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**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 05:45 PM

Red Sox Host Yankees Amid Fenway Celebration

The Boston Red Sox hosting the New York Yankees is always an event in itself, but even more so this Friday afternoon with Fenway Park’s 100th Anniversary celebration.

We’ll feature that 3:05 p.m. (ET) game in a little bit, but first look at Wednesday night history. Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee threw 10 shutout innings at San Francisco, but his team still lost 1-0 in 11. The total of the game was 5½ and the Phils’ quiet bats without Ryan Howard (Achilles) and Chase Utley (knee) have helped cause a 5-7 start, last in the NL East.

Philadelphia will be back in action Thursday night at San Diego. Vance Worley and the visitors are 120 favorites with a total of 6½. Rookie Joe Wieland pitches for the Padres, allowing six runs in five innings at the Dodgers in his first career start. Don Best Sports analyst Kenny White looks for an outstanding effort from Worley in this one.

Friday night has an intriguing one with Milwaukee (-120) hosting Colorado. The total is 8½ and shaded to the ‘over.’ This is a good pitching matchup of righties with the Brew Crew’s Shaun Marcum (1-1, 3.46 ERA) against Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 5.63 ERA). Milwaukee (6-7) just took two of three at home against a hot Dodgers outfit, while Colorado (6-6) just finished a 9-game homestand at 5-4.

Switching back to Boston and Fenway Park, historians (and super-huge baseball fans) can tell you that the first game played there was the Red Sox beating the NY Highlanders 7-6 in 11 innings. Thomas J. 'Buck' O'Brien was the winning pitcher.

The Red Sox could use O’Brien, a 20-game winner for the 1912 team, in the rotation with a 6.20 team ERA that is worst in the majors. They have lost 3-straight and are currently in the AL East basement at 4-8. Most talk has been about fiery new manager Bobby Valentine already butting heads with players like Kevin Youkilis. Former manager Terry Francona also made headlines by refusing to attend this celebration before finally relenting.

Clay Buchholz (1-0, 9.82 ERA) will start this game and Boston is projected to be small -115 favorites by Don Best. The total is 9½-and shaded to the ‘over.’ Texas scored 24 runs in beating the Sox the last two nights and White sees Boston as a ‘play against team’ for now.

New York is 6-6 pending a Thursday night home finale with Minnesota, and sends Ivan Nova (2-0, 4.15 ERA) to the mound on Friday. The ground ball pitcher was an eye-popping 16-4 last year (3.70 ERA), but is 0-2 with a 6.62 ERA versus Boston the last three years.

Nova’s one appearance at Fenway last year was four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in April.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 05:49 PM

Friday's Tip Sheet

April 20, 2012

**Marlins at Nationals**

--Most betting shops are listing Washington (10-4, +525) as a minus-115 favorite for the series opener between these National League East rivals. Gamblers can take the Nationals on the run line (minus 1 ½ runs) for a plus-175 payout (risk $100 to win $175).

--Davey Johnson’s club dropped an 11-4 decision to Houston last night as a minus-155 home favorite. The Nationals fell into a 5-0 hole in the first inning, only to cut the deficit to 5-4 thanks to a Ryan Zimmerman three-run homer the bottom of the third. But the Astros put up another five-spot in the fifth and cruised to victory. Washington RHP Edwin Jackson took his first loss of the season.

--Washington has still won eight of its last 10 games despite Thursday night’s loss. The Nats maintain a 1 ½-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East. They are 6-2 at home.

--Miami (7-6, +45) completed a three-game sweep of the Cubs with Thursday afternoon’s 5-3 win as a minus-150 home ‘chalk.’ Ricky Nolasco improved to 2-0 and veteran closer Heath Bell picked up his second save. Greg Dobbs had a two-run double and the Marlins, who have won five of their last six, also got a 2-for-4 effort from Hanley Ramirez that upped his batting average to .300.

--Ozzie Guillen’s squad will give Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 3.75 ERA) his third start after the right-hander pitched well in a pair of no-decisions. In his first two outings, Miami lost by one run both times, at Cincinnati (6-5) and vs. Houston (5-4). The ‘over’ has hit in both of Zambrano’s assignments.

--Washington will give the starting nod to LHP Ross Detwiler (1-0, 0.90), who won his first start against the Mets on the road and took a no-decision in a home loss to the Reds.

--The Marlins went 7-2 at Nationals Park last season and own a 26-9 ledger since the stadium opened in 2008.

--Miami’s Omar Infante has missed back-to-back games with a strained groin but is expected to return to the lineup at some point this weekend. Infante is hitting .333 with four homers and six RBIs.

--The ‘over’ is 10-3 overall for Miami, 4-2 in its road games.

--The ‘under’ is 9-5 overall for the Nats, 5-3 in their home outings.

--The first pitch from Detwiler is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern.

**Orioles at Angels**

--Most spots are listing Los Angeles (4-8, -774) as a minus-140 favorite with a total of nine flat (minus-110 either way). Bettors can back the Angels on the run line for a plus-145 payout (risk $100 to win $145).

-Baltimore (8-5 +483) took three of four against the White Sox in the Windy City, capturing a 5-3 win in Thursday afternoon’s series finale. Jason Hammel (2-0, 2.37) struck out 10 in six innings of work, while Adam Jones hit his fifth homer of the season and also had an RBI double. Jim Johnson worked a scoreless ninth to collect his sixth save.

--Baltimore LHP Brian Matusz (0-2, 8.38) will try to solve his problems when the fourth overall selection of the 2008 MLB Draft takes the hill. Matusz went 1-6 with a 10.28 ERA last year.

--The Angels will turn to RHP Jerome Williams (0-1, 16.88), who got rocked by the Yankees in the Bronx in his first start. Williams couldn’t get out of third inning in an 11-5 loss.

--Baltimore is 5-2 on the road, while the Angels took a 2-4 home mark into Thursday’s game vs. Oakland.

