Service Plays Saturday 4/2/11

[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..

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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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****Please note we can post ONLY Picks for the services above - NO WRITE - UPS. All other services not on this list can be posted in any fashion. GL!​

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Larry Ness

Triple-Dime 10* Final 4 Total GOY is on VCU/Butler Under at 6:00 ET.

Triple-Dime 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Kentucky at 8:45 ET.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Joey Cassano

final four
Kentucky -2

 

[LarsonVonFuqua]

Double dragon final four double-hydra

DOUBLE DRAGON FINAL FOUR DOUBLE-HYDRA


DOUBLE-HYDRA (3-1)

BUTLER -PK (-145) vs vcu (Moneyline)
KENTUCKY -PK (-135) vs uconn (Moneyline)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Final Four Betting Previews And Picks

(11) VCU Rams vs. (8) Butler Bulldogs (-2.5, 133.5)

THE STORY: In a matchup that no one saw coming, No. 8 seed Butler and No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth will face off on Saturday at the Final Four in Houston. The Bulldogs have been here before, reaching the national championship game last season. But after star Gordon Hayward left for the NBA and Butler endured a less-than-dominating regular season, another trip to the Final Four seemed like a long shot. The Rams are an even larger underdog, taking Cinderella’s slipper all the way past top-seeded Kansas in the Southwest regional final. Butler and VCU will combine to be the two highest seeds ever to play each other in a Final Four game when they meet on Saturday.

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS.

ODDS: Butler -2.5. Oddsmakers opened Butler as high as -3 but the spread has since been bet down as low as -2. The total has climbed from 130 points to 133.5.

ABOUT BUTLER (27-9, 19-13-2 ATS): The Bulldogs dropped to 14-9 after losing their third straight game, 62-60 at lightly-regarded Youngstown State on Feb. 3. Since then they have won 13 straight to become the first team in history to reach back-to-back Final Fours without being a No. 1 or 2 seed in either season. It hasn’t been easy, with their four tournament wins coming by an average of 3.3 points. It took a buzzer-beater to top Old Dominion and a controversial late foul call to take down top-seeded Pittsburgh in the first weekend. After holding off Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, the Bulldogs leaned on Shelvin Mack against No. 2 seed Florida on Saturday in the Southeast regional final and were rewarded with 27 points - five in overtime - in a 74-71 triumph. Mack and fellow senior Matt Howard have taken turns leading the offense for coach Brad Stevens’ team, combining to average 37.5 points.

ABOUT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH (28-11, 18-20-0 ATS): The third No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four, the Rams join Colonial Athletic Conference mates George Mason, who turned the trick in 2006, and an LSU squad from 1986. VCU was one of the final at-large teams selected to the field of 68 and needed to beat USC in an opening round game in order to reach the main bracket of 64 teams. En route to the Final Four, the Rams have taken down power –conference teams from the Pac-10, Big East, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12. Kansas was by far its strongest opponent, and VCU controlled the game by controlling the perimeter, knocking down 12 of 25 of its own 3-point attempts while holding the Jayhawks to 2 of 21 from beyond the arc in a 71-61 triumph. Jamie Skeen led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday and is averaging 15.6 points in the tournament, while Branford Burgess has chipped in 15.8.

UP NEXT: The winner will battle either Kentucky or Connecticut for the National Championship on Monday.

PREDICTION: Butler 64, VCU 62. Two of the youngest coaches in Division I will match each other possession for possession, but the Bulldogs will pull it out thanks to their experience both in the Final Four and in close games during the tournament.

(3) Connecticut Huskies vs. (4) Kentucky Wildcats (-2, 140)

THE STORY: Kentucky's long and athletic defense, which holds opponents to 39 percent shooting, faces its stiffest test yet when the Wildcats meet UConn and prolific scorer Kemba Walker in the second national semifinal Saturday in Houston. No one has been able to contain the Huskies' 6-1 junior, who is averaging 26.8 points and 6.8 assists in the tournament. But if any team can, it's Kentucky. The Wildcats harassed North Carolina into 3-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc in the regional final after frustrating Ohio State into 33 percent shooting overall in the previous round.

