Service Plays Friday 4/22/11

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

The Rx.com Mod Team has created this Service Play sub-forum in order to supply an area for Rx Service Play Posters to expand upon their posting topics without creating a logjam in the main forum where the three principle threads are maintained..

Posters can track services here if they care to but we will need any trackers to do so in an accurate and civil manner. We did not create this area for posters to ridicule or bash any services..

You can also discuss who is hot and who is not. The general state of the pay for plays industry and any other subject or topic related to service plays.

You can also create individual threads about specific services and discuss them freely but civilly. Again bashing and abusive treatment of any services will not be tolerated.

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Lastly The Rx Moderators are appealing to you our everyday posters to report any promotional threads or posts that are made by services or individual touts. No links or contact information to an individual service will be allowed. Just the name of the service. Please report any threads or posts that are promotional attempts by services and touts to use this forum to promote themselves..

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I will leave this thread open for a month to take questions and do my best to answer them. I will check in daily but am off on Wednesday and Thursday.

I hope this additional Service Play Forum will satisfy those posters that would like to widen the scope of topics relating to service plays and the industry in general to have their own threads. Mods will be liberal as possible regarding topics but this forum was specifically created to allow you more freedom to express your ideas regarding service plays and related subject matter. No off topic threads will be allowed.

Thank you, wilheim




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Thank you, wilheim.......

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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Friday 4/22
LA Dodgers drag scandal to Chicago
By: Willie Bee

Major League Baseball is finally paying the price for getting in bed with both Frank and Jamie McCourt. How's that for irony?

A road trip has rarely been such a welcome sight as the Los Angeles Dodgers view their impending excursion. The mess that is that club's front office and ownership is now in control of MLB, according to its czar Bud Selig.

The cameras and questions will no doubt follow the Dodgers into Chicago this weekend and Miami next week. Still, it's got to be a good thing for Don Mattingly and his bunch to get away from the Hollywood scene for a few days while the initial firestorm burns on the LA airwaves.

Los Angeles begins the trek Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field when the Dodgers meet the Cubs to begin a three-game series (11:20 a.m. PT). The Dodgers send right-hander Chad Billingsley to the North Side bump against Casey Coleman for Chicago.

Overnight odds listed the Dodgers as slight 110 chalk. Friday's game total had yet to be posted.

The series is the middle set of a nine-game homestand for the Cubs, all against NL West squads. Chicago enters Friday's tilt even-Steven at 9-9 on the year, down 1.5 units against the MLB odds and favoring the 'over' at 11-7.

Coleman (1-1, 4.22) is in rotation for Randy Wells who is rehabbing a strained right forearm. Both of his starts have been on the road, the most recent assignment helping the Cubs to an 8-3 victory at Colorado last Saturday. The righty pitched into the sixth inning allowing just a single run while striking out and walking three Rockies hitters.

This will be his first career appearance against the Dodgers after splitting his time between the Chicago bullpen and rotation at the end of 2010. The bulk of his work last season came on the road, with Coleman owning a 6.75 ERA in five games at Wrigley, three of them starts.

The Dodgers were still embroiled in Thursday's extra-inning getaway game with the Braves at press. They entered that contest 8-9 in the standings, off about 1.4 units against the money line and 10-6-3 'over' on the campaign.

It's the fifth start of the season for Billingsley (2-2, 4.91), and his third on the road. Los Angeles dropped his previous two assignments away from home with Billingsley recording a no-decision in one of the defeats. He's allowed nine earned runs in eight innings away from LA.

Billingsley is coming off a dandy performance this past Sunday at home tossing eight shutout frames and striking out 11 Cardinals. He left the game in a scoreless tie before the Dodgers pulled out a 2-1 win on Matt Kemp's walk-off clout.

He saw the Cubs twice in 2010, both Los Angeles wins including an 8-5 final in Chicago. Billingsley and the Dodgers have split his four career starts at Wrigley Field where he has a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings. The 2-2 record includes a triumph in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS.

Mattingly should see his roster expand during this road trip, avoiding any new injuries obviously. Vicente Padilla (elbow) could be activated and in the Dodgers bullpen for Friday's game, and southpaw reliever Hong-Chih Kuo (back) is only a few more days away.

Chicago's weather forecast calls for at least a 20 percent chance of showers the entire weekend, with Friday the wettest day at 60 percent. This is the only trip to the Windy City the Dodgers will make this year, so expect the umpires to do all they can to get this one in to avoid a doubleheader one of the next two days.

Saturday's second game (9:05 a.m. PT) currently lists LA's Ted Lilly and Chicago's Ryan Dempster as the mound combatants.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Friday 4/22
New York Yankees at Orioles for MLB odds battle
By: Brad Young

American League East rivals New York and Baltimore begin a three-game series with this Friday night matchup.

The Yankees currently reside atop the divisional standings at 10-6, while the Orioles had won back-to-back outings heading into Thursday's series finale with the Twins. Baltimore's modest two-game win streak was preceded by an eight-game losing stretch.

New York ace CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.52 ERA) heads to the hill searching for his first victory of the season. The portly left-hander picked up a no-decision in Sunday’s effort against Texas, tossing 6 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits (one home run) with two walks and six strikeouts on 112 pitches.

The Yankees eventually won that contest as 162 home ‘chalk,’ 6-5, while the combined 11 runs eclipsed the 8 ½-run closing total. The ‘over’ is now 3-1 in his four starts this season.

New York went 5-1 against the Orioles last season when Sabathia was pitching. The 10-year veteran went a combined 43 innings, surrendering 18 runs (17 earned) on 45 hits (six home runs) with 10 walks and 31 strikeouts.

The ‘under’ went a nondescript 3-2-1 during those six outings.

