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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 09:44 AM

Thursday's betting tips: Lakers' home slide continues

Who’s hot

NBA: The under has cashed in each of Washington’s last eight games.

NBA: New Orleans is 9-3 against the spread in its last 12 road games.

NHL: Boston has won five of its last six.

NHL: The over is 7-1 in Tampa Bay’s last eight road games.

NCAAB: Minnesota is 7-0-1 against the spread in its last eight.

Who’s not

NBA: The under is 2-8 in Dallas’ last 10.

NBA: The L.A. Lakers are 1-6 against the spread in their last seven and 0-5 ATS in their last five home games.

NHL: Toronto is 1-10 in its last 11 home games.

NHL: Washington has won only 10 of its last 31 road games.

NCAAB: The under is 1-6 in Stanford’s last seven.

Key stat

187 minutes, 38 seconds – St. Louis Blues goaltender Brian Elliott has recorded three straight shutouts, the latest of which was a 24-save blanking of the Nashville Predators, extending his scoreless string to 187 minutes, 38 seconds. Elliott now leads the league with nine shutouts on the year. St. Louis visits Chicago Thursday.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Nene, Washington Wizards – Nene sat out Wednesday’s practice with a back injury that kept him out of Sunday’s loss to Boston. He managed eight points and nine rebounds in Monday’s loss to Detroit but is considered questionable for Thursday’s game against Indiana. He’s averaging 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds this year for the Nuggets and Wizards.

Game of the day

Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat (-8, 198)

Notable quotable

"Roles change daily for us with so many missed practices, missed games, and it's been tough. As a coach you want to know, and as players you want to know, their roles and their responsibilities, and they're not that clearly defined because of other extenuating circumstances.'' – Minnesota Gophers coach Tubby Smith after his team advanced to the NIT finals against Stanford. Minnesota has been forced to juggle its lineup consistently since seniors Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III were injured. Oddsmakers currently have Thursday’s game as a Pick’ em.

Notes and tips

Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey left Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a sore left hamstring. Stuckey was hurt in the first period and ruled out for the rest of the game. It was his second game back since sitting out three games with a toe injury. The team's leading scorer, Stuckey entered Wednesday's game averaging 16.5 points and 4.1 assists per game.

Bill Parcells is willing to return to the sideline if he's asked by New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton. Parcells told Newsday that he'd return from retirement to take over the Saints on an interim basis while Payton serves a one-year suspension as punishment for the team's bounty program. “If this guy says to me, 'Bill, I need you to do this,' " Parcells said. "That's what friends are supposed to be for."

Sportsbooks are in the process of updating their Most Outstanding Player odds ahead of this weekend’s Final Four and Kentucky standout Anthony Davis remains the favorite. Sportsbook.com has Davis at +200 to win the award, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (+500), Jared Sullinger (+600), and Desean Thomas (+900).

NFL owners voted Wednesday at the NFL Annual Meeting to change the regular-season overtime rules to match the playoff format and have turnovers automatically reviewed. Each team will now have an opportunity for a possession in overtime unless the team that receives the first kickoff scores a touchdown on its opening drive. Teams will no longer need to challenge turnovers, as is the case with scoring plays. All turnovers will be reviewed from the booth with no coaches' challenges required.

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 09:44 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Magic Johnson's group bid $600M more than any of the other groups bidding for the Dodgers. Thats a huge difference.

-- Danny Manning is the new basketball coach at Tulsa, which will be an interesting study. He put in his time as an assistant at Kansas.

-- Terry Bowden is the football coach at Akron. Not often in this world a guy coaches in the MAC after he coached in the SEC.

-- Raul Ibanez is 3-42 this spring. 3 for 42. Yikes.

-- Pacific jumps from the Big West to the WCC, giving WCC ten teams. San Diego State is going to dominate the Big West the way UNLV did 20 years ago. Pacific leaving makes the league a little softer.

-- Jeff Van Gundy was in tough position last night, broadcasting a game where his brother's team tanked, losing by 22. "When things go sideways, Orlando has shown a tendency to 'let go of the rope'". Thats a nice way of saying the team his brother coaches quits every now and then.

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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Random thoughts on a spring day...........

13) Got my bill from DirecTV right on time, with charges for the Extra Innings package already in there; they’re very good about that. Too bad the A’s-Mariners game from Japan was blacked out when I tried to watch it. Terrific. Apparently, MLB knows it screwed up and will show the game on Thursday morning live.

