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**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:16 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 5

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Thunder play a road game in Denver, the Twins continue their series against the Yankees, and the Mets look for a victory in Philadelphia.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA returns from a one-day break with 13 games on Tuesday, with San Antonio at Atlanta, Detroit at Washington, Charlotte at Cleveland, Milwaukee at Orlando, Minnesota at New Jersey, Philadelphia at Boston, Toronto at New York, the Clippers at Memphis, Phoenix at Chicago, Sacramento at Houston, Golden State at Portland, Utah at the Lakers, and Oklahoma City at Denver. The Thunder (50-26 SU, 39-36-1 ATS) lost 98-92 on the road to the Clippers in their last game on Saturday, while the Nuggets (47-29 SU, 40-32-4 ATS) extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Lakers 95-90 in Los Angeles on Sunday. The Nuggets and Thunder last met on January 19 in Denver, with the home side winning 112-107 as a 3.5-point favorite in an UNDER result that day.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

On the American League schedule for Tuesday it'll be the Angels at Tampa Bay, Boston at Cleveland, Oakland at Toronto, Seattle at Texas, the White Sox at Kansas City, and Minnesota at the Yankees. Brian Duensing is slated to make his first start of the season for the Twins in that last contest; lefthander Duensing went 10-3 in 53 appearances (13 starts) last year with a 2.62 ERA. New York will counter with CC Sabathia, who picked up a no-decision against Detroit on opening day, allowing two earned runs in six innings.

Over in the National League on Tuesday it's then Arizona at the Cubs, San Francisco at San Diego, Washington at Florida, Houston at Cincinnati, Atlanta at Milwaukee, Pittsburgh at St. Louis, the Dodgers at Colorado, and the Mets at the Phillies. Chris Young will make his Mets debut in that last matchup; righthander Young went 2-0 in four starts in an injury-shortened campaign for San Diego last season, posting a sparkling 0.90 ERA. Cole Hamels will make his first start of the season for the Phillies on Tuesday; lefthander Hamels went 12-11 for Philly last season, with a 3.06 ERA and 211 strikeouts.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are nine games on the NHL's schedule for Tuesday, with Tampa Bay at Buffalo, Washington at Toronto, Philadelphia at Ottawa, New Jersey at Pittsburgh, Colorado at St. Louis, Atlanta at Nashville, Columbus at Dallas, Vancouver at Edmonton, and Chicago at Montreal. The 42-30-7 Canadiens are jostling for position in the top 8 of the Eastern Conference standings this week, while the 42-28-8 Blackhawks are trying to lock down one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Montreal is coming off a 3-2 win in New Jersey on Saturday; Chicago fell 2-0 to Tampa Bay on Sunday night.

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:18 AM

Tuesday's betting tips: D. Howard asks coach for rest

Lines to watch

Minnesota Timberwolves at New Jersey Nets – This total is currently up to 205 after opening at 202.5. The pointspread is holding steady at New Jersey -5.5.

Weather to watch

Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians – Looks like it could be a nasty day in Cleveland with strong winds blowing in from right field to first base and temperatures around 39 degrees with a chance of rain or snow.

Who’s hot

MLB: The under has cashed in on 22 of the last 30 meetings between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.

MLB: Cincinnati has won its first three games of the season and has taken 19 of its last 26 dates with the Houston Astros.

NBA: The over is 7-0 in San Antonio’s last seven games.

NHL: Washington has won nine of its last 11 games as a favorite.

Who’s not

MLB: Milwaukee is 0-4 to start the season and has just two wins in its last nine matchups with Atlanta.

NBA: Utah has lost eight straight games heading into Tuesday’s date with the Lakers and has covered only twice during that span.

NBA: Toronto has covered in only four of its last 16 road games.

NHL: Atlanta is 4-10 in its last 14 games on the road.