The Yankees are a solid 9-1 in Sabathia’s previous 10 starts versus Baltimore, and the team is 10-3 the past 13 trips to Camden Yards. New York has seen the ‘over’ go 9-4-1 its last 14 road games, while the ‘over’ is 19-9-1 the previous 29 outings overall.

Baltimore right-hander Bradley Bergesen (0-2, 3.38 ERA) is also winless on the young season despite pitching well during his latest effort. The 25-year-old fell to Cleveland Sunday as a 127 road underdog, 4-2, while the combined six runs went ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

Bergesen was reached for three runs (two earned) on six hits (two home runs) with no walks and three strikeouts over five innings and 88 pitches. The two-year veteran did appear in a two-inning relief stint versus the Yankees April 13, yielding no runs while striking out two batters.

Bergesen suffered his first setback of the season April 6 against Detroit as a 131 home underdog, 7-3. The California native lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) with two walks and two strikeouts. The combined 10 runs went ‘over’ the 8 ½-run closing total.

Baltimore has dropped all three games that Bergesen has started against the Yankees. The 6-foot-2 hurler threw a combined 15 innings, yielding 11 runs on 14 hits (one home run) with eight walks and eight strikeouts. The ‘over’ went 2-1 during those three matchups.

This contest is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. PT from Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Friday’s forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of rain, with the high listed at 51 degrees and a low of 47.

New York concludes a brief five-game AL East road trip with this series before returning home for seven games against the Chicago White Sox and Toronto. Baltimore continues a lengthy 10-game homestand after this series with three games against Boston.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Friday 4/22
Friday MLB Tips
By Kevin Rogers

The Friday baseball card includes less than half of the games involving division rivals. The AL East race is tightening up with the improved play of the Red Sox and Rays, as the Yankees and Orioles start a crucial series at Camden Yards. Elsewhere, the surprising Royals head to Arlington to battle the suddenly slumping Rangers. We'll start with another struggling squad as the White Sox continue their road swing in the Motor City against the Tigers.

White Sox at Tigers

These two AL Central rivals were thought to challenge the Twins for the division title this season. However, all three squads are lagging behind the surprising Indians and Royals inside the division, while Chicago and Detroit just try to climb back to .500. Both the White Sox and Tigers send their respective aces to the mound for the series opener at Comerica Park looking to get back on track.

Justin Verlander (1-2, 3.41 ERA) has delivered four quality starts this season, but only one win to show for it. Verlander dropped his last two outings as favorites against the Rangers and A's, while giving up three consecutive doubles in a three-run fourth inning of a 6-2 loss at Oakland. The right-hander tossed a complete-game in his only start at Comerica Park, a 2-0 setback to Texas, his second loss in his 12 home starts since last season.

The Sox send out Mark Buehrle (1-1, 4.50 ERA), who is winless in his last two trips to the mound. The southpaw was knocked around by the hot Angels in his last start, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs in seven innings of a 4-2 setback. Buehrle turned in a pair of solid starts against the Tigers last season with a pair of blowout victories, including a 12-2 rout last August at Comerica Park as a short favorite.

After Chicago won seven of the first nine meetings in 2010, Detroit bounced back with victories in eight of the final nine matchups. The 'over' cashed in six of the nine meetings in the Motor City, while Verlander beat the Sox twice in two outings last season.

Yankees at Orioles

Baltimore began the season as a house on fire with a 6-1 start, but the O's have cooled off with just two wins in their last 10 games. The Orioles battle their AL East nemesis on Friday as the Bronx Bombers invade Camden Yards with Joe Girardi's club going for their sixth win in eight games.

The Yankees bounced back from Tuesday's extra-inning meltdown at Toronto to beat the Blue Jays on Wednesday, 6-2. New York has played only five road contests so far this season (2-3), as CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.52 ERA) takes the mound in the series opener. Sabathia is winless in his first four starts of the season for just the second time in his career, as he captured a victory in his fifth go-around back in 2008 as a member of the Indians. The former AL Cy Young Award winner failed to turn in a quality start against the Red Sox and Rangers in his last two trips to the hill, but things should be different on Friday. The Yankees are 9-1 in Sabathia's last 10 starts against the O's, including a perfect 5-0 mark to the run-line at Baltimore.

Brad Bergesen (0-2, 3.38 ERA) also searches for his first win of the season, as the right-hander has been less than sharp in two losses to the Tigers and Indians. Bergesen delivered quality outings in four of his final five starts of 2010, but allowed seven runs in 8.2 innings in his first two starts of this season. The Orioles went 0-3 in Bergesen's three career outings against the Yankees, but all three of those losses came in the Bronx.

New York claimed the first two meetings of the season one week ago, improving to 15-4 the last 19 matchups in the series since last April. The Yankees are 5-2 the last seven series openers against the O's, while four of those wins came on the run-line.

Royals at Rangers

The defending AL Champions have been knocked down a few notches after a pair of losses to the Angels over the last couple of days. Texas looks to bounce back when the Rangers entertain the surprising Royals at Ameriquest Field as Ron Washington's squad is 2-6 since a 9-1 start.

Derek Holland (2-1, 3.66 ERA) put together a pair of solid outings in victories over the Mariners and Orioles to start the season, followed by a 5-2 defeat to the Yankees. Holland lasted 7.2 innings, but allowed five earned runs to suffer only his second loss in his previous seven starts dating back to last September.

The Royals send out southpaw Jeff Francis (0-1, 3.00 ERA), who has put together four quality starts in four outings this season. The former Rockies' starter has been involved in three one-run decisions, while losing both games when listed as a favorite. Francis has made just one road start, a 4-3 setback at Minnesota as the lefty gave up eight hits and three earned runs in seven innings, but Kansas City lost in 10 innings.

