Service Plays Monday 4/25/11

[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.

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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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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA News and Notes Monday 4/25
Thunder up 3-0 at Denver Nuggets
By: Michael Robinson

The Oklahoma City Thunder look for a surprising 4-0 sweep of the Denver Nuggets when they meet Monday night in the Mile High City. That wasn’t supposed to happen with a four-seed meeting a five.

The Don Best odds screen has Denver as 3½-point favorites with a total of 206 points as it tries to stave off elimination. TNT will have the coverage from the Pepsi Center beginning at 7:30 p.m. (PT).

This series was billed as a battle of Oklahoma City’s star power versus Denver’s depth. The stars have carried the day for Oklahoma City, with role players stepping up big as well.

The Thunder (58-27 straight-up, 45-39-1 against the spread) took the first two games at home. The first was a 107-103 win as six-point favorites, getting fortunate on a late Kendrick Perkins tip-in that should have been offensive goaltending. The dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 41 and 31 points respectively.

The Perkins call may have affected Denver in Game 2, a 106-89 no-show as 4½-point ‘dogs which was never in single digits after the first quarter. Durant and Westbrook combined for 44 points, but it was a more balanced effort with power forward Serge Ibaka adding 12 and James Harden 18 off the bench.

The series moved to Mile High for Game 3 on Saturday. There’s an old expression that a playoff series doesn’t start until the road team wins a game and Oklahoma City did just that, 97-94 as five-point underdogs.

Ibaka built on his Game 2 momentum with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Durant and Westbrook combined for 49 points, but it showed how tough this team is to beat with a third scorer.

The 191 combined points scored went ‘under’ the 208 point total. The ‘under’ is 2-0 in the last two after going ‘over’ in the opener. The ‘under’ is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the teams overall.

The Nuggets (50-35 SU, 45-36-4 ATS) are on the verge of losing in the first round of the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. They did have a nice run to the conference finals two years ago before losing to eventual champion L.A. Lakers.

Denver’s big change this year was the Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups trade to the Knicks for Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. The team did great down the stretch post-trade (18-7 SU, 20-4-1 ATS), but there were questions about team makeup for the postseason.

Denver has five players scoring in double-digits this series, but Nene is the leader at just 17.7 PPG and he’s the only one over 12.7 PPG. That doesn’t include guard Arron Afflalo, who scored 13 points in Game 3 after missing the first two with a hamstring injury.

Scoring depth is great during the regular season, but the playoffs are often about winning games in the fourth quarter. Anthony has his faults as a player, but he was a clutch scorer. Games 1 and 3 of this series may have gone the other way with Anthony still aboard.

George Karl’s squad needs to muster some pride for Monday and he’s certainly not the type of coach who quits. The Thunder do seem to be in the Nuggets’ head, winning five straight and six of seven this year (5-2 ATS).

Denver is 11-2 SU at home since the Anthony trade, but both losses were to Oklahoma City.

The Nuggets will need to rebound the ball better in Game 4. They’ve been out-rebounded every game. Their 95.3 scoring average and 42.4 field goal percentage are both way below season averages (107.5 PPG, 47.6 percent shooting).

Neither team is reporting any significant injuries. Game 5 of the series will go back to the Midwest on Wednesday if necessary.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA News and Notes Monday 4/25
Monday's Playoff Tips
By Brian Edwards

Gamblers have options galore with another tripleheader in the NBA Playoffs on tap for Monday. The action begins at 8:05 p.m. Eastern when Memphis (48-37 straight up, 55-29-1 against the spread) looks to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the top-seeded Spurs.

Only three times in NBA history has a No. 8 seed knocked off a No. 1 seed. Denver beat Seattle back in the mid-90s and the Knicks sent Miami home on Allan Houston’s winner in Game 7 of their 1998 series. Most recently, Golden State took out Dallas in 2007.

For Game 4 at FedEx Forum, most betting shops have installed San Antonio (62-23 SU, 44-39-2 ATS) as a one-point favorite with a total of 189.

After splitting a pair of games in the Lone Star State, Memphis won a 91-88 decision as a two-point home favorite in Saturday’s Game 3. Zach Randolph scored a game-high 25 points and buried a crucial 3-pointer at crunch time. Marc Gasol scored 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while Mike Conley Jr. chipped in with 14 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals compared to just one turnover.

Trailing by 10 at intermission, the Spurs did hook up their backers for second-half wagers. They were 2 ½-point favorites in the second half, leaving their adjusted number at plus 7½ for the game.

In the losing effort, Manu Ginobili had a team-high 23 points, while Tony Parker scored 16. However, Parker committed six turnovers.

Antonio McDyess sustained a strained neck in Game 3, but he is expected to be ready to go. McDyess averages 5.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Spurs.

Memphis has now taken the cash in eight straight head-to-head meetings against San Antonio. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have won outright in four of the last five encounters.

The ‘over’ is 25-17 for the Spurs when they go on the road, 23-19 for the Grizz in their home outings.

TNT will have the telecast.

