Service Plays Saturday 4/23/11

[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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Posters can easily report a promotional post by using the triangular Report-a-Post Icon at the bottom left of all post boxes. The poster name of any poster who reports a post that is out of line will be kept strictly confidential.

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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To all services and professional handicappers. I am only going to be editing posts where your copyrighted write-ups are involved. Please do not email me if someone simply posts so and so likes xyz team plus or minus so many points only.
Thank you, wilheim.......

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[White_Tiger]

Free Selection from #1 Sports

Saturday's free selection: St. Louis Cardinals - 150

 

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Free Selection from Platinum Plays

MLB: Oakland Athletics w/Cahill -120 Over Seattle

 

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Free Selection from Totals4U

Saturday's free selection: Kansas City/Texas over 9 runs

 

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Free Selection from Huddle Up Sports



Free Winner: Chicago/Indiana under 187'

 

[White_Tiger]

Saturday's Best NBA Bets


San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies (-2, 191.5)

Manu Ginobili makes all the difference in the world for the San Antonio Spurs.

Ginobili missed Game 1’s defeat to the upstart Grizzles but returned to provide a key spark in Game 2’s six-point win. In the victory, he had 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists, despite wearing a huge brace on his injured arm.

"It was uncomfortable," Ginobili said of the brace, which he will wear indefinitely. "But I felt I did OK. I took some risk. I went for some steals and rebounds and it wasn't that I played worried about getting hit or something."

And that’s just the way the Spurs need him to play.

Ginobili has an even split of his minutes against Memphis this season, getting on the floor for 148 minutes and sitting out for 145. When he’s on the court, the team shoots 52.1 percent from the field, averages 106 points per game over 48 minutes and is plus-42 in points overall.

However, when he is off the floor, San Antonio shoots just 39.6 percent from the field, averages a mere 88.3 points per game over 48 minutes and the team is minus-49 in points.

"Manu's Manu, come on," Grizzlies forward Shane Battier said. "I don't care if he's in a body cast, he's going to be out there and he's going to be a handful to deal with. That's why he's a great player."

And that’s why San Antonio is going to win.

Pick: San Antonio

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-5.5, 205)

Nuggets coach George Karl is searching for answers.

After watching his team get smacked in a Game 2 loss in Oklahoma City, he must find a way to provide a spark as the teams head to Colorado. But not much may help at this point.

The Thunder have beaten the Nuggets 4 times in the past 16 days and appear to have psychologically cracked them as well.

Mercurial Denver swingman J.R. Smith questioned his team’s heart and his desire to return to the team next season, and Karl didn’t deny the fact that Smith could be in his doghouse. In fact, he basically said his player that averages 12.3 points per game this season – fifth most on the team – might not even see much of the floor the rest of the series.

“He gives us minus-17 in six minutes,” Karl said. “Those guys shouldn’t get second chances. I’m not saying it was all his fault, I’m just saying – when that happens, I got to make a change.”

Karl also must find a way to juggle his lineup. Guard Aaron Afflalo is expected to return from a hamstring injury to make his series debut, but he likely will be limited in his minutes and play. The coach also said he is leaning toward starting Ray Felton over swingman Wilson Chandler.

The moves may work – but it likely is too little, too late.

Pick: Oklahoma City

 

[White_Tiger]

What Bettors Need to Know: Saturday's NBA Playoff Action


Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers (-5, 187.5)

Chicago leads series 3-0

THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers looked as though they had Derrick Rose contained in Game 3 - until the final minute rolled around. Staring at elimination, the Pacers will need to come up with another plan to stop the star point guard if they hope to keep playing. With the exception of Rose’s heroics, the Chicago Bulls have not looked invincible in the first three games of the best-of-seven set but they have shown a great ability to close. The Bulls will be looking to close out the entire series when they face the Pacers in Game 4 at Conseco Field House on Saturday.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSCH

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana has held a lead in the fourth quarter in each of the first three games but just does not seem to have the personnel available offensively or defensively to close out Chicago. After fighting back to tie the game, 84-84, with 1:42 left on Thursday, Indiana missed its final four shots and had to settle for an off-balance, contested 3-point attempt by Danny Granger despite calling a timeout and drawing up a play with 17 seconds left. Granger scored the last four field goals for the Pacers in the contest and finished with a team-high 21 points. Only two other players - Dahntay Jones with 11 and Tyler Hansbrough with 10 - reached double figures for the Pacers in Game 3.

ABOUT THE BULLS: The defense that held Indiana at bay down the stretch is easy to overlook because of the continued highlight show from Rose. But it is that strong team defense that has kept Chicago in the games until Rose has been able to take over. The Bulls held the Pacers to 38 percent shooting in Game 3, including 1 of 10 from beyond the arc. Rose had easily his worst game of the series, shooting 4 of 18 from the field and recording more turnovers (five) than assists (two). But the superstar stepped up when it counted, taking the ball after a timeout and driving the lane for his lone field goal of the second half, putting the Bulls up for good with 17 seconds left in the 88-84 victory. He shot 13 of 15 from the free throw line to finish with a game-high 23 points.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Rookie guard Paul George continues to struggle for Indiana, shooting 4 of 18 through the first three games. Kyle Korver is 7 of 8 from 3-point range in the series for the Bulls.