The Wildcats are back in the Final Four for the first time since their 1998 national title, while the Huskies are making their fourth trip since 1999. Jim Calhoun's third-seeded Huskies are the highest remaining seed in the tournament. No team, however, has been more impressive than Kentucky, whose stars finally began to jell a month ago. Oddsmakers installed the fourth-seeded Wildcats as a slight favorite despite UConn's 84-67 win over Kentucky back on Nov. 24 in the Maui Invitational. But the Wildcats have grown up since then.

Calhoun and Kentucky coach John Calipari probably will make nice, but they have a history. When Calipari was a young head coach at UMass, he irritated Calhoun -- a lot. Calhoun canceled the longstanding UConn-UMass series because he supposedly did not like Calipari's sideline behavior. Later Calipari outmaneuvered Calhoun for the services of Marcus Camby, the pride of Hartford, Conn. "Cats and dogs get along better than Cal and Calhoun," Memphis Commercial Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins once wrote.

TV: 8:45 p.m. ET, CBS.

ODDS: Kentucky -2. Oddsmakers have gone as high as -2.5 on UK. The total has dropped from 141.5 points to 140.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (29-8, 16-15-1 ATS): Unlike UConn, Kentucky does not possess a transcendent superstar. Instead it rolls out a team of all-stars. Freshman point guard Brandon Knight (17.2 points, 4.2 assists, two game-winners in NCAA tournament), freshman forward Terrence Jones (15.9 points, 8.7 rebounds), freshman sharpshooter Doron Lamb (48.1 percent on 3-pointers) and 6-6 defensive stopper DeAndre Liggins are just some of the headliners. Throw in junior guard Darius Miller (11.1 points, 44.9 percent on 3-pointers), and we still haven't mentioned the Wildcats' best player in the tournament: Josh Harrellson. The 6-10 senior, playing with a newfound assertiveness, is averaging 14.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in the Big Dance. The Wildcats' perimeter players range from 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-7; their length will bother the 6-1 Walker, 6-5 Lamb and 6-foot Napier. Just recall how Kentucky smothered Florida's smallish backcourt in the SEC title game.

ABOUT UCONN (30-9, 21-12-0 ATS): The Huskies have won nine straight dating to the start of the Big East tournament after somehow finishing just 9-9 in conference play. Walker is breaking down defenses and draining shots over them, while 6-5 freshman Jeremy Lamb has been unconscious (27 of 46 overall, 11 of 15 on 3-pointers) in the tournament. This is a team with well-defined roles that makes very few mistakes. In their 65-63 regional final win over Arizona, the Huskies committed just five turnovers and prevailed despite getting hammered on the boards. Freshman guard Shabazz Napier is an ultra-quick defensive pest (1.6 steals per game), and 6-9 sophomore Alex Oriakhi is content to do the dirty work inside (8.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks). Walker is 33 of 36 from the foul line in the tournament. UConn is almost as stingy defensively as Kentucky; the Huskies hold opponents to 40 percent shooting.

UP NEXT: Winner advances to Monday's national championship game against Butler-VCU winner.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 77, Connecticut 70 -- Kentucky boasts a slew of players who can hit the big shot, whereas UConn relies almost exclusively on Walker and Lamb. With Harrellson establishing himself on the block, the Wildcats are sure to get open looks from the perimeter. Four of Kentucky's top five scorers hit at least 38 percent on 3-pointers. The Wildcats just took out a No. 1 seed (Ohio State) and No. 2 seed (North Carolina), and here they'll dispatch a No. 3 seed.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Best Final Four Bets

VCU Rams vs. Butler Bulldogs (-2.5, 133.5)

Never before have we had a game like this to make our Final Four picks on. Two of the most unlikely teams to ever play in the Final Four meet up in Houston on Saturday with a bid to the National Championship Game on the line, as the VCU Rams duke it out with the Butler Bulldogs.