The Rangers took seven of nine meetings from the Royals last season, while Texas claimed all four matchups at home. Texas has turned into a solid 'under' look recently with an 8-2-1 run the last 11 contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday’s Best MLB Bets

Colorado Rockies at Florida Marlins (104, 8.5)

The Rockies are 13-5 (tied for the best record in the bigs with Cleveland) heading into Friday’s trip to Florida, and a big reason why is the right arm of Jhoulys Chacin.

Having emerged on the scene with a strong rookie campaign in 2010 (9-11, 3.28 ERA), Chacin appears to be taking it to the next level this season. The 23-year-old has won all three of his starts and registers at 3-0 with a stellar 1.64 ERA while striking out 14 in 22 innings.

Chacin’s last outing—a whole week ago (so he will be more than well-rested)—saw him befuddle the Cubs in a complete-game shutout during which he allowed six hits and struck out seven against two walks.

Colorado has cooled off just a bit following a stretch of 11 wins in 12 games, but the bats woke up again on Wednesday. Ty Wigginton and Ryan Spilborghs each belted three-run jacks and Troy Tulowitzki had three hits as the Rockers hammered San Francisco 10-2.

They should have a good chance of keeping it up against struggling Marlins’ starter Anibal Sanchez. The right-hander is 0-1 and his ERA is a bloated 5.51 after three starts and 16.1 innings of work.

Pick: Rockies

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels (104, 7)

L.A.’s Dan Haren took the mound on Sunday against the White Sox, going 6.1 innings and allowing just two runs and seven hits while striking out six. He also picked up the win, and yet it was still his worst outing of the season.

That’s just how good Haren has been through five appearances. In 31 innings he has given up a mere four runs (1.16 ERA) on 18 hits while mowing down 27 batters and walking a mere two. Haren is 4-0, having won three of four starts plus one no-decision while also getting a relief win in a 14-inning marathon against Toronto on April 9.

“So far I've done a good job of keeping the defense in the game, minimizing walks and working ahead in the count,” the Miami Herald reported Haren as saying. The right-hander was named American League Player of the Week on Monday along with Tampa Bay’s Johnny Damon. “That's my game,” he added, “it's nothing fancy.”

It has sure looked fancy up to this point, though, and it’s probably not what the Red Sox want to see as they try to emerge from the AL East cellar. Boston is 6-11 for its 2011 campaign as of Thursday evening and the team is an amazingly bad 1-7 on the road.

Pick: Angels

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA News and Notes Friday 4/22
NBA Betting: New York Knicks host Boston Celtics
By: Michael Robinson

The New York Knicks have done everything right in their playoff series against the Boston Celtics except win a game. They’ll try to break through Friday night as the scene shifts to New York, but injuries are a big question mark.

The Don Best odds screen has New York as two-point home favorites despite point guard Chauncey Billups being listed as doubtful. The total is 191 points and ESPN will broadcast from Madison Square Garden at 4 p.m. (PT).

The Knicks (42-42 straight-up, 48-34-2 against the spread) are down 2-0 after their 96-93 loss on Tuesday. Billups (knee) didn’t play and power forward Amare Stoudemire (back) sat out the second half, but they still led 93-92 with 19 seconds remaining. A big bucket by Boston’s Kevin Garnett and his subsequent steal were the difference.

Carmelo Anthony was absolutely brilliant with 42 points and 17 rebounds. He quieted his critics after struggling in the opener (5-of-18 shooting, 15 points). New York blew a three-point lead with 37 seconds left in that game, losing 87-85.

Billups’ status is a major cause for concern. He had a cortisone shot and fluid drained on Wednesday and missed practice Thursday. Toney Douglas had 14 points last game in his first playoff start, but had just two assists in over 34 minutes and was a turnstile on defense against Rajon Rondo (30 points).

Stoudemire missed practice on Thursday, but is probable Friday. Back injuries are tricky and he could be less than 100 percent. Shooting guard Landry Fields and center Ronny Turiaf are two non-scorers in the starting lineup right now, so big point production from Stoudemire, Anthony and Douglas will be vital.

New York is 2-0 ATS in this series and 4-2 ATS on the year against Boston despite losing all six games. There’s been a strong underdog trend in this year’s opening round, 12-4 ATS pending Thursday’s results.

The ‘under’ is 2-0 this series and 17-4-1 in Boston’s last 22 games. However, the ‘over’ is 6-1 in New York’s last seven home games and 24-17 for the season there.

The fortunate Celtics (58-26 SU, 38-44-2 ATS) are up 2-0 in the opening round for the second straight year. Last year, they took Game 3 in Miami 100-98 as 4 ½-point underdogs before losing Game 4 (101-92). The Heat had yet to sign free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Rondo’s scoring was badly needed last game. Paul Pierce is averaging 19 PPG this series, but shooting just 41.2 percent. He can’t be counted on for much more, expending so much energy covering Anthony.

Center Shaquille O’Neal (calf) has missed the first two games and is listed as doubtful Friday. The latest rumors have him out for the playoffs. Starter Jermaine O’Neal played well in Game 1 with 12 points, but had just two in 20 minutes last game. He’s probable with a wrist injury.

Boston out-rebounded New York in Game 1 (44-34), but the Knicks dominated in Game 2 (53-37). Their 20 offensive rebounds last game and free throw attempt differential (27-16) allowed them to hang in there despite being out-shot from the floor 47-35.6 percent.

The Boston bench has been anemic, scoring just 22 total points in the series. Glen Davis seems the best hope to turn it around, but he has just six total points. The Jeff Green acquisition from Oklahoma City for Kendrick Perkins looks worse every day. He has 10 total points and appears uncomfortable in a reserve role.

Boston is 8-5-1 ATS on two days rest this season. The 30-somethings of Garnett, Pierce and Ray Allen always appreciate a little extra time off.

