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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 08:52 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 17

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Celtics play host to the Knicks in NBA playoff action, the Capitals travel to Madison Square Garden, and NASCAR takes on Talladega.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

Four more first-round NBA playoff series open up on Sunday, with Memphis at San Antonio, New Orleans at the Lakers, Denver at Oklahoma City, and New York at Boston. The Celtics (56-26 SU, 38-42-2 ATS) and Knicks (42-40 SU, 46-34-2 ATS) met on the final day of the regular season on Wednesday, with Boston winning 112-102 as a 2.5-point home favorite in that meaningless matchup. The Celtics swept the season series from the Knicks 4-0, covering the spread in two of those four contests. Oddsmakers have Boston listed as the 6.5-point favorite for Sunday, with the game's total set at 198.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League schedule for Sunday has Baltimore at Cleveland, Toronto at Boston, Minnesota at Tampa Bay, Seattle at Kansas City, the Angels at the White Sox, Detroit at Oakland, and Texas at the Yankees. Alexi Ogando (2-0, 0.00 ERA) is slated to start for the Rangers on Sunday night; righthander Ogando has two scoreless outings under his belt this season, holding the Tigers and Mariners to four hits over 13 innings of work. CC Sabathia (0-1, 1.45 ERA) will counter for the Yankees; lefthander Sabathia lost to the Red Sox last time out despite giving up just one run over his 5 2-3 innings of work.

On the National League schedule for Sunday it's then Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Florida at Philadelphia, Milwaukee at Washington, the Mets at Atlanta, San Diego at Houston, the Cubs at Colorado, San Francisco at Arizona, and St. Louis at the Dodgers. The Cardinals' Chris Carpenter (0-2, 5.82 ERA) will take on the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley (1-1, 7.71 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Carpenter took the loss against the D-Backs last time out, giving up eight runs over just four innings. Righthander Billingsley is coming off a no-decision against the Giants in which he gave up four runs in five innings.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Three games make up the NHL's playoff schedule for Sunday, with Anaheim at Nashville, Vancouver at Chicago, and Washington at the Rangers. The Capitals took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Rangers on Friday night, picking up a 2-0 home win in Game 2 of the set. Jason Arnott and Jason Chimera had the goals for Washington in that contest, while Michal Neuvirth made 22 saves for the shutout. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 16 of 18 shots between the pipes for New York in that loss.

Roaring around the track . . .

The Sprint Cup Series offers up the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, with the oddsmakers setting Kevin Harvick as the +650 race favorite. Harvick won the Aaron's 499 last season, and he's already visited Victory Lane twice this season. Kyle Busch follows Harvick on the odds list for Sunday at +900, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at +1000, and both Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart listed at +1200 to take the checkered flag. Jimmie Johnson is back at +1500 odds to get the victory on Sunday.

Finally, the Formula 1 circuit has the Chinese Grand Prix on tap for Sunday, with Sebastien Vettel set as the even-money favorite for that event. Vettel has won both F1 races so far this season, crossing the finish line first in each of Australia and Malaysia. Lewis Hamilton follows at +400 on that odds list, with Mark Webber at +450, and Jenson Button at +700. Fernando Alonso rounds out the top contenders at +800 to grab the win.

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 08:54 AM

Sunday's betting tips: Old Celts need their rest

Weather to watch

Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox – The forecast calls for 20 mile-per-hour winds, a 20 percent chance of rain, and temperatures in the high 50s.

Who’s hot

MLB: The Under is 12-3-1 in Oakland pitcher Trevor Cahill’s last 16 home starts. The A’s host Detroit at 4:05 p.m. ET.

NHL: The Over is 9-3-1 in Anaheim’s last 13 games.

NHL: The Predators are 10-4 in their last 14 games.

NBA: The Over is 6-1 in the last seven Knicks-Celtics games in Boston.

NBA: The Nuggets are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 road games.

Who’s not

MLB: The Nationals are 3-7 in Livan Hernandez’s last 10 home starts.

NHL: The Rangers have lost five straight conference quarterfinal games.

NHL: The Blackhawks are 2-5 in their last seven games.

