybe most surprising, neither has Phil Jackson, who has coached in 322 postseason games and won 10 championships.

The 2010 Finals will be the fifth Lakers-Celtics series to go seven games and in the previous four instances, the Celtics have beaten the Lakers by an average of just four points a game.

Kobe’s legacy

Kobe Bryant is a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players to ever step on an NBA floor. This Game 7 could go a long way in determining exactly where he ranks.

As mentioned, he has never played in Game 7 in the NBA Finals. But neither did Michael Jordan. Therefore, winning a championship in a decisive Game 7 will give Bryant an additional stat that Jordan does not have on his résumé. A win would also give Bryant his fifth NBA title, tying him with Magic Johnson and trailing Jordan by only one.

Should the Lakers lose, Bryant will have gone down three times compared to Jordan having never lost when going to the NBA Finals. It many not seem like much but it is a pretty big difference and one that Bryant will be compared to forever.

While this game will determine where Bryant currently ranks among the best ever, he isn’t taking it any different.

“It's no different to me,” he told the media. “I don't mean to be a buzz kill, but it's not. I know what's at stake but I'm not tripping. It's a game we've got to win, simple as that. I'm not going crazy over it.”

Trends

- The Celtics are 7-1 ATS in their last seven games following a straight up loss.
- The Lakers are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games following an ATS win.
- The Over is 13-6 in the Celtics last 19 games following a double-digit loss.
- The Over is 7-2-2 in the Lakers last 11 games following a straight up win.
- The Celtics are 12-5-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings.

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**Udog** · 06-16-2010, 11:21 PM

MLB

Thursday, June 17

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Hot Lines: Today's best MLB bets
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Chicago White Sox at Pittsburgh Pirates (127, 7.5)

Interleague play couldn't come soon enough for the White Sox, who are 21-8 in their last 29 games against the NL. It helps that the last six have come against the Cubs and Pirates.

Despite their slow start to the season, the Chi-Sox have won six of their last eight and are starting to come together as a team. The starting rotation has been providing quality innings and the offense is starting to click.

"There are a lot of things that still can happen," said Sox center fielder Alex Rios, who’s hitting .322. "We haven’t quit and we’re not going to."

Not exactly the mantra of the Pirates, who have lost nine in a row and are already showing signs of throwing in the towel. They send a winless Ross Ohlendorf to the mound Thursday.

This game features easy Bucs in more ways than one.

Pick: White Sox

Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds (110, 8.5)

The Dodgers-Reds series so far this season sounds more like a Raiders-Bengals matchup. Entering Wednesday night's game, the first four results yielded football-esque scores of 11-9, 14-6, 8-5 and 12-0.

All four went OVER, of course, but oddsmakers still aren't giving much credence to the offensive fireworks displayed in those contests, maybe because neither of today's pitchers were involved in them.

John Ely gets the ball for the Dodgers after scheduled starter Chad Billingsley begrudgingly went on the 15-day DL with a strained groin. A recent day off keeps Ely on a five-day rotation but an extra day would have been nice before facing the Reds, who have seen six straight games go over the total.

The Dodgers have been in some high-scoring affairs as well, with eight of their last 10 going over the total. Cincy's Bronson Arroyo has been hammered for 22 hits and 14 earned runs in his last three starts.

Pick: Over

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Dan Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks

After a strong beginning of the season 4-1, Heron went through a 1-3 stretch before finally heating up in his last two starts. His last outing was a six-hit, two-run gem against the Cardinals.

The big thing working against him Thursday in Boston is he won't be able to help his own cause. Under AL rules if the pitcher is in the starting lineup as a hitter, the designated hitter cannot be used when he comes out of the game. Too bad; Haren leads the league among pitchers with 17 hits, six doubles and a .425 batting average.

"I'd much rather have a position player up there rather than myself. My job is on the mound, obviously," Haren told Yahoo Sports. "The hits have come pretty easy. Pitching hasn't exactly been that way. It's been kind of reversed."

At least until lately. Luckily for the right-hander, the Red Sox have been punishing lefties.

Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees

Pettitte is 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA over his last four starts and has not allowed more than two earned runs during that span. The no-decision may have been his best outing of the bunch.

Pettitte struck out 10 and allowed just five hits in 7 2/3 innings but came out the hard-luck 3-2 loser to the Blue Jays. He bounced back by beating his former team, the Astros, for his 200th career win.