Key stat

4 – Nelson Cruz has homered in each of Texas’ first four games of the season, tying a MLB record. He became the third player to accomplish the feat when he opened up the fourth inning by drilling a 419-foot blast to center field off Erik Bedard. The other two players to start the season with home runs in four straight games? Mark McGwire and Willie Mays. The Rangers are back at it against the Mariners on Tuesday evening.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks: Smith is expected to be a game-time decision Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs with a knee injury after he was forced to miss Monday’s practice. Don’t be surprised if he sits this one out as Atlanta is basically locked into the No. 5 spot in the East. Smith averages 16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Game of the day

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-3.5, 206)

Notable quotable

"The variety of how we're going to put the best five players together is not NBA-ish but it's been done before. It's more college-ish. It's more the coach makes the decision. In college, the coach has more of a hammer, but now I think I just make decisions. The hammer is not, 'I'm mad at you.' The hammer is, 'This guy's playing better than you.' " – Nuggets coach George Karl on his coaching philosophy since the Carmelo Anthony trade.

Notes and tips

Dwight Howard reportedly told coach Stan Van Gundy that he and some of the other Orlando Magic starters desperately need some rest before the beginning of the playoffs. The club is already dealing with injuries to Gilbert Arenas, JJ Redick and Chris Duhon, so make sure you monitor this situation closely over Orlando’s last few games. The Magic, who have covered just three times over the last 17 games, host Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love is expected to sit out Tuesday’s game at New Jersey with a groin injury and there’s some speculation that he may not play again this season. Minnesota doesn’t have much to play for and has just four games remaining on the schedule after Tuesday’s game. Love is putting up 20.2 points and 15.2 rebounds per game thhis year.

Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets: Nash was supposed to return from his lower body injury Tuesday when the Blue Jackets visit the Dallas Stars, but that’s not going to happen. He wasn’t on the team’s flight and coach Scott Arniel told reporters Nash felt worse on Monday than he did on Sunday.

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:21 AM

Tuesday's six-pack

In a perfect world, I'd make all the decisions; here are six guys I'd look at to fill the vacant UNLV job..........
-- Bruce Pearl-- Style would go over big on the Strip, but issues with NCAA will prevent that from happening.

-- Josh Pastner-- UNLV's AD came from Arizona, and Pastner played and coached there. Expectations at Memphis are ridiculous.

-- Shaka Smart-- Signed an extension with VCU, but in college sports, contracts aren't always worth the paper they're printed on.

-- Mike Dunlap-- Won two national titles in D-II, has been assistant in the NBA and with Arizona/Oregon/St John's.

-- Dave Rice-- Was sub on Tark's 1990 title team, then an assistant at UNLV for 11 years. Has been assistant at BYU recently.

-- Reggie Theus-- One of best players in UNLV history, has been NBA and college head coach. Tremendous recruiter. Would be my choice.

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

Tuesday's List of 13: Things I enjoyed this college hoop season

13) Success of Brad Stevens/Shaka Smart shows that guys who played non-scholarship, D-III college ball are fully capable of coaching at the highest level of college basketball. To me, that’s a good thing.

12) I liked it when Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen came out and said, “I’m not playing in the NIT”, then went out and carried his team in the second half of conference play, playing so well that K-State wasn’t even a bubble team on Selection Sunday. If you’re going to talk, you’ve got to back it up, and he did, bigtime.

11) Loved the way Notre Dame passed the ball; very unselfish, very fun to watch. Now it helps when teams who pass like that have multiple guys who can make 3’s, because that becomes a lethal weapon. Mike Brey had a stellar offensive team this season.

10) I liked how the Oakland Grizzlies went toe-to-toe with Texas in the tournament, falling behind by double digits, then crawling back to make it interesting in the end. Oakland is the kingpin of the Summit League; they play lot of the big boys in pre-conference play, so they aren’t afraid when they play ‘em in March. Lack of fear is huge for mid/low major teams.

9) I liked it when VCU won by 10 in double OT at Delaware Feb 9; not only would the Rams not have made the NCAAs had they lost that game, I had VCU -5.5 that night.

8) After starting the season 3-14, UL-Lafayette then ran off 11 wins in a row to end the regular season 14-14. That’s superior coaching, getting the kids to work and improve and keep plugging away, even when you’re at 3-14. Good for them; it bodes well for their program the next couple years.

7) I liked it when Cleveland State’s Norris Cole scored 41 points, with 20 rebounds and nine assists in 86-76 win over Youngstown State Feb 12th; the guy is 6-foot-1, but boy is he good. How many guys grab 20 boards in a game, much less someone who is only 6-1?