NBA: The Hornets are 0-8 ATS in their last eight playoff games as an underdog of 5.0 to 10.5 points.

NBA: The Spurs are 4-10 ATS in their 14 home games.

Key stat

82.3 – That’s the percentage Oklahoma City shoots from the foul line, easily tops in the NBA. New York is second at 80.9 percent. The Thunder host Denver (76.5 percent on FTs) at 9:30 p.m. ET in Game 1 of a Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Roy Oswalt, one of the Phillies’ aces, got hurt after pitching six strong innings against Florida on Friday and it is unclear if he’ll be able to make his next start Wednesday. The team said Oswalt strained his lower back, but the 33-year-old right-hander (2-0, 2.50 ERA) said the pain was in the middle. “It’s not to the point where it’s unbearable,” Oswalt said, calling the injury a muscle spasm.

Game of the day

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (-6, 197)

Notable quotable

"We are in discussions with sponsors and other partners about relationships for next year, and we can't assure them that we are going to have games. They, as you might imagine, begin to pull back some of their spending on the NBA." – Commissioner David Stern, referring to the June 30 expiration date on the league’s collective bargaining agreement. The league plans to give the players’ union a revised proposal in the next two weeks.

Notes and tips

Umpire Brian Runge will be behind the plate Sunday when the Royals go for a four-game sweep of the Mariners at 2:10 p.m. ET. All three times he’s called balls and strikes in 2011, the game has stayed Under. In his last 10 behind the plate, the Under is 7-2-1. Get all the valuable umpiring info at Covers.com’s Umps Page.

Everything is coming up roses for Vancouver, which leads the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks 2-0. Now left wing Raffi Torres returns after serving a four-game suspension for an elbow to the head against Edmonton. Torres (14 goals, 15 assists) wasn’t able to practice Friday due to food poisoning but is expected to suit up for Game 3 at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in Chicago. A 6-foot, 215-pounder, Torres disagreed strongly with the suspension for his hit on Oilers rookie Jordan Eberle. “I was finishing my hit and he had his head down,” Torres said. “We were both going for the puck. I’ve got to finish my hits. He was obviously in a vulnerable position, but at the end of the day I have to finish my hit or else I am out of a job.”

We all know how old the Celtics are. They need their rest. According to ***********'s in-depth data, Boston is 13-6-1 ATS when playing on two or three days’ rest. In contrast, the Celts are 25-36-1 ATS when playing on zero or one day’s rest. Keep your eye on that as the NBA stretches out the playoffs to maximize TV exposure. Boston will play the opener on three days’ rest, Game 2 on one day’s rest, Game 3 on two days’ rest, and Game 4 on one day’s rest.

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 08:59 AM

Sunday's six-pack

According to CNBC.com, six of the highest paid CEOs in America:

15) Jeffrey Bewkes, Time-Warner—Guy makes $26.3M a year and he can’t get the NFL Network on Time Warner? Fire his ass.

10) Robert Iger, Disney— Mickey Mouse should ask for a raise; his boss makes a goofy amount of money ($28M).

6) Michael White, DirecTV—I’d still be one of his customers if the picture didn’t cut out on sunny, 80-degree days. Other than the NFL package, though, cable is better. Mr White makes $32.9M a year.

3) Larry Ellison, Oracle—Dude makes $70.14M a year, tried to buy the Golden State Warriors, so obviously he has sadistic tendencies.

2) Ray Irani, Occidental Petroleum—I’m paying $4.03 a gallon for gas so this greedy bastard can make $76M a year? Ugh.

1) Phillippe Dauman, Viacom, $84.5M—And they say ARod is overpaid. Yikes.

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Sunday's List of 13: Some of the reality TV shows on the air.......

I watch way too much TV, much of it when I'm writing these articles, so in the interest of sharing some knowledge, here are some reality TV shows that may or may not entertain you late into the night.........

13) American Pickers—Oddly entertaining show about two guys from Iowa who drive around in a Mercedes van, going thru other people’s garbage for stuff they can sell for a profit. Bet the Mercedes people loved the episode where the van broke down.