--The Orioles are in first place in the AL East with a one-game lead over both the Yankees and the Rays.

--Dating back to August of last season, Baltimore’s Johnson has converted 14 consecutive save opportunities.

--The ‘over’ is 7-5-1 overall for the O’s, 5-1-1 in their road assignments.

--Totals have been an overall wash for the Angels, going 6-6 overall and 3-3 in their home games.

--This game will come off the board at 10:05 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Texas remained perfect on the road with Thursday’s 10-3 series-opening win at Detroit as a minus-120 favorite. The Rangers (11-2) have won each of their six road tilts to date. They lead the AL West by four games over second-place Seattle (pending the M’s late-Thursday result).

-- The most storied rivalry in MLB history will be renewed Friday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. Eastern when the Red Sox host the Yankees in a pick ‘em affair. The total is 10 ‘over’ (minus-115).

--The Dodgers improved to 10-3 with Thursday’s 4-3 win at Milwaukee as a plus-105 underdog. Don Mattingly’s club will try to stay hot in Friday’s series opener at Houston with Ted Lilly taking the mound.

--Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp popped his seventh homer of the season and went 2-for-5 yesterday at Miller Park. Kemp is second in the NL with a .452 batting average, trailing only the Mets’ David Wright (.500).

--Best money pitcher in baseball to date? That would be Houston’s Bud Norris (+405).

--Worst? The Angels’ Dan Haren (-500).

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 05:54 PM

Yankees-Red Sox preview

April 19, 2012

When Fenway Park first opened in 1912, some of the pageantry of its debut game was taken away because of the tragic sinking of the Titanic a few days earlier. A ball game was secondary to a city that had friends and family on the ship. Fast-forward 100 years later and the city of Boston is, again, watching a sinking ship right in front of their eyes and the Captain is Bobby Valentine.
Too soon for sinking ship references?

My dearest apologies if I offended anyone!

Fenway Park opened Apr. 20, 1912 with the visiting New York Highlanders, a team that would soon become the New York Yankees. It’s appropriate that Major League Baseball would schedule this classic rivalry that has been intertwined throughout the games rich history for Fenway’s Centennial weekend.

Usually, it’s the Yankees who are public enemy number one, but after two weeks, new Sox manager Bobby Valentine is finding just how ‘smaawt’ Boston fans are. They realize that a new manager shouldn’t take over a team full of veterans that have two rings and try and change their habits, call them out in public and worst of all, lose in the process. Those tactics may work on a team with young players looking for guidance, or even in Japan as second baseman Dustin Pedroia suggested when he fought back through the media, but not a team full of millionaires that has done just about everything there is to do in baseball.

Maybe worst of all for the fans in a city where beer is an intricate part of their daily lives after a hard days work, Valentine took the Red Sox beer out of the clubhouse. That will get you booed at Fenway almost as loud as Alex Rodriguez coming to bat. And at the same time, it'll also give former manager Terry Francona a roaring welcome back cheer when he’s announced during the pre-game festivities.

It’s a rare occurrence when the Red Sox (4-8) and Yankees (6-6) meet when neither team is in first place, but that’s what's about to happen when the two teams square off this Friday.

These matchups are always compelling, gripping baseball played with more intensity than any other rivalry in baseball. However, it feels as though things have changed over the last few seasons where the games don’t feel as epic as they used to be. The Yankees will always be hated in Boston, and the Red Sox will never find any love in New York, but some of the luster does appear to be gone. Part of the reason is winning which can lead to complacency from both the players and fans and might also explain Boston‘s collapse in September last year..

The Red Sox don’t seem to have that hunger and misery that haunted generations for 86 years before finally winning a World Series in 2004. Finally beating down the Yankees, who they were down 0-3 to in the ALCS, was the ultimate achievement for all of Boston. When Boston won the World Series again in 2007, it was almost as if the hunger had completely been satisfied.

In the process, Yankee fans were no longer taunting Boston with their 26 championship rings. They were equals now and had gained the respect of New York. And when the Yankees won their 27th championship, it stung, but not like the previous 26.

With catcher Jason Varitek and pitcher Tim Wakefield retiring before this season, only David Ortiz remains from the 2004 championship team. Even the instigator to many of the exciting brawls between the two squads, Francona, is gone. This is now Bobby Valentine’s team now and it will be interesting to see how he manages in this series for the first time amid all the boos directed at him on his home field.

The main concern for the 2012 Red Sox right now is a struggling bullpen. That was the big question mark coming into the season and it got even worse when their newly acquired closer Andrew Bailey was put on the shelf until at least August with ligament damage in his thumb. Thus far, the concerns have been validated as Boston’s bullpen has the second highest ERA (6.63) in baseball.

The bullpen has been one of the only areas the Yankees have all sewn up as they have the best ERA (1.99) among all teams, but unfortunately for them, their starting pitching has been letting them down. The Yankees have the 27th worst ERA (5.77) among all starting staffs with ace C.C. Sabathia getting hit hard, Freddy Garcia looking old and Phil Hughes pitching with no confidence.

To go along with bad starting pitching, the beefy parts of the batting order are fighting to stay above the Mendoza-line. Last year’s surprise player of the year, Curtis Granderson, is hitting .208 with more strikeouts than hits. Alex Rodriguez has only two RBI’s and Mark Teixeira still hasn’t hit a home run. Russell Martin, who last year burst onto the scene with some pop, has come crashing back to earth batting .148. The one shining star in the lineup has been Derek Jeter (.389), the player who experts questioned the most coming into the season.

Boston was happy to get home last weekend and the bats came alive, but Jacoby Ellsbury is going to be out of the lineup for some time and Carl Crawford’s start to the season looks to be delayed as well. Kevin Youkilis is also showing signs of fading with a paltry .184 average and he’s not even getting walks anymore. Valentine was right about Youkilis being different, but still, the conversation should have been in Valentine’s office, not with the Boston Globe and ESPN.

