Announcement

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:22 AM

Daily Sports Roundup: April 28

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Magic, Hornets, and Blazers look to stave off elimination, the PGA Tour hits New Orleans, and the Yankees play host to the White Sox.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA's playoff schedule for Thursday has Orlando at Atlanta, the Lakers at New Orleans, and Dallas at Portland, with the Hawks, Lakers, and Mavericks holding 3-2 leads in those best-of-seven first-round series. Dallas grabbed their series advantage with a 93-82 home win over Portland in Game 5 of that series on Monday night, as Dirk Nowitzki poured in a game-high 25 points. Jason Terry added 20 points off the bench for the Mavs in that win, while Andre Miller had a team-high 18 points in the losing cause for the Trail Blazers. Oddsmakers like Portland's chances of extending the series on Thursday, as they've been listed as 4.5-point home favorites with the total pegged at 182.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

On the American League schedule for Thursday it's Tampa Bay at Minnesota (in a doubleheader), Seattle at Detroit, Toronto at Texas, Boston at Baltimore, Kansas City at Cleveland, and the White Sox at the Yankees. Chicago's Edwin Jackson (2-2, 4.88 ERA) will take on New York's CC Sabathia (1-1, 2.73 ERA) in that last matchup. Righthander Jackson was roughed up by the Tigers in his last trip to the mound, surrendering eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits in just 5 2-3 innings. Lefthander Sabathia is coming off a win over the Orioles in which he allowed three runs on six hits over eight innings pitched.

In the National League on Thursday it's then San Francisco at Pittsburgh, St. Louis at Houston, the Cubs at Arizona, and the Mets at Washington. New York will hand the ball to Chris Capuano (2-1, 5.95 ERA) on Thursday, while the Nationals counter with Livan Hernandez (2-2, 3.48 ERA). Lefthander Capuano faced Washington back on April 9, giving up four runs on seven hits over six innings in a victory. Righthander Hernandez lost to the Pirates last time out, allowing seven runs (four earned) in six innings that day.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The second round of the NHL's playoffs get underway on Thursday, with Nashville at Vancouver in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. The Canucks beat the Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime in Game 7 of their first-round series on Tuesday night to avoid an epic collapse; Vancouver had won the first three games of that set before going on a three-game losing streak. Alex Burrows scored both Canucks goals on Tuesday, and Roberto Luongo made 31 saves. The Predators dispatched the Ducks in six games in their first-round series, winning the clincher 4-2 at home on Sunday. Nick Spaling scored two goals for the Preds on Sunday in that Game 6 victory.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, the PGA Tour hits the links at TPC Louisiana on Thursday morning for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Luke Donald is the oddsmakers' +1000 favorite to win this week's tournament, with Nick Watney at +1200 on that odds list, and Steve Stricker sitting at +1500. Justin Rose has +2000 odds to claim the trophy on Sunday, with each of K.J. Choi, Brandt Snedeker, Graeme McDowell, and Bubba Watson at +2500 odds. Jason Bohn won this event last year; he's a +8000 underdog to pick up the victory again.

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:24 AM

Thursday’s betting tips: Blazers money at home

Weather to watch

Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees – Currently meteorologists expect a 90 percent chance of rain for game time.

Who’s hot

NBA: The over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between the Lakers and Hornets.

NBA: Dallas is 8-0-1 against the spread in its last nine.

NBA: Portland is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 home games.

Who’s not

NBA: Orlando is 3-8 against the spread in its last 11 road games.

NBA: The favorite is 1-8 ATS in the last nine meetings between Orlando and Atlanta.

NHL: Only two of the last 10 meetings between the Canucks and Predators in Vancouver have played over.

MLB: The San Diego Padres were hitting a league-low .211 heading into Wednesday’s action.