The second game Monday night will be on NBA-TV at 8:35 p.m. Eastern when Dallas (59-27 SU, 47-36-3 ATS) tries to bounce back from its epic collapse in Game 4 at Portland. The Mavericks blew a 23-point lead and lost an 84-82 decision. Although it’s zero consolation to Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Cuban and Co., they did still manage to cover the spread as four-point road underdogs.

Brandon Roy was the catalyst for the Trail Blazers, scoring 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.

Roy’s heroics have pulled Nate McMillan’s team even going into Game 5 back in Dallas. Most spots have installed the Mavs as 4½-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 184½. Gamblers can take the Blazers to win a third straight game for a plus-175 return (risk $100 to win $175).

Rick Carlisle’s squad has covered the number in eight straight games, including a pair of home wins (89-81 and 101-89) to start the series. For the year, the Mavs are 21-20-2 ATS at home.

Portland has lost all four of its games at Dallas this year, including a pair of regular-season game and the first two games of the playoffs. The Blazers have only covered the spread in one of those contests.

In order to pull an upset in Game 5, Portland will need Roy to return to his All-Star form that he demonstrated in Games 3 and 4 but has mostly been missing since his return from knee injuries. Also, Aldridge will need to get it going again after a subpar effort (6-of-16 from field) in Game 4.

The late game will go down in the Mile High City, where the Nuggets are hoping to avoid broom treatment from the Thunder when they collide at Pepsi Center at 10:35 p.m. Eastern. Most books are listing Denver (50-25 SU, 45-36-4 ATS) as a three-point favorite with the total at 206 or 206½. OKC is plus-140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

Oklahoma City (58-27 SU, 45-39-1 ATS) took a 3-0 series lead late Saturday night when it captured a 97-94 win as a five-point road underdog. Serge Ibaka erupted for a monster game with 22 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots. Kevin Durant scored a team-high 26 points, while Russell Westbrook tallied 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Denver got 15 points out of Kenyon Martin, Nene and J.R. Smith, but the Nuggets missed 15 free throws and were just 6-of-23 from 3-point range.

The ‘under’ is on a 5-1 run in the last six head-to-head meetings between the Nuggets and Thunder.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What Bettors Need to Know: Monday NBA Playoffs

Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks (-4.5, 184.5)

THE STORY: Portland was out of sorts and out of the game late in the third quarter, trailing by 23 points. Cue the comeback, as the Trail Blazers used an incredible 18-point fourth-quarter effort by Brandon Roy to rally for an 84-82 victory, tying the Western Conference quarterfinal series at two games apiece. Dallas, criticized for its recent first-round failures, left Portland dazed and confused and will try to gather itself at home for Monday’s Game 5.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Roy was 8 of 10 in the fourth quarter and also had five assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes. Tyson Chandler again continues to struggle for Dallas. He had six points on 2-for-6 shooting and had five fouls.

KEY STATISTIC: Portland shot 28.6 percent (14 for 49) through three quarters but went 15 of 20 (.750) in the fourth quarter.

LAST WORD: “We know we have to earn wins and we have to earn a series win ultimately on the floor. We went through eight possessions without scoring. That fueled their game. It’s a game you shouldn’t lose. But sometimes these things happen and when they do, you have to stay the course and keep playing.” *- Rick Carlisle on Saturday’s loss.

TRENDS: The Trail Blazers are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The Mavericks are 6-0 ATS in their last six games as favorites and 5-0 ATS in their last five home games.

San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies (+1, 189)

THE STORY: A monumental upset may be brewing in Tennessee, where the Memphis Grizzlies prepare to host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series. The No. 8 Grizzlies lead the best-of-seven set 2-1 and can take a stranglehold on the series with another home victory against the top-seeded Spurs. Memphis topped San Antonio 91-88 in Game 3 Saturday night.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Grizzlies swingman Sam Young had 17 points in Game 2, but has just seven points on 3-of-9 shooting in the other two games combined. Spurs swingman Richard Jefferson shot 9 of 14 in the first two games but had just four attempts in Game 3, finishing with four points in 35 minutes.

KEY STATISTIC: 18.6 – Randolph's shooting percentage from 3-point range in the regular season (8 for 43). Only Toronto's DeMar DeRozan (9.6) had a worse mark from long distance among players with at least 40 attempts.

LAST WORD: "It was 5 seconds on the shot clock. I had a little space to see it, so I just shot the shot. It went in, but that’s the shot I work on and I practice every day shooting so it felt good when it left my hand." – Randolph on his pivotal 3-pointer.

TRENDS: The Grizzlies are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games against the Spurs and 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS win.

The Spurs are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up loss.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-3.5, 206)

THE STORY: The Oklahoma City Thunder dodged a free-throw bullet in Game 3 and now sit poised to sweep the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference first-round series. The Nuggets host Game 4 Monday night looking to avoid elimination in front of their home fans. The Thunder edged Denver 91-88 Saturday night despite being in major foul trouble in the second half.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Foul trouble has dogged Thunder C Kendrick Perkins the last two games, reducing his playing time to just over 22 minutes per game. He has nine points on 3-of-11 shooting in that span. Nene was a 71 percent free-throw shooter in the regular season but is just 58.3 percent (21 for 36) so far in the series.