KEY STATISTIC: Chicago buried 9 of 20 attempts from beyond the arc in Game 3 while the Pacers struggled to 1 of 10 from the perimeter.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Indiana.
* Bulls are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight playoff games as favorites.
* Pacers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following a S.U. loss.

LAST WORD: Indiana interim coach Frank Vogel gave Korver credit after Thursday’s game. “Korver killed us in the fourth,” Vogel said. “He even killed us on the last play when we couldn’t leave him to help. That allowed Rose to get to the bucket.”

Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers (-4.5, 187.5)

Dallas leads series 2-1

THE STORY: Portland used a 12-2 run to start the fourth quarter and that proved key in Thursday’s 97-92 Game 3 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who had 16 turnovers. The Trail Blazers will now try to even the series in Game 4 Saturday at the Rose Garden. Dallas still must prove it can win on the road, having lost 17 of its last 19 playoff road games.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW, KTXA

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Dallas got a better-than-expected effort from Jason Terry, who had 29 points on 10-for-13 shooting and seven rebounds, and the continued steady play of Dirk Nowitzki, who had 25 points and nine rebounds. But the Mavericks got just two points from Tyson Chandler before he fouled out with 7:24 remaining. The Mavericks need more from their best interior defender. Nowitzki, who had made 28 of 30 free throws entering Game 3, was just 4 of 7. “We gave away way too many points,” Terry said. “Free throws, turnovers and early on in the first quarter, we gave them too much confidence.”

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Portland got exactly what it needed Thursday with breakout games from Wesley Matthews and Brandon Roy. Matthews scored 22 of his 25 points in the first half, making four 3-pointers in the first six minutes. Roy shook off two bad games, along with his criticism for lack of playing time, and scored 16 points while being effective on both ends of the court. “Coming home, it was a combination of must-win, our home crowd,” Matthews said. “They took care of their home court. Now it's time for us to take care of ours.” The Trail Blazers even got six key minutes from Chris Johnson. The rookie center had three rebounds and two blocked shots in his first taste of playoff action. “Role players play a lot better when they’re at home,” Nowitzki said.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Jason Kidd’s game cooled off Thursday. He was averaging 21 points in the first two games, but had just eight in Game 3 and went just 2 of 8 from 3-point range. Roy made six of his first seven shots, and added four assists and no turnovers in 24 minutes.

KEY STATISTIC: Dallas was uncharacteristically shaky from the free-throw line in Game 3, making just 13 of 23 attempts.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 3-0-1 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Home team is 5-0-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Mavericks are 1-3-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Portland.

LAST WORD: “We continue to game-plan for Roy as an All-Star player because he’s capable of doing that on any night. He’s done it to us, so I’m not surprised.” - Dallas coach Rick Carlisle on a strategy for Roy.

San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies (-2, 192)

Series tied 1-1

THE STORY: An unexpected split in San Antonio has the Memphis Grizzlies thinking upset as they welcome the Spurs to town Saturday night in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series. The top-seeded Spurs took charge late in a defensive battle in Game 2, prevailing 93-87 behind 17 points from returning star Manu Ginobili.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSTN

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Returning home with a 2-0 lead would have made the Grizzlies much happier, but they'll gladly take a split in Texas against the powerhouse Spurs. Memphis stuck around until the final minute of Game 2 but fell just short, as George Hill buried four free throws in the final moments to put the game away. Sam Young led the way with 17 points, but the Grizzlies needed more from stars Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The frontcourt duo managed just 23 points on a combined 7-of-23 shooting performance. Still, with home-court advantage now on the Grizzlies' side, Memphis comes into Game 3 with plenty of confidence after beating San Antonio twice at home in the regular season.

ABOUT THE SPURS: Ginobili clawed his way into the lineup despite a nagging elbow injury that required a heavy black brace. The speedy swingman didn't disappoint, playing his trademark solid defense while making some key shots down the stretch as the Spurs eked out the victory. Tim Duncan, George Hill and Richard Jefferson each added 16 points apiece as San Antonio employed a balanced attack while holding Memphis under 40 percent shooting for the game. The Spurs' next hurdle will be winning a game in Tennessee, where they were outscored by 23 points in two regular-season encounters. Parker missed the 109-93 loss on March 1 with a calf strain; Duncan sat out the March 27 defeat while Ginobili left halfway through.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Gasol has done a little bit of everything so far, averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and a steal in the series. Jefferson is 9 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. Look for him to be more active in the offense if the Spurs sputter in Game 3.

KEY STATISTIC: 0 - The number of free throws Parker attempted in Game 2. He went 14 for 16 from the line in Game 1, helping him score 20 points despite shooting just 4 for 16 from the field.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings in Memphis.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Road team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Spurs are 0-7 ATS in the last seven meetings.

