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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:48 AM

Monday’s betting tips: Mavs still cashing as playoff underdogs

Who’s hot

NBA: Dallas is 9-1-1 against the spread in its last 11 playoff games as an underdog dating back to last season's title run.

NBA: The under is 22-5 in Miami’s last 27 home games.

NHL: The New York Rangers are 21-10 in their last 31 games as a home favorite.

NHL: Los Angeles has won four straight road games.

MLB: The over is 22-8-2 in the last 32 meetings between Minnesota and the L.A. Angels.

Who’s not

NBA: Oklahoma City is 0-4 against the number in its last four.

NBA: Indiana has dropped four straight against the spread.

NHL: Washington is 0-6 in its last six Conference Semifinal games.

NHL: St. Louis is 1-4 in its last five meetings with Los Angeles.

MLB: Texas is 6-13 in its last 19 meetings with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Key stat

22 – Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols went hitless in four trips to the plate Sunday and has yet to hit a home run through the first 22 games of the season. He snapped an 0-for-21 skid on Thursday, but is 2-for-12 with a couple of singles since then. The Angels have watched the under go 15-7 to begin the season.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Brandon Dubinsky, New York Rangers – Dubinsky sat out Game 1’s win over Washington with a knee or ankle injury and isn’t expected to play in the second game of the series. The hard-nosed center was seen on crutches Sunday, so while the team is staying tight-lipped about the injury, it could be more serious than originally thought.

Game of the day

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5, 194.5)

Notable quotable

“We’ve been careless in recent games and only have ourselves to blame for being in this position. We should have been going to City with an unassailable lead. But, instead, we are facing a very difficult game with everything at stake. Shame on us. There is no excuse. A year without a title for a club like Manchester United would be a very bad year for everyone at the club. It would be a disaster.” – Manchester United winger Nani on his team giving up its lead atop the Premier League table. If United loses to City in Monday’s Manchester derby, City will move into first place due to goal differential. United is set at +235, City is at +105, with the draw at +225.

Notes and tips

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo was hit with two technical fouls and bumped an official in the closing seconds of the Celtics' loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, causing him to be ejected from the game and leaving open the possibility that he will be suspended for Game 2 of the series. Rondo was upset when teammate Brandon Bass was called for a loose-ball foul with 41 seconds left in the Hawks' 83-74 victory in Atlanta. Rondo disputed the call and was called for a technical. He then bumped official Marc Davis, earning a second technical and automatic ejection.

The New York Yankees announced Sunday that struggling starting pitcher Freddy Garcia has been sent to the bullpen. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said it was possible right-hander David Phelps would move into the rotation. "He's pitched well enough to say that if there is a guy you want to move up that you could do that," Girardi told the New York Times on Sunday. Garcia has struggled this season as a starter. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 12.51 ERA. On Saturday, Garcia allowed six earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. It was the second game in a row he had failed to make it through two innings. Girardi said Garcia has not had the velocity or the crispness in his pitches that was expected.

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin went through some light drills on Sunday and said he hopes to return to action before the end of New York's first-round series against the Miami Heat. Lin, who had surgery on April 2 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, had a bit of a setback Sunday when he experienced soreness in his knee, but he still would like to participate in contact drills by Tuesday or Wednesday. Lin told the New York Post that he could not return earlier than next Sunday's Game 4. "I don't really want to make a promise because I just don't know," Lin told the Post on Sunday. "If I felt good today, then that would be more of a possibility. But I don't feel that great today."

Vladimir Guerrero, who is now a free agent, will work out for Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers in the Dominican Republic some time this week, MLB.com reported Sunday. Guerrero, 37, hit .290 with 13 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles in 2011, but became a free agent after the season. He wants to continue to play and had said he would consider playing in Japan. He also drew some interest from the Cleveland Indians last month.

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:48 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Baseball's statistical leaders, after 3.5 weeks of games.......

Runs scored-- Kinsler Tex 23, Kemp LA 23, Hamilton Tex 20.

RBI-- Hamilton 25, Kemp 24, Ethier LA 24, Swisher NYY 23.

On-Base %-- Wright NYM .506, Kemp .495, Willingham Min .457.

Home Runs-- Kemp 11, Hamilton 9, Granderson NYY 8.

ERA-- Saunders Mia 0.90, Beachy Atl 1.05, Strasburg Wsh 1.13.

Strikeouts-- Sabathia NYY 38, Weaver LAA 36, Garza Cubs 36.

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

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........

13) Clippers were down 27 at one point, but ended game on a 28-3 run to totally stun the Grizzlies 99-98 in the last and weirdest Game 1 played this weekend. LA lost Caron Butler with a broken hand, though.

12) There was report on Twitter Sunday that boxer Floyd Mayweather bet $1.8M on the Clippers in Game 1. Wow.

11) Kellen Moore went 50-3 at Boise Sate, couldn't get drafted; the kid at Houston started four years in the same offense as Robert Griffin III, but in C-USA, so Case Keenum had to sign with the Texans as a free agent. How does Brock Osweiler get drafted but not Moore/Keenum? Anyone?

