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NBA Basketball
4 Units on Philadelphia 76ers +1½ -110
The Pistons and 76ers are two of the most storied franchises in the NBA but have never met in the postseason. It is amazing considering the teams have 53 combined playoff appearances and have won five championships. Detroit has been in the NBA since 1957 and is making its 26th appearance in the postseason. Philadelphia, which was formerly the Syracuse Nationals, is making its 28th appearance since moving to its current location in 1963. The Pistons are making their second straight appearance in the conference semifinals after rallying for a seven-game victory over the Orlando Magic in the first round. Detroit became just the seventh team in postseason history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series with a 108-93 victory in the decisive Game Seven on Sunday. Chauncey Billups scored 37 points and rookie Tayshaun Prince had a season-high 20 for the Pistons, who avoided becoming just the third top-seeded team to lose in the first round since 1984. Detroit's Richard Hamilton scored 22 points and Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace added 12 rebounds, seven points, five assists, five blocks and two steals. Billups, who scored a career-high 40 points in game Six, almost singlehandedly lifted the Pistons past the Magic. He made 22-of-42 shots, including 10-of-21 3-pointers, and 23-of-24 free throws in the series' final two games. Philadelphia made it past the first round for the fourth time in five years with a six-game victory over the New Orleans Hornets.
MLB Baseball
4 Units on Montreal Expos -1½ +130 (Peavy - R, Hernandez - R)
After starting the road trip by scoring 17 runs in a three-game sweep of the Brewers, the Expos totaled just four while getting swept in a weekend series at St. Louis. Montreal manager Frank Robinson blamed the offensive collapse on his hitters, rather than St. Louis pitching. ``I don't know if the pitching was that good. I wasn't impressed,'' Robinson said. ``We just had too many innings where nothing happened. It was zero, zero, zero, and you're not going to beat a good ballclub like that.'' With their loss on Sunday, the Expos missed a chance for consecutive winning road trips, going 3-3 after their 5-4 trip earlier this season. They haven't had back-to-back winning trips of at least six games since Aug. 14-19 and Aug. 28-Sept. 2, 2001. San Diego also comes into the game slumping, after losing two of three to Philadelphia during the weekend, and seven of eight overall. The Padres managed just three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies on Sunday, marking the fifth time this season that they have scored fewer than two runs. The Padres did get some good news on Sunday, when they learned that pitcher Adam Eaton's injury is not considered serious. Eaton left the game when he felt tightness in the groin after five innings. The Padres are opening a six-game road trip, as they visit the New York Mets after this series. STANDINGS: Padres - 5th place, 1 1/2 GB, NL West. Expos - 3rd place, 2 GB, NL East. PADRES PROBABLE STARTER: Jake Peavy (4-2, 4.21 ERA). Peavy is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Pirates on Saturday, when he gave up four runs in seven innings. The rookie right-hander allowed seven hits and a walk in the game, while striking out nine. Peavy was pounded in his only career start against the Expos, giving up eight runs on nine hits in 3 1-3 innings.
1 Unit on Arizona Diamondbacks +1½ -150 (Duckworth - R, Good - R)
On Monday, Finley homered twice and hit his second triple in as many days, helping the Diamondbacks to a convincing 10-1 win over the Phillies -- just their second victory in five games. The 38-year-old center fielder, who has 21 career multi-homer games, knocked in four runs and scored a team record-tying four times. He has a hit in five of his last six games, going 6-for-18 (.333) during that span. Arizona, which jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, ranks 11th in the National League with 125 runs scored. Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, scored the Phillies' only run in the third inning on right fielder Danny Bautista's error. Arizona rookie Andrew Good will look for his first major league win Tuesday in his third career start and fourth appearance. Good, added to the rotation to replace injured starter Randy Johnson (swollen right knee), gave up three earned runs and six hits over seven innings in Arizona's 4-3 loss to the Florida Marlins on Thursday. ``He struggled with his command early but he gave us what we needed,'' manager Bob Brenly said. ``We don't need these guys to step up. We just need these guys to do what they're capable of doing and that's what Andrew Good is capable of doing.'' In his previous start on April 22, the 23-year-old Good gave up three earned runs and six hits over seven innings in a 4-0 loss to Montreal. STANDINGS: Phillies - 2nd place (tied), 2 GB, NL East. Diamondbacks - 4th place, 8 1/2 GB, NL West. PHILLIES PROBABLE STARTER: Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 5.56 ERA). On Thursday, Duckworth gave up one unearned run and seven hits over five innings in a 4-1 win over Los Angeles -- his second straight victory. In his only previous start against the Diamondbacks, Duckworth gave up four earned runs and six hits, including two homers, but did not receive a decision in the Phillies' 5-4 loss last May 18. Duckworth, who began the season on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis, is making his third start.