KEY STATISTIC: 88 – the number of foul shots taken by both teams Saturday night. If Game 4 is anywhere near as plodding, the Nuggets will need to shoot much better from the line to force a Game 5 Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

LAST WORD: "That’s what it’s all about in this league. You can’t win with just one or two guys." – Durant on Ibaka's Game 3 breakout.

TRENDS: The Thunder are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games.

The under is 18-7-2 in the Nuggets' last 27 games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pick 'n' Roll

Monday's Best NBA Bets

Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks (-4.5, 184.5)

With Portland leaving the comforts of the Pacific Northwest and the Rose Garden, the team loses its most valuable asset: an amped-up Brandon Roy.

Playing with virtually no ligaments in his knees from keeping the bones from rubbing together, Roy has fallen from elite to afterthought for much of the season. But after nearly crying due to lack of playing time after Game 2, he delivered two fantastic performances on his home hardwood.

For the two games he averaged 20 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game at the Rose Garden but in Dallas, he averaged one point, 1.5 assists and 1 rebound per game in the first two of the series.

“With everything I’ve been through this season, it all came into that moment there on the court,” Roy said after the Game 2 win, “when guys were grabbing me and cheering me on. It was real special.”

Those knees sure won’t be getting much of a lift from a hostile crowd in Dallas.

Bookmakers still haven’t been able to quantify the Roy impact in the series. Dallas easily covered in both home games before squeaking out a pair of against-the-spread wins by the narrowest of margins in Portland.

Dallas is 4-0 ATS in the series and won’t miss 10 free throws like they did in Game 3, or fail to register a fast break point, like they did in Game 4.

Plus, Roy definitely won’t play like an MVP in Texas.

Pick: Dallas

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-3, 206)

There’s one thing the Thunder do better than anything else this season: beat the Nuggets.

Oklahoma City is 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS this season versus their rival from the Mile High City. The reason for the recent dominance has been the presence of former Celtic Kendric Perkins. The Thunder center has very mediocre numbers in the series – 13 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks total in the series – but by manning the paint, he has freed up the athletic Serge Ibaka to play power forward.

The results have been amazing.

Ibaka, who had more blocks than any other player during the regular season, is averaging 12.3 points, 11 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game in the series – all way above his season averages.

"He was the difference maker,'' Thunder center Kendrick Perkins said of his teammate from the Congo. "He knocked down his shot when he needed to, he attacked the glass, he blocked shots, he changed the game. You've got to give him hats off.”

He just might snag hats off fans if he confuses them with a basketball rebounding off the rim. Ibaka has led a relentless Thunder assault on the glass that has allowed the team to outrebound Denver and control the paint in each game this series.

Expect Ibaka to keep emerging at the expense of the Nuggets.

Pick: Thunder

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL News and Notes Monday 4/25
NHL Betting Preview: San Jose Sharks at LA Kings
By: Adam Markowitz

For a team that was left for dead going into Game 5 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings looked awfully solid on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks.

The boys from Tinseltown fended off one elimination attempt with a 3-1 win at the Shark Tank in Game 5. Now the scene shifts back to Staples Center for Monday night's Game 6 in Stanley Cup playoff betting action. TSN has the telecast starting at 7:00 p.m. (PT) with the Sharks 130 favorites and five goals for Monday's total.

The road team has won four straight games in this series, something that is normally unheard of in any type of a postseason. However, this year, it's seemingly commonplace, as visitors have gone 23-16 in the playoffs coming into play on Easter Sunday.

During the regular season, the Kings won 25 games at home against 21 on the road, while San Jose won 25 at HP Pavilion and 23 as the guests.

Give the Sharks credit, though. They really tried everything they could to finish off Los Angeles on Saturday. They took a whopping 52 shots on goal, including at least 15 in all three periods. Patrick Marleau alone had nine shots on goal for the game. He also scored the only goal for San Jose, a strike in the second period to help cut into a 3-0 LA lead.

Jonathan Quick did everything but stand on his head to make the 3-0 lead stand up. He stopped 51-of-52 shots for a .981 save percentage in a game that proved to be even more impressive than his shutout in Game 2.

In the two wins in this series, Quick has stopped a whopping 85-of-86 shots for a .988 save percentage, but in the two most recent losses, he allowed six goals in each game.

Of course, this wasn't the first time that the Kings came out of the blocks on fire in a game. They led 4-0 against the Sharks in Game 3 before blowing the lead in less than 20 minutes and losing in overtime. However, Quick made sure this lead would stand up.

Wayne Simmons, Kyle Clifford and Dustin Penner all lit the lamp for LA to pull off the upset on the NHL betting odds as plus 183 underdogs.

San Jose has some major questions to answer on its holiday. Antti Niemi, the man that was brought here due to the fact that he won the Stanley Cup last year with the Chicago Blackhawks, could be finding himself on the bench. Niemi won the starting job once and for all from Antero Niittymaki just after the all-star break this season, and we saw very, very little of the Finnish born netminder since January.