So while the Yankees and Red Sox classic uniforms still represent a must-watch weekend of games, the quality of play from the teams thus far don’t come close to matching the standards set over the last decade. The main hope to keep this a bitter rivalry and distract from their actual poor play is to have one of the managers pick a fight with some mandated inside pitches. Valentine could regain some creditability with the fans by at least starting a brawl with Yankees and it could ignite the players as well.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s matchups:

Friday (MLB Network, 3:05 p.m. ET)

Ivan Nova (2-0, 4.15) vs. Clay Buchholz (1-0, 9.82): Buchholz got the win in his last outing despite giving up five runs, thanks to the Sox bats. In both of his starts he’s given up five runs or more. Buchholz gets the tough draw of Nova who just always seems to win no matter the circumstances. Nova has won 14 straight decisions dating back to last season and based on the two pitchers form, despite it being the centennial game, Nova should make it 15 straight.

Early Selection: Yankees

Saturday (Fox, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Freddy Garcia (0-1, 6.97) vs. Felix Doubront (0-0, 5.40): This has the makings of a high-scoring game and may be the only game of the series we can expect the Red Sox to win. Doubront has gone only five innings in each of his first two starts and has given up six runs, four in his last start against the Rays. Garcia has had two awful starts and been hit harder in each ensuing game. This could be a lopsided game that the Red Sox bullpen might be able to hang onto for the win.

Early Selection: Red Sox and OVER

Sunday (ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET)

C.C. Sabathia (1-0, 5.59) vs. Daniel Bard (0-2, 4.63): The Red Sox bullpen sure could use Bard right now, but his conditioning throughout spring set him up for every five days so Valentine is sticking with it. The way Bard is pitching right now he’d fit right in with the bullpen. His ERA is fortunate to be at 4.63 because he’s pitched much worse. In his last outing against the Rays he gave up seven walks and yet somehow only allowed one run. It’s possible that Jon Lester could make the start since his day was cut short Tuesday against the Rangers. Meanwhile, Sabathia tries to shake the funk against his No. 1 nemesis. Unlike last year when Sabathia had a groove going before getting slapped around by the Sox, this year he’s struggling giving up 12 runs in 19.1 innings of work. The positive for him is that he finally did beat Boston in August after losing four straight to them. He only lost eight games last season and four of them were to Boston. His fourth start should be better than his first three, so look for the Yankees to take this one.

Early Selection: Yankees

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 05:55 PM

Diamond Trends - Friday

April 20, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Tigers are 10-0 since August 16, 2011 after a loss in which their opponent left 18+ men on base for a net profit of $1135.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Angels are 0-14-2 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 $1400 when playing the under.

STARTER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Brewers are 0-6 since May 27, 2011 when Shaun Marcum starts as a home favorite in the first game of a series for a net profit of $822 when playing against.

MLB BIBLE TREND OF THE DAY:

The Yankees are 0-12 (-2.8 rpg) since 2006 after a win where they were not 150+ dogs but overcame at least a four run deficit while scoring no more than 10 runs.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

The Rockies are 0-10 since April 29, 2011 when playing a night game after a win in which they allowed 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $1150 when playing against.

The Yankees are 7-0 since June 15, 2011 when Ivan Nova starts after his team scored a total of seven or more runs in his last start for a net profit of $700

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:02 PM

MLB Series Preview: Yankees at Red Sox

NEW YORK YANKEES (7-6)

at BOSTON RED SOX (4-8)

Sportsbook.com Series Line: New York -120, Boston Even

Bitter AL East rivals look to get back on track this weekend when the Yankees open a weekend series in Boston starting Friday afternoon.

Both teams have been struggling recently, as New York split a four-game home series with the woeful Twins and the Red Sox have scored just six total runs during a three-game losing streak, all at home. This series is usually tight, but Boston has been the better play in the past three seasons, going 21-15 (+6.5 Units) against the Yankees. Both teams’ starters have been awful this season (NYY: 5.59 ERA, BOS: 5.97 ERA), but Boston has faced much better lineups this year (Detroit, Toronto, Texas) than New York has (Baltimore, L.A. Angels and Minnesota). Expect the young Red Sox arms to shine brighter this weekend, and play on BOSTON to win the series at home with even money.

This FoxSheets coaching trend also supports the Red Sox:

BOBBY VALENTINE is 60-26 (69.8%, +30.0 Units) against the money line in home games vs. good power teams - averaging 1.25 or more HR's/game in all games he has managed since 1997. The average score was VALENTINE 4.1, OPPONENT 4.0 - (Rating = 1*).

Game 1: Friday, 3:05 p.m. ET
New York -115, Boston +105, Total: 10½
Yankees starter Ivan Nova is 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA this year, but he has given up 18 hits and three homers in his 13 innings of work. But the real reason to stay away from Nova is his three career starts versus Boston when he registered a 7.05 ERA and 1.63 WHIP. He struck out just eight Red Sox and walked six in these 15.1 innings. The Red Sox will counter with Clay Buchholz who is off to a rocky start to the 2012 season (1-0, 9.82 ERA, 1.73 WHIP). He’s thrown four quality outings in seven career starts in this rivalry series though, holding the Yankees to two runs on five hits in seven strong innings the last time he faced them in May 2011. Buchholz has come up big against great teams over the past three seasons, leading Boston to a 19-6 record (.760, +12.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record. Play on BOSTON to open up the series with a victory.

