Rest of Crusher's Plays Today:
Boston Red Sox -115 over Texas Rangers
Los Angeles Dodgers -160 over SF
Miami Marlins -110 over San Diego
Chicago Blackhawks -190 over Minnesota Wild
Chicago Blackhawks + Minnesota OVER 5
Pittsburgh + New York Rangers UNDER 5
Indiana Pacers +4.5 over Washington Wizards
Oklahoma City Thunder + Los Angeles Clippers OVER 215
Indiana Pacers + Washington Wizards UNDER 180
FantasySportsGametime
SUNDAY
NBA BASKETBALL
1000* Play Oklahoma City +5 over Los Angeles (NBA TOP PLAY)
3:30 PM EST
Oklahoma City has won 21 of the last 27 games coming off a road win and they have won 47 of the last 65 games after allowing 105 points or more in their last game.Oklahoma City has won 32 of the last 45 games when playing on a Sunday and they are averaging 106 points a game this season.
50* Play Indiana +4.5 over Washington (NBA BONUS PLAY)
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NHL HOCKEY
50* Play Minnesota +200 over Chicago (NHL BONUS PLAY)
50* Play New York Rangers -115 over Pittsburgh (NHL BONUS PL
SUNDAY
NBA BASKETBALL
1000* Play Oklahoma City +5 over Los Angeles (NBA TOP PLAY)
3:30 PM EST
Oklahoma City has won 21 of the last 27 games coming off a road win and they have won 47 of the last 65 games after allowing 105 points or more in their last game.Oklahoma City has won 32 of the last 45 games when playing on a Sunday and they are averaging 106 points a game this season.
50* Play Indiana +4.5 over Washington (NBA BONUS PLAY)
=========================================
NHL HOCKEY
50* Play Minnesota +200 over Chicago (NHL BONUS PLAY)
50* Play New York Rangers -115 over Pittsburgh (NHL BONUS PL
FantasySportsGametime
MLB Baseball
1000* Play Baltimore -165 over Houston (MLB TOP PLAY)
Houston has lost 76 of the last 101 games when the total posted is between 8 and 8.5 runs and they have lost 55 of the last 71 games when playing as a road underdog of +150 to +200.Houston has lost 74 of the last 103 day games and they have lost 128 of the last 180 road games.
=====================================================
50* Play Detroit -175 over Minnesota (MLB BONUS PLAY)
50* Play Atlanta -170 over Chicago Cubs (MLB BONUS PLAY)
MLB Baseball
1000* Play Baltimore -165 over Houston (MLB TOP PLAY)
Houston has lost 76 of the last 101 games when the total posted is between 8 and 8.5 runs and they have lost 55 of the last 71 games when playing as a road underdog of +150 to +200.Houston has lost 74 of the last 103 day games and they have lost 128 of the last 180 road games.
=====================================================
50* Play Detroit -175 over Minnesota (MLB BONUS PLAY)
50* Play Atlanta -170 over Chicago Cubs (MLB BONUS PLAY)
XpertPicks
SUNDAY BASEBALL
Jered Weaver has won 40 of the last 56 games when the total posted is between 9 and 9.5 runs and he has won 40 of the last 61 day games. Jered Weaver has won 76 of the last 115 games coming off a team win and he is 2-0 over the last three starts with an ERA of 1.86.
Gio Gonzalez has won 27 of the last 39 road games and he has won 27 of the last 39 games when pitching in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] half of the season. Gio Gonzalez has won 36 of the last 56 games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs and he has won 48 of the last 81 games coming off a team loss.
Pittsburgh has won 66 of the last 116 games when playing in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] half of the season and they have won 75 of the last 128 night games. Pittsburgh has won 93 of the last 170 games vs. right-handed starting pitchers and they have won 67 of the last 111 games coming off an UNDER the total in their last game.
SUNDAY BASEBALL
- Play Los Angeles Angels +100 over Toronto----Top Play (Risk 8% of your Bankroll)
1:00 PM EST
Jered Weaver has won 40 of the last 56 games when the total posted is between 9 and 9.5 runs and he has won 40 of the last 61 day games. Jered Weaver has won 76 of the last 115 games coming off a team win and he is 2-0 over the last three starts with an ERA of 1.86.