But after allowing three goals on four shot attempts, Niemi was yanked in Game 5 and replaced by Niittymaki. It was the second time in this series that the move was made in net, and after watching Niittymaki do everything that he could for two games to lead the Sharks to victory, head coach Todd McLellan definitely has a tough choice to make. The former member of the Tampa Bay Lightning has stopped 29 of the 30 shots he has faced in the postseason.

Should San Jose win this game, it will lock up the series and set up a second-round date with either the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators or Anaheim Ducks. In the Kings win, a decisive Game 7 will occur back at HP Pavilion on Wednesday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What Bettors Need to Know: Monday NHL Playoffs

Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Rays (-143, 5)

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Lightning proved Saturday they were not yet ready to have their season end, coming up with a franchise record-setting offensive performance. Now they must find a way to win at home in the playoffs as they take on the fourth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins at the St. Pete Times Forum in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Facing elimination, Tampa Bay set a club record for goals in a postseason game with Saturday afternoon's 8-2 triumph in Pittsburgh. The win reduced the Penguins' lead in the series to 3-2 and marked the fourth straight victory by the road team. Since edging the Calgary Flames in Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning are 1-6 on home ice in the playoffs.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Asham and defenseman Kris Letang lead Pittsburgh with four points apiece. Tampa Bay, which has six players with at least four points, is paced by Martin St. Louis' eight. A member of the Penguins from 2003-08, Ryan Malone has yet to notch a point against his former team.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Lightning went 4-for-7 on the power play in Game 5 to raise their success rate to a league-leading 36.4 percent (8-for-22). Conversely, the Penguins were scoreless on seven opportunities, dropping them to 1-for-25 (4.0 percent) in the series.

LAST WORD: "On the road, we just play a simple game. We try to play within our system and play good defensively. These last two games at home, we weren't able to do that. Hopefully we get back on the road, play our system and get that last win we need." - Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek on the Penguins' success in the series away from home.

TRENDS: The Penguins are 5-0 in their last five road games and 6-1 in their last seven games as underdogs.

The under is 13-2-2 in Penguins' last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

The road team is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these two teams.

San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (+115, 5)

THE STORY: Jonathan Quick needed to right the ship in a hurry if the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Kings were going to stave off elimination in Game 5 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. The 25-year-old Connecticut native did precisely that. After permitting 12 goals in his previous two contests - both losses - Quick stopped 51 of 52 shots in a 3-1 road triumph over the Pacific Division champions. Quick will need more of the same if the Kings will be able to extend the series against the second-seeded Sharks. The Golden State rivals will reconvene on Monday at the Staples Center for Game 6.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Los Angeles' Brad Richardson has collected two goals and three assists in his last four games. For his part, Marleau extended his point streak to three games with the tally on Saturday. The 31-year-old Saskatchewan native has two goals and two assists in that stretch.

SPECIAL TEAMS: After scoring three power-play goals in their first two contests, the Kings have not converted with the man-advantage in three straight games. For its part, San Jose went 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 5.

LAST WORD: The 52 shots allowed by the Kings on Saturday set a franchise record. Los Angeles had permitted 50 shots on goal in a 1988 playoff game against the Calgary Flames.

TRENDS: The Sharks are 19-7 in their last 26 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and 30-12 in their last 42 overall.

The Kings are 0-4 in their last four games as home underdogs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ice Picks

Monday's Best NHL Bets

Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning (-150, 5)

So much for Tampa Bay players getting ready for an early tee time this week.

The Lightning turned the tables on Pittsburgh, smacking the Pens for the second time in the series in Pennsylvania and taking Game 5 by a score of 8-2. In the game, Tampa Bay was able to dominate the play on special teams. Pittsburgh has enjoyed a huge advantage skating 5-on-5, but after going 4-for-7 on the man advantage, the Lightning have now buried eight power play goals in the series.

Even more important, the team’s offensive engine has now been engaged.

Star forward Steve Stamkos notched his first two career postseason goals in Game 5, lifting a huge weight off his shoulders and restoring his teammate’s confidence – as well as his.

"He found the net, so it's like, 'Phew.' He can play now," Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher said. "He's like a horse who wants to get going but is being held back. Now all of a sudden, we're going to let him go."

And don’t act like Pittsburgh doesn’t realize the sleeping giant they have allowed to awaken.

"We're usually a much better defensive team than that, including down low," Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek said. "We've got to do better -- a lot better -- next time."

Pick: Tampa Bay

San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (+110, 5)

Jonathan Quick had plenty of San Jose players skating away from his crease in a 3-1 King’s win in Game 5. But then again, when a goalie makes 51 saves in regulation to stave off elimination, it’s enough to frustrate any squad.

"It was unacceptable to let this game slip away," San Jose center Logan Couture said. "We had a 3-1 lead coming into this rink, playing in front of this crowd. They were fired up. We expect more from this team in the first 10 minutes of a game, especially when you've got a team on the brink of elimination."

The Sharks also realize the last thing they want is a return trip to San Jose for Game 7. After, the players already were humanizing the performance of Quick and discussing wasted opportunities and careless play.