LAST WORD: "As bad as we were (Wednesday), it was still close at the end." - Gasol

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-5.5, 204.5)

Oklahoma City leads series 2-0

THE STORY: A two-game lead has the Oklahoma City Thunder flying high as they visit the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series Saturday. The fourth-seeded Thunder did what they needed to do, winning the first two games in Oklahoma City behind strong performances from Kevin Durant and Kevin Westbrook. As the scene shifts to Colorado, the Nuggets will undoubtedly look to use their home-court advantage to get back into the series.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN, ALT

ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Denver did a better job of containing the Thunder's dynamic duo on Wednesday, but the Nuggets' offense fizzled from the outset as Oklahoma City opened up a 16-point first-quarter lead and cruised to a 106-89 victory. Ty Lawson led the way with 20 points while Nene overcame a 2-for-8 shooting performance to add 16 points. Thanks in large part to the presence of since-departed Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets were the highest-scoring team in the NBA during the regular season. Denver hasn't shown the same chops since Anthony was dealt to New York and is averaging just 96 points in the playoffs. The Nuggets have also beaten up on the boards, outrebounded by a 91-65 margin through the first two games.

ABOUT THE THUNDER: After combining for 72 points in Game 1, Durant and Westbrook were thrilled to get some support on Wednesday. Durant had 23 points and Westbrook added 21, but three other Thunder players finished in double figures. Oklahoma used a 19-3 first-quarter run to jump out early, and Durant and Wesbrook combined for eight straight points in the fourth after the Nuggets closed the deficit to 10. The Thunder big men showed plenty of tenacity, snagging 17 offensive rebounds in Game 2. Kendrick Perkins had a game-high six offensive boards, more than the entire Denver roster. If the Thunder continue to dominate on the glass to this extent, this series may not make it back to Oklahoma City.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Durant (32 points per game) and Westbrook (26 ppg) outscored Denver's starting five in Game 1, and likely would have done the same in Game 2 had the game not been decided so early. Nuggets G J.R. Smith is shooting just 28.6 percent (4 for 14) in the series and has missed all four of his 3-point attempts.

KEY STATISTIC: 7 - Westbrook's turnover total in Game 2. No other player from either team had more than two. Westbrook has 12 turnovers in two games so far, and will need to be more careful with the ball going forward.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Thunder are 11-4 ATS in the last 15 meetings.
* Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings in Denver.

LAST WORD: Denver was one of the best teams in the NBA in its own arena, going 33-8 in the regular season. Only the San Antonio Spurs (36-5) and Chicago Bulls (36-5) had better home marks.

 

[White_Tiger]

NBA Betting: Upstart Memphis Grizzlies host Spurs
By: Michael Robinson

The eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies continue their march towards history as they host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. This best-of-seven series is tied at 1-1 as it moves to Memphis.

The Don Best odds screen has the Grizzlies as two-point favorites in their first home playoff game since 2006. The total is 192 points and ESPN will broadcast from FedExForum at 4:30 p.m. (PT).

An NBA eighth seed has only eliminated a No. 1 three times in history. The latest was the 2006-07 Golden State Warriors, which beat the Dallas Mavericks in six games despite losing 25 more contests during the regular season.

The Grizzles finished 46-36 straight-up this regular season, 15 games behind San Antonio (61-21 SU). The Spurs were also 36-5 SU at home, but that didn’t stop Memphis from a 101-98 opening road win last Sunday as 6½-point underdogs.

San Antonio was playing without Manu Ginobili, who sprained his right elbow in the regular season finale. Memphis’ big man tandem of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol combined for 49 points and 23 rebounds, with the team shooting 55.2 percent from the floor. It was the first playoff win for the expansion franchise, debuting in Vancouver in 1995.

Ginobili did play in Game 2 on Wednesday, scoring a team-high 17 points despite wearing a bulky brace. Memphis shot a much more pedestrian 39.8 percent from the field, but only trailed by two points (89-87) after a Sam Young three-pointer with 14 seconds left. Memphis lost 93-87, but ‘covered’ for the second straight game as eight-point ‘dogs.

The 180-points scored went ‘under’ the 194½-point total. Game 1’s 199 points went ‘over’ the 196½-point total. The ‘over’ is 21-8 in San Antonio’s last 29 games overall.

The Grizzlies were 30-11 SU and 26-14-1 ATS at home during the regular season. That includes 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS to end the season. They’re the NBA’s best ATS team overall (54-29-1).

Memphis has done a great job shaking off the injury to second-leading scorer Rudy Gay (19.8 PPG). He was lost for the year in February with a dislocated shoulder. Young and Tony Allen are now starting at the wing positions, with Mike Conley running things from the point.

Coach Lionel Hollins has built a solid bench with the help of GM Chris Wallace. The gritty Shane Battier was a great addition at the trade deadline. O.J. Mayo is a key player after almost being traded and Darrell Arthur is a decent big man option.

The Spurs (44-38-2 ATS) haven’t had anything come easy for them lately. They had a six-game losing streak beginning in late March with Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker all missing at least one game. They did hold onto the No. 1 seed in the West, but finished behind Chicago for home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Coach Gregg Popovich deserves a lot of Coach of the Year consideration. His nucleus was considered too old for a title, but he used a very deep bench to score 103.7 PPG (sixth in the NBA). Three-point shooting was a big factor (39.7 percent made, ranked first).

The problem in the playoffs is rotations tighten and superior depth is not that much of an advantage. Duncan also no longer dominates fourth quarters like in his youth and Ginobili needs to be healthy to help fill that role.

San Antonio was 25-16 SU and 25-15-1 ATS on the road this year, but struggled down the stretch at 1-6 SU (3-4 ATS).

