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  • Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 4/3 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

    Trends and Indexes

    Sunday, April 3

    Good Luck on day #93 of 2011!

    At this time, the sports menu in this thread consists of NBA, NCAAB NHL and MLB until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will be posted.

    NOTE:
    As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
    Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
    Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Matchup Links

    NBA Hot and Not

    NBA Injuries

    NBA Referees

    NCAAB Matchups

    NCAAB Hot and Not

    NCAAB Injuries

    NHL Matchups

    NHL Injuries

    NHL Hot and Not

    MLB Matchups

    MLB Previews

    MLB Hot or Not

    MLB Umpires

    MLB Trends

    MLB Weather

    NASCAR Schedules

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • #2
    Daily Sports Roundup: April 3

    Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Sprint Cup Series hits the track at Martinsville, the Rangers take on the Red Sox, and the Nuggets head to SoCal to meet the Lakers.

    Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

    Eleven games make up the NBA's schedule for Sunday, with Phoenix at San Antonio, Detroit at Boston, Orlando at Toronto, Utah at Sacramento, Cleveland at New York, Miami at New Jersey, Washington at Charlotte, Atlanta at Houston, Indiana at New Orleans, Dallas at Portland, and Denver at the Lakers. The Nuggets fell to the Lakers at home when the two teams last met on January 21, losing 107-97 as a 1-point underdog in an UNDER result. Pau Gasol and Ron Artest each tossed in 19 points for Los Angeles in that win, while Kobe Bryant was good for 18 points and seven assists. Former Nugget Carmelo Anthony had 23 points in that matchup, while Arron Afflalo picked up 22 points.

    Meeting up on the diamond . . .

    The American League schedule for Sunday has the White Sox at Cleveland, Detroit at the Yankees, Minnesota at Toronto, Baltimore at Tampa Bay, the Angels at Kansas City, Seattle at Oakland, and Boston at Texas. The Red Sox will send Clay Buchholz to the mound on Sunday; righthander Buchholz went 17-7 for Boston last season with a 2.33 ERA. The Rangers will counter Buchholz with Matt Harrison; lefthander Harrison made 37 appearances (six starts) for Texas last season, going 3-2 on the year with a 4.71 ERA.

    The National League slate for Sunday then has the Mets at Florida, Milwaukee at Cincinnati, Houston at Philadelphia, Atlanta at Washington, San Diego at St. Louis, Arizona at Colorado, San Francisco at the Dodgers, and Pittsburgh at the Cubs. Matt Garza will make his Cubs debut in that last matchup; righthander Garza went 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA for the Rays in 2010. The Pirates will hand the ball to Ross Ohlendorf at Wrigley Field; righthander Ohlendorf sported a 1-11 record and a 4.07 ERA last season.

    Taking a trip around the rink . . .

    The NHL has seven games on tap for Sunday, with the Rangers at Philadelphia, Minnesota at Detroit, Buffalo at Carolina, St. Louis at Columbus, Calgary at Colorado, Dallas at Anaheim, and Tampa Bay at Chicago. The Lightning and Blackhawks also battled on March 9 in Tampa Bay, with the home side pulling out a 4-3 win in a shootout that day. Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, and Teddy Purcell had the goals in regulation time for Tampa Bay in that win, while Dwayne Roloson stopped 28 of 31 shots. Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Jonathan Toews had the markers for the Hawks.

    Roaring around the track . . .

    Finally, the drivers of the Sprint Cup Series will take the track at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday for the Goody's Fast Relief 500. Either Denny Hamlin or Jimmie Johnson has visited Victory Lane at every Martinsville Cup race since the fall of 2006, and they're the oddsmakers' choices to grab the win this weekend – Hamlin is the +300 favorite, and Johnson is just behind him on that list at +450 odds. Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, and Kevin Harvick are all pegged at +800 to get the win on Sunday, with Tony Stewart set at +1000.

    Comment


    • #3
      Sunday's betting tips: Nuggets on fire on the road

      Who’s hot

      NBA: Denver is 6-0 ATS in its last six road games.

      NBA: Orlando is 19-9 ATS in its last 28 games against teams with winning percentages below .400.

      NHL: Detroit is 6-2 in its last eight games playing on zero days’ rest.

      NHL: The Over is 7-0 in Calgary’s last seven games against Northwest Division opponents.

      MLB: Toronto has won 11 of its past 12 games against right-handed starters.

      Who’s not

      NBA: San Antonio is 1-6 ATS in its last seven home games.

      NBA: New York is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games following a SU win.

      NHL: Carolina is 1-6 in its last seven games playing on zero days’ rest.

      NHL: Dallas has lost its last five games.

      MLB: The Under is 2-9 in St. Louis’ last 11 home meetings with San Diego.

      Weather to watch

      When the Royals host the Angels at 2:10 p.m. ET Sunday, conditions will be quite windy. The forecast calls for 25 mile-per-hour winds and an increasing chance of thunderstorms as the afternoon progresses.