12) Pawn Stars/Hardcore Pawn—Pawn Stars is set in Vegas and is more of a scripted semi-comedy show; lot of yelling in Detroit’s Hardcore Pawn. I’ve been to the shop in Vegas; not as big as it looks on TV.

11) Cash Cab— Kind of like Jeopardy on wheels, with a less-annoying host. Unsuspecting passengers get in this NYC cab and can win cash by answering trivia questions during their ride.

10) American Restoration—Half-brother of Pawn Stars; guy in Vegas has a shop that makes old junk look good as new. Some of the work he does is really good, like making an old bike look like new or redoing the paint job on an old Coke vending machine. .

9) American Loggers—Seriously, nothing says “We have too many TV stations” more than a show about logging.

8) Disaster Date/Hell Date- I fully expect to appear on one of these two shows someday.

7) Cheaters—Still trying to decide if this show is more funny or sad? Host of the show should do play-by-play on pro wrestling. If this show is 100% on the level, how was someone not been shot/stabbed during the filming? Catching people cheating, then confronting them, can be dicey.

6) Hoarders—Always feel better about my cluttered life after watching this program—“Hey, my office isn’t so bad!! Look at that!!!”

5) Million Dollar Matchmaker—If I was a millionaire and still needed help getting a date, I’d have my chauffeur drive me off the nearest cliff. I’ve stopped watching this show—way too annoying.

4) Auction Kings—For one day, I’d love to be able to talk as fast as an auctioneer, although I’ve met people in Texas who already think I talk too fast. Hmmm. Anyway, people put stuff up for auction, other people bid on the stuff and someone is either happy or mad about the price.

3) Basketball Wives— Figures the Clippers are involved in this horror show of a TV program. I watched this show once (one time too many) and Michael Olowokandi’s wife/girlfriend/mistress was on—I’d actually completely forgotten about him. Sadly, most Clipper fans haven't.

2) Real Housewives of OC/Miami/NY/NJ/Beverly Hills-- The Orange County one was fun in the beginning, then it became popular, so they had to create interesting scripts and it stopped being reality, then it spawned multiple versions in other cities with even more annoying people in it.

The Beverly Hills one is pretty good; the NYC one is embarrassingly bad. The incredibly repulsive woman married to the guy with the English accent is from freakin’ Kansas, for Pete’s sake.

1) Storage Wars—Yes, they have a TV show about abandoned storage units being auctioned off, and yes, I love it. This guy named Barry hired a midget to wear stilts so he could get a better angle on what was inside each unit. TV doesn’t get much funnier than a midget on stilts.

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:01 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Denver at Oklahoma City
The Nuggets look to build on their 12-2 ATS record in their last 14 games as an underdog. Denver is the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Denver (+5 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17

Game 709-710: Memphis at San Antonio (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 122.953; San Antonio 124.778
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 6; 193 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (+6); Over

Game 711-712: New Orleans at LA Lakers (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 116.218; LA Lakers 128.414
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 12; 180
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 10; 182 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-10); Under

Game 713-714: New York at Boston (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 116.896; Boston 125.747
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 9; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 6; 197
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-6); Over

Game 715-716: Denver at Oklahoma City (9:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 124.075; Oklahoma City 123.873
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 193
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5 1/2; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+5 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:04 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 17

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MEMPHIS (46 - 35) at SAN ANTONIO (61 - 20) - 4/17/2011, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 45-35 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 549-476 ATS (+25.4 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 144-109 ATS (+24.1 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 85-59 ATS (+20.1 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 52-29 ATS (+20.1 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
MEMPHIS is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games this season.
MEMPHIS is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
MEMPHIS is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MEMPHIS is 31-14 ATS (+15.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MEMPHIS is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 7-5 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-4 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (46 - 35) at LA LAKERS (56 - 25) - 4/17/2011, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 112-135 ATS (-36.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 73-103 ATS (-40.3 Units) after a division game since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 15-32 ATS (-20.2 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 29-49 ATS (-24.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 84-101 ATS (-27.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 72-86 ATS (-22.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) in home games this season.
LA LAKERS are 156-196 ATS (-59.6 Units) after a division game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 6-5 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 9-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (42 - 39) at BOSTON (55 - 26) - 4/17/2011, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 46-34 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW YORK is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) in road games this season.
NEW YORK is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 28-37 ATS (-12.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 6-23 ATS (-19.3 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
BOSTON is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 32-48 ATS (-20.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 6-6 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 10-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (50 - 31) at OKLAHOMA CITY (55 - 26) - 4/17/2011, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 35-49 ATS (-18.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 94-74 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 52-37 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 45-35 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
DENVER is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 8-4 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:07 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, April 17

