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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:03 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 21

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Heat look to take a commanding lead on the Sixers, the Angels play host to the Red Sox, and the Dodgers get a visit from the Braves.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA's playoff slate for Thursday has Chicago at Indiana, Dallas at Portland, and Miami at Philadelphia, with the Bulls, Mavericks, and Heat all up 2-0 in those best-of-seven first-round series. The Heat thumped the Sixers 94-73 in Miami when the teams played Game 2 of the set on Monday night, with LeBron James pouring in 29 points for the Heat that game. Chris Bosh was good for 21 points and 11 rebounds in that contest, while Dwyane Wade was held to just 14 points. Andre Iguodala scored only five points in the loss for the Sixers. Oddsmakers have the Heat listed as 4.5-point road favorites for Game 3 in Philadelphia on Thursday, while the total for the matchup is set at 187 points.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

On the American League schedule for Thursday it's the White Sox at Tampa Bay, Minnesota at Baltimore, Cleveland at Kansas City, Oakland at Seattle, and Boston at the Angels. The Red Sox will send Josh Beckett (2-1, 1.80 ERA) to the mound in that last matchup, while Los Angeles counters with Tyler Chatwood (1-1, 3.75 ERA). Righthander Beckett dazzled the Blue Jays in his most recent trip to the mound, holding Toronto to just one run one three hits over seven innings of work while striking out nine batters. Righthander Chatwood is also coming off a strong performance in his most recent start, surrendering just one run on five hits over seven innings pitched against the White Sox.

In the National League on Thursday it's then Arizona at Cincinnati, Washington at St. Louis, Houston at the Mets, Pittsburgh at Florida, Philadelphia at San Diego, and Atlanta at the Dodgers. Jair Jurrjens (1-0, 1.00 ERA) will get the start for the Braves on Thursday afternoon; righthander Jurrjens won his season debut last time out, holding the Mets scoreless on two hits over seven strong innings of work. Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 2.96 ERA) will counter for the Dodgers; lefthander Kershaw will be looking to bounce back from a loss to the Cardinals in which he gave up five runs in 4 2-3 innings pitched.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The NHL playoff schedule for Thursday has Boston at Montreal, Chicago at Vancouver, and San Jose at Los Angeles. The Sharks took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series with the Kings with a 6-5 overtime comeback win in Game 3 of the set on Tuesday night. Los Angeles built up a 4-0 lead in that contest, but gave up five goals in the second period in the collapse. Devin Setoguchi had the OT winner for San Jose that night, while Ryane Clowe provided a pair of markers. Antti Niemi was yanked from the Sharks' net after giving up four goals on 10 shots; Antero Niittymaki stopped 11 of 12 Los Angeles shots in relief. Brad Richardson had a goal and an assist in a losing cause for the Kings in Game 3, and Jonathan Quick surrendered six goals on 36 Sharks shots.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, the PGA Tour stages The Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina starting on Thursday, with Luke Donald set as the oddsmakers' +1000 favorite to get the trophy on Sunday. Defending champion Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar are next on that odds list at +1500, followed by Aaron Baddeley at +2000, and both Rickie Fowler and Graeme McDowell at +2500. Ian Poulter is set at +3000 odds to win.

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:17 AM

Thursday's betting tips: Blazers head home as faves

Who’s hot

NBA: Chicago has covered the number in nine of its last 12 road games.

NBA: Miami is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games.

NBA: Dallas has won six in a row straight up and against the spread.

MLB: Los Angeles Angels have won seven of their last eight.

Who’s not

NBA: Philadelphia has covered just once over the last eight games.

NHL: Boston is 8-21 in its last 29 trips to Montreal.

NHL: Only one of Chicago’s last seven games have played under.

MLB: The New York Mets have lost nine of their last 10 games.

Key stat

1-The Philadelphia 76ers are in a massive offensive slump which has helped the under cash in all but one of their last eight games. The 76ers are averaging just 88.2 points per game over that span and were held to just 73 points on 34 percent shooting in Game 2’s blowout loss to Miami.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Darren Collison, Indiana Pacers: Collison is listed as questionable for Thursday’s Game 3 against the Chicago Bulls after spraining his ankle in Game 2. He put up 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds in 34 minutes of work to help the Pacers cover as an 11.5-point underdog in the opening game of the series.