      Key stat

      43.7 – That’s the percentage opponents shoot against the defensive-minded Lakers, the fifth-best mark in the NBA. Los Angeles, which has won nine straight entering Sunday’s showdown with the resurgent Nuggets, has held its last three opponents to 83.7 points per game.

      Injury to watch

      Celtics center Nenad Krstic is unlikely to play Sunday against Detroit, but the good news is an MRI on his knee came back negative Saturday. He is listed as day to day with a bone bruise. Krstic, averaging 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds, got hurt in Thursday’s win over the Spurs and missed Friday’s loss at Atlanta. Boston hopes to have Krstic back no later than Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia.

      Game of the day

      Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers (-7, 202.5)

      Notable quotable

      "There's always enough room for a few superstars, there's always enough room. It's a matter of us continuing to win and continuing to get better as a team. That's the most important factor." – New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire, who has scored 16 or fewer points in three of his last six games while Carmelo Anthony has scored at least 36 in three straight. The Knicks host Cleveland on Sunday.

      Notes and tips

      The Utah Jazz are coming apart as they finish a two-game road swing Sunday in Sacramento. Raja Bell, Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Price did not make the trip due to injuries, and starting point guard Devin Harris (strained hamstring) is questionable. Another question is how the Jazz will react to being eliminated from playoff contention Friday. It’s the first time since 2005-06 that the Jazz haven’t made the playoffs and just the fourth time in the past 28 years. The Jazz, who have dropped seven straight, are the first team in NBA history to start 15-5 and 27-13 and not make the postseason. The Kings are just 21-54 overall, but they’re 5-2-1 ATS over their last eight.

      Which game will Rodney “Under Machine” Mott be calling Sunday? Find out on Covers.com’s NBA Ref Assignments page. Mott came through again Friday, calling the Lakers’ 96-85 win over Utah. The game finished 12.5 points below the posted total of 193.5 and increased Mott’s league-leading Over/Under mark to 23/42. His games are going Under at a rate of 64.6 percent. Bill Spooner is right behind Mott at 21/37, for an Under percentage of 63.8. Ref assignments are usually released about 11 a.m. ET.

      Ubaldo Jimenez, who started the All-Star game for the NL last season, might miss his scheduled Thursday start at Pittsburgh due to a cut cuticle on his right thumb. The Rockies ace said he was putting ointment on the cut and taping it up for two days to speed the healing process. In Friday’s loss to Arizona, Jimenez couldn’t grip the ball properly. He was lit up for six runs and seven hits over six innings.

      Comment


      • #4
        Sunday's six-pack

        -- Sean Miller's brother Archie is the new hoop coach at Dayton; he had been an assistant to his brother at Arizona.

        -- Reds' Travis Wood threw only 83 pitches in 7 innings, letting four Brewers get on base, as he beat Milwaukee 4-2.

        -- Rookie Kyle Drabek allowed one hit in seven IP as Toronto beat the Twins 7-1 at Rogers Centre. Drabek was 0-3 in September LY.

        -- In their first two games, White Sox outscored Cleveland 11-3 just in the first three innings. Rough couple of days for the Tribe.

        -- Rangers scored 21 runs in beating Boston in their first two games.

        -- Orioles won their first two games, allowing one run in each.


        ************************


        Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday

        13) Attendance at the Final Four: 75,421. Someone, somewhere is really getting rich off these games. We were wondering with the elevated court, if people really close the benches can see the game that well?

        12) VCU made 43.8% of its 3-pointers in its first five NCAA games, but in the vast dome, they made just 8-22 (36.4%); Skeen/Burgess made 7-11, rest of the team made only 1-11. Great, great run by the Rams.

        11) Butler was solid with the ball, very solid, turning it over nine teams against VCU's press. Bulldogs outscored VCU 20-8 from the foul line.

        10) Phil Mickelson shot a 63 at the Houston Open Saturday, tying Scott Verplank for the lead with 18 holes left. It was Lefty's best competitive round in two years. Aaron Baddeley is only one stroke behind.

        9) New Jersey Devils will miss NHL playoffs for first time in 14 years; they were eliminated from contention Saturday.

        8) Strangest of nights in the NBA; Clippers beat Oklahoma City, and the Warriors beat Dallas. Knicks play Cleveland Sunday- they've lost 11 in a row to the Cavaliers.

        7) Detroit Lions were trying to send an e-mail to the league office with the list of pre-draft visits; instead they sent the list to the entire league. This is an NFL team worth probably half a billion dollars, and they don't have people in their front office who can send e-mails. Just terrific.

        6) Orioles' Chris Tillman no-hit Tampa Bay for six innings Saturday, but got taken out after throwing 101 pitches. Baltimore scored three runs in the 8th to win 3-1- early on, they look like a much-improved team.