If you thought that the George Mason Patriots were great, you have to love what the Rams have done even more. Not only have they played one more game than their CAA brethren, but they also beat five teams, all of which have come out of power conferences, and save for an OT win against the Florida State Seminoles, they have won all of their games by double digits as well. This team has already knocked down an amazing 49 three point field goals in five games in this tournament, more than some teams will put up in an entire month. Joey Rodriguez is proving to be the catalyst of the bunch out of the point guard spot, as he is knocking down triples and tossing the rock all over the court on a regular basis. Bradford Burgess has had some stretches in this tourney in which he has just been unconscious from beyond the arc, and even though he is only coming off of a nine point game against the Kansas Jayhawks, you can bet that he is going to be ready for more in this one. Jamie Skeen is the big boy in the paint to keep an eye on, and he is coming off of arguably the biggest game of his entire career. He dropped 26 points and 10 boards against one of the best front courts that the whole country has to offer in Marcus and Markieff Morris.

The Bulldogs have taken a very difficult road to reach the Final Four as well, as they have taken on the best possible road they could have faced to get here. They also have a huge flair for the dramatics, as they have played a game into overtime, one to a buzzer beater, and one to a questionable ending with some big time shots down the stretch. At the center of it all has been Matt Howard. No, it’s not always Howard doing the scoring, but he is the one that is coming down with rebounds and making gritty plays defensively. He has nerves of steel and can make the big shot as well. Don’t believe us? Check out how he did on the foul line against the Pitt Panthers or how he was in the right place at the right time against the Old Dominion Monarchs for the game winner at the buzzer. Howard has very quietly scored at least 14 points in six straight games. This team would be nowhere without Shelvin Mack as well. Mack has two massive outings against the Panthers and the Florida Gators, scoring a combined 57 points in those two games. With Gordon Hayward now playing in the NBA, Mack is the man that really has to step up into the role of the sharpshooter, and he has done so quite efficiently.

The Bulldogs might have the longest winning streak in the country at 13 games, but they aren’t the team that we are picking in this one. VCU just has it going on right now, and we have no doubt in our minds that this team can finish this job and bring the National Championship home to Virginia next week. The Rams march on to the finale.

PICK: VCU


Connecticut Huskies vs. Kentucky Wildcats (-2, 140)

Many people feel that the de facto National Championship Game will be played in the second Final Four betting battle at Reliant Stadium, as the Kentucky Wildcats meet the Connecticut Huskies.

Kentucky really has taken a very tough road to get here. This was a team that hadn’t played well on either neutral site courts or on the road until the SEC Tournament, but all of a sudden, it has rolled off seven straight victories and is on the verge of the National Championship. Head Coach John Calipari knows that this is a team with a ton of moxie and that team spirit that is needed to win it all, something that was missing from last year’s team, one that was arguably significantly more talented. Brandon Knight has had himself an up and down tournament, but when push comes to shove, he averaged 17.3 points per game, the most for a freshman in the country. Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Darius Miller, and DeAndre Liggins are the players that you remember on a regular basis on this team, but the man that has been forgotten is Josh Harrellson. Harrellson has really come on strong here in the dance this season, averaging over 14 points and nine boards per game. The question is whether this squad is still turning the basketball over too many times. Knight alone has averaged over three turnovers per game on the campaign, and the team as a whole is at 10.6 turnovers per game.

For Head Coach Jim Calhoun, there’s Kemba Walker, Kemba Walker, Kemba Walker, and some more Kemba Walker. There’s absolutely Kemba Mania going on in Storrs right now, as this junior has really shined on the biggest stages of them all this year. Though Walker only scored 20 points against the Arizona Wildcats in the Elite 8, he did scored 33 points or more three times since the semifinals in the Big East Tournament. This Elite 8 ATS defeat to the Wildcats was the first time since the regular season in which UConn was knocked off. However, thanks to Walker and the play of some of the youngsters on this team, the Huskies just continue to beat the college basketball odds and prevail. Jeremy Lamb is coming off of a 19 point effort against Arizona, and he is now up to averaging 11.1 points per game. Don’t kid yourself, though. He has had nine straight games with more points scored than that, and the arguably could be made that he is the difference maker for this team. Alex Oriakhi is going to have his work cut out for him on the glass in this one. He’s the team’s leading rebounder at 8.6 boards per game, and if he doesn’t at least approach a double-double in this one, the Huskies are going to be in some trouble.