"It’s like facing an older brother in Wiffle Ball," ex-teammate Lance Berkman said after the game. "You’re torn because you want to do well, but you don’t want to hurt him. But then he puts his glove over his face and it’s like facing Darth Vader."

The force should be with Pettitte against the Phillies, whom he went 2-0 against last season. The Phils are batting just .220 against lefties in their last 10.

Slumping

Randy Wells, Chicago Cubs

After starting the season 3-0, Wells hasn't won a game since April 30 and appears to be getting farther, not closer, to getting one.

Wells was shelled in his last outing against the crosstown rival White Sox to the tune of 10 hits and five earned runs in five innings. He gave up four straight hits in the first inning, sparking rumors that he had been out celebrating with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks the night before the day game.

One problem with that theory; Wells has been getting rocked for more than a month and not even hockey players can party that long. Wells is 0-5 with a 6.47 ERA over his last eight starts.

"I'm not exactly beaming with confidence right now," Wells told the Chicago Tribune after his last outing. "I got roughed up a little, the ERA ballooned up, I'm not winning games. My approach is the same - I go out and be aggressive and throw strikes and hopefully good things happen. I think I need to tinker with some stuff, I think I need to make some adjustments and get back to basics and find the edge that will get me back on track."

Midseason is not the best time to be tinkering, especially in a hitters' park like Wrigley.

James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays

Shields got off to a 5-1 start to the season and has gotten progressively worse over the past month, dropping four straight and getting clobbered by the Marlins in his last outing.

The Rays ace looked like anything but in that game, giving up nine hits and 10 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings and calling it "probably the worst outing of my career."

"I need to do something," Shields added. "It's unacceptable the way I'm pitching right now. I'm letting my team down and not giving them a chance to win."

The added pressure probably won't help against the Braves.

Dallas Braden, Oakland A's

It didn't take long for Braden to go from perfection to perfunctory.

Since his perfect game against the Rays on May 9, Braden is 0-4 in his last six starts. In his last outing against the Angels he was rocked for 11 hits and five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings - the fifth straight start that lasted six innings or less.

"I want the ball. I want to stay in," Braden said. "Anytime I'm in that situation, I'm confident I can get outs. I always want to go deep."

Unfortunately for him, it's opposing batters that have been going deep for the past month. He's given up five homers during his current winless streak, more than he allowed all season.

Braden had an MRI earlier this week that revealed tendinitis in his left elbow but he is still expected to start. The big question is how long he will last.

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This Day in Baseball
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On June 17 in Baseball History...

1941 - Joe DiMaggio is credited with a hit in his 30th consecutive game when an easy grounder to short bounces up and hits Luke Appling on the shoulder. Chicago beats the Yankees 8-7.

1943 - Player-manager Joe Cronin of the Red Sox hits two three-run pinch home runs, one in each game of a doubleheader, as Boston beats the St. Louis Browns 5-4 and loses 8-7. He had hit a three-run pinch homer two nights before against the A's, giving him three home runs in four at-bats. He will pinch-hit 42 times this year with 18 hits, including an A.L. record five pinch-hit homers.

1960 - A two-run home run off Wynn Hawkins at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium makes Ted Williams the fourth player in major-league history to hit 500 home runs. The Red Sox win 3-1.

1962 - Lou Brock of the Cubs hits a home run into the right-center field bleachers at the Polo Grounds, 460 feet from home plate, in the first game of a Chicago doubleheader sweep, 8-7 and 4-3. He is the second player to reach those bleacher seats, Joe Adcock being the first.

1967 - A nine-hour and five-minute doubleheader between the Tigers and Athletics is the longest by game time in the American League ever. The first game includes a rain delay, and the second goes 19 innings before a Dave Duncan home run wins it 6-5 for the A's. Detroit takes the opener 7-6.

1978 - Ron Guidry strikes out 18 batters in a four-hit 4-0 shutout of the Angels, setting an A.L. record for lefthanders. The victory raises the Yankee southpaw's record to 11-0.

1987 - Dick Howser dies at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. He led the Royals to their first World Championship in 1985, but was forced to give up managing during the 1986 season because of a brain tumor. His uniform number, 10, will be retired by the club on July 3.