- Play Washington +130 over Oakland----Top Play (Risk 8% of your Bankroll)
4:00 PM EST
Gio Gonzalez has won 27 of the last 39 road games and he has won 27 of the last 39 games when pitching in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] half of the season. Gio Gonzalez has won 36 of the last 56 games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs and he has won 48 of the last 81 games coming off a team loss.
- Play Pittsburgh +100 over St. Louis----Top Play (Risk 8% of your Bankroll)
8:00 PM EST
Pittsburgh has won 66 of the last 116 games when playing in the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] half of the season and they have won 75 of the last 128 night games. Pittsburgh has won 93 of the last 170 games vs. right-handed starting pitchers and they have won 67 of the last 111 games coming off an UNDER the total in their last game.
XpertPicks
SUNDAY
Oklahoma City has won 15 of the last 18 games after covering the spread in three of the last four games and they have won 43 of the last 63 games when the total posted is greater than 200 points.Oklahoma City has covered the spread in 27 of the last 44 games when playing on a Sunday and they are averaging 111 points over the last five games.
NHL HOCKEY
SUNDAY
- Play Oklahoma City +5 over Los Angeles (NBA)---RISK 10% OF YOUR BANKROLL
3:30 PM EST
Oklahoma City has won 15 of the last 18 games after covering the spread in three of the last four games and they have won 43 of the last 63 games when the total posted is greater than 200 points.Oklahoma City has covered the spread in 27 of the last 44 games when playing on a Sunday and they are averaging 111 points over the last five games.
- Play Indiana +4.5 over Washington (TOP NBA PLAY)---RISK 3% OF BANKROLL
NHL HOCKEY
- Play Minnesota +200 over Chicago (TOP NHL PLAY)---RISK 3% OF BANKROLL
- Play New York -115 over Pittsburgh (TOP NHL PLAY)---RISK 3% OF BANKROLL
StatFox Super Situations – FoxSheets
MLB | PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
Play Against – Home teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (NY METS) with a decent bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 to 1.450 on the season, after a game where their bullpen blew a save
84-46 over the last 5 seasons. ( 64.6% | 36.8 units )
4-4 this year. ( 50.0% | 0.3 units )
StatFox Situational Power Trends – FoxSheets
MLB | WASHINGTON at OAKLAND
OAKLAND is 78-35 (+39.8 Units) against the money line in Home games vs. a good bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 or better over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was: OAKLAND (4.5) , OPPONENT (3.5)
MLB | PHILADELPHIA at NY METS
Play Against – Home teams when the money line is +125 to -125 (NY METS) with a decent bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 to 1.450 on the season, after a game where their bullpen blew a save
84-46 over the last 5 seasons. ( 64.6% | 36.8 units )
4-4 this year. ( 50.0% | 0.3 units )
StatFox Situational Power Trends – FoxSheets
MLB | WASHINGTON at OAKLAND
OAKLAND is 78-35 (+39.8 Units) against the money line in Home games vs. a good bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 or better over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was: OAKLAND (4.5) , OPPONENT (3.5)
SPORTS WAGERS
N.Y. Yankees @ MILWAUKEE
MILWAUKEE/N.Y. Yankees over 8 -105
Seven or under loses here but with these two starters going in a hitter’s park we’ll make that bet every time. Davis Phelps has 19 K’s in 17 innings but don’t believe it because most of those K’s came in relief and Phelps’ ridiculously low 5% swinging strike rate does not come close to supporting his strikeout totals. So, is Phelps a starter or reliever? You decide: Last two years as a starter: 4.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP. As a reliever 3.57 ERA, 1.25 WHIP. Even out of the bullpen his upside is really limited by lack of a dominant pitch. Phelps’ fastball barely hits 90 mph. Low swinging strike with eroding control is a recipe for failure and it would be completely shocking to see Phelps get past the fifth inning here. Phelps was promoted to the starting role only because of Michael Pineda’s injury and because Vidal Nuno has been a disaster. Phelps is the next disaster waiting to happen.