        5) Last TV timeout in the UConn-Kentucky game came with 0:56.5 left in the game, latest I can ever remember the last one coming. TV timeouts are called on the first dead ball after every 4-minute increment of the game. (after 18:00/12:00/8:00/4:00 to go in each half).

        4) Kentucky played six guys 26+ minutes Saturday, used a 7th guy for 7 minutes; they were 4-12 from the line, 9-27 from arc in a 56-55 loss that has to sting. Brandon Knight was 3-11 outside the arc, 3-12 inside it.

        3) UConn somehow won despite going 1-12 from arc, -5 in turnovers and having its bench shoot 4-13. Lamb/Walker played 78 out of 80 minutes.

        2) UConn opened as a 4.5-point favorite late Saturday night, but quickly got bet down to -3.5 points over Butler in Monday's title game.

        1) Unsolicited prediction: Butler beats UConn Monday night.

        Comment


        • #5
          NBA
          Dunkel



          Denver at LA Lakers
          The Nuggets look to build on their 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 road games. Denver is the pick (+7) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Denver (+7). Here are all of today's picks.

          SUNDAY, APRIL 3

          Game 501-502: Phoenix at San Antonio (1:00 p.m. EST
          )
          Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.930; San Antonio 125.361
          Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 10 1/2; 208
          Vegas Line & Total: No Line
          Dunkel Pick: N/A

          Game 503-504: Denver at LA Lakers (3:30 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Denver 127.110; LA Lakers 127.186
          Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 198
          Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 7; 202
          Dunkel Pick: Denver (+7); Under

          Game 505-506: Utah at Sacramento (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Utah 110.523; Sacramento 121.772
          Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 11; 192
          Vegas Line & Total: No Line
          Dunkel Pick: N/A

          Game 507-508: Cleveland at New York (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 111.442; New York 116.354
          Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 5; 222
          Vegas Line & Total: New York by 11 1/2; 216
          Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+11 1/2); Over

          Game 509-510: Orlando at Toronto (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 118.858; Toronto 114.394
          Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 4 1/2; 193
          Vegas Line & Total: No Line
          Dunkel Pick: N/A

          Game 511-512: Miami at New Jersey (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Miami 126.136; New Jersey 112.176
          Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 14; 204
          Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 11; 198
          Dunkel Pick: Miami (-11); Over

          Game 513-514: Detroit at Boston (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 112.074; Boston 121.574
          Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 9 1/2; 188
          Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 11; 185
          Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+11); Over

          Game 515-516: Washington at Charlotte (6:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Washington 104.435; Charlotte 117.175
          Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 12 1/2; 184
          Vegas Line & Total: No Line
          Dunkel Pick: N/A

          Game 517-518: Indiana at New Orleans (7:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 114.560; New Orleans 117.322
          Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 3; 184
          Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 5; 189 1/2
          Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+5); Under

          Game 519-520: Atlanta at Houston (7:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 114.076; Houston 127.791
          Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 13 1/2; 204
          Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 5 1/2; 200
          Dunkel Pick: Houston (-5 1/2); Over

          Game 521-522: Dallas at Portland (9:00 p.m. EST)
          Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 122.909; Portland 125.404
          Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 2 1/2; 192
          Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 3 1/2; 188
          Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+3 1/2); Over

          Comment


          • #6
            NBA
            Long Sheet


            Sunday, March 3


            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            PHOENIX (37 - 38) at SAN ANTONIO (57 - 19) - 4/3/2011, 1:00 PM
            There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            PHOENIX is 9-4 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
            PHOENIX is 7-6 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
            10 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            DENVER (46 - 29) at LA LAKERS (55 - 20) - 4/3/2011, 3:30 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            LA LAKERS are 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
            LA LAKERS are 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
            DENVER is 49-29 ATS (+17.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
            LA LAKERS are 38-51 ATS (-18.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
            LA LAKERS are 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            DENVER is 9-7 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
            LA LAKERS is 9-7 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
            11 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            UTAH (36 - 40) at SACRAMENTO (21 - 54) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            SACRAMENTO is 5-5 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
            UTAH is 8-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
            5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            CLEVELAND (15 - 60) at NEW YORK (37 - 38) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            CLEVELAND is 31-41 ATS (-14.1 Units) in all games this season.
            NEW YORK is 41-32 ATS (+5.8 Units) in all games this season.
            NEW YORK is 18-35 ATS (-20.5 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.
            NEW YORK is 104-143 ATS (-53.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            CLEVELAND is 7-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
            CLEVELAND is 10-0 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
            7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            ORLANDO (48 - 28) at TORONTO (20 - 55) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            ORLANDO is 6-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
            ORLANDO is 6-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
            6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            MIAMI (53 - 23) at NEW JERSEY (23 - 52) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            NEW JERSEY is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
            NEW JERSEY is 68-88 ATS (-28.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
            NEW JERSEY is 62-78 ATS (-23.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
            NEW JERSEY is 28-47 ATS (-23.7 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            NEW JERSEY is 6-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
            MIAMI is 9-1 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
            5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            DETROIT (26 - 49) at BOSTON (52 - 23) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            DETROIT is 12-35 ATS (-26.5 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
            DETROIT is 24-39 ATS (-18.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
            BOSTON is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
            BOSTON is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points over the last 3 seasons.
            BOSTON is 36-50 ATS (-19.0 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
            BOSTON is 30-47 ATS (-21.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
            BOSTON is 30-47 ATS (-21.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            BOSTON is 6-4 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
            BOSTON is 7-3 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
            5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            WASHINGTON (19 - 56) at CHARLOTTE (32 - 43) - 4/3/2011, 6:00 PM
            There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