The two days off should theoretically help the Spurs aging players, but they’re just 5-12 ATS on two days rest this season. Their inside guys will need their energy as Memphis leads the league in points in the paint and won’t settle for jumpers at home.

Game 4 will be played Monday in Memphis with San Antonito really in a bind with a Saturday defeat.

 

[White_Tiger]

NBA Betting: Denver Nuggets, Thunder Game 3
By: Stephen Nover

Can Oklahoma City defeat Denver for a fifth straight time during a span of 19 days?

The Thunder can achieve this feat if they upset the Nuggets Saturday night at 7 (PT) at Denver's Pepsi Center.

Oddsmakers don’t see it happening making the desperate Nuggets a 5½-point home favorite. The ‘over/under’ is 205.

Denver led the NBA in scoring at 107.5 points per game during the regular season and ranked third overall in field goal percentage at 47.6. But in falling behind 2-0 in their best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series against Oklahoma City, the Nuggets have averaged 96 points and shot 45 percent from the field.

Those two games were in Oklahoma City, though. Now the Nuggets are home where they won 33 of 41 games going 21-17-3 against the spread.

It’s obvious, however, that the Nuggets are having trouble matching up to the Thunder, a budding power seeking their first playoff series win since relocating from Seattle. Oklahoma City is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 road contests.

The Thunder defeated Denver, 101-94, as 4½-point road ‘dogs on April 5 and then trounced the Nuggets, 104-89, as 4½-point home favorites on April 8. Both games went ‘under’ the total.

Center Kendrick Perkins, formerly of Boston, has provided the Thunder with a solid defensive presence and a shot-blocker to go along with defensive-minded Serge Ibaka.

The Nuggets have had two major problems against the Thunder – getting their offense going and trying to slow down Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Denver was one of the hottest teams after February winning 19 of their last 24 regular-season games while going 12-7-1 ATS during their past 20 regular-season matchups.

The Nuggets were able to achieve this because of a major trade with the New York Knicks, which improved their depth and chemistry. They lost superstar Carmelo Anthony, but still finished as the No. 1 scoring team in the league while becoming a more unselfish team.

But the Thunder have exposed the Nuggets’ lack of a go-to-guy now that Anthony and Chauncey Billups are gone. Oklahoma City has controlled tempo by slowing things down forcing the Nuggets to operate more half-court offensive sets than they would like.

Going back to the past four head-to-head meetings – played during a span of 16 days – the Thunder have held the Nuggets to an average of 93.7 points and forced an average of 13 turnovers per game.

Durant and Westbrook combined for 72 points in the Thunder’s 107-103 Game 1 win. The Nuggets nearly won that game losing in large part on a controversial tip-in by Perkins that probably should have been ruled offensive goaltending.

The Nuggets were six-point underdogs in that game with the combined 210 points going ‘over’ the 204½-point total.

Durant and Westbrook combined for 44 points this past Wednesday in the Thunder’s 106-89 win as 4½-point favorites. Point guard Ty Lawson led Denver with 20 points. The closest the Nuggets could pull to was 10 points in the fourth quarter.

The combined 195 points went ‘under’ the 206-point total. It was the sixth time in eight matchups that Oklahoma City has gone ‘under’ when facing a playoff opponent. This has all occurred since Perkins became the starting center.

Durant, the two-time defending league scoring champ, is averaging 32 points in the series. He’s shooting 54 percent from the floor and has made 18 of 22 free throws for 81 percent.

The ‘under’ has cashed 14 of the last 20 times Oklahoma City has been a road ‘dog. The ‘under’ also has cashed four of the past five times the two teams have met.

Game 4 is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. PT with Denver hosting. If the Nuggets are to pull out this series, they must win four of five games during an eight-day span.

 

[White_Tiger]

Saturday Early Playoff Tips
By Kevin Rogers


The Saturday NBA playoff card is loaded with four games as just one team looks to advance to the second round. The Bulls tip off the action going for the sweep of the feisty Pacers, while the Blazers look to even things up with the Mavs at the Rose Garden. We'll start in the Hoosier State with Indiana attempting to stretch out its series with Chicago to a fifth game.

Bulls at Pacers

The top seed in the Eastern Conference looks to become the first team to move towards the second round of the playoffs as Chicago battles Indiana. The Bulls haven't won a game by more than six points in this series, but Chicago has found ways to close out Indiana in the waning moments. The key for the Bulls in Saturday afternoon's game is to close things out while watching Atlanta and Orlando beat each other up in the 4/5 series.

Derrick Rose closed out the Pacers in Game 3 with a left-handed layup in the final seconds to give Chicago the lead for good and the decisive 3-0 series lead. Rose missed 14 of 18 shots from the field, but knocked down 13 of 15 from the line for a game-high 23 points. The Pacers had their opportunities as they led by five points with 9:30 left, but a 10-0 run by the Bulls in a 2:30 minute span gave Chicago some breathing room.

From the betting standpoint, the Bulls finally managed a cover in Game 3 as the game closed with Chicago laying 3½ points. Not everyone cashed in on the Bulls if you jumped on them as four or 4½-point favorites through most of Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. The Pacers have held their own by leading in the fourth quarter all of three games, but this team is in an impossible hole to get out of heading into Game 4.