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 1
MEMPHIS at SAN ANTONIO, 1:05 PM ET TNT
MEMPHIS: 29-9 ATS off road game
SAN ANTONIO: 0-4 ATS vs. Memphis

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 1
NEW ORLEANS at LA LAKERS, 3:35 PM ET ABC
NEW ORLEANS: 30-12 ATS with triple revenge
LA LAKERS: 15-26 ATS as home favorite

Eastern Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 1
NEW YORK at BOSTON, 7:05 PM ET TNT
NEW YORK: 23-7 ATS as road underdog
BOSTON: 6-23 ATS off win by 10 or more

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 1
DENVER at OKLAHOMA CITY, 9:35 PM ET TNT
DENVER: 12-4 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points
OKLAHOMA CITY: 24-15 Over as home favorite

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:08 AM

NBA
Write-Up

Sunday, April 17

Home side won all four Memphis-San Antonio games this season; two games in Memphis went over, two in Alamo stayed under. Grizzlies did cover all four games- they were 9-3 vs spread in last 12 games overall, 12-5 in last 17 games as an underdog. Spurs got bored down stretch and were 4-8 in last dozen games. Five of Grizzlies' last seven games stayed under total.

Lakers were 4-0 vs New Orleans this season (3-1 vs spread) winning by 4-18 points in two games at Staples; over was 2-1-1 in the series. Lakers got bored down stretch and lost five games in row, before winning by 9-16 points in last two games- they're 5-9 vs spread in last 14 games as a favorite. Hornets are 2-4 vs spread in last six games as an underdog; they lost their last three games overall, by 23-12-32 points.

Boston was 4-0 against the Knicks this season (2-2 vs spread), winning here by 4-10 points; three of last four games went over the total. Celtics were just 6-7 in their last 13 games, 3-5-1 in last nine games as a favorite. Knicks are 3-5 in last eight games as a dog; their biggest weakness will be defense inside, but with Shaq out hurt, can Celtics exploit the weakness?

Denver went 16-6 after trading Carmelo Anthony; they improved a lot on defense. Nuggets lost three of four vs Oklahoma City this year, with losses by 8-15 on this court- the two games before the Anthony trade both went over, the two after stayed under. Denver is 9-2 vs spread as a dog since the trade. Thunder won five of their last six games overall.

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:11 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 17

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. SAN ANTONIO
Memphis is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 7 games when playing at home against Memphis
San Antonio is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis

3:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. LA LAKERS
New Orleans is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the LA Lakers last 12 games when playing at home against New Orleans

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of New York's last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Boston's last 20 games

9:30 PM
DENVER vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver's last 10 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Denver is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games

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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:26 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 17

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Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best NBA bets
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New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (-6, 197)

The Celtics won all four regular-season meetings, but that should not be too much of a factor heading into this playoff series. Trade-deadline acquisition Carmelo Anthony played in only one of those contests and almost every starter sat out for the most recent encounter, a 112-102 Boston victory on Wednesday.

Oft-injured big man Shaquille O’Neal missed 27 straight games for the Celtics due to an Achilles problem, and he strained a calf muscle upon his return on April 3. Shaq was expected to return for the start of the postseason, but it was announced Saturday that he will miss at least Game 1.

“We tried to get him out there at practice today, simulate the game as much as we could, and he's not ready,” team president Danny Ainge told the Boston Globe. “So we don't know when he'll be ready, and we'll just keep evaluating him day-to-day.”