10) ESPN's Sunday night crew is good; you actually learn stuff now, they talk about baseball like friends sitting around, which is what makes for good TV. Anyway, they said last night the Tampa Bay pitchers have the right to call off the defensive shifts, if they see fit. Rays put a lot of shifts on, they are well thought out, but the pitcher still has veto power over them.

9) Max Scherzer had no chance in the Bronx Sunday; umpire Rob Drake, whose history leans slightly toward the pitcher, refused to call strikes on the corners Sunday. Scherzer threw 119 pitches in 4.2 tedious innings- 57 of the 69 pitches Bronx hitters took were called balls.

By way of contrast, 36 of 54 pitches Tiger hitters took were called strikes.

8) Mets' SS Ruben Tejada went 10-17 in Denver this weekend, raising his batting average from .239 to .310.

7) After throwing his perfect game last week in Seattle, Philip Humber took the time to write a letter to his college coach at Rice, Wayne Graham-- this is the letter, which was posted at riceowls.com. Cool to see a guy who isn't too big to thank those who helped him along the way.

6) Angels are 7-15, nine games out of first and Albert Pujols has gone 88 ABs without a homer. Ervin Santana has lost eight straight decisions. Not a time for panic, but they'll be glad when the calendar turns to May.

5) Orioles are six games over .500 for the first time since 2005; they'll get a stern test this week when they visit the expensive ballpark in the Bronx.

4) Week-to-week fantasy leagues are lot of fun, but when guys leave games with injuries on Sundays, it makes for difficult decisions, as far as setting your lineup for the next week. Josh Hamilton/Nick Swisher both left their games on Sunday. Hamilton's situation (back) is especially puzzling.

3) Ron Washington got tossed from Sunday night's game for arguing balls and strikes after Ian Kinsler was called out in the 7th inning. Washington turned 60 years old Sunday, the 7th current manager who is 60+.

2) Jon Lester threw 122 pitches Saturday, then Josh Beckett threw 126 on Sunday; its one thing not to trust your bullpen, but you need those starting pitchers all year long. Will be interesting to track how long this goes on.

1) If the baseball playoffs started Monday morning, these would be those teams that made it (two Wild Cards in each league now).......
AL-- Orioles-Indians-Rangers-Rays-Bronx
NL-- Nationals-Cardinals-Dodgers-Braves-Mets

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:50 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, April 30

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WASHINGTON (46-34-0-10, 102 pts.) at NY RANGERS (56-25-0-9, 121 pts.) - 4/30/2012, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 10-8-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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LOS ANGELES (45-28-0-15, 105 pts.) at ST LOUIS (53-23-0-12, 118 pts.) - 4/30/2012, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 8-5 (+3.7 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 8-5-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.4 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, April 30, 2012

EC Semifinals, Game One (New York Leads, 1-0)
Washington at NY Rangers, 7:35 ET NBCSN
Washington: 8-15 SU off BB Unders
NY Rangers: 15-4 SU off BB Unders

WC Semifinals, Game Two (Los Angeles Leads, 1-0)
Los Angeles at St. Louis, 9:05 ET CNBC
Los Angeles: 2-7 SU after winning 4 of their last 5 games
St. Louis: 9-1 Under revenging a home loss

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 30

Capitals @ Rangers-- Game 1 was sluggish, with total of 32 shots on goal; NY is 3-2 at home in playoffs- they allowed five goals in last four games. Rangers are 3-2 vs Washington this season, after they beat Rangers in five games in LY's playoffs. Capitals won six of last ten games in this building. Caps are 3-2 so far on road in playoffs, with three of five games going OT. Washington has killed 25 of 27 penalties so far in playoffs; Rangers are 0-7 on power play in last two games. Would expect a much more spirited, physical game in this one.

Kings @ Blues-- Last eight series games stayed under total, which is why total of 4.5 was posted in Game 1; Kings won four of five vs St Louis during season, after losing previous seven games with Blues. Kings lost nine of last 13 games in this building, but are 4-0 on road in postseason, holding foes to six goals in their five playoff wins. Blues lost Game 1 at home to San Jose, then won last four games, allowing total of five goals, with one of the wins in OT. Under was 23-14-11 in first round of playoffs, 2-3 so far in this round.

NHL

Monday, April 30

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NY RANGERS
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
NY Rangers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games

9:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. ST. LOUIS
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Los Angeles's last 8 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of St. Louis's last 10 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis's last 8 games when playing Los Angeles

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NHL

Monday, April 30

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What bettors need to know: Monday's NHL playoff action
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Washington Capitals at New York Rangers (-150, 5)

THE STORY: Chris Kreider has quickly become a big hit on Broadway. The New York Rangers rookie had the game winner in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Washington on Saturday, and will look to continue his impressive stretch as the teams renew acquaintances for Game 2 on Monday. New York used its trademark shot blocking and solid goaltending from Hart Trophy candidate Henrik Lundqvist to strike first in the best-of-seven.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS, CBC

ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Rookie netminder Braden Holtby was the toast of DC after leading Washington to an upset of the defending-champion Boston Bruins in the first round, but he looked ordinary in Saturday's series opener against the Rangers. New York's two third-period goals were on shots Holtby felt he should have stopped. “Obviously I wasn’t real happy with it. It was a tough game, mentally wise, and I didn’t do a good enough job," he said. "Just crucial parts of the game. Those goals in the third, those are goals that I’d like to have back." Holtby is expected to get the Game 2 start.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: It hasn't taken New York fans long to jump on the Kreider bandwagon. Throngs of fans chanted his name after his third-period goal sent New York to the victory. "It was a surreal experience. I got goose bumps obviously," said Kreider, playing in just his sixth career NHL game. "I was really tired after the goal but didn’t feel so tired when they started chanting." It wasn't all good news for the Rangers, who won despite doing little at the offensive end. New York had just eight shots through the first two periods - and only three of those came from forwards.