However, just trying to stay alive at this point isn't profitable from a betting standpoint. Since 2004, 23 teams have been stuck in a 3-0 deficit; these clubs are 6-17 SU and 5-16-2 ATS in Game 4's, including a 2-4 SU/ATS mark last postseason. The only team not to close out a series was Boston, who actually lost a pair of Game 4's to Miami (first round) and Orlando (second round).

Following a high-scoring Game 1 (104-99), the 'under' has cashed the last two games rather easily. The Game 2 total was jacked up to 193 after a 188 total in the series opener, but the defense stepped up with a 96-90 Bulls' win in the second game. The total dropped 4 ½ points from Game 2 to Game 3, as Saturday's total is down to 187½.

The Bulls are listed as 4½ point favorites as the game will be televised nationally on TNT.

Mavs at Blazers

Portland fell short in each of the first two games at American Airlines Center, but the Blazers bounced back with a 97-92 victory in Game 3. The Mavs had only two players in double-figures as Jason Terry (29 points) and Dirk Nowitzki (25 points) carried the Dallas offense, which shot 51% from the floor. The Blazers shared the scoring load with four players in double-figures, including four three-pointers and 25 points from Wesley Matthews.

This is the only series in the playoffs that has seen two 'overs,' each coming in the last two games. The Game 3 'over' of 187½ barely hit following a strong first half that saw a combined 106 points. Portland has outscored Dallas in the second half of Game 1 and Game 3, while the Blazers have shot the ball extremely well in this series despite the 2-1 hole.

Depending on which line you bet for Game 3, the Mavs cashed as a 5½-point underdog, improving Dallas to 14-6 ATS as a road 'dog. However, Rick Carlisle's team is just 4-6 ATS the last 10 games in this spot following a 10-0 ATS start to the season when receiving points on the highway. Portland owns a 15-5 SU and 12-7-1 ATS mark as a home favorite off a win, but the Blazers sport a 2-9-1 ATS ledger as home 'chalk' of between 3½ and six points.

The Blazers have won four of the last five meetings at the Rose Garden, but Nate McMillan's squad is just 1-5 ATS the last three postseasons as a home favorite. On the flip side, the Mavs are 4-8-1 ATS as a road underdog in the playoffs since 2008, while the cashing the 'over' eight times in this role.

Portland is listed as four-point favorites with the total set at 186½. The game will be televised nationally on TNT, as this is a 2:05 PM local tip-off, which could be an 'under' look with the early start.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins (-145, 5)
Pittsburgh leads series 3-1

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Lightning fizzled at home after stealing home-ice advantage from the fourth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Now they must pull out a victory on the road in Game 5 on Saturday afternoon if they want to extend their season. Tampa Bay posted a convincing 5-1 win in Game 2 at the Consol Energy Center to even the series but lost a pair of one-goal decisions in its own building. The losses dropped it to 1-6 in the postseason at the St. Pete Times Forum since its Game 7 triumph over the Calgary Flames in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final. Pittsburgh's 3-2 win in double overtime on Wednesday put it one victory away from advancing to the second round for the fourth consecutive year.

TV: Noon ET, Versus, CBC, Sun Sports, Root

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: James Neal was the hero Wednesday, scoring his first career playoff goal at 3:38 of the second overtime. Neal netted just one goal in 20 regular-season games with Pittsburgh after being acquired from the Dallas Stars in late February. The Penguins' fourth line has been a major contributor as the unit of Arron Asham, Craig Adams and Mike Rupp has produced a goal in each game of the series thus far. Chris Kunitz will return to the lineup after serving his one-game suspension for elbowing Simon Gagne in Game 3.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Tampa Bay rallied from a 2-0 deficit Wednesday but was unable to complete the comeback. Martin St. Louis recorded his third straight two-point performance with a goal and an assist while Sean Bergenheim tied the contest with 3:17 remaining in the third period with his first career playoff tally. The Lightning registered only 31 shots in more than 83 minutes of action while allowing a whopping 53. Steve Downie will be back in the lineup following his one-game ban for a high hit on defenseman Ben Lovejoy in Game 3.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: St. Louis has been a powerhouse for the Lightning, recording four goals and two assists. Steven Stamkos has been invisible, however, notching just one assist in the series and failing to register a shot in over 30 1/2 minutes in Wednesday's marathon. Asham leads Pittsburgh with three goals and four points while Tyler Kennedy has tallied twice. Defenseman Brooks Orpik was one of two Penguins without a shot on goal in Game 4 but received an astounding 40 1/2 minutes of ice time.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Tampa Bay, which had the best power-play unit in the East during the regular season, is 4-for-15 (26.7 percent) in the series but failed to convert on four attempts in Game 4. Pittsburgh is just 1-for-18 with the man advantage but finally broke through Wednesday, going 1-for-3 after being 0-for-15 over the first three contests.

TRENDS:

* Under is 14-6-3 in the last 23 meetings.
* Lightning are 2-5 in the last seven meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Lightning are 2-5 in the last seven meetings.

LAST WORD: "I’m one of those guys who believes it’s possible until there’s absolutely no time left. I’ve seen it before and I’ve done it before. These series are never about momentum, they’re about desperation." - Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher on his team's dire situation.