Key stat

4- Number of shots Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard attempted during Tuesday’s blowout 101-76 win over Atlanta as a 7-point favorite. Howard, who had dominated in the paint through the first four games of the series, got into foul trouble early and then finished with only eight points and eight rebounds as Orlando cut the series deficit to 3-2.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Sami Salo, Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver’s veteran defenseman suffered a leg injury in Game 6 against the Chicago Blackhawks and didn’t play in the team’s Game 7 overtime victory. He’s currently listed as questionable for Thursday’s Game 1 matchup with Nashville.

Game of the day

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks (+2, 178)

Notable quotable

"I just had a lane to the basket. It looked like [Emeka Okafor] was going to challenge me at the rim. I accepted the challenge. It’s a message for us that this is important and we have to raise our game up and do what I do. They know I save those and don’t have much of those left." – Kobe Bryant on his huge dunk on Emeka Okafor on Tuesday night despite playing with a foot/ankle injury. Bryant finished with 19 points to help the Lakers cover as a 9.5-point favorite to give L.A. a 3-2 lead in the series.

Notes and tips

The NFL Network reports that the Denver Broncos are now targeting Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller with the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday’s Draft instead of favorite Marcell Dareus. Kara Henderson, who was reporting from Denver, says the team likes Miller’s upside as a four-down player.

The Nashville Predators could have leading scorer Martin Erat back in the lineup after he took part in Tuesday’s workout. Erat sat out the fifth and sixth games of Nashville’s first-round win over Anaheim with an upper body injury. The shifty winger had 17 goals and 33 assists in the regular season.

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:27 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Dallas at Portland
The Mavericks look to build on their 12-3 ATS record in their last 15 games as a road underdog from 1 to 4 1/2 points. Dallas is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

Game 529-530: Orlando at Atlanta (7:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 121.449; Atlanta 115.504
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 6; 181
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 2; 178
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-2); Over

Game 533-534: LA Lakers at New Orleans (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 122.854; New Orleans 121.778
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 1; 182
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 5 1/2; 184
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+5 1/2); Under

Game 535-536: Dallas at Portland (10:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 121.784; Portland 121.403
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 4 1/2; 182
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+4 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:29 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, April 28

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

ORLANDO (54 - 33) at ATLANTA (47 - 40) - 4/28/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 36-50 ATS (-19.0 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 31-44 ATS (-17.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
ORLANDO is 16-26 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games this season.
ORLANDO is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) after a division game this season.
ORLANDO is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in home games in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
ATLANTA is 29-42 ATS (-17.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 11-10 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 13-8 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
17 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA LAKERS (60 - 27) at NEW ORLEANS (48 - 39) - 4/28/2011, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 86-104 ATS (-28.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 74-89 ATS (-23.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 57-86 ATS (-37.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 32-51 ATS (-24.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 8-8 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 12-4 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

DALLAS (60 - 27) at PORTLAND (50 - 37) - 4/28/2011, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 91-69 ATS (+15.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 49-36 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 243-197 ATS (+26.3 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games this season.
DALLAS is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
DALLAS is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PORTLAND is 47-79 ATS (-39.9 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 10-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 9-7 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:32 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, April 28

Eastern Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 6 - ATL 3-2
ORLANDO at ATLANTA, 7:30 PM ET NBA TV
ORLANDO: 17-4 Under vs. Atlanta
ATLANTA: 40-16 Under revenging double digit loss

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 6 - LAL 3-2
LA LAKERS at NEW ORLEANS, 8:00 PM ET TNT
LA LAKERS: 7-1 Under when trying to close out a playoff series
NEW ORLEANS: 6-2 ATS off loss by 15 or more points

Western Conference Playoffs - First Round - Best of 7 - Game 6 - DAL 3-2
DALLAS at PORTLAND, 10:30 PM ET TNT
DALLAS: 15-6 ATS as a road underdog
PORTLAND: 7-0 ATS at home revenging loss they scored 85 pts or less

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:34 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 28

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

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. ATLANTA
Orlando is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Orlando's last 11 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 11 games when playing Orlando

8:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
LA Lakers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of New Orleans's last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
New Orleans is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Lakers