Game 4 will be played Sunday in the Big Apple. Spike Lee and the rest of the celebrity fans would love to see New York aiming to tie the series instead of fighting elimination.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA News and Notes Friday 4/22
Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks
By: Adam Markowitz

The Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic split their NBA playoff betting proceedings in the City Beautiful in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Now the scene shifts to the Peach State, where Atlanta will hope to fly high and the Magic will try and make the Hawks disappear.

Tip-off on Friday night from Phillips Arena is slated for 5:00 (PT).

The first two games in this series have been vastly different. The Hawks shot the lights out at Amway Center in Game 1, especially in the middle two quarters, to take the 103-93 win, while Orlando's defense cracked down in an 88-82 victory in Game 2.

The big, big problem that the Magic have is their big man, Dwight Howard, really can't do this all by himself. Sure, Howard is shooting 71.4 percent from the field and averaging 39.5 PPG with 19.0 RPG in this series. No one is stopping him, and Atlanta has conceded that fact.

The problem for the man they call "Superman" is that he already has a whopping 15 turnovers in two games, and he has picked up five fouls in both efforts as well.

Jameer Nelson has come up big in the postseason once again for Orlando, averaging 20.0 PPG and 7.0 RPG. However, beyond these two, there really isn't much for head coach Stan Van Gundy to be happy about.

Jason Richardson was brought to the Sunshine State to score in situations like this, and he only has 12 total points against seven fouls. Gilbert Arenas, also brought to Orlando to bring an offensive spark off the bench, has only managed eight total points in 19 minutes of game time.

Howard is also the only player on the team shooting better than 42 percent from the floor, and the rest of the team outside of Howard and Nelson is shooting less than 30 percent for the series.

The Hawks haven't had a ton of help from their bench, but this really has been their story for quite a few seasons now. Sure, technically Jamal Crawford does come off of the bench, but we know that Zaza Pachulia is effectively a bench player who happens to be out there to start the game.

Crawford is the team's leading scorer in the playoffs with 24.0 PPG, and he is shooting 58.3 percent from beyond the arc as well.

Joe Johnson has come alive in the playoffs, playing virtually every minute of both games and accounting for 19.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 5.0 APG. Josh Smith and Al Horford are both bordering on double-doubles per game in the postseason, while Kirk Hinrich, generally known as a defensive point guard, is doing his share on the other end of the court by averaging 11.0 PPG.

It was well documented what happened when these two teams met in the playoffs last year, as the Magic absolutely crippled Atlanta in four straight games in the biggest beat-down in NBA postseason history for a series. However, since that point, the Hawks have fired back, covering the NBA odds six meetings in a row, including these two in the playoffs.

The Game 2 'under' marked the seventh time in the last eight in this series that a game has failed to reach the 'total.'

Oddsmakers have the Magic lined as short one point favorites on Friday, while the 'total' has been set at 181.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA News and Notes Friday 4/22
Friday's Playoff Tips
By Brian Edwards

Bettors have a tripleheader treat on tap for Friday night in the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks will finally host a postseason game at Madison Square Garden, as they look for their first win against Boston.

In Atlanta at Philips Arena, the Hawks will try to take a 2-1 series advantage over Orlando, which swept them in last year’s second round. The nightcap contest will go down in the Big Easy, where the Hornets will take on the Lakers at New Orleans Arena.

New York (42-42 straight up, 48-34-2 against the spread) covered the number in Games 1 and 2 in Beantown. However, the Knicks came up short in a pair of upset bids.

They held a 51-39 lead at halftime of Game 1, but the Celtics rallied to capture an 87-85 win as six-point home favorites. Ray Allen drained the game-winning 3-pointer with 11.6 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Carmelo Anthony settled for a deep 3-point attempt from the right wing that was off the mark.

All five Boston (58-26 SU, 38-44-2 ATS) starters scored in double figures led by Allen, who had 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor. Paul Pierce added 18 points and Garnett chipped in with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Rajon Rondo nearly had a triple-double, tallying 10 points, nine boards and nine assists.

Stoudemire finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, but Anthony was just 5-of-18 from the field and had just 15 points. Nevertheless, Mike D’Antoni’s team took the cash.

Chauncey Billups went down with a knee injury late in the fourth quarter and was unable to continue. He missed Game 2 and his status for Game 3 remains ‘doubtful.’

In Game 2, it was Stoudemire who had to leave the game with back spasms. With him out and the Celtics leading by double digits, the Knicks looked dead in the water. But Anthony would have nothing of the sort, exploding in the fourth quarter en route to a 42-point effort.

The Syracuse product, who led the Orange to the 2003 national title as a freshman, also pulled down 17 rebounds and dished out six helpers. Anthony couldn’t deliver on the final possession, though.

He made the right play but it didn’t work. Anthony got doubled and fed Jarred Jeffries in the lane, but Jeffries didn’t even look at the basket and had the ball stolen by Kevin Garnett when he tried to make a pass in traffic.

Rondo was the catalyst for the winner, scoring 30 points and dishing out seven assists. Pierce went for 20 points and Allen added 18. KG had another double-double with 12 points, 10 boards and six assists.

Stoudemire was only able to for 17 minutes, finishing with just four points and five boards. Toney Douglas got most of Billups’ minutes, scoring 14 points, but he was unable to do anything to slow down Rondo on the defensive end.

Most books are listing the Knicks as two-point favorites with a total of 191½. Stoudemire was listed as ‘probable’ as of Thursday night.

VegasInsider.com’s Chris David wasn’t expecting to see the Celtics as underdogs. David said, “I was surprised that the Knicks opened as short favorites, especially with the injury issues. Maybe the books are looking for action on the Celtics?