6) I liked it when BYU came from Provo to Glens Falls, NY on Dec 8, just to play a game in Jimmer Fredette’s hometown; 6,600-seat arena was sold out in two hours, and BYU got a home game 1,800 miles from home. Vermont’s players had to be confused as to why so many people in New York were rooting for BYU.

5) I liked it that SMU went 17-14 and saved Matt Doherty’s job; have to wonder about a guy who couldn’t win in Chapel Hill, but Doherty made big strides with the Mustangs this season.

4) Not sure if I like it or not, but UConn/VCU both made the Final Four after finishing their regular season on 1-4 skids. Have to get hot at the right time to play deep into March/April.

3) I loved it when I found a free internet site that linked up to streaming broadcasts of more obscure games that I had picked. Watched games this way from St Joe’s, Charlotte and Cal-Riverside. Very nice, much easier than staring at a monitor waiting for scores to pop up.

2) When St Peter’s got beat in the NCAAs, their coach took out the starters at the end and hugged them, giving seniors long, emotional hugs. Great moment. Peacocks were 4-24 when those seniors came to Jersey City; it was cool of the coach to thank those kids so publicly for all they had done over the last four years.

1) My favorite team this year was the Richmond Spiders; a senior-laden team that passes/shoots it well and was surprisingly athletic (albeit small) inside, Richmond had grit and spunk and they made the Sweet 16. Good for them. Good move by the school giving coach Mooney a 10-year contract extension.

You just wonder if NC State is going to start throwing even more money Mooney’s way, if their coaching search keeps disintegrating.

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:25 AM

NBA
Dunkel

LA Clippers at Memphis
The Grizzlies look to build on their 13-3 ATS record in their last 16 games as a favorite. Memphis is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Grizzlies favored by 16. Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-9). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

Game 651-652: Minnesota at New Jersey (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 108.639; New Jersey 115.760
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 7; 201
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey by 5 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-5 1/2); Under

Game 653-654: San Antonio at Atlanta (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 120.403; Atlanta 118.938
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 655-656: Milwaukee at Orlando (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 114.936; Orlando 125.951
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 11; 188
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 8; 180 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-8); Over

Game 657-658: Detroit at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 112.074; Washington 114.051
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 2; 193
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 659-660: Charlotte at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 113.175; Cleveland 112.007
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 1; 196
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 661-662: Philadelphia at Boston (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 117.251; Boston 121.574
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 4 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 663-664: Toronto at New York (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 111.046; New York 116.354
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 5 1/2; 220
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 665-666: Phoenix at Chicago (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.487; Chicago 131.444
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 17; 194
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 667-668: LA Clippers at Memphis (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 112.233; Memphis 128.280
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 16; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 9; 199
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-9); Over

Game 669-670: Sacramento at Houston (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 117.772; Houston 125.945
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 8; 214
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 9; 220
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+9); Under

Game 671-672: Oklahoma City at Denver (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 123.844; Denver 126.459
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 2 1/2; 213
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 4 1/2; 207
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+4 1/2); Over

Game 673-674: Golden State at Portland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 113.018; Portland 127.012
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 14; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 10 1/2; 201
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-10 1/2); Under

Game 675-676: Utah at LA Lakers (10:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 113.830; LA Lakers 127.186
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 13 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:29 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 5

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won four of last five games, covered last six.
-- Milwaukee covered eight of its last ten games.
-- Washington won three of last four games, covered four of last five.
-- 76ers won three of their last four games.
-- New York won its last three games, by 7-4-16 points.
-- Chicago won 15 of its last 17 games.
-- Memphis won its last four games, covered last seven.
-- Houston won eight of last ten games, covered five of last six. Kings covered five of their last seven games.
-- Nuggets won last six games, are 11-1 vs spread in last 12.
-- Portland won five of last seven games, covered nine of last 11.
-- Lakers won nine of last ten games, covered three of last four.