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. PORTLAND
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
Dallas is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Portland
Portland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:39 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What bettors need to know: Thursday's NBA playoff action
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks (+2, 178)

Atlanta leads series 3-2

THE STORY: The Atlanta Hawks are seeking a clinching victory and the Orlando Magic will attempt to notch a breakthrough road win when Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round series is staged in the Peach State on Thursday. Orlando lost Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta and a third road loss would result in the franchise’s initial first-round playoff exit since 2007. A victory would set up a Game 7 on Saturday that would represent an opportunity for Orlando to become just the ninth team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit. The Hawks played horribly while being routed 101-76 in Game 5 and would like to wrap up the series in their home venue.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV

ABOUT THE HAWKS: Atlanta’s forgettable Game 5 showing included dreadful performances from guards Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson, who were averaging a combined 44 points through four contests. Crawford had eight points and Johnson scored just five. Josh Smith had 22 points and 11 rebounds, but connected on just seven of 18 shots. Marvin Williams, who had 12 points, was the only other Atlanta player in double figures. Atlanta posted its lowest scoring output of the series and also allowed its most points. The Hawks’ homecourt victories in the series were by scores of 88-84 and 88-85.

ABOUT THE MAGIC: Dwight Howard finally received a lot of help from his teammates so his single-digit scoring effort in Game 5 was inconsequential. Howard had eight points and eight rebounds after averaging 32.3 points and 17.5 rebounds through the first four games. Jason Richardson had a team-high 17 points in his return from serving a one-game suspension after his scrap with Zaza Pachulia in Game 3. J.J. Redick was a factor for the first time in the series with 14 points and helped Orlando jump out to a 13-point first-quarter lead with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the frame. Overall, Orlando received 49 points from its bench with Ryan Anderson (11 points) also scoring in double figures. The Magic rediscovered their 3-point shooting prowess by hitting 11 of 26 attempts.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Redick scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting in Game 5 after making just 6 of 26 shots in the first four contests. Johnson scored just five points on 2-of-12 shooting in Game 5 after averaging 20 points over the first four contests.

KEY STATISTIC: Orlando shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range in the Game 5 victory. The Magic shot just 21.9 percent from behind the arc in the first four games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings.
* Under is 18-6 in the last 24 meetings in Atlanta.
* Home team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Magic are 1-8 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Underdog is 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Magic are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in Atlanta.

LAST WORD: “We’re in a situation where we still feel good about ourselves. We’ll go back home. We still have an opportunity. Our fans are gonna be behind us, just as their fans were behind them. So we’re gonna put this game behind us as fast as we can.” – Atlanta coach Larry Drew after his team was routed in Game 5.

Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets (+5.5, 184)

Los Angeles leads series 3-2

THE STORY: Kobe Bryant went over – and through – the New Orleans Hornets, making his sprained left ankle appear just fine with two thunderous dunks in scoring 19 points as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 106-90 victory in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series Tuesday night. “It looked like he had his Afro back,” said teammate Shannon Brown. The Lakers will try to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday night in New Orleans. They are 22-4 in series after winning Game 5.

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

ABOUT THE LAKERS: In addition to Bryant, the Lakers got their most balanced game of the series with six players in double figures. Pau Gasol had 16 points in his best game so far and Andrew Bynum turned in another double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Bryant shrugged off the ankle injury and talk of why he did not have an MRI. “I didn't feel like it was broken,” the superstar said. “And even if it (were) it wouldn't have mattered. I would have played anyway. So it (would have been) a waste of time. I would've had to … sit in 405 traffic for two hours. It’s not like we would have told you the results anyway.”