“Not sure, but you have to be aware that Boston owns a 6-4 record ATS as a road underdog this season but the last two instances were losses and against playoff teams in Chicago (81-97) and Miami (77-100). Those following this Celtics squad all season know that they go through the motions and they’re next to impossible to handicap. So which team shows up in Game 3? Will it be the one that is happy with taking one victory at Madison Square Garden or does Doc Rivers put some sense into his troops and let them know that Miami could be resting for the next round? Keep in mind that the Knicks have gone 11-5 ATS as home favorites of six points or less this season. This line is tricky for a reason.”

The ‘over’ has been a money maker for New York at home, cashing at a 24-17 clip. On the flip side, the’ under’ has gone 25-15-1 in Boston’s road assignments.

ESPN will have the telecast at 7:05 p.m. Eastern.

Like the Knicks, Atlanta (45-39 SU, 39-45 ATS) hooked up its backers as road underdogs in Games 1 and 2 at Orlando. Unlike New York, the Hawks were able to get an outright win and return home with the series knotted at 1-1.

Larry Drew’s team took Game 1 by a 103-93 count as an 8 ½-point underdog. Gamblers backing Atlanta on the money line brought home a lucrative return in the plus-360 range (risk $100 to win $360).

Joe Johnson scored a team-high 25 points, while Jamal Crawford supplied 23 points from off the bench. Al Horford and Josh Smith added 16 and 15 points, respectively. In the losing effort, Dwight Howard had a monster game with 46 points and 19 rebounds.

Despite winning outright in Game 1 for its fourth win in five head-to-head meetings against the Magic, Atlanta found itself catching 9 1/2 points in Game 2. Even with Horford saddled with foul trouble, the Hawks raced out to a double-digit lead in the first half. The advantage wouldn’t last, however, with Orlando winning the second quarter by a 32-20 margin.

When Atlanta fell down by 14 in the second half, Stan Van Gundy’s team appeared poised to run away and hide. But that didn’t happen. In fact, the Hawks trimmed the deficit to two on a Horford dunk in transition off a sweet pass from Josh Smith.

On the next possession, Hedo Turkoglu got a bucket in the lane but not before the ball bounced out and rolled around the rim for what seemed like an eternity. After a defensive stop, Jason Richardson inserted the dagger with a clutch 3 from the right wing and the Magic eventually won an 88-82 decision.

The ‘over’ hit in Game 1, but the ‘under’ prevailed in Game 2. The ‘under’ is now 5-1 in the six encounters between these Eastern Conference rivals.

Tip-off at Philips Arena is scheduled for Friday night at 8:05 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

New Orleans (47-37 SU, 41-41-2 ATS) stunned the two-time defending champs Sunday afternoon, beating the Lakers 109-100 behind an incredible performance from Chris Paul at Staples Center. Paul dominated with 33 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. The Hornets won outright as double-digit underdogs, hooking up money-line backers with a payout of at least plus-500 (and +675 at the Las Vegas Hilton!).

Jarrett Jack played a huge role in the Game 1 shocker. Jack came off the bench to scored 15 points and dish out five assists without committing a turnover. Aaron Gray also provided a lift from off of the pine, making all five shots on his way to a 12-point effort.

In Game 2, the line went from 10 to 12 in favor of the Lakers, who won 87-78 despite getting next to nothing from Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Phil Jackson’s squad got ahead of the number several times in the second half, but the Hornets scored enough points in the final minutes to cover the healthy spread.

Bryant was just 3-of-10 from the field and barely got into double figures with 11 points. The perennial All-Star had just as many turnovers (two) as assists (two). Gasol was even worse with the Staples crowd cringing every time he got a touch on the blocks in the second half. He would score just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom came to play. The big man Bynum produced 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Odom added 16 points and seven boards.

Paul beat the buzzer to end the second and third quarters, but he didn’t get enough help this time around. He finished with 20 points and nine assists compared to merely one turnover. Trevor Ariza was outstanding, completely shutting down Kobe on the defensive end and scoring 22 points.

L.A. won both regular-season meetings in the Crescent City, but it will need to bring much more effort and execution into Friday’s showdown. It would help to get Gasol going, too. He appears to have completely lost his confidence and the physical play of Carl Landry is clearly bothering the All-Star power forward.

The Hornets own a 6-5 spread record as home underdogs. Without David West, Monty Williams can’t ask for much more out of his team. Even in Wednesday’s loss, the fight and intensity was evident for 48 minutes.

The one exception might have been a Lakers’ fast break that resulted in an offensive rebound and then a give-away foul by Paul. But after that sequence, Jack ripped into Landry and Emaka Okafor for not hustling back on defense. In essence, Jack made it clear that he’d be dealing out eye dots to his teammates if the same thing happened again. (LOVED IT!!!)

David provided this analysis on the total: “Game 2 saw the Lakers and Hornets combine for 165 points, which never threatened the closing total of 187. And that result occurred after the pair combined for 209 in the opener of the best-of-seven series.

“For Game 3, the number is back down to 184 which is still a little higher than the total (182.5) in Game 1. In the six meetings this season, the ‘over’ has gone 4-2 but the second installment could have total bettors scratching their head. For starters, Kobe decided to put defense ahead of offense and guard Paul for the majority of the game. He took a total of 10 shots, making just three.

“The pace was off as well, plus both teams only took a combined 22 treys and they combined for 19 misses from the free-throw line. A lot of question marks but if you’re looking for a consistent trend, then check out the total mark on New Orleans, which stands at 52-31 to the ‘under’ and that includes a 25-16 (61%) mark in The Big Easy.”

ESPN will provide television coverage at 9:35 p.m. Eastern.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pick 'n' Roll

Friday's Best NBA Bets

Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (-2, 191.5)

There are 17 reasons to think this game won’t come close to the over. Those 17 reasons are the 17 different clips Celtics coach Doc Rivers showed his team during a video session on Wednesday.