Cold Teams
-- Minnesota lost last ten games (0-3 vs spread last three). Nets lost last six games, covering one of last five.
-- Spurs lost six of their last seven games.
-- Magic lost three of last four games; they're 3-12 vs spread in last 15.
-- Pistons won six of their last seven games.
-- Bobcats lost four of their last five road games. Cavaliers are 3-6 vs the spread in their last nine home games.
-- Celtics are 1-8 vs spread in game following their last nine wins.
-- Raptors lost six of their last seven games.
-- Suns lost five of their last six games.
-- Clippers covered two of their last ten games.
-- Thunder lost its last two games, scoring 91-92 points.
-- Warriors lost their last eight road games (1-7 vs spread).
-- Utah lost its last eight games (0-7 vs spread in last seven).

Totals
-- Three of last four Minnesota games stayed under the total. Nets' last three games went over.
-- Four of last five Atlanta games stayed under the total. Six of last seven San Antonio games went over.
-- Three of last four Milwaukee games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Detroit games went over the total.
-- Under is 13-5 in last 18 Charlotte games.
-- Four of last five Boston home games stayed under the total.
-- Knicks' last six games went over the total.
-- Eight of last nine Chicago games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Clipper games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last nine Denver games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Golden State road games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Laker games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Back
-- None

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:33 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 5

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. ATLANTA
San Antonio is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 12 of San Antonio's last 16 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Atlanta's last 16 games when playing at home against San Antonio
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Charlotte is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. NEW JERSEY
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
New Jersey is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. WASHINGTON
Detroit is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 11 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games at home

7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Milwaukee's last 23 games
Milwaukee is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 5 games at home
Orlando is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. NEW YORK
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
New York is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games

7:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. BOSTON
Philadelphia is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Philadelphia's last 18 games on the road
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. CHICAGO
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Phoenix is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games at home
Chicago is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games

8:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing Memphis
LA Clippers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 8 games
Memphis is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

8:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. HOUSTON
Sacramento is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Sacramento's last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. DENVER
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Oklahoma City's last 15 games when playing Denver
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Denver is 7-1-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home

10:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. PORTLAND
Golden State is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Golden State is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games when playing at home against Golden State
Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. LA LAKERS
Utah is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Utah is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of the LA Lakers last 16 games

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**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:35 AM

NBA

Tuesday, April 5

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Pick 'n' roll: Tuesday's best basketball bets
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Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics (N/A)

Shaquille O’Neal’s return to the Boston lineup did not last long, Shaq, who had been out with an Achilles’ injury, suffered a strained right calf after playing just six minutes in Sunday’s home win over Detroit. He is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s clash against Philadelphia.

The Celtics will also likely be without Nenad Krstic (questionable with a knee problem) and Troy Murphy (questionable with an ankle injury that has kept him out since March 23).

That is not good news for Boston, which has fallen three games back of Eastern Conference-leading Chicago and a half game behind Miami for the No. 2 seed. The Celtics have dropped four of their last seven contests (2-5 ATS).

Philadelphia, meanwhile, has won three of its last four (3-1 ATS) and has clinched a playoff spot. How confident are the Sixers? Well, they are already thinking about getting out of the first round, which would require a huge upset.

“I'm just like, ‘Whoever we play, let's just be ready,’” Thaddeus Young told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “‘Let's be ready to blow by them and get out of the first round.’”
A word of caution heading into Tuesday: Sixth Man of the Year contender Louis Williams strained a hamstring during Saturday’s overtime loss at Milwaukee and almost certainly won’t play.

Pick: 76ers

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-4, 207)

A first-round playoff preview is on Tuesday’s schedule as the Thunder and Nuggets are set for a showdown. Barring a major shakeup in the middle of the Western Conference standings, Oklahoma City is locked into the four seed and Denver has wrapped up the fifth spot.

When the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony two months ago, most people figured George Karl could start channeling his inner Jim Mora Sr. Playoffs? We’re talkin’ about playoffs?

Absolutely. In fact, Denver has improved since getting rid of ‘Melo. The team is 15-4 (16-2-1 ATS) post-trade and has won six in a row (4-1-1 ATS).

“The intangibles that win games are out there more often than I ever remember,” Karl told the Denver Post after Sunday’s 95-90 road win over the Lakers. “The thing I've seen on the team is that it's solid. We haven't been solid since I've been here. We've been up and down, wild and crazy, good and bad. Beat anybody anytime by 20, lose to anybody anytime by 20. I don't think you're going to see that.”

The home team has won (and covered) both of this season’s meetings between the two teams, with Oklahoma City prevailing 114-106 on Christmas Day and Denver getting revenge 112-107 on Jan. 19.

