Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 3/18 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel

Orlando at Miami
The Magic are coming off an 86-70 win over New Jersey and look to build on their 15-6-1 ATS record in their last 22 games after allowing less than 75 points in their previous game. Orlando is the pick (+9) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by only 6. Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+9). Here are all of today's picks

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

Game 701-702: Atlanta at Cleveland (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 117.413; Cleveland 113.480
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 4; 193
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 2; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-2); Over

Game 703-704: Detroit at LA Clippers (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 115.999; LA Clippers 122.754
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 6 1/2; 186
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 7 1/2; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+7 1/2); Under

Game 705-706: Washington at Memphis (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 109.495; Memphis 124.771
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 15 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 12 1/2; 200 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-12 1/2); Under

Game 707-708: Minnesota at Sacramento (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 119.542; Sacramento 114.020
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 5 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 709-710: Orlando at Miami (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 121.776; Miami 128.008
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 6; 195
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 9; 189
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+9); Over

Game 711-712: Houston at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 115.492; Phoenix 124.920
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 9 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 6 1/2; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-6 1/2); Under

Game 713-714: Portland at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 112.805; Oklahoma City 126.550
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 14; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 10; 200 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-10); Under

Game 715-716: Utah at LA Lakers (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 118.654; LA Lakers 125.115
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 6 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 11; 194
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+11); Over

[Udog]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 18

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ATLANTA (25 - 19) at CLEVELAND (16 - 25) - 3/18/2012, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 50-82 ATS (-40.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-1 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 5-3 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (16 - 28) at LA CLIPPERS (24 - 18) - 3/18/2012, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
DETROIT is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 37-54 ATS (-22.4 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

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

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WASHINGTON (10 - 33) at MEMPHIS (24 - 18) - 3/18/2012, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 21-41 ATS (-24.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 80-55 ATS (+19.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 42-26 ATS (+13.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 37-22 ATS (+12.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 35-22 ATS (+10.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MINNESOTA (22 - 23) at SACRAMENTO (15 - 29) - 3/18/2012, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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ORLANDO (29 - 16) at MIAMI (32 - 11) - 3/18/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 72-101 ATS (-39.1 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.

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

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HOUSTON (24 - 20) at PHOENIX (22 - 22) - 3/18/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 59-37 ATS (+18.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-37 ATS (-21.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

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

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PORTLAND (21 - 23) at OKLAHOMA CITY (33 - 11) - 3/18/2012, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 126-102 ATS (+13.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 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 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.

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

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UTAH (21 - 22) at LA LAKERS (28 - 16) - 3/18/2012, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 107-131 ATS (-37.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-31 ATS (-16.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 10-5 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 11-4 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
10 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[Udog]

NBA

Sunday, March 18

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. CLEVELAND
Atlanta is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Atlanta is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Atlanta

3:30 PM
DETROIT vs. LA CLIPPERS
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home
LA Clippers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games at home

6:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Sacramento is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games
Sacramento is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

6:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Washington is 7-14 ATS in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing Washington
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

7:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. MIAMI
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Miami is 7-16-1 ATS in its last 24 games when playing Orlando

9:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 12 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Houston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Phoenix is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing at home against Houston

9:30 PM
UTAH vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games
Utah is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing Utah

9:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Portland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Portland's last 18 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games at home


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[Udog]

NBA

Sunday, March 18

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Pick 'n' roll: Sunday's best NBA bets
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Orlando Magic at Miami Heat (-8.5, 188.5)

It may seem hard to believe, but Dwight Howard is staying in Orlando for the foreseeable future. The trade deadline didn't just come and go, it came with Howard re-upping with the Magic.

And they played like an inspired team in their first game since the end of the chaos. In front of a joyous home crowd on Friday, Orlando hammered New Jersey 86-70. Howard played just 32 minutes but made eight of 10 field goals for 18 points while grabbing six rebounds.

"There was nothing we could have done about the situation other than play basketball," Jameer Nelson said of the big man's status. "With human nature, it was probably bothering certain guys more than others. But, at the same time, we were still winning games."

The Heat are generally winning games as well, but they have cooled off a bit of late. Miami is 4-4 in its last eight and a mere 2-6 ATS in that span. Take the Magic and the generous 8.5 points.

Pick: Magic


Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-10, 199.5)

Portland won its first game under interim head coach Kaleb Canales, and it did so in alarming fashion. The Blazers went into Chicago on Friday and beat the Derrick Rose-less Bulls 100-89.

However, that is likely an aberration rather than the rule for the lowly Blazers. They are 3-7 overall and also 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games. They are two games under .500 and in last place in the Northwest Division. They just waived perennially-injured Greg Oden and traded Gerald Wallace to the Nets.