TRENDS:
- The home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.
- The under is 2-0-2 in the last four meetings between the two teams.
- New York is 16-5 in its last 21 vs. Southeast division opponents.

OVERTIME:

1. Capitals RW Alex Ovechkin, who led Washington with 38 goals, had just one shot in more than 21 minutes of ice time in Game 1.

2. Rangers D Steve Eminger, a former Capital, returned to the lineup for the first time since spraining his ankle March 15. He finished with 4:25 of ice time.

3. Lundqvist became just the third Rangers goalie to win 20 playoff games, joining Mike Richter (41) and Ed Giacomin (29).

Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues (-160, 4.5)

THE STORY: The Los Angeles Kings upended the St. Louis Blues in the opener of their Western Conference semifinal series by beating their opponents at their own game. The Kings will look to repeat the feat Monday night as they visit St. Louis for Game 2 of the best-of-seven set. The Blues surged into the conference elite on the strength of solid defense and sensational goaltending - qualities Los Angeles exhibited in a 3-1 win in the series opener.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, CNBC, TSN

ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles is no defensive slouch itself, finishing second to the Blues in goals against in the entire conference. But while many expected the Kings' offense to struggle against St. Louis, it found just enough punch - paced by a shorthanded goal from defenseman Matt Greene - to draw first blood. Kings captain Dustin Brown credited his club with limiting St. Louis' offensive opportunities and atoning for early defensive miscues. "For whatever reason, we gave those chances up," he said. "But I think we did a pretty good job of correcting those mistakes and limiting their grade-A scoring chances the rest of the game.''

ABOUT THE BLUES: St. Louis may be without one of its key defensemen for Game 2. Alex Pietrangelo left Saturday's game with a possible concussion after he was rammed into the boards by Kings rookie Dwight King. He returned briefly before departing again, and is considered questionable for Monday. Blues forward Andy McDonald, who has missed significant time with a concussion himself, wasn't a fan of the hit. "He was in a dangerous area there, obviously," McDonald said. "You're four feet from the boards and you get pushed from behind, that's a scary hit. Hopefully he's OK. We'll have to wait and see."

TRENDS:
- The Kings have won four straight as road underdogs.
- The under is 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings between the two teams.
- St. Louis is 1-4 in the last four meetings between the two teams.

OVERTIME:

1. St. Louis went 0 for 3 on the power play in Game 1 and is now scoreless in 17 man-advantage opportunities against the Kings so far this season.

2. Pietrangelo finished third on the Blues in scoring during the regular season with 12 goals and 39 assists.

3. Greene's goal was the first shorthanded playoff tally by a Kings defenseman since Rob Blake scored one against Calgary in 1993, the year the Kings reached the finals.

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:53 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, April 30

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NEW YORK (36 - 31) at MIAMI (47 - 20) - 4/30/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 83-67 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
NEW YORK is 43-29 ATS (+11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 7-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (38 - 29) at INDIANA (42 - 25) - 4/30/2012, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 7-5 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (36 - 31) at OKLAHOMA CITY (48 - 19) - 4/30/2012, 9:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 10-7 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 9-8 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, April 30

EC Quarterfinals, Game Two (Miami Leads, 1-0)
New York at Miami, 7:05 ET TNT
New York: 11-2 ATS away off BB road games
Miami: 19-9 Under off a win by 20+ points

EC Quarterfinals, Game Two (Orlando Leads, 1-0)
Orlando at Indiana, 7:35 ET NBATV
Orlando: 15-5 Under in playoff games
Indiana: 1-10 ATS off BB home games

WC Quarterfinals, Game Two (Oklahoma City Leads, 1-0)
Dallas at Oklahoma City, 9:35 ET TNT
Dallas: 20-7 ATS in playoff games
Oklahoma City: 8-22 ATS off a win by 3 points or less

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 30

Knicks @ Heat-- Would be nice to see some competitive spirit from a New York squad that gave up 32-2 run in Game 1, and is 0-4 vs Miami this season, losing by 10-8-14-33 points- they're 2-11 overall in last 13 series tilts. Last six series games stayed under total. Knicks lost seven of last eight visits to Miami, losing by 5-17-22-8-10-14-33 points, and now Shumpert is out for year (knee). Will the Knicks compete? New York covered four of last seven games as an underdog.