With Shaq out, Jermaine O’Neal (probable with an ankle injury) banged up, and Kendrick Perkins in Oklahoma City, New York could take advantage in the paint with Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawne Williams, and Ronny Turiaf.

The Knicks, meanwhile, won seven straight games between March 28 and April 10 before losing a pair of meaningless games to Chicago and Boston. The Celtics have lost three of five, 11 of their last 21.

Pick: Knicks

Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder (-5.5, 199.5)

Oklahoma City went 3-1 against Denver during the regular season (3-1 ATS), including 2-0 SU and ATS at home. They most recently faced each other on April 8 and the host Thunder took care of business 104-89.

The surprising Nuggets went 18-7 (20-4-1 ATS) after shipping Anthony to New York. However, they are banged up at the moment. Arron Afflalo (hamstring), Danilo Gallinari (ankle), Nene (groin), and Ty Lawson (ankle) are all dealing with injuries, though only Afflalo is questionable for Game 1.

Furthermore, Oklahoma City has big, physical guards who can dominate when Denver coach George Karl goes with two point guards -- Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson -- at the same time. In last week’s 104-89 Thunder win, the Thunder outscored the Nuggets 43-30 over a stretch of 17:26 in which Denver’s point guards played together.

The Thunder are 5-1 in their last six games while the Nuggets are a more modest 3-3 in the same span.

Pick: Thunder

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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:27 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Anaheim at Nashville
The Predators look to take advantage of an Anaheim team that is 3-7 in the last 10 games in Nashville. Nashville is the pick (-140) according to Dunkel, which has the Predators favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Nashville (-140). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17

Game 33-34: Washington at NY Rangers (3:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.950; NY Rangers 11.258
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+110); Under

Game 35-36: Anaheim at Nashville (6:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.507; Nashville 12.481
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-140); 5
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (-140); Over

Game 37-38: Vancouver at Chicago (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 11.125; Chicago 12.367
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-125); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-125); Under

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:31 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 17

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WASHINGTON (50-23-0-11, 111 pts.) at NY RANGERS (44-34-0-6, 94 pts.) - 4/17/2011, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 15-5 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NY RANGERS are 14-24 ATS (-20.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 13-8 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 13-8-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
11 of 20 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.4 Units)

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ANAHEIM (48-31-0-5, 101 pts.) at NASHVILLE (45-28-0-11, 101 pts.) - 4/17/2011, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 93-78 ATS (+225.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 47-29 ATS (+95.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 48-36 ATS (+85.2 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 16-11 ATS (+28.0 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
ANAHEIM is 22-18 ATS (+43.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ANAHEIM is 39-35 ATS (+82.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 8-6 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 8-6-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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VANCOUVER (56-19-0-9, 121 pts.) at CHICAGO (44-31-0-9, 97 pts.) - 4/17/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 35-11 ATS (+12.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 283-310 ATS (+716.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 56-28 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games this season.
VANCOUVER is 37-25 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak this season.
VANCOUVER is 32-13 ATS (+13.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
VANCOUVER is 20-7 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
VANCOUVER is 16-5 ATS (+21.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 44-40 ATS (-30.0 Units) in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 14-12-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
14 of 24 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.2 Units)

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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:32 AM

NHL
Write-Up

Sunday, April 17

Washington allowed only one goal in winning first two series games, as Rangers could muster only three shots on goal in 8:00 with power play. Caps won six of their last seven games; under is 16-6 in last 22 games. Eight of last eleven Ranger games stayed under total, as did the last four series games. New York had only nine shots on goal in last 4:00 of Game 2- they haven't scored a goal in first two periods of either game. Caps are 4-1 in their last five visits to Madison Square Garden.

Vancouver is 16-3 in last 19 games; under is 10-1-1 in Canucks' last 12 games, but 10 of last 14 series games went over. Chicago is 7-11 in last 18 games overall, 0-5 in series on power play (8:29)- they needed help on the last day of the season to even make playoffs. Canucks are 4-3 in last seven trips here; both their wins in LY's playoff loss to Chicago came in this building- they were 0-3 at home.