Game 2: Saturday, 4:05 p.m. ET
Saturday’s matchup is tougher to call with Yankees veteran Freddy Garcia (0-1, 6.97 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) going up against Boston 24-year-old lefty Felix Doubront (0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.70 WHIP). Garcia is 9-4 with a 4.45 ERA in his long career against Boston (119.1 IP), but was smacked around by the Sox last year, allowing 11 runs (10 earned) 22 hits and 10 walks in just 19 innings (4.74 ERA, 1.68 WHIP). He’s only started at Fenway Park twice since 2005, getting a pair of no-decisions. Doubront will be making his sixth career start, but showed some signs of greatness in his last outing on Sunday against the Rays. Although he allowed four runs in five innings, he also fanned seven batters and walked just one. Although the sample size is small, Doubront has held the Yankees to a .188 BA (3-for-16) with six strikeouts and just one walk. The pick here is BOSTON in game two to give Doubront some run support by getting to Garcia early.

Game 3: Sunday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Yankees ace CC Sabathia (1-0, 5.59 ERA) takes the hill in the series finale against converted reliever Daniel Bard (0-2, 4.63 ERA). Sabathia hasn’t pitched as bad as his ERA would indicate, posting a 1.13 WHIP with 15 K and just three walks in his 13.1 innings. From 2006 to 2010, Sabathia thrived against the Red Sox, going 5-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 10 starts against them. But last year, Boston batted .333 against him in five starts, saddling Sabathia with a 6.39 ERA and 1.77 WHIP. After surrendering five runs on eight hits in just five innings in his first major-league start, Bard allowed just one run in 6.2 innings in Monday’s start versus Tampa Bay. Although he fanned seven Rays that outing, he also allowed seven walks. Bard faced the Yankees 21 times over the past two seasons with great success. In 19.1 relief innings, he posted a 2.79 ERA and .197 Opp. BA against the Pinstripes, but did allow three homers. Bard could certainly step up, but the safer play here is Sabathia to lead NEW YORK to a sweep-avoiding win on Sunday night.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:05 PM

MLB Series Preview: Rockies at Brewers

COLORADO ROCKIES (6-6)

at MILWAUKEE BREWERS (6-7)

Sportsbook.com Series Line: Milwaukee -160, Colorado +140

The Colorado Rockies take a modest two-game win streak on the road and travel to Milwaukee for a three-game weekend series with the Brewers.

This series matchup features two of the best hitters in baseball in Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki, but both have been struggling mightily to start the season. Braun, the reigning NL MVP, has just one home run and a .261 BA, going hitless in his past three games. Tulowitzki also has just one longball and a .244 BA, raking in just one hit in the team’s past four contests. Tulowitzki has received much more support this season, however with the Rockies posting a .786 OPS on the season, fourth best in baseball and second-best in the NL, compared to a .713 mark for the Brewers. While that may seem like the Rockies have the edge, their numbers are inflated by their ability to exploit Coors Field and in the early goings have been one of baseball’s worst road offenses. In three away games, the Rockies have a lowly .236 BA and .611 OPS, reflecting last year when Colorado scored the third-fewest runs in baseball on the road. Play on MILWAUKEE to take this series at home.

This FoxSheets trend also likes the Brew Crew to prevail:

MILWAUKEE is 45-17 (72.6%, +23.9 Units) against the money line in home games vs. a good bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 or better over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MILWAUKEE 5.2, OPPONENT 4.2 - (Rating = 2*).

Game 1: Friday, 8:10 p.m. ET
Milwaukee -140, Colorado +130, Total: 8
Jhoulys Chacin is Colorado’s ace, but in two starts this season, has lasted just eight innings total with eight walks and five earned runs. This could be the type of pitcher to help the Brewers break out offensively because he gives out as many free passes as anyone in baseball—he led the NL with 87 last season. Shaun Marcum takes the hill for the Brewers and he’s a pitcher always dependable for a quality start. He’s allowed just eight hits in 13 innings to start the year, surrendering just two walks. This is not an easy matchup for the Colorado lineup, take MILWAUKEE to win the series opener easily.

Game 2: Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET
In game two, the Brewers get a look at phenom Drew Pomeranz, who was hammered by the Diamondbacks in his first start of the season, giving up five earned runs on nine hits in just 4.1 innings. He goes against a fellow southpaw in Chris Narveson, who is off to a similarly shaky start with a 1-1 record after giving up five runs in four innings his last time out. The Rockies are 2-3 while the Brewers are 2-2 against lefties this year, so no team has a particular edge in that regard. It’s just tough to like Pomeranz in this road game—in his four MLB starts last season, he gave up 19 hits, five walks and 11 earned runs in 18.1 innings of duty for a 5.40 ERA. He has not yet proven that he can pitch at the game’s highest level, so play against. The pick here is MILWAUKEE in game two.

Game 3: Sunday, 2:10 p.m. ET
Jeremy Guthrie takes the hill for Milwaukee in the final game, facing 26-year-old fireballer Yovani Gallardo. Guthrie was tagged for six earned runs in each of his past two starts, but pitched through strep throat his last time out, perhaps explaining his issues. And after giving up four home runs in his first start of the year, Gallardo looks like he has figured himself out with two consecutive quality starts. The issue is he has never won against the Rockies with an 0-4 career mark against them in six career starts and seven appearances, with a 6.69 ERA in those. If history is any indicator, this may be Colorado’s best chance to steal a game in this series. Take COLORADO to avoid the sweep here.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:07 PM

Marlins seek 5th straight win visiting Washington

MIAMI MARLINS (7-6)

at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (10-4)

First pitch: Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Washington -110, Miami +100, Total: 8

A pair of surging clubs begin a three-game series when Miami visits Washington on Friday night.

The Marlins come into town with a four-game win streak, outscoring opponents 24-10 during the four-game ride. But the Nationals have also been streaking, winning eight of their past 10 contests. With an unpredictable pitching matchup (Carlos Zambrano and Ross Detwiler), the winner here will likely be the better offensive team. Nobody is hotter than Miami 3B Hanley Ramirez right now (.550 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI in past four games), and the Nats have a combined eight runs in their past three games against mediocre Houston pitching. The Marlins have also thrived in the nation’s capital going 14-4 (+14.6 Units) at Washington over the past three seasons. Take slight underdog MIAMI to open the series with a victory.