Magic @ Pacers-- Orlando's 81-77 win in Game 1 was ninth in last ten games with Indiana, winning last six in this building; usually when team takes 24 3's and 11 foul shots, its a bad sign, but Magic was 9-24 from arc and Indiana missed nine FTs (13-22) in close game. Pressure now on Pacer squad that hasn't won playoff series since 2005. Four of last six series games went over the total. Hibbert had nine blocked shots, which is why Orlando's 9-24 from arc was essential for the win.

Mavericks @ Thunder-- Best of the eight Game 1's was Thunder's win in Game 1, with OC coming back from down 7 with 2:25 left to win by a points- they've won four of five series meetings this year, winning by 2-4-1 in three games played in this gym. Terry was 8-10 for Dallas, 4-5 on arc, but Mavericks have now lost last five road games, losing by 4-2-10-17-1 points. Three of last four series games stayed under total. Dallas was only Game 1 loser that led their game at halftime.

NBA

Monday, April 30

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 5 games when playing Miami
New York is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing Miami
Miami is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
Miami is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against New York

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. INDIANA
Orlando is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Indiana
Orlando is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Orlando
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Orlando

9:30 PM
DALLAS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Dallas is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Dallas
Oklahoma City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

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NBA

Monday, April 30

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What bettors need to know: Monday's NBA playoff action
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New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-9.5, 184)

THE STORY: One game in, and it looks like any optimism the New York Knicks had about stealing a first-round series from the Miami Heat has been wiped away. Not only were the seventh-seeded Knicks thoroughly dismantled in a 100-67 Game 1 loss, they also lost their perimeter defensive stopper when Iman Shumpert went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The second-seeded Heat showed off their defensive prowess in Game 1, forcing 27 turnovers.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, SUN (Miami), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE KNICKS: New York came into the series with some confidence due to the way it finished the regular season. Carmelo Anthony was especially strong in April, averaging just under 30 points. With Anthony at a superstar level, Amar'e Stoudemire rounding back into shape and Shumpert and Tyson Chandler anchoring the defense, the Knicks at least expected to be competitive. But Anthony shot 3 for 15 and Chandler and Shumpert were each held scoreless in the opener. Baron Davis, who missed the first half of the regular season after back surgery, was limited to 17 minutes after experiencing stiffness in his back. New York ended up shooting 35.7 percent from the floor, with J.R. Smith the only player managing more than 11 points.

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami put it away early on Saturday, outscoring the Knicks 57-29 in the second and third quarters to coast to the finish. LeBron James handled the bulk of the scoring in the first half and finished with 32 points on 10-of-14 shooting. But his most significant contribution may have come as one of the several players swarming Anthony and forcing him to catch the ball further away from the basket. The Heat scored 24 of the final 26 points in the second quarter and scored a franchise record 38 points off turnovers en route to the punishing win.

TRENDS:
- Miami is 5-1 against the spread in its last six home games.
- The under is 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings between the two teams.
- New York is 19-7 against the spread in its last 26.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Knicks have lost 11 straight playoff games dating back to 2001. It matches the second-longest streak in NBA history behind Memphis’ 12-game skid from 2004-06.

2. James has scored 30 or more points in 41 of his 93 career playoff games.

3. New York’s 67 points Saturday matched a franchise playoff low.

Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers (-9, 187.5)

THE STORY: The Orlando Magic pulled off a stunning victory in the series opener and look for a second consecutive road win when they play the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Sixth-seeded Orlando scored the game’s final 11 points while rallying for an 81-77 victory. Jason Richardson’s fifth 3-pointer of the contest represented the go-ahead shot. Third-seeded Indiana now faces the possibility of going down 2-0 despite Orlando being without Dwight Howard for the playoffs.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV

ABOUT THE MAGIC: There were a lot of naysayers about Orlando’s chances of winning this series and it didn’t take long for the Magic to point that out after winning the opener. Glen Davis, who had 16 points and 13 rebounds, was particularly vocal. “It is huge to go out there and get Game 1 in their place,” Davis said. “How their back’s against the wall and they’ve got to win Game 2. We’re trying to get every game we can. We’re not trying to slow down. We’re not trying to be complacent.” Richardson made five of Orlando’s nine 3-pointers and had 17 points along with Jameer Nelson.

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana shot just 34.5 percent in Game 1. The Pacers missed their final nine shots and went scoreless over the final 4:05. Forward David West scored a game-high 19 points and center Roy Hibbert blocked a career-high nine shots, one off the playoff record shared by Utah’s Mark Eaton (1985) and Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon (1990). Giving up home-court advantage was a disheartening development for the Pacers, who had played very well down the stretch. “In one game, you give up what you played all season for,” West said. “We talked about how good this team was, how dangerous they were in shooting the ball. They got us.”

TRENDS:
- The under is 6-2 in Orlando's last eight road games.
- Orlando has covered in six of the last seven meetings between the two teams.
- Indiana is 1-10-1 against the number in its last 11 playoff games as a favorite.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The teams combined for only 63 second-half points in Game 1.

2. Pacers leading scorer Danny Granger scored 17 points in the opener, but was just 7-of-20 shooting and committed five turnovers.