Pick: Nuggets

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**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:40 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Tampa Bay at Buffalo
The Sabres look to take advantage of a Tampa Bay team that is coming off a 2-0 win at Chicago and is 2-8 in its last 10 after scoring 2 goals or less in the previous game. Buffalo is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Sabres favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

Game 1-2: Washington at Toronto (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.727; Toronto 11.134
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-140); Under

Game 3-4: Tampa Bay at Buffalo (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 12.160; Buffalo 13.150
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-135); Under

Game 5-6: New Jersey at Pittsburgh (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 10.588; Pittsburgh 11.179
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-145); Over

Game 7-8: Philadelphia at Ottawa (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.956; Ottawa 10.243
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-165); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-165); Over

Game 9-10: Chicago at Montreal (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 12.311; Montreal 11.088
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-110); Under

Game 11-12: Atlanta at Nashville (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 10.383; Nashville 12.049
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (-185); Under

Game 13-14: Colorado at St. Louis (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 10.709; St. Louis 12.290
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-200); Over

Game 15-16: Columbus at Dallas (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 10.795; Dallas 10.132
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 17-18: Vancouver at Edmonton (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 11.596; Edmonton 10.679
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-200); Under

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:42 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 5

Hot Teams
-- Washington is 14-3 in its last 17 games. Maple Leafs won six of their last seven games.
-- Tampa Bay won its last five games, allowing six goals. Sabres won five of their last seven games.
-- Pittsburgh won seven of its last ten games.
-- Chicago won three of its last four road games.
-- Nashville won six of its last eight games. Thrashers are 7-0 in game following their last seven losses.
-- Canucks won 12 of their last 14 games.

Cold Teams
-- Devils lost six of their last nine games.
-- Flyers lost six of their last eight games. Ottawa lost three of its last four games.
-- Montreal is 0-5 in game following its last five wins.
-- Avalanche lost five of their last six games. St Louis lost three of its last four home games.
-- Blue Jackets lost seven of their last eight games. Dallas lost six of its last seven games.
-- Edmonton lost 11 of its last 12 games.

Totals
-- Last five Toronto games went over the total.
-- Last three Lightning games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 6-1-2 in last nine New Jersey games.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Ottawa games. Under is 5-2 in Flyers' last seven games.
-- Six of last eight Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 10-4 in last fourteen Colorado games.
-- Four of last five St Louis home games stayed under total. Last three Columbus games went over the total.
-- Last seven Vancouver games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Back
-- None.

Series records
-- Maple Leafs lost their last three games against Washington.
-- Sabres won five of last seven games against Tampa Bay.
-- Devils won eight of last eleven games against Pittsburgh.
-- Senators won six of last nine games against Philadelphia.
-- Home side won last three Chicago-Montreal games.
-- Thrashers won three of last four games against Nashville.
-- Blues lost their last seven games against Colorado.
-- Dallas Stars lost four of last five games against Columbus.
-- Canucks won eight of last ten games against Edmonton.

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:45 AM

NHL

Tuesday, April 5

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. PITTSBURGH
New Jersey is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
New Jersey is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Pittsburgh's last 16 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing at home against New Jersey

7:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BUFFALO
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games on the road
Buffalo is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Washington's last 12 games on the road
Washington is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Toronto's last 18 games when playing Washington

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. MONTREAL
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Montreal is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago

7:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Ottawa is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games at home
Ottawa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. NASHVILLE
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Nashville's last 9 games at home
Nashville is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:00 PM
COLORADO vs. ST. LOUIS
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Colorado's last 12 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Colorado
St. Louis is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home

8:30 PM
COLUMBUS vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 5 games when playing Dallas
Columbus is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Columbus

9:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. EDMONTON
Vancouver is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games at home
Edmonton is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games

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**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:48 AM

NHL

Tuesday, April 5

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Ice picks: Tuesday's best NHL bets
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Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres (-135, 5.5)

Tampa Bay has a score to settle with Buffalo, as these two teams faced each other on Feb. 8 and the host Lightning got hammered 7-4.