It’s time for UConn to go. There’s a reason that this team was a No. 9 seed in the Big East Tournament. When push comes to shove, the Huskies are overrated as a No. 3 in this tournament, while Kentucky is probably underrated as a No. 4. The Wildcats have a legitimate team. Connecticut just has a star. Big Blue gets through this one.

PICK: Kentucky

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks In Back-To-Back
By: Brad Young

Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks (N/A)

The National Basketball Association’s regular season is quickly coming to a close, as there are just two weeks remaining until the playoffs begin.

There is an interesting matchup on Saturday’s schedule pitting the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PT) from Milwaukee’s Bradley Center.

Both teams enter this contest playing on back-to-back nights after the Sixers hosted New Jersey Friday, and the Bucks traveled to Indiana.

Philadelphia, on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot, currently resides in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee presently finds itself in 10th place, three games behind the eighth place Pacers.

The Sixers had recorded back-to-back victories both SU and ATS heading into Friday’s contest. Philadelphia dumped Houston Wednesday as a three-point home ‘chalk,’ 108-97, while the combined 205 points failed to eclipse the 209½-point closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed in the Sixers’ previous two outings.

Philadelphia took control of the contest by outscoring the Rockets in the fourth quarter, 24-15. The Sixers finished the contest with advantages in rebounding (41-38) and assists (30-25), while shooting a solid 54 percent (46-of-85) from the field and 39 percent (5-of-13) from behind the arc.

Point guard Jrue Holiday paced the offense with 24 points and 12 assists, while forward Thaddeus Young had 22 and nine rebounds. Center Spencer Hawes accounted for 12 and seven, while small forward Andre Iguodala provided nine points and 10 assists.

Milwaukee was mired in a two-game SU losing streak before upending Toronto on Wednesday as a 4½-point road favorite, 104-98. The combined 202 points toppled the 190 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 the previous four outings.

The game was tied entering the fourth quarter until the Bucks outscored the Raptors, 28-22. Milwaukee enjoyed advantages in rebounding (36-34) and assists (36-22), while shooting 49 percent (38-of-77) from the field and 47 percent (9-of-19) from 3-point land.

Point guard Brandon Jennings stepped up with 25 points and seven assists, while forward Drew Gooden had 22 and 11 rebounds. Center Andrew Bogut provided 17 and 10 in the victory, while forward Carlos Delfino had 14 points and four steals.

The home team has won all three games in the season series. Philadelphia prevailed Nov. 19 as a 4½-point home underdog, 90-79, and Jan. 14 as a 4½-point home ‘chalk,’ 95-94. Milwaukee triumphed March 12 as a two-point home favorite, 102-74.

The ‘under’ is 6-1 the previous seven encounters. The Sixers are 8-3-1 ATS the last 12 meetings in this series. Philadelphia has seen the ‘over’ go 12-5 its past 17 road endeavors. Milwaukee is 6-2 ATS its last eight home games, while the ‘under’ is 16-6 the previous 22 home endeavors.

The Don Best Sports injury report lists Philadelphia forward Elton Brand (flu) as ‘probable’ versus the Nets. Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut (illness) is ‘questionable’ against the Sixers, while forward Larry Sanders (back) is ‘probable.’ Forward Jon Brockman (shoulder) and forward Ersan Ilvasoya (concussion) are ‘doubtful.’

The Sixers conclude a brief two-game road trip with Tuesday’s tilt at Boston. The Bucks follow this matchup with a three-game road trip versus Orlando, Miami and Detroit.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pick 'n' Roll

Saturday's Best NBA Bets

Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (N/A)

All signs point to a Dallas victory on Saturday night at Golden State.

The Mavericks have won five of their last six games (4-2 ATS), although they are coming off a blowout loss to the Lakers on Thursday night. Dallas has won six in a row against the Warriors, including all three of their meetings this season (2-1 ATS).

Golden State, on the other hand, has dropped two straight and eight of 10 (2-8 ATS). While the Warriors’ first two contests against Dallas during the 2010-11 campaign were competitive, the March 20 tilt was not. The host Mavericks rolled 101-73, won the rebounding battle 51-39 and held Golden State to dismal 35.1 percent shooting.

The Warriors, though, could have some hope. They are 23-14 at home, and Dallas completely lost its emotion on Thursday, engaging in a melee with the Lakers. Both Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood were ejected.