3. Richardson connected on five or more 3-pointers three times in the regular season.

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5, 194.5)

THE STORY: It has taken just 47 minutes, 58 1/2 seconds for the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder to recreate the drama of last season's Western Conference finals. Kevin Durant's miracle shot with 1.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Thunder the win in Game 1, and they'll look to head to Dallas with a 2-0 lead when the teams renew acquaintances Monday night. The Thunder won just once in last year's conference finals.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Fox Sports Oklahoma

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Dallas reached last year's finals by orchestrating a pair of fourth-quarter comebacks to upend the Thunder. Saturday night, it was the Mavericks on the receiving end of a stunning comeback as they failed to hold on to a late seven-point advantage. Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 11 points in the final five minutes to keep the Mavericks ahead, was gutted. "It's tough. This is definitely as tough of a loss as you can get," he said. "But if a team can recover it, it's an experienced one and we definitely have a lot of older guys who have been through a lot."

ABOUT THE THUNDER: It wasn't the prettiest winning shot ever hit, but Durant and the Thunder will gladly take it. With the clock winding down and Oklahoma City down one, Durant took the ball to the free-throw line before uncoiling an awkward jumper that bounced high off the front of the rim before deflecting off the backboard and falling straight into the hoop. The shot left teammate James Harden impressed. "It was a great shot," Harden said. "It saved the game for us. I don't think we played well … but he saved us at the end." Durant, the three-time defending NBA scoring champion, finished with 25 points.

TRENDS:
- The road time is 19-6-1 against the number in this matchup.
- Oklahoma City has dropped four straight against the spread
- The over is 4-1 in Dallas' last five road games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Durant, Harden, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka combined to score 94 of the Thunder's 99 points in Game 1. Thabo Sefolosha had the other five.

2. The Mavericks had a final chance to win Game 1 but had no timeouts - forcing them to inbound from their own baseline - and couldn't get a shot off.

3. Jason Terry scored 20 points for Dallas but had zero in the second half.

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:57 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 30

Hot pitchers
-- Buehrle has 2.63 RA in four starts, but lost three of them, as Marlins scored two runs in the three losses.
-- Worley is 2-1, 2.16 in four starts this season.
-- Minor is 2-0, 2.53 in his last three starts. McDonald has a 2.78 RA in four starts this season.
-- Dickey is 3-1, 4.44 in four starts this season.
-- Wieland has a 2.25 RA in his last two starts, but San Diego lost all three of his starts, scoring three runs.

-- Hammel is 3-0, 1.73 in four starts this season.
-- Darvish is 2-0,1.33 in his last three starts. Drabek is 2-1, 2.63 in his four starts this season.
-- Hochevar is 2-0, 2.84 in his two road starts.
-- Milone is 3-1, 2.00 in four starts this season.
-- FHernandez has a 1.23 RA in his last three starts. Hellickson gave up one run in 14.1 IP in two home starts.
-- Wilson has a 2.77 RA in four starts for the Angels.

Cold pitchers
-- Corbin is making MLB debut; he was 2-0, 1.67 in four starts at AA Mobile this season.
-- Volstad is 0-3, 6.95 in four starts this season.
-- Norris is 1-1, 7.64 in his last three starts, all on road.
-- Harang is 1-1, 5.56 in four starts this season. Nicasio has a 10.00 RA in two home starts, but Colorado won both games.
-- Wolf is 1-2, 7.17 in four starts this season.

-- Kuroda is 1-3, 5.11 in four starts this season.
-- Below has thrown 12 IP in five relief stints this year; he made couple starts LY and was 0-2, 4.34 in 29 big league innings.
-- Buchholz has a 9.27 RA in four starts this season.
-- Blackburn is 0-2, 7.54 in three starts this season.

Hot teams
-- Braves won 14 of their last 19 games. Pirates are 6-0 in games after their last six losses.
-- Mets won five of their last six games.
-- Dodgers won seven of their last ten games.

-- Orioles won six of their last seven games; Bronx won three of their last four home games.
-- Texas won 12 of its last 16 games.
-- Royals won three of their last four games.
-- Tampa Bay won seven of its last eight games. Mariners won four of their last six.
-- Red Sox won six of their last seven games.

Cold teams
-- Marlins lost seven of their last eight games. Arizona lost eight of its last twelve.
-- Cubs lost six of their last eight road games. Phillies lost four of last six at home.
-- Astros lost 10 of their last 14 games.
-- Rockies lost three of their last four games.
-- San Diego is 4-8 in its last dozen games. Brewers lost six of their last seven road games.

-- Toronto lost four of its last six games.
-- Detroit lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Oakland lost its last two games, scoring three runs.
-- Angels/Twins both lost six of their last seven games.

Totals
-- Seven of last ten Arizona games went over the total.
-- Four of Phillies' last five home games stayed under.
-- Under is 17-3-1 in Pirate games this season.
-- Mets' last five road games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Dodger games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Milwaukee games went over the total.

-- Over is 6-3-1 in Bronx Bombers' last ten games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Texas games.
-- Five of last six Detroit games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Boston games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Seattle's last seven games.
-- Nine of last eleven Minnesota games went over total.