Then there’s Matt Garza. Garza just keeps getting worse by the month. After facing a whole slew of weak hitting teams this season (St. Louis twice, Atlanta, the Cubbies, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Arizona), Garza has an ERA of 4.93. In three of his last four starts the final scores read: 8-3, 9-3 and 8-7. Garza has a 1.61 WHIP over his last five starts. His groundball rate is on the decline and that won't help with HRs at Miller Park (+23% LHB HR). He’s also walking more batters than usual with 11 issued over his last 27 innings. Frankly, there is nothing in Garza’s profile that suggests he’s ready to step it up and throw some gems. Instead, it’s more likely that his ERA and WHIP remain well below average because that is who Matt Garza is right now.
L.A. Angels @ TORONTO
TORONTO -1 +123 over L.A. Angels
Perception is everything. In this case, Jered Weaver is considered to be a better pitcher than Drew Hutchison but nothing could be further from the truth. Weaver’s history, W/L record, career ERA and familiarity with the betting public make him one of the game’s most overvalued pitchers. Weaver’s four-seam fastball velocity is on a steady decline and the result will be a large dip in K’s. Check out his four-seam fastball velocity trend now over four years including this season: 89.9, 89.1, 87.8, 86.5. If Weaver had a groundball pitch in his profile, he could re-invent himself now that he's in his 30s but that isn't the case. He has posted a near-50% fly-ball rate in four of the past five seasons, (this year it’s 48%) and his line drive rate trend suggests that he is being hit harder and harder: 16%, 19%, 21%, 22%. Weaver’s ERA has bested his xERA by a wide margin for years but we’re starting to see signs of it falling apart on him this year, as he’s had only three pure quality starts in seven attempts. Pitching in a hitter’s park against a very good offense like Toronto has will likely expose Weaver as the below average pitcher that he really is. Expect the Jays to take Weaver deep at least twice today.
Hutchison is truly the real deal. His surface stats (4.17 ERA) say he’s not an ace yet but stay tuned because a correction in his ERA is forthcoming. In hs last start against the Phillies at the Rogers Center, Hutchison made it through eight innings for the first time all season and seven of those innings were scoreless. Unfortunately, the Phillies jumped on him for five runs in the sixth inning, including a game-tying grand slam that cost Hutchison the shot at the win. Other than one pitch, he was outstanding again. Over seven starts, Hutchison has a 3.44 xERA. He's also managed to carry one of the best strikeout rates in the game, whiffing 44 hitters in 41 innings while walking just 11. That’s a strong 4-1 ratio. His swinging strike rate of 13% supports his K rate of 29.2% and now hitters have to consider his change-up as well. Hutchison only utilized his changeup 9.94% during the season's first four starts but he’s increased that to 17.23% over his last three appearances. Jays salvage the final game of this series and make Weaver look bad.
Chicago @ ATLANTA
Chicago +156 over ATLANTA
Aaron Harang is an instant fade when priced in this range. Harang owns a tidy 2.98 ERA and 1.16 WHIP after 42 innings but it’s all smoke and mirrors. While his base skills have looked good on occasion, his collective skills are below-average. A 30% hit rate, 89% strand rate and 0.4% hr/f have driven his surface stats. He's nothing more than an end-rotation stash and should be priced as such but he’s not. Harang has an awful 34% groundball rate, the same rate he had last season when he posted an ERA of 5.40. In June and July of last year, Harang’s hr/f rate was 21% so his 0.4% rate this year with virtually the same under the hood stats strongly suggests that he’s going to be taken yard several times over his next few starts. Warmer weather brings a better flight on the baseball and so far no pitcher has benefitted more by the cold weather than Harang. That’s all about to change over the next few weeks. Atlanta has won the first two games of this series but it’s not like its offense has woken up. The Braves scored five runs in the two games and remain one of the weakest hitting teams in the early going. Combine a weak hitting lineup with Harang starting and the result should not equal a team favored in this range.
Yeah the Cubbies are bad but like we always say, almost every team in this league will win 60 games and lose 60 games and this is one of those winnable one’s. Edwin Jackson has been on eight MLB teams in eleven years. Why he's often in demand: High innings pitched totals; a good health grade; solid hr/9. Why he's often deemed expendable: ERA swings; .467 lifetime win%; game-to-game volatility. Jackson has 35 K’s in 41 frames this season and his swinging strike rate of 11% supports that. The Cubs are 2-2 over Jackson’s last four starts. He dominated the White Sox in his last start by allowing just one run in seven frames while striking out nine and walking none. The Cubs lost that game so in reality, Jackson has given the Cubs a chance to win in five straight starts. He’s also been taken yard just one time all season. Sure, it's difficult to trust the ball with someone whose dominant start/disaster start split has been on a three-year collision course but Edwin Jackson is very capable of dominating any lineup when his focus is on. As a big pooch against Harang and this Braves lineup, the risk is worth the reward.