This FoxSheets trend also backs the Marlins:

MIAMI is 38-28 (57.6%, +13.8 Units) against the money line in road games vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season over the last 3 seasons. The average score was MIAMI 4.1, OPPONENT 3.7 - (Rating = 1*).

Zambrano (0-0, 3.75 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) has been erratic in his career, but he has stepped up his game against good teams, leading his team to a 40-27 record (60%) when facing a team with a winning record. He was up-and-down in his last outing against the Astros, allowing just one run in six innings, but issuing six walks before leaving with a no-decision. The big right-hander has usually enjoyed facing the Nats in his career, going 8-3 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. In his three career starts at Nationals Park, he is a perfect 3-0 with a 0.47 ERA (1 ER in 19.1 IP) and .200 Opp. BA.

Detwiler has been very effective in two starts this season (0.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP), but has lasted just five innings in both of his outings. He actually gave up five runs on six hits his last time out against Cincinnati, but only one of the runs was earned. Detwiler opened the season with five shutout frames against the Mets, allowing just two hits and one walk while fanning six. The 26-year-old lefty has never started against the Marlins, facing them just two times with four shutout innings (3 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts). But Miami’s offense is 2-0 versus left-handed starters this year, batting .303 with a .354 OBP and 11 runs in the two games.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:15 PM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, April 20

Hot pitchers
-- Lynn is 2-0, 1.50 in his first two '12 starts.
-- Detwiler is 3-0, 1.93 in his last four starts.
-- Niese is 2-0, 2.84 in his first two starts this season. Zito is 1-0, 1.69 in his first two starts, both SF wins.
-- Lilly is 4-0, 0.66 in his last four starts. Happ is 1-0, 3.75 in his first two starts this year.
-- Cahill is 1-0, 1.35 in his first two NL starts.
-- Hamels is 2-1, 2.83 in his last five starts.

-- Nova is 3-1, 3.54 in his last seven starts.
-- Harrison allowed one run in 14 IP in winning his two starts this year. Porcello is 1-0, 1.84 in two starts this season.
-- Drabek is 2-0, 2.13 in two starts this season.
-- JWilliams is 2-1, 3.90 in his last five starts.
-- Sale is 1-1, 3.09 in two starts this season.

Cold pitchers
-- Volstad is 0-1, 5.73 in his first two starts for the Cubs. Bailey is 0-2, 5.40 in his first two starts this season.
-- Zanbrano is 0-1, 7.16 in his last three starts.
-- Chacin is 0-1, 5.63 in two starts this year; he was winning Saturday, but it rained when he was up 5-1 after 4th and he had to leave. Marcum is 1-4, 9.22 in his last six starts.
-- Beachy is 0-2, 4.86 in his last three road starts.
-- Padres are 0-3 when Volquez starts (0-1, 4.77).

-- Buchholz allowed 19 baserunners, 12 runs in 11 IP this season.
-- Matusz allowed nine runs in 9.2 IP in two starts this season.
-- Moore allowed eight runs in 13 IP and two starts this year. Hendriks is 1-2, 5.22 in five starts this year and last.
-- Hochevar allowed nine runs in 10.1 IP in two starts this season.
-- Jimenez is 3-4, 4.98 in his last seven starts. Godfrey allowed seven runs in 11 IP in two starts this season.
-- Noesi allowed seven runs in 11 IP in two starts this season.

Hot teams
-- St Louis won four of its last five games. Pirates won three of their last four. Morton is 1-2, 4.94 in his last five starts.
-- Nationals won eight of their last ten games. Miami won its last four games, allowing 10 runs.
-- Giants won five of their last seven games.
-- Dodgers won 10 of their first 13 games.
-- Colorado won four of its last six games.
-- Braves won their last three games, scoring 33 runs.

-- Bronx won seven of its last ten games.
-- Rangers won 11 of first 13 games; they're 6-0 on road. Detroit won four of its last five games.
-- Rays won three of last four games; they're 3-0 at home.
-- Orioles won four of their last six games.
-- Oakland won its last three games, allowing five runs. Indians won four of their last five games.

Cold teams
-- Cubs lost their last five games, scoring 10 runs. Cincinnati lost five of its last seven games.
-- Mets lost three of last four games, allowing 23 runs in last two.
-- Astros lost four of their last five games.
-- Milwaukee lost five of its last seven games.
-- Arizona lost its last three games, scoring seven runs.
-- San Diego lost seven of its last eight games. Phillies lost four of last six games, scoring four runs in last three.

-- Red Sox lost their last three games, outscored 25-6.
-- Twins lost five of their first five road games.
-- Royals lost their first six home games. Toronto lost four of its last six games.
-- Angels lost their last three games, scoring five runs.
-- White Sox lost four of their last five games. Seattle is 4-6 in its last ten games.

Totals
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Cubs' last seven games.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Pittsburgh games.
-- Four of last five Miami road games went over the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in games at Citi Field this season.
-- Four of last five Houston home games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Five of seven Arizona home games went over the total.
-- Five of seven Philly road games stayed under the total.

-- Five of six games at Fenway Park went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Detroit games stayed under the total.
-- Minnesota's last four road games went over the total.
-- Last eight Toronto games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Baltimore games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Four of White Sox' five road games stayed under total.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:21 PM

NBA

Friday, April 20

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Game of the day: Lakers at Spurs
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Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs (-6.5, 202.5)

THE STORY: Kobe Bryant is expected to return to the lineup when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. Bryant has missed seven straight games with a left shin injury and sat out both matchups between the Lakers and Spurs, who took turns slapping each other around in the past 10 days. The Spurs lead Oklahoma City by a half-game for top seed in the West, while the Lakers are one ahead of the Clippers atop the Pacific.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, KENS

ABOUT THE LAKERS (40-23, 27-36 ATS): Los Angeles has gone 5-2 without Bryant, including a 98-84 drubbing of the Spurs in San Antonio on April 11. The Lakers have leaned on their inside duo of center Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in Bryant’s absence. Bynum has averaged 23.1 points and 14.1 rebounds in the last seven games, including a monster performance at San Antonio when he yanked down a career-high 30 rebounds. Gasol registered five double-doubles during that span, averaging 21.1 points and 10.1 boards.

ABOUT THE SPURS (45-16, 38-20-3 ATS): San Antonio has ripped off a five-game winning streak since the home loss to the Lakers. The Spurs got some big payback with a 120-91 romp in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. That was the middle game of a back-to-back-to-back through the state of California in which the Spurs posted a hefty victory margin of 22.3 points per game. Easily the league’s deepest team, San Antonio’s bench has averaged 62.3 points in its last three victories.

TRENDS:

* Lakers are 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings in San Antonio.
* Under is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings in San Antonio.
* Under is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Spurs have the best home record (25-5) in the West, but the Lakers have won their last two visits to San Antonio.

2. Bryant’s seven-game absence is his longest since sitting out 14 games in 2005.

3. The Spurs are averaging 114.2 points during their five-game winning streak.

PREDICTION: Spurs 107, Lakers 105

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:25 PM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, April 20

Hot Teams
-- Atlanta won seven of its last nine home games, covered eight of last ten overall. Celtics won seven of their last nine games.
-- Knicks won/covered six of last eight games.
-- San Antonio won/covered its last five games. Lakers won eight of their last ten road games.
-- Thunder is 6-5 vs spread in last 11 games as a road favorite.

Cold Teams
-- Memphis is 2-5-1 vs spread in its last eight games as a road favorite. Bobcats lost their last 18 games (4-14 vs spread).
-- Cleveland covered twice in its last ten home games.
-- Golden State lost its last six games (1-5 vs spread) as media folks are suggesting they may be tanking games. Denver is 4-8-1 vs spread in last 13 games as home favorite, 3-2 in last five.
-- Sacramento lost eight of last nine games (0-8-1 vs spread).

Wear-and-Tear
-- Grizzlies: 7th game/10 nites. Bobcats: 8th game/12 nites.
-- Celtics: 12th game/17 nites. Hawks: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Knicks: 3rd game/4 nites. Cavaliers: 8th game/11 nites.
-- Warriors: 3rd game/5 nites. Nuggets: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites. Spurs: 9th game/13 nites.
-- Thunder: 3rd game/5 nites. Kings: 2nd game/5 nites.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Memphis road games stayed under total.
-- Last five Atlanta home games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Cleveland home games went over total.
-- Four of last five Warrior games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Laker road games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-3 in last eleven Oklahoma City road games.

Back-to-Back
-- None

NBA

Friday, April 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. ATLANTA
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Boston is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing at home against Boston

7:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. CHARLOTTE
Memphis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Charlotte is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Charlotte is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New York's last 9 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing New York

8:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing Dallas
Golden State is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing Golden State
Dallas is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games at home

9:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. SAN ANTONIO
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the LA Lakers last 10 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Antonio's last 13 games at home

10:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Oklahoma City's last 21 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Oklahoma City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Sacramento's last 21 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Sacramento is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City

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NBA

Friday, April 20

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Pick 'n' roll: Thursday's best NBA bets
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Memphis Grizzlies at Charlotte Bobcats (13, 182)

The pathetic Bobcats have scored 67 and 68 points in their last two games, both losses of course.

And they’re still dealing with the fallout from the physical confrontation between overpaid power forward Tyrus Thomas and coach Paul Silas.

The Grizzlies’ 103-91 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday was not as close as the score indicates. Rudy Gay scored 26 points and Mike Conley had 20 points and five assists as Memphis won for the 10th time in 13 games.

Charlotte is 0-7 ATS in its last seven games as an underdog. Memphis is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 road games against teams with home winning percentages under .400.

Pick: Grizzlies

Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks (-12, 200.5)

The Warriors have dropped six straight, giving up 123, 118, 112, 112, 120 and 99 points in the process. The over is 4-2 in that span.

As the defending champs make a late push and gear up for the playoffs, they’re lighting up the scoreboard. Five of Dallas’ last six games have gone over, though two went to overtime.

Dirk Nowitzki has scored 75 points in the last two games, and at least 24 in each of the last five.

Both meetings this season between the Mavs and Warriors have gone over.

And the over is 6-0 in the Mavericks’ last six games against teams with winning percentages below .400.

Pick: Over

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:29 PM

Kobe Bryant Probable For Spurs, Lakers Tilt

The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs meet for the third time in just over a week as part of a 6-game schedule on Friday night.

Our look around the NBA begins with a review of a big Wednesday with 14 contests. One of the big ones was the Milwaukee Bucks laying an egg at Washington (121-112 as 8-point favorites) in a must-win situation. Their playoff hopes are in major jeopardy at 2½-games behind Philly for the final spot in the Eastern Conference.

Also on Wednesday was Dallas beating Houston, 117-110 as 4½-point home chalk. The Mavericks snapped a 2-game losing streak, both coming on the road in overtime, and are in sixth place of the Western Conference. The Rockets are freefalling at 0-5 SU and ATS in their last five while fighting with Utah and Phoenix for the eighth spot in the West.

Thursday has just five games with Milwaukee (+5½) back in action at red-hot Indiana (6-straight wins and 4-straight covers).

The marquee matchup has Chicago (+6) at Miami in the first half of the TNT doubleheader at 8:00 p.m. (ET). There is movement to the ‘over’ here after opening at 182 and currently at 183½. Dwyane Wade (ankle) and Luol Deng (ribs) are probable for their respective teams, while Derrick Rose (foot) has been downgraded to doubtful for the Bulls.