            Head-to-Head Series History
            CHARLOTTE is 8-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
            CHARLOTTE is 9-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
            8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            INDIANA (35 - 42) at NEW ORLEANS (43 - 33) - 4/3/2011, 7:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            NEW ORLEANS is 109-132 ATS (-36.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
            NEW ORLEANS is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
            NEW ORLEANS is 71-102 ATS (-41.2 Units) after a division game since 1996.
            NEW ORLEANS is 41-59 ATS (-23.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
            NEW ORLEANS is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
            NEW ORLEANS is 28-45 ATS (-21.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
            NEW ORLEANS is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
            NEW ORLEANS is 26-46 ATS (-24.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

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

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            ATLANTA (44 - 32) at HOUSTON (40 - 36) - 4/3/2011, 7:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            ATLANTA is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
            ATLANTA is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
            ATLANTA is 137-176 ATS (-56.6 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
            ATLANTA is 127-165 ATS (-54.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
            HOUSTON is 41-33 ATS (+4.7 Units) in all games this season.
            HOUSTON is 232-180 ATS (+34.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
            HOUSTON is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            DALLAS (53 - 23) at PORTLAND (44 - 32) - 4/3/2011, 9:00 PM
            Top Trends for this game.
            PORTLAND is 88-66 ATS (+15.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
            DALLAS is 241-196 ATS (+25.4 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
            DALLAS is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games this season.
            DALLAS is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
            DALLAS is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
            PORTLAND is 46-77 ATS (-38.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

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

            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Comment


            • #7
              NBA


              Sunday, March 3


              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Trend Report
              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              1:00 PM
              PHOENIX vs. SAN ANTONIO
              The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games
              The total has gone OVER in 8 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing San Antonio
              San Antonio is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Phoenix
              The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix

              3:30 PM
              DENVER vs. LA LAKERS
              Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
              The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 8 games
              The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing at home against Denver
              The total has gone UNDER in 14 of the LA Lakers last 19 games when playing Denver

              6:00 PM
              MIAMI vs. NEW JERSEY
              Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
              Miami is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
              New Jersey is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
              New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

              6:00 PM
              WASHINGTON vs. CHARLOTTE
              Washington is 7-15 ATS in its last 22 games on the road
              The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Washington's last 18 games
              The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing Washington
              Charlotte is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

              6:00 PM
              CLEVELAND vs. NEW YORK
              The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cleveland's last 11 games
              Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New York
              New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
              The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games

              6:00 PM
              DETROIT vs. BOSTON
              Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
              The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
              The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Boston's last 12 games when playing at home against Detroit
              Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit

              6:00 PM
              ORLANDO vs. TORONTO
              The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Orlando's last 10 games
              Orlando is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Toronto
              Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
              Toronto is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing Orlando

              6:00 PM
              UTAH vs. SACRAMENTO
              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games
              Utah is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games
              Sacramento is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
              Sacramento is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Utah

              7:00 PM
              ATLANTA vs. HOUSTON
              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games on the road
              Atlanta is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston
              Houston is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Atlanta
              The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

              7:00 PM
              INDIANA vs. NEW ORLEANS
              Indiana is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
              The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Indiana's last 19 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
              New Orleans is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
              New Orleans is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

              9:00 PM
              DALLAS vs. PORTLAND
              Dallas is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
              Dallas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Portland
              The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Portland's last 9 games at home
              Portland is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games


              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              Comment


              • #8
                NBA


                Sunday, March 3


                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Double dribble: NBA on ABC betting preview
                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs (NA)

                The Suns and Spurs have faced each other twice this season heading into Thursday’s clash but only once at full strength and none since Phoenix took on a new look via a blockbuster trade.

                Back on November 3, visiting San Antonio pulled out a 112-110 win behind 28 points from Richard Jefferson and a huge double-double (25 points and 17 rebounds) for Tim Duncan. The Spurs committed a ridiculous 23 turnovers but made up for it by shooting 54.5 percent from the floor.

                When the two teams squared off on December 20, the Suns (37-38, 34-38-3 ATS) had made their deal with the Magic and were without Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickael Pietrus. The result was a 118-110 victory for host San Antonio that was far more convincing than the final score suggested. Phoenix again failed to contain Duncan, who delivered 20 points and 15 boards.