"I think as we evaluated our team in the last couple weeks, we've been very displeased with our performance on the court," explained general manager Chad Buchanan. "It's not Trail Blazer basketball. It was very disappointing. And that's kind of where we got to the decision (to make a trade)."

The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a 114-105 home loss to San Antonio on Friday. Look for them to come out mad on Sunday, because they have not lost two in a row since January 3 (their only back-to-back losses of the season).

Oklahoma City is still 18-4 at home (11-11 ATS)

Pick: Thunder


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[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel

Columbus at Calgary
The Blue Jackets look to take advantage of a Calgary team that is 4-9 in its last 13 games against Central Division opponents. Columbus is the pick (+180) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Jackets favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+180). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

Game 1-2: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia (12:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.085; Philadelphia 12.672
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 3-4: Washington at Chicago (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.089; Chicago 10.923
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-155); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+135); Under

Game 5-6: Columbus at Calgary (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 11.768; Calgary 10.198
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-220); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+180); Over

Game 7-8: Phoenix at Edmonton (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 11.702; Edmonton 10.267
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-120); Under

Game 9-10: Nashville at Anaheim (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 12.309; Anaheim 11.524
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 11-12: Carolina at Winnipeg (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 12.223; Winnipeg 11.181
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+140); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 18

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PITTSBURGH (44-21-0-5, 93 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (41-22-0-8, 90 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 12:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-7-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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WASHINGTON (36-29-0-6, 78 pts.) at CHICAGO (39-25-0-8, 86 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 114-160 ATS (-67.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 305-327 ATS (-48.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-0 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 2-0-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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COLUMBUS (22-42-0-7, 51 pts.) at CALGARY (34-26-0-12, 80 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 22-48 ATS (+93.0 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 28-68 ATS (+132.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 2-14 ATS (+22.3 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 1-12 ATS (+19.8 Units) when playing on back-to-back days this season.
CALGARY is 24-16 ATS (+5.1 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 21-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-5-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.4 Units)

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PHOENIX (35-26-0-11, 81 pts.) at EDMONTON (28-36-0-7, 63 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 6-1 ATS (+7.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders this season.
PHOENIX is 130-116 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 43-38 ATS (+90.6 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-5 ATS (+17.2 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 10-4 ATS (+14.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
PHOENIX is 21-12 ATS (+8.4 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 52-100 ATS (-92.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 19-37 ATS (+71.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 13-31 ATS (+59.1 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 10-31 ATS (+52.9 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 48-104 ATS (+211.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 10-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
EDMONTON is 4-12 ATS (-8.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 9-2 (+6.0 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 9-2-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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NASHVILLE (41-22-0-8, 90 pts.) at ANAHEIM (30-31-0-11, 71 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 12-5 (+6.8 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 12-5-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

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CAROLINA (28-29-0-15, 71 pts.) at WINNIPEG (34-29-0-8, 76 pts.) - 3/18/2012, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 7-21 ATS (+37.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
CAROLINA is 10-24 ATS (+38.4 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 16-35 ATS (+56.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CAROLINA is 9-25 ATS (+38.9 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 14-32 ATS (+52.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 9-7 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 9-7-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.4 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

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NHL

Sunday, March 18

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Trend Report
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12:30 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Washington is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Chicago is 3-5-1 SU in its last 9 games ,when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Washington

8:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. CALGARY
Columbus is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Columbus is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Calgary is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing Columbus

8:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nashville's last 6 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Anaheim's last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Anaheim's last 8 games when playing Nashville

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. EDMONTON
Phoenix is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
Phoenix is 7-14-2 SU in its last 23 games ,when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home
Edmonton is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Phoenix

8:30 PM
CAROLINA vs. WINNIPEG
Carolina is 6-15 SU in its last 21 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Carolina's last 9 games on the road
Winnipeg is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Carolina
Winnipeg is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games


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NHL

Sunday, March 18

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NHL Top 5: Stanley Cup betting favorites
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There are only three weeks left in the NHL regular season and teams are fighting for position like Apple geeks lining up for the new iPad 3.

The Stanley Cup futures market is still packed with value, even with most clubs showing their true colors by now.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the NHL futures odds is that the top teams in the respective conferences – the New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues – aren’t the two favorites to take Lord Stanley for a skate.

Here’s a look at the latest Stanley Cup futures and whether or not those teams are worth the wager:

Pittsburgh Penguins (+550)

Even without Sidney Crosby, the Penguins were rolling towards the top of the Eastern Conference. Evgeni Malkin finally stepped up for Pittsburgh and surprise contributions from guys like James Neal and Matt Cooke kept the Pens afloat while Crosby floated in concussion limbo.