N.Y. Yankees @ MILWAUKEE
MILWAUKEE/N.Y. Yankees over 8 -105
Seven or under loses here but with these two starters going in a hitter’s park we’ll make that bet every time. Davis Phelps has 19 K’s in 17 innings but don’t believe it because most of those K’s came in relief and Phelps’ ridiculously low 5% swinging strike rate does not come close to supporting his strikeout totals. So, is Phelps a starter or reliever? You decide: Last two years as a starter: 4.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP. As a reliever 3.57 ERA, 1.25 WHIP. Even out of the bullpen his upside is really limited by lack of a dominant pitch. Phelps’ fastball barely hits 90 mph. Low swinging strike with eroding control is a recipe for failure and it would be completely shocking to see Phelps get past the fifth inning here. Phelps was promoted to the starting role only because of Michael Pineda’s injury and because Vidal Nuno has been a disaster. Phelps is the next disaster waiting to happen.
Then there’s Matt Garza. Garza just keeps getting worse by the month. After facing a whole slew of weak hitting teams this season (St. Louis twice, Atlanta, the Cubbies, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Arizona), Garza has an ERA of 4.93. In three of his last four starts the final scores read: 8-3, 9-3 and 8-7. Garza has a 1.61 WHIP over his last five starts. His groundball rate is on the decline and that won't help with HRs at Miller Park (+23% LHB HR). He’s also walking more batters than usual with 11 issued over his last 27 innings. Frankly, there is nothing in Garza’s profile that suggests he’s ready to step it up and throw some gems. Instead, it’s more likely that his ERA and WHIP remain well below average because that is who Matt Garza is right now.
L.A. Angels @ TORONTO
TORONTO -1 +123 over L.A. Angels
Perception is everything. In this case, Jered Weaver is considered to be a better pitcher than Drew Hutchison but nothing could be further from the truth. Weaver’s history, W/L record, career ERA and familiarity with the betting public make him one of the game’s most overvalued pitchers. Weaver’s four-seam fastball velocity is on a steady decline and the result will be a large dip in K’s. Check out his four-seam fastball velocity trend now over four years including this season: 89.9, 89.1, 87.8, 86.5. If Weaver had a groundball pitch in his profile, he could re-invent himself now that he's in his 30s but that isn't the case. He has posted a near-50% fly-ball rate in four of the past five seasons, (this year it’s 48%) and his line drive rate trend suggests that he is being hit harder and harder: 16%, 19%, 21%, 22%. Weaver’s ERA has bested his xERA by a wide margin for years but we’re starting to see signs of it falling apart on him this year, as he’s had only three pure quality starts in seven attempts. Pitching in a hitter’s park against a very good offense like Toronto has will likely expose Weaver as the below average pitcher that he really is. Expect the Jays to take Weaver deep at least twice today.
Hutchison is truly the real deal. His surface stats (4.17 ERA) say he’s not an ace yet but stay tuned because a correction in his ERA is forthcoming. In hs last start against the Phillies at the Rogers Center, Hutchison made it through eight innings for the first time all season and seven of those innings were scoreless. Unfortunately, the Phillies jumped on him for five runs in the sixth inning, including a game-tying grand slam that cost Hutchison the shot at the win. Other than one pitch, he was outstanding again. Over seven starts, Hutchison has a 3.44 xERA. He's also managed to carry one of the best strikeout rates in the game, whiffing 44 hitters in 41 innings while walking just 11. That’s a strong 4-1 ratio. His swinging strike rate of 13% supports his K rate of 29.2% and now hitters have to consider his change-up as well. Hutchison only utilized his changeup 9.94% during the season's first four starts but he’s increased that to 17.23% over his last three appearances. Jays salvage the final game of this series and make Weaver look bad.