                Duncan heals, Spurs don’t

                For a while it looked like the Suns would not have to go up against Duncan this time around, but the “Big Fundamental” is back earlier than expected from a high ankle sprain. Duncan missed only four games (all losses) after injuring himself in a win over Golden State March 21 and returned against the Celtics Thursday.

                He wasted no time in making his presence felt. Duncan produced 20 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to the Celtics and he followed that up by going for 23 points and 13 boards in an overtime loss at Houston Friday.

                Still, even the return of Duncan has not been able to stop San Antonio’s skid, which is now at six games and is the team’s longest in 14 years. It’s not that the Spurs (57-19, 41-33-2 ATS) haven’t been competitive - it’s that they cannot finish off games.

                “What hurts the most is the déjà vu,” Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News after losing to the Rockets. “We're up three. We get a stop, and we have the rebound. And we throw it away for no reason whatsoever. So we give away another game at the end of regulation. That hurts a lot.”

                Trending topics

                The Suns are 1-4 ATS in their last five overall, but they are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven road games.

                The Spurs are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games and 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.

                The over is 5-1 in San Antonio’s last six home games and 5-0 in its last five against the Western Conference.

                Head-to-head, Phoenix is 8-1 in the last nine meetings and 4-0 in its last four trips to San Antonio. The over is 8-1 in the last nine encounters.



                Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers (-7, 202.5)

                Denver and L.A. are also going head-to-head for the third time this season, but this time it’s at the Staples Center.

                The Nuggets took care of their home court on November 11 by prevailing 118-112 thanks to 32 points and 13 rebounds by Carmelo Anthony. They could not do the same on January 21, as the visiting Lakers (55-20, 37-37-1 ATS) picked up a 107-97 win. Pau Gasol went for 19 and 13 in the second contest while Lamar Odom finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

                Of course, neither encounter holds much water now because Anthony is long gone and Denver is a new team.

                No Melo, no problem

                The revamped Nuggets have been impressive, going 14-4 (15-2-1 ATS) post-trade. They have won five straight (3-1-1 ATS) and nine of their last 11 contests (9-1-1 ATS). Denver is coming off a home-and-home with Sacramento Thursday and Friday, and George Karl’s crew had no trouble either time.

                What a difference a year makes, as Karl was at home undergoing cancer treatment last April and his team got hammered in the playoffs later in the month. For now at least, this spring could not be going better for the Nuggets.

                “Very few times in your coaching career does your team spark and come together like this team has come together—and has done so in a short period of time,” Karl told the Denver Post on Saturday. “I'm just trying to convince them to keep working at it. You are a good team and you can be a better team.”

                Gone streaking

                If anything can stop Denver (46-29, 39-32-4 ATS), it could be a combination of injuries. To say the team is banged up following a very physical battle against the Kings would be an understatement.

                Arron Afflalo (hamstring) and Al Harrington (Achilles) are questionable for Thursday’s clash. Melvin Ely is also questionable due to personal reasons. Chris Anderson (ankle) is listed as doubtful.

                The Lakers, meanwhile, are on a nine-game surge (5-4 ATS) and have come out on the winning end in 17 of their last 18 outings (12-6 ATS).

                Trending topics

                The Nuggets are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games.

                The under is 4-0 in Denver’s last four road games and 7-1 in its last eight overall.

                Head-to-head, the under is 4-1 in the last five meetings at the Staples Center and 14-5 in the last 19 overall. The Lakers are 12-4-1 in their last 17 home games against the Nuggets.


                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Comment


                • #9
                  NBA


                  Sunday, March 3


                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best NBA bets
                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  Atlanta Hawks at Houston Rockets (-5.5, 200.5)

                  The Hawks are seemingly locked into the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference without much chance of moving up or down as the playoffs near. Still, that does not mean Atlanta has lacked motivation or effort.

                  The team has won four in a row (4-0 ATS) and is coming off big wins Thursday and Friday, against rivals Orlando and Boston respectively.

                  “Some reporters might write us off,” Josh Smith told the Atlanta Journal Constitution after beating the Celtics, “but we’re a playoff team and we know it…. We’re as good as anybody, when we put an effort to it.”

                  If the Hawks can beat anybody, they can definitely beat a Houston team whose playoff hopes are on life support. The Rockets outlasted San Antonio in overtime on Friday, but the Spurs are losing to everyone nowadays. And Houston still finds itself three games back of eighth-place Memphis in the Western Conference.

                  Pick: Hawks


                  Miami Heat at New Jersey Nets (10.5, 199)


                  New Jersey won five in a row in early March, but the team is back to playing like the Nets of old. Avery Johnson’s club has dropped five straight (2-3 ATS) and nine of 10 (3-7 ATS).