Each one showed the team being tentative on double-teams and simply watching as the Knicks crashed the offensive class. Poor rebounding led the Knicks snagging a stunning 20 offensive boards and notching an unheard of 24 second-chance points in Game 2. New York still lost 96-93, but needed every one of those points to keep it close.

“We weren’t trapping, but we were acting like we were trapping,” said Boston head coach Doc Rivers. “So now Carmelo [Anthony is] one-on-one, and then we’re out-bodied, so now they’re getting both. And that was what was so frustrating.”

Think Boston won’t look to tighten things up, even if guard Chauncey Billups or forward Amar’e Stoudemire find a way to play?

“It’d be different if we’d won both games by 15 to 20 points,” said Celtics' guard Ray Allen, “but right now it’s evident. It’s staring us in the face where we can be better.”

But don’t necessarily look for an improved defensive effort to lead to fewer points. Boston has seen the under go 6-1-1 since Shaquille O’Neal suffered his calf injury. Look for the defense to tighten even more without the Man of Steel.

Pick: Under

Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks (1.5, 181)

The Hawks may finally have found a way to keep up with the Magic.

Atlanta has allowed Magic center Dwight Howard to score as much as he wants – 79 points and 38 rebounds – and has forced the rest of the team’s scorers to find a way to beat them. The new-found strategy by coach Larry Drew has allowed the Hawks to not only split the first two games of the series in Atlanta, but gain a mental edge this season.

The Hawks are 4-2 SU and a stunning 6-0 ATS versus the Magic this season. The new approach is working and don’t expect Atlanta to mix things up anytime soon.

In fact, Magic guard Gilbert Arenas has struggled so much to help generate offense around Howard that head coach Stan Van Gundy plans to slice into his minutes to try to find another player who can find the bottom of the basket.

"I don't know what we're doing," Van Gundy said. "I haven't decided exactly what we're doing. I know Jameer [Nelson] is going to play a lot of minutes. I know we're going to use J.J. [Redick off the bench], I know we're going to use Q [Quentin Richardson] and I know we're going to use Ryan [Anderson].

"As far as what we do at the backup point I'm not totally sure."

He might not be sure, but the Hawks are positive about what they are going to do: win.

Pick: Atlanta

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL News and Notes Friday 4/22
NHL Betting Preview: Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators
By: Barry Daniels

The Ducks will be waddling back to Anaheim with their beaks held high for Friday’s Game 5 against the Nashville Predators after registering a 6-3 victory in Game 4. The win tied this best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series at two games apiece.

Anaheim closed as a 135 road underdog, with the combined nine goals catapulting ‘over’ the NHL odds. The ‘over’ is now 3-0-1 in the first four games of this series.

Most sports books monitored by Don Best Sports’ Real-Time Odds have opened the Ducks as 145 home favorites for Friday’s Game 5, which will be televised by the Versus network beginning at 7 p.m. (PT). The total has been set at five ‘under’ (minus 150).

Corey Perry's shorthanded goal early in the third period, which gave the Ducks a 4-3 lead, turned out to be the winning marker. Perry received a drop pass from Brandon McMillan and beat Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne with a backhand shot after making an inside move on Ryan Suter.

Ryan Getzlaf then made it 5-3 with his second goal of the series and Brandon McMillan made it 6-3 with his first playoff marker. The sixth goal was enough for the Predators to pull Rinne and replace him with Anders Lindback with 13 minutes remaining in the third period.

Rinne, who allowed the six goals on 29 shots, saw his overall record slip to 35-24-5-4 with a 2.21 GAA and .926 save percentage. He is still scheduled to start Friday’s Game 5 despite an .860 save percentage and a 3.73 GAA in this playoff series against the Ducks.

Ducks goalie Ray Emery stopped 19-of-22 Nashville shots to collect the victory. Emery began the playoffs as a backup to Dan Ellis, but entered with six minutes remaining in Game 1 when Ellis was pulled after allowing his fourth goal. Emery then started the next three playoff matches.

Cam Fowler and Saku Koivu got the Ducks off to a great start in Wednesday’s Game 4 win with goals and Selanne added his series-high fifth to put pressure on the Predators.

Nashville received even-strength goals from Patric Hornqvist and Matt Halischuk, and a power play marker from Joel Ward.

The Predators, 1-for-5 on the power play, are now 5-for-22 with the man advantage in this series. The Ducks were 2-for-6, and are now 6-for-18 in the series.

While the Ducks outshot Nashville 38-22 in Game 4, they are getting outshot 123-110 in the series so far.

This is one of the more physical quarterfinal series because of some dicey hits and some ill intentions.

The Predators lost right winger Martin Erat for the balance of Game 4 because of an upper-body injury suffered when Ducks winger Jarkko Ruutu hit him from the side in the neutral ice early in the second period.

Referees Dan O'Halloran and Brian Pochmara initially didn't call a penalty on Ruutu, but ultimately whistled him for interference after Erat was lying on the ice for a period of time. The Don Best Sports injury report lists Erat as “questionable.”

There is the possibility that Ruutu could be the latest to come before the NHL for possible supplementary discipline in these playoffs. Therefore, he is also listed as “questionable.”

Late in the game, Nashville forward Jordin Tootoo was whistled for roughing when he appeared to go high on a fore-check against Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman. Tootoo later was whistled for a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct on a different play.

The Ducks are looking forward to the return of top-line left wing Bobby Ryan, who had to sit out Games 3 and 4 because of a suspension for stomping on the foot of Nashville defenseman Jonathon Blum in Game 2.

Ryan's 34 regular-season goals were second on the team behind Corey Perry.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL News and Notes Friday 4/22
Game 5 Showdowns
By Judd Hall

We’re light on ice time for Friday night with just two games on the schedule in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But the quality of the contests certainly makes up for quantity. Both battles feature squads that are deadlocked with two wins apiece, making Game 5 very pivotal.