"Emotions got the best of me tonight,” said Terry, who added that he does not anticipate a suspension. “I already apologized to the team. You just can’t let that happen in big games. But the game was getting out of hand, so things happen."

PICK: Dallas


Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Clippers (-3.5, 205.5)

Garth Brooks once sang “The Thunder Rolls,” and that is exactly what it is doing right now.

Oklahoma City has won five in a row (2-2-1 ATS), 11 of 12 (8-3-1 ATS) and 14 of 15 (10-4-1 ATS). The team has all but locked up no worse than the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, meaning it will have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Thunder recorded their best month in franchise history in March, and they've matched their 50-win total from last season. Even better news, though, is that their minds are still focused on more important things.

"I think it's a good sign for our team that this is not a huge deal," Nick Collison told The Daily Oklahoman of 50 wins. "Our minds are in the right place, I think. At this time of year, it's good to be on a roll."

The Thunder are coming off a Friday night date at Portland, while the Clippers also have a quick turnaround following their visit to Phoenix. Oklahoma City is 8-6 (9-5 ATS) in the second of back-to-back games this season and Los Angeles is 7-12 (9-9-1 ATS) in such games.

PICK: Oklahoma City

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Best MLB Bets

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals (-154, 8)

Tommy Hanson has all the tools to be an elite pitcher. Will the young hard-throwing righthander finally put everything together and experience a breakout season? Not today, not against the always savvy John Lannan, who takes the mound for the Nationals.

The lefthander has been solid over the last three years against the Braves, going 5-4 with 3.39 ERA in 10 starts. He’s allowed only one homer to the Braves, which means Atlanta will likely have to string together hits. That’s something the Braves' offense has struggled to do in the past against Lannan.

Hanson went 0-1 in two starts against the Nationals last season. At more than a 150 favorite, the value here is on Lannan and the Nats.

PICK: Nationals


San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals (-148, 8)

The Padres don’t win in St. Louis. That’s what made Thursday’s come-from-behind 5-3 win all the more surprising. The 11-inning win improved San Diego to a miserable 10-34 in its last 44 games in St. Louis.

Expect things to go back to normal Saturday, when the Cardinals send righthander Jake Westbrook to the mound against Padres lefthander Clayton Richard.

Matt Holliday’s out for the Cards, but his replacements--Jon Jay and Allen Craig--were stars in spring training. Plus, it’s hard to imagine Albert Pujols will start the season with two straight hitless games. Pujols went 0-for-5, hitting into the three double plays, in Thursday’s loss.

PICK: Cardinals

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hockey Night In Canada: NHL Betting Preview
By Bill McBride

Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (-111, 5.5)

Neither team is going to make the postseason at this point. Neither team lived up to their expectations this year, no matter how realistic they may have been. But this is still a rivalry and both teams are playing fairly good hockey these days.

Sens Showing Signs

The kids seem to be alright in Ottawa. The Senators, laced with minor-league callups as the season winds down, have shown some spunk, as well as the ability to put some pucks in the net.

Take Colin Greening as an example. After playing the majority of the season in the minors, Greening has made the most of his time with the big club. In 22 games, he has six goals and six assists. He buried two tallies as the Senators handled the Panthers, 4-1 Thursday night.

And don’t look now, but Ottawa has points in four of its last five games.

A Successful Swap

Much was made of Ottawa’s goalie deal with the Avalanche 14 games ago. The critics pointed to the Senators giving up far too early on Brian Elliott, who wasn’t bad considering he was on a last-place team in Ottawa.

But Craig Anderson has silenced the naysayers. Though he’s not a youngster and he doesn’t have All-Star makeup, he did make 37 saves in the win over Florida.

The Senators’ run coincides with his arrival. Anderson is 9-4-1 since being acquired two months ago.

Toronto Tear

The Maple Leafs are likely to come up just short of the postseason, but bettors would be wise to jump on these guys before they hit the golf course. They are playing with just enough fire and fight to make fans wonder: Where’s this been all season?

They edged the Bruins, 4-3, Thursday, giving them their fifth victory in six games.