They should have a good chance of avenging that loss on Tuesday in Buffalo. Tampa goalie Dwayne Roloson allowed seven goals in just 28 shots in the last meeting, but he is heating up heading into the playoffs. Roloson has allowed a total of four goals in his last three outings (all victories).

The Lightning, not coincidentally, have won five in a row and are coming off a 2-0 shutout of Chicago on Sunday. They clinched a playoff spot after last Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh and have climbed to within four points of Washington in the Southeast Division.

Buffalo is hanging tough in the race, currently seventh in the Eastern Conference with 90 points. The team has alternated wins and losses over its last five, although it has won five of its last seven.

The Sabres could be without top goalie Ryan Miller, who missed Sunday’s win over Carolina and is questionable with an upper body injury. Right wing Mike Grier (knee) and center Jochen Hecht (upper body) are also questionable.

Pick: Lightning

Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens (-110, 5.5)

A recent swoon has taken Montreal from a borderline playoff lock to a team fighting for its postseason life in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens bounced back on Sunday with a 3-1 victory at New Jersey, but they have still lost four of their last six games.

And nobody is happy about it.

“We just were not ready mentally,” defenseman Roman Hamrlik said after last Wednesday's 6-2 loss at Carolina. “I don't think we competed, and they outworked us tonight.”

A few teammates took offense to that comment, and they are also in an uproar over former Canadien and new media member Georges Laraque saying that head coach Jacques Martin “has lost the room.”

One team that definitely won’t be hitting the panic button in the midst of a heated playoff race is Chicago, which sits in eighth place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Calgary.

The Blackhawks have dropped three of their last five, but this is a contest in which the experience of winning the Stanley Cup last year could be a major factor.

Pick: Blackhawks

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**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:55 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Boston at Cleveland
The Red Sox look to build on their 19-7 record in Josh Beckett's last 26 starts against the AL Central. Boston is the pick (-155) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Sox favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-155). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

Game 951-952: Arizona at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Enright) 14.197; Cubs (Cashner) 14.695
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-145); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-145); N/A

Game 953-954: San Francisco at San Diego (6:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Bumgarner) 16.725; San Diego (Harang) 15.633
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-135); Over

Game 955-956: NY Mets at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Young) 15.813; Philadelphia (Hamels) 16.304
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-215); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-215); Under

Game 957-958: Houston at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Happ) 15.023; Cincinnati (Leake) 14.671
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-175); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+155); Under

Game 959-960: Washington at Florida (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Marquis) 14.063; Florida (Sanchez) 14.351
Dunkel Line: Florida by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Florida (-160); 9
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-160); Over

Game 961-962: Atlanta at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Lowe) 15.633; Milwaukee (Gallardo) 14.187
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+100); Over

Game 963-964: Pittsburgh at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (McDonald) 15.622; St. Louis (McClellan) 14.552
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-155); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+135); Under

Game 965-966: LA Dodgers at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 15.152; Colorado (Chacin) 16.147
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Colorado (-110); 8
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-110); Under

Game 967-968: LA Angels at Tampa Bay (6:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 14.956; Tampa Bay (Niemann) 14.428
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-115); Over

Game 969-970: Minnesota at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Duensing) 15.064; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 15.757
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-210); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-210); Over

Game 971-972: Oakland at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Braden) 15.007; Toronto (Reyes) 15.984
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Oakland (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+100); Under

Game 973-974: Boston at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Beckett) 15.487; Cleveland (Tomlin) 14.571
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-155); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-155); Under

Game 975-976: Seattle at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Pineda) 15.032; Texas (Ogando) 17.013
Dunkel Line: Texas by 2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-165); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-165); Over

Game 977-978: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Floyd) 15.662; Kansas City (Hochevar) 15.208
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-130); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-130); Over

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 08:58 AM

MLB
Write-Up

Tuesday, April 5

Hot pitchers
-- Bumgarner is 5-2, 1.59 in his last nine starts.
-- Hamels is 2-1, 2.25 in his last three starts. Young was 2-0, 0.90 in his four starts LY for San Diego.
-- Marquis has a 2.25 RA in his last couple starts.
-- Lowe is 6-2, 1.50 in his last eight starts. Gallardo is 2-0, 2.18 in his last three home starts.
-- McDonald is 2-1, 1.80 in his last five starts.
-- Kershaw is 4-2, 2.96 in his last eight starts.