                  Deron Williams’ wrist injury has contributed to the slump, but he played in the Nets’ last two games and nothing changed. Williams scored a mere four points on 2-of-8 shooting in Friday’s 115-90 loss at Philadelphia.

                  Nor does head-to-head history bode well for New Jersey heading into Sunday’s home date. The Heat has won the last six meetings, and neither of this season’s matchups was really competitive. Miami prevailed on the road 101-78 in late October and cruised 101-89 at home a week later.

                  Whereas the Nets are struggling, Miami is starting to get things together just in time for the postseason. The Heat has won two in a row (2-0 ATS) and seven of its last eight (4-4 ATS).

                  Miami's Mike Miller (knee) is questionable for Sunday’s clash, but New Jersey could be without Kris Humphries, who is averaging a double-double. He’s questionable with an ankle injury.

                  Pick: Heat


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                  Last edited by Udog; 04-03-2011, 10:00 AM.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    NHL
                    Dunkel



                    NY Rangers at Philadelphia
                    The Flyers look to take advantage of a Rangers team that is 1-5 in the last 6 meetings between the two teams. Philadelphia is the pick (-155) according to Dunkel, which has the Flyers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-155). Here are all of today's picks.

                    SUNDAY, APRIL 3

                    Game 1-2: NY Rangers at Philadelphia (12:30 p.m. EST
                    )
                    Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.020; Philadelphia 12.268
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6 1/2
                    Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-155); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-155); Over

                    Game 3-4: Buffalo at Carolina (5:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 12.868; Carolina 11.995
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 6
                    Vegas Line & Total: Carolina (-140); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+120); Over

                    Game 5-6: St. Louis at Columbus (5:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.789; Columbus 10.295
                    Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
                    Vegas Line & Total: No Line
                    Dunkel Pick: N/A

                    Game 7-8: Minnesota at Detroit (5:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 10.420; Detroit 10.754
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1/2; 5
                    Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-230); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-230); Under

                    Game 9-10: Tampa Bay at Chicago (7:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 10.930; Chicago 12.542
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
                    Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-180); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-180); Over

                    Game 11-12: Dallas at Anaheim (8:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 11.521; Anaheim 10.964
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 1/2; 6
                    Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-170); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+150); Over

                    Game 13-14: Calgary at Colorado (8:00 p.m. EST)
                    Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 11.446; Colorado 10.753
                    Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 5
                    Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-145); 5 1/2
                    Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-145); Under

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      NHL
                      Long Sheet


                      Sunday, March 3


                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      NY RANGERS (41-32-0-5, 87 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (46-22-0-10, 102 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 3:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      PHILADELPHIA is 24-13 ATS (+3.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                      PHILADELPHIA is 34-17 ATS (+4.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
                      NY RANGERS are 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
                      NY RANGERS are 13-5 ATS (+7.7 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
                      PHILADELPHIA is 17-17 ATS (-9.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
                      PHILADELPHIA is 57-68 ATS (-76.7 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
                      PHILADELPHIA is 13-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      PHILADELPHIA is 9-8-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
                      8 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-1.0 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      BUFFALO (39-29-0-9, 87 pts.) at CAROLINA (37-30-0-10, 84 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 5:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      CAROLINA is 24-12 ATS (+11.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
                      BUFFALO is 19-13 ATS (+33.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      CAROLINA is 6-5 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
                      CAROLINA is 6-5-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
                      6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.1 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      ST LOUIS (35-33-0-10, 80 pts.) at COLUMBUS (34-31-0-13, 81 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 5:00 PM
                      There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      ST LOUIS is 11-6 (+4.8 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
                      ST LOUIS is 11-6-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
                      12 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+8.9 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      MINNESOTA (37-32-0-8, 82 pts.) at DETROIT (44-23-0-10, 98 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 5:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      MINNESOTA is 10-7 ATS (+20.1 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.
                      MINNESOTA is 13-10 ATS (+27.4 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
                      MINNESOTA is 37-35 ATS (+81.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      DETROIT is 8-3 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
                      DETROIT is 8-3-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
                      7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.0 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      TAMPA BAY (42-24-0-11, 95 pts.) at CHICAGO (42-27-0-8, 92 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 7:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      TAMPA BAY is 77-157 ATS (+286.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
                      CHICAGO is 63-35 ATS (+10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
                      CHICAGO is 35-10 ATS (+14.9 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                      TAMPA BAY is 20-15 ATS (+35.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      CHICAGO is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
                      CHICAGO is 2-1-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
                      2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      DALLAS (38-27-0-11, 87 pts.) at ANAHEIM (44-28-0-5, 93 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 8:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      ANAHEIM is 44-33 ATS (+78.4 Units) in all games this season.
                      ANAHEIM is 22-11 ATS (+33.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
                      DALLAS is 56-52 ATS (+120.7 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
                      DALLAS is 153-151 ATS (+323.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      ANAHEIM is 9-8 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                      ANAHEIM is 9-8-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                      11 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.3 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      CALGARY (39-29-0-11, 89 pts.) at COLORADO (29-40-0-8, 66 pts.) - 4/3/2011, 8:00 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      CALGARY is 12-0 ATS (+12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
                      COLORADO is 29-48 ATS (-28.7 Units) in all games this season.
                      COLORADO is 15-32 ATS (-24.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
                      COLORADO is 10-17 ATS (+28.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
                      COLORADO is 21-36 ATS (-20.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
                      COLORADO is 6-16 ATS (-14.3 Units) vs. division opponents this season.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      CALGARY is 10-7-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
                      10 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.8 Units)