Center Patrick Marleau summed it up best: "He made tons of great saves, but maybe [we needed] a little more traffic in front."

Expect there to be plenty of bodies in front of Quick for Game 6. The Sharks have scored 15 goals in their three wins and have failed to record at least 27 shots on goal in only one game this series.

The team has the firepower to solve Quick – and end the series.

Pick: San Jose

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Monday 4/25
LA Dodgers take on Florida Marlins
By: Stephen Nover

Hanley Ramirez is off to a terrible start and Logan Morrison is on the disabled list with a foot injury.

But the Florida Marlins have been hanging right in with the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East Division with 12 wins in their first 18 games.

The Marlins hope to keep things going when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday at 4:10 p.m. (PT) in the first of a three-game series.

The scheduled pitching matchup is Jon Garland versus Ricky Nolasco.

Ramirez, a three-time All-Star and one of the best power-hitting, speed shortstops in baseball, was batting just .207 with no homers entering this past weekend. He had missed a couple of games earlier this month due to a bruised leg, but is 100 percent now.

The same can’t be said for Morrison, who suffered sprained ligaments and a strained muscle in his foot this past Tuesday against Pittsburgh. He’s expected to be out two-to-four weeks.

Morrison was leading Florida in homers with four and RBIs with 11, while batting .327, second on the team to Gabby Sanchez.

Emilio Bonifacio and Scott Cousins have been filling in for Morrison in the outfield with the left-handed hitting Cousins drawing most of the starts against right-handed pitchers.

The Dodgers have been hanging in despite the league overseeing the team’s day-to-day operations due to possible new ownership. The Dodgers' 11-11 mark through Saturday is thanks in large part to outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Either. Both ranked in the top three in the majors in batting entering this past weekend.

After averaging a National League-worst 3.2 runs in their first 18 games, the Dodgers have picked up their offense. Still, with shortstop Rafael Furcal on the DL with a thumb injury, the Dodgers are starting journeymen at nearly half of their positions.

Going against a rejuvenated Nolasco should prove challenging. Nolasco was 14-9 last year, but had a 4.51 ERA. He was 13-9 in 2009 but his ERA was even higher at 5.06.

The 28-year-old right-hander, though, could be putting everything together this season as he’s 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 18-to-two through 27 innings.

Nolasco is off a shutout victory this past Wednesday against Pittsburgh. Nolasco struck out eight while allowing just four hits in seven innings winning, 6-0, as a 145 home favorite against Charlie Morton. The combined six runs went ‘under’ the eight-run total.

Lifetime versus the Dodgers, Nolasco is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings.

Garland also is off a strong performance. He beat Atlanta and Derek Lowe, 6-1, this past Wednesday as a 125 home ‘dog. The combined seven runs pushed on the seven-run total.

Garland went the distance giving up four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. He threw 108 pitches of which 73 were strikes.

The 31-year-old right-handed and been on the DL for a short time because of an oblique strain. Garland is 5-1 career-wise against the Marlins with a 2.33 ERA.

Garland was 14-12 last year with a 3.46 ERA pitching for San Diego.

The Marlins won four of six games against the Dodgers last year, going 2-1 at home. The Dodgers were 13-20 versus NL East foes in 2010.

The Dodgers are 12-6-3 to the ‘over’ in their first 21 games this year.

The weather forecast is for temperatures in the 80s, but a 30 percent chance of rain and possible thunderstorms.

The Dodgers begin a six-game homestand on Friday following their three-game series with Florida. Te Marlins go on a seven-game road trip after this series starting Friday with three games at Cincinnati followed by four games at St. Louis.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Monday 4/25
MLB Betting: White Sox at New York Yankees
By: Willie Bee

The Yankees have won 12 of the last 15 at home vs. the White Sox.

There was a time when the Chicago White Sox fared pretty well against the Yankees overall and in New York specifically.

Since winning the 2005 World Series, however, victories over the Yankees have been far more difficult to come by, and the two Pinstripe Palaces in the Bronx have turned into torture chambers for Chicago. The White Sox will try and reverse that trend as well as turn around a bad start to 2011 beginning Monday when they open a four-game series in New York .

First pitch from New York is 4:05 p.m. (PT) and ESPN will carry the game nationally. Overnight odds painted 185 chalk on New York with 10 for the total.

Chicago limps into New York having dropped 10 of 11 and winning just once during the first seven contests on this long 11-game roadie. The Tigers swept three from the White Sox over the weekend, outscoring the Pale Hose 21-3 with a pair of shutouts to end that set.

The White Sox are dead last in the AL Central, six games below .500 at 8-14 and down nearly eight units against the MLB money line. They're 4-8 away from Second City.

Ozzie Guillen's gang couldn't have picked a tougher place to pull out of a slump than Yankee Stadium. Chicago has just one win in the last eight games at New York, going 3-12 in the Big Apple since the start of the 2006 season.

Since moving into their newer digs in 2009, the Yanks have taken five of six home matchups from the Pale Hose, outscoring Chicago 47-19 in those games.

Given the task of stopping the skid as well as quieting the New York bats in Game 1 is Philip Humber (1-2, 4.42). Monday's assignment will be his first career appearance against the Yankees, and just his sixth career start.