-- Weaver is 4-3, 2.22 in his last eight starts.
-- Tomlin is 3-0, 3.92 in his last three starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Enright is 0-5, 8.06 in his last five starts. This is Cashner's first start in big leagues (2-6, 4.80 in 53 relief stints LY).
-- Harang is 0-0, 7.36 in his last four starts.
-- Leake is 1-3, 9.00 in his last four starts. Happ is 0-2, 6.98 in his last four outings.
-- Sanchez is 1-3, 5.48 in his last four starts.
-- McClellan has 217.2 IP in 202 career relief appearances the last three years; this is his first major league start.
-- Chacin is 1-2, 4.13 in his last four starts.

-- Niemann is 1-5, 10.13 in his last seven starts.
-- Duensing is 0-2, 8.40 in his last three starts. Sabathia has a 5.73 RA in his last four starts.
-- McCarthy is 20-24, 4.56 in his 56 career starts. Reyes is 5-15, 6.40 in 37 career starts. Neither guy has made a start since 2009.
-- Beckett is 2-3, 5.08 in his last six starts.
-- Prospect Pineda is making first big league start for Seattle. Ogando is also making his first big league start; he was 4-1, 1.30 in 44 relief stints last season, giving up 31 hits in 41.1 IP.
-- Floyd is 0-2, 9.53 in his last three starts. Hochevar is 0-3, 5.40 in his last three starts.

Totals
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Enright starts.
-- Seven of last nine Bumgarner starts stayed under the total.
-- Under is 8-3 in Hamels' last eleven starts.
-- Seven of last nine Leake starts went over the total.
-- Four of last five Sanchez starts stayed under the total.
-- Last five Lowe starts stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight McDonald starts.
-- Five of last seven Kershaw starts stayed under total.

-- Over is 7-2-2 in last eleven Niemann starts.
-- Six of last seven Sabathia starts went over the total.
-- No totals trends in Oakland-Toronto game.
-- Under was 8-4 in Tomlin's 12 starts last year.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Seattle's first four games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in Floyd's last five starts.

Hot teams
-- Phillies won their first three games, scoring 21 runs.
-- Reds won their first three games, scoring 23 runs.
-- Braves won three of their first four games.
-- Pirates won three of their first four games.
-- Dodgers won three of their first four games.

-- Bronx won three of its first four games.
-- Rangers won their first four games, outscoring foes 32-15.
-- Royals won three of their first four games.

Cold teams
-- Giants lost three of their first four games.
-- Astros lost their first three games, allowing 21 runs.
-- Brewers lost their first four games, allowing 25 runs.
-- Cardinals lost three of their first four games.

-- Angels lost three of their first four games; bullpen lost all three. Rays lost their first three games, scoring one run in each game.
-- Minnesota lost three of its first four games.
-- Red Sox lost their first three games, allowing 26 runs.

**Udog** · 04-05-2011, 09:02 AM

MLB

Tuesday, April 5

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Trend Report
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2:20 PM
ARIZONA vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Arizona's last 8 games when playing Chi Cubs
Arizona is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona

6:35 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. SAN DIEGO
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Diego
San Francisco is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of San Diego's last 15 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of San Diego's last 20 games when playing San Francisco

6:40 PM
LA ANGELS vs. TAMPA BAY
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
LA Angels are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games

7:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 9 games when playing Minnesota

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games

7:05 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Boston
Cleveland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Boston

7:07 PM
OAKLAND vs. TORONTO
Oakland is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Oakland's last 10 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
Toronto is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing Oakland

7:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CINCINNATI
Houston is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Houston is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Cincinnati's last 25 games at home
Cincinnati is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games when playing on the road against Florida
Washington is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Florida is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Florida's last 10 games when playing at home against Washington

8:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. TEXAS
Seattle is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Texas
Seattle is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle

8:10 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. KANSAS CITY
Chi White Sox are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Chi White Sox are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas City's last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Kansas City's last 9 games

8:10 PM
ATLANTA vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:15 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
St. Louis is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Pittsburgh
St. Louis is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing Pittsburgh

8:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games when playing Colorado
LA Dodgers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
Colorado is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers

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Announcement

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 4/5 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 4/5 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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