Six of 13 goals in Anaheim-Nashville series were scored on power play, three by each side. Anaheim lost five of last seven games vs Nashville; teams split last 12 games in this building. Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven series tilts. Anaheim won 11 of last 15 games, six of their last eight road games. Nashville won 11 of its last 13 tilts, seven of last nine at home.

**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:35 AM

NHL

Sunday, April 17

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NY RANGERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
Washington is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games on the road
NY Rangers are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

6:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. NASHVILLE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nashville's last 5 games when playing at home against Anaheim
Nashville is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Anaheim

8:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. CHICAGO
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver's last 5 games on the road
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 9 games at home

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**Udog** · 04-17-2011, 09:38 AM

NHL

Sunday, April 17

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What bettors need to know: Sunday's NHL playoff action
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Washington Capitals at New York Rangers (-123, 5)

Washington leads series 2-0

THE STORY: The New York Rangers are in a virtual must-win situation as they take on the top-seeded Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. New York allowed just two goals in each of the first two games in Washington but return home trailing 2-0 thanks both to its inability to generate offense and Capitals rookie goaltender Michal Neuvirth. Washington must guard against complacency as it has allowed series leads to slip away in each of its last two postseasons.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBC, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE RANGERS: New York, which scored 10 goals over its final three regular-season games, has tallied just once thus far in the series, and that goal came from defenseman Matt Gilroy. The Rangers have registered only 47 shots in nearly seven periods and had just nine over the last 40 minutes of Friday's 2-0 loss after recording 13 in the opening session. They're hoping being home will help energize them as they went 6-1-1 in their last eight regular-season matches at Madison Square Garden.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Neuvirth is 2-0 with a shutout in his first taste of the postseason and has been helped by Washington's strong defensive play in front of him. But the Capitals need to learn from recent history and not get comfortable. They held a 2-0 series lead over Pittsburgh in the conference semifinals in 2009 and lost the series in seven games, then blew a 3-1 advantage in last year's quarterfinals against Montreal, scoring just one goal in each of the last three contests.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: New York's Marian Gaborik enters with an 11-game goalless drought and has gone nine playoff contests without a tally dating to Game 4 of the 2007 Western Conference quarterfinals against Anaheim while with Minnesota. Jason Arnott, Alexander Semin and captain Alex Ovechkin each have a goal and an assist in the series for Washington while defenseman Mike Green has notched two assists. Including the regular season, Arnott has scored four goals in his last seven games while Ovechkin has collected 42 points in 30 career playoff contests.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Rangers are 0-for-4 on the power play while the Capitals have converted one of their five opportunities. Washington went 1-for-33 in its seven-game loss to Montreal in last year's conference quarterfinals.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings in New York.
* Capitals are 4-1 in the last five meetings in New York.
* Capitals are 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.

LAST WORD: "We have to keep pushing. By no means is it done. When the hammer’s down, you gotta keep on going. They can easily steal two (at Madison Square Garden) and come back and tie it." - Jason Chimera of the Capitals on the importance of not squandering their series lead.

Anaheim Ducks at Nashville Predators (-140, 5)

Series tied 1-1

THE STORY: The Anaheim Ducks found a way to penetrate the Nashville defense, but duplicating the feat could prove tough as they visit the Predators in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. The teams are even at a game apiece after Anaheim recorded a 5-3 victory in Game 2. The best-of-seven series now shifts to the Music City, where the Predators enjoyed one of the top home-ice advantages in the league.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, TSN, RIS, FS-W, FS-TN

ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Goaltender Pekka Rinne had a rare off-night Friday, surrendering four goals on just 27 shots. Rinne, who finished third in the NHL in goals-against average, had only allowed four or more goals 10 times during the regular season. Nashville fell behind 4-1 after two periods Friday before making a game of it on third-period goals by Patric Hornqvist and Joel Ward. The Predators pressed for the equalizer but couldn't get a decent scoring chance in the final minute. Returning to Nashville should provide a strong momentum boost for a Predators team that went 24-9-8 at home this season. Rinne was especially stingy in his own building during the season, going 19-8-7 with a 2.03 goals-against average, .933 save percentage and three shutouts.