In the Chicago rotation in place of injured hurler Jake Peavy, Humber's last start came this past Wednesday in Tampa Bay, a 4-1 White Sox loss as 120 road underdogs. The right-hander toiled into the sixth while allowing all four Rays runs, two of them on a John Jaso homer.

New York was 11-6 pending Sunday's result in Baltimore. The Yankees lead the AL East and own the majors' top offense with over six runs per contest and 35 home runs before the series finale with the Orioles.

AJ Burnett (3-1, 4.37), Monday's scheduled starter, won his first three starts and was in line for a fourth win last Tuesday in Toronto before Mariano Rivera suffered a rare ninth-inning meltdown. Burnett was lucky to be in position to grab the win after allowing 12 baserunners in 5 1/3 innings, including walking five Blue Jays batters.

He's made two starts in a New York jersey against the ChiSox, both in Chicago and both losses with Burnett charged with 15 earned runs over the course of eight innings in those outings. Dating back to the '06 season when he was with Toronto, Burnett is 2-4 in his last six starts versus the White Sox with a 6.81 ERA.

Mother Nature should cooperate with the baseball schedule and allow this game to be played. Bronx weather forecasts show a 30 percent chance of scattered rain and a game-time temp in the low-60s with a slight breeze out of the northeast (in from left).

Girardi had yet to officially name a starter for Tuesday's matchup, though all indications are Ivan Nova will take the mound for New York. Gavin Floyd is expected to get the assignment for the White Sox.

The series concludes Thursday after which the Yankees welcome the Blue Jays to town for the weekend. Chicago heads back home after this to begin a six-game homestand that starts Friday with the first of four against the Orioles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB News and Notes Monday 4/25
Monday's Double Play
By Judd Hall

Easter weekend has come and gone, taking with it several series finales. Plenty of teams are taking Monday as a travel day. We’ve got just nine games on the board, but there are some interesting matchups to keep us interested. The Marlins are keeping close in the National League East, and are opening a series up at home against the ownership-challenged Dodgers. We’ll also head down to Arlington for the American League champion Rangers series opener with the Blue Jays.

Dodgers at Marlins

The Dodgers are one of the storied teams in Major League Baseball, but Frank McCourt made a mockery of this franchise in less than seven years of ownership. Los Angeles has seemingly won in spite of McCourt’s issues, going 3-1 since MLB took the team’s day-to-day operations over on April 20.

Los Angeles will try to get off on the right foot in this series with Jon Garland (1-1, 4.15) on Monday night. Garland didn’t start off the season all that great after barely lasting four innings in a 11-2 loss at home to the Cardinals. He did bounce back big last Wednesday with a complete game effort for a 6-1 win over the Braves at Chavez Ravine. This is Garland’s first road start of the year as a Dodger. The Padres went 5-3 in his last eight road starts of 2010.

The Marlins will counter with Ricky Nolasco (2-0, 3.00) for Game 1. Nolasco has looked awfully good this season, racking up three quality starts so far. He allowed no runs on four hits in seven innings of work last Wednesday against the Pirates as a heavy home favorite. This is his first start against the Dodgers since July 2008. In that game, Nolasco surrendered just two runs on five hits in six innings as the Marlins won 5-3 as $1.30 road pups.

Florida doesn’t have much success against teams from the NL West when they come to Sun Life Stadium, having gone 5-11 in its last 16 against that division. At least the Marlins can take solace in knowing that the Dodgers are 3-12 in their last 15 roadies against NL East foes.

Blue Jays at Rangers

The Blue Jays seem to have a set plan in terms of starting a season. They speed out on a nice win streak, but flame out gloriously. Toronto pretty much did that with a 5-2 run to open the 2011 campaign, but have gone 4-9 since then. Texas has picked up where it left off last season with the lead in the AL West. Although it is a little tighter between first and second place than it was last season.

Toronto will give the starting nod to the young hurler Kyle Drabek (1-0, 3.00). The Jays have to be extremely pleased with how Drabek has performed in his first full year in the big leagues, picking up wins in all four of his starts. He handled the Yankees decently on April 19, going 5.1 innings with four runs allowed on six hits. Drabek does have one issue in that he is a walk machine, evidenced by the fact he’s given out 15 free passes to first base to lead the Junior Circuit this season.

The Rangers will entrust the starting duties to Colby Lewis (1-2, 5.82) for the opener. Lewis is desperate for a big outing as he’s been hit hard in his last two starts. He was tagged for four runs on five hits in five innings of work by the Halos last Tuesday en route to the 14-5 defeat. Perhaps we shouldn’t expect too much out of Lewis in this spot either since he is 2-3 with a 8.39 earned run average in six games against Toronto in his career.

The Blue Jays owned this head-to-head series last year with a 7-3 record, with the ‘under’ going 5-4-1. If you just look at the last eight battles they’ve had against one another in Arlington, you’ll notice that the Rangers are 5-3.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Monday’s Best MLB Bets

Los Angeles Dodgers at Florida Marlins (-140, 8)

If Hanley Ramirez ever gets his act together at the dish, you’d better look out for the Florida Marlins.