The Los Angeles Clippers (+2) at Phoenix finishes the TNT twinbill. There’s been movement to the ‘under’ in starting at 198½ and currently 196. Both teams played last night with the Suns losing at home to Oklahoma City (109-97) as 4-point ‘dogs after going 13-3 ATS in their previous 16 at home.

Boston at Atlanta is a key Friday clash and a likely first round playoff preview. The Celtics won both meetings this year, each by three points or less. The Hawks are playing well on both ends of the court and are 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS in their last 10. Don Best is projecting Atlanta to be a 6-point favorite with a total of 180.

Turning back to the Lakers and Spurs, these teams have split two meetings since April 11, with the road team easily winning and covering both. The Spurs won the most recent one, 112-91 in L.A. on Tuesday and Don Best is sending them out at -5½ with a total of 202.

The big story is that Kobe Bryant (shin) is probable after missing the last seven games. The Lakers were 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS in his absence with Andrew Bynum really asserting himself at 23.1 PPG over that span.

Both teams need this game, but San Antonio a little more as it controls its own destiny for best record in the Western Conference. The team is 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five, including just coming off three road games in three nights ending Wednesday.

Note the ‘over’ is also 4-1 in the Spurs’ last five, scoring 114.2 PPG.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:31 PM

Friday Tips

April 19, 2012

The final Friday card of the NBA regular season showcases six contests, including two potential playoff matchups. The Celtics and Hawks are on a collision course to hook up in the first round, while the Lakers and Spurs could potentially meet up in the Western Conference semifinals. We'll begin in Charlotte as the Bobcats look to end a hefty losing streak as large home underdogs against the playoff-bound Grizzlies.

Grizzlies at Bobcats - 7:05 PM EST

Charlotte has reached new lows this season by posting a 7-54 record, which is on pace to be historically the worst mark percentage-wise in NBA history (.114). Also, the Bobcats are riding an 18-game losing skid, the second time this season that Paul Silas' club has lost at least 16 in a row. The Grizzlies come to town off a sizzling 12-4 stretch, but Memphis is just 1-4 ATS the last five contests away from FedEx Forum.

Memphis will be a tough out in the playoffs after winning its eighth straight game at home on Wednesday over New Orleans, as that victory snapped a four-game ATS skid. The Bobcats have failed to cover in eight consecutive contests, while going 1-10 ATS the past 11 games at Time Warner Cable Arena. The 'under' may be a good look as Charlotte is 5-1 to the 'under' the last six games, while Memphis is 13-5 to the 'under' the previous 18 opportunities.

Celtics at Hawks - 7:05 PM EST

Atlanta and Boston have some history over the past five seasons, starting with their hard-fought first round series that went to the limit in 2008. The two Eastern Conference rivals could meet again in the opening round this season if the seeds hold up, as Boston tries to get healthy in time for the playoffs.

The Hawks are 11-5 SU and 10-5-1 ATS since falling to the Celtics at home on March 19 by a 79-76 count as two-point favorites. Atlanta's offense is rolling recently by compiling an 11-2 mark to the 'over' the last 13 games, while winning seven straight games when scoring at least 100 points. The Celtics will be without Rajon Rondo (back) and Ray Allen (ankle) on Friday, as Boston is 7-2 SU and 5-4 ATS the last nine games.

Knicks at Cavaliers - 7:35 PM EST

In the 20 games since Mike Woodson took over for Mike D'Antoni as head coach, New York has won and covered 15 times to creep closer to a playoff spot. The Knicks are 8-1 SU/ATS in this stretch against below .500 teams, including a blowout of the Cavs at Madison Square Garden as 11-point favorites on March 31.

Cleveland has basically packed it in after cashing five straight times in early April as the Cavs are 1-4 SU/ATS the last five contests, while losing each game by double-digits. TO make things worse for Byron Scott's squad, the Cavs have covered just once in the last 10 opportunities as a home underdog with nine losses by nine points each. The Knicks may get Amar'e Stoudemire back in the lineup after missing the last 13 games with a bulging disc in his back.

Warriors at Mavericks - 8:35 PM EST

The defending champs are play their final regular season home game before embarking on a mini two-game road trip prior to the postseason. Dallas has split its previous 10 games, which included a pair of overtime losses to the Lakers and Jazz. Golden State is doing a fantastic job by mailing in its season with six consecutive losses, while playing without its top two scorers in Stephen Curry and David Lee.

The Warriors have failed to cover five times during this six-game skid, including four-straight defeats to playoff teams (Lakers, Spurs, Clippers, and Mavericks). The last time these teams hooked up at Oracle Arena, Dallas held off Golden State, 112-103 as 6 ½-point favorites. The Mavericks are an 'over' machine as of late with six in the last eight games, while busting the 108-point mark five times in this stretch.

Lakers at Spurs - 9:35 PM EST

Kobe Bryant is expected to return to the Los Angeles lineup on Friday night in a quick revenge spot against San Antonio. The former MVP sat out the previous seven games with a shin injury, as the Lakers compiled a 5-2 SU and 4-3 ATS record. One of those losses came at home to the Spurs on Tuesday, a 112-91 thumping by San Antonio as three-point 'chalk.'

The Spurs return home following a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS road swing that including all three victories by at least 21 points. Gregg Popovich's team is covering at a ridiculous 65% clip this season (38-20-3 ATS), including a 9-1-1 ATS run the last 11 games at the AT&T Center. The lone loss came to the Lakers without Bryant on April 11 as Los Angeles stunned San Antonio as 10-point road 'dogs, 98-84.

Thunder at Kings - 10:05 PM EST

For as bad as Charlotte has been, Sacramento has one-upped them in the ATS futility department recently. The Kings last covered on April 2 in a home win over the Wolves, while delivering nine consecutive ATS losses since then (1-8 SU). Sacramento hosts Oklahoma City, who surprisingly needs to win this game for the top overall seed in the Western Conference.