1997 - 'The Freeway Series' hits the street in LA, and the Dodgers drive home with the first win in this interleague series on Todd Zeile's second home run of the game. The Dodgers trailed the Angels by one run in the ninth, but tied it on a wild pitch and won it 4-3 on Zeile's homer.

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**Udog** · 06-16-2010, 11:23 PM

WNBA

Thursday, June 17

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. INDIANA
Seattle is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games

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Lady Luck: Today's WNBA best bets
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Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever (-2.5, 145.5)

The Indiana Fever have been nearly untouchable inside Conseco Fieldhouse, going 4-1 at home season. That home mark gets put to the test when the WNBA’s top team, the Seattle Storm, visit Thursday night.

Indiana added to its solid record at home with a 77-67 win over the Connecticut Sun last Sunday, covering as a 5.5-point favorite. The Fever have covered in three of their five home games this year and boast an even 5-5 record against the spread.

"I think it was a big win in the sense that it was Connecticut , who we're chasing and who is up there with Atlanta," forward Tammy Sutton-Brown told The Examiner about Sunday’s win. "We need to take care of our home court."

Defense has been the name of the game in Conseco for Indiana. They’ve allowed opponents only 66 points per home contest this season and tops in the WNBA in points against (69.8) and opposing field goal percentage (39.9 percent).

"We're an energy defensive team," coach Lin Dunn told reporters last week.

Seattle has rolled to five straight wins since losing on the road to the Chicago Sky at the end of May. The Storm have a profitable 6-3-1 ATS record but have gone just 2-1-1 ATS on the road.

These two teams split their meetings last season, with the Fever taking a 73-66 win at home while covering as 2.5-point favorites.

Pick: Indiana

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**Udog** · 06-16-2010, 11:23 PM

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

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:31 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: June 17

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The U.S. Open begins at Pebble Beach, and the Celtics and Lakers will meet at Staples Center in the seventh game of the NBA Finals.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA season will come to a close on Thursday night, with the Lakers hosting the Celtics in the seventh and deciding game of the Finals. Los Angeles knotted up the series at 3-3 with a resounding 89-67 win at home in Game 6 on Tuesday night as a 6-point favorite. Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and picked up 11 rebounds in that victory for the Lakers, while Pau Gasol was good for 17 points and 13 boards on the night. Lamar Odom had eight points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Ray Allen had a team-high 19 points in the loss for the Celtics, who were held to just 31 points in the first half. Kendrick Perkins suffered a knee injury and played only six minutes. Oddsmakers opened the Lakers as 7-point favorites for Thursday, with a total of 187.

Chasing the World Cup . . .

The World Cup matches for Thursday are Argentina vs. South Korea, Greece vs. Nigeria, and France vs. Mexico. Argentina (1-0 over Nigeria) and South Korea (2-0 over Greece) both won their opening matches, but the oddsmakers have Argentina pegged as the big -275 favorite for Thursday, with South Korea at +800, and the draw odds at +330. Nigeria is then a -110 favorite over Greece (+300) on Thursday, with draw odds of +230, and France is favored at +120 over Mexico (+220), with draw odds of +220. Mexico tied South Africa 1-1 in their first game, and France tied Uruguay 0-0.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The Rockies and Twins will close out their interleague series in Minnesota on Thursday afternoon, with Colorado sending ace Ubaldo Jimenez (12-1, 1.16 ERA) out against Francisco Liriano (6-3, 2.90 ERA). Righthander Jimenez picked up yet another victory in his last trip to the mound, holding the Blue Jays to three earned runs on five hits over his six innings of work (and fanning six). Lefthander Liriano dominated the Braves last time out, surrendering just one earned run in eight innings and fanning 11.

Elsewhere on the MLB slate for Thursday it's the Dodgers at Cincinnati, Washington at Detroit, Oakland at the Cubs, the White Sox at Pittsburgh, Philadelphia at the Yankees, the Mets at Cleveland, Tampa Bay at Atlanta, Texas at Florida, Houston at Kansas City, and Arizona at Boston. Dan Haren (7-4, 4.61 ERA) is set to take on John Lackey (7-3, 4.54 ERA) in that D-Backs/Red Sox matchup. Righthander Haren beat the Cardinals last time out, giving up just two earned runs over eight innings while striking out nine batters. Righthander Lackey is also coming off a victory; Lackey held the Phillies to just two earned runs on six hits over seven innings last game, fanning three.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The PGA Tour gets its second major tournament of the year underway on Thursday morning, with golfers teeing off in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Vegas oddsmakers have set Tiger Woods as the 5/2 favorite to win this week despite his struggles so far this year; Woods won the U.S. Open convincingly the last time the tournament was held at Pebble Beach. Phil Mickelson is next at 7/1 odds as he searches for his first U.S. Open victory, with Ernie Els third at 12/1. Lee Westwood, who won the St. Jude Classic last week, is at 15/1 odds this week, while Padraig Harrington rounds out the Top 5 at 18/1. Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, and Steve Stricker are set at 22/1 odds to win.

