INSIDE THE LINES
THURSDAY, APRIL 9
Updated by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Weekdays
Updated by 9:00 A.M. Eastern Weekends
NBA
Philadelphia (40-37, 36-39-2 ATS) at Chicago (38-40, 40-37-1 ATS)
The improving Bulls, looking to keep their hold on the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, play host to the sixth-place 76ers at the United Center.
Chicago topped New York 110-103 Tuesday night but fell just short as an eight-point home chalk, halting a two-game ATS uptick. The Bulls have gone 9-3 SU (7-5 ATS) in their last 12 starts, cracking 100 points in 10 of those games and scoring at least 97 in all 12. In their last five starts, they’ve averaged 111.8 ppg, a 3-pointer better than their opponents, and on their home floor this year, the Bulls are putting up 104.1 ppg and allowing 99.8.
Philadelphia fell to Charlotte 101-98 Tuesday for its second straight loss on a three-game road trip, but the Sixers covered as a 4½-point road underdog to improve to 4-1 ATS in their last five outings (3-2 SU). Unlike the Bulls, Philly has topped the century mark just once in its last eight games, including an embarrassing 96-67 loss at New Jersey on Sunday as a 2½-point favorite. On the road this season, the 76ers have averaged 96.5 ppg and allowed 100.2.
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU (3-2 ATS) in the last five meetings in this rivalry, including a 103-95 overtime win catching 1½ points in December on its last trip to Chicago. Philly also posted a 104-101 home win last month but came up just shy of covering as a 3½-point chalk. The 76ers are 4-1 ATS on their last five trips to the United Center, the road team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings overall, and the underdog has cashed in seven of the last eight battles.
The Bulls are in an 11-24 ATS rut against the Atlantic Division, but the ATS trends are all positive from there, including 22-11-1 overall, 10-3 at home, 6-2 as a home chalk and 11-3-1 against winning teams. The 76ers are on ATS runs of 4-0 after a day off and 6-1 as a road pup of five to 10½ points, but they’ve gone just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 Thursday contests.
The under for Chicago is on a 4-0 stretch in Thursday games, but otherwise the team is on “over” rolls of 6-0-1 against winning teams, 5-2 against Atlantic Division foes and 6-3-1 after a SU win. The over for Philly is on tears of 6-1 on the highway, 16-5-2 after a SU loss, 4-0 with the Sixers as a road ‘dog and 5-0-1 against losing teams. Finally, the over is 5-0-1 in the last six series meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Denver (53-26, 43-35-1 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (62-16, 40-38 ATS)
The surging Nuggets, who now stand second in the Western Conference, travel to Staples Center to take on the Lakers, who have already locked up the top seed in the West and are battling Cleveland for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Denver has posted four straight double-digits wins (3-1 ATS), including a 122-112 victory last night over Oklahoma City, though the Nuggets fell short of covering as a heavy 13-point home favorite. Denver is a scorching 13-1 SU (9-5 ATS) in its last 14 starts, cracking the 100-point mark in all 14 games and winning by double digits 10 times. In its last five outings, Denver is averaging an eye-opening 115.4 ppg and giving up 102.2.
Los Angeles ripped Sacramento 122-104 Tuesday night as an overwhelming 12½-point road chalk for its fourth straight victory (2-2 ATS). The Lakers are 12-3 SU in their last 15 games, though they’ve been a middling 8-7 ATS in that stretch, including 2-4 ATS in their last six starts. Los Angeles has put up an average of 98.2 ppg and given up 92.4 ppg in its last five outings, and at home this season, the Lakers are averaging 107.7 ppg and allowing 98.0.
L.A. is 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 clashes between these two, though Denver snapped a nine-game slide in the most recent series meeting Feb. 27, winning 90-79 as a two-point home pup. The Lakers are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 contests at Staples Center, and the home team is on a 6-2 ATS run.
The Nuggets sport positive ATS streaks of 7-1 overall, 4-0 on the road, 4-0 as a road ‘dog, 4-0 against winning teams and 7-0 against the West, but they are also just 18-38-1 ATS in their last 57 starts as a road pup of five to 10½ points. The Lakers, meanwhile, have dropped four of their last five ATS decisions at home (all as a favorite), but they are on a 7-1 ATS roll in Thursday games.