12) Speaking of which, if the A’s bat Pennington/Crisp 2nd/3rd all year long, they might lose more than the 108 games the ’79 A’s lost. Cespedes looks like a ballplayer; he must bat higher in the order.

11) Read where the Mariners’ TV announcers are calling the Japan games from a studio in Bellevue, WA; costs too much to engineer a broadcast all the way from Tokyo.

10) Whether or not Bill Parcells is the Saints’ interim coach shouldn’t affect his clock to get elected to the Hall of Fame; he’s already done enough to get in, anything he does in New Orleans would only add to his resume. He should be in there already.

9) Something to think about: Kentucky’s lowest points per possession in any game this year was the New Year’s Eve game with Louisville.

8) University of Houston has a new coaching staff, with Kevin Sumlin now at Texas A&M; their new offensive coordinator was a punter in NFL for a while. Cougars are also getting a new on-campus stadium soon, but they'll run basically the same offense that Sumlin ran.

7) After this horrendous NBA regular season, with too many games jammed into too short a time, the playoffs are going to look super, with players having time to rest/practice in between games, providing of course there are enough healthy players to go around. Awful lot of injuries with such a ridiculous schedule.

6) Illinois is having trouble finding a new basketball coach; do they know that Florida State won four of its last five games against Duke? Leonard Hamilton would be a good choice; Illinois has to be a better basketball job than FSU. They’re offering $21M for eight years; that’s serious money.

5) Ohio U’s John Groce appears to be the leading candidate for Illinois right now, but his 34-30 record in MAC games with the Bobcats isn’t exciting the fan base very much.

4) South Carolina’s Frank Martin slots in as the 4th-highest paid SEC basketball coach, behind Calipari-Donovan-Mike Anderson. If I remember right, Gamecocks’ football coach was 9th-highest paid in SEC LY, and Steve Spurrier’s obviously a damn good coach.

3) Two voters didn’t vote for Kentucky’s Anthony Davis as a first-team All-American; those two should have to explain why, and unless it’s a damn good reason, or they never vote for freshmen, something like that, they should lose their voting rights for a year or two. Davis is a tremendous player; you have to be an imbecile to think he’s not one of the five best players in the country.

2) So Jack Del Rio goes from coaching the lowly Jaguars to being DC of the Broncos, who now have Peyton Manning, and are a likely playoff team; something tells me he’ll enjoy 2012 a hell of a lot more than he did 2011.

1) Giants-Dallas open the NFL regular season Wednesday, September 5; that opener is usually on a Thursday, but President Obama is speaking at the Democratic Convention that Thursday, so NFL moved the game up.

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 09:45 AM

MLB primer: AL Central preview and odds to win

The Detroit Tigers are the defending division champs and they’re the only club getting much press in the AL Central. Detroit made a splash in the offseason, signing slugger 1B Prince Fielder to a monster deal and now feature an infield with two of the biggest bats in the majors.

So, you can understand, clearly, why the Tigers are favored as heavily as they are to win the AL Central. But it says here that all teams have to play 162 games anyway, so let’s examine all five teams, and their strengths and weaknesses as we await the first pitch of 2012 (Odds courtesy of PinnacleSports.com):

Detroit Tigers

Last year's record: 95-67
This year's season win total: 90.5
Odds to win the AL Central: -400

WHO'S IN: Prince Fielder, Gerald Laird, Octavio Dotel
WHO'S OUT: Brad Penny, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, Victor Martinez (injury)

TEAM STRENGTH: Power. Of course, we’ll see how it translates at big, expansive Comerica Park, but the dynamic corner-infield duo of Fielder and Miguel Cabrera could prove to be nightmares for the opposition. They two combined to hit 68 homers last season, and if you throw in, let’s say, 20 from a player like Delmon Young, who mashed 21 with the Twins in 2010, the Tigers could challenge the Yankees for this year’s home run crown.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Fielding. The names on the back of the jerseys are great, and the offensive numbers are even better, but Detroit may have trouble catching the ball this season. Second baseman Ryan Raburn had 17 errors last season, and he was followed by Cabrera (13) and Brandon Inge (9). It all added up to a 16th -place finish in errors, and hard to believe that Fielder (15 with Brewers last season) is going to help much.