New York Rangers at Washington Capitals (-193, 5)
Washington leads series 3-1

THE STORY: The Washington Capitals were in this exact same situation last postseason against the Montreal Canadiens. They're hoping for a different result this time around as they host the New York Rangers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center. Washington built a 3-1 series lead against Montreal last year before dropping the final three games of the first-round matchup, scoring just one goal in each loss. The Rangers know first-hand about rallying from a 3-1 series deficit as the Capitals accomplished the feat against them in the conference quarterfinals in 2009, the last time New York appeared in the postseason. New York never has overcome such an obstacle in its history.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBC, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Just 20 minutes away from returning home with the series even, Washington rallied for three goals in the third period of Game 4 on Wednesday to forge a tie before Jason Chimera gave the Capitals a 4-3 victory by scoring at 12:36 of the second overtime. Alexander Semin ignited the comeback at 2:47 of the third and Marcus Johansson scored his first two career playoff goals to knot the contest. Captain Alex Ovechkin, who was kept off the scoresheet for the first time in the series, could have ended the game with nine minutes remaining in the first overtime but was stopped by Henrik Lundqvist on a breakaway. Mike Knuble missed Game 4 with a hand injury and also will sit out Saturday's contest.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: New York was in the driver's seat after Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky scored seven seconds apart in the second period to build a 3-0 lead. The quick burst fell two seconds shy of the fastest two goals in NHL playoff history and one short of the team record set by Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert in 1968 against Chicago. Gaborik became the goat, however, as his poking away of a loose puck as Lundqvist was about to cover it led to Chimera's winning tally. Lundqvist finished with a playoff career-high 49 saves.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Defenseman Dan Girardi was a beast for the Rangers in Game 4, registering 39:45 of ice time and nine blocked shots - both game highs. Gaborik's goal was his first since March 20 and ended his 10-game postseason drought. Ovechkin, Semin, Johansson and Chimera each have two of Washington's 10 goals in the series. Nicklas Backstrom, who was second on the team in scoring during the regular season, has notched just one assist.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Rangers went 0-for-7 on the power play in Game 4 and are just 1-for-18 in the series with a mere 17 shots on goal. The Capitals, who went 1-for-33 against Montreal in last year's conference quarterfinals, have converted two of their 12 man advantages.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Washington.
* Rangers are 8-17 in the last 25 meetings in Washington.

LAST WORD: "There's no doubt in my mind with two days off, (the Rangers) are going to regroup, and if we think we've got this won by any stretch of the imagination, we're in deep trouble. I think we were in this situation a little while ago." - Washington coach Bruce Boudreau on guarding against being overconfident.



Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins (-180, 5)
Series tied 2-2

THE STORY: The Montreal Canadiens are learning that no lead is safe against the Boston Bruins. After winning the first two games at TD Garden, the sixth-seeded Canadiens skated up to the Bell Centre with all the confidence in the world. Claude Julien's club responded with a pair of spirited efforts to level their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. In Thursday's 5-4 overtime win in Game 4, Northeast Division champion Boston rallied from deficits of 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3 to eventually pull out the victory. Now, the Original Six rivals skate back down to Beantown for a pivotal Game 5 on Saturday night.

TV: 7 ET, VERSUS, NESN, CBC

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Boston is 0-for-26 in franchise history after dropping the first two contests of a best-of-seven series, but it's making some noise against its Original Six rival in this set. Michael Ryder burned his former team by scoring twice - including the winner 1:59 into overtime - on Thursday. Ryder had two goals and an assist and Chris Kelly - who was wearing a shield to protect his face - also had a three-point night for the Bruins. Defenseman Andrew Ference scored his first postseason goal since 2001 in Game 4. Tim Thomas overcame a shaky start to turn aside 34 shots to preserve the win.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Although P.K. Subban scored a goal to give the Canadiens a 4-3 lead in the third period, the Bell Centre faithful may remember the All-Star defenseman for something else that happened in Game 4. Subban elected to make a curious line change as the Bruins skated up the ice on a 3-on-1 advantage in overtime. The decision proved costly as Ryder netted the game-winning goal. Captain Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez were on the ice for four Boston goals. Center Jeff Halpern returned to the lineup after missing 11 of 15 games due to a lower-body injury and provided a presence on faceoffs. He won four of his six opportunities.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Has anyone seen Milan Lucic ... you know, the Bruins' leading goal-scorer in the regular season? Lucic did not record a shot in Game 4 and has not collected a point in the series. Furthermore, Lucic has failed to score a goal in his last 14 games. Cammalleri has collected two goals and five assists in his last three contests.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Both clubs aren't lighting up the scoreboard with their respective power plays. Boston did not score on its lone opportunity with the man-advantage in Game 4. The Bruins are 0-for-12 on the power play in this series and have converted just five of their last 45 chances with the man-advantage. For its part, Montreal scored on one of its two opportunities in Game 4 and is now 2-for-14 on the power play in the series.

TRENDS:

* Canadiens are 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Boston.
* Over is 5-2-2 in the last nine meetings.
* Canadiens are 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.
* Road team is 4-0 in the last four meetings.