The Thunder continues a five-game road trip after knocking off the Suns on Wednesday, 109-97 as four-point favorites. Oklahoma City lost in its last trip to Sacramento in early February, 106-101, the only victory for the Kings in the previous eight meetings with the Thunder. Sacramento is just 1-11 ATS the last 12 times as an underdog, while OKC owns a 4-6 ATS record the past 10 games overall.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:34 PM

Hoop Trends - Friday

April 20, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Kings are 12-0 ATS (11.2 ppg) since April 12, 2009 with at most one day of rest after a double digit loss in which they allowed at least 55% from the field.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Bobcats are 10-0 OU (16.2 ppg) since March 06, 2006 at home with at least one day of rest after a game in which they controlled 40% or less of the available rebounds.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Grizzlies are 11-0 ATS (12.5 ppg) since April 03, 2009 with at least a day of rest after a win at home in which Rudy Gay shot better than 50% from the arc.

CHOICE TREND:

The Spurs are 0-10 ATS (-8.0 ppg) since April 06, 2008 as a favorite after winning the previous matchup in which Tony Parker shot better than 66% from the field.

TODAY’S TRENDS:

The Mavericks are 11-0 ATS (5.7 ppg) since December 09, 2010 after Shawn Marion scored fewer than 10 points the last two.

The Warriors are 0-8 ATS (-11.6 ppg) since November 08, 2000 on the road with at least one day of rest after a double digit home loss in which they scored less than 15% of their points from the free throw line.

The Celtics are 9-0 ATS (13.8 ppg) since January 05, 2008 as a road dog off a win of four points or fewer in which they held a double digit lead.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-20-2012, 06:36 PM

Bryant set to return Friday in San Antonio

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (40-23)

at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (45-16)

Tip-off: Friday, 9:35 p.m. ET
Line: San Antonio -6½, Total: 202½

Kobe Bryant expects to step on the court for the first time in eight games when his Lakers visit the Western Conference-leading Spurs on Friday night.

San Antonio has won five straight games, which included a 112-91 victory over the Lakers in L.A. on Tuesday. But the last time the Spurs lost was April 11, a 98-84 home defeat to these same Lakers, who didn’t have Bryant in that game either. Who will win this marquee matchup? For the answer, connect to the NBA Three-at-Three Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. The NBA Pass is a sizzling 32-15-1 ATS (68%) in April, including a tremendous 16-4-1 ATS (80%) since April 12.

Los Angeles held strong without the NBA’s leading scorer, winning five of the seven games (4-3 ATS) in which Bryant was on the sidelines with his injured shin. The Lakers scored 100.1 PPG on 47.3% FG and 36.6% three-pointers in those seven contests, but have also given up 100.6 PPG on 47% FG and 45% threes.

Bryant (28.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.6 APG) is so important to this particular matchup, because he has 24.3 PPG in his career versus the Spurs, which includes 25.8 PPG in 21 meetings since 2005-06. C Andrew Bynum (18.9 PPG, 12.1 RPG) wasn’t much of a factor in last season’s series (7.0 PPG), but he has 18.5 PPG and 18.5 RPG in two matchups with San Antonio this year. This includes a 30-rebound night the last time he played at AT&T Center. Bynum has been unstoppable in April with 21.7 PPG and 11.7 RPG. PF Pau Gasol (17.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG) recorded a triple-double in Wednesday’s 99-87 win at Golden State, notching 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He has 21.1 PPG and 10.1 RPG in his past seven contests. SF Metta World Peace (7.6 PPG) continued his scoring surge against the Warriors with 18 points (8-of-14 FG) and nine assists. He has 11+ points in seven of his past eight games, averaging 17.1 PPG on 52% FG and 13-of-35 threes (37%). This FoxSheets trend thinks the Lakers will keep this close:

Play Against - Home teams (SAN ANTONIO) - after a road game where both teams score 100 or more points, extremely tired team - playing 9 or more games in 14 days. (46-20 since 1996.) (69.7%, +24 units. Rating = 2*).

San Antonio has been outstanding in its home arena this year, going 25-5 SU and 21-8-1 ATS (72.4%). The Spurs are outscoring these visitors 104.3 to 93.7 and outshooting them 48.1% FG (39.0% threes) to 43.8% FG (33.8% threes). San Antonio is 16-2 SU (14-3-1 ATS) in its past 18 games, scoring 107.3 PPG on 49% FG and 37% threes, while sporting a 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio over this span.

PF Tim Duncan (15.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG) did not play the last game, a 127-102 thumping in Sacramento, but he will be on the court Friday. After scoring just 4.0 PPG (5-for-26 FG) in three games versus L.A. last year, Duncan has 16.5 PPG on 16-of-28 FG (57%) in two meetings this season. PG Tony Parker (18.5 PPG, 7.7 APG) had an excellent night against the Kings with 15 points, eight assists and zero turnovers in just 25 minutes of action. He has always performed at a high level against the Lakers too (17.8 PPG on 49% FG, 5.6 APG), especially in the past six seasons where he’s averaged 20.3 PPG on 52.3% FG and 5.9 APG against Los Angeles. SG Manu Ginobili (12.7 PPG, 4.5 APG) has played sparingly over the past three games (19.3 MPG), but he has still been able to score 13.3 PPG on 56% FG (4-of-9 threes) with 13 assists and just two turnovers. His shot has not fallen in the past two seasons versus L.A. though, as he has just 10.6 PPG on 33% FG, including 5-of-24 threes (21%). This rare four-star FoxSheets trend backs the Spurs:

SAN ANTONIO is 24-7 ATS (77.4%, +16.3 Units) when playing 8 or more games in 14 days this season. The average score was SAN ANTONIO 101.6, OPPONENT 93.1 - (Rating = 4*).

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