ABOUT THE HORNETS: New Orleans has played admirably in this series, pushing the Lakers deeper than most expected, but now the Hornets are down to their last chance. “We’re definitely not just going to let them come into our house and push us around,” Hornets forward Carl Landry said. “That’s not happening.” Trevor Ariza led the Hornets with 22 points, including 10 in the first quarter when Bryant seemed a step slow. Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists, but took no shots from the field in the third quarter. The Hornets also got very little help from their bench, being outscored 29-14.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Bryant shot 8 of 13 and set the tone by driving the lane for a one-handed dunk over Emeka Okafor in the second quarter. Ariza made 5 of 8 3-pointers after going just 2 of 10 in the series.

KEY STATISTIC: The Lakers outrebounded the Hornets 42-25 and had a huge advantage in second-chance points, 22-2.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in New Orleans.
* Over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.
* Lakers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings in New Orleans.
* Road team is 15-6 ATS in the last 21 meetings.
* Underdog is 17-6 ATS in the last 23 meetings.

LAST WORD: “It looked like he (Okafor) was going to challenge me at the rim, and I decided to accept the challenge. ... It's a message for us that this was important. It's time to raise up and do what we've got to do.” – Bryant on his monstrous dunk over Okafor

Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (-4.5, 182)

Dallas leads series 3-2

THE STORY: The Dallas Mavericks will try to close out their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 on Thursday night at the Rose Garden. That will not be easy considering that the Mavericks are just 2-18 in their last 20 playoff road games and the home team has won all nine meetings between these teams this season. A big key for both teams has been controlling the boards. Tyson Chandler had his best output of the playoffs with 14 points and a career playoff-best 20 rebounds in Game 5 as Dallas never allowed Portland to make a serious run in the fourth quarter.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSNW

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Finally, the Mavericks received the kind of game they had been waiting for from Chandler, who had 16 total points in the first four contests of the series. Dallas outscored Portland 17-8 in second-chance points and had 20 offensive rebounds. “From start to finish, we played aggressive,” Chandler said. “We did the same thing in Portland, but only for three quarters. (Tonight) we did it for four quarters and that's why we got the win." Dirk Nowitzki has scored at least 20 points in all five games of the series. He had 25 in Game 5 on Monday. Jason Terry scored 20 and Jason Kidd had 14 assists.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Portland will again try to use the home court to its advantage. The Blazers rallied from 23 points down late in the third quarter to win Game 4. “There's a big home-court advantage in this series,” Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge said. “Going home, we get a lot of good play from a lot of guys. Guys play more confident at the house. We should have the edge.” Aldridge had 12 points and nine rebounds, but the Blazers might need more scoring from their best threat. Gerald Wallace had 16 points and nine rebounds, but 10 came when the game was already decided. Brandon Roy cooled off considerably with five points after scoring 24 in Game 4.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Chandler, who entered the game averaging 4.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, had 20 rebounds - including a franchise playoff-best 13 offensive rebounds. Andre Miller made 8-of-14 field goals for 18 points and had seven assists.

KEY STATISTIC: Dallas had a big advantage on the boards, 49-37, and in turn was 26-of-35 from the foul line to Portland’s 14-of-19 effort. The Trail Blazers shot just one free throw in the first half compared to 14 for the Mavericks.

TRENDS:

* Mavericks are 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Home team is 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings.

LAST WORD: “We’ve got to find a way. We know that they’re going to hit us with a lot of pressure and a lot of physical play early and we’ve got to respond well to that.” – Dallas coach Rick Carlisle on Game 6.

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:42 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA Playoffs Round 2: Game-by-game trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The NBA Playoffs are about to jump into high gear with Round 2 action and there are some outstanding technical situations that apply in postseason action. The second round offers up a handful of great investment opportunities as well.

Here’s a look at some game-by-game trends to keep in mind for the second round.

Note: All numbers and trends are since 1991 unless otherwise stated.

ROUND 2 – Game 1

Game 1 hosts own a respectable 64-16 straight up (SU) and 46-31-3 against the spread (ATS) record. There are two specific areas where the home team tends to struggle.