Goaltender James Reimer has been a big plus down the stretch, but don’t forget forward Joffrey Lupul, acquired from Anaheim in December. Lupul has 13 goals and 15 assists and potted two against the Bruins Thursday night.

This may not be what Toronto fans want to hear, but the future looks awfully bright for this group.

History

Ottawa leads the series, 3-2, and that edge comes in the form of a 1-0 shootout nail-biter on Feb. 19. As for the totals, the under is also 3-2.

Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks

Pride and passion will be in full display, just not much else. One team’s at the top, one team’s at the bottom, and viewers of this HNIC nightcap are going to have to subscribe to the “you can throw the records out when these two teams meet” philosophy to make the end of this one.

Fighting To The Brutal End

Anyone who is still watching Edmonton these days knows this club fights to the finish, almost every night. But when Sam Gagne, Taylor Hall and Ales Hemsky are all still out with injuries, among others, you’re not going to be able to escape the losses.

Enter the Oilers, who lost to the Wild, 4-2, Thursday night. Edmonton is now an unsightly 0-8-3 in its last 11 games.

Nikolai Nightmare

Veteran goalie Nikolai Khabibulin probably isn’t the best fit for this young, developing club in Edmonton. Khabibulin, who led Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup in 2004, has taken a beating with the Oilers and is on an infamous run as we speak.

Thursday’s loss at Minnesota was his seventh straight game in goal for Edmonton without a win. His last victory was a 4-1 decision over Montreal back on Feb. 17.

The season numbers are tough to look at for a former-elite goaltender. Khabibulin is just 10-31-3, with a 3.33 goals-against average.

Oh, Brothers

We all knew they were good, but 191 points good?

That’s the combined total for Henrik and Daniel Sedin, through Thursday night. Henrik, in fact, has reached the 100-point mark by himself and carries 41 goals into the weekend.

History

Give credit to the Canucks for taking care of business and not letting the little guys get by them. Vancouver is a perfect 4-0 versus Edmonton this year. The last was a 6-1 whitewash back in January. The total is an even 2-2 in this series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ICE PICKS

Saturday's Best NHL Picks

Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators (-111, 5.5)

Vancouver is running away with the Western Conference, but there is a logjam behind the Canucks. It includes third-place Detroit (98 points) and sixth-place Nashville (94 points).

But the Red Wings and Predators are going in opposite directions. Detroit has lost two straight and five of its last six. Nashville has won seven of its past eight contests.

The good news for the Wings, though, is that goaltender Jimmy Howard will return from a shoulder injury that he sustained during last Saturday’s win over Toronto. Howard missed two games and Detroit promptly allowed a disastrous 10 goals to St. Louis on Wednesday.

“It felt good in practice,” Howard said on Thursday. “The stiffness is pretty much gone. I look forward to getting out there."

So do the Red Wings, but it could be a rude return against Nashville team that has scored at least three goals per game seven times in its last eight outings. The Predators have also lit the lamp at least three times in their last six against Detroit.

PICK: Nashville


Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks (-158, 5.5)

Also in the aforementioned logjam? San Jose (99 points) and Anaheim (93 points).

But whereas the Nashville-Detroit clash has one team going north and the other headed south, both the Sharks and Ducks are on fire. San Jose has won six of its last seven and has scored a combined 10 goals during its current two-game winning streak. Anaheim has won three straight and seven of eight.

Watch out for two factors in the Ducks’ favor on Saturday: right wing Corey Perry--who was named NHL Player of the Month for March--and an ability to win close games. Perry has 13 goals and 17 points in his last 10 outings and six of Anaheim’s last seven wins have come by one goal. The other came by two goals.

"It is tough not to think about it," Perry said during a Friday conference call when asked about potentially reaching the 50-goal mark this season. "You never know what can happen in the last couple games. We've only get a handful of games left and we'll see how it goes."

Expect another thriller, because this season’s last three Ducks-Sharks game have been decided by one goal.

PICK: Anaheim

 

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Saturday's Betting Tips: Yankees, Grizzlies In Tough Spots

3 Tips

Beware Yankees starter A.J. Burnett, who gets the ball today against the visiting Tigers. No starter cost bettors more money in 2010 than Burnett. If you bet $100 on each of Burnett’s 33 starts, you ended up down $1,568. Burnett and the Yankees are -154 favorites over Brad Penny and the Tigers.

Memphis has been the best bet in the NBA this season, going 48-26-1 against the number. But one situation the Grizzlies haven’t been money in is the one they face tonight. Memphis, 1-11 ATS as a double-digit home favorite, is laying 11.5 to visiting Minnesota.

Home-court advantage in the NBA is dwindling down the stretch. Road underdogs were 20-12 ATS over the last seven days, before Friday’s games.

Weather

The wind is forecast to be blowing out to right-center field at 15 mph at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Yankee Stadium produced more OVERs (46) last year than any other outdoor stadium.

Key Stat

57.7 percent – That’s UConn’s field-goal percentage in the Huskies’ 84-67 rout of Kentucky in late November in Maui. Kemba Walker made 10 of 17 shots and finished with 29.

Brandon Knight, Kentucky’s freshman point guard who has been spectacular in the NCAA tournament, had just six points and five turnovers in the loss to UConn.

Who’s Hot

Butler has been deadly against good teams with winning percentages above .600, going 21-4-2 ATS in that situation. In case you were wondering, VCU, at 28-11, qualifies.

Who’s Not

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano allowed six runs, including five on home runs by Scott Rolen and Joey Votto, in his last Spring Training start on March 18. Zambrano, who is making $18 million this season, gets the ball for Cubs today against the Pirates. Zambrano is 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA over the last three seasons against Pittsburgh.

Injury To Watch

The St. Louis Cardinals will be without outfielder Matt Holliday for Saturday’s home game against San Diego. Holliday had an appendectomy Friday and will be out for undetermined amount of time.

Holliday was the Cards’ primary offensive weapon in Thursday’s 11-inning loss to the Padres. He went 3-for-4 and hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning.

Jon Jay and Allen Craig are likely to platoon in left field in Holliday’s absence.

 

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DCI NCAA CBB

Season
Straight Up: 3870-1336 (.743)
ATS: 1811-1844 (.495)
ATS Vary Units: 5003-5128 (.494)
Over/Under: 1789-1820 (.496)
Over/Under Vary Units: 2305-2476 (.482)

NCAA Tournament
National Semifinals at Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Connecticut vs. Kentucky: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Butler 68, Vcu 65

 

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DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 742-318 (.700)
ATS: 563-543 (.509)
ATS Vary Units: 1312-1315 (.499)
Over/Under: 569-556 (.506)
Over/Under Vary Units: 678-666 (.504)

CHICAGO 107, Toronto 88
MEMPHIS 111, Minnesota 92
Philadelphia vs. MILWAUKEE: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Dallas 107, GOLDEN STATE 102
Oklahoma City 105, L.A. CLIPPERS 100

 

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DCI NHL

Season: 353-273 (.564)

BOSTON 3, Atlanta 2
Tampa Bay vs. MINNESOTA: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
NASHVILLE 3, Detroit 2
LOS ANGELES 3, Dallas 2
Toronto vs. OTTAWA: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Montreal vs. NEW JERSEY: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Carolina vs. N.Y. ISLANDERS: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
WASHINGTON 3, Buffalo 2
Pittsburgh 3, FLORIDA 2
VANCOUVER 4, Edmonton 1
Anaheim vs. SAN JOSE: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

 

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sportslottery

Butler -2.5
Kentucky -2

 

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Eafra Soccer

Large
Chelsea -0.75

 

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Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with the Red Sox Friday. Saturday it's Kentucky.

The deficit is 1,260 sirignanos.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Picks <table id="table3" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td style="height: 38px; width: 566px;">SATURDAY, APRIL 2
Time Posted: 12:30 p.m. EST (4/1)</td></tr><tr><td width="566">Game 811-812: VCU vs. Butler (6:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: VCU 68.423; Butler 72.839
Dunkel Line: Butler by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: Butler by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Butler (-2 1/2)</td></tr><tr><td width="566">Game 813-814: Kentucky vs. Connecticut (8:50 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kentucky 76.301; Connecticut 72.298
Dunkel Line: Kentucky by 4
Vegas Line: Kentucky by 2
Dunkel Pick: Kentucky (-2)</td></tr></tbody></table>