The action kicks off in Philadelphia, where the Flyers go for the advantage on home ice against the Sabres. The Predators then head out west for a date against the Ducks at the Honda Center.

Sabres at Flyers

If there was one series that was going to be as good as it was billed, it has easily been the Sabres and Flyers.

The fact that Buffalo enters this game with two wins in the series is a bit of a miracle. The Sabres have not put together a complete game in any of the first four matches. They’ve needed Ryan Miller to be perfect (stopped all 67 shots on goal in Games 1 and 4) to get their wins because the offense is not showing up. And when Miller isn’t in top form, they offense has flourished with six goals.

The Sabres’ biggest issue is that nobody outside of Thomas Vanek is finding ways to get quality shots on goal. Vanek leads the team just two lamp lighters in the postseason, while Drew Stafford seemingly just hoping something will stick out of his 16 SOG (just one goal scored).

All has not been roses for the Flyers, who are no doubt cursing to themselves about how their offense has disappeared in the losses. But you can’t fault the full strength attack for Philly’s setbacks. Philadelphia had no success on the power play in those losses (0-for-8). That could change for the better on Friday night with the possibility of Chris Pronger returning to the lineup.

Pronger had 11 power play assists during the regular season, and is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the game. That will help Brian Boucher out a lot more, who has been fantastic in goal for Philadelphia in the last two games (63-of-66 SOG).

The oddsmakers are siding big with the Flyers for this game by installing them as $1.60 home favorites with a total of 5 ½. While one would think that Philly is the play here, bettors should note a little history. The Flyers are 1-3 straight up and on the puck line when posted as home favorites after getting shut out as road pups in the previous matchup. The ‘over’ is 3-1 in those tests.

Predators at Ducks

What do you bet the Predators are kicking themselves in the butt right about now?

Nobody could blame Nashville for that after losing to the Ducks 6-3 on home ice in Game 4 of its Western Conference Quarterfinal. The Preds went into the third period 3-3, but gave up three goals in the first six minutes of the final act. While that defensive lapse was bade, the fact that Nashville was hampered by 32 penalty minutes that led to two power play goals for the Ducks. The Predators were second only to the Panthers in fewest penalty minutes during the regular season with 720.

Anaheim enters this game with almost no pressure. That’s how they have to look at it after going 1-1 during the two-game suspension that Bobby Ryan had for the skate stomp on Jonathon Blum. They haven’t really needed Ryan’s handiwork with Teemu Selanne drinking from the fountain of youth. Selanne has been ripped the Predators up for five goals in the series. The Quack Attack will need to get Ray Emery to play a little better in goal as he’s allowed 10 goals in his three starts. As bad as that is, Emery is still way better than Dan Ellis, who couldn’t finish Game 1 of the series.

The Ducks have been posted as $1.45 home faves to take Game 5 with the total coming in at five. Anaheim has been a tough team to beat after putting on an offensive display, evidenced by a 4-1 SU mark when posted as a home “chalk” after scoring six goals in its previous match. The Preds could be a look on the puck line in those games since Anaheim is 1-4 PL.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What Bettors Need to Know: Friday's NHL Playoff Action

Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers (-155, 5.5)

Series tied 2-2

THE STORY: When Ryan Miller is on his game, he can render an opposing team powerless. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner recorded his second shutout in four contests as the seventh-seeded Buffalo Sabres pulled even with the Atlantic Division champion Philadelphia Flyers in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with 1-0 triumph in Game 4 on Wednesday. On Friday, the teams will reconvene for Game 5 in the City of Brotherly Love, where the clubs split the first two meetings. Miller, who stopped all 35 shots he faced in a 1-0 victory in Game 1, turned aside 32 shots on Wednesday. The Olympic netminder denied former Sabres captain Daniel Briere and current Flyers captain Mike Richards on point-blank chances late in the third period to preserve the shutout on Wednesday.

TV: 7:30 ET, VERSUS, TSN

ABOUT THE SABRES: Jason Pominville scored the lone goal of the game on Wednesday for his first tally of the series and 12th career in the playoffs. Pominville tapped in a brilliant feed from veteran Rob Niedermayer at 9:38 of the first period. Miller wasn't the only one to make a save for the Sabres on Wednesday. Towering defenseman Tyler Myers denied James van Riemsdyk on a point-blank shot with Miller temporarily out of position. The puck deflected off Myers and over the net. For his part, Miller became the third Buffalo goaltender to have two shutouts in one series - joining Bob Sauve (vs. Montreal, 1983) and Dominik Hasek (vs. New Jersey, 1994).

ABOUT THE FLYERS: Philadelphia didn't just lose a game - it may have lost Jeff Carter for an extended period of time. The talented center injured his right knee following a collision with Myers with two minutes remaining in the first period. Carter did not return to the contest and is listed as day-to-day. That is also the status for stud defenseman Chris Pronger, who has absent since March 8 with a broken right hand. Brian Boucher turned in his second strong outing since relieving rookie Sergei Bobrovsky. The 34-year-old Rhode Island native, who made 28 saves on Wednesday, permitted four goals on 87 shots in the series. Van Riemsdyk collected a team-high six shots on game in Game 3.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Buffalo center Tyler Ennis, who notched an assist on Wednesday, has one goal and five assists in his last six contests. Briere has four goals and three assists in his last six games.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Neither team is setting the world on fire with its power play. Philadelphia failed to score on all three chances in Game 3 and is now 2-for-21 in the series. For its part, Buffalo went 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 3 and is 3-for-19 in the series.

TRENDS:

* Over is 13-2-1 in the last 16 meetings in Philadelphia.
* Over is 21-7-1 in the last 29 meetings.
* Flyers are 8-2 in their last 10 playoff games as favorites.
* Sabres are 2-9 in their last 11 playoff games as underdogs.