Cleveland Indians

Last year's record: 80-82
This year's season win total: 79.5
Odds to win the AL Central: +1070

WHO'S IN: Derek Lowe, Casey Kotchman, Kevin Slowey
WHO'S OUT: Fausto Carmona/Roberto Hernandez, Austin Kearns, Orlando Cabrera

TEAM STRENGTH: Starting pitching. Though he still needs a breakout season to garner national attention, Justin Masterson (12-10, 3.21 ERA, 158 strikeouts last season) appears ready to carry a rotation, and he will have help this year from veterans Ubaldo Jimenez and Derek Lowe, who combined for 19 wins last season and may benefit from having a more stable situation than in Colorado and Atlanta, respectively.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Infield hitters. When Kotchman, a first baseman, is your marquee offseason addition, you're in trouble. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (25 homers, 92 RBIs, 17 steals last season) is coming off a tremendous campaign, but how much of a load can he carry? He has Jack Hannahan at third, and Jason Kipnis at second. Ugh. In a division with good pitching, this team will struggle to score runs.

Chicago White Sox

Last year's record: 79-83
This year's season win total: 76.5
Odds to win the AL Central: +1425

WHO'S IN: Kosuke Fukodome
WHO'S OUT: Sergio Santos, Jason Frasor, Carlos Quentin, Mark Buehrle

TEAM STRENGTH: Pride. New manager Robin Ventura will put the focus on the field -- unlike his predecessor, Ozzie Guillen -- and the former Chicago third baseman will lean on the veterans who love being White Sox, who’ve made names for themselves as members of the White Sox, and hope to change the fortunes of the White Sox soon.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Batting average. They have power, and they’ll be able to knock runs in ... provided they can get on base. The only way that’s going to happen, though, is if the averages improve. Because last year, they were awful. Take a look at just three: Adam Dunn (.159), Alex Rios (.227), and Gordon Beckham (.230). Those clips must move north soon or else.

Kansas City Royals

Last year's record: 71-91
This year's season win total: 76.5
Odds to win the AL Central: +1260

WHO'S IN: Jonathan Sanchez, Jonathan Broxton
WHO'S OUT: Melky Cabrera, Gil Meche, Jason Kendall, Kyle Davies

TEAM STRENGTH: Speed. As you’d expect from a small-market club without a dearth of big boppers, the Royals can swipe bases with the best of them. Their regular lineup is loaded with theft threats, including Alcides Escobar (26 steals last season), Jeff Francoeur (22), Chris Getz (21), Alex Gordon (17), and Eric Hosmer (11). And that’s all considering they lost Cabrera’s 20 steals from last year, too. Keep them off the basepaths, folks.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. There is upside, for certain, but far too many unknowns. When you scan the names -- Luke Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Felipe Paulino, Danny Duffy and Sanchez -- nothing truly stands out. While Hochevar and Chen combined for 23 wins last season, there's still nothing there to feel good about, even in a weak division.

Minnesota Twins

Last year's record: 63-99
This year's season win total: 72.5
Odds to win the AL Central: +1780

WHO'S IN: Jason Marquis, Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit, Jamey Carroll
WHO'S OUT: Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Joe Nathan, Kevin Slowey

TEAM STRENGTH: Health. This is a franchise clearly built around Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, and without them at 100 percent last year, you see the results. Hard to believe a worse fate in their still-new ballpark, than the M&M boys combining last year seven whole home runs last season with the Twins. Tough to stomach in Minnesota. But they are back, and should be able to make the most of 18 games against the likes of the Royals and White Sox.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Identity. Though Morneau and Mauer are the poster boys for the franchise, the team will seek a new image and brand, now that several blood-and-guts members of many postseason runs are gone. Cuddyer, Kubel, and certainly, Nathan were glue guys in Minnesota for a long time, and will be missed on the field, as well as the clubhouse. Of course, when you add a bat like Willingham’s, maybe identity is overrated.

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 09:47 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Stanford vs. Minnesota
The Cardinal look to build on their 10-4 ATS record in their last 14 non-conference games. Stanford is the pick (Pick) according to Dunkel, which has the Cardinal favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Stanford. Here are all of today's picks as well as this weekend's Final Four selections.