Round 2 Game 1 hosts that enter off a straight up double-digit victory are dead even at 19-19-1 ATS. Also, Round 2 Game 1 home teams that are matched up against a stronger opponent that carries a won/loss percentage of .645 or better are a losing proposition at 13-18 ATS.

ROUND 2 – Game 2

Game 2 hosts are a mediocre 61-19 SU and 38-39-3 ATS. There are three specific areas where these home teams do a touch worse.

First, Game 2 hosts own a weak 12-16-1 ATS mark provided they are favored by seven or more points. Second, home teams are a dismal 12-16 ATS if they beat the pointspread by six points or more in their last outing. Finally, Game 2 hosts are just 6-14 ATS if they are matched up against an opponent that has a won/loss percentage of .670 or better.

ROUND 2 – Game 3

Game 3 road teams are a surprising 37-43 SU and 43-36-1 ATS. There are four specific areas that improve these numbers. Two are good and two are bad.

Be sure to play against a Round 2 Game 3 road team if they are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins (9-12-1 ATS) or off a 3-0 SU and ATS run (6-10-1 ATS).

Look to play on Round 2 Game 3 guests if they enter off a straight up loss (15-4 ATS) or find themselves matched up against an opponent that owns a won/loss percentage greater than .600 (29-14-1 ATS).

ROUND 2 – Game 4

Game 4 visitors are almost a break-even proposition at 39-41 SU and 38-40-2 ATS. There are two specific areas within this round where the guest plays a little worse.

Road teams that run without rest own a weak 7-12 ATS record. Also, Round 2 Game 4 guests are 2-5 ATS provided they enter off two or more straight up losses.

ROUND 2 – Game 5

Game 5 hosts are a noteworthy 52-16 SU and 31-35-2 ATS. It should be noted that teams in this role that enter off two or more straight up losses are just 8-12-1 ATS.

You certainly don’t want to lay a lot of lumber with these hosts either. Favorites priced at -6 or more at this stage of the dance are just 12-23 ATS.

ROUND 2 – Game 6

Game 6 visitors are a woeful 19-24 SU and ATS. How you invest your hard earned dollars here depends on what the road team did in Game 5.

If our guest enters off a SU and ATS victory, you’ll want to fade them here as road teams in this situation are a woeful 5-14 ATS. If the visitor arrives off a SU and ATS loss, then you’ll look to play on theses guests as they are a solid 8-5 ATS.

Finally, road teams that scoot in off a blowout victory of 10 points or more have fallen on hard times notching a 3-13 ATS mark.

ROUND 2 – Game 7

Game 7 home teams are a reliable 17-6 SU and 12-10-1 ATS. With such a small sample size, there were no significant tighteners that applied to these Game 7 hosts.

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:58 AM

NBA

Thursday, April 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pick 'n' roll: Thursday’s best NBA bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (-4.5, 182)

The Trail Blazers need to have a huge Rose Garden crowd behind them to have a chance in this series.

To take Game 3, Portland needed the crowd to force 10 Dallas misses from the free throw line. In a Game 4 win, Portland again needed the euphoric crowd behind them to power them to a 23-point comeback.

But most of all, Portland needed the crowd to energize Brandon Roy.

The Blazers guard is playing with virtually no ligaments in his knees from keeping the bones from rubbing together. He needs every bit of extra boost the crowd has given him and boy have they delivered.

“With everything I’ve been through this season, it all came into that moment there on the court,” Roy said after the Game 2 win, “when guys were grabbing me and cheering me on. It was real special.”

For the two games in the Pacific Northwest, he averaged 20 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game but in the three losses in Dallas, he has averaged 2.3 points, 1.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game.

The Trail Blazers and Roy must do a better job attacking Dallas’ zone defense looks if they are to force a return trip to Dallas.

“They were doing some other things to try to slow me down, like showing on the pick-and-roll,” Roy said. “They did a good job of adjusting, but I just have to be aggressive. I have to stay with looking to score a little more.”

And with the way Roy plays at home, they should.