Game of the day

Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (4.5, 189)

Notable quotable

"It's definitely what we needed. Not only did we need a win, but it was great to win big and be able to prove a point. We wanted to play for each other and everything kind of finally snowballed in our favor. It gives us a lot of confidence going into Game 5." - Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews after downing Vancouver 7-2 to avoid a four-game sweep. Chicago is looking to become the fourth team in NHL history to win a seven-game series after trailing 3-0.

Notes and tips

The New York Mets are expected to activate outfielder Jason Bay from the DL in time for Thursday’s game against Houston Astros. Bay started the season on DL with a strained left ribcage but he looks like he’s set to go after going 4-for-4 with two home runs in a Single-A rehab game on Tuesday. The 32-year-old had a terrible season with the Mets last year, batting just .259 with six home runs.

Brandon Roy isn’t happy about his role with the Portland Trail Blazers as the club gets set to host the Dallas Mavericks in Thursday’s Game 3 as a 5.5-point favorite. Roy went scoreless in Game 2’s loss and played just a little over two minutes in the second half. After the game he told reporters he had to fight back tears on the bench and said that he hoped the team would have treated him better. The Blazers initially hoped he would be a good matchup against Jason Terry in this series but have obviously gone away from that strategy.

The San Jose Sharks became just the fourth NHL team to ever come back from a 4-0 deficit to win a playoff game in Tuesday’s 6-5 overtime win over the Kings. That game has both teams at least a little worried about their goaltending. Jonathan Quick gave up six goals on 36 shots for the Kings while Antti Niemi gave up four goals on 10 shots before getting the hook.

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:21 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Dallas at Portland
The Mavericks look to build on their 13-6 ATS record in their last 19 games as a road underdog. Dallas is the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Blazers favored by only 4 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+5 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21

Game 733-734: Chicago at Indiana (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 121.660; Indiana 120.968
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 4 1/2; 189
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4 1/2); Over

Game 735-736: Miami at Philadelphia (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 124.648; Philadelphia 119.774
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 5; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 4 1/2; 187
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-4 1/2); Under

Game 737-738: Dallas at Portland (10:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.517; Portland 125.062
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 4 1/2; 190
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 5 1/2; 186
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+5 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:28 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, Apil 21

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CHICAGO (64 - 20) at INDIANA (37 - 47) - 4/21/2011, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 49-34 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) in road games this season.
CHICAGO is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games this season.
CHICAGO is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
CHICAGO is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-6 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 10-4 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (60 - 24) at PHILADELPHIA (41 - 43) - 4/21/2011, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 47-36 ATS (+7.4 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MIAMI is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this season.
MIAMI is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games after allowing 85 points or less this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 48-72 ATS (-31.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 21-37 ATS (-19.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 7-6 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 11-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (59 - 25) at PORTLAND (48 - 36) - 4/21/2011, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 91-67 ATS (+17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 46-36 ATS (+6.4 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) in road games this season.
DALLAS is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
DALLAS is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
DALLAS is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PORTLAND is 47-77 ATS (-37.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 8-5 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:31 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, Apil 21

Eastern Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 3 - CHI 2-0
CHICAGO at INDIANA, 7:05 PM ET NBA
CHICAGO: 9-1 ATS off 3+ home wins
INDIANA: 4-12 ATS off BB ATS wins

Eastern Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 3 - MIA 2-0
MIAMI at PHILADELPHIA, 8:05 PM ET TNT
MIAMI: 8-0 ATS Away after allowing 85 pts or less
PHILADELPHIA: 8-0 Under L8 games overall

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 3 - DAL 2-0
DALLAS at PORTLAND, 10:35 PM ET TNT
DALLAS: 11-1 ATS off BB home wins
PORTLAND: 88-111 ATS as a home favorite of 6 points or less

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:36 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 21

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. INDIANA
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Indiana's last 10 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago

8:00 PM
MIAMI vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 7 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games when playing at home against Miami

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing Portland
Dallas is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Portland
Portland is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Dallas

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:40 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 21

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What bettors need to know: Thursday's NBA playoff action
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Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (+4.5, 189)

Chicago leads series 2-0

THE STORY: It’s been the Derrick Rose show so far, and the Indiana Pacers can't seem to do anything to stop it. The MVP candidate has led the Chicago Bulls down the stretch in each of the first two games of the Eastern Conference playoffs and has shown an ability to get to the basket reminiscent of another Chicago star from years past. Still, the Pacers have come awfully close to winning and have to be confident heading back home. The Bulls will be looking to squash that confidence and take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven set when they visit Indiana for Game 3 on Thursday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV

ABOUT THE BULLS: Rose has been sensational so far. After leading a 16-1 charge to end Game 1, the All-Star point guard took over again in Game 2 with Chicago trailing, putting the Bulls up for good with a circus hook shot from the right side of the lane that turned into a three-point play, and then clinching it from the free throw line. He finished with 36 points, eight rebounds and six assists while Carlos Boozer added 17 points and 16 boards. Kyle Korver has been a key to each of the wins as well, hitting a 3-pointer in the final minutes of both.

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana was up by as many as nine points in the second quarter before point guard Darren Collison collapsed in a heap underneath the basket just before the half. He did not play the rest of the game due to a sprained ankle and is listed as day-to-day. Even with Collison out, Indiana still had plenty of chances in the fourth quarter, sitting on top as late as 5:43 remaining after Brandon Rush converted a layup and pulling within 90-88 with 23 seconds to play before falling, 96-90.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Rose is averaging 37.5 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Tyler HanXXXough kept Indiana in Game 1 with 22 points but slumped to six on 2-of-12 shooting in Game 2.

KEY STATISTIC: Rebounding. The Bulls controlled the glass, 57-33, in Game 2. HanXXXough and Josh McRoberts tied for Indiana’s team high with six boards apiece.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games.
* Bulls are 0-6-1 ATS in their last 7 playoff games as favorites.
* Pacers are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 6-0 in Pacers last 6 games as a home underdog.

LAST WORD: “It’s always good to win in this league,” Rose said after Game 2. “It’s very hard to win. But the way that we’re winning, we’re just trying to sharpen up things, especially on the defensive end, so that we can control the game more instead of us having to play crazy at the end of the game.”

Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers (+4.5, 187)

Miami leads series 2-0

THE STORY: The Miami Heat are now two steps closer to their championship dreams and look as though they have the Philadelphia 76ers completely outclassed. The Heat did what they were supposed to do as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, taking the first two games at home. But after competing hard in a loss in Game 1, the 76ers rolled over in Game 2. Philadelphia will be searching from some energy from its home crowd when it hosts Miami in Game 3 on Thursday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, CSP

ABOUT THE 76ERS: Philadelphia jumped out to an early lead in Game 1 and climbed within a point in the fourth quarter, giving it the confidence that it could win in Game 2. But the 76ers barely even got a chance. They managed only four field goals in the first quarter of Monday’s Game 2 and went into the half down, 49-31, with no idea how to attack the Miami defense. The Philadelphia starting five was outscored in the first half by each member of the Heat’s “Big Three.” The 76ers’ franchise has never won a playoff series (0-16) after dropping the first two games.

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami has never lost a playoff series after winning the first two games and looked unstoppable on Monday, locking down on the defensive end and spreading it around on offense. LeBron James led the way with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Chris Bosh chipped in 21 points and 11 boards in the 94-73 triumph. The lead grew to as much as 28 points in the second half before Miami took its foot off the gas. The presumptive favorites before the season started, the Heat finally looked like a team that could win the championship on Monday.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Bosh has recorded a double-double in each of the first two games for the Heat. Andre Iguodala has totaled nine points on 4-of-15 shooting through two games for the Sixers.

KEY STATISTIC: Shooting percentage. Not matter how tight the defense is, there is no excuse for the 25.6 percent that the 76ers shot from the field in the first half of Game 2. They recovered to shoot 34.2 percent for the game but dug themselves too big a hole early. The Heat shot 50 percent in the opening half.

TRENDS:

* Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Philadelphia.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Home team is 18-8 ATS in the last 26 meetings.
* Heat are 3-11 ATS in the last 14 meetings in Philadelphia.

LAST WORD: “If they’re playing great, they’re a better team,” Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said of the Heat. “OK? If they’re playing on the top of their game, they’re a better team. I mean, they won 58, we won 41. That doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to play and compete and fight. But when they come out (Monday) and defend the way they did. … It’s going to be very difficult for us to beat them.”

Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (-6, 186)

Dallas leads series 2-0

THE STORY: The Dallas Mavericks relied on their oldest players again in a 101-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. The Mavericks finally seem to be rounding into the form that saw them start 42-9. Dirk Nowitzki led the way with 33 points while Peja Stojakovic added 21 off the bench. The Mavericks will look to go up 3-0 when the series shifts to the Rose Garden on Thursday night. Portland has not lost three in a row since Jan. 9-14.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW, KTXA

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Dallas is playing old-school basketball in the sense that former All-Stars are coming up big at key times. Stojakovic looked like the Peja of old, shooting 8 of 13 from the field to finish one point shy of his season high. Nowitzki was the finisher yet again, scoring Dallas' final 11 points. Nowitzki, who made 89.2 percent of his free throws during the season, is 28 of 30 from the line in two games. Jason Kidd, 38, scored 18 on 7-for-11 shooting.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Much was made of the Trail Blazers’ inequity in free throws in Game 1. Portland had no such worries Tuesday night, attempting 27 to Dallas’ 26. The problem for the Trail Blazers came from their bench. Nicolas Batum scored 10, but the Blazers only had 11 total bench points, compared to 39 for the Mavericks. LaMarcus Aldridge continues to be the steady hand for Portland and had 24 points and 10 rebounds. “Every time we had a chance, we’d turn the ball over or make a big mistake and they ended up closing out the game,” Aldridge said. Andre Miller and Gerald Wallace each scored 18 and the Blazers will need another strong effort from them Thursday.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Stojakovic tied his career high in the playoffs with five 3-pointers. He has made five 3s in the playoffs seven times. Brandon Roy, once an All-Star for Portland, played eight minutes and missed his only shot and two free throws Tuesday. He was 1 for 7 for two points in 26 minutes of Game 1.

KEY STATISTIC: Portland is just 2-15 in its last 17 road playoff games.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Trail Blazers are 0-4 ATS in their last four conference quarterfinals games.
* Mavericks are 0-5-1 ATS in their last six playoff games as underdogs.

LAST WORD: “We had to play two tough-minded games to beat this team twice. It’s a long series. It’s two games. We’ve done our job. We have to regroup, get on a plane and head out to Portland where it’s going to be tougher.” *– Dallas coach Rick Carlisle on winning the first two games.

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:43 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 21

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Pick 'n' roll: Thursday’s best NBA bets
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Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (4.5, 189)

It won’t be of much consolation since they currently trail the series 2-0, but the Pacers have given the NBA’s No. 1 overall seed all they can handle.

The Bulls trailed 98-88 with less than four minutes remaining in Game 1 last Friday then fell behind by two with less than six minutes left in Game 2 on Monday. And it’s no fluke, either. Chicago has now won 23 of its last 25 games, but one of the two losses in this stretch was a 115-108 setback against none other than Indiana on March 18.

“They have quality depth and not just up front but in their backcourt too,” Bulls’ head coach Tom Thibodeau told the Chicago Tribune of the Pacers. “The big thing is at the beginning of the year, they had injuries. Now they are healthy. They're a good team. Danny Granger is one of the best scorers in the league. Darren Collison is really emerging. They're deep and keep coming at you.”

Collison is the only player on Thursday’s injury report (questionable) after spraining an ankle in Monday’s loss, but he sounds like he is going to suck it up for the playoffs.

“[Even] if I'm at 60-70 percent, I'm going to play,” he told the Indianapolis Star. “This is the playoffs. I was disappointed I couldn't get in (Game 2) in the second half, but it's unfortunate it happened.”

Pick: Pacers

Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (-5.5, 186)

The Blazers may find themselves trailing 2-0 in the series, but they certainly put up a good fight in two contests at Dallas. Portland led by as many as six in the fourth quarter of Game 1 and was within one point during the fourth quarter of Game 2.

“This series is far from over,” Dirk Nowitzki said during an interview with TNT following Dallas’ victory on Tuesday. “(The Blazers) are very good at home, they make shots, they play tough, so we gotta be prepared for a tough game.”

Speaking of TNT, Charles Barkley had this to say about Portland: “I've always said they have the best home court in the NBA. They still have the best fans, in my opinion, in the NBA.”

The Blazers will be feeling good not only because of their competitiveness in the first two games, but also because they are returning home. They owned one of the most drastic differences in home-road record during the regular season, going 30-11 with home-court advantage while compiling an 18-23 record away from the Rose Garden.

Portland should be able to pull within one game in the series, but covering this spread is a lot to ask.