LAST WORD: "I just saw it (on video) and I know it looks really bad, but I can assure you that is not part of who I am. I apologize. That is not part of my repertoire. My glove got caught up there." - Ference, on raising his middle finger to the Montreal fans at the Bell Centre on Thursday.



Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (-209, 5)
San Jose leads series 3-1

THE STORY: One team seemed to have recovered from Tuesday's wild Game 3 result - and one team clearly did not. Two days after rallying from a four-goal deficit for a 6-5 overtime win, the San Jose Sharks breezed to a 6-3 road triumph on Thursday to take a commanding 3-1 edge in their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Los Angeles Kings. The Pacific Division champion Sharks will look to close out the seventh-seeded Kings on Saturday at HP Pavilion.

TV: 10:30 ET, VERSUS, TSN

ABOUT THE SHARKS: Not to get ahead of ourselves, but should San Jose advance - and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks finally eliminate the eighth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks, the Sharks would face the well-rested Detroit Red Wings in the conference semifinals. In short, it would behoove coach Todd McLellan's club to close out this series as quick as possible. After being pulled in Game 3, Antti Niemi returned to form on Thursday and stopped 35 shots. Ryane Clowe tallied twice for the second straight game, Joe Pavelski collected his second goal in as many games and captain Joe Thornton, Torrey Mitchell and defenseman Jason Demers also tallied.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Falling behind 3-1 does not bode well for Los Angeles. The Kings have only won one of 10 such occurrences. Injured All-Star Anze Kopitar is expected to join the team on the flight to San Jose to hopefully lift his team's spirits. Jonathan Quick struggled in his second straight game and finished with 21 saves. The 25-year-old Connecticut native fared well in the first period, but was undone by an "own goal" early in the second period after defenseman Alec Martinez saw the puck carom off his stick and into the net. Brad Richardson scored for the second straight game and is tied for the team lead with four points. Justin Williams and Alexei Ponikarovsky also tallied on Thursday.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Calder Trophy finalist Logan Couture notched two assists in Game 4 and now has one goal and three helpers in his last two contests. Los Angeles' Ryan Smyth has collected a point in all four games of the series.

SPECIAL TEAMS: After scoring three power-play goals in their first two contests, the Kings have not converted with the man-advantage in either game at the Staples Center. For their part, San Jose has scored a power-play goal in both Games 3 and 4. The Sharks owned the third-best percentage (23.5) with the man-advantage in the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings.
* Kings are 16-35-1 in the last 52 meetings.
* Kings are 9-20 in the last 29 meetings in San Jose.

LAST WORD: "We were one of the best defensive teams in the league this year. This is totally unacceptable, and we're letting ourselves down. This is crunch time. A lot of work went into this, to get to the playoffs." - Williams, after the Kings permitted six goals for the second straight game.

 

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ICE PICKS

Saturday's Best NHL Bets

New York Rangers at Washington Capitals (-193, 5)

The Rangers must find a way to rally after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 4 and losing the game in double overtime on an atrocious miscommunication on defense that allowed Jason Chimera to chip the winner into a wide open net.

If you listened to some of the quotes after the game, you would believe most Rangers players are packing two bags for this game: one for travel to The District, and the other one for when they head to the golf course on Sunday morning.

"They have been tight, they've been close," Rangers captain Chris Drury said. "I don't think it matters much. A loss is a loss. We know we played well for 40 minutes (in Game 4), and the other losses, we've had good spurts, but just haven't been able to put it together for 60.”

Not exactly a lot of rah-rah from one of the top playoff performers of our generation.

And don’t expect the Capitals to let off the gas with the Rangers backs against the wall.

“Obviously, we have to prove it on the ice, that we learned our lesson,” Capitals forward Eric Fehr said. “We had a real tough summer, and I think a lot of guys are bringing different stuff to the table this year.”

If the team needs any extra motivation, it can remember losing the final three games of the opening round to Montreal last year after taking a 3-1 lead in the series. Not that they will need it.

PICK: Capitals


Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins (-145, 5)

The Penguins are simply finding ways to score goals despite numerous injuries to their top four forwards.

Pittsburgh can thank its suddenly dynamic third line of Mike Rupp, Craig Adams and Aaron Asham for a 3-1 lead in the series and for constantly finding the back of the net. The line has combined for four goals in the four games so far. That’s only one fewer than Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos, Simone Gagne, Ryan Malone and Martin St. Louis combined.

And thanks to the domination of that trio, the Penguins are averaging more than eight shots per game better than they did during the regular season. During 5-on-5 play, Pittsburgh has an 8-3 edge in goals scored.

"That's where our best structure is, five-on-five," Rupp said. "The details of our game have allowed us to not give up too many goals this year. We feel coming into this series -- coming into any series, really -- that that's an advantage for us, to play five-on-five."

It’s a huge advantage for the Penguins when they can jump out to a lead with strong even strength play.

When trailing, Tampa Bay is forced to scrap its favored 1-3-1 zone trap and can no longer dictate the flow of play.

"We know how good we are when everybody is going," Penguins defender Paul Martin said.

PICK: Penguins

 

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MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Giants vs. Braves: Series Preview
By Wil Brinson


Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants (-153, 6.5)

Game 2, Saturday 4/23, 1:10 PM PST: Tim Lincecum (2-1, 1.67) vs. Tim Hudson (2-2, 4.05)

Pitching Edge: "Huddy" started out the season gangbusters but has struggled mightily in the early innings over his last few starts, two of which have been losses.