Finally, there's one WNBA game on the schedule for Thursday, with Seattle at Indiana. The Storm (9-1 straight-up, 7-3 against-the-spread) have won five games in a row, beating Los Angeles 82-60 last time out. Lauren Jackson scored 17 points for Seattle in that victory. The Fever (6-4 SU, 5-5 ATS) got past Connecticut 77-67 in their last game; Katie Douglas had 20 points for Indiana, while Tamika Catchings had 18 points.

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:35 AM

Thursday's six-pack

Matchup odds for the US Open

-- Mickelson (-$135) vs Woods (+$105)

-- Stricker (-$135) vs Westwood (+$105)

-- Crane (-$140) vs Van Pelt (+$110)

-- FMolinari (-$155) vs EMolinari (+$125)

-- Slocum (-$170) vs Singh (-$135)

-- Mickelson (-$125) vs Westwood (-$105)

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

13) Scott Baker of the Twins shut Colorado out for seven innings in a 2-1 win Wednesday; Rockies swung at 68 of 108 pitchers Baker threw, but got only two hits on 11 balls they put in play-- they missed 20 swings and fouled off 37 pitches, second-highest number in big leagues this year. That was one dominating performance by Baker.

12) Joel Pineiro is 3-0, 2.35 in his last three starts, after giving up a total of 18 runs in 17 IP in three starts before that. Why the improvement all of a sudden? Was he tipping pitches? Was he hurt? Would be interesting to find out what changes were made to generate such a quick turnaround.

11) With Nebraska/Colorado leaving the Big 12, that eliminates the Big 12 (we need to come with a new name soon) Championship game, but now the Pac-12 and Big 11 will add a championshp game. Mack Brown and Bob Stoops were both against the title game; they get their wish. I've got it; from now on, the Texas/Oklahoma league is the Big X (roman numeral for 10) and the Big Dozen is the Michigan/Ohio State league.

10) There have already been 19 1-0 games in major leagues this season.

9) Am thinking that the next time the NFL/Players' Association agrees on a labor pact, the regular season will be increased to 18 games. Good.

8) ESPN.com reported that the average length of a College World Series game in 1973 (last year they used wooden bats) was 2:19; last year, it was 3:38, but college baseball has become more popular on TV, and most of coaches surveyed were against going back to wooden bats, especially since the bat companies guaranteed the colleges wouldn't get the best wood for their bats-- that already goes to professional teams.

7) Of all the guys in major league history who hit 30+ HRs in a season, Rob Deer ('92), Felix Mantilla ('64) knocked in the least runs, with 64.

6) Red flag for Michigan basketball; all three of their assistant coaches are gone from last year. Thats never a good sign.

5) If you're thinking of investing in Stewart Cink at US Open, you might want to know that he hasn't played Pebble Beach since 2000, last time the US Open was held here. Doubt thats a recipe for success.

4) If Paraguay meets up with Ecuador in the World Cup, I'm thinking that ESPN Classic has to show Moon Over Parador right after the game, with another Richard Dreyfuss classic, Let It Ride, immediately following.

3) Kendry Morales has company; UCLA's second baseman will miss the College World Series after getting hurt in the pileup after the Bruins beat Cal-State Fullerton last weekend. People need to celebrate more safely.

2) I had forgotten that Dwight Gooden threw 276 innings when he was 20 years old; from ages 19-25, Gooden went 107-46. From age 26 on, he was 87-76. Remember this as the Nationals coddle Stephen Strasburg.

1) Lakers are 30-4 in their last 34 home playoff games; anything can and does happen in one-game scenarios, but with Perkins hurt, Lakers have a tremendous edge in Game 7 Thursday night.