THURSDAY, MARCH 29

Game 709-710: Stanford vs. Minnesota (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Stanford 68.289; Minnesota 66.884
Dunkel Line: Stanford by 1 1/2; 136
Vegas Line: Pick; 131
Dunkel Pick: Stanford; Over

SATURDAY, MARCH 31

Game 817-818: Louisville vs. Kentucky (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Louisville 70.205; Kentucky 80.321
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 10; 142
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 8 1/2; 137 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-8 1/2); Over

Game 819-820: Ohio State vs. Kansas (8:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 76.398; Kansas 75.399
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 1; 133
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 2 1/2; 137
Dunkel Pick: Kansas (+2 1/2); Under

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 29

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STANFORD (25 - 11) vs. MINNESOTA (23 - 14) - 3/29/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
STANFORD is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in a neutral court game where the total is 130 to 134.5 since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in March games this season.
MINNESOTA is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
STANFORD is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in all tournament games this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Saturday, March 31

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LOUISVILLE (30 - 9) vs. KENTUCKY (36 - 2) - 3/31/2012, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 65-43 ATS (+17.7 Units) in March games since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all neutral court games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in March games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) on Saturday games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing on a neutral court this season.
LOUISVILLE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games in non-conference games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
LOUISVILLE is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all tournament games this season.
LOUISVILLE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOUISVILLE is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
KENTUCKY is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
KENTUCKY is 2-1 against the spread versus LOUISVILLE over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY is 3-0 straight up against LOUISVILLE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OHIO ST (31 - 7) vs. KANSAS (31 - 6) - 3/31/2012, 8:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO ST is 165-129 ATS (+23.1 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
OHIO ST is 189-147 ATS (+27.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
OHIO ST is 122-89 ATS (+24.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS is 1-0 against the spread versus OHIO ST over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS is 1-0 straight up against OHIO ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NCAAB
Short Sheet

Saturday, March 31

LOUISVILLE vs. KENTUCKY, 6:05 PM - NCAA Tournament - Final Four - Superdome - New Orleans, LA
LOUISVILLE: 8-0 ATS on neutral court
KENTUCKY: 9-1 Under on neutral floor if total is 130 to 139.5

OHIO STATE vs. KANSAS, 8:45 PM - NCAA Tournament - Final Four - Superdome - New Orleans, LA
OHIO STATE: 18-7 ATS Away w/ same season revenge
KANSAS: 6-13 ATS off double digit win

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 29

Minnesota played four starters 37+ minutes Tuesday, three played 40+ in tense win over Washington, where they blew 12-point halftime lead in 68-67 OT win. Gophers are playing 7th straight game away from home. Stanford didn't play anyone more than 33 minutes Tuesday; only two guys played more than 28, in foulfest against UMass. Cardinal are 2-1 on this court this season, with only loss to Syracuse by 6. Minnesota is 1-9 this season against teams ranked in top 30. Stanford is 2-3 against reams ranked in top 40. Coaching edge goes to Minnesota.

NCAAB

Thursday, March 29

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
STANFORD vs. MINNESOTA
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

Saturday, March 31

6:09 PM
LOUISVILLE vs. KENTUCKY
No trends available
Kentucky is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Louisville
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Kentucky's last 11 games when playing Louisville

8:49 PM
OHIO STATE vs. KANSAS
No trends available
Kansas is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games

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NCAAB

Thursday, March 29

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NIT final betting preview & pick: Stanford vs. Minnesota
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Stanford Cardinal vs. Minnesota Gophers (Pick 'em, 131)

THE STORY: The spotlight figures to be on two freshman point guards when sixth-seeded Minnesota faces third-seeded Stanford in the NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden. Stanford’s Chasson Randle leads his team in scoring while shooting 44 percent from the field, and Andre Hollins scored a team-high 20 points in the Gophers’ 68-67 overtime victory over Washington in the semifinals. Minnesota is looking for its third NIT crown after winning in 1993 and 1998, although the latter was vacated due to an ineligible player. Stanford, which won the 1991 NIT title, improved to 11-4 in six NIT appearances with its 74-64 victory over Massachusetts on Tuesday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT MINNESOTA (23-14): The Gophers were 6-12 in the Big Ten and lost seven of their final nine games before winning three straight road games to reach the NIT semifinals. Against Washington, Rodney Williams had 18 points and nine rebounds despite playing much of the second half in foul trouble. “It seems like when he gets off to a good start we play well,” said coach Tubby Smith. Williams needs 16 points to break Voshon Lenard’s school record for most points in a postseason tournament. Lenard had 99 points in the 1993 NIT. Hollins, who was once recruited by Stanford, is averaging 17.8 points in the NIT.