His splits actually indicate that he could do pretty well against San Francisco, having posted a 5-4 record with a 3.56 ERA, though he only has 58 strikeouts in 91 innings against the Giants.

Of course he'll definitely need a hot start if he wants to pitch competitively against Lincecum, who's remained white-hot all season, including a seven-inning no-hit bid in his last start against Colorado.

Lincecum's had great success against the Braves too -- 6-2 in his career with a 2.89 ERA and 61 K's in just 53 innings.

Opposing Batter to Watch: Brian McCann, who's the only player on the Braves roster that's actually had any decent success against Lincecum. In 25 plate appearances, McCann's posted a .375/.667/.1.067 line with a home run and four doubles, so he's definitely a dangerous guy even against the Freak.

Game 3, Sunday, 4/24, 1:05 PM PST: Jonathan Sanchez (2-1, 3.13) vs. Brandon Beachy (1-1, 3.86)

Pitching Edge: Beachy's a youngster who finally put together a good outing for the Braves after winning the final rotation spot over Mike Minor out of spring training, picking up a win against Los Angeles after pitching six scoreless innings.

So he's kind of an X-factor, but then again, that's the precise way to describe Sanchez, who can either be a dominating force or who can, often times, struggle with his control.

The "good Sanchez" has been around most of the time so far this, having not yielded more than three runs in a single start this season.

The Braves will be an interesting test then, because Sanchez has struggled against them in his career, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.00 ERA in seven appearances (and five starts), though he's struck out 31 batters in just 27 innings, while also issuing 10 free passes.

If he can rebound and keep the Braves offense to minimum production, this could be a series swinger.

Opposing Batter to Watch: Nate McLouth, who's a dark horse to actually produce since, you know, he's Nate McLouth. He's batting .429 with a home run against Sanchez in eight plate appearances. Granted, it's a small sample size, but if McLouth is hitting the ball then the Giants have a problem.

Fearless Prediction: The Giants struggle to provide Bumgarner and Sanchez enough runs and go 1-2 against Atlanta. While the Braves are struggling mightily on their West Coast trip so far, and there's a good chance the Giants could win the series, but Sanchez' struggles against Atlanta seem too prominent to overcome. With the Bumgarner-Hanson matchup, it just seems like the pitching cards didn't fall the right way for San Fran with the scheduling here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Best MLB Bets

Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants (-153, 6.5)

Two teams still searching for their offense send a pair of aces to the mound for a Saturday afternoon game in San Francisco.

Tim Hudson takes the mound for the Braves against the Giants’ Tim Lincecum.

The Braves have had moderate success against Lincecum, with current Atlanta players hitting .274 against the young righthander.

In contrast, the Giants have done nothing against Hudson. Hudson is 1-0 with an anemic 1.20 ERA in two starts over the last three years against the Giants.

The price isn’t as high you’d normally get when going against Lincecum, but in what appears destined to be a close game, we’ll take our chances on the Braves finding a way to scratch out a winning run.

PICK: Braves


Washington Nationals at Pittsburgh Pirates (NL)

After Friday’s game was rained out, veteran Nationals’ starter Livan Hernandez will be extra fresh. That’s bad news for the host Pirates.

Hernandez has won back-to-back starts, allowing only one run with nine strikeouts and no walks in 13.2 innings.

Hernandez has not had a lot of success at PNC Park, going 1-4 and he’s just 5-5 with a 5.52 ERA for his career against the Pirates.

But with the Pirates scrounging for a starter and throwing the erratic Jeff Karstens on the mound, we can’t help but think the Nationals, with Hernandez, have the most value.

PICK: Nationals

 

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DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 820-355 (.698)
ATS: 612-614 (.499)
ATS Vary Units: 1447-1461 (.498)
Over/Under: 634-608 (.510)
Over/Under Vary Units: 765-743 (.507)

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4, best-of-7
Chicago 99, INDIANA 93
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 4, best-of-7
PORTLAND 94, Dallas 93
Game 3, best-of-7
MEMPHIS 101, San Antonio 97
DENVER 108, Oklahoma City 105

 

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DCI NHL

Season: 385-292 (.569)

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5, best-of-7
WASHINGTON 3, N.Y. Rangers 2
BOSTON 3, Montreal 2
PITTSBURGH 3, Tampa Bay 2
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game 5, best-of-7
SAN JOSE 3, Los Angeles 2

 

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Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

627 - 477 57 % Run over 3 YEARS

Freeone Sat: Oakland A's -135

 

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Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with the Knicks (-2) Friday night.

Saturday it's the Blazers. The deficit is 1,580 sirignanos.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hondo

Hondo took a double-beating yesterday when the Cubs were bludgeoned by the Seligs and the Snakes were clubbed by the Mets to raise the runaway debt to 545 odoms.

Today, Mr. Aitch may be late to the party but he again will test the Whoever Is Playing The Metamu cils Theory, mix in some Dempster diving with the Cubs and rock it out with Colorado. As for tonight, he'll send Cahill to the mound in Seattle. Ten units all.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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