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:38 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Boston at LA Lakers
The Celtics look to rebound from their 89-67 loss in Game 6 and build on their 4-0 ATS record in their last 4 games following a SU loss by more than 10 points. Boston is the pick (+7) according to Dunkel, which has the Lakers favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (+7). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17

Game 711-712: Boston at LA Lakers (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 128.536; LA Lakers 129.872
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 1 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 7; 187
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+7); Under

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:40 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Colorado at Minnesota
The Twins look to build on their 8-1 record in Francisco Liriano's last 9 interleague starts. Minnesota is the pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+105). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17

Game 951-952: LA Dodgers at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Ely) 15.605; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 15.283
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-115); Over

Game 953-954: Washington at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Atilano) 14.726; Detroit (Bonderman) 15.076
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-200); Over

Game 955-956: Colorado at Minnesota (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Jimenez) 16.037; Minnesota (Liriano) 16.191
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-125); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+105); Under

Game 957-958: Oakland at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Braden) 15.025; Cubs (Wells) 16.033
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-115); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-115); N/A

Game 959-960: Chicago White Sox at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Buehrle) 14.433; Pittsburgh (Ohlendorf) 13.728
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-145); Over

Game 961-962: NY Mets at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Dickey) 15.460; Cleveland (Westbrook) 15.775
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-110); Under

Game 963-964: Philadelphia at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Kendrick) 15.671; NY Yankees (Pettitte) 15.432
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 11
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 10
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+180); Over

Game 965-966: Texas at Florida (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Nippert) 15.656; Florida (Nolasco) 16.639
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 967-968: Tampa Bay at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Shields) 16.060; Atlanta (Hudson) 16.140
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-125); Under

Game 969-970: Arizona at Boston (6:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Haren) 15.686; Boston (Lackey) 16.075
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-150); Under

Game 971-972: Houston at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Myers) 15.533; Kansas City (Lerew) 15.262
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+105); Under

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:42 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Seattle at Indiana
The Fever look to build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 games versus the Storm in Indiana. Indiana is the pick (-2) according to Dunkel, which has the Fever favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17

Game 651-652: Seattle at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle 115.136; Indiana 118.355
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 3; 153
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 2; 145 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-2); Over

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:44 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Thursday, June 17

NBA Finals

Anything can happen in one game, but Perkins' injury is big blow for the Celtics, who have opportunity to craft unique Game 7 strategy, but who will step up to execute it? Davis was scoreless in 27:02 in Game 6; Celts' bench didn't score point in first three quarters Tuesday. Lakers are 10-1 at home in playoffs, 30-4 in last 34 home playoff games. Celtics scored 89-84-67 points in series losses, 103-96-92 in wins; Perkins' injury puts Wallace more in spotlight- he was 0-7 Tuesday. Artest had huge Game 6, can he do it twice in a row? As many Finals as Jackson has coached in, this is his first Game 7 in Finals; this is also first elimination game in playoffs for Boston. Favorite is 4-2 against the spread in this series.

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:47 AM

MLB
Write-Up

Thursday, June 17

Please keep in mind when investing in totals that games in NL parks do not use the DH-- games in AL ballparks use the DH.

AL leads NL 61-55 in interleague play, after going 8-6 Wednesday; as totals go, over is 60-49-7-- 34-23-3 in NL parks, 26-26-4 at AL sites.

Hot pitchers
-- Liriano is 2-0, 2.25 in his last four starts. Jimenez is 12-1, 1.16 in 13 starts this season; 6-0, 1.40 in last six.
-- Dickey is 4-0, 2.73 in his last four starts. Westbrook is 2-0, 4.12 in his last three outings.
-- Pettitte is 3-0, 2.40 in his last four starts.
-- Hudson is 5-1, 2.23 in his last nine starts.
-- Haren is 2-0, 2.08 in his last three starts. Lackey is 3-0, 3.42 in his last four outings.