ABOUT STANFORD (25-11): Josh Owens had 15 points and tied a career high with 12 rebounds against Massachusetts, and he’ll need another strong effort against the Gophers. Owens will likely be asked to neutralize Williams, who was called one of the top five athletes in college basketball by Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins. Guard Anthony Brown scored a season-high 18 points against the Minutemen, including a key 3-pointer late in the game. The backcourt trio of Randle, Brown and Aaron Bright scored 43 of the team’s 74 points in the win. The title game could be a defensive battle, with Stanford allowing an average of 63.5 points and Minnesota holding teams to an average of 64.5.

TRENDS:

- Stanford is 4-1 against the spread in its last five neutral-site games.
- Minnesota is 7-0-1 against the spread in its last eight.
- The over is 6-1 in Stanford's last seven.

TIP-INS

1. Minnesota center Ralph Sampson III has missed the last six games with a sprained right knee, and his status is doubtful for the NIT final.

2. Stanford is just the fourth team to play at New York’s Madison Square Garden in both the Preseason and Postseason NIT during the same season.

3. The teams share two common opponents, Southern California and Washington. Stanford was 2-0 against the Trojans, and the Gophers won 55-40. The Cardinal lost 76-63 at Washington, while Minnesota beat the Huskies on Tuesday.

PICK: Cardinal

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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:00 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at LA Lakers
The Lakers look to take advantage of an Oklahoma City team that is coming off a 109-95 win over Portland and is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games following a SU win of more than 10 points. LA is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Lakers favored by 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-1). Here are all of today's picks

THURSDAY, MARCH 29

Game 701-702: Washington at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 112.708; Indiana 125.246
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 12 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 10; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-10); Over

Game 703-704: Dallas at Miami (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 117.516; Miami 124.515
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 7; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 8; 189
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+8); Under

Game 705-706: New Orleans at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 112.497; Portland 117.135
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 4 1/2; 181
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 8 1/2; 185
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+8 1/2); Under

Game 707-708: Oklahoma City at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 122.302; LA Lakers 125.801
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 3 1/2; 207
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 1; 201
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-1); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 29

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WASHINGTON (11 - 38) at INDIANA (29 - 20) - 3/29/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 23-42 ATS (-23.2 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 65-87 ATS (-30.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 23-36 ATS (-16.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 6-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 7-2 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (29 - 22) at MIAMI (35 - 13) - 3/29/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 86-65 ATS (+14.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 46-29 ATS (+14.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 137-103 ATS (+23.7 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
DALLAS is 54-30 ATS (+21.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 32-14 ATS (+16.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 45-26 ATS (+16.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
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 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 8-3 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (13 - 37) at PORTLAND (23 - 27) - 3/29/2012, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 27-51 ATS (-29.1 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.

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

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OKLAHOMA CITY (38 - 12) at LA LAKERS (31 - 19) - 3/29/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 107-69 ATS (+31.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 130-104 ATS (+15.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 68-48 ATS (+15.2 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 41-26 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 62-79 ATS (-24.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 52-67 ATS (-21.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 22-34 ATS (-15.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-6 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 9-5 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 29

Hot Teams
-- Mavericks won six of last eight games, but lost eight of ten on road; they're 5-1 as road underdogs of 4+ points.
-- Hornets won three of their last four road games; they're 16-9 as road underdogs this season.
-- Oklahoma City won its last four games; they're 6-0 vs spread on road in games where spread is 2 or less points. Lakers won 11 of last 13 at home, but are 0-5 vs spread in last five home games.

Cold Teams
-- Pacers are 2-6 as home favorites of 8+ points. Washington is 5-11-1 as a road underdog of 8+ points.
-- Heat lost last two games, by 16-15 points; they're 5-1 as home faves of less than nine points.
-- Trailblazers lost 11 of their last 16 games.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Wizards: Had last 2 nites off. Pacers: 6th game/8 nites.
-- Mavericks: 2nd game/5 nites. Heat: Had last two nites off.
-- Hornets: 6th game/9 nites. Blazers: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Thunder: 3rd game/5 nites. Lakers: 3rd game/5 nites.

Totals
-- Last eight Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Last six Miami home games stayed under. Four of last five Dallas road games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Portland home games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last ten Thunder games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Pacers are 2-6 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Hornets are 4-0 vs spread when playing second straight nite on road.