Now, Sid the Kid is back – for the time being – and Pittsburgh looks like the best team in the NHL. Heading into Sunday, the Penguins are two points back of the Rangers, whom they just beat 5-2 Thursday night for their 10th straight victory.

Vancouver Canucks (+600)

The Canucks are the favorites out of the Western Conference despite sitting second in the conference standings – six points back of the Blues – and losing four of their last five games heading into the weekend. Vancouver is out to put last year’s seven-game loss in the Cup final behind it. In order to do so, the Canucks need to find their scoring touch.

Vancouver netted four goals in a 5-4 loss to Phoenix Wednesday – the first time they’ve netted more than three goals since Feb. 23. The Sedins need a serious wakeup call if the Canucks want to get back to the final. They’ve gone scoreless in the past nine games and have combined for only four assists in that span.

New York Rangers (+700)

Betting value on top teams is harder to come by than Springsteen tickets, so when you can grab one of the best clubs in hockey at a discount price – do it. The Rangers are stumbling a bit, losing four of their last six games heading into the weekend, but star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist missed Thursday’s showdown with Pittsburgh due to a bout with the flu. It may have been a different outcome had he been between the pipes.

New York is very dependent on Lundqvist to stay healthy and hot in order to make a deep run in the postseason. The Rangers don’t have an explosive offense like the Penguins to make up for an off night from their netminder. However, the emergence of rookie winger Carl Hagelin and the return of Ryan Callahan will give New York more punch with the puck.

St. Louis Blues (+700)

The Blues have been the best team since the all-star break, putting together a 10-1 streak before losing back-to-back outings this week. St. Louis has the top goaltending duo in the NHL, with Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak both boasting 20-win seasons. And the Blues special teams were extra special, killing off 51 straight power plays during their winning run.

St. Louis does have some faults, however. The Blues spend far too much time in the penalty box, which appears to be catching up with them in those two losses. They are fourth in the NHL in minor penalties. Add to that the loss of center Andy McDonald to a shoulder injury. He was St. Louis’ hottest player, recording 12 points in the 10 games before getting hurt.

Detroit Red Wings (+700)

The Red Wings trail the Blues by seven points in the Central Division after notching just one win in their last six games. Detroit is plagued with injuries to its top talents, including Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Johan Franzen and goaltender Joey MacDonald. Datsyuk could return this weekend, but that is only one piece of the puzzle in Motown.

Detroit has its problems but can never be written off in the postseason – especially if it gets healthy just before the playoffs. The Red Wings need to generate more scoring chances if they want to get back to the Cup final. They’ve netted just seven total goals in those last five losses and has gone seven games without a power-play goal – 0 for 28 since Feb. 28.

Other Stanley Cup favorites:

Boston Bruins (+800)
Philadelphia Flyers (+1,300)
Nashville Predators (+1,300)
Chicago Blackhawks (+1,600)


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NHL

Sunday, March 18

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Ice picks: Sunday's best NHL bets
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Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers

Watch out Rangers! The Penguins have already left Philly in their rearview mirror in the standings and are now just two points behind New York for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.

Pittsburgh has won a whopping 11 in a row and the team has scored 15 goals in its last three. In fact, the Pens have won three consecutive games this week 5-1, including on Thursday at the Rangers and on Saturday at the Devils.

To make matters even better, Sidney Crosby is finally back from a concussion. He had not played since December 5 but returned to notch two assists in his first game back and three more on Saturday.

"As far as seeing the things you want to see and getting the little habits that you're used to in a certain spot, that's going to take time," Crosby said. "But I have a comfort level. Feel like I can make plays out there."

Pick: Penguins


Washington Capitals at Chicago Blackhawks (-150, 5.5)

Look for the Capitals to play like a desperate team on Sunday. They are just two points ahead of Winnipeg for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after losing at the Jets 3-2 on Friday.

“We really needed the points in the standings to create some separation,” right wing Troy Brouwer said. “But now it’s going to make this race a little bit tighter.”

Washington may be able to get those points against Chicago. The Caps have won the last three meetings between the two squads and six of the last seven. However, they have yet to face each other this season.

The Blackhawks will be shorthanded for Sunday's showdown. Center Jonathan Toews (29 goals, 28 assists) is still out with an upper body injury and will not return for at least another week. Goalie Ray Emery is questionable due to illness and thus Corey Crawford will likely mind the net. Defenseman Steve Montador (14 points) is doubtful with a concussion and left wing Michael Frolik (14 points) is questionable because of the flu.

