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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:06 AM

Sunday’s betting tips: Red Wings are ice cold

Who’s hot

NBA: The Suns are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.

NBA: The under is 6-0 in the Wizards’ last six road games.

NHL: The Islanders are 5-1 in their last six overall and the over is 4-0-1 in their last five overall.

NHL: The Ducks are 10-1 in their last 11 meetings with Edmonton.

Who’s not

NBA: The Lakers are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall and 0-6 ATS in their last six home games.

NBA: The Pacers are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.

NHL: The Red Wings are 2-8 in their last 10 overall.

NHL: The Wild are 0-4 in their last four meetings with Chicago.

Key stat

3 – Number of players from the UK who have donned the Green Jacket in the history of the Masters. That’s a total of five tournaments out of 75 that have been won by the UK, as Nick Faldo won the Masters three times (Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam won it once each). Will a fourth UK winner finally emerge in 2012? Rory McIlroy, the 54-hole leader in 2011, is the second favorite at +500 behind Tiger Woods, while Luke Donald (+1500) and Lee Westwood (+1800) are among the top five favorites. Woods, the Bay Hill champion, is going off at +400 as he bids for his first Green Jacket since 2005.

Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked

Sunday’s game between the Timberwolves and Blazers may come down to which team can field the most players. Right now it looks Portland may have the slightest of edges.

Having already lost point guard Ricky Rubio for the season, Minnesota will be without fellow point guard Jose Barea (out, thigh). Michael Beasley (doubtful, toe) and Nikola Pekovic (questionable, ankle) could also find themselves on the sideline. Pekovic had delivered five straight 20-point games before getting injured on March 19. For Portland, guard Nolan Smith (ear) is questionable and forward LaMarcus Aldridge (elbow) is doubtful.

Biggest games on the slate

Chicago Bulls at Oklahoma City Thunder (-5.5, 193)

Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (3, 186.5)

Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-173, 6)

Notable quotable

"The biggest thing is we've got to get the team playing. We need to get people back and healthy, and we need to get playing good. But instead of waiting for the cavalry, why not play right now? Where we finish is where we're going to finish, that's just the reality of the situation. But you've got to go in feeling good about yourself to give yourself an opportunity, and I can't imagine we're feeling very good about ourselves right now." – Detroit Red Wings’ head coach Mike Babcock on his team, which has lost two in a row and eight of its last 10. The Wings trail division rival Nashville by one point for the No. 4 seed (and home-ice advantage) in the Western Conference as of Saturday evening. They host Florida on Sunday.

Tips and notes

The Sony Ericsson Open final on Sunday afternoon will be the 13th career meeting between familiar foes Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Djokovic barely leads the head-to-head series 7-5 and it is all tied up 5-5 on hard courts. They have already faced each other twice this season, with Djokovic winning in five sets at the Australian Open and Murray prevailing in straight sets in Dubai. Keep in mind that Murray will be well-rested but also perhaps rusty; he has played only three matches in Miami, having received walkovers from both Milos Raonic and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic is a -200 favorite to win while Murray is going off at +250.

Sporting Kansas City is off to a big start in MLS. The team is one of just two in the entire league with no losses or ties and its 3-0 record gives it a league-leading nine points. K.C. is 1-0 on the road having defeated D.C. United 1-0 on March 10. Sunday opponent Chivas USA is 1-2 and 0-2 so far at home. In two home games Chivas has not scored a single goal. Sporting Kansas City is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings between the two squads.

Louis Oosthuizen leads the way at -17 heading into the final round of the Shell Houston Open. While Oosthuizen is the favorite to win, he is not favored over the field (he is going off at +120). The South African has only one PGA Tour win in his career, coming in surprise fashion at the 2010 British Open. However, he has pocketed two of his four European Tour victories since the British triumph. Watch out for Hunter Mahan, who stormed from ninth to second with a 7-under 65 to put him at -15. Mahan, who won the Match Play Championship earlier this season, is the second favorite at +225.

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:07 AM

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

-- Louisville was just 20-58 (34.5%) inside the arc as Kentucky held off their in-state rivals for a 69-61 win in the national semifinals.

-- They'll meet Kansas, which rallied from down 13 in the first half to beat Ohio State 64-62. Should be an interesting final.

-- Jeremy Lin needs knee surgery, is done for six weeks, so the Knicks are back to Carmelo Anthony dominating the ball every possession. Great.

-- Bronx Bombers traded their #1 minor league prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle for Michael Pineda, who is already on the DL with a bad shoulder.

-- Kansas State hired former Illinois coach Bruce Weber, which is about as good as they could have done replacing Frank Martin.

-- Have to give CBS programmers credit; putting Ohio State-Kansas as late game in twinbill was a controversial decision, but the right one.

Kentucky opened as a 6.5-point favorite for Monday's national final.

***************

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Things I'm looking for with April here.......

13) Studying the NFL schedule is always one of the highlights every spring; it comes out in a couple weeks-- will every Denver game be in primetime? Will the Saints get any night games? Which Jet-Patriot game is a Monday nighter? Lot of questions to answer there.

12) Will Bill Parcells really coach the Saints this year? What a unique situation that would be.

11) NFL Draft closes out the month; ESPN’s Todd McShay is saying Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill is just about as good as Robert Griffin III, which I strongly disagree with, but he knows more about it than I do. Time will tell. The draft is now spread over three nights and is almost always solid entertainment.

10) Rangers have won one Stanley Cup since 1940, but will be top seed in the East this year; can they parlay that into their first title since 1994? NHL playoffs are always great fun.

9) How many star players will miss the NBA playoffs because of injury? The condensed schedule was a stupid idea, but as long as the owners make money, who cares if the product suffers? And it is suffering.

8) Now that Eldrick Woods has ended his winning drought, will he keep on winning and get another green jacket? My theory was that he wouldn’t win, but if he did, he would win several times, not just once.

7) New baseball season starts Thursday; I’m not optimistic for my A’s, but I do think they have their best coaching staff they’ve had since the Larussa days and they won’t go in the tank late in the season. They’ll compete every night, but they’re talent-shy.

6) Looking forward to seeing the new ballpark in Miami, and also changes that were made at Citi Field. How hitter-friendly is the Queens ballpark now? Enough to revitalize David Wright’s career?

5) Red Sox fired their manager LY, a guy who won them two World Series; they let their GM and closer walk. Will they be any better? Something tells me they’re going to miss Mr Francona a lot more than they think.

4) How much of an immediate impact will the Dodgers see from getting out from under the cloud of Frank McCourt? Having Magic Johnson is an owner will be tremendous in the community, but the team that takes the field won’t change much this year. The perception of that team could change a lot.

3) Chase Utley has two bad knees; Ryan Howard has a surgically repaired Achilles tendon, which won’t be ready for games until Memorial Day or so. The Phillies’ position players are old and tattered; can the stellar starting pitching keep them atop an improved NL East?

2) College basketball coaching carousel will start spinning Tuesday morning; Mississippi State-Kansas State-Colorado State are three of the better jobs still available. Lot of talent coming back next year at both K-State and Colorado State; they both should be tournament teams.

1) Who is going to win the national title Monday night? Its been a fun and educational college basketball season; we’ve already started preparing for next season. Lot of work to do in the next month, before my annual spring vacation. April should be a very interesting month.

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:07 AM

NASCAR betting: Goody’s Fast Relief 500 preview and picks

Welcome to the world according to Tony Stewart. As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the smallest track on the circuit, Martinsville Speedway for Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500, Stewart aims to continue his early-season momentum.

Stewart’s season thus far though has a lot of people wondering just what he’s up to. Based on his past history, Stewart shouldn’t be winning this early in the season. Of his 46 career victories, only six came before June and only four came prior to race No. 10.

Yet, he rolls into Martinsville with two wins in the first five races this season. Overall, Stewart has now won seven of his last 15 starts.

Last week, Stewart was our spoiler at California and that’s exactly what he did, charging to the front and winning the rain-shortened race. Expect him to repeat that at Martinsville, where he takes over the role of favorite this week.

Stewart staged an amazing pass late in October’s race there and went on to victory, giving him three wins at the .526-mile track. Stewart says he loves racing old school-style at Martinsville.

“It’s still that old short-track feel. That’s what I like,” Stewart said. “We run a lot of 1.5-mile tracks during the year and it’s the only place that races like this. We’ve got two half-mile tracks that we race on. This one’s quite a bit different than Bristol, and that’s what makes it fun. You can out-brake guys and you can run the outside if you get a shot. It’s racing the way we all grew up racing.”

Just because Stewart is on top of the world right now doesn’t mean he can’t be knocked off it. In the other three races this season, his average finish is 17.3. Should he be off his game Sunday, there is a driver ready to pounce.

Jimmie Johnson is the guy Stewart passed in those closing laps to win at Martinsville in October. Johnson is second among all active drivers in wins there with six and is looking for redemption Sunday.

“I do have a lot of success at Martinsville, “Johnson said. “I certainly want to get back to my winning ways there. When I think of how close we were to victory last fall; it didn’t happen, but we led a lot of laps and was a factor in the end. I’m looking forward to going back and trying to win there again.”

This week’s spoiler is Denny Hamlin. The Virginia native considers Martinsville his home track and he’s just behind Johnson in wins among active drivers with four. Hamlin has a victory this season and has won three of the last five races at Martinsville. He has a solid shot at joining Stewart as the only other double winner in 2012.

Head to Head

Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Jeff Gordon: The Hendrick Motorsports drivers are this week’s primetime matchup. Gordon leads all active drivers in wins at Martinsville with seven. However, his last win here came in 2005 and he seems to be somewhat off his game this season.

Earnhardt has never won at Martinsville, but seems to be building momentum. While the odds to win are against both drivers this Sunday, look for Earnhardt to continue moving forward and finish ahead of Gordon.

Brian Vickers vs. Kevin Harvick: Vickers returns to the seat for Michael Waltrip Racing Sunday. His last outing came at Bristol, where he finished a surprising fifth. Harvick is the defending winner of this race but has been slow out of the gate. Harvick will become the 50th driver to start 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup races Sunday and will at least finish ahead of Vickers Sunday.

Bottom line

Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position - the furthest back a race winner has started.

Picks

Tony Stewart(+700)
Jimmie Johnson (+500)
Denny Hamlin (+500)

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:08 AM

MLB primer: National League Central preview and odds

No division lost more name power than the National League Central, which is why experts aren’t predicting much for this group.

But the fact remains that this division is used to proving people wrong. After all, who thought this bunch would produce two playoff teams last year - St. Louis and Milwaukee - and have one of them win the World Series?

Let’s examine all six teams and their strengths and weaknesses as we wait for the 2012 season to begin:

Milwaukee Brewers

Last year's record: 96-66
This year's season win total: 85
Odds to win the NL Central: +228

WHO'S IN: Aramis Ramirez, Alex Gonzalez, Jose Veras
WHO'S OUT: Prince Fielder, Craig Counsell, Casey McGehee, Yuniesky Betancourt, LaTroy Hawkins, Takashi Saito

TEAM STRENGTH: Power. Even with Prince Fielder gone, this is a light-pitching division and there are bats abound in this lineup. Give credit to Milwaukee for adding Gonzalez (15 homers last season with Atlanta) and Ramirez (26 with the Cubs), as they form a neat bond with Ryan Braun (161 career homers). The Prince is gone, but the power isn’t.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Bullpen. It’s more of an unknown than a weakness. The numbers look good but closers are such a delicate bunch and Year 3 with John Axford might be a telling one. You can’t argue with his 71 saves and Francisco Rodriguez is there to back him up. But hitters in this league are tough to fool over the long haul, especially when you’re pitching one inning per appearance. With a solid staff in front of him, there should be plenty of opportunities for Axford. Only time will tell if he’s worth of star status.

St. Louis Cardinals

Last year's record: 90-72
This year's season win total: 84.5
Odds to win the NL Central: +238

WHO'S IN: Carlos Beltran, J.C. Romero, Alex Cora
WHO'S OUT: Albert Pujols, Edwin Jackson, Ryan Theriot, Nick Punto, Gerald Laird, Octavio Dotel

TEAM STRENGTH: Experience. No one is going to discount the loss of Pujols. But there are still many pieces on this roster that led St. Louis to a title last season. Hard to believe that kind of seasoning won’t help in a weak division. Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina are just a few of the names and now they have Beltran in the mix. Things aren't so bad in St. Louis, Pujols or not.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Health. Though he appears ready to go, there might be too much being placed at the feet of Adam Wainwright. A No. 1 or No. 2 starter might be too large a role for a pitcher who missed the entire 2011 season following Tommy John surgery. Of course, the weak division will help. But there has to be a question mark surrounding Wainwright.

Cincinnati Reds

Last year's record: 79-83.
This year's season win total: 87.5
Odds to win the NL Central: +153

WHO'S IN: Mat Latos, Ryan Madson, Sean Marshall, Jeff Francis, Ryan Ludwick, Wilson Valdez
WHO'S OUT: Ramon Hernandez, Francisco Cordero, Travis Wood, Edinson Volquez, Dontrelle Willis, Edgar Renteria

TEAM STRENGTH: Offensive balance. Lot of experts like the Reds in this division because they lost the least in the offseason. And when you throw the likes of Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen in the lineup everyday - health permitting - you're going to score some runs. Outfielder Drew Stubbs, who stole 40 bases last season, may complete the picture but needs to improve on last year's .243 BA.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Bullpen. It all seemed so perfect with Madson, who had 32 saves for Philadelphia last year, in the fold. But he’s injured now and manager Dusty Baker told reporters this week that he’d like to use a closer-by-committee approach. A lot of critics point to the theory that if you have two or more closers, you don’t have any closers. It could cost Cincinnati some close games.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Last year's record: 72-90
This year's season win total: 73
Odds to win the NL Central: +3164

WHO'S IN: Erik Bedard, A.J. Burnett, Rod Barajas, Clint Barmes, Nate McLouth, Casey McGehee
WHO'S OUT: Derrek Lee, Ryan Ludwick, Paul Maholm, Ronny Cedeno, Ryan Doumit, Jose Veras

TEAM STRENGTH: Runs. Perhaps one of the more underrated lineups, this team can drive them in and added some punch in the offseason to supplement that. Neil Walker drove in 83 runs last season and Andrew McCutchen knocked in 89 more. And lost in the mix appears to be McGehee, who drove in 104 runs for Milwaukee in 2010. If they make the most of their at-bats, the Pirates will do some damage in this division.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. Barajas will be a veteran presence to lean on behind the plate and Bedard could be special. But the loss of Burnett to an eye injury might be tough to overcome. Jeff Karstens had a 3.58 ERA last year and was a great story along the way. But it's doubtful he'll be able to keep that pace up and if Bedard stumbles in his first stint in the National League, there might be some trouble on the mound.

Chicago Cubs

Last year's record: 71-91
This year's season win total: 74.5
Odds to win the NL Central: +1923

WHO'S IN: Paul Maholm, Chris Volstad, Ian Stewart, David DeJesus, Andy Sonnanstine
WHO'S OUT: Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Pena, Sean Marshall

TEAM STRENGTH: General management. While this year’s going to be a tough one, new GM Theo Epstein will slowly implement his styles, his strategies, and piece this franchise back together. He will have the money to do so, and he’s got the experience to make it count. For now, when Stewart - a career .236 hitter - is your most experienced infielder, you’re in trouble.

TEAM WEAKNESS: First base. A lot will be expected of Bryan LaHair, who takes over for Pena and could be there for a long time. He has the tools and he hit .262 BA last year with five homers in limited action. But first base for the Cubs is a marquee, pressure-packed position. We'll see if he can hold up over 162 games.

Houston Astros

Last year's record: 56-106
This year's season win total: 63
Odds to win the NL Central: +13314

WHO'S IN: Jed Lowrie, Chris Snyder, Livan Hernandez, Zach Duke
WHO'S OUT: Mark Melancon, Clint Barmes, Jason Michaels

TEAM STRENGTH: First base. Carlos Lee has carved out quite a career for himself, and though not many people have noticed him through the years, he’s still going on a bad team. He hit .275 BA last season with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs, as the Astros sunk to the bottom of the league. There’s no more Hunter Pence to pair him with and there’s not much to be optimistic about in Houston overall. But Lee is a bright spot, for sure.

TEAM WEAKNESS: Bullpen. Brett Myers, who saved 21 games with the Phillies in 2007, will give the closer role a crack, though he hasn't posted a save in four years. The good news for Myers is that he will likely not have all that many opportunities to fail on a team this bad.

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:08 AM

NBA

Sunday, April 1

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NBA on ABC: What bettors need to know
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Chicago Bulls at Oklahoma City Thunder (-5.5, 193)

THE STORY: The Oklahoma City Thunder, riding a five-game winning streak, turn their attention to the top contender from the Eastern Conference when they host the Chicago Bulls Sunday afternoon. The matchup between the teams with the two best records in the league will lose a little of its luster due to the absence of Bulls point guard and reigning MVP Derrick Rose, who will sit out his 10th consecutive game because of a groin injury.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE BULLS (42-11, 32-21 ATS): Winners of six of seven, Chicago has gone 7-2 without Rose and holds a 3.5-game lead over Miami for the top seed in the East. The Bulls have clamped down defensively in winning the past two games after having surrendered over 100 points in each of the previous two. Chicago has held five of its last seven opponents to 82 points or fewer and ranks second in the league with an average of 88.6 points allowed per game.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (39-12, 29-22 ATS): Oklahoma City is at the other end of the spectrum, leading the league in scoring at 103.7 points per game. After playing .500 ball for most of the month, the Thunder have turned it up a notch, dusting the Miami Heat and beating the Los Angeles Lakers on the road during the five-game winning streak. Point guard Russell Westbrook shredded the Lakers for 36 points and is averaging 31.5 points and 6.4 assists in the past four games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Bulls are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Oklahoma City.
* Bulls are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Road team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Oklahoma City leads the league in home wins (22-4) while the Bulls are first in road victories (21.5).

2. G Richard Hamilton may return for Chicago, which is 22-0 when holding opponents under 91 points.

3. Thunder superstar Kevin Durant has been held under 20 points only twice in the past 44 games.

PREDICTION: Thunder 101, Bulls 94

Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (+3, 186.5)

THE STORY: Although the Boston Celtics have climbed into first place in the Atlantic Division on the heels of a four-game winning streak, they'll be taking a step up in class when they host the Miami Heat Sunday afternoon. Miami owns the best home record in the league but has struggled on the road. The Heat have lost their last seven regular-season games in Boston, although they won at TD Garden in eliminating the Celtics from the playoffs last season.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE HEAT (37-13, 25-25 ATS): Miami is coming off a 113-101 win in Toronto that gave the team a 4-6 road record in March. Chris Bosh tormented his former team with 30 points and eight rebounds. He is averaging 21.1 points in his last seven games. In last season's playoff series against Boston, he was more of a presence on the boards than offensively, averaging 12.8 points and 10.2 rebounds. Forward Udonis Haslem will be back with the team after sitting out Friday's game due to personal reasons.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (29-22, 25-26 ATS): Boston has won four straight despite the absence of shooting guard Ray Allen, who has sat out five straight games with an ankle injury. He was a late scratch Friday and could be ready for Sunday. Allen scored a season-high 28 points in a loss at Miami in December and put up a season-best 35 points in 2010-11 in a victory at Miami. Forced to play center due to injuries, Kevin Garnett has averaged 23.3 points in his last three games.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Boston.
* Home team is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
* Heat are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Heat are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings in Boston.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Miami is 12-0 when Bosh scores at least 24 points.

2. Boston has a seven-game home winning streak and hasn't lost at TD Garden since Feb. 15.

3. Heat superstar LeBron James is averaging 30.4 points lifetime against the Celtics.

PREDICTION: Heat 97, Celtics 94

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NBA

Sunday, April 1

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Pick ‘n’ roll: Sunday’s best NBA bets
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Denver Nuggets at Orlando Magic (-5.5, 201.5)

The Magic will be looking to bounce back from a 100-98 homes loss to Dallas on Friday in which it blew a late lead and turned the ball over 16 times, including 12 times in the second half.

“You turn the ball over 12 times in the second half, and almost all of ’em go for baskets the other way, and that’s what got ’em back in the game,” Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy stewed afterward. “That’s where the problem is. We keep doing it and doing it and doing it and doing it, and it’s an area we’re just not getting better in. We’re just not.

“Until we get that under control we have no chance to beat good teams on a consistent basis.”

The Magic, which lost by 22 points at New York on Wednesday and coughed up the basketball on 18 occasions, will be going up against another pretty good team in the Nuggets. Denver is an even 5-5 in its last 10 overall (3-7 ATS) and is clinging to one of the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

Pick: Nuggets

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers (-10.5, 197)

The Monta Ellis trade was a move for the future, because the Warriors certainly aren’t going anywhere this season. And the trade, as expected, certainly hasn’t paid any immediate dividends.

Seven-footer Andrew Bogut, acquired from Milwaukee in the deal, is still out with an ankle injury. Stephen Curry, who made Ellis expendable, has a recurring ankle problem and will be sidelined until mid-April. Andris Biedrins (groin) is questionable for Sunday’s contest.

Golden State has not been winning games, but it at least has been competitive. Mark Jackson’s squad is just 2-9 in its last 11 overall but is 9-5 ATS in its last 14. The Warriors are also 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games.

The Lakers have been winning their fair share of contests (9-4 in their last 13 overall), but they have not done so convincingly. They are 0-4 ATS in their last four overall, 0-4 ATS in their last four against the Western Conference, and 0-6 ATS in their last six at home.

L.A. will be playing on back-to-back days after edging lowly New Orleans 88-85 at the Staples Center on Saturday.

Pick: Warriors

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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:10 AM

NHL

Sunday, April 1

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Capping the NHL Eastern Conference playoff race
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The NHL season is about to come to an abrupt stop whether teams are ready for it or not.

There’s a week remaining in the regular season and while many contending clubs have already secured a spot in the playoffs, a handful are fighting for their postseason lives.

The teams, teetering on playoff fence, can provide solid betting value by rising to the occasion with added motivation or falling apart at the seams under the intense pressure.

Here’s a look at the clubs duking it out down the stretch in the Eastern Conference:

All records as of March 31.

Florida Panthers (37-25-16 – Third place)

It seems insane to say the No. 3 team in the conference is still battling for a postseason spot at this point in the year. But, this is life in the terrible Southeast Division, where the Panthers are sweating it out with Washington hot on their heels. Heading into the weekend, Florida has a four-point lead over the Capitals and will likely need five points in their final four games to clinch the division.

The Panthers were hoping to put some distance between themselves and the Caps on Friday but were dealt a 4-1 loss by Columbus. The game before that, they fell to Minnesota. In fact, Florida has only one win in its last six games despite playing a who’s-who of NHL basement-dwellers. The Cats wrap the schedule against Detroit, Winnipeg, Washington and Carolina, which beat Florida 3-1 a week and a half ago.

Ottawa Senators (39-28-10 – Seventh place)

The Sens currently sit seventh in the East but are anything but guaranteed a postseason ticket. Ottawa overcame a three-game slide with a huge win over Pittsburgh and an even more important victory over Winnipeg - a longshot in the Eastern race. It netted 14 total goals in those two wins, compared to only two during those three straight losses.

The Senators may need all the goals they can get after netminder Ben Bishop went down with a groin injury versus the Penguins. The team is juggling goalies, giving struggling Craig Anderson the start against the Jets. With such a young roster it will be interesting to see how the Sens respond in these final games, which feature Philadelphia, the Islanders, Carolina, New Jersey and Boston.

Washington Capitals (39-31-8 – Eighth place)

The Capitals nearly doomed their playoff hopes after letting a two-goal lead over Boston disappear late in the third period Thursday. They managed to salvage a shootout win and got some help from the rival Penguins, who dropped Buffalo 5-3 Friday night. Washington can move as high as No. 3 in the Eastern Conference standings if they can climb past Florida in the Southeast.

The Capitals were hoping to have all their stars back for this final push but goalie Tomas Vokoun reinjured his tender groin in the first period against the Bruins. However, sniper Nicklas Backstrom is scheduled to return soon. Washington is finally getting consistent production from Alex Ovechkin, who has 14 points in his last 10 games. The Caps close the sked against Montreal, Tampa Bay, Florida and the Rangers.

Buffalo Sabres (38-30-10 – Ninth place)

The Sabres were surging, especially after a huge 5-1 win over Washington on Tuesday. But Buffalo was dealt a wakeup call, having its five-game winning streak snapped by Sidney Crosby and the Pens on Friday. That puts the Sabres in a tough spot. They are currently tied with the Capitals but Washington owns the tiebreaker when it comes to seeding.

Buffalo’s schedule doesn’t provide much insight into its destiny. It faces rival Toronto in a home-and-home set then plays Philadelphia and Boston – two teams that have clinched playoff spots but are still battling for seeding. A loss to the Leafs in one of those two games would be crushing and nothing is for sure, even with Toronto done like dinner. The Sabres have split their four meetings with the Maple Buds this season.

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NHL

Sunday, April 1

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Capping the NHL Western Conference playoff race
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The NHL season is about to come to an abrupt stop whether teams are ready for it or not.

There’s a week remaining in the regular season and while many contending clubs have already secured a spot in the playoffs, a handful are fighting for their postseason lives.

The teams, teetering on playoff fence, can provide solid betting value by rising to the occasion with added motivation or falling apart at the seams under the intense pressure.

Here’s a look at the clubs duking it out down the stretch in the Western Conference:

All records as of March 31.

Los Angeles Kings (39-27-12 – Third place)

The Kings improved their playoff positioning with two wins in Western Canada, taking down Calgary and Edmonton on the road to hold on to the third spot in the West. Los Angeles sits just one point ahead of Dallas and Phoenix in the Pacific Division and is only two up on San Jose.

The Kings close out the schedule with a home-and-home set against the Sharks and are hoping Jeff Carter can return sooner rather than later from an ankle injury. Los Angeles faces Minnesota this weekend followed by another meeting with the Oilers on Monday.

Dallas Stars (42-31-5 – Seventh place)

A recent road trip has thrown a hitch in the Stars’ giddy-up, going 1-2 heading into Saturday’s showdown with San Jose. Dallas has split wins and losses in its last seven games and hasn’t been able to gain traction in the Pacific.

Goaltender Kari Lehtonen was chased in a 5-2 loss to Vancouver on Friday but will get the nod again this weekend. A loss to San Jose, the first of a home-and-home, could send the Stars on a downward spiral with Nashville and St. Louis remaining on the schedule.

Phoenix Coyotes (38-27-13 – Eighth place)

The Coyotes are set up to succeed in the final four games of the season, with matchups against Anaheim, Columbus, St. Louis and Minnesota giving them a solid chance to take at least six points in that span. Phoenix also has a ton of momentum after a huge 2-0 win over San Jose, which sunk the Sharks to ninth.

Goaltender Mike Smith turned away all 38 shots against San Jose and will be called upon to step up again during the home stretch. Phoenix has to keep winning with the Sharks, Kings and Stars all playing each other in the final week of the season.

San Jose Sharks (39-29-10 – Ninth place)

The Sharks used to wait until they made the playoffs to choke. But San Jose is getting its collapse out of the way, with back-to-back losses heading into the weekend. Defeats to Phoenix and Anaheim have pushed the Sharks out of the playoff picture, setting up a must-win final four games – two home-and-homes – with Dallas and Los Angeles.

San Jose’s offense appears to have checked out a week early, with just one goal on 67 shots over those losses. That seems par for the course for the Sharks, who rank tops in the NHL in shots per game (34.1) but just 16th in goals (2.6). They desperately need some finishing power if they want to make the cut in the West.

Colorado Avalanche (41-33-6 – 10th place)

The Avalanche are going to watch a lot of hockey between now and Thursday’s game against Columbus. They have 88 points and just two games remaining on the schedule, which means they’ll be cheering against their Pacific Division foes. Colorado snapped a four-game funk Friday with a road win over Calgary – the other longshot in the Western Conference playoff hunt.

The Avs close the season against the Blue Jackets and the Predators with both games at the Pepsi Center. However, they’ll have to wait five days before hitting the ice again, which could be good and bad. Any momentum from Friday’s victory will have long died but it does give Colorado time to rest its legs and settle its nerves.

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NHL

Sunday, April 1

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Ice picks: Sunday’s best NHL bets
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Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-173, 6)

The Penguins have cooled off slightly of late, having lost two of their last three and three of their last four. However, they continue to light the lamp without any trouble.

Pittsburgh has scored at least three goals in seven consecutive contests and the team has notched a whopping total of 33 goals in those seven. The Pens are coming off a 5-3 win at Buffalo on Friday.

A healthy Sidney Crosby notched one goal and three assists in Friday’s victory to reach the 600-point milestone for his career.

"He's been making it look easy," Penguins center Jordan Staal said of Crosby after the game. "He did a great job.”

The Flyers, meanwhile, drubbed Toronto 7-1 on Thursday. They have scored 14 goals in their last three outings. Philly will likely be without starting goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who chipped a bone in his right foot on March 26.

Pick: Over

Boston Bruins at New York Rangers (-139, 5)

Boston has not fared well against the Rangers of late. The Bruins are 0-3 in the head-to-head series this season and have lost five in a row overall to NYR.

Nothing suggests a turnaround will come Sunday in New York, because the Rangers (50-21-7) are playing great hockey. They are riding a four-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven.

“I think the 50 wins reflect our consistency, which I think has been our best attribute,” said Michael Del Zotto, who recorded the first two-goal game of his career in a 4-1 win over Montreal on Friday. “We’ve been a no-excuses team right from the start, we’ve just gone about our business no matter what’s been going on around us, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do these final four games.”

The Bruins are only in mediocre form. They have won three of their last four overall but have also won only five of their last 11. Boston is looking to bounce back from a 3-2 shootout loss to Washington on Thursday.

It will be the second of back-to-back games for the Bruins, who went up against the Islanders on Saturday.

Pick: Rangers

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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:10 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 1

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BOSTON (45-28-0-4, 94 pts.) at NY RANGERS (50-21-0-7, 107 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 21-21 ATS (-14.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 50-27 ATS (+5.4 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 19-5 ATS (+11.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
NY RANGERS are 19-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
BOSTON is 12-4 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NY RANGERS are 84-85 ATS (-38.0 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 30-43 ATS (-40.5 Units) in home games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 134-166 ATS (-147.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 164-171 ATS (-89.6 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 9-2 (+8.3 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 9-2-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.1 Units)

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OTTAWA (39-28-0-10, 88 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (33-33-0-11, 77 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 18-16 ATS (+38.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
NY ISLANDERS are 4-15 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 7-4 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 7-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

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FLORIDA (37-25-0-16, 90 pts.) at DETROIT (46-27-0-5, 97 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 10-25 ATS (+37.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 23-43 ATS (+70.3 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 31-55 ATS (+94.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 17-2 ATS (+13.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DETROIT is 110-43 ATS (+9.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
DETROIT is 8-12 ATS (-13.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 1-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 1-1-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.1 Units)

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MINNESOTA (32-35-0-10, 74 pts.) at CHICAGO (43-26-0-9, 95 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 246-275 ATS (-79.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 115-129 ATS (-59.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-2 (+4.3 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-2-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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PHILADELPHIA (45-24-0-8, 98 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (48-24-0-6, 102 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 15-2 ATS (+12.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 25-33 ATS (-39.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-8-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.8 Units)

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EDMONTON (31-38-0-9, 71 pts.) at ANAHEIM (33-33-0-11, 77 pts.) - 4/1/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 55-104 ATS (+201.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 31-72 ATS (+135.5 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 18-44 ATS (+81.1 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 10-33 ATS (+58.4 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 12-24 ATS (+36.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
EDMONTON is 49-106 ATS (+201.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 40-23 ATS (+63.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 52-35 ATS (+87.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 21-8 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 32-44 ATS (+85.7 Units) in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 9-1 (+7.3 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 9-1-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.1 Units)

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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 12:11 AM

NOTE:
For the initial posting of trends and indexes, we have provided information available up to the time of posting.
Additional updates for today’s games will be posted ASAP.

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 08:15 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Edmonton at Anaheim
The Oilers look to take advantage of an Anaheim team that is coming off a 4-0 loss to Phoenix and is 0-4 in its last 4 games following a loss by 3 goals or more. Edmonton is the pick (+130) according to Dunkel, which has the Oilers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+130). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Game 1-2: Boston at NY Rangers (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 11.567; NY Rangers 12.658
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-145); Under

Game 3-4: Ottawa at NY Islanders (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 10.785; NY Islanders 12.449
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+115); Under

Game 5-6: Florida at Detroit (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 10.416; Detroit 11.563
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-175); 5
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-175); Over

Game 7-8: Minnesota at Chicago (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 12.105; Chicago 10.811
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-240); 5
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+200); Over

Game 9-10: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (12:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 12.499; Pittsburgh 11.372
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-180); 6
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+160); Under

Game 11-12: Edmonton at Anaheim (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 11.930; Anaheim 10.943
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+130); Over

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 1

Hot teams
-- Rangers won last four games, allowing eight goals. Boston won six of its last eight games.
-- Senators won their last three games, scoring 18 goals. Islanders won five of their last seven games.
-- Blackhawks won 13 of their last 17 home games.
-- Pittsburgh won ten of its last eleven home games. Flyers won 12 of their last 16 games overall.

Cold teams
-- Panthers lost five of their last six games. Nashville lost eight of last ten.
-- Minnesota lost six of its last seven road games.
-- Ducks lost seven of their last eleven games.
-- Oilers lost their last two games, 3-1/4-1.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Boston road games went over the total.
-- Last four Ottawa games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-0-2 in last seven Florida games.
-- Over is 6-0-1 in Chicago's last seven home games.
-- Last seven Penguin games went over the total. Six of last seven Philly road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 10-4-1 in Anaheim's last fifteen home games.

Series records
-- Rangers won their last five games against Boston.
-- Islanders lost five of last seven games with Ottawa.
-- Red Wings won three of last four games with Florida.
-- Minnesota lost its last four games with the Blackhawks.
-- Flyers won four of last five games against Pittsburgh.
-- Ducks won ten of their last eleven games with Edmonton.

Back-to-Back
-- Bruins are 8-5 if they played the day before.
-- Ottawa is 4-3 on road if it played the night before. Islanders are 1-4 at home if they played the night before.
-- Minnesota is 1-4 on road if it played the night before. Blackhawks are 6-1 at home if they played the night before.
-- Flyers are 0-4 on road if they played at home the night before.
-- Anaheim is 6-5 when it played the night before.

NHL

Sunday, April 1

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Trend Report
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12:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 12 games when playing Pittsburgh
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
Pittsburgh is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

3:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. NY ISLANDERS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games
NY Islanders are 7-15-3 SU in their last 25 games ,when playing at home against Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the NY Islanders last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa

4:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. DETROIT
Florida is 1-3-3 SU in its last 7 games ,when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Florida's last 9 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 9 games when playing Florida
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Florida

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. NY RANGERS
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 10 games on the road
NY Rangers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games
NY Rangers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Boston

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Minnesota is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota

8:00 PM
EDMONTON vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing Anaheim
Edmonton is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Anaheim's last 23 games
Anaheim is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games at home

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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 08:26 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 1

Hot Teams
-- Bulls won six of last seven games; they're 5-1 as a road dog. Thunder won their last five games (4-1 vs spread).
-- Boston won/covered its last four games. Heat won six of its last eight games.
-- Nuggets are 11-4-1 vs spread as a road underdog.
-- Houston won/covered five of last six home games.
-- Phoenix won/covered eight of last ten home games. Hornets covered five of their last six road games.

Cold Teams
-- Wizards lost four of last five games, but are 8-3 vs spread in last 11. Raptors lost six of last eight games; they're 5-3 as home favorite.
-- Magic lost five of their last nine games.
-- Pacers won/covered twice in last eight road games.
-- Portland covered twice in its last eight home games. Minnesota lost six of its last eight road games.
-- Warriors lost last four games, but covered six of last seven on road. Lakers are 1-5 vs spread as home favorite of 9+ points.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Bulls: 3rd game/5 days. Thunder: Last two days off.
-- Heat: 3rd game/4 days. Celtics: 3rd game/5 days.
-- Wizards: 8th game/12 nites. Raptors: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Nuggets: 3rd game/5 days. Magic: 3rd game/5 days.
-- Pacers: 8th game/11 nites. Rockets: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Hornets: 4th game/5 nites. Suns: Last 3 nites off.
-- T'wolves: 4th game/6 nites. Blazers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Warriors: 8th game/12 nites. Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites.

Totals
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Chicago games.
-- Last three Miami games went over the total.
-- Last ten Washington games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Orlando games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Houston home games went over total.
-- Four of last five Phoenix home games went over total.
-- Four of last five Portland games went over total. Last three Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Golden State road games stayed under.

Back-to-Back
-- Pacers are 2-7 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Hornets are 7-3 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Lakers are 2-5 vs spread if they won the day before.

NBA

Sunday, April 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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1:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Chicago is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games
Oklahoma City is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games at home

3:30 PM
MIAMI vs. BOSTON
Miami is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
Miami is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games

6:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. TORONTO
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Toronto's last 23 games when playing Washington
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

6:00 PM
DENVER vs. ORLANDO
Denver is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Denver
Orlando is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Denver

7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Indiana's last 16 games when playing on the road against Houston
Indiana is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Houston's last 19 games when playing Indiana

9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PORTLAND
Minnesota is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Minnesota is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Portland is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games

9:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New Orleans's last 8 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
New Orleans is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Phoenix is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing New Orleans

9:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
LA Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Golden State

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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 09:16 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Miami at Boston
The Celtics look to build on their 6-0 ATS record in their last 6 home games. Boston is the pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Celtics favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (+3 1/2). Here are all of today's picks

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Game 501-502: Chicago at Oklahoma City (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 121.797; Oklahoma City 129.596
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 8; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5 1/2; 192 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-5 1/2); Over

Game 503-504: Miami at Boston (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 123.827; Boston 126.181
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 2 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 3 1/2; 186 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+3 1/2); Over

Game 505-506: Washington at Toronto (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 114.508; Toronto 121.805
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 7 1/2; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 6; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-6); Under

Game 507-508: Denver at Orlando (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 115.201; Orlando 122.192
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 7; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 5; 202
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-5); Under

Game 509-510: Indiana at Houston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 118.228; Houston 123.809
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 5 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 3 1/2; 192 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-3 1/2); Over

Game 511-512: New Orleans at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 114.321; Phoenix 122.548
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 8; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 10 1/2; No Total
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+10 1/2); N/A

Game 513-514: Minnesota at Portland (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 112.803; Portland 118.760
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 6; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 4; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-4); N/A

Game 515-516: Golden State at LA Lakers (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 112.040; LA Lakers 121.349
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 9 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 10 1/2; 197
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+10 1/2); Under

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 1

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CHICAGO (42 - 11) at OKLAHOMA CITY (39 - 12) - 4/1/2012, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 131-104 ATS (+16.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 47-26 ATS (+18.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games this season.
CHICAGO is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 38-24 ATS (+11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 2-2 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 2-2 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (37 - 13) at BOSTON (29 - 22) - 4/1/2012, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 148-191 ATS (-62.1 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
BOSTON is 13-31 ATS (-21.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 11-7 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 11-7 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (12 - 39) at TORONTO (17 - 35) - 4/1/2012, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 20-30 ATS (-13.0 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 42-67 ATS (-31.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 24-42 ATS (-22.2 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in road games off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 33-57 ATS (-29.7 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (28 - 24) at ORLANDO (32 - 20) - 4/1/2012, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
DENVER is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in road games this season.
DENVER is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 24-37 ATS (-16.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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INDIANA (30 - 21) at HOUSTON (28 - 24) - 4/1/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 20-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 240-187 ATS (+34.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 2-2 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 2-2 straight up against INDIANA 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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NEW ORLEANS (13 - 39) at PHOENIX (25 - 26) - 4/1/2012, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 6-5 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (25 - 28) at PORTLAND (24 - 28) - 4/1/2012, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 7-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 8-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (20 - 30) at LA LAKERS (32 - 20) - 4/1/2012, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 21-30 ATS (-12.0 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
LA LAKERS are 59-84 ATS (-33.4 Units) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 29-43 ATS (-18.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 16-34 ATS (-21.4 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 2-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 18-32 ATS (-17.2 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 5-18 ATS (-14.8 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 7-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 9-1 straight up against GOLDEN STATE 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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**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 11:01 AM

NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, April 1

CHICAGO at OKLAHOMA CITY, 1:00 PM ET ABC
CHICAGO: 16-6 ATS as an underdog
OKLAHOMA CITY: 13-26 ATS on Sundays

MIAMI at BOSTON, 3:35 PM ET
MIAMI: 21-9 Under after scoring 110+ pts
BOSTON: 2-11 ATS off win by 20+

WASHINGTON at TORONTO, 6:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 4-22 ATS off home win
TORONTO: 8-1 ATS at home off home loss

DENVER at ORLANDO, 6:05 PM ET
DENVER: 12-3 ATS as road underdog of 3.5 to 6 pts
ORLANDO: 22-9 Under on Sunday games

INDIANA at HOUSTON, 7:05 PM ET
INDIANA: 12-27 ATS playing on back to back days
HOUSTON: 18-9 ATS in home games

NEW ORLEANS at PHOENIX, 9:05 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS: 5-0 ATS playing 2nd road game in 2 days
PHOENIX: 11-3 Under vs. Southwest Division

MINNESOTA at PORTLAND, 9:05 PM ET
MINNESOTA: 4-13 ATS after scoring 85 pts or less
PORTLAND: 6-17 ATS off ATS win

GOLDEN STATE at LA LAKERS, 9:35 PM ET
GOLDEN STATE: 8-0 ATS Away off BB losses
LA LAKERS: 4-12 ATS off win by 6 pts or less

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 11:03 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Sunday, April 1

BOSTON at NY RANGERS, 7:05 PM ET (TC)
BOSTON: 8-14 SU revenging 2 straight losses where opp scored 3+ goals
NY RANGERS: 19-6 SU after scoring 4+ goals last game

OTTAWA at NY ISLANDERS, 3:05 PM ET
OTTAWA: 12-6 SU off road win
NY ISLANDERS: 5-15 SU as home underdog of +100 to +150

FLORIDA at DETROIT, 4:05 PM ET
FLORIDA: 9-0 SU off BB non-conf games
DETROIT: 13-18 SU off a loss

MINNESOTA at CHICAGO, 7:05 PM ET
MINNESOTA: 14-6 SU Away off home win
CHICAGO: 6-16 SU off road game where both teams scored 3+ goals

PHILADELPHIA at PITTSBURGH, 12:35 PM ET (TC)
PHILADELPHIA: 13-0 SU off 1 goal loss
PITTSBURGH: 24-9 SU playing 3rd game in 4 days

EDMONTON at ANAHEIM, 8:05 PM ET
EDMONTON: 1-9 SU vs. Anaheim
ANAHEIM: 0-5 SU at home off BB division games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

**Udog** · 04-01-2012, 08:19 PM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Kansas vs. Kentucky
The Wildcats look to take advantage of a Kansas team that is coming off a 64-62 win over Ohio State and is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games following an ATS victory. Kentucky is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Wildcats favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-6). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, APRIL 2

Game 613-614: Kansas vs. Kentucky (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas 74.827; Kentucky 83.082
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 8 1/2; 143
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 6; 139
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-6); Over

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, April 2

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KANSAS (32 - 6) vs. KENTUCKY (37 - 2) - 4/2/2012, 9:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 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 1-0 against the spread versus KANSAS over the last 3 seasons
KENTUCKY is 1-0 straight up against KANSAS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NCAAB

Monday, April 2

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Kansas vs. Kentucky: Who'll cover the spread?
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Over 10,000 college basketball games have been played this season to determine the matchup for Monday’s national championship game.

For a matchup of this magnitude, we got the help of two guys who’ve written previews for a good chunk of those games to help us determine which team – Kentucky or Kansas – will cover the spread.

Kansas vs. Kentucky (-6, 137.5)

Why Kansas will cover

Larry Hartstein explains why he thinks the Jayhawks will rock - and shock – big chalk Kentucky.

Defensive efficiency

Kentucky might have the nation’s top shot blocker, but no team is playing better defense than Kansas.

The Jayhawks came into the tournament ranked fourth nationally in defensive efficiency, then turned it up a notch. In five NCAA games, Kansas has held opponents to 35.3 percent shooting (107 of 303).

Kansas has its own shot-blocking machine in 7-foot Jeff Withey. He swatted seven in the semifinal win, altered several others, and harassed Jared Sullinger into a 5-of-19 nightmare.

With Withey, star forward Thomas Robinson and 6-8 Kevin Young, the Jayhawks won’t be intimidated by Kentucky’s size. Kansas just dominated the glass, 42-30, against one of the nation’s top rebounding teams, while Kentucky just gave up 16 offensive rebounds.

Tyshawn Taylor

Here’s the best sign for Kansas: the Jayhawks advanced despite a poor shooting night from Tyshawn Taylor, as Travis Releford and Elijah Johnson combined for 28 points (on 11-of-16 shooting) and 16 rebounds.

Now Taylor, the senior point guard, should win his matchup with freshman point guard Marquis Teague. It will be a breath of fresh air for Taylor after getting pestered by the nation’s top defensive guard, Aaron Craft. If Taylor gets going offensively, this game goes down to the wire.

Coaching

Coach Bill Self is 3-0 all-time in the Final Four -- including the 2008 final when he beat another more talented team coached by John Calipari. Self’s Jayhawks trailed Memphis by nine with 2:12 left in that championship game. The Tigers didn’t foul in the final moments with a 3-point lead, enabling Mario Chalmers to nail the trey that sent the game to overtime.

Self’s 2012 team didn’t make the same mistake Saturday. We’ll take the coaching edge, and the generous points.

Why Kentucky Covers

David Purdum tells us why he thinks the Wildcats will run wild on Kansas.

Talent Gap

Only one team has the ability the turn the national championship game into a laugher – Kentucky.

With a roster full of future pros, the Wildcats can play at a level that the Jayhawks can only admire.

Kentucky has six players considered among the top 100 NBA prospects, including the likely No. 1 and 2 overall picks in Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist respectively.

Don’t underestimate this talent gap.

This is a Kansas team that lost to Davidson. Kentucky overwhelmed its non-BCS conference opponents by an average of 28.5 points.

When John Calipari goes to his bench, he brings in future pro Darius Miller. When Bill Self goes to his bench, he brings in Connor Teahan. Again, talent gap.

Easy buckets

The Wildcats had nine dunks against Louisville. Does Kansas have that many in the tournament?

Ask Butler how important it is to get easy baskets in a big-stage title game. The Bulldogs never recovered from a dismal shooting start in 53-41 loss to UConn in last year’s national championship game.

Where are the easy baskets going to come from for Kansas? If Thomas Robinson struggles against Kentucky’s length—much like he did in the KU’s Big 12 tournament loss to athletic Baylor—the Jayhawk guards better get off to a hot start. Point guard Tyshawn Taylor is 0-for-the-tournament on 3-pointers.

Kansas was on the verge of getting run out of the gym against Purdue and Ohio State, but neither the Boilermakers nor Buckeyes could deliver the dagger. Kentucky has the firepower on both ends of the court to finish off the Jayhawks.

Kentucky is 77-1 under Calipari when holding an opponent to 67 points or fewer. Kansas has surpassed the 67-point plateau just once in its five tournament games.

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Announcement

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 4/1 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Sunday's Trends and Indexes - 4/1 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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