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NBA Basketball
3 Units on Phoenix Suns +9 -110
Stunned by the Suns and two 3-point bank shots in Game 1, the Spurs could avoid being in a position to be victimized by miraculous shots by making more free throws. That is one of the top priorities for a top-seeded San Antonio team hoping to emerge from its home court with a split of the first two games in this first-round series. After Amare Stoudemire tied the game with 7.9 seconds left in regulation by banking in a 3-pointer, Stephon Marbury hit the game-winning 3-pointer off the glass at the final buzzer in overtime to give Phoenix a 96-95 victory in Game 1. The only reason Marbury even had the chance for that desperation shot to matter was because San Antonio's Tim Duncan missed two free throws with 5.1 seconds left in overtime. Duncan was 3-of-8 from the foul line and the Spurs made just 26-of-41 (63.4 percent). They missed six of eight free throws in overtime, including three misses by Duncan in the final 16 seconds. ``Our two nemeses this year are free throws and turnovers,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ``I'm thrilled with our (number of) free throws. I guess they have to go in before 41 (attempts) means something.'' The Suns went 20-for-25 from the foul line and 6-of-16 from 3-point range. The Spurs made only 5-of-24 from beyond the arc and shot 40 percent (32-of-80) from the field.
5 Units on Boston Celtics O 180½ -110
The Pacers will be counting on Artest to step up his defense against Boston's Paul Pierce as Indiana tries to pull even with the Celtics in the second game of their best-of-seven playoff series. Indiana has lost home court advantage, finding itself in an 0-1 hole after Pierce's offensive explosion in Game 1. Pierce scored 21 of his 40 points in the final quarter, leading Boston back from a 13-point deficit in the final seven and a half minutes as the Celtics rallied past the Pacers 103-100 in Game 1. Pierce's primary defender was Artest before he fouled out with 40 seconds left. Artest is considered the Pacers defensive stopper and will likely get consideration for the NBA's all-defensive team. Artest, who led the league in flagrant fouls, had held Pierce to an average of 15 points on 33.3 percent shooting (9-for-27) in the final two regular season match ups against Boston. Artest led Indiana with 26 points in Game 1, but his defense failed to gain the respect of Boston's top scorer. Pierce added six assists, 11 rebounds and went 21-for-21 from the free throw line. Indiana has not fared well in its history after dropping the first game of the playoffs. The Pacers are 0-9 in first round playoff series after losing Game 1 dating back to 1967-68. The Pacers won the first game each of the past two years but were eliminated by Philadelphia and New Jersey in the first round respectively. Indiana's poor performance on Saturday was indicative of the second half of the season when they lost 15 of 20 in one stretch.
MLB Baseball
4 Units on Boston Red Sox -1½ +115 (Lidle - R, Burkett - R)
Boston's Derek Lowe felt like he got away with one against Toronto. Boston's offense is performing well now, though, averaging 6.6 runs per game to help improve the team's record to 12-5. Toronto has lost three straight games and nine of 10. The Blue Jays, who entered as the AL's worst fielding team, committed three errors that led to three unearned runs. The Blue Jays equaled their worst start since also going 6-12 in 1979. Trot Nixon and Todd Walker each drove in two runs during Boston's five-run third inning as the Red Sox won their sixth straight game, 7-2 over the Blue Jays on Saturday. Lowe (3-1), who gave up two unearned runs and seven hits in five innings, escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams in the first four innings. Unlike last year when he pitched a no-hitter on Kids' opening day, Lowe battled with his control in this year's Kids' opener.
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NBA Basketball
3 Units on Phoenix Suns +9 -110
Stunned by the Suns and two 3-point bank shots in Game 1, the Spurs could avoid being in a position to be victimized by miraculous shots by making more free throws. That is one of the top priorities for a top-seeded San Antonio team hoping to emerge from its home court with a split of the first two games in this first-round series. After Amare Stoudemire tied the game with 7.9 seconds left in regulation by banking in a 3-pointer, Stephon Marbury hit the game-winning 3-pointer off the glass at the final buzzer in overtime to give Phoenix a 96-95 victory in Game 1. The only reason Marbury even had the chance for that desperation shot to matter was because San Antonio's Tim Duncan missed two free throws with 5.1 seconds left in overtime. Duncan was 3-of-8 from the foul line and the Spurs made just 26-of-41 (63.4 percent). They missed six of eight free throws in overtime, including three misses by Duncan in the final 16 seconds. ``Our two nemeses this year are free throws and turnovers,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ``I'm thrilled with our (number of) free throws. I guess they have to go in before 41 (attempts) means something.'' The Suns went 20-for-25 from the foul line and 6-of-16 from 3-point range. The Spurs made only 5-of-24 from beyond the arc and shot 40 percent (32-of-80) from the field.
5 Units on Boston Celtics O 180½ -110
The Pacers will be counting on Artest to step up his defense against Boston's Paul Pierce as Indiana tries to pull even with the Celtics in the second game of their best-of-seven playoff series. Indiana has lost home court advantage, finding itself in an 0-1 hole after Pierce's offensive explosion in Game 1. Pierce scored 21 of his 40 points in the final quarter, leading Boston back from a 13-point deficit in the final seven and a half minutes as the Celtics rallied past the Pacers 103-100 in Game 1. Pierce's primary defender was Artest before he fouled out with 40 seconds left. Artest is considered the Pacers defensive stopper and will likely get consideration for the NBA's all-defensive team. Artest, who led the league in flagrant fouls, had held Pierce to an average of 15 points on 33.3 percent shooting (9-for-27) in the final two regular season match ups against Boston. Artest led Indiana with 26 points in Game 1, but his defense failed to gain the respect of Boston's top scorer. Pierce added six assists, 11 rebounds and went 21-for-21 from the free throw line. Indiana has not fared well in its history after dropping the first game of the playoffs. The Pacers are 0-9 in first round playoff series after losing Game 1 dating back to 1967-68. The Pacers won the first game each of the past two years but were eliminated by Philadelphia and New Jersey in the first round respectively. Indiana's poor performance on Saturday was indicative of the second half of the season when they lost 15 of 20 in one stretch.
MLB Baseball
4 Units on Boston Red Sox -1½ +115 (Lidle - R, Burkett - R)
Boston's Derek Lowe felt like he got away with one against Toronto. Boston's offense is performing well now, though, averaging 6.6 runs per game to help improve the team's record to 12-5. Toronto has lost three straight games and nine of 10. The Blue Jays, who entered as the AL's worst fielding team, committed three errors that led to three unearned runs. The Blue Jays equaled their worst start since also going 6-12 in 1979. Trot Nixon and Todd Walker each drove in two runs during Boston's five-run third inning as the Red Sox won their sixth straight game, 7-2 over the Blue Jays on Saturday. Lowe (3-1), who gave up two unearned runs and seven hits in five innings, escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams in the first four innings. Unlike last year when he pitched a no-hitter on Kids' opening day, Lowe battled with his control in this year's Kids' opener.