LAST WORD: The Flyers and Sabres have had five two-man advantages during this series - and have yet to score. Philadelphia is 0-for-3 in just over 2 1/2 minutes of 5-on-3 play, while Buffalo is 0-for-2 in 1:37 of a two-man advantage.

Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks (-140, 5)

Series tied 2-2

THE STORY: A roller-coaster series between the Ducks and Predators returns to Anaheim for Game 5 on Friday night. The Ducks used three third-period goals to earn a 6-3 victory in Game 4 Wednesday night in Nashville to even the best-of-seven first-round matchup at two wins apiece.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, Versus, Prime, Comcast Sports Tennessee

ABOUT THE DUCKS: Anaheim victimized Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne in Game 4, beating him six times to swing the momentum back in its favor. Rocket Richard Trophy winner Corey Perry led the way, scoring the shorthanded game winner early in the third period and adding two assists. Reclaiming home-ice advantage was pivotal for the Ducks, who will play two of the final three games of the series in Anaheim. The Ducks will also have Bobby Ryan back in the lineup Friday. The veteran forward missed both games in Nashville after being suspended for stomping on the foot of Nashville's Jonathon Blum with his skate. With the rest of Anaheim's forwards looking as dangerous as ever, Ryan's return will only increase the pressure put on Rinne and the Nashville defense.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Defensive breakdowns and shoddy goaltending torpedoed any chance the Predators had of returning to California with a 3-1 edge in the series. After the game, Nashville coach Barry Trotz ripped into his team for its subpar performance. "All game I thought we were just making major blunders, poor decisions," he said. Making things worse for Nashville is the potential loss of forward Martin Erat, who was leveled on an open-ice hit by Jarkko Ruutu in the second period and lay flat on the ice for several minutes. He left with an upper-body injury and did not return, and his status for the remainder of the series is still up in the air. It has been a rough series for Erat, who lost four teeth after taking a butt end in the mouth in Game 2.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Ducks F Teemu Selanne's second-period tally was his league-leading fifth of the postseason and the 40th of his career. Nashville's Shea Weber has been the best defenseman on either team. He has four points, a +2 rating, nine hits and six blocked shots so far in the series.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Both teams have been strong with the man advantage. Anaheim is second in the playoffs at 33.3 percent (6 for 18), while Nashville is sixth at 23.8 percent (5 for 21).

TRENDS:

* Over is 2-0-2 in the last four meetings in Anaheim.
* Over is 5-0-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Favorite is 18-7 in the last 25 meetings.
* Home team is 17-8 in the last 25 meetings.
* Predators are 7-19 in the last 26 meetings in Anaheim.

LAST WORD: "A special player making a special play. Very, very fortunate. Anytime you can score a goal shorthanded, you've got to feel pretty lucky." - Ducks coach Randy Carlyle on Perry's go-ahead goal.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ice Picks

Friday's Best NHL Bets

Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers (-155, 5.5)

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff can’t wait to see if his gamble will continue to pay off. The coach reshuffled his lines ahead of Game 4 against the Flyers and his team wound up with a 1-0 victory while forward Jason Pominville notched his first goal of the series.

Now, Ruff must decide whether to ride the momentum of a group that fired 29 shots on net or keep shuffling to find more goals.

"I really felt at even strength we needed more out of our top players," Ruff said. "I just tried to put some workers with some of our goal scorers, balance everything out knowing it's really going to be a long series."

During the first three games, Buffalo led for fewer than 15 minutes. In the 1-0 Game 4 win, the team held the slimmest of advantages for around 50 minutes. If Ruff keeps his combinations, it will now be up to star forward Thomas Vanek to find the back of the net.

Vanek, who is minus-4 with no even-strength goals in the series, now skates on the wing with Paul Gaustad and Patrick Kaleta.

The trio likely will have to face Flyers' defender Chris Pronger, who is making his long-awaited return from a hand injury. However, it should take him most of the game to regain his legs and become acclimated to the speed of a playoff game.

Ruff’s shuffling should continue to pay off.

Pick: Buffalo

Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks (-140, 5)

The way Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne and Anaheim keeper Ray Emery are playing, their teams have to be thinking about just setting up some orange cones or an empty trash can between the pipes and calling it a day.

Cones or a can couldn’t do much worse.

Rinne allowed every goal in a 6-3 setback in Game 4. In the loss, he conceded all six scores on just 29 shots. For the series, he has allowed 14 goals in only four games. Still, his team says it has faith in him – even if that faith must be shaky after he saw the red light glow behind him three times in the third period of Game 4 before getting pulled.

"He’s made some big saves when he’s had to," Predators forward Steve Sullivan said of Rinne. "We gave up way too many shots and way too many chances. Sometimes you have to clap your hands to the guys who are shooting pucks. Some of those pucks, no goaltender in the world could save."

And it’s not like Ray Emery has been a brick wall.

After reemerging from the AHL this season to help bolster the Anaheim goaltending corps, he has been mediocre at best in three postseason starts. The past three games he has been tagged for 10 goals.

"I just try my best out there, and sometimes it's not pretty," Emery said. "But if you grind it out, you get lucky sometimes."

The only people getting lucky will be the ones cashing the over for this one.

Pick: Over

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Football Jesus Text for Friday : NBA Hornets + points

 

[Yankees31]

justincover

Los Angeles Lakers

 

[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from Totals4U

Friday's free selection: Philadelphia Philllies/San Diego Padres under 6 1/2

 

[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from Huddle Up Sports



Free Winner: Minnesota Duesing -118

 

[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from Easy Money Sports

Lee's Free Thursday Selection
SEATTLE w/Hernandez -140

 

[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from Platinum Plays

MLB: Minnesota Twins w/Duensing -120 Over Cleveland

 

[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from #1 Sports

Friday's free selection: Chicago White Sox + 140