Pick: Capitals


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[Udog]

Good Morning Dog.....Good Luck Today Buddy.......

Good morning Bum! Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Lotta games to look at today!

I was just reading your thread. Great stuff, as usual! Thanks!

Good luck Bum!

[Udog]

NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, 3/18/2012

ATLANTA at CLEVELAND, 3:05 PM ET
ATLANTA: 15-7 Under 2nd half of season
CLEVELAND: 13-5 ATS off road game

DETROIT at LA CLIPPERS, 3:35 PM ET
DETROIT: 15-6 ATS 2nd half of season
LA CLIPPERS: 3-11 ATS if favored L2 games

WASHINGTON at MEMPHIS, 6:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 0-11 ATS after covering 2 of L3 games
MEMPHIS: 11-3 ATS at home vs. Washington

MINNESOTA at SACRAMENTO, 6:05 PM ET
MINNESOTA: 14-4 Over off BB road losses
SACRAMENTO: 12-1 Over off win by 20+ as an underdog

ORLANDO at MIAMI, 7:05 PM ET
ORLANDO: 21-9 Under in Sunday games
MIAMI: 13-4 Under at home if favored L5 games

HOUSTON at PHOENIX, 9:05 PM ET
HOUSTON: 75-43 ATS Away off loss by 6 pts or less
PHOENIX: 9-26 ATS w/ double revenge

PORTLAND at OKLAHOMA CITY, 9:35 PM ET
PORTLAND: 0-9 ATS Away off double digit win
OKLAHOMA CITY: 18-8 ATS off SU loss as favorite

UTAH at LA LAKERS, 9:35 PM ET
UTAH: 12-2 Over Away if favored L2 games
LA LAKERS: 15-30 ATS as double digit favorite

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet

Sunday, 3/18/2012

PITTSBURGH at PHILADELPHIA, 12:35 PM ET
PITTSBURGH: 0-5 SU after 2 consecutive division games
PHILADELPHIA: 7-0 SU after losing their previous game in overtime

WASHINGTON at CHICAGO, 7:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 12-23 SU after 1 or more consecutive unders
CHICAGO: 7-15 SU off a loss against a division rival

COLUMBUS at CALGARY, 8:05 PM ET
COLUMBUS: 1-12 SU when playing on back-to-back days
CALGARY: 24-16 SU after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game

PHOENIX at EDMONTON, 8:05 PM ET
PHOENIX: 43-38 SU in a road game where where the total is 5.5
EDMONTON: 7-21 SU in home games revenging 2 consecutive losses to opponent as a favorite

NASHVILLE at ANAHEIM, 8:05 PM ET
NASHVILLE: 47-44 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +200
ANAHEIM: 14-24 SU revenging a loss versus opponent as a favorite

CAROLINA at WINNIPEG, 8:35 PM ET
CAROLINA: 4-16 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +150
WINNIPEG: 8-2 SU in home games revenging a loss vs opponent as a road favorite

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 18

Early Game

Hot Teams
--

Cold Teams
-- Cleveland lost five of its last six home games. Hawks lost three of their last four road games.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Hawks: 4th game/6 days. Cavaliers: Last 3 nites off.
--

Totals
-- Three of last four Cleveland home games went over total.
--

Back-to-Back
--

[Udog]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 18

Hot teams
-- Pittsburgh won its last 11 games, allowing 17 goals. Flyers won five of their last six home games.
-- Washington won four of its last five games. Dallas won seven of nine.
-- Flames won five of their last six games.
-- Edmonton won its last two games, allowing one goal.
-- Jets won their last four home games, allowing five goals.

Cold teams
-- Columbus lost its last four games, outscored 13-4.
-- Coyotes lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Anaheim lost four of it last five games. Predators lost eight of last eleven road games.
-- Hurricanes lost 15 of their last 21 road games.

Totals
-- Over is 7-0-1 in Pittsburgh's last eight road games.
-- Four of last five Washington road games went over.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Columbus games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Phoenix road games.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Nashville games.
-- Over is 7-2 in Carolina's last nine road games.

Series records
-- Flyers won five of last seven games against Pittsburgh.
-- Blackhawks lost last three games with Washington, last two in OT.
-- Blue Jackets won three of last four visits to Calgary.
-- Coyotes won five in row, nine of last ten games with Edmonton.
-- Predators won their last five games against Anaheim.
-- Jets won three of last four games with Carolina.

Back-to-Back
-- Penguins are 2-6 on the road if they played the day before. Flyers are 3-8 if they played the day before.
-- Blue Jackets are 1-12 when they played the night before.
-- Predators are 2-5 on the road if they played the night before.
-- Carolina is 2-10 on the road if it played the night before.