Pick: Portland

Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Hornets (+5.5, 184)

Game 5 in Los Angeles wasn’t just a 15-point victory for the hosts. It was the Lakers showing the Hornets what playoff basketball is really about.

“In my opinion, when we went to the basket tonight, they were putting us on the ground,” Hornets coach Monty Williams said. “At some point you have to know how to make a playoff foul. Whether it comes from this experience, with our team we have to learn how to not allow [Kobe Bryant] to get that play off because our guys are going down when they go to the basket whether it’s on a free-throw, rebound, or when they attack the basket.”

The Lakers did whatever they wanted in the victory, outrebounding there guests 42-25 and holding a 30-21 free throw advantage. Overall, six players scored in double figures for the Lakers and Shannon Brown chipped in with eight off the bench as well.

Most importantly, Kobe – bum ankle and all – needed to do little more than facilitate the attack. He finished with 19 points on 13 shots and played fewer than 29 minutes. Most importantly, he wasn’t knocked all over the court by the Hornets.

“There was more focus to be physical tonight and I know you guys saw it,” Williams added. “A lot of it, it’s just not basketball so it’s just one of those things we have recognize and withstand that kind of play and overcome it.”

Too bad for the Hornets, they won’t be able to.

Pick: Los Angeles

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 09:59 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Nashville at Vancouver
The Predators look to take advantage of a Vancouver team that is 1-4 in its last 5 conference semifinal games. Nashville is the pick (+180) according to Dunkel, which has the Predators favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+180). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

Game 53-54: Nashville at Vancouver (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.806; Vancouver 11.350
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-220); 5
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+180); Over

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 10:02 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 28

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

9:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. VANCOUVER
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nashville's last 6 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
Nashville is 6-13-1 SU in its last 20 games ,when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Vancouver's last 8 games at home
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 10:06 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What bettors need to know: Predators at Canucks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nashville Predators at Vancouver Canucks (-220, 5)

THE STORY: The Vancouver Canucks survived one of the most grueling playoff series in franchise history. They won't have much time to either savor or recover from their win over Chicago, as they host the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series Thursday night at Rogers Arena. Vancouver needed overtime in the seventh game to dispatch the Blackhawks, while the Predators have had several days to rest up after eliminating the Anaheim Ducks in six games.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Versus, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE CANUCKS: The Presidents' Trophy winners never expected such a stiff challenge from Chicago, especially after going up 3-0 in the series. The defending-champion Blackhawks charged back to win the next three games and scored late in the third period of Game 7 to force overtime. There, Alex Burrows overcame a holding penalty early in the extra session to pot the winner as Vancouver advanced by the slimmest of margins. Goaltender Roberto Luongo, who was shelled in Games 4 and 5 and began Game 6 on the bench, made several outstanding stops in the deciding game to preserve the Canucks' victory. The Vezina Trophy nominee was solid against the Predators in the regular season, posting a goals-against average under two.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Nashville had its own postseason demons to exorcise, and did so with gusto against an Anaheim team that looked strong heading into the playoffs. The Predators got goals from 12 different players in the six-game victory, marking the first time in history Nashville has advanced to the second round. The Predators clinched the series with a 4-2 victory in Game 6, a win capped by David Legwand's empty-net goal. Legwand was the first player in Predators history, taken second overall in the 1998 draft. Nashville will have had three days of rest between games - two more than the Canucks, whose emotionally charged showdown with Chicago may have taken more out of them than most second-round teams.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Burrows scored twice in Game 7, and he and Daniel Sedin were responsible for eight of Vancouver's 16 goals in the first round. Nashville's Mike Fisher showed his worth in the opening round following a subpar regular-season stint, recording three goals and three assists in the series.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The teams are identical in power-play efficiency at 22.2 percent, with the Predators 6 for 27 and the Canucks 4 for 18.