3 Units on Florida Marlins +145 (Schmidt - R, Pavano - R)
Alfonzo, signed by the Giants as a free agent this past offseason, ended April hitting just .167. But San Francisco's new starting third baseman has looked like a different player in May. In four games this month, Alfonzo is 7-for-17 (.412), and is coming off his best offensive performance of the season. Batting third Sunday in place of resting slugger Barry Bonds, Alfonzo homered and drove in four runs to lead the Giants to a 6-1 win over Cincinnati. Giants manager Felipe Alou has batted Alfonzo in five different spots in the order while trying to help him out of his slump. Alfonzo's 2-for-5 effort on Sunday raised his average to .206 -- the highest it has been since April 10. ``I was thinking too much instead of going to the plate and relaxing,'' Alfonzo said. ``Things weren't going the way I wanted but I had to keep working. It was a matter of keeping the faith.'' The Marlins may be questioning their own faith after losing two starting pitchers to injury last week. A.J. Burnett had season-ending elbow surgery Tuesday before Mark Redman went down with a broken thumb later in the week. Scrambling to find healthy starters, the Marlins suffered a sweep in their three-game series with Houston over the weekend. This series opens a six-game homestand for Florida, which will also include a visit from the Colorado Rockies. Florida follows the stand with a season-long 12-game road trip.
NBA Basketball
4 Units on Philadelphia 76ers +1½ -110
The Pistons and 76ers are two of the most storied franchises in the NBA but have never met in the postseason. It is amazing considering the teams have 53 combined playoff appearances and have won five championships. Detroit has been in the NBA since 1957 and is making its 26th appearance in the postseason. Philadelphia, which was formerly the Syracuse Nationals, is making its 28th appearance since moving to its current location in 1963. The Pistons are making their second straight appearance in the conference semifinals after rallying for a seven-game victory over the Orlando Magic in the first round. Detroit became just the seventh team in postseason history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series with a 108-93 victory in the decisive Game Seven on Sunday. Chauncey Billups scored 37 points and rookie Tayshaun Prince had a season-high 20 for the Pistons, who avoided becoming just the third top-seeded team to lose in the first round since 1984. Detroit's Richard Hamilton scored 22 points and Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace added 12 rebounds, seven points, five assists, five blocks and two steals. Billups, who scored a career-high 40 points in game Six, almost singlehandedly lifted the Pistons past the Magic. He made 22-of-42 shots, including 10-of-21 3-pointers, and 23-of-24 free throws in the series' final two games. Philadelphia made it past the first round for the fourth time in five years with a six-game victory over the New Orleans Hornets.