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:57 AM

MLB

Monday, April 30

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

12:40 PM
ARIZONA vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 7 games
Arizona is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami
Miami is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Miami's last 8 games

7:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. DETROIT
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Kansas City
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City

7:05 PM
BALTIMORE vs. NY YANKEES
Baltimore is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore's last 6 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Baltimore

7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. PHILADELPHIA
Chi Cubs are 8-15 SU in their last 23 games
Chi Cubs are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
Philadelphia is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games at home

7:07 PM
TEXAS vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Texas is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Texas

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Pittsburgh's last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Pittsburgh's last 12 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Oakland's last 13 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Boston's last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games

7:10 PM
SEATTLE vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games on the road
Seattle is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 13 games when playing at home against Seattle
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games at home

8:05 PM
NY METS vs. HOUSTON
NY Mets are 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Mets's last 5 games on the road
Houston is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing NY Mets
Houston is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games

8:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 14-7 SU in their last 21 games on the road
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Colorado's last 8 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

10:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. SAN DIEGO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Diego's last 9 games when playing Milwaukee

10:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games when playing LA Angels
LA Angels are 4-10 SU in their last 14 games at home
LA Angels are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:58 AM

MLB

Monday, April 30

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Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Streaking

Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers – 3-0, 2.42 ERA

Darvish has settled into MLB life well following a tough big-league debut. He has allowed just two runs over his last 24 innings of work and just blanked the Yankees over 8 1/3 innings in his last outing, striking out 10 in the process. The Blue Jays were rumored to be major players in the Darvish sweepstakes before he landed with the Rangers.

Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays – 3-0, 2.84 ERA

Hellickson hasn’t been dominant by any means with 14 strikeouts compared to 12 walks in 25 1/3 innings pitched, but he is getting big outs when he needs them. He held the Angels to a solo homer in six innings of work in his last start and also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning.

Slumping

Chris Volstad, Chicago Cubs – 0-3, 6.14 ERA

Volstad hasn’t won a game since July 10 and just gave up six hits and four earned runs in six innings of work in a loss to St. Louis. The good news is he did sit down the Cardinals in order in four of those six innings, so maybe he’s getting on the right track. The 6-foot-8 righty has walked only four batters this season.

Nick Blackburn, Minnesota Twins – 0-2, 7.53

Blackburn missed a start with a shoulder issue and then was drilled by the Red Sox in his first start back in the rotation. Boston smacked him for five runs over just three innings. Blackburn was originally scheduled to take the ball Sunday, but the team decided to push him back a day. He has allowed 20 hits in 14 1/3 innings this year.

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:58 AM

MLB

Monday, April 29

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rounding the bases: This week's best MLB trends
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in Major League Baseball (All records and statistics through Saturday):

HOT TEAM: Boston Red Sox

THIS SEASON: 10-10.
LAST WEEK: 6-0.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Home to the Athletics for three, home to the Orioles for three.

THE SKINNY: If you listen closely, you'll hear the sound of all of Boston taking its finger off the panic button.

It was a rough start for new manager Bobby Valentine, from his comments, to his rifts with players, to his team's effort on the field. But the Red Sox have stemmed the tide with authority and entered Sunday's action with a six-game winning streak intact.

A sweep of the Twins got it all started, and along the way, the Red Sox found their hitting sticks. In a four-game stretch bridging the Minnesota series with the White Sox one, Boston scored 38 runs.

And Jon Lester proved the Red Sox might be able to pitch a bit as well, on Saturday, when he recorded his first win by striking out seven, and allowing just five hits to the White Sox.

With Oakland and Baltimore on deck in Fenway this week, it might be time to jump on Boston.

COLD TEAM: Minnesota Twins

THIS SEASON: 5-15.
LAST WEEK: 0-5.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: At the Angels for three, at the Mariners for three.

THE SKINNY: The good news for Minnesota last week, is that Saturday's date with the Royals was postponed. For a day, at least, the Twins didn't lose.

Clearly, it's been a struggle for the Twins, who ran into the wrong teams at the wrong time last week: Tampa Bay and Boston. Minnesota entered Sunday's date with Kansas City, as a result, riding a six-game losing streak, and the Twins were held to two runs or less in three of those contests.

OVER TEAM: Milwaukee Brewers

O/U THIS SEASON: 14-7.
O/U LAST WEEK: 5-1.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: At the Padres for three, at the Giants for three.

THE SKINNY: Prince Who? OK, so the Brewers aren't exactly a better team without Fielder, who left for Detroit in the offseason, but they've found a way to keep scoring runs, which is good news for over players.

Saturday's 7-3 loss at St. Louis was Milwaukee's fifth straight over, and the Brewers combined with their opponents to reach double figures in all of those contests.

There has been balance in the lineup -- Corey Hart, Alex Gonzalez and Ryan Braun all have at least 11 RBIs -- and the league was hitting more than .300 against five of their pitchers through Saturday: Wily Peralta, Mike McClendon, Manny Parra, Randy Wolf, and Yovani Gallardo.

If that's not an over recipe, we don't know what one is.

UNDER TEAM: Miami Marlins

O/U THIS SEASON: 9-10-1.
O/U LAST WEEK: 0-5.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Home to the Diamondbacks for one, at the Giants for three, at the Padres for three.