Ramirez, who went into Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies with a .182 batting average, was held without a hit again but Edwin Rodriguez says he is sticking with the former All-Star at the top of the lineup.

"In my opinion, I think he's been way too aggressive at the plate," Rodriguez told reporters. "He wants to do so well, I think he's swinging at balls out of the strike zone. That's what I see."

Ramirez isn’t the only member of the Marlins who is having problems at the dish. Florida is averaging about 4.21 runs per game on the year and the club has still managed to win five of its last six to improve to 13-7 on the year.

We like the price here with Ricky Nolasco taking the hill.

Pick: Marlins

Washington Nationals at Pittsburgh Pirates (-130, 8.5)

Paul Maholm was off to a decent start through his first two starts of the season, even though he ended up taking losses in both. He had a 2.33 ERA through those outings before the Paul Maholm Bucs bettors love to hate showed up in his third outing.

The 6-foot-2 lefty gave up six earned runs and walked three batters over 3 2/3 innings in a loss to Florida.

"It was a lot of different things," Maholm told reporters after the loss. "I fell behind. My breaking ball was just kind of rolling in. I fell out of rhythm and left pitches out over the plate."

So basically, just your run-of-the-mill Maholm start. It’s still easy to beat up on Pirates pitchers, but let’s not forget that Maholm finished with a 9-15 record and a fat 5.10 ERA last season, a career worst.

We’ll side with Washington’s lefty John Lannan instead.

Pick: Nationals

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Accuscore
4* Memphis +1

The Memphis Grizzlies are slight 51.4 percent favorites over the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are shooting 45.8 percent from the field and the Grizzlies are forecasted to shoot 45.5 percent. The rebounding battle is pretty even with the Spurs projected for 42 rebounds vs. 42.3 for the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are committing fewer turnovers at 12.4 vs 14.3 for the Spurs. The Spurs are making 5.9 three pointers on 36.6 percent from three point range. The Grizzlies are making 4.3 three pointers on 33 percent. KEY PLAYER STATISTICAL DATA---PTS: Tony Parker 16.9, Zach Randolph 21.4 ASSISTS: Tony Parker 5.9, Mike Conley 5.8 REBOUNDS: Tim Duncan 9.1, Zach Randolph 10.9 SPORTS ODDS: Sportsbooks and handicappers have set the line at MEM 1 TOTAL 189. WIN-LOSS San Antonio Spurs 62-23 Memphis Grizzlies 48-37 ATS San Antonio Spurs 42-40 Sweat Barometer 0.3 Memphis Grizzlies 54-31 Sweat Barometer 2 OVER-UNDER San Antonio Spurs 46-38 Avg Over/Under Line 1 Memphis Grizzlies 41-44 Avg Over/Under Line -1.9 ACCUSCORE PICK RECORD - POINT SPREAD PICKS San Antonio Spurs 37-39 Memphis Grizzlies 42-37 OVER-UNDER PICKS San Antonio Spurs 38-44 Memphis Grizzlies 42-42

'10-11 SEASON: We advise relying on these trends after the first 6 to 8 weeks of the season. UNITS EDGE FAVORS: Memphis Grizzlies

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Accuscore
4* Mavs -4.5

he Dallas Mavericks are solid 70.2 percent favorites over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers are shooting 44.1 percent from the field and the Mavericks are forecasted to shoot 45.8 percent. The Mavericks have the rebounding advantage at 42.4 to 39.6. Turnovers are pretty even with the Trail Blazers projected for 11.5 turnovers vs. 12.1 for the Mavericks. The Trail Blazers are making 5.6 three pointers on 34.7 percent from three point range. The Mavericks are making 7.6 three pointers on 38 percent. KEY PLAYER STATISTICAL DATA---PTS: LaMarcus Aldridge 19.5, Dirk Nowitzki 25.3 ASSISTS: Andre Miller 5.6, Jason Kidd 6.8 REBOUNDS: Marcus Camby 9.2, Tyson Chandler 8.3 SPORTS ODDS: Sportsbooks and handicappers have set the line at DAL -4.5 TOTAL 184.5. WIN-LOSS Portland Trail Blazers 50-36 Dallas Mavericks 59-27 ATS Portland Trail Blazers 45-39 Sweat Barometer -0.1 Dallas Mavericks 47-37 Sweat Barometer 0.9 OVER-UNDER Portland Trail Blazers 41-45 Avg Over/Under Line -1.4 Dallas Mavericks 48-35 Avg Over/Under Line -0.8 ACCUSCORE PICK RECORD - POINT SPREAD PICKS Portland Trail Blazers 47-33 Dallas Mavericks 45-29 OVER-UNDER PICKS Portland Trail Blazers 43-39 Dallas Mavericks 45-36

'10-11 SEASON: We advise relying on these trends after the first 6 to 8 weeks of the season. UNITS EDGE FAVORS: Dallas Mavericks

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Accuscore
4*+SV Marlins -138