Chicago @ ATLANTA
Chicago +156 over ATLANTA
Aaron Harang is an instant fade when priced in this range. Harang owns a tidy 2.98 ERA and 1.16 WHIP after 42 innings but it’s all smoke and mirrors. While his base skills have looked good on occasion, his collective skills are below-average. A 30% hit rate, 89% strand rate and 0.4% hr/f have driven his surface stats. He's nothing more than an end-rotation stash and should be priced as such but he’s not. Harang has an awful 34% groundball rate, the same rate he had last season when he posted an ERA of 5.40. In June and July of last year, Harang’s hr/f rate was 21% so his 0.4% rate this year with virtually the same under the hood stats strongly suggests that he’s going to be taken yard several times over his next few starts. Warmer weather brings a better flight on the baseball and so far no pitcher has benefitted more by the cold weather than Harang. That’s all about to change over the next few weeks. Atlanta has won the first two games of this series but it’s not like its offense has woken up. The Braves scored five runs in the two games and remain one of the weakest hitting teams in the early going. Combine a weak hitting lineup with Harang starting and the result should not equal a team favored in this range.
Yeah the Cubbies are bad but like we always say, almost every team in this league will win 60 games and lose 60 games and this is one of those winnable one’s. Edwin Jackson has been on eight MLB teams in eleven years. Why he's often in demand: High innings pitched totals; a good health grade; solid hr/9. Why he's often deemed expendable: ERA swings; .467 lifetime win%; game-to-game volatility. Jackson has 35 K’s in 41 frames this season and his swinging strike rate of 11% supports that. The Cubs are 2-2 over Jackson’s last four starts. He dominated the White Sox in his last start by allowing just one run in seven frames while striking out nine and walking none. The Cubs lost that game so in reality, Jackson has given the Cubs a chance to win in five straight starts. He’s also been taken yard just one time all season. Sure, it's difficult to trust the ball with someone whose dominant start/disaster start split has been on a three-year collision course but Edwin Jackson is very capable of dominating any lineup when his focus is on. As a big pooch against Harang and this Braves lineup, the risk is worth the reward.
SPORTS WAGERS
NHL Playoffs - Game 5
Minnesota @ CHICAGO
Minnesota+182
We recommending betting the Wild to win this series at odds of 8-1 after they were down 0-2, suggesting they had been the better team in two games in Chicago and that they had a very good chance to tie it up at home. We also suggested that we could buy back or hedge if Minnesota were able to pull out two wins at home and that’s exactly where we stand right now. However, our position on buying back the Blackhawks has changed. Chicago is -220 to win this series and while we can free roll for over 5½ units on Minnesota if we sell some, we’re choosing to hold onto it because the value is too great. Even if the Blackhawks win today, there is a great chance of a Game 7 and we can then sell some back at an even lower price if we choose to do so. Furthermore, if the Wild win today, they will be a 2-1 favorite to win the series and then we could solidify our position even more. No matter the outcome of today’s game, our 8-1 position has too much value to sell.
If you were on board with us for that series bet, we would recommend holding onto it. If you were not, we would recommend wagering on the Wild today because their chances of winning are very real. Minnesota has momentum and the knowledge that they can defeat this team. Aside from one period in Game 2 and perhaps one period in six in Minnesota, the Wild have been the better team in every area. They’ve created more chances than Chicago by a wide margin, they’ve held the Blackhawks to 22 shots on net or fewer in every game and they’ve done so by staying out of the box. In fact, Minnesota has taken just two minor penalties in each of the past three games while Chicago has taken 10. Furthermore, Brandon Bollig and Andrew Shaw, two key playoff performers that bring toughness, grit and talent, are out and that’s a bigger loss in the playoffs than it would be during the regular season. Minnesota runs out a more balanced offense, an outstanding defense and now Ilya Bryzgalov has caught fire. The Wild have that Stanley Cup swagger about them right now. They are winning the battles for loose pucks, they’re peaking at the right time and they have a ton of confidence coming into this one. The +180 price tag on Minnesota today is completely out of whack. Based on value alone, we strongly recommend a play on them if you have nothing invested in the series.
