5-29-14 [Archive] - Investwithsports.com Sportstalk and Gambling forum

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:44 PM

Game of the Day: Thunder at Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (-4.5, 206)

Oklahoma City got Serge Ibaka back and suddenly won consecutive games to get back into the Western Conference finals. Now the Thunder look to see if they can keep the momentum going when they visit the San Antonio Spurs in Thursday’s Game 5. San Antonio crushed Oklahoma City by an average of 26 points in the opening two games on its home floor before Ibaka returned from a calf injury and the Thunder turned the tide.

San Antonio let a 2-0 lead get away against Oklahoma City in the 2012 conference finals and is hoping to keep a similar thing from happening this time around. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich waved the white flag in the middle of the third quarter with his team down 27 in hopes of getting veterans Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker enough rest to make a Game 5 turnaround. Thunder forward Kevin Durant can’t explain his team’s sudden switch in fortunes but is aware the task will be tougher in San Antonio. “We’re going to have to ramp it up a little bit more going into San Antonio, but we just focus on game by game,” Durant told reporters on Wednesday. “That’s all we think about.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 4.5-point home faves with the total opening 206.

INJURY UPDATE: Thunder - G Reggie Jackson (Questionable, ankle).

WHAT THE SHARPS SAY: "Oklahoma City got Serge Ibaka back and suddenly won consecutive games to get back into the Western Conference finals. Now the Thunder look to see if they can keep the momentum going when they visit the San Antonio Spurs in Thursday’s Game 5. San Antonio crushed Oklahoma City by an average of 26 points in the opening two games on its home floor before Ibaka returned from a calf injury and the Thunder turned the tide." Covers Expert Steve Merril.

ABOUT THE THUNDER: Durant may have be the league MVP but running mate Russell Westbrook was easily the best player on the floor in Game 4. Westbrook had 40 points – three shy of his postseason high set against Miami in the 2012 NBA Finals – to go with 10 assists and five steals in a scintillating performance. “I’m not surprised at all,” Durant told reporters. “I almost expected him to go out there and play at a high level every time he goes out on the floor.” Westbrook played 45 minutes and committed just three turnovers – the Thunder had seven as a team – and helped Oklahoma City to a 21-0 edge in fast-break points.

ABOUT THE SPURS: Popovich was highly disappointed in his club’s Game 4 showing and the effort was so alarming that even soft-spoken forward Kawhi Leonard spoke out. “We were just not focused coming out,” Leonard told reporters. “We’re not playing consistently throughout the whole game. We’re playing in spurts or increments. We’ve just got to play the whole game.” The presence of Ibaka has negated the inside presence edge San Antonio enjoyed in the first two games but that is far from being the only dropoff for the Spurs. “I don’t know what it is,” Duncan said after the defeat, “but we need to fix it quick and go home and try to turn it around.”

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Spurs are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games.
* Under is 5-1 in Spurs last six overall.

COVERS CONSENSUS: Fifty-three percent of wagers at Covers Consensus are coming in on the Spurs.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:45 PM

Thunder-Spurs Game 5: The game inside the game
By DAVID MALINSKY

When two of the top three teams in the NBA are tied 2-2 in a playoff series, one would normally expect there to have been a high amount of drama, and four games worth of solid data points to work with. Not this time. Instead there is a haystack filled with needles, and the key to breaking down Game #5 is to sort through it without pricking a finger, with much of the play-by-play of this series statistically useless.

Tuesday in Oklahoma City there was no drama and no mystery – the Thunder were by far the more aggressive team, and physically dominated the Spurts to the point of an early Gregg Popovich towel-toss. The presence of Serge Ibaka had an even greater impact on the San Antonio offensive flow, and Kevin Durant was splendidly efficient with the ball (31 points out of 22 FG attempts, five assists and no TO’s), but the biggest story was Russell Westbrook, who set the tone on both ends of the court.

Westbrook’s line of 40 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and five steals belongs in the penthouse of NBA playoff performances, and the numbers did not lie. He exerted tremendous defensive pressure, an energy that was contagious to the rest of the team, and by halftime OKC already had seven steals and six blocked shots. Take particular note of the former – the Spurs only had seven turnovers in the half, each of them was a Thunder steal, and they led to a barrage of easy transition points.

One of the eternal challenges in handicapping is giving the proper weighting to which side of an offense/defense equation caused a one-sided performance. The old conundrum is whether it was “Good Defense or Bad Offense”, and of course “Good Offense or Bad Defense”. This time it was not much of a riddle - for the game there were only 13 San Antonio turnovers, but 12 of them were OKC steals, and fast break points were 21-0 to the victors. The Spurs also made 44 percent of the shots that were not swatted away, which is not bad offense. Of course like the previous games in the series, the overall numbers again lack merit, because the 4th quarter was again relegated to being little more than a scrimmage. But it was only a scrimmage for one team, which leads to a crucial issue as they now head to Texas.