Cold pitchers
-- Arroyo is 0-1, 6.52 in his last three starts. Ely is 0-1, 7.20 in his last couple starts.
-- Atilano is 2-3, 6.67 in his last five starts. Bonderman is 0-2, 5.23 in his last three starts.
-- Wells is 0-3, 9.39 in his last four starts. Braden is 0-4, 5.25 in his six starts since throwing a perfect game.
-- Ohlendorf is 0-3, 5.97 in his last five starts. Buehrle is 1-1, 7.20 in his last three outings.
-- Kendrick has a 5.56 RA in his last four starts.
-- Nolasco is 1-3, 8.25 in his last five starts. Nippert is 12-14, 5.46 in 103 big league games (21 starts, 10 LY-- 5-3, 3.88); he is 2-3, 4.60 in 22 relief appearances in AAA that totaled just 29.1 innings.
-- Shields is 0-4, 9.51 in his last four starts.
-- Myers is 1-4, 3.95 in six road starts this season. Lerew is 0-3, 6.69 in 14 big league games- he's made five starts-- in minors this year, he is 5-3, 2.84 in 11 starts.

Totals
-- Over is 10-2-1 in last thirteen Cincinnati home games.
-- Five of last six Pirate home games went over the total.
-- Over is 4-2-1 in last seven Bronx home games.
-- Last three Washington road games went over the total.
-- Over is 19-7 in Cleveland's last 26 home games.
-- Four of last six Texas road games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 8-3-1 in last twelve Atlanta home games.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight games at Fenway Park.
-- Under is 14-5 in last nineteen games at Wrigley Field.
-- Six of last eight Kansas City games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Colorado road games stayed under the total.

Hot teams
-- Dodgers won first two games of this series by total of 18-2.
-- White Sox won six of their last seven games.
-- Bronx won nine of its last ten home games.
-- Detroit won its last seven home games.
-- Mets won 10 of their last 11 games.
-- Rangers are 10-4 in last fourteen games.
-- Braves won 10 of their last 11 home games. Rays are 10-5 in their last fifteen road games.
-- Red Sox won eight of their last ten home games.
-- Royals won four of their last six games, are 16-15 under Ned Yost.
-- Twins are 9-3 in last twelve home games.

Cold teams
-- Reds are 6-10 in their last sixteen games.
-- Pirates lost last ten games, outscored 55-29.
-- Phillies lost 10 of their last 14 road games.
-- Marlins lost three of their last four games.
-- Indians lost their last three games, allowing 24 runs.
-- Nationals lost nine of their last eleven road games.
-- Arizona lost its last twelve road games.
-- Rockies lost five of their last six road games.
-- Oakland lost six of its last eight road games. Cubs lost four of their last six home games.
-- Astros lost 14 of their last 21 road games.

Umpires
-- LA-Cin-- Three of last four Layne games stayed under the total.
-- Wsh-Det-- Six of last eight Miller games stayed under the total.
-- Chi-Pitt-- Favorites won last six Nauert games.
-- Phil-NY-- Five of last six Hallion games stayed under the total.
-- NY-Clev-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Eddings games.
-- Tex-Fla-- Home team won eight of last ten Meals games.
-- Az-Bos-- 10 of last 11 Wolf games stayed under the total.
-- TB-Atl-- Under is 7-2-1 in last ten Hohn starts.
-- A's-Chi-- Visiting team won four of last five Knight games.
-- Hst-KC-- Home side won last eight McClelland games.
-- Colo-Min-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Crawford games.

**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:49 AM

MLB

Thursday, June 17

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Trend Report
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12:35 PM
LA DODGERS vs. CINCINNATI
LA Dodgers are 11-5 SU in their last 16 games
LA Dodgers are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Cincinnati is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

1:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. DETROIT
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

1:10 PM
COLORADO vs. MINNESOTA
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games at home
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

2:20 PM
OAKLAND vs. CHI CUBS
Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Chi Cubs are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
Chi Cubs are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. CLEVELAND
NY Mets are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games at home
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets

7:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY YANKEES
Philadelphia is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Philadelphia is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. PITTSBURGH
Chi White Sox are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
Chi White Sox are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing Chi White Sox
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
TEXAS vs. FLORIDA
Texas is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Florida
Texas is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Florida
Florida is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Florida is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Texas

7:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. BOSTON
Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Arizona is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona

7:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. ATLANTA
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Tampa Bay is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Atlanta is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay

8:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. KANSAS CITY
Houston is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Kansas City is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Houston

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**Udog** · 06-17-2010, 08:54 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 17

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BOSTON (65 - 40) at LA LAKERS (72 - 32) - 6/17/2010, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 12-5 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 10-8 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 6/17 (NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes 6/17 (NBA, MLB, WNBA, Misc.)

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