NBA

Thursday, March 29

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Indiana
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing Washington

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dallas's last 10 games
Dallas is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Miami is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Dallas
Miami is 1-7-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Dallas

10:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PORTLAND
New Orleans is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
New Orleans is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 9 games when playing New Orleans
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans

10:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. LA LAKERS
Oklahoma City is 5-18 SU in their last 23 games when playing LA Lakers
Oklahoma City is 2-3-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
LA Lakers are 18-5 SU in their last 23 games when playing Oklahoma City

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NBA

Thursday, March 29

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Game of the day: Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat
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Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat (-8, 189)

THE STORY: Dallas and Miami meet for the second time this season in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals. The Heat got a bit of revenge with a 105-94 win over the Mavericks on Christmas Day. If they want to make it two in a row over their Western rivals, they'll need to snap an offensive funk and overcome a finger injury to LeBron James. James is expected to play despite dislocating the middle finger on his non-shooting hand Monday.

TV: TNT, 8 p.m. ET

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (29-22): Back-to-back wins over Houston has Dallas on track. The Mavericks have won six of their last eight games to jump to fifth in the Western Conference standings. Dallas got a big boost from its bench Tuesday, with the reserves contributing 48 points and outscoring the starters by six. Dirk Nowitzki was the only member of the starting five in double figures, scoring 21 points. He’s been red hot in recent games, averaging 25.6 points in his last nine outings.

ABOUT THE HEAT (35-13): Even before injuring his finger in Monday’s loss to Indiana, James wasn’t playing his best basketball. He’s averaging just over 18 points and shooting 39 percent from the field in his last five games. The finger injury, along with a sore ankle and nagging right elbow could be the cause for his drop in production. Miami is averaging only 89.8 points over the last six games after leading the league in scoring for most of the season. Coach Erik Spoelstra denies that his team is running on empty and says that the decline is more about defenses stiffening with the playoffs around the corner. Miami is in danger of losing three straight games for just the second time this season.

TRENDS:

- Dallas is 3-7 against the spread in its last 10 road games.
- Miami is 0-4 against the spread in its last four vs. the Western Conference.
- Dallas is 13-3-1 against the spread in its last 17 games in Miami.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Miami has taken back-to-back double-figure losses - the first time it has done so since adding James and Chris Bosh.

2. Dallas center Brendan Haywood and guard Delonte West could both return from injury Thursday.

3. Dwyane Wade became just the second player in NBA history 6-foot-4 or shorter to recorded 600 career blocks, stuffing four shots in Monday’s loss.

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NBA

Thursday, March 29

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pick 'n' roll: Thursday's best NBA bets
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (-1, 201)

There’s never a dull moment with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Andrew Bynum became the latest Laker to find himself in coach Mike Brown’s doghouse after he put up an ugly trey attempt in Tuesday’s win over Golden State.

Bynum only played 5:17 in the second half after the miss and the Lakers ended up dropping the cash as 7-point favorites in the 104-101 win.

"I don't know what was bench-worthy about the shot, to be honest with you," Bynum told reporters after the game "I made one (vs. Memphis) and I wanted to make another one. I swear, that's it. I guess he took offense to it, so he put me on the bench."

Brown is obviously trying to put his stamp on the team and this tough love might be good for the Lakers down the road. However, they’ve covered only once over the last seven and it’s tough to back them here with the Thunder riding a four-game winning streak.

Pick: Thunder

New Orleans Hornets at Portland Trail Blazers (-8.5, 184.5)

While the Portland Trail Blazers are still hanging around in the playoff hunt, they’re still very much a work in progress.

Oklahoma City emphasized that with 109-95 blowout Tuesday night after jumping out to a quick start.

“A 32-point first quarter, a 33-point second quarter,” Portland coach Kaleb Canales told reporters of the Thunder’s early attack. “We didn’t bring our hard hats in the first half to defend, and Durant and Westbrook played like all-pros.”

The good news for the Blazers is that Raymond Felton is expected to return to the team after visiting with his mother while she underwent a heart procedure.

Portland has also covered the number in each of its last three meetings with the lowly Hornets.