NHL Playoffs - Game 5
Minnesota @ CHICAGO
Minnesota+182
We recommending betting the Wild to win this series at odds of 8-1 after they were down 0-2, suggesting they had been the better team in two games in Chicago and that they had a very good chance to tie it up at home. We also suggested that we could buy back or hedge if Minnesota were able to pull out two wins at home and that’s exactly where we stand right now. However, our position on buying back the Blackhawks has changed. Chicago is -220 to win this series and while we can free roll for over 5½ units on Minnesota if we sell some, we’re choosing to hold onto it because the value is too great. Even if the Blackhawks win today, there is a great chance of a Game 7 and we can then sell some back at an even lower price if we choose to do so. Furthermore, if the Wild win today, they will be a 2-1 favorite to win the series and then we could solidify our position even more. No matter the outcome of today’s game, our 8-1 position has too much value to sell.
If you were on board with us for that series bet, we would recommend holding onto it. If you were not, we would recommend wagering on the Wild today because their chances of winning are very real. Minnesota has momentum and the knowledge that they can defeat this team. Aside from one period in Game 2 and perhaps one period in six in Minnesota, the Wild have been the better team in every area. They’ve created more chances than Chicago by a wide margin, they’ve held the Blackhawks to 22 shots on net or fewer in every game and they’ve done so by staying out of the box. In fact, Minnesota has taken just two minor penalties in each of the past three games while Chicago has taken 10. Furthermore, Brandon Bollig and Andrew Shaw, two key playoff performers that bring toughness, grit and talent, are out and that’s a bigger loss in the playoffs than it would be during the regular season. Minnesota runs out a more balanced offense, an outstanding defense and now Ilya Bryzgalov has caught fire. The Wild have that Stanley Cup swagger about them right now. They are winning the battles for loose pucks, they’re peaking at the right time and they have a ton of confidence coming into this one. The +180 price tag on Minnesota today is completely out of whack. Based on value alone, we strongly recommend a play on them if you have nothing invested in the series.
StatSystemsSports
Inside the Paint- Sunday
NBA Playoffs Betting News & Notes
•Scratched Eyeball Complicates John Wall's Struggles: To add to John Wall's problems shooting the ball in this series with the Indiana Pacers, he now has an injury to his right eye. "I barely could see after I got hit in the eye," he said. "I got a cut on my eye so I had to put contacts in to get the medicine to cover the cut." It's not visible. It's actually on the eyeball and it caused excessive blinking. Wall said it bothered him since the third quarter and it was responsible for him missing 3 of 6 free throws.
He's shooting 34% from the field, 40-for-117, in this series that the Wizards trail 2-1 going into Sunday's Game #4 at Verizon Center. Wall, who had a playoff-high seven turnovers in the 85-63 Game #3 loss, said the injury occurred on a drive to the basket and he was hit by Lance Stephenson. His eye should be OK by Sunday. Wall can't afford another blow to it but such an occurrence would be very unlikely.
•NBA Intends To Force Out Sterling's Wife: The National Basketball Association believes it can legally prevent Shelly Sterling, the wife of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, from keeping her ownership portion of the franchise, ESPNLosAngeles.com reported. According to the report, the NBA is claiming that it can stop Shelly Sterling from taking over the team because she was never approved as majority owner by its Board of Governors.
Even though commissioner Adam Silver specifically banned Donald Sterling, the NBA believes it can also legally oust Shelly Sterling. Shelly Sterling has made it known that she intends to keep her 50 percent ownership interest in the Clippers. However, she has been cooperative with the NBA in actions taken to bar her husband for life and in the process of forcing him to give up the team.
The NBA has assumed operation of the Clippers since banning Sterling for making racist comments recorded on tape two weeks ago. Team president Andy Roesner was removed by the NBA and replaced by new CEO Dick Parsons on Friday. Shelly Sterling has to be approved by the NBA's Board of Governors to be controlling owner of the team, but that is unlikely because of her association with her long-time husband. Former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson said Friday that players would refuse to play for the Clippers if Shelly Sterling assumes ownership of the team because of her association with her husband and her past involvement in housing discrimination claims.
Betting Notes - Sunday
•Washington shot 33% in awful Game #3 loss; Beal/Nene were combined nine for 33 from floor. Home team won six of last eight Wizard-Pacer series meetings- Indiana is 6-4 in playoffs so far; they've lost two of last three visits to Verizon Center. Under is 23-19-3 in Pacers' away games this season. Seven of last ten Wizard games went over the total- five of six series games this season stayed under the total. Hibbert had 42 points in last two games, after going scoreless in three of previous four.