Pick: Mavericks

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:45 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Chicago at Vancouver
The Blackhawks look to follow up their 7-2 win in Game 4 and take advantage of a Vancouver team that is 1-4 in its last 5 games following a loss by 3 or more goals. Chicago is the pick (+175) according to Dunkel, which has the Blackhawks favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+175). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21

Game 61-62: Boston at Montreal (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 11.691; Montreal 11.277
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-115); Under

Game 63-64: Chicago at Vancouver (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 12.247; Vancouver 11.246
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-210); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (+175); Over

Game 65-66: San Jose at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 11.434; Los Angeles 11.817
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-125); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+105); Over

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:48 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, April 21

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BOSTON (47-27-0-11, 105 pts.) at MONTREAL (46-31-0-8, 100 pts.) - 4/21/2011, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 12-15 ATS (-11.6 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
MONTREAL is 46-39 ATS (-9.1 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 27-26 ATS (+60.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 23-9 ATS (+10.7 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 49-38 ATS (+89.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 15-8 ATS (+6.1 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
BOSTON is 57-27 ATS (+17.6 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 11-4 ATS (+6.3 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 12-13 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 13-12-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
11 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.6 Units)

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CHICAGO (45-32-0-9, 99 pts.) at VANCOUVER (57-20-0-9, 123 pts.) - 4/21/2011, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 15-13-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
15 of 25 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.2 Units)

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SAN JOSE (50-26-0-9, 109 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (47-30-0-8, 102 pts.) - 4/21/2011, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 13-8 (+0.1 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 13-8-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
10 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-1.6 Units)

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:50 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Thursday, April 21

Eastern Conference Playoffs - Best of 7 - Game 4 - MON 2-1
BOSTON at MONTREAL, 7:05 PM ET VERSUS
BOSTON: 57-27 SU off division game
MONTREAL: 13-5 Under playing with 2 days rest

Western Conference Playoffs - Best of 7 - Game 5 - VAN 3-1
CHICAGO at VANCOUVER, 10:05 PM ET VERSUS
CHICAGO: 12-16 SU after win by 2+ goals
VANCOUVER: 35-15 SU with same season revenge

Western Conference Playoffs - Best of 7 - Game 4 - SJ 2-1
SAN JOSE at LOS ANGELES, 10:35 PM ET
SAN JOSE: 11-3 SU Away after allowing 5+ goals
LOS ANGELES: 4-12 SU at home off loss by 1 goal

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:53 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 21

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. MONTREAL
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games at home

10:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. VANCOUVER
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 9 games on the road
Vancouver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Vancouver's last 13 games when playing at home against Chicago

10:30 PM
SAN JOSE vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Jose's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Jose's last 13 games
Los Angeles is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 7-17-1 SU in its last 25 games ,when playing at home against San Jose

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 07:59 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 21

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What bettors need to know: Thursday's NHL playoff action
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Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (+103, 5)

Montreal leads series 2-1

THE STORY: Home-ice advantage? Guess again. Through the first three games of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens have been gracious hosts. Too gracious, to be fair. Boston permitted Montreal to skate away with a pair of wins in Games 1 and 2 at TD Garden, but the Canadiens were every bit at generous on Monday as the Bruins seized a 4-2 triumph in Game 3. Montreal coach Jacques Martin would like to see his team be rude to their Original Six guests in Game 4 on Thursday at the Bell Centre.

TV: 7 ET, VERSUS, CBC

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Coach Claude Julien's club did its best to put its troubles away by taking a visit to Lake Placid, N.Y. While the Bruins aren't searching for a "miracle", they were able to enjoy a little peace in the process. "I think it's a good idea to just kind of get away, relax, a little bit more quiet environment, and for myself personally, I'll be happy to look around and see a lot of the things from the 1980 Olympics," goaltender Tim Thomas said. Thomas overcame a pair of soft goals to turn aside 34 shots on Monday. Captain Zdeno Chara returned after missing Game 2 due to dehydration and was credited with an assist on Monday. David Krejci, Nathan Horton, Rich Peverley scored and Chris Kelly added an empty-net tally to secure the victory.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: As spectacular as Carey Price had been in the first two games of the series, well ... let's just say he had his difficulties in Game 3. The 23-year-old British Columbia native permitted two quick goals and allowed the eventual game-winner after making a turnover 2:02 into the second period. He settled down to stop 21 shots in a losing effort. Andrei Kostitsyn returned from a one-game absence due to a foot injury and scored the first goal of Monday's contest. Tomas Plekanec also tallied and Cammalleri notched a pair of assists in the loss.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Boston's Milan Lucic recorded a career-high 30 goals this season, but he has failed to score in his last 13 games. For his part, Cammalleri has collected a goal and three assists in the first three games of the series.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Both clubs aren't lighting up the scoreboard with their respective power plays. After an 0-for-5 effort in Game 3, Montreal is now 1-for-12 with the man-advantage. For its part, Boston has failed to score on all 11 of its power-play opportunities in this series. Taken a step further, the Bruins have converted just five of their last 44 chances with the man-advantage.