Pick: Trail Blazers

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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:05 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Florida at Minnesota
The Wild look to take advantage of a Florida team that is 2-8 in the last 10 meeting between the two teams. Minnesota is the pick (+120) according to Dunkel, which has the Wild favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+120). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MARCH 29

Game 51-52: Pittsburgh at NY Islanders (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.710; NY Islanders 12.225
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 53-54: Philadelphia at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.278; Toronto 10.324
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-150); Over

Game 55-56: Tampa Bay at New Jersey (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 11.299; New Jersey 10.941
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-210); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+175); Over

Game 57-58: Washington at Boston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 10.469; Boston 12.223
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-200); Under

Game 59-60: Florida at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 10.362; Minnesota 11.284
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-140); 5
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+120); Under

Game 61-62: St. Louis at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 10.663; Chicago 11.871
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-105); Over

Game 63-64: San Jose at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 10.143; Phoenix 11.559
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2;
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-125); 5
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-125); Over

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:09 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 29

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PITTSBURGH (47-23-0-6, 100 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (32-33-0-11, 75 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 13-4 (+5.6 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 13-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS 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=-0.8 Units)

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PHILADELPHIA (44-24-0-8, 96 pts.) at TORONTO (33-35-0-9, 75 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 20-12 ATS (+6.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
TORONTO is 15-22 ATS (+37.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
TORONTO is 8-15 ATS (-7.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
TORONTO is 8-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 9-2 (+5.3 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 9-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.3 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (35-34-0-7, 77 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (43-28-0-6, 92 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 94-184 ATS (+339.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
NEW JERSEY is 43-33 ATS (+81.5 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 19-13 ATS (+34.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NEW JERSEY is 24-9 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 50-35 ATS (-1.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 92-83 ATS (+179.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 51-41 ATS (+101.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 27-22 ATS (+55.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 0-5 ATS (-7.0 Units) in home games after a non-conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 8-3 (+3.2 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 8-3-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.1 Units)

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WASHINGTON (38-31-0-8, 84 pts.) at BOSTON (45-28-0-3, 93 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 14-25 ATS (-24.0 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 25-27 ATS (-19.6 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 19-18 ATS (-12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BOSTON is 6-11 ATS (-14.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 21-20 ATS (-18.2 Units) second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 6-5-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.2 Units)

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FLORIDA (37-24-0-15, 89 pts.) at MINNESOTA (31-35-0-10, 72 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 261-298 ATS (-90.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
FLORIDA is 130-165 ATS (-73.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 31-53 ATS (+92.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 11-23 ATS (+39.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 10-26 ATS (-16.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 10-25 ATS (+40.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 2-1-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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ST LOUIS (48-20-0-9, 105 pts.) at CHICAGO (42-26-0-9, 93 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 8-19 ATS (+28.5 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 307-329 ATS (+684.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
ST LOUIS is 48-29 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 27-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 11-6 (+2.8 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 11-6-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
10 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.9 Units)

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SAN JOSE (39-28-0-10, 88 pts.) at PHOENIX (37-27-0-13, 87 pts.) - 3/29/2012, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 39-38 ATS (-18.6 Units) in all games this season.
SAN JOSE is 6-14 ATS (-16.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 4-13 ATS (-11.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
SAN JOSE is 20-23 ATS (-14.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 4-13 ATS (-12.2 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 132-119 ATS (-54.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 22-12 ATS (+34.6 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 48-45 ATS (+0.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 123-85 ATS (+27.4 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 11-6 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 11-6-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:11 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 29

Hot teams
-- Islanders won four of their last five games. Pittsburgh split last six games, after winning previous 11.
-- Flyers won last three games, allowing two goals.
-- Tampa Bay won three of its last four games. New Jersey won five of its last seven home games.
-- Bruins won five of their last six games.
-- Blackhawks won 12 of their last 16 home games. St Louis is 12-5 in its last 17 games overall.

Cold teams
-- Maple Leafs lost their last ten home games.
-- Washington lost five of its last seven games.
-- Florida lost three of its last four games. Minnesota lost its last three games, outscored 9-3.
-- Phoenix lost five of its last seven home games. Sharks lost 11 of their last 13 road games.

Totals
-- Eight of last nine Penguin games went over the total.
-- Philly's last thirteen games all stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Lightning games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Washington road games went over total.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Florida games.
-- Five of last six St Louis games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in San Jose's last five road games.

Series records
-- Islanders lost seven of last nine games against Pittsburgh.
-- Flyers won eight of last ten games against Toronto.
-- Devils won 18 of last 22 games against Tampa Bay.
-- Caps won four of their last six visits to Boston.
-- Road team won four of last five Florida-Minnesota games.
-- Blues lost six of last seven games against Chicago.
-- Sharks lost their last three visits to Phoenix.