ABOUT THE DUCKS: After doing precious little during a 4-1 loss in Game 1, Anaheim's go-to players all contributed two nights later. Bobby Ryan led the way with a pair of goals, including an empty-netter in the final minute to halt the Predators' late rally. Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists, NHL goals leader Corey Perry also scored and Teemu Selanne added his second of the series in the victory. Netminder Ray Emery made 31 saves and looked solid throughout to earn the win in his first playoff start since the 2007 Stanley Cup Final. He'll likely get the start in Game 3 with Jonas Hiller still dealing with vertigo symptoms and Dan Ellis uneffective in the opener.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Getzlaf was the best player on the ice Friday, registering three points and setting up several other good scoring chances. Hornqvist was his active best for the Predators, leading the way with nine shots while blocking three Anaheim attempts.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A two-man advantage early in the first period gave the Ducks the edge they needed, as Perry and Selanne scored in quick succession to put Anaheim ahead for good. Anaheim finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Predators were solid in their own right, going 2-for-6.

TRENDS:

* Over is 3-0-2 in the last five meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Nashville.
* Favorite is 17-6 in the last 23 meetings.
* Home team is 16-7 in the last 23 meetings.
* Ducks are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings in Nashville.
* Ducks are 2-5 in the last seven meetings.

LAST WORD: The Predators beat the Ducks in their two meetings in Nashville during the regular season. One of the lowest-scoring teams to qualify for the playoffs, the Predators flexed their offensive muscle by scoring nine times in those two games.

Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks (-120, 5)

Vancouver leads series 2-0

THE STORY: The Chicago Blackhawks face a monumental task as they entertain the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Blackhawks are in a 2-0 hole in the best-of-seven series, and will need four wins in the next five games to continue defense of their Stanley Cup championship. The Canucks roll into the Windy City with plenty of momentum following a thrilling 4-3 win in Game 2.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CBC, Versus, RDS, CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Chicago had fallen behind in its previous two playoff showdowns against Vancouver only to bounce back to win Game 2 and eventually prevail in the series. The Blackhawks did their best to keep that trend going Friday night but ultimately fell short. Despite being more competitive than in Wednesday's series-opening 2-0 loss, Chicago has had trouble getting its top players going against the vaunted Vancouver defense. Rookie Ben Smith was the key contributor Friday night, scoring twice after managing just one goal in six regular-season games. Corey Crawford stopped 23 shots but played better than the numbers suggest after having to deal with several odd-man rushes, including a Sedin two-man breakaway in the first period.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS: Vancouver won Wednesday despite the Sedins' struggles, but Daniel and Henrik were back in form on Friday. Daniel scored twice and added an assist, and Henrik chipped in with a pair of helpers as the Canucks' top line gave Chicago fits all night. Vancouver triumphed despite playing without forward Mikael Samuelsson, who was a late scratch after falling ill. The Canucks hope to have the versatile veteran back in the lineup for Game 3. Vancouver heads to Chicago having gone 27-10-4 on the road during the regular season, but as the Canucks learned in last year's second round, beating the Blackhawks at home is a daunting task. They do have some recent success to draw from, having blanked the Hawks in their last game in Chicago on Dec. 3.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Chicago's dangerous trio of Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews have managed just a single assist despite averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time. Vancouver forward Jannik Hansen, known more for his checking prowess, has scored in both games of the series and has been one of the Canucks' most consistent players so far.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Canucks had the best special-teams units during the regular season and have extended that success into the playoffs. They've scored once in four man-advantage opportunities while killing off all five Chicago power plays over the first two games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings in Chicago.
* Canucks are 4-0 in the last for meetings.
* Canucks are 5-0 in their last five Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Blackhawks are 16-5 in their last 21 playoff games as a favorite.

LAST WORD: "We get to change the momentum on home ice and take advantage of playing in front of our fans, get some enthusiasm that way and keep it as long as we can." - Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville.

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Announcement

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 4/17 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 4/17 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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