TRENDS:

* Over is 2-0-3 in the last five meetings in Montreal.
* Bruins are 8-21 in the last 29 meetings in Montreal.
* Bruins are 4-11 in the last 15 meetings.

LAST WORD: He makes a huge difference. He's one of the most important players, if not the most important player, on this team. He's one of, if not the best, defensemen in the league." - Thomas, on Chara's importance to the Bruins.

Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (-205, 5.5)

Vancouver leads series 3-1

THE STORY: The Chicago Blackhawks weren't ready to be on the wrong end of a postseason sweep, and they made a loud statement to that effect with Tuesday's blowout victory in Game 4. The defending champions look to stay alive Thursday as they visit the Vancouver Canucks in Game 5.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Versus, CBC, RDS, Comcast Sports Chicago

ABOUT THE CANUCKS: Vancouver played what was easily its worst game in a while, dropping a 7-2 decision Tuesday on the strength of four second-period goals by the Blackhawks. Sami Salo's first-period goal and Daniel Sedin's third-period power-play marker provided the lone offense for the Canucks, while Roberto Luongo was given a seat in the third after allowing six goals on 28 shots. He'll be back in net for Game 5 at Rogers Arena, where he went 21-7-4 with a 1.90 goals-against average in the regular season and has stopped 55 of 58 shots so far in the postseason. Sedin is alone at the top of the scoring ledger with six points, but he and twin brother combined to go -7 in Game 4 and will need to be better if Vancouver is going to clinch the series Thursday.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Facing elimination Tuesday, the Blackhawks did exactly what they needed to do. Dave Bolland led the way in his first game back after missing more than a month with a concussion. He had a goal and three assists as Chicago ravaged Vancouver's vaunted defense, scoring several times from in close. Patrick Sharp was the Blackhawks' other offensive star, scoring twice in the third period. Corey Crawford took care of things at the other end of the ice, stopping 21 shots for his first career playoff victory. After more than doubling their goal-scoring output from the first three games on Tuesday, Chicago's next challenge will be duplicating that success in Vancouver. The Hawks have scored 13 goals in their last four games at Rogers Arena but have just one win to show for it.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Canucks F Ryan Kesler has been mostly invisible so far. A 41-goal scorer in the regular season, Kesler has yet to find the net in this series, though he does have three assists. Chicago F Marian Hossa is in an even worse funk with one assist and a -3 rating in four games.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Vancouver had the top power play in the NHL in the regular season, and that trend has continued into the playoffs. The Canucks have converted on four of 10 man advantage opportunities in the series, tops in the league. Chicago is 4 of 19 so far in the playoffs, good for ninth overall.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings in Vancouver.
* Home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 20-9 in the last 29 meetings.
* Blackhawks are 1-5 in the last six meetings.

LAST WORD: "Not often we can say we got outworked. They won most of the one-on-one battles. It's about work ethic. We can fix that easily." - Canucks coach Alain Vigneault on Tuesday's forgettable performance in Game 3.

San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (+109, 5)

San Jose leads series 2-1

THE STORY: Happiness or heartbreak? The answer to that question depends on which Golden State team you follow. For example, the Pacific Division champion San Jose Sharks will admit to the former after they erased a four-goal deficit to record a 6-5 overtime triumph on Tuesday in Game 3 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series. Devin Setoguchi scored 3:09 into overtime to cap the comeback. San Jose's victory marked the fourth time in NHL playoff history that a team rallied from four or more goals to win. The Minnesota North Stars last accomplished the feat on April 28, 1985 with a 5-4 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. For their part, the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Kings are mired in heartbreak, knowing that they - not their opponent - should be owning a 2-1 advantage in the series. The teams will reconvene on Thursday at the Staples Center for Game 4.