The Florida Marlins are 8-4 at home this season and are solid favorites to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers who are 5-6 on the road this season. The Marlins have a better than 55% chance of winning based on 10,000 game simulations generated one play at a time by the AccuScore Simulation Supercomputer. Marlins' starter Ricky Nolasco is forecasted to have a better game than Dodgers' starter Jon Garland. Ricky Nolasco has a 60% chance of having a Quality Start (QS) while Jon Garland has a 44% chance of a QS. If Ricky Nolasco has a quality start the Marlins has a 76% chance of winning. His simulated strikeout to walk ratio is 8.1 and he has a 65% chance of having a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio. When he has a 5/1 ratio the Marlins win 65%. In Jon Garland quality starts the Dodgers win 55%. He has a 18% chance of having a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio and if he does his team wins 55% of simulations. In simulations we tracked the batter for each team that was most productive based his average hits, walks and RBI per simulation. The most productive batter for the Florida Marlins is Gaby Sanchez who averaged 2.26 hits+walks+RBI. He has a 37% chance of having a big game with 3+ Hits, Walks, RBI and if he has a big game the Marlins have a 75% chance of winning. The most productive batter for the Los Angeles Dodgers is Matt Kemp who averaged 1.9 hits+walks+RBI. He has a 30% chance of having a big game with 3+ Hits, Walks, RBI and if he has a big game the Dodgers have a 56% chance of winning.

2011 SEASON: We advise relying on these trends after the first 6 to 8 weeks of the season. UNITS EDGE FAVORS: Florida Marlins

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Accuscore
4* Yanks -188
The New York Yankees are 8-3 at home this season and are solid favorites to beat the Chicago White Sox who are 4-8 on the road this season. The Yankees have a better than 55% chance of winning based on 10,000 game simulations generated one play at a time by the AccuScore Simulation Supercomputer. Yankees' starter A.J. Burnett is forecasted to have a better game than White Sox' starter Philip Humber. A.J. Burnett has a 48% chance of having a Quality Start (QS) while Philip Humber has a 36% chance of a QS. If A.J. Burnett has a quality start the Yankees has a 81% chance of winning. His simulated strikeout to walk ratio is 1.6 and he has a 9% chance of having a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio. When he has a 5/1 ratio the Yankees win 73%. In Philip Humber quality starts the White Sox win 70%. He has a 17% chance of having a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio and if he does his team wins 70% of simulations. In simulations we tracked the batter for each team that was most productive based his average hits, walks and RBI per simulation. The most productive batter for the New York Yankees is Robinson Cano who averaged 2.46 hits+walks+RBI. He has a 43% chance of having a big game with 3+ Hits, Walks, RBI and if he has a big game the Yankees have a 71% chance of winning. The most productive batter for the Chicago White Sox is Paul Konerko who averaged 2.34 hits+walks+RBI. He has a 40% chance of having a big game with 3+ Hits, Walks, RBI and if he has a big game the White Sox have a 55% chance of winning.

2011 SEASON: We advise relying on these trends after the first 6 to 8 weeks of the season. UNITS EDGE FAVORS: New York Yankees

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 822-360 (.695)
ATS: 618-616 (.501)
ATS Vary Units: 1459-1467 (.499)
Over/Under: 635-615 (.508)
Over/Under Vary Units: 765-751 (.505)

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5, best-of-7
DALLAS 96, Portland 90
Game 4, best-of-7
MEMPHIS 100, San Antonio 96
DENVER 107, Oklahoma City 105

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NHL

Season: 387-295 (.567)

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 6, best-of-7
Pittsburgh vs. TAMPA BAY: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 6, best-of-7
San Jose vs. LOS ANGELES: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Today's NBA Picks

Oklahoma City at Denver

The Nuggets look to avoid elimination and build on their 8-3-1 ATS record in their last 12 home games. Denver is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Nuggets favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Denver (-3). Here are all of today's picks.
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt; width: 564px;" height="17">MONDAY, APRIL 25
Time Posted: 6:30 a.m. EST</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 509-510: Portland at Dallas (8:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 117.403; Dallas 125.784
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 8 1/2; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 4 1/2; 184 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-4 1/2); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 511-512: San Antonio at Memphis (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 120.433; Memphis 122.788
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 2 1/2; 185
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 1 1/2; 189
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (+1 1/2); Under</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt;" width="564" height="17">Game 513-514: Oklahoma City at Denver (10:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 119.873; Denver 125.590
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 5 1/2; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 3; 206
Dunkel Pick: Denver (-3); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 5px;" width="566">
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Today's NHL Picks

San Jose at Los Angeles

The Kings look to avoid elimination and take advantage of a San Jose team that is 1-4 in its last 5 games when playing on 1 days rest. Los Angeles is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+110). Here are all of today's picks.
<table id="table1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr> <td style="height: 12.75pt; width: 564px;" height="17">MONDAY, APRIL 25
Time Posted 7:30 a.m. EST</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 9-10: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 10.451; Tampa Bay 12.620
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-145); Over</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="height: 95px;">Game 13-14: San Jose at Los Angeles (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 11.453; Los Angeles 11.799
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+110); Under</td></tr></tbody></table>