The under for Denver is on runs of 4-0 on the road, 6-0 against winning teams, 6-1 on the second of back-to-back nights and 20-8 from the underdog role, and the under for Los Angeles is on stretches of 20-8-1 overall, 7-0 at Staples, 5-0 against winning teams, 10-2 after a day off and 16-5-1 with the Lakers favored. Furthermore, in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in the last six meetings overall and is 9-3 in the last 12 contests in Los Angeles.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and UNDER
NATIONAL LEAGUE
L.A. Dodgers (2-1) at San Diego (1-2)
The Dodgers send 21-year-old left-hander Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 4.26 ERA last year) to the hill to wrap up a four-game series at Petco Park against the N.L. West rival Padres, who will counter with right-hander Kevin Correia (3-8, 6.05 ERA with the Giants last season).
On Wednesday night, Los Angeles put up three runs in the seventh inning on its way to a 5-2 victory in San Diego. The Dodgers are on runs of 17-7 as a favorite and 18-8 inside the division. The Padres have won four of their past five against lefties, but they are on skids of 2-7 at home, 3-9 in N.L. West play, 5-13 at home against left-handers and 18-42 as an underdog.
The Dodgers are 9-3 in the last 12 clashes between these two teams.
Kershaw is opening his second year in the majors, after making 22 appearances (21 starts) in 2008. The Dodgers won in his final five starts last season, as the youngster went 3-0 with a pair of no-decisions. Kershaw made two short relief appearances in the postseason, both in the losing bid against the Phillies in the NL Championship Series, allowing one run on one hit and two walks in two innings.
Kershaw was 2-3 with a 5.36 ERA in 11 road appearances (10 starts) last season, and he went 2-0 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts against the Padres, getting a no-decision in his one outing at Petco. And with Kershaw starting, the Dodgers are on runs of 5-0 on grass, 4-0 in division contests and 4-0 with the left-hander favored.
Correia made 19 starts in 25 appearances for San Francisco last season. After his final loss – a 7-0 setback against Pittsburgh in which he allowed three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings on Sept. 5 – Correia came out of the bullpen in his final five appearances, allowing 12 runs (all earned) on 18 hits and four walks in just 6 1/3 innings, for a bloated 17.06 ERA.
Correia fared much better against the Dodgers, going 1-0 in with a 3.65 ERA in three appearances (two starts) last season.
The under has hit in the Dodgers’ last five division starts and is on a 5-0 stretch for San Diego, but the over is on a 5-2 run with L.A. favored, and the over for the Padres is on runs of 10-4 in the N.L. West and 7-3-1 with San Diego a home ‘dog.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. DODGERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Oakland (2-1) at L.A. Angels (1-2)
The defending A.L. West champion Angels conclude their season-opening series by sending right-hander Jared Weaver (11-10, 4.33 ERA in 2008) against the Athletics and 21-year-old rookie left-hander Brett Anderson.
Los Angeles blew a 3-0 seventh-inning lead Wednesday night, giving up three runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to lose to Oakland by a 6-4 count for the second straight game. Including last year’s playoffs, the Angels are on a 2-6 skid at home, but they remain on several hot streaks, including 5-0 in Thursday contests and 16-8 in their last 23 division tilts. The A’s are on a 10-3 surge against right-handers but otherwise remain in ruts of 2-6 overall (all in division play), 4-13 in Game 4 of a series and 17-35 on the highway.
Despite losing the last two nights, Los Angeles still holds a slim 11-10 advantage in the last 21 games of this rivalry, dating to the beginning of last season.
Weaver dropped off a bit last season after a sterling first two years in the majors, with his ERA jumping from 3.91 in 2007 to 4.33 in 2008 over 30 starts and 176 2/3 innings, both career highs. The Angels went an even 5-5 in his last 10 starts, with Weaver going 3-2 with five no-decisions. But he did notch Los Angeles’ lone playoff win, a 5-4 victory at Boston in which he threw two innings of scoreless relief.
Weaver was 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 home starts last year, and he was 0-1 with a minuscule 2.08 ERA in two starts against Oakland, collecting 16 strikeouts in 13 innings. In seven career starts against the A’s, he’s 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA. The Angels are on a 5-1 run in Weaver’s last six home outings.
Anderson, who notched three wins and had a 2.83 ERA in spring training, spent last year between Class A Stockton and Double-A Midland, going a combined 11-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 20 appearances (19 starts).
The over is on runs of 4-0 with Oakland wrapping up a four-game series, 5-1-1 for Los Angeles against right-handers and 7-2 for the Angels in division play. But the under for L.A. is on rolls of 37-14-3 in Game 4 of a series and 5-2 with Weaver a favorite, and in this rivalry, the under is 32-15 in the last 47 meetings in Los Angeles and 5-0 in Weaver’s last five starts versus the A’s.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. ANGELS and UNDER
