INSIDE THE LINES
MONDAY, APRIL 20
Updated by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Weekdays
Updated by 9:00 A.M. Eastern Weekends
NBA PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(7) Chicago (42-41, 43-39-1 ATS) at (2) Boston (62-21, 43-40 ATS)
Having pulled off a stunning Game 1 upset of the defending champions Saturday, the Bulls now try to take a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-7 series, which resumes at TD Banknorth Garden.
Chicago point guard Derrick Rose scored 36 points – tying an NBA record for a playoff debut – and also contributed 11 assists and four rebounds as the Bulls outlasted Boston 105-103 in overtime as a nine-point underdog. The Bulls shot just 42.7 percent from the field, including missing 14 of 17 tries from beyond the three-point arc, but they went 20-for-22 from the foul line and held Boston to just 39.4 percent shooting overall. They also had a 53-45 rebounding edge.
Boston, which went 13-1 SU at home in last year’s playoffs on the way to its 17th NBA title, got 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists from point guard Rajon Rondo, while Paul Pierce added 23 points in the Game 1 defeat. However, sharpshooter Ray Allen was a disaster, misfiring on 12 of 13 field-goal tries (0-for-6 from three-point land) and finishing with just four points.
The Celtics entered the playoffs on an 8-1 SU run and had won nine straight home games. The Bulls are on a 6-1 SU run going back to the regular season, but they’ve alternated spread-covers in their last seven contests. Also, despite stealing Game 1 in Boston, Chicago remains just 4-9 in its last 13 road outings (6-7 ATS).
The Bulls have now scored consecutive upset wins over Boston in the last month after losing the previous six meetings overall (all as an underdog) and going 0-7 ATS in the previous seven. Prior to Game 1, the Celtics had won and covered four straight home games against Chicago in the past two seasons, winning by margins of 18, 16, 23 and 25 points.
Boston has topped the century mark in three straight and nine of its last 10 games, while the Bulls have done so in 17 of their last 22 contests, putting up 107 ppg during this stretch.
For the season, the Celtics are 35-7 SU at home (21-21 ATS), while Chicago is 14-28 on the highway (21-20-1 ATS).
The Bulls are now 8-2-2 ATS in their last 12 first-round playoff games, including 4-0 ATS in the last four. They’re on additional pointspread hot streaks of 13-3-1 against wining teams, 7-2 as an underdog, 5-1 as a road ‘dog and 5-2 as a pup in the postseason. Meanwhile, Boston has still covered in seven of its last 11 overall and six of its last seven after one day off, but otherwise the C’s are mired in ATS slumps of 5-12 at home (all as a favorite), 1-6 against the Central Division, 2-6 after a loss and 2-8 when laying between five and 10½ points.
Game 1 soared over the posted total, making the over 6-2 in the last eight meetings between these teams in Boston. Also, the Bulls are on “over” stretches of 5-1 in first-round playoff games, 14-6 as an underdog, 7-3 against the Atlantic Division and 4-0 as a playoff pup, while Boston carries “over” trends of 7-1 overall, 21-6 at home, 6-0 as a favorite, 16-5 versus the Eastern Conference, 5-1 in first-round playoff contests and 7-0 after a SU defeat.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CHICAGO and OVER
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(6) Dallas (51-32, 41-42 ATS) at (3) San Antonio (54-29, 40-41-2 ATS)
The Mavericks will try to steal a second game in San Antonio when they meet the Spurs in Game 2 of this best-of-7 Western Conference series inside the AT&T Center.
Dallas rallied from an 11-point first-quarter deficit to score a 105-97 win as a four-point underdog on Saturday and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Josh Howard led the way for the Mavs with 25 points and Dallas had six players with double-digit points, while the team committed only seven turnovers. The Mavericks have now won eight of their last 10 (6-4 ATS) but they are still just 2-4 (SU and ATS) in their last six road games.
Saturday’s loss ended a four-game winning streak for the Spurs (2-3 ATS), who got huge games from their two superstars Tony Parker (24 points, eight assists) and Tim Duncan (27 points, nine rebounds). San Antonio lost despite shooting 47 percent from the field and making 11 of 14 three-pointers, but the Spurs allowed the Mavs to shoot at a 53.8 percent clip.
The road team continues to dominate this series, going 15-6 ATS in the last 21 clashes, and the underdog is on a 16-5 ATS run in those 21 contests. Dallas is 18-8 ATS in the last 26 overall meetings with the Spurs, including a 10-2 ATS run in San Antonio.
Dallas is in the postseason for the ninth straight season, however it has failed to get out of the first round the last two years, losing to Golden State in six games (1-5 ATS) in 2007 and then falling to New Orleans in five games (2-3 ATS) last season.