MLB Baseball
4 Units on Montreal Expos -1½ +130 (Peavy - R, Hernandez - R)
After starting the road trip by scoring 17 runs in a three-game sweep of the Brewers, the Expos totaled just four while getting swept in a weekend series at St. Louis. Montreal manager Frank Robinson blamed the offensive collapse on his hitters, rather than St. Louis pitching. ``I don't know if the pitching was that good. I wasn't impressed,'' Robinson said. ``We just had too many innings where nothing happened. It was zero, zero, zero, and you're not going to beat a good ballclub like that.'' With their loss on Sunday, the Expos missed a chance for consecutive winning road trips, going 3-3 after their 5-4 trip earlier this season. They haven't had back-to-back winning trips of at least six games since Aug. 14-19 and Aug. 28-Sept. 2, 2001. San Diego also comes into the game slumping, after losing two of three to Philadelphia during the weekend, and seven of eight overall. The Padres managed just three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies on Sunday, marking the fifth time this season that they have scored fewer than two runs. The Padres did get some good news on Sunday, when they learned that pitcher Adam Eaton's injury is not considered serious. Eaton left the game when he felt tightness in the groin after five innings. The Padres are opening a six-game road trip, as they visit the New York Mets after this series. STANDINGS: Padres - 5th place, 1 1/2 GB, NL West. Expos - 3rd place, 2 GB, NL East. PADRES PROBABLE STARTER: Jake Peavy (4-2, 4.21 ERA). Peavy is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Pirates on Saturday, when he gave up four runs in seven innings. The rookie right-hander allowed seven hits and a walk in the game, while striking out nine. Peavy was pounded in his only career start against the Expos, giving up eight runs on nine hits in 3 1-3 innings.
1 Unit on Arizona Diamondbacks +1½ -150 (Duckworth - R, Good - R)
On Monday, Finley homered twice and hit his second triple in as many days, helping the Diamondbacks to a convincing 10-1 win over the Phillies -- just their second victory in five games. The 38-year-old center fielder, who has 21 career multi-homer games, knocked in four runs and scored a team record-tying four times. He has a hit in five of his last six games, going 6-for-18 (.333) during that span. Arizona, which jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, ranks 11th in the National League with 125 runs scored. Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, scored the Phillies' only run in the third inning on right fielder Danny Bautista's error. Arizona rookie Andrew Good will look for his first major league win Tuesday in his third career start and fourth appearance. Good, added to the rotation to replace injured starter Randy Johnson (swollen right knee), gave up three earned runs and six hits over seven innings in Arizona's 4-3 loss to the Florida Marlins on Thursday. ``He struggled with his command early but he gave us what we needed,'' manager Bob Brenly said. ``We don't need these guys to step up. We just need these guys to do what they're capable of doing and that's what Andrew Good is capable of doing.'' In his previous start on April 22, the 23-year-old Good gave up three earned runs and six hits over seven innings in a 4-0 loss to Montreal. STANDINGS: Phillies - 2nd place (tied), 2 GB, NL East. Diamondbacks - 4th place, 8 1/2 GB, NL West. PHILLIES PROBABLE STARTER: Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 5.56 ERA). On Thursday, Duckworth gave up one unearned run and seven hits over five innings in a 4-1 win over Los Angeles -- his second straight victory. In his only previous start against the Diamondbacks, Duckworth gave up four earned runs and six hits, including two homers, but did not receive a decision in the Phillies' 5-4 loss last May 18. Duckworth, who began the season on the disabled list with elbow tendinitis, is making his third start.
3 Units on Florida Marlins +145 (Schmidt - R, Pavano - R)
Alfonzo, signed by the Giants as a free agent this past offseason, ended April hitting just .167. But San Francisco's new starting third baseman has looked like a different player in May. In four games this month, Alfonzo is 7-for-17 (.412), and is coming off his best offensive performance of the season. Batting third Sunday in place of resting slugger Barry Bonds, Alfonzo homered and drove in four runs to lead the Giants to a 6-1 win over Cincinnati. Giants manager Felipe Alou has batted Alfonzo in five different spots in the order while trying to help him out of his slump. Alfonzo's 2-for-5 effort on Sunday raised his average to .206 -- the highest it has been since April 10. ``I was thinking too much instead of going to the plate and relaxing,'' Alfonzo said. ``Things weren't going the way I wanted but I had to keep working. It was a matter of keeping the faith.'' The Marlins may be questioning their own faith after losing two starting pitchers to injury last week. A.J. Burnett had season-ending elbow surgery Tuesday before Mark Redman went down with a broken thumb later in the week. Scrambling to find healthy starters, the Marlins suffered a sweep in their three-game series with Houston over the weekend. This series opens a six-game homestand for Florida, which will also include a visit from the Colorado Rockies. Florida follows the stand with a season-long 12-game road trip.