SEASON SERIES: Nashville and Vancouver split four regular-season meetings, with each team winning once in the other club's building. Predators netminder and Vezina trophy candidate Pekka Rinne, who looked shaky at times against Anaheim, had a 1.26 goals-against average, a .962 save percentage and a shutout against the Canucks in the regular season.

LAST WORD: This marks the second time in four years that two Vezina Trophy finalists will face off in a postseason series. New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers were nominated in 2008 when they met in the first round of the playoffs. The Rangers won the series in five games, but Brodeur went on to capture his fourth Vezina.

TRENDS: Eight of the last 10 meetings between the two teams in Vancouver have played under the total.
Nashville has played over in five straight games.

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 10:08 AM

NHL

Thursday, April 28

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Thursday’s best NHL bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nashville Predators at Vancouver Canucks (-220, 5)

The Vancouver Canucks averted disaster and finally got past Chicago with a Game 7 win in overtime on Tuesday but the team still has to wonder, what will it take to get the Sedin twins going? The dynamic Swedes are among the league’s top forwards, but have struggled to find their rhythm lately.

Since taking a 3-0 lead on Chicago, Daniel and Henrik have combined for just two goals and are minus-13 their past four games and it’s not like the pair have exactly lit up the scoreboard in four games against Nashville this season. Splitting those games 2-2, the duo have combined for seven assists but have notched a mere goal between them in those contests.

If there is one thing Nashville learned against Anaheim, it’s how to deal with elite scorers.

The Predators advanced to the second round by dispatching the high-scoring Ducks. In that series, Nashville held Ryan Getzlaf (19 regular season goals) and Corey Perry (50 regular season goals) to only two goals each.

''We're not a team that usually scores a lot of goals, so we've got to take care of games defensively,'' said Nashville center Jerred Smithson. ''We had a little bit of a struggle there before Christmas, but we've come back.''

Gritty forward Nashville forward Mike Fisher, who was acquired this season from Ottawa, should also continue to impose his personality on this team and set the tone. That wouldn’t be a bad thing at all, as he had three goals and six points in the series against Anaheim.

Meantime, the Canucks are coming off an emotional game against Chicago, the same team that ended their season each of the past two seasons.

Beating a rested Nashville team with their two top guns sputtering will be too tall a task for Vancouver.

Pick: Nashville

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

**Udog** · 04-28-2011, 10:14 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Kansas City at Cleveland
The Royals look to bounce back from their 7-2 loss last night and build on 11-5 record in their last 16 games after scoring 2 runs or less in the previous game. Kansas City is the pick (+145) according to Dunkel, which has the Royals favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+145). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

Game 901-902: San Francisco at Pittsburgh (12:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Vogelsong) 15.389; Pittsburgh (Karstens) 13.834
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-110); Over

Game 903-904: NY Mets at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Capuano) 14.443; Washington (Hernandez) 15.388
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-120); Under

Game 905-906: St. Louis at Houston (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (McClellan) 15.771; Houston (Figueroa) 14.571
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-145); Under

Game 907-908: Chicago Cubs at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Dempster) 15.052; Arizona (Enright) 13.909
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Arizona (-120); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+100); Over

Game 909-910: Seattle at Detroit (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Pineda) 15.905; Detroit (Penny) 14.681
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+100); Over

Game 911-912: Chicago White Sox at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Jackson) 14.713; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 15.304
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-200); Under

Game 913-914: Tampa Bay at Minnesota (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Hellickson) 14.509; Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.674
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-115); 8
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-115); Over

Game 915-916: Toronto at Texas (2:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Morrow) 15.215; Texas (Ogando) 14.962
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-160); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+140); Under

Game 917-918: Boston at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 16.244; Baltimore (Bergesen) 15.199
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-190); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-190); Over

Game 919-920: Kansas City at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Davies) 15.488; Cleveland (Carmona) 15.366
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-165); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+145); Under

Game 921-922: Tampa Bay at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Niemann) 15.264; Minnesota (Swarzak) 14.918
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-130); 8
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+110); Over

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 4/28 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 4/28 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment