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**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:40 PM

NBA:

04/09/2012 @ 04:05 PM NBA [502] INDIANA -10½ 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 04:05 PM NBA [504] ORLANDO -7½ 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 04:05 PM NBA [505] WASHINGTON +1½ 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 05:05 PM NBA [508] NEW ORLEANS +3 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 05:05 PM NBA [510] MEMPHIS -4 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 05:05 PM NBA [512] MILWAUKEE +3 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 06:05 PM NBA [513] GOLDEN STATE +9 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 06:05 PM NBA [513] TOTAL o210½ 1.91
(GOLDEN STATE vrs DENVER)

04/09/2012 @ 06:05 PM NBA [516] MINNESOTA +2½ 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 06:05 PM NBA [517] SAN ANTONIO +2 1.91

04/09/2012 @ 06:05 PM NBA [517] TOTAL o208½ 1.91
(SAN ANTONIO vrs UTAH)

04/09/2012 @ 07:05 PM NBA [519] HOUSTON +2½ 1.91

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:45 PM

Diamond Trends - Monday

April 9, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Twins are 0-12 since May 10, 2011 at home after a loss and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $1245 when playing against.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Angels are 0-11-2 OU since April 12, 2011 as a favorite after a loss in which they had a higher team-left-on-base than their opponent for a net profit of $1100 when playing the under.

STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Brewers are 0-10-1 OU since April 02, 2011 when Shaun Marcum starts on the road vs a team that has averaged 7+ strikeouts per game for a net profit of $1000 when playing the under.

MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:

The Marlins are 0-14 (-3.6 rpg) since August 2010 in day games after a loss where they left more on base as a team than their opponent.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

The Rockies are 0-6 since June 27, 2011 when Jhoulys Chacin starts vs a team that has lost at least their last two games for a net profit of $667 when playing against.

The Mets are 0-12 OU since July 01, 2007 when Michael Pelfrey starts within 20 cents of pickem after the team won their last two games for a net profit of $1200 when playing the under.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:47 PM

Weekend Review

April 9, 2012

The first weekend of the 2012 baseball season is in the books with several surprises. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves are all 0-3 out of the gate, while playoff squads Philadelphia and Milwaukee lost two of its first three games. Don't forget that this is a very long season, but will these teams continue to struggle in the short term? Let's take a look at their early results.

Boston dropped two of its three games at Detroit in walk-off fashion, including blowing a pair of late leads in a 13-12 loss in 11 innings on Sunday. The Red Sox bullpen has been horrible with a 7.94 ERA, as the 'over' hit in each of the final two contests against the Tigers. Bobby Valentine's club heads to Toronto tonight, taking on a Blue Jays' squad that plated 17 runs in a series victory over the Indians.

The Yankees failed to escape the ALDS against the Tigers last October, as New York needs to dig out of an early 0-3 hole this season. Joe Girardi's team squandered a late lead in Friday's walk-off loss to the Rays, while Tampa Bay dominated the Bombers in the final two victories over the weekend. The Yanks were listed as short favorites in two of the losses, as they will be heavy favorites tonight at Baltimore, battling the 3-0 Orioles.

Atlanta's meltdown from last season carried over into the first weekend of this season after getting swept by a Mets' team that was predicted to finish in last place of the NL East. New York received sound pitching from starters Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey, and Jon Niese, while the Mets' offense did their job by scoring 11 runs in the final two games. The Braves didn't get much out of their lineup, plating just two runs in the first 24 innings of the series.

The Phillies and Giants met in the NLCS two seasons ago, but both these clubs combined for one win in six games to open this campaign. Philadelphia's offense is obviously going to struggle without Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the lineup, but the Phillies scored only two runs in the first two games at Pittsburgh. The Pirates cashed a pair of times in the home underdog role, including Sunday's 5-4 walk-off victory, while improving to 4-2 in the last six meetings with the Phillies.

San Francisco's vaunted starting rotation didn't register a victory as the Giants were swept by the defending NL West champion Diamondbacks. The bitter pill to swallow for Bruce Bochy's team was blowing a 6-0 lead in Sunday's shocking 7-6 defeat to Arizona. The Giants cashed the 'over' in all three games, while allowing Arizona to score 17 runs in the sweep. San Francisco continues division play on the road with a three-game swing at Colorado starting this afternoon.

The Brewers lost some pop in their lineup with the departure of Prince Fielder to Detroit, but Milwaukee's pitching let them down in losing two of three to rival St. Louis. Both Yovani Gallardo and Randy Wolf didn't look sharp in taking defeats, while hitting the 'over' in two of three opportunities. Zack Greinke turned in the only solid performance of the weekend for the Brew Crew, tossing seven scoreless innings in Saturday's shutout of the Cards.

The Angels were expected to rip the cover off the ball after signing Albert Pujols to a mega-deal before the season, but Los Angeles managed only 11 runs during a 1-2 opening weekend. Pujols started 0-3 on Friday night, but the former MVP picked up hits in three of his last seven at-bats to raise his average to .300. Kansas City's pitching received tremendous performances from Luke Hochevar and ex-Giant southpaw Jonathan Sanchez in a pair of underdog victories to capture the series.

One team to keep an eye out for is the Astros, who grabbed two of three games from the Rockies at Minute Maid Park. Houston dropped the opener on Friday, but Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris each looked sharp on the mound in wins for the Astros. Colorado's offense hit the skids after a 5-run showing on Friday by combining for five runs in the final two contests as road favorites.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:49 PM

Marlins-Phillies open 3-game set Monday afternoon

MIAMI MARLINS (1-3)

at PHILADELPHIA PHILLES (1-2)

First pitch: Monday, 1:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Philadelphia -145, Miami +135, Total: 7

Two highly-touted NL East squads off to slow starts will look to right their ships as the Marlins visit the Phillies for a three-game set starting Monday afternoon.

Anibal Sanchez takes the hill for Miami, following a season in which he posted career-highs with 196.1 innings pitched and 202 strikeouts, while notching a 3.67 ERA in his 32 starts. Although he has struggled against Philadelphia with a 5.09 ERA in his career, he seemingly turned the corner last season with a 3.41 ERA against them in five starts, fanning 9.9 Phillies per nine innings. Cole Hamels is also coming off a career-year for Philly (2.79 ERA), but may face trouble as a southpaw in this game. The cold Miami bats are due to break out, and there is no better situation for some of them than in a small ballpark like Philly’s and against a lefty. Giancarlo Stanton had a 1.042 OPS against southpaws in 2011, while 1B Gaby Sanchez and 3B Hanley Ramirez (.944 OPS in 2011) also crush against left-handers. Play on these three to break out of their early season slumps and lead MIAMI to victory as significant road underdogs.

This strong FoxSheets trend also favors the Marlins versus southpaws:

MIAMI is 57-38 (60.0%, +20.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons. The average score was MIAMI 4.6, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 1*).

The Marlins are off to a frigid start, averaging just 3.5 runs per game offensively with no patience at the dish (seven walks in four games). High-profile acquisition Jose Reyes has yet to find his groove this season and has yet to draw a walk in 18 plate appearances with his .278 BA matching his .278 OBP. Stanton is batting just .235 with no homers and no walks. Gaby Sanchez is in the worst funk of them all with his .083 BA (1-for-12) with 5 K and 0 BB in 12 at-bats. Sanchez and Stanton both mash against lefties, however, and should be in a good position to go yard in the small confines of Citizens Bank Ballpark. Look for this offense to come alive and get a solid performance from Anibal Sanchez, who showed last year he can tame the Phillies.

With just 2.0 runs per game to start the year, the Philadelphia offense is nothing to write home about either. And until Ryan Howard and Chase Utley eventually come back, it is unclear how consistently this lineup can produce. SS Jimmy Rollins will obviously improve off his .167 BA to start the season and Ty Wigginton won’t hit .125 forever, but both are past their primes and may not be capable of hitting the way they used to. Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence are hitting well, but lack protection and big bats to knock them home. Hamels, whose season last year included a WHIP at 0.99, a 14-9 record and 194 strikeouts, will need to toss a gem in this one to give the Phillies a win. While that is certainly within the realm of possibilities given his dominance last season, play against the favorites in this one.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:51 PM

Winless Yankees try to top 3-0 Orioles Monday

NEW YORK YANKEES (0-3)

at BALTIMORE ORIOLES (3-0)

First pitch: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -150, Baltimore +140, Total: 9

Despite an 0-3 record, the Yankees are heavily favored to win on the road against the undefeated Orioles on Monday night.

Although the pitching matchup isn’t too lopsided for the Yankees, Ivan Nova (16 wins in 2011) is certainly a more reliable play than Baltimore lefty Brian Matusz who posted a 10.69 ERA in 2011. New York loves playing at Camden Yards, going 89-49 (.645) all-time in the ballpark, including an 18-6 mark over the past three seasons. And although the Bombers were shut out in Sunday’s series finale in Tampa Bay, the Orioles don’t have any pitchers that can come close to matching the talent of the Rays threesome of James Shields, David Price and Jeremy Hellickson that the Yanks had to face to start the season. Although it’s a steep money line, the pick here is NEW YORK to win Monday for the first time this season.

This strong FoxSheets trend also sides with the Yankees:

JOE GIRARDI is 40-20 (66.7%, +19.5 Units) against the money line in road games after 2 or more consecutive losses as the manager of N.Y. YANKEES. The average score was N.Y. YANKEES 5.1, OPPONENT 3.5 - (Rating = 1*).

Nova (16-4, 3.70 ERA in 2011) has pitched pretty well against the Orioles in his young career, going 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 21 K in 25.1 IP against them. He’s 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in two starts at Camden Yards. Current players on Baltimore’s roster are slugging a paltry .365 in 85 at-bats against Nova, hitting just one home run. Nova is coming off a terrible preseason though. He almost lost his spot in the rotation after tallying an 8.06 ERA in 22.1 Spring Training innings.

Once upon a time, Matusz (1-9, 10.69 ERA in 2011) enjoyed facing the Yankees, posting a 2.56 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in his first five career starts against them. But last year was a different story as New York pounded the young southpaw with four homers in just 30 at-bats, saddling Matusz with a 14.85 ERA and 2.25 WHIP in those two starts. The trio of Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira has combined to hit .415 (22-for-53) with 10 extra-base hits and 22 runs in their careers against Matusz. But two New York outfielders have dreaded facing the southpaw, as left-handed-hitting Brett Gardner is 0-for-10 with 4 K and switch-hitting Nick Swisher is 1-for-16 against him.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:53 PM

Red Sox aim for first win Monday in Toronto

BOSTON RED SOX (0-3)

at TORONTO BLUE JAYS (2-1)

First pitch: Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Toronto -115, Boston +105, Total: 9

The Red Sox are still searching for their first win of the season when they head north to Toronto to begin a three-game series on Monday night.

After scoring just two total runs in its first two losses in Detroit, Boston busted out with a 12-spot in Sunday’s wild 13-12, extra-inning defeat. That doesn’t bode well for Blue Jays 21-year-old right-hander Henderson Alvarez, who has pinpoint control, but doesn’t have the stuff to overpower the stacked Red Sox lineup. Boston lefty Felix Doubront will make just his fourth career start, but he has a live fastball in the mid-90’s and is coming off a fantastic spring where he posted a 2.70 ERA. The Red Sox were 15-10 in the underdog role last season, and the offense exploded at Rogers Centre in 2011 with 8.0 runs per game thanks to a .328 BA, .397 OBP and .569 SLG. Expect Doubront to thrive with some run support and pitch his BOSTON team to the first of many victories this season.

This strong FoxSheets trend also supports the Red Sox:

BOSTON is 17-6 (73.9%, +12.4 Units) against the money line in road games vs. teams outscoring opp. by 0.5 or more runs/game on the season over the last 2 seasons. The average score was BOSTON 5.6, OPPONENT 3.2 - (Rating = 1*).

Doubront (0-0, 6.10 ERA in 2011) has struggled with his control in the big leagues, walking 18 batters in his 35.1 MLB innings. He’s never started versus the Blue Jays, but he has thrown 5.1 innings of relief against them, allowing five hits, two runs, two walks and tallying four strikeouts. Several Boston hitters destroyed Toronto pitching during the 2011 campaign. OF Jacoby Ellsbury batted .420 with a 1.225 OPS, 5 HR, 17 RBI and 22 runs in 18 meetings. 1B Adrian Gonzalez hit .385 and slugged .815, thanks to 16 extra-base hits (10 doubles, 6 homers) in 16 games. DH David Ortiz (1.155 OPS) and 2B Dustin Pedroia (.348 OBP) both had 5 HR and 13 RBI, and Kevin Youkilis smacked four homers with 14 RBI and a 1.044 OPS in 16 meetings with the Blue Jays.

Alvarez started 10 games last season, going 1-3 with a 3.53 ERA. His K-to-BB ratio was a sparkling 5.0, as he struck out 40 batters and walked only eight in his 63.2 innings of work. He pitched much better on the road than at home though. In six starts at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays went 4-2, but Alvarez posted a 4.30 ERA and allowed a .281 BA with six homers in those 37.2 innings. Although the Jays scored 17 runs in winning 2-of-3 games in Cleveland to start the season, they batted a dismal .199 with a .268 OBP. Their runs were the result of great clutch hitting, batting .310 with a .371 OBP and .517 SLG with runners in scoring position. Toronto’s hitters also struggled versus Boston last season, posting a .220 BA, .308 OBP and .354 SLG. Home-run champ 3B Jose Bautista smacked four homers in his 18 meetings with Boston, but batted just .234 with 14 strikeouts. 1B Adam Lind was even worse at .196 BA, 14 whiffs and no homers in 46 at-bats against Red Sox pitching.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 03:57 PM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 9

Not a lot of relevant info to give out this early in the season, but we'll do what we can for the first week or so, until some trends develop.

National League
ASanchez was 1-3, 3.21 in his last seven starts LY; he has a 1.71 RA in his last three road starts, and was 0-1, 5.06 in his last three starts against Philly. Hamels is 1-0, 1.69 in his last three starts, but 0-3, 4.12 in last three home starts, Marlins lost three of their first four games; Phillies lost two of first three games in Pittsburgh.

Zito was 0-3, 10.91 in his last three starts last July before getting taken out of the rotation; no idea why he's back in it. Giants opened season getting swept in Arizona; Colorado lost two of three games in Houston. Chacin had some blister issues this spring; he was 0-4, 5.25 in his last four starts LY-- Rockies scored eight runs in the four games.

Westbrook was 1-2, 5.09 in five starts last September; he was 1-0, 5.28 in his three starts vs Cincinnati LY. Reds won Bailey's last four starts LY (2-0, 3.86); he is 1-1, 5.23 in two starts against St Louis. Cardinals won three of its first four games, winning two of three in Miller Park; Reds won two of first three games, vs Florida.

EJackson was 1-1, 5.60 in four postseason starts LY; he allowed five runs in five IP in his only start LY against the Mets. Washington won two of its first three games, at Wrigley. Pelfrey was 0-3, 5.88 in his last six starts LY; he was 0-5, 5.80 in eight home starts after All-Star break. Mets are a surprising 3-0 to start the season.

Braves are off to an 0-3 start on heels of their September collapse LY. Beachy was 0-1, 5.76 in five starts last September- he didn't start any games against Houston LY. Happ was 2-0, 2.61 in his last five starts LY; he didn't start against the Braves LY. Astros won two of three vs Colorado to start their season.

Marcum was 0-3, 16.95 in his last four starts LY; word is he has a sore shoulder- his last win was here in Wrigley LY. Marcum was 2-0, 1.93 in couple starts against Cubs LY. Volstad had a 2.32 RA in his last five starts for Florida-- he was 0-2, 2.57 against the Brewers LY, but did well in both games. Both teams lost two of three games at home to start the season.

American League
Wilson makes Angel debut here, after going 0-3, 7.09 in five postseason starts for the Rangers; he had a 7.36 RA in two starts against the Twins LY. Angels lost two of three at home to the Royals to start the season; Minnesota got swept by the Orioles in Baltimore. Blackburn was 0-4, 9.36 in his last six starts last season.

Sale threw 71 innings in 58 appearances LY, all in relief; this is his first MLB start. Tomlin was 1-3, 4.84 in his last seven starts LY, 4-2, 3.60 in his last seven home starts. White Sox lost two of three in Texas to start season; Cleveland lost two of three at home to Toronto, with losses in 16-12 innings. Closer Perez has already logged a lot of work.

Red Sox got swept in Detroit this weekend, losing twice on walkoffs- their bullpen is messed up, blowing 3-run lead in 9th, 2-run lead in 11th Sunday. Doubrant was 1-2, 6.46 in three starts in 2010-- this is his first start since then. Alvarez was 1-3, 3.68 in ten starts LY, with last five all decided by one run. He blanked Boston for six innings Sept 5.

Weird that Bronx Bombers come into second series of year three games behind Baltimore, which swept Twins this weekend. Nova was 1-1, 2.70 in his last four starts LY; he was 2-0, 3.72 in three starts vs Baltimore in 2011. Matusz was 0-9, 12.93 in his last 10 starts LY, and got knocked out in second inning by Bronx, in the one game he didn't lose.

Noesi came over from Bronx in the Montero/Pineda trade; he allowed five runs in a combined 4.2 IP in the two starts he made LY, both vs the Rays. Darvish is making first US start and has 200 media members from Japan following his every move. So no pressure or anything. Seattle won three of first four games; Rangers won two of first three.

Washington scored 32 runs in winning all five of Milone's starts LY; he got dealt to Oakland in the Gio Gonzalez trade. Mendoza was 2-0, 1.84 in two starts LY; he made 14 starts for Texas in 2007-08. Royals started season by taking two of three from Angels in Anaheim. Oakland had yesterday off after losing three of first four games.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:11 PM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 9

Hot Teams
-- Raptors are 11-6 vs spread in last 17 games as a road dog.
-- Pistons are 5-3 vs spread in last eight games as a road dog.
-- Hornets won three of their last four at home (4-0 vs spread).
-- Memphis won seven of its last nine games. Clippers won eight of their last nine games (7-2 vs spread).
-- Bucks won last four games, but covered two of last seven at home.
-- Warriors covered eight of their last ten games, five in row on road.
-- Suns won/covered four of their last five games.
-- Spurs won their last eleven games (7-2-2 vs spread).
-- Portland won five of its last seven home games. Rockets won/covered four of their last five games.

Cold Teams
-- Pacers covered once in last seven games as a favorite.
-- Orlando lost five of its last six games.
-- Charlotte lost its last six home games (1-5 vs spread). Wizards lost 10 of last 11 games and five in row on road.
-- Lakers lost last two games, are 1-9 vs spread in last ten.
-- Thunder lost three of their last four games.
-- Nuggets are 4-10-1 vs spread in their last 15 games.
-- Minnesota lost four of its last five home games.
-- Jazz lost six of its last seven games (0-6-1 vs spread).

Wear-and-Tear
-- Raptors: 5th game/7 nites. Pacers: 9th game/13 nites.
-- Pistons: 4th game/5 nites. Magic: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Wizards: Last two nites off. Bobcats: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Lakers: 7th game/10 nites. Hornets: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Clippers: 4th game/6 nites. Grizzlies: 6th game/8 nites.
-- Thunder: 6th game/9 nites. Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Warriors: 5th game/7 nites. Nuggets: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Suns: 5th game/7 nites. Wolves: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Spurs: 5th game/7 nites. Jazz: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Rockets: 3rd game/4 nites. Blazers: 8th game/12 nites.

Totals
-- Last four Toronto games stayed under the total. Five of Pacers' last six games went over.
-- Five of last six Detroit road games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Washington games went over the total.
-- Last eight Laker road games went over the total.
-- Over is 8-3 in Clippers' last 11 games.
-- Under is 8-3 in Thunder's last 11 road games.
-- Five of last six Warrior road games stayed under total.
-- Over is 8-4 in last dozen Phoenix road games.
-- Six of Spurs' last seven games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Portland games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Toronto is 4-2 vs spread on road if they lost the night before.
-- Detroit is 6-8-1 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Thunder is 0-4 vs spread on road if they played at home nite before.
-- Spurs are 2-7-2 vs spread on road if they played the nite before. Utah is 5-6 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Houston is 3-8 vs spread on road if they played night before.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:28 PM

Monday's X-Factors

April 9, 2012

Toronto at Indiana

Roy Hibbert has been struggling with consistency over the past few weeks, entering the past weekend without a double-double since Mar. 17 and actually going without a rebound on Apr. 4. While Larry Bird should've docked the 7-2 Hibbert a week's pay for embarrassing himself in failing to even meet with a board by accident, the goose egg apparently served as a wake-up call. Hibbert was a beast in Friday's upset of Oklahoma City, leading the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds by dominating Kendrick Perkins. In Saturday's 86-72 loss to Boston, he was one of the few Pacers with a pulse, winding up with 17 rebounds. No one is more vital to Indiana's aspirations of claiming the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed than its All-Star Center, so count on his energy being the difference in whether the Pacers struggle with Toronto. The Raptors won't have Andrea Bargnani (calf) out there, but that actually aids the Raptors' defensive effort since active bodies Amir Johnson and Ed Davis will be over to help starter Aaron Gray if he struggles to handle Hibbert one-on-one. If he's sharp passing out of double teams and as active on the boards as he was this weekend, the Pacers are going to have an easier time covering double-digits.

Betting Notes – This will be the third and final meeting between the two teams this season. Indiana stopped Toronto in both of the first two games, with each being decided by five points (95-90, 90-85). Indiana is giving double digits tonight and the club has gone 4-0 straight up and 2-2 against the spread in this spot. The Raptors have seen the ‘under’ cash in five consecutive games, due to a lack of offensive talent.

Detroit at Orlando

Glen Davis had a fan favorite role carved out for him upon his arrival in a swap with Boston for Brandon Bass, but things haven't worked out that way. He was hoping to be more of an offensive threat than Stan Van Gundy saw him being out of the gate, so he moped and was ineffective as the primary big man off the bench. With Dwight Howard (back) out and Ryan Anderson working his way back from a nasty ankle sprain, Big Baby gets his wish to be the focal point inside in a critical game for the Magic's playoff seeding. Howard also missed last Tuesday's 102-95 loss in Auburn Hills, so Davis stepped up with 31 points and 10 rebounds on the heels of going for 18 and 16 in a loss to Denver that Howard also missed. He's averaging nearly 22 points and over 11 rebounds over Orlando's last four, so if the Magic is to get back in the good graces of a crowd that booed them lustily in Thursday's crushing loss to New York, it all falls on Davis' shoulders.

Betting Notes – Including last Tuesday’s win, the Pistons have won and covered three straight against Orlando. The Magic are 0-3 both SU and ATS in their last three home games. Orlando has allowed 104 and 103 points in the two previous games that Howard missed this season. The ‘over’ cashed in both affairs.

Oklahoma City at Milwaukee

Milwaukee sacrificed oft-injured former No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut to secure Monta Ellis' services as a closer. It looks like Ellis is game to help deliver on the Bucks' gamble, stepping up during their three-game winning streak with averages of 24 points and six assists as Oklahoma City visits. This is an identity game for the Thunder, who have stepped up their defense of late and put the clamps on the punchless Raptors on Sunday. With Thabo Sefolosha as the first line of defense and Russell Westbrook being pressed to become the lockdown defender he's athletically equipped to be, Ellis will have his work cut out for him, but it's not like he's a stranger to being the focal point of defenses. He's gotten accustomed to finding sweet spots at the Bradley Center over the past week, playing consecutive home games for the first time since being acquired in mid-March. How he fares against the Thunder will obviously be a critical factor in them covering, but may also be a great indicator in how seriously we should take Milwaukee's playoff push going forward.

Betting Notes – The Bucks have gone 6-6 both SU and ATS as home underdogs this season. Milwaukee has gone 7-10 versus the Western Conference this season, which includes a 4-4 mark at home. The Bucks have been a great lean to the ‘over’ (35-19) this season, especially at home (19-6) but tonight’s total is the highest (210.5) they’ve seen posted all season. OKC has failed to score over 100 points in five straight games, which has led to a 4-1 ‘under’ record over this stretch.

L.A. Clippers at Memphis

Blake Griffin brings his lunch pail to Memphis, so what better night than to see whether Zach Randolph is truly back? The Grizzlies' anchor hasn't been himself in this shortened season because he's never really been in shape. The extra weight he was carrying cost him 37 games due to knee problems resulting from the poor conditioning and even though he returned with a 25-point outburst on March 16, he's spent the last few weeks playing catch-up. This past weekend offered a tremendous sign, as Randolph came off the bench to deliver his first back-to-back double-doubles on 2012. His run delivered victories over the Heat and Mavericks, so another high-profile game against the Clippers is sure to keep him engaged. L.A. crushed the Grizzlies on March 24, so there's a revenge factor here, especially since Randolph struggled (6-for-16) in a 101-85 loss.

Betting Notes - The Clippers have gone 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS over their last 10, with both losses coming on the road. Los Angeles has beaten Memphis twice this season, but the two games were played at Staples Center. The Grizzlies will be playing their eighth game in 10 days tonight. Total players should note that the ‘under’ is on an 8-0 run for Memphis.

San Antonio at Utah

Paul Millsap was invisible in last night's 114-104 loss in San Antonio, so as the Jazz and Spurs square off in the second night of a home-and-home, his ability to bounce back is a major question mark. Millsap has been battling an energy-sapping stomach illness and was a major factor in the Spurs jumping all over Utah to ultimately lead by 17 (57-40) at halftime. Utah's second-half surge was keyed by ever-improving Derrick Favors replacing Millsap, who finished 1-for-8 in just 21 minutes, statistically his worst career start. Millsap's ability to be better in this return game would help Utah hang with San Antonio's depth, since last night's lopsided result ensured that Gregg Popovich didn't have to play a single player over 32 minutes.

Betting Notes - The Spurs have won 11 straight (8-1-2 ATS), with five of the victories coming on the road. After winning six in a row in mid-March, the Jazz have gone 3-6 (2-6-1 ATS) in their last seven. San Antonio has won all of its last six encounters against Utah, which includes the two encounters this season.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:32 PM

Odom done playing for Mavericks

April 9, 2012

DALLAS (AP) - Lamar Odom is done after 50 games in Dallas, a mutual decision that comes with the defending NBA champion Mavericks trying to make sure they get back in the playoffs.

General manager Donnie Nelson said Monday it has been a difficult year for Odom, the team and the fans.

``The timing is what it is. These things never come at the best of times, so we felt with the playoff push coming up it was probably in everyone's interest,'' Nelson said. ``Look, it's been a frustrating situation. Lamar hasn't performed like he wants to perform, is capable of performing. He's dealt with a lot of personal issues, and at this point, we need to be able to count on some folks. It's never easy to do these things. We just need to move on. `'

Odom has been placed on the inactive list and will not play for the Mavericks, who have nine games left the regular season and are seventh in the Western Conference standings.

The NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year was traded to Dallas just before the start of the lockout-shortened season, right after the Los Angeles Lakers tried to send him to New Orleans in the Chris Paul deal that was nixed by the league.

The Lakers felt compelled to move the 6-foot-10 forward and the Mavericks considered it a low-risk move to use a trade exception from the deal that sent Tyson Chandler to the New York Knicks.

Odom never seemed happy or comfortable in Dallas, not even when wife and reality TV co-star Khloe Kardashian was in the stands just a few feet from the Mavericks bench. His averages of 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 20.5 minutes were career lows, and he was booed by the home crowd as the sluggish performances multiplied.

The low point appeared to come Saturday night, when he played just four minutes in a 94-89 loss at Memphis. Asked after the game about the situation, Odom simply shrugged his shoulders. Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, who defended Odom all season, simply said ``I'm done talking about that,'' after the Memphis game.

In a statement to ESPN.com on Monday, Odom agreed with Nelson that it was a mutual decision for him to step away from the team.

``I'm sorry that things didn't work out better for both of us,'' Odom said. ``But I wish the Mavs' organization, my teammates and Dallas fans nothing but continued success in the defense of their championship.''

Nowitzki and Jason Kidd exited practice Monday through a side door without talking to reporters.

``It's time to turn the page,'' said coach Rick Carlisle, who had grown weary of the constant questions about Odom. ``I'm not going to comment on it any further.''

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban hoped Odom could fill a void after the team decided against re-signing Chandler, considered a key piece of the championship team because of his leadership skills and strong defensive presence.

The decision on Chandler was widely viewed as something that would give the Mavericks flexibility to pursue free agents this summer - notably Dwight Howard and Deron Williams - but Cuban maintained the addition of Odom's ability to shoot, pass and defend gave the Mavs a strong chance to defend their crown.

Without Odom, the Mavericks lose their best backup to Nowitzki.

``We'll adjust. We've got other guys,'' Carlisle said. ``I really feel we have other guys that are ready to step up, so that's what we'll do.''

The Mavericks have recalled guard-forward Kelenna Azubuike from the NBA Development League. He hasn't played in the NBA since injuring a knee two seasons ago and averaged 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in seven games with the Texas Legends, who have finished their season.

``He's a hopeful short-term play, but more likely a long-term play as he's working through his injury,'' Nelson said. ``Had a real good stint in the D-League. We're looking forward to him joining the team, going through a good, solid summer. But realistically, we're looking toward next year.''

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:34 PM

Hoop Trends - Monday

April 9, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Pacers are 0-11 ATS (-6.9 ppg) since January 15, 2007 off a home loss that broke at least a three-game winning streak.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Raptors are 11-0-1 OU (13.6 ppg) since March 12, 2003 as a dog with no rest after a game on the road in which they shot less than 40% from the field.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Grizzlies are 9-0-1 OU (6.0 ppg) since November 23, 2009 after losing the previous matchup on the road in which Zach Randolph was the Grizzlies’ high scorer.

CHOICE TREND:

The Suns are 0-13-1 ATS (-9.0 ppg) since January 09, 2008 with at least one day of rest after a game in which they blocked at least 10 shots.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

The Magic are 9-0-1 ATS (7.3 ppg) since December 23, 2009 with at most one day of rest after a win in which they scored more than 25% of their points from the free throw line.

The Lakers are 9-0 ATS (7.7 ppg) since February 18, 2009 on the road after a game in which they controlled at least 60% of the available rebounds.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:37 PM

Rockets try to complete perfect trip Monday in Portland

HOUSTON ROCKETS (31-25)

at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (27-30)

Tip-off: Monday, 10:05 p.m. ET
Line: Portland -3½, Total: 196

The Rockets look to finish their dominating road trip the right way when they visit Portland on Monday night.

Houston has been on an absolute tear through the first three games of a four-game road swing, winning in Chicago, in L.A. over the Lakers, and blowing out Sacramento on Sunday night. But Portland is always tough at Rose Garden, winning five of its past seven home games. Can Houston score another road victory on Monday? For the answer, connect to the NBA Weekday Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. The NBA Pass is a phenomenal 21-9 ATS (70%) since March 28.

Houston has gotten phenomenal play out of PG Goran Dragic (10.6 PPG, 4.9 APG) since Lowry went down with a bacterial infection. Dragic has averaged 18.3 PPG on 51.2% FG, 42.5% on threes and 8.8 APG over 16 starts in place of Lowry. But Houston got a psychological boost with Lowry (15.5 PPG, 7.2 APG) returning to the court for the first time in more than a month in their 104-87 win in Sacramento Sunday night. He played 17 minutes off the bench and scored just one point while missing all three of his FG attempts, but did hand out seven assists without a turnover.

Martin (17.1 PPG) is still out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, though that might be addition by subtraction in road games, where Martin is averaging 12.4 PPG on 35.9% FG and 24.2% shooting from three on the season. SG Courtney Lee (11.0 PPG) had 25 points on 11-for-18 FG and 3-for-5 from three in Sacramento on Sunday, and is averaging 15.2 PPG in 14 starts for Martin.

Because of how lopsided Sunday’s win was, Houston was able to hold back C Marcus Camby (4.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG) to 12 minutes as he prepares to face his former team. Camby is averaging 9.0 PPG, 10.2 RPG and 2.6 BPG since moving into Houston’s starting lineup five games ago, with the Rockets going 4-1 (SU and ATS) in those games. This three-star FoxSheets trend expects the Rockets to prevail ATS:

Play Against - Home teams (PORTLAND) - revenging a straight up loss vs. opponent as a favorite, extremely tired team - playing 9 or more games in 14 days. (38-13 since 1996.) (74.5%, +23.7 units. Rating = 3*).

After an upset at Dallas Friday, the Blazers came back down to earth one night later when they were blown out in Milwaukee. Since missing the final game of March because of an elbow injury, PF LaMarcus Aldridge (21.7 PPG, 51.3% FG, 8.1 RPG) has been outstanding. He’s averaging 24.6 PPG on 52.0% FG and 7.8 RPG in five April games. PG Raymond Felton (11.1 PPG, 6.5 APG) has also strung together some huge performances of late, averaging 18.0 PPG on 56.8% FG and 53.3% from three-point land, plus 8.3 APG over the past three contests. SG Wesley Matthews (13.0 PPG) has averaged 16.2 PPG and hit 46.3% of his threes in 14 games since moving back into the starting lineup.

But the Rockets really clamped down on Aldridge in their first two meetings of the season, holding him to 17.5 PPG on just 34.3% FG. The guy who’s really burned Houston is Nicolas Batum (14.0 PPG). He’s averaged 18.4 PPG on 58.5% FG and 62.5% from three in five games against the Rockets over the past two seasons. This two-star, anti-Houston FoxSheets trend supports the Blazers:

HOUSTON is 3-13 ATS (18.8%, -11.3 Units) after having won 4 or 5 of its last 6 games this season. The average score was HOUSTON 96.8, OPPONENT 98.4 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-09-2012, 04:39 PM

Clippers, Grizzlies look to stay hot Monday night

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (34-22)

at MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (32-23)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Memphis -4.5, Total: 186

Two of the Western Conference’s hottest teams battle with home-court advantage in the postseason’s first round on the line when the Clippers visit Memphis.

L.A. has won eight of nine SU (7-2 ATS) while the Grizzlies have won seven of nine SU (6-3 ATS). Which team will stay hot on Monday night? For the answer, connect to the NBA Weekday Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. The NBA Pass is a phenomenal 21-9 ATS (70%) since March 28.

The Clippers’ recent hot streak actually started with a 101-85 home win over Memphis. PF Blake Griffin scored 20 points on just nine field-goal attempts and PG Chris Paul had 19 points and 13 assists. Randy Foye scored 18 points, hitting 4-of-8 from three-point land. C DeAndre Jordan effectively shut down Grizzlies C Marc Gasol, holding him to six points on 3-for-12 shooting.

The Griffin (20.8 PPG on 54.4% FG, 11.0 RPG) and Paul (19.3 PPG, 9.1 APG) combo has really hit its stride. Griffin is averaging 20.2 PPG on 64.5% FG and 11.7 RPG during their nine-game run, and Paul has averaged 18.6 PPG and 11.9 APG. But the difference maker has been Foye (10.6 PPG), who has provided a much-needed third option on offense. Foye is averaging 17.0 PPG and hitting 44.9% of his threes during their nine-game hot streak. This FoxSheets trend expects the Clippers to win ATS:

L.A CLIPPERS are 33-20 ATS (62.3%, +11.0 Units) after covering 2 of their last 3 against the spread over the last 2 seasons. The average score was L.A. CLIPPERS 98.8, OPPONENT 97.6.

The Grizzlies are coming off two of their best wins of the year, at Miami on Friday and then home against Dallas on Saturday. Gasol (15.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG) and PF Zach Randolph (12.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG) have actually been slumping during their recent string of strong games. Gasol is averaging just 11.8 PPG on 39.6% FG while Randolph has added just 9.6 PPG on 42.7% FG. But the perimeter players have picked it up. SF Rudy Gay (18.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG) averaged 21.0 PPG on 50.0% FG in the back-to-back wins over Miami and Dallas. PG Mike Conley (12.9 PPG, 6.9 APG) has been excellent since returning from an ankle injury, averaging 14.0 PPG and hitting 50.0% FG and 60.0% of his threes over the past four games. SG O.J. Mayo (12.5 PPG) has hit 40.5% of his threes over the past nine games. This two-star FoxSheets trend backs the Grizzlies:

L.A. CLIPPERS are 16-36 ATS (30.8%, -23.6 Units) in road games after one or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons. The average score was L.A. CLIPPERS 95.5, OPPONENT 104.3 - (Rating = 2*).

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