Back-to-Back
-- San Jose is 2-4 if it lost the night before.

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:14 AM

NHL

Thursday, March 29

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

7:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. TORONTO
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Philadelphia's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing Philadelphia

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY ISLANDERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home
NY Islanders are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. NEW JERSEY
Tampa Bay is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Jersey's last 8 games when playing Tampa Bay
New Jersey is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. BOSTON
Washington is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Washington's last 25 games when playing Boston
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Boston's last 25 games when playing Washington

8:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. MINNESOTA
Florida is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
Minnesota is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Florida

8:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CHICAGO
St. Louis is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
St. Louis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games at home

10:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games
San Jose is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Phoenix is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games

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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 10:17 AM

NHL

Thursday, March 29

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

Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto Maple Leafs (+135, 5.5)

As the Toronto Maple Leafs stumble toward a terrible finish to this season, they face a Philadelphia Flyers club that they’re hoping to emulate down the road.

By bringing in hard-nosed coach Randy Carlyle, Leafs GM Brian Burke made another point that he values team toughness – something Toronto has shown very little of this season.

Toronto was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to Carolina, the team’s 10th consecutive loss at home.

"You start every year with the goal of winning (the Stanley Cup), and the first part of that is making the playoffs," captain Dion Phaneuf told reporters. "To be out of that race is not a very good feeling. It's very disappointing for our group from where we were (in early February) and the slide we went on."

Don’t expect the Flyers to have any sympathy for Toronto. Philadelphia just dropped a 5-3 decision to Tampa Bay and is trying to hold off New Jersey for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

We like the Flyers, but this price is a little steep. We’ll jump on the over.

Pick: Over

Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins (-190, 5.5)

Washington Capitals coach Dale Hunter didn’t just classify his club’s last contest as a playoff game, he compared it to Game 7 of a playoff series.

Then the Capitals went out and took a 5-1 pounding from the Buffalo Sabres at home. After the loss, the club was trying to keep spirits up, but it’s going to be tough for the Caps to get into the playoffs now.

“It’s a tough loss, but it’s not a devastating one,” forward Brooks Laich told reporters. “We reduce ourselves to fighting every day, you don’t look any further than that. You live to fight one more day, and you make the most of your chances. All we can do is win our hockey games.”

That’s unlikely in Boston, especially with the news that center Nicklas Backstrom isn’t ready to return from his concussion quite yet.

If Boston gets a quick lead, this one could be done early.

Pick: Under

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**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 11:47 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, March 29

WASHINGTON at INDIANA, 7:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 0-4 ATS at Indiana
INDIANA: 12-26 ATS playing on BB days

DALLAS at MIAMI, 8:05 PM ET TNT
DALLAS: 12-0 ATS off division win
MIAMI: 0-9 ATS at home playing w/ 2 days rest

NEW ORLEANS at PORTLAND, 10:05 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS: 16-7 ATS as road underdog
PORTLAND: 5-10 ATS in March

OKLAHOMA CITY at LA LAKERS, 10:35 PM ET TNT
OKLAHOMA CITY: 29-16 ATS as road dog of 6 pts or less
LA LAKERS: 19-8 Over off ATS loss

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 03-29-2012, 11:50 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Thursday, March 29

PITTSBURGH at NY ISLANDERS, 7:05 PM ET
PITTSBURGH: n/a
NY ISLANDERS: n/a

PHILADELPHIA at TORONTO, 7:05 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA: 18-8 SU as road favorite
TORONTO: 0-6 SU off shut out loss

TAMPA BAY at NEW JERSEY, 7:05 PM ET
TAMPA BAY: 7-17 SU off road loss
NEW JERSEY: 15-5 SU w/ same season revenge

WASHINGTON at BOSTON, 7:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 25-12 SU off an Over
BOSTON: 13-18 SU at home off home win

FLORIDA at MINNESOTA, 8:05 PM ET
FLORIDA: 6-23 SU off road win
MINNESOTA: 13-30 SU off loss

ST LOUIS at CHICAGO, 8:35 PM ET
ST LOUIS: 1-8 SU Away w/ same season revenge
CHICAGO: 7-1 SU at home vs. St. Louis

SAN JOSE at PHOENIX, 10:05 PM ET
SAN JOSE: 15-3 SU off road loss by 3+ goals
PHOENIX: 5-15 SU revenging road loss

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 3/29 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 3/29 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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