Monday's Trends and Indexes - 5/5 (MLB, NBA, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

NBA

Monday, May 5


Heat enter Round 2 as 3-2 Championship faves

With the first round matchups behind us, odds on the NBA Championship and Conferences have adjusted accordingly.

The Miami Heat are 3-2 faves to win the Larry O'Brien trophy, with the Spurs right behind them at 5-2.


Miami Heat open as big faves in Game 1

The Miami Heat will open their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Brooklyn Nets as 7-point home faves in Game 1.

Books opened the Heat as faves late Sunday, with others getting the game on the board early Monday morning. Books have also posted an opening total of 191.5 for the matchup.

The Nets were 4-0 straight up and against the spread versus the Heat this year, covering the spread in Miami as 7 and 9-point dogs.

The teams combined to split the Over/Under count at 2-2 during the four games this season.

[Udog]

NBA

Monday, May 5

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Wizards at Pacers: What bettors need to know
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Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers (-4, 183.5)

The Indiana Pacers looked like something much less than the juggernaut that ripped through the first four months of the regular season in the first round of the playoffs, needing seven games to dispatch of eighth-seeded Atlanta. The fifth-seeded Washington Wizards, who visit the top-seeded Pacers for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday, have been sitting home getting plenty of rest. The Wizards had little trouble scraping by the Chicago Bulls.

The series with Chicago fully prepared Washington to deal with a rugged defensive team, as the Bulls and Pacers were the top two clubs in most defensive categories during the regular season. The Wizards relied on different players each night and attacked Chicago from different sides to cruise to a five-game win in the first round. The Pacers trailed 3-2 in their first-round series and had a little trouble finding their identity along the way, switching the rotation in the last two games to provide more flexibility while trying to figure out what they would get from Roy Hibbert on a game-to-game basis.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE WIZARDS: Washington will have a full six days off between series after dispatching of Chicago on Tuesday with an ugly 75-69 win that proved the Wizards could play at that pace and still pull out the victory. “We just trust each other as a family,” point guard John Wall told reporters, “and that is why we’re playing so well right now.” Wall led the way with 24 points in the series-clinching win and averaged 18.8 points in the series despite shooting just 36.4 percent. Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza took turns picking Wall up from the outside while Nene, who was eased into the rotation off the bench over the last few games of the regular season after missing six weeks with a sprained MCL, emerged as a force down low and will provide a tough match for Indiana forward David West.

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana trailed by 30 points in Game 5 before finally inserting Chris Copeland into the rotation and adding some versatility to the offense. The Pacers ended up losing that game by 10 but took the next two, putting together a nice comeback at the end of Game 6 before controlling the pace in Game 7. Hibbert’s play was a big issue in the first six games, with the All-Star center carrying over his poor play from the regular season and logging 12 ineffective minutes in each Games 5 and 6. Hibbert finally found something in Game 7 and ended up with 13 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in the 92-80 win. “You always feel for guys on your team that are struggling,” coach Frank Vogel said of Hibbert. “…(It was) gratifying to stay with him and then see him step up the way he did (in Game 7).”

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Indiana.
* Wizards are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Indiana.
* Wizards are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Pacers last six overall.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Pacers held the Wizards to an average of 69.5 points in winning the first two regular-season meetings but Washington earned a 91-78 home win on March 28.

2. Indiana F Paul George averaged 23.9 points and recorded six double-doubles in the first round.

3. Beal shot 45.5 percent from beyond the arc in the first round.


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[Udog]

NHL

Monday, May 5

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Kings at Ducks: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks (-130, 5)

After Marian Gaborik provided quite the detour in the opener, the Freeway Faceoff continues on Monday as the host Anaheim Ducks look to even their Western Conference second-round series with the Los Angeles Kings at one game apiece. Anaheim was poised to take Game 1 before Gaborik scored the tying goal with seven seconds remaining in the third period and netted the winning tally 12:07 into overtime in Los Angeles' 3-2 triumph on Saturday. The Slovak is tied with Colorado's Paul Stastny and Chicago's Patrick Kane and Bryan Bickell with an NHL-leading five tallies this postseason.

While the Kings matched the Blackhawks with current five-game winning streaks, Pacific Division-champion Anaheim was left to sort through the emotions of a crushing defeat. "Well, you know, you get scored on with seven seconds to go, it's a tough one to swallow," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. Jonas Hiller was victimized on the late tally but was strong in net with 33 saves while making his first start in nearly a month.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE KINGS: Anze Kopitar has been the model of consistency in the playoffs, recording at least one point in all eight of the team's games and 10 straight dating back to the regular season. The Slovenian leads the NHL with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and has 42 over the last three playoffs. Drew Doughty has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in as many games and logged a game-high 33:06 of ice time after fellow defenseman Robyn Regehr exited the series opener in the first period following a hit against the end boards by Anaheim veteran Teemu Selanne.

ABOUT THE DUCKS: The 43-year-old Selanne became the third-oldest player in league history to score a postseason goal, "trailing" Hall-of-Famers Gordie Howe (52, 1980) and Chris Chelios (45, 2007). The tally was the first of the playoffs for the Finnish Flash, who is expected to retire at the end of the postseason. Captain Ryan Getzlaf, who set up both of Anaheim's goals in Game 1, has registered a team-leading six assists and nine points.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Road team is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Kings are 5-0 in their last five overall.
* Ducks are 1-4 in their last five Conference Semifinals games.

OVERTIME:

1. Los Angeles has scored a power-play goal in each of its last six games (7-for-24) and killed all 19 short-handed situations in the last four contests.

2. Anaheim RW Corey Perry registered two shots on goal in Game 1, with his best chance at a wide-open net being thwarted by Kings D Alec Martinez early in overtime.

3. Los Angeles' next playoff win will be the 100th in franchise history.


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[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel

Los Angeles at Anaheim
The Ducks look to bounce back from their Game 1 loss and come into tonight's contest with a 4-1 record in their last 5 games versus the Kings. Anaheim is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Ducks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (-135). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

MONDAY, MAY 5

Game 15-16: Pittsburgh at NY Rangers (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.102; NY Rangers 11.211
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-105); Over

Game 17-18: Los Angeles at Anaheim (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 11.301; Anaheim 12.722
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (-135); Under

[Udog]

MLB

Monday, May 5

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Monday's MLB betting cheat sheet
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Bedard Baffles the Bronx Bombers

Those who bet the trends were flummoxed by Tampa Bay lefty Erik Bedard, who threw six sensational innings in a 5-1 triumph over the New York Yankees. The journeyman entered the game 3-18 against the moneyline in his last 21 appearances, while going 7-3 O/U in his previous 10 outings.

Dog Day Afternoon

The underdogs enjoyed a strong Sunday, going 7-7 in afternoon action. It could have been an even more profitable day for the 'dogs, but favorites Oakland, Miami, Cincinnati and San Diego all scored single runs in the ninth inning to pull out victories.

Houston May Have a Problem

The Detroit Tigers welcome the Houston Astros to Comerica Park on Monday as a whopping -270 favorite - their biggest line of the young season. Detroit is 7-1 in its last eight games as a favorite of -200 or better.

Pitching Notes

* Rejuvenated Oakland Athletics left-hander Scott Kazmir has been automatic on the moneyline, going 6-0 this season and 8-0 since last September - all as a favorite. Kazmir's Athletics are a -190 fave for Monday's encounter with the visiting Seattle Mariners.

* Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Matt Garza has been as predictable as they come so far in 2014, going 3-0 O/U in three road starts and 0-3 O/U in three home outings. Garza and the Brewers (-160, 8) entertain the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hitting Notes

* Detroit Tigers outfielder Rajai Davis has four multi-hit efforts in his past seven games; the Tigers have won all four while going 4-0 O/U in that stretch.

* The Cleveland Indians are 1-5 O/U in the last six games in which slugger Carlos Santana doesn't record a hit. Santana went 0-for-8 in back-to-back games against the Chicago White Sox over the weekend and is hitting .152 for the season.

Total Streaks

Toronto Blue Jays (5-1 O/U): Injuries in the pitching staff and the gradual return to form of the potent lineup has the Blue Jays one of the hottest "over" tickets in the American League to date (19-11-1). Toronto (+104, 9) visits Philadelphia on Monday night.

Prop of the Day

The Under for combined hits for the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's is being offered at -120 at Bet365. The two American League West clubs have played six games thus far and have finished Under 15 combined hits four times.

Injury Watch

* The San Francisco Giants have placed pitcher Matt Cain on the 15-day disabled list with a lacerated finger. Cain has been the Giants' least valuable starter since the middle of last season, going 4-16 against the moneyline in his previous 20 starts.

* Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and could miss up to four weeks. Bruce has just three home runs on the season, and his early-season struggles are a factor in the Reds sitting at -250 units through their first 31 games.

Weather Watch

* Offense at Wrigley Field could be curtailed for Monday's game between the Chicago Cubs and the cross-town White Sox. Wind will blow in from center field at 10 mph; teams combined to bat just .246 in 10 games under those situations last season.


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[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, May 5

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 7:35 ET
Pittsburgh: 33-11 SU after 1 or more consecutive unders
NY Rangers: 14-7 SU after scoring 1 goal or less

Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks, 10:05 ET
LA Kings: 4-12 SU off a close win by 1 goal
Anaheim: 10-1 SU revenging a home loss versus opponent