•Clippers were 17-53 from arc last two games, after going 15-29 in Game #1 win; Thunder won four of last five visits to Staples Center. OKC's starters were -76 in Game #1, +69 in Game #2; subs were +28 last game, with LA's bench -31, making 9-28 from floor. Clippers are 2-5 versus Oklahoma City this season. Over is 10-4 in last 13 series games, 26-19 in Clipper home tilts. Seven of last nine Thunder games went over total. Ibaka was 9-10 in last game; Jackson/Butler gave good bench support, going 9-18.
--Over is 39-23 in playoffs this season, 8-4 in this round.
--Favorites are 22-40 in playoffs this season, 6-6 in this round.
Hoop Trends - Sunday
•INDIANA is 1-13 ATS (-13.3 Units) versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
The average score was INDIANA 89.1, OPPONENT 93.7.
•LA CLIPPERS are 15-3 OVER (+11.7 Units) when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 70%) this season.
The average score was LA CLIPPERS 109.5, OPPONENT 109.6.
•INDIANA is 7-26 (-21.6 Units) against the 1rst half line versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
The average score was INDIANA 44.9, OPPONENT 47.9.
•INDIANA is 18-2 UNDER (+15.8 Units) the 1rst half total in a road game where the first half total is 90.5 to 95.5 this season.
The average score was INDIANA 40.8, OPPONENT 43.4.
•DOC RIVERS is 16-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) revenging a straight up loss versus opponent as a favorite as the coach of LA CLIPPERS.
The average score was RIVERS 113.4, OPPONENT 100.4.
Situation Analysis of The Day
•Play Over - All teams where the first half total is greater than 105 (OKLAHOMA CITY) - explosive offensive team - scoring 103+ points/game on the season, off an upset win as an underdog against opponent off a home loss, in a game involving two poor defensive teams (98-102 PPG) after 42+ games.
(42-8 over the last 5 seasons.) (84.0%, +33.2 units. Rating = 5*)
The average first half total posted in these games was: 109
The average first half score in these games was: Team 58, Opponent 57.9 (Total first half points scored = 115.9)
The situation's record this season is: (17-3).
Over the last 3 seasons the situation's record is: (20-3).
Since 1996 the situation's record is: (79-50).
___________________________________________
Inside the Paint- Sunday
NBA Playoffs Betting News & Notes
•Scratched Eyeball Complicates John Wall's Struggles: To add to John Wall's problems shooting the ball in this series with the Indiana Pacers, he now has an injury to his right eye. "I barely could see after I got hit in the eye," he said. "I got a cut on my eye so I had to put contacts in to get the medicine to cover the cut." It's not visible. It's actually on the eyeball and it caused excessive blinking. Wall said it bothered him since the third quarter and it was responsible for him missing 3 of 6 free throws.
He's shooting 34% from the field, 40-for-117, in this series that the Wizards trail 2-1 going into Sunday's Game #4 at Verizon Center. Wall, who had a playoff-high seven turnovers in the 85-63 Game #3 loss, said the injury occurred on a drive to the basket and he was hit by Lance Stephenson. His eye should be OK by Sunday. Wall can't afford another blow to it but such an occurrence would be very unlikely.
•NBA Intends To Force Out Sterling's Wife: The National Basketball Association believes it can legally prevent Shelly Sterling, the wife of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, from keeping her ownership portion of the franchise, ESPNLosAngeles.com reported. According to the report, the NBA is claiming that it can stop Shelly Sterling from taking over the team because she was never approved as majority owner by its Board of Governors.
Even though commissioner Adam Silver specifically banned Donald Sterling, the NBA believes it can also legally oust Shelly Sterling. Shelly Sterling has made it known that she intends to keep her 50 percent ownership interest in the Clippers. However, she has been cooperative with the NBA in actions taken to bar her husband for life and in the process of forcing him to give up the team.
The NBA has assumed operation of the Clippers since banning Sterling for making racist comments recorded on tape two weeks ago. Team president Andy Roesner was removed by the NBA and replaced by new CEO Dick Parsons on Friday. Shelly Sterling has to be approved by the NBA's Board of Governors to be controlling owner of the team, but that is unlikely because of her association with her long-time husband. Former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson said Friday that players would refuse to play for the Clippers if Shelly Sterling assumes ownership of the team because of her association with her husband and her past involvement in housing discrimination claims.