The Spurs are in the playoffs for the 12th straight year and they’ve gotten past the first round in eight of those seasons. They ousted Phoenix in five games in last year’s opening round (2-2-1 ATS) then needed seven games to get past New Orleans in the semifinals (4-3 ATS) before losing to the Lakers in five games (2-3 ATS) in the conference finals.
Including Saturday’s result, San Antonio is 28-14 at home this season (17-24-1 ATS), and Dallas is 19-23 on the highway (22-20 ATS).
The Mavericks are on ATS runs of 5-2 overall, 16-5 as a playoff ‘dog, 4-1 after a straight-up win and 5-0 in their last five playoff games as a dog of five to 10½ points, but they are on ATS slides of 6-12 after a spread-cover, 3-7 in opening-round playoff games and 4-7 against Southwest Division foes. The Spurs are on ATS streaks of 18-5-2 ATS as a playoff chalk, 7-2-1 on Mondays and 23-8-1 in playoff games as a favorite of five to 10½ points, but they’re now just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 home games and 5-12 ATS in their last 17 as a chalk.
Even though Saturday’s contest went over the total, the under is still 5-2 in the last seven meetings between these division rivals in San Antonio.
Dallas has topped the total in five of their last six as a playoff ‘dog, but the Mavs are on “under” runs of 8-0 on Mondays, 12-3 as a ‘dog, 10-3 as a road ‘dog and 12-5 on the road. For the Spurs, the under is 4-1 in their last five as a favorite and 19-7 in their last 26 on Mondays, but the over is 6-1 in their last seven at home and 5-0 in their last five coming off a loss.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DALLAS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Florida (11-1) at Pittsburgh (6-6)
The Marlins take a seven-game winning streak and baseball’s best record to Pittsburgh when they open a three-game series against the Pirates at PNC Park. It will be a battle of young hurlers as lefty Andrew Miller (1-0, 6.43 ERA) takes the mound for Florida against Ross Ohlendorf (0-2, 4.91).
Florida is 6-0 on its first round trip of the season, including a thrilling three-game weekend sweep in Washington, with all three wins coming in the team’s last at-bat. After posting extra-innings victories of 3-2 on Friday and 9-6 on Saturday, the Marlins scored four runs in the top of the ninth Sunday to steal a 7-4 win. Florida, which has allowed four runs or fewer in nine of its 12 games in 2009, is 22-6 dating to last season and 16-5 in its last 21 against right-handed starters. Its last four victories have been in come-from-behind fashion.
Pittsburgh’s bid for a three-game weekend sweep of Atlanta fell way short Sunday when it lost 11-1 at PNC Park. It was a rare poor outing for Pirates pitching, which had posted consecutive shutouts of the Braves on Friday (3-0) and Saturday (10-0) and had surrendered two runs or fewer in six of its previous eight contests. Pittsburgh has won five consecutive series-openers, but it is otherwise in slumps of 17-39 as an underdog, 7-20 as a home ‘dog and 4-17 against southpaw starters.
These teams met just five times last year – all in April – with Florida winning three of the contests. Still, the Marlins are just 6-13 in their last 19 games at PNC Park.
Miller lasted just 4 2/3 innings in his first start of the season at Atlanta on Wednesday, giving up four runs on four hits, but the Marlins still rolled to a 10-4 victory. Miller also has made two relief appearances this year, giving up a run in 2 1/3 innings. Prior to Wednesday’s rout of the Braves, the Fish had lost five straight games with Miller on the hill, including four straight on the road.
Ohlendorf was a tough-luck loser in his season debut at St. Louis on April 9, pitching six shutout innings before giving up two runs in the seventh and losing 2-1. However, the right-hander was not nearly as sharp in his first home outing Wednesday against Houston, yielding four runs on eight hits in five innings, losing 4-1. Pittsburgh is 1-5 in Ohlendorf’s last six starts, including three straight defeats at home.
Neither Miller nor Ohlendorf have faced their respective opponents in their brief big-league careers. Miller is 5-9 with a 6.08 ERA in 27 lifetime road outings (19 starts), while Ohlendorf is 0-3 with a 6.28 ERA in four games (three starts) at PNC Park totaling only 14 1/3 innings.
Miller’s last four starts (all on the road) have topped the total, while Ohlendorf’s last four have stayed below the posted price.
For the Pirates, the under is on streaks of 4-2-1 overall (all at home), 4-1 against lefty starters and 12-5-1 against teams from the N.L. East, but eight of their last 11 Monday contests have gone over the total. Meanwhile, the under is 6-3 in Florida’s last nine road games, but otherwise the club is on “over” stretches of 12-1 as a favorite, 5-1 as a road chalk and 15-5-2 on Monday. Lastly, the over is 5-2 in the last seven head-to-head battles between these clubs.
ATS ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA and OVER