THE SKINNY: You know what they say about the best laid plans, right? Well, marquee free-agent signee Jose Reyes hasn't been able to rescue the new-look Marlins.

Though it's still early, surely Miami wasn't expecting to enter Sunday's action at 8-12 after shelling out all of those offseason millions and opening a new ballpark. But that's their problem.

For under players, their struggles are your reward. In the five-game under streak that was put on the line Sunday, Miami scored two runs or less in all of those contests.

Reyes -- who should not be unfamiliar with the pitchers he's seen so far, given he came from the Mets and the same National League East -- was hitting .213 with three RBIs. More importantly, his speed, thanks to a .286 on-base percentage and just four steals, is suffering.

He's not alone in the offensive struggles, though. Only Hanley Ramirez (13) had a double-digit RBI total, and five players -- Ramirez, Emilio Bonifacio, Giancarlo Stanton, Gaby Sanchez and John Buck -- had at least 12 strikeouts. The uniforms and the new stadium might be pretty, but the numbers aren't.

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 07:59 AM

MLB

Monday, April 30

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capping the calendar: May's best and worst pitchers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of May.

On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in May team starts, winning 33 percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each May over the last three years.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds • 12-4

The Cincinnati right-hander was very sharp in April, with right hand hitters batting .127 against him. Cueto uses a low to mid-90s fastball and tilted slider that he expertly changes speeds with.

Yovanni Gallardo, Milwaukee Brewers • 12-5

Gallardo is the ace of the Milwaukee staff and challenges hitters with a 90-95 mph fastball and a late-breaking slider. His curveball spins tightly and has excellent downward movement and he’ll mix in the occasional change to give hitters something different to look at. Gallardo has not been up to his usual standards just yet, having trouble with left-hand batters.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies • 13-3

Hamels is an underappreciated hurler who great command. The Phillies' lefty mixes two and four-seam fastballs in the low 90s and thanks to Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, has developed a nasty cutter he can work both sides of the plate with. When he throws his two-strike changeup, batters swear it seems to back up, like Hamels has it on a string.

Josh Johnson, Miami Marlins • 10-5

After a rocky start, Johnson has begun to find a groove utilizing his hard slider and fastball combination. If the Marlins top pitcher can regain his command, he will start missing more bats (opponents hit .337 against him in April) and be the top thrower Miami needs to compete in the NL East.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers • 12-6

One of the best lefties in baseball has developed the skill to command his four-pitch repertoire. Still only 24 years old, Kershaw can throw strikes whenever and wherever he wants. His continued growth has seen his ground ball-to-fly ball outs skyrocket this season.

Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox • 12-6

Normally, Lester is one of the finest early season pitchers in the American League, but his walks were up significantly for April (until his final start of the month vs. Chicago) and that number will have to come down in May to match previous win totals. Reports indicate his delivery has been a bit rushed causing pitches to sail up and away.

Derek Lowe, Cleveland Indians • 13-5

Lowe might not be as old as Jamie Moyer, but he seems to have been around as long. Lowe will be 39 years old on June 1 and no longer has the velocity with his sinker/slider combo package. Strictly fifth starter material and at his age, will be more effective early in the season than late, when the innings take their toll.

Jake Peavy, Chicago White Sox • 11-5

Is Jake Peavy finally healthy? It sure seems that way as early returns have a 6-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and opposing batters are hitting just .162 versus the White Sox right-hander. The fastball is not the same as younger days, but the snap on his breaking pitches is still deadly.

Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers • 10-4

Though just 23, Porcello has not accelerated at the same pace as Kershaw, leaving Detroit fans yearning for more. For a guy 6-foot-6 with a rangy body, his career 4.8 strikeouts per nine innings is unremarkable. The Tigers hurler needs to trust his mid-90s fastball more to become the pitcher he should be.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays • 9-4

Have you noticed that four of May’s top performers are left-handed? The last in alphabetical order is Tampa Bay’s prized possession, David Price. The Nashville native has a nice loose delivery from the three-quarters arm slot and has lively late-moving fastball that occasionally touches 96-97 mph.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers • 13-5

Arguably the best pitcher in baseball who is at the peak of his skills, Verlander has old-school power and often will have greater velocity late in games with his electric fastball.The Detroit ace also keeps hitters off-balance by varying his pitch patterns.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox • 4-11

The White Sox right-hander is very close to a .500 record in his big league career, despite always giving the appearance of having better stuff. Floyd, actually has three dependable pitches, but has a tendency to run hot or cold for a series of starts. May has traditionally been a cold month for him.

Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners • 5-13

King Felix deserves his fair share of the blame for his rumpled record this month, but this is not all on him. Except for a couple of surprise seasons in 2009 and 2007, Seattle hasn't been a good team and its schedule over the past several years in May has featured many of the heavyweights in baseball.

Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians • 4-12

The Jamaican born right-hander has been on shabby Cleveland teams for the most part. Masterson is a rare side-armed starter and tosses a heavy sinker along with a low 90s fastball. He gets in trouble when he can't control the movement of his pitches. To start the month, lefties are hitting .281 against Masterson.