Betting Notes - Sunday
•Washington shot 33% in awful Game #3 loss; Beal/Nene were combined nine for 33 from floor. Home team won six of last eight Wizard-Pacer series meetings- Indiana is 6-4 in playoffs so far; they've lost two of last three visits to Verizon Center. Under is 23-19-3 in Pacers' away games this season. Seven of last ten Wizard games went over the total- five of six series games this season stayed under the total. Hibbert had 42 points in last two games, after going scoreless in three of previous four.
•Clippers were 17-53 from arc last two games, after going 15-29 in Game #1 win; Thunder won four of last five visits to Staples Center. OKC's starters were -76 in Game #1, +69 in Game #2; subs were +28 last game, with LA's bench -31, making 9-28 from floor. Clippers are 2-5 versus Oklahoma City this season. Over is 10-4 in last 13 series games, 26-19 in Clipper home tilts. Seven of last nine Thunder games went over total. Ibaka was 9-10 in last game; Jackson/Butler gave good bench support, going 9-18.
--Over is 39-23 in playoffs this season, 8-4 in this round.
--Favorites are 22-40 in playoffs this season, 6-6 in this round.
Hoop Trends - Sunday
•INDIANA is 1-13 ATS (-13.3 Units) versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
The average score was INDIANA 89.1, OPPONENT 93.7.
•LA CLIPPERS are 15-3 OVER (+11.7 Units) when playing against a top-level team (Win Pct. > 70%) this season.
The average score was LA CLIPPERS 109.5, OPPONENT 109.6.
•INDIANA is 7-26 (-21.6 Units) against the 1rst half line versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
The average score was INDIANA 44.9, OPPONENT 47.9.
•INDIANA is 18-2 UNDER (+15.8 Units) the 1rst half total in a road game where the first half total is 90.5 to 95.5 this season.
The average score was INDIANA 40.8, OPPONENT 43.4.
•DOC RIVERS is 16-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) revenging a straight up loss versus opponent as a favorite as the coach of LA CLIPPERS.
The average score was RIVERS 113.4, OPPONENT 100.4.
Situation Analysis of The Day
•Play Over - All teams where the first half total is greater than 105 (OKLAHOMA CITY) - explosive offensive team - scoring 103+ points/game on the season, off an upset win as an underdog against opponent off a home loss, in a game involving two poor defensive teams (98-102 PPG) after 42+ games.
(42-8 over the last 5 seasons.) (84.0%, +33.2 units. Rating = 5*)
The average first half total posted in these games was: 109
The average first half score in these games was: Team 58, Opponent 57.9 (Total first half points scored = 115.9)
The situation's record this season is: (17-3).
Over the last 3 seasons the situation's record is: (20-3).
Since 1996 the situation's record is: (79-50).
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Valley Sports
[718] Washington (-4.5 or better)Over Indiana --3 Stars
[718] Washington/Indiana (Over 180 or better) --3 Stars
[720] LA Clippers (-5 or better)Over Oklahoma City --3 Stars
[960] San Diego(Erlin)Over Miami(Alvarez) --3 Stars
[961] St Louis(Miller)Over Pittsburgh(Morton) --2 Stars
[974] Seattle(Elias)Over Kansas City(Guthrie) --2 Stars
[974] Seattle(Elias)/Kansas City(Guthrie)Under The Total --3 Stars
[720] La Clippers/Oklahoma City(Over 215 or better)--3 Stars
[718] Washington (-4.5 or better)Over Indiana --3 Stars
[718] Washington/Indiana (Over 180 or better) --3 Stars
[720] LA Clippers (-5 or better)Over Oklahoma City --3 Stars
[960] San Diego(Erlin)Over Miami(Alvarez) --3 Stars
[961] St Louis(Miller)Over Pittsburgh(Morton) --2 Stars
[974] Seattle(Elias)Over Kansas City(Guthrie) --2 Stars
[974] Seattle(Elias)/Kansas City(Guthrie)Under The Total --3 Stars
[720] La Clippers/Oklahoma City(Over 215 or better)--3 Stars