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        NHL


                        Sunday, March 3


                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Trend Report
                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        12:30 PM
                        NY RANGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
                        The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
                        The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 5 games
                        The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Philadelphia's last 22 games at home
                        Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

                        5:00 PM
                        BUFFALO vs. CAROLINA
                        Buffalo is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                        Buffalo is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Carolina
                        Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Buffalo
                        Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Buffalo

                        5:00 PM
                        MINNESOTA vs. DETROIT
                        The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
                        Minnesota is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
                        Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
                        Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

                        5:00 PM
                        ST. LOUIS vs. COLUMBUS
                        The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games
                        St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Columbus
                        Columbus is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Columbus's last 5 games when playing St. Louis

                        7:00 PM
                        TAMPA BAY vs. CHICAGO
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Chicago
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games at home

                        8:00 PM
                        CALGARY vs. COLORADO
                        The total has gone OVER in 7 of Calgary's last 9 games
                        Calgary is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
                        The total has gone OVER in 10 of Colorado's last 13 games
                        The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Colorado's last 24 games when playing Calgary

                        8:00 PM
                        DALLAS vs. ANAHEIM
                        Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                        Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
                        Anaheim is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas
                        The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas


                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          NHL


                          Sunday, March 3


                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          NHL on NBC betting preview: Rangers at Flyers
                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers (-150, 5.5)

                          Two teams separated only by a lengthy stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike collide in what may be an Eastern Conference playoff preview. Neither team, however, is playing their best hockey down the stretch, so this is a chance for either to make a postseason statement.

                          Can’t produce without Pronger

                          Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren dejectedly walked into the dressing room after a disheartening 1-0 loss to Atlanta Thursday night and told reporters that defenseman Chris Pronger would not return before the postseason.

                          It was a blow to Philadelphia’s psyche, as the Flyers have struggled mightily without their tower of power on the back line. Out with a broken right hand, Pronger hopes to return for Round 1. But his rehabilitation has been slowed and this “setback,” as Holmgren termed it, may prove costly.

                          In his absence, the Flyers, occupying the No. 1 seed in the East for most of the season, have been searching for answers. Philadelphia heads into this matinee off back-to-back losses to non-playoff teams, the Thrashers and Devils, and has lost three of four games.

                          Bad memories for the Blueshirts

                          These two teams may end up facing each other in Round 1 and that would be a logistical treat for both sets of fans, as the two arenas are about two hours away from each other.

                          It also could prove to be an opportunity for the Rangers to exorcise some demons from last year. On the season’s final day, with a playoff spot on the line, goalie Brian Boucher and the Flyers outlasted Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers in a 2-1 shootout. It was a true heartbreaker for Lundqvist, who made 46 saves and carried his team to the brink of the postseason.

                          But he has recovered well, and has been motivated by the loss. In fact, he has 11 shutouts, a 2.26 GAA and has a national stage to show he’s over it.

                          His Rangers have been battling with the Sabres for the East’s No. 7 spot. Entering Saturday’s action, they were tied with 87 points and Buffalo had a game in hand.

                          Who’s No. 1?

                          Who really knows if the Flyers truly care about the No. 1 seed, especially considering they made the Stanley Cup Finals last year out of the No. 7 hole. But, if they do care, they better get down to business, because the Capitals are hovering.

                          With four games left to play for both teams, Washington (101 points) entered Saturday’s tilt versus Buffalo with a chance to overtake Philadelphia (102) for the top spot.

                          The Capitals also took the ice versus the Sabres on a 7-2-1 stretch and with their midseason slide all but forgotten. Clearly, the Capitals have work to do in the postseason to erase their spring reputation. But for now, they are surging and have squarely put the pressure on the Flyers.

                          History

                          The Flyers have dominated the series this year, 4-1, but give credit to the Rangers for at least saying enough is enough. In the last installment, another NHL on NBC matinee at Madison Square Garden, New York rolled to a 7-0 win. The under is 3-2 this season and in the past 10 between these two teams overall, it is 6-4.


                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            NHL


                            Sunday, March 3


                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Ice picks: Sunday's best NHL bets
                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks (-177, 5.5)

                            The question is which team will come to play on Sunday: the one that got momentum from clinching a playoff berth, or the one that still needs every single point as it fights for a postseason spot?