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels • 6-12

It is almost inconceivable the Angels' top pitcher would ever have a bad month based on his history. Similar to Hernandez, the Halos and Weaver end up playing Boston and the Yankees frequently during this time period, along with division games, which has contributed to the poor record.

Randy Wells, Chicago Cubs • 3-8

The 6-foot-6 Cubs pitcher is actually a converted catcher. Wells leans on location because of his well-below average fastball and will use a change-up more than once to hitters in their time at bat. When Wells cannot spot his pitches, he’s throwing room service pitches.

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 08:23 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Washington at NY Rangers
The Capitals look to take advantage of a Rangers team that is 2-6 in its last 8 conference semifinal games. Washington is the pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Capitals favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Washington (+135). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, APRIL 30

Game 11-12: Washington at NY Rangers (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.739; NY Rangers 11.815
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-155); 5
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+135); Under

Game 13-14: Los Angeles at St. Louis (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 12.241; St. Louis 11.295
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-165); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+145); Over

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 08:25 AM

NBA
Dunkel

New York at Miami
The Knicks look to bounce back from a 100-67 loss in Game 1 and build on their 8-0 ATS record in their last 8 games after allowing 100 point or more in the previous game. New York is the pick (+10) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by only 7. Dunkel Pick: New York (+10). Here are all of today's picks

MONDAY, APRIL 30

Game 517-518: New York at Miami (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 118.037; Miami 124.799
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 7; 188
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 10; 184
Dunkel Pick: New York (+10); Over

Game 519-520: Orlando at Indiana (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 114.496; Indiana 121.359
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 7; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 9; 187 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+9); Under

Game 521-522: Dallas at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 116.935; Oklahoma City 124.745
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 8; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6 1/2; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-6 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 08:27 AM

MLB
Dunkel

NY Mets at Houston
The Mets look to take advantage of a Houston team that is coming off a 6-5 loss to Cincinnati and is 2-9 in Bud Norris' last 11 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game. New York is the pick (-110) according to Dunkel, which has the Mets favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-110). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, APRIL 30

Game 951-952: Arizona at Miami (12:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Corbin) 14.502; Miami (Buehrle) 12.988
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Miami (-160); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+140); Under

Game 953-954: Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Volstad) 14.454; Philadelphia (Worley) 15.265
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-165); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-165); Under

Game 955-956: Pittsburgh at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (McDonald) 16.562; Atlanta (Minor) 14.941
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-170); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+150); Under

Game 957-958: NY Mets at Houston (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Dickey) 15.702; Houston (Norris) 14.805
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Houston (-110); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (-110); Over

Game 959-960: LA Dodgers at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Harang) 15.966; Colorado (Nicasio) 14.449
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Colorado (-135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+115); Over

Game 961-962: Milwaukee at San Diego (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Wolf) 13.831; San Diego (Wieland) 15.518
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: San Diego (-115); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-115); Under

Game 963-964: Baltimore at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hammel) 16.970; NY Yankees (Kuroda) 15.992
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 8
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-170); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+150); Under

Game 965-966: Texas at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Darvish) 16.619; Toronto (Drabek) 15.766
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-155); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-155); Over

Game 967-968: Kansas City at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Hochevar) 14.341; Detroit (Below) 14.882
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-145); Over

Game 969-970: Oakland at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Milone) 16.067; Boston (Buchholz) 14.573
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-160); 9
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+140); Under

Game 971-972: Seattle at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Hernandez) 14.655; Tampa Bay (Hellickson) 17.076
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-120); 7
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-120); Under

Game 973-974: Minnesota at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.306; LA Angels (Wilson) 14.131
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 7
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-230); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+190); Under

**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 08:42 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, April 30

Update

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WASHINGTON (46-34-0-10, 102 pts.) at NY RANGERS (56-25-0-9, 121 pts.) - 4/30/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 16-25 ATS (-20.7 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 0-5 ATS (-7.0 Units) in the second round of the playoffs over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 56-33 ATS (+100.6 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 171-176 ATS (+375.5 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 84-87 ATS (-41.3 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 30-44 ATS (-41.2 Units) in home games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 135-168 ATS (-148.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 167-175 ATS (-94.8 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 10-8-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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LOS ANGELES (45-28-0-15, 105 pts.) at ST LOUIS (53-23-0-12, 118 pts.) - 4/30/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 31-12 ATS (+14.0 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 26-22 ATS (+54.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 40-31 ATS (+73.1 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 8-5 (+3.7 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 8-5-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.4 Units)

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**Udog** · 04-30-2012, 09:18 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, April 30

Update

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW YORK (36 - 31) at MIAMI (47 - 20) - 4/30/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 83-67 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
NEW YORK is 43-29 ATS (+11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 7-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (38 - 29) at INDIANA (42 - 25) - 4/30/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) against Central division opponents this season.
INDIANA is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games after scoring 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 7-5 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (36 - 31) at OKLAHOMA CITY (48 - 19) - 4/30/2012, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 137-114 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 93-74 ATS (+11.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 50-35 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all playoff games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 140-107 ATS (+22.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
DALLAS is 59-36 ATS (+19.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 46-27 ATS (+16.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 10-7 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 9-8 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Announcement

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 4/30 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 4/30 (NBA, NHL, MLB, Misc.)

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