TV: 10:30 ET, TSN, RIS

ABOUT THE SHARKS: For all of the positives that came out of Tuesday's impressive victory, Antti Niemi's performance was not one of them. Last year's Stanley Cup hero permitted four goals on just 10 shots before being relieved by fellow Finn Antero Niittymaki. For his part, Niittymaki turned aside 11 of 12 shots as the Sharks quickly turned it around. Niemi will likely return to his place between the pipes on Thursday, but coach Todd McLellan isn't publicly saying so. Ryan Clowe tallied twice and Calder Trophy finalist Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski also scored during a franchise-best five-goal second period for the Sharks.

ABOUT THE KINGS: The Staples Center was in a frenzy after Brad Richardson's wrist shot from the slot beat Niemi just inside the post for Los Angeles' eighth straight unanswered goal of the series. That tally gave Los Angeles a 4-0 lead just minutes into the second period. Then, as we know, it all changed. Coach Terry Murray will be working overtime to rebuild the psyche of his club after it squandered such a lead. After stopping every shot in a Game 2 shutout, Jonathan Quick allowed six goals on 36 shots to drop his fourth decision in five contests. Defenseman Willie Mitchell and rookie Kyle Clifford scored 13 seconds apart early in the first period, Richardson, Michal Handzus and Ryan Smyth also tallied in Game 3.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Marleau collected a goal and an assist in Game 3 - marking his first points in this series. He set up Setoguchi's overtime tally with a brilliant centering feed. Richardson has one goal and two assists in his last two contests.

SPECIAL TEAMS: After scoring three power-play goals in their first two contests, the Kings remained scoreless on two opportunities during Game 3. For their part, the Sharks rebounded from an 0-for-5 effort in Game 2 by scoring one of their three power-play chances on Tuesday. San Jose owned the third-best percentage (23.5) with the man-advantage in the regular season.

* Over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings.
* Sharks are 17-7 in the last 24 meetings in Los Angeles.
* Sharks are 36-17-1 in the last 54 meetings.

LAST WORD: "It was a great game. Words can't even describe coming back from down four goals. We had some unlucky bounces in the first period, we know that. The puck was bouncing everywhere. ... We stuck with it, we kept playing. Everyone on our team pulled it together. We'll remember this game for a while." - Setoguchi

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**Udog** · 04-21-2011, 08:12 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 21

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Ice picks: Thursday’s best NHL bets
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Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (103, 5)

The home teams have been awful through three games of this series, and while that may be bad news for Boston in the long run, it benefited the team on Monday. The Bruins’ offense finally woke up and they earned a 4-2 road win at Montreal.

“They came out and played like a team that was down two games, and we played like a team that was up two games,” Montreal goaltender Carey Price told NHL.com.

David Krejci opened the scoring with his first lamp-lighter since March 31 while Rich Peverley, Nathan Horton, and Chris Kelly all scored their first goals of the series. Boston found the back of the net on four occasions for the first time since March 24.

Perhaps the initial two games of the series (2-0 and 3-1 road wins for Montreal) were the aberration instead of the norm. Only the first of six regular-season meetings between the two teams went under the total. Among the point-scoring binges were an 8-6 Bruins’ victory in February and a 7-0 Bruins’ rout in March.

Pick: Over

Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (-205, 5.5)

The defending Stanley Cup champions fended off elimination on Tuesday as the Blackhawks delivered a crushing 7-2 home win over Vancouver.

Did it turn the course of the series or did it only delay the inevitable? The Canucks, who still own a commanding 3-1 lead in the first round series, certainly hope for—and are confident in—the latter.

“I don't think there's just one area of tonight's game that we were real sharp,” head coach Alain Vigneault told NHL.com after the Game 3 loss. “So we're going to park this one, turn the page on it and get ready for the next one

“Like I've been mentioning since the first game, our process is one game at a time, focusing on the right things to do and (playing) with the right work ethic. And that's the way we're going to get ready for the next game.”

Game 3 notwithstanding, Vancouver has had Chicago’s number of late. Prior to Tuesday’s contest, the Canucks had won five in a row in the head-to-head series, including their final two tilts during the regular season.

Furthermore, Vancouver earned 27 home victories in the regular season—best in the entire league.

Pick: Canucks

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