                            Tampa Bay ensured it will be in the playoffs for the first time in four years when the team took down visiting Pittsburgh 2-1 on Friday night.

                            “For us, it's been a long time coming, guys that have been here a few years,” said Martin St Louis, who won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004. “It's a chance at the big prize again. We haven't played for that in a long time.”

                            Chicago not only played for Lord Stanley’s trophy last year, but won it. But this season the Blackhawks are battling just to reach the playoffs. They have 92 points, good for eighth in the Western Conference, three points ahead of Calgary and five clear of Dallas (which has played one fewer game).

                            Seemingly handling the pressure just fine, Chicago edged Columbus 4-3 in a shootout on Friday. It was the Blackhawks' sixth win in their last seven home games.

                            Pick: Blackhawks


                            New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers (-150, 5.5)


                            The Flyers won the first four meetings this season, and the Rangers played like they weren’t happy about it in the most recent contest on March 6. Skating on home ice, New York humiliated Philadelphia 7-0.

                            If the Rangers aren’t in a good mood this time around, it’s for a different reason. The team is fighting for a playoff spot and probably feels it should have locked one up by now. Instead, New York is tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference with 87 points, three ahead of a Carolina squad that has played one fewer game.

                            The Rangers have left the door open by losing three of their last four, including a 6-2 embarrassment against the Islanders on Thursday night.

                            “It's unacceptable,” right wing Ryan Callahan told the New York Post afterward. “Our effort, our execution, they have to be better this time of year. There's no excuse for it.”

                            There was no excuse for what the Flyers did last month against New York, and they should be able to get revenge.

                            Pick: Flyers


                            ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              MLB
                              Dunkel



                              San Francisco at LA Dodgers
                              The Giants look to take advantage of a Dodger team that is 2-7 in Hiroki Kuroda's last 9 starts against the NL West. San Francisco is the pick (+130) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+130). Here are all of today's picks.

                              SUNDAY, APRIL 3

                              Game 951-952: NY Mets at Florida (1:10 p.m. EST
                              )
                              Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Dickey) 14.979; Florida (Vazquez) 16.186
                              Dunkel Line: Florida by 1; 9 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Florida (-140); 8 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Florida (-140); Over

                              Game 953-954: Milwaukee at Cincinnati (1:10 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Wolf) 15.564; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 14.238
                              Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-130); 8 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+110); Under

                              Game 955-956: Houston at Philadelphia (1:35 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Norris) 14.238; Philadelphia (Oswalt) 16.089
                              Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 2; 7 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-235); 8
                              Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-235); Under

                              Game 957-958: Atlanta at Washington (1:35 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hudson) 14.845; Washington (Zimmermann) 15.907
                              Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 8
                              Vegas Line: Atlanta (-155); 7 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Washington (+135); Over

                              Game 959-960: San Diego at St. Louis (2:15 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Moseley) 15.969; St. Louis (Garcia) 14.488
                              Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
                              Vegas Line: St. Louis (-180); 8 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+160); Under

                              Game 961-962: Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Ohlendorf) 14.176; Cubs (Garza) 14.453
                              Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 10
                              Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-200); No Run Line
                              Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-200); N/A

                              Game 963-964: Arizona at Colorado (3:10 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Saunders) 14.652; Colorado (Chacin) 16.147
                              Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1 1/2; 9
                              Vegas Line: Colorado (-180); 9 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-180); Under

                              Game 965-966: San Francisco at LA Dodgers (8:00 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Zito) 16.193; LA Dodgers (Kuroda) 14.685
                              Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 8
                              Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-150); 7 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+130); Over

                              Game 967-968: Detroit at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Scherzer) 14.769; NY Yankees (Hughes) 16.509
                              Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 2; 10
                              Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-155); 9
                              Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-155); Over

                              Game 969-970: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (1:05 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Danks) 14.333; Cleveland (Masterson) 14.967
                              Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 7 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-135); 8 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+115); Under

                              Game 971-972: Minnesota at Toronto (1:07 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.641; Toronto (Cecil) 15.410
                              Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1/2; 9 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Toronto (-135); 9
                              Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+115); Over

                              Game 973-974: Baltimore at Tampa Bay (1:40 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Britton) 14.461; Tampa Bay (Davis) 15.810
                              Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-155); 9
                              Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-155); Under

                              Game 975-976: LA Angels at Kansas City (2:10 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Kazmir) 16.049; Kansas City (Chen) 15.115
                              Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 8 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Kansas City (-110); 9 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-110); Under

                              Game 977-978: Boston at Texas (2:05 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Buchholz) 15.797; Texas (Harrison) 15.520
                              Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 10 1/2
                              Vegas Line: Boston (-140); 9 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Boston (-140); Over

                              Game 979-980: Seattle at Oakland (4:05 p.m. EST)
                              Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Fister) 14.712; Oakland (Gonzalez) 15.329
                              Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1/2; 7
                              Vegas Line: Oakland (-180); 7 1/2
                              Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-180); Under

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