Popovich accepted the outcome mid-way through the third quarter – Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter and Danny Green left at 6:46, Tim Duncan at 5:33 and Kawhi Leonard at 4:40, none of them to return. When asked about that as one of the first post-game questions Pops answered quickly with a one-word sentence – “Thursday”. Imagine what the box score would have looked like if frozen at Leonard’s departure, which was the culmination of a 76-41 OKC run, after falling behind 8-0 at the start.

Popovich has real X’s and O’s challenges ahead. For all of his mastery of the NBA chess-board he does not have ready answers when the Thunder play with that much defensive passion. But in keeping his key players fresh for the return home, he may have been handed an edge by Scott Brooks.

Westbrook played 45:29 on Tuesday, Durant 41:12, and even Ibaka 34:54. Some of that was discussed here in the prelude to that game – having had three days off before Game #3, and then a non-taxing affair, Brooks was in a prime position to play his starters long minutes. But why did he? That key trio did not leave the court for good until the 1:06 mark, Westbrook having played the entire fourth quarter to that point, and Durant logging 8:40 in the stanza.

That “why” could become the prime Game #5 storyline. The OKC win was based on energy, not intricacy, and what happens to the gas tank off of those minutes? Brooks was also risking injury, especially to Ibaka, and he wasted an opportunity to get Thabo Sefolosha back on the court, to try to have him re-gain some confidence. What if Reggie Jackson’s ankle is not ready for big-time minutes, and they need quality time from Sefolosha?

Tuesday may have been the best game Westbrook ever played, and perhaps the best from the Thunder under Brooks. But did the coach get so caught up in the moment that he might have created a negative impact for Thursday night? That should be one of your prime pieces as you begin to build the Game #5 handicapping puzzle. There has yet to been a game in this series that was competitive to crunch time; if that happens this time has OKC wasted some of its staying power for such an affair?

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:46 PM

Thunder look to keep rolling with Ibaka
By ANDREW AVERY

Evidently, the San Antonio Spurs have a problem when Serge Ibaka is suited up for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to a tweet from @ESPNStatsInfo, the Thunder are 6-0 straight up versus the Spurs this season. Furthermore, the Thunder are 6-0 against the spread in those games.

Ibaka missed the first two games of the series after it was thought that he'd be absent for the remainder of the Thunder's playoff run. But the big man returned the lineup for Game 3 and made an immediate impact with 15 points, seven boards and four blocks.

Serge and the Thunder are currently 4.5-point road dogs in Game 5 Thursday.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:47 PM

Canadiens at Rangers: What bettors need to know

Montreal Canadiens at New York Rangers (-172, 5)

Rangers lead series 3-2.

Although he recorded his first career postseason hat trick on Tuesday, Rene Bourque wasn't done taking shots at the New York Rangers. "Everybody talks about how he's a great goalie," Bourque said of Henrik Lundqvist following the Montreal Canadiens' 7-4 triumph in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. "Has he been better than (Montreal's Dustin Tokarski) this series? I don't think so." Lundqvist looks to silence Bourque and the Canadiens in Game 6 on Thursday as New York attempts to end the chippy series and advance to its first Stanley Cup final in 20 years.

Derek Stepan scored two goals in his return from a one-game absence due to surgery for a broken jaw. Stepan received his injury following a brutal hit from former Ranger Brandon Prust, who served his two-game suspension and is eligible to return on Thursday. Speaking of suspensions, John Moore received a two-game ban on Wednesday for his blindside open-ice hit on Montreal's Dale Weise midway through the third period of Game 5.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Bourque has provided quite the boost with his unexpected offense, scoring a team-leading eight goals in the playoffs after mustering just nine in 63 games during the regular season. Lars Eller is also raising some eyebrows as his two assists in Game 5 increased his point total to 13 - most among Montreal forwards. Eller struggled mightily during the end of the regular season, notching just six points in his last 35 contests.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Ryan McDonagh continues to haunt the Canadiens by adding two assists in Game 5 to increase his point total to nine in five games in the series. McDonagh, who was acquired from Montreal as part of a seven-player deal that included Scott Gomez in 2009, recorded just three points in the previous 14 contests of the playoffs. With Moore sidelined, blue-liner Raphael Diaz is expected to be inserted into the lineup for the first time since playing two games during the second-round series versus Pittsburgh.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-2-4 in the last 14 meetings.
* Canadiens are 1-4 in their last five games following a win.
* Over is 4-1-3 in Canadiens last eight road games.
* Under is 11-4-3 in Rangers last 18 vs. a team with a winning record.

OVERTIME:

1. Montreal G Carey Price spent time on the ice for the third straight day on Wednesday. He worked on lateral pushes with his skates and butterfly drops.

2. Lundqvist answered being pulled in Game 6 of the first-round set versus Philadelphia by stopping 26-of-27 shots in New York's series-clinching victory.

3. The Rangers have not won a playoff series in fewer than seven games since the 2008 Eastern Conference first-round series against New Jersey.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:48 PM

Rangers open as -190 faves for Game 5
By STEPHEN CAMPBELL

According to SportsInteraction, the New York Rangers have opened as -190 faves for Game 5 of the NHL Eastern Conference Final versus the Montreal Canadiens.

After coming up short in a wild Game 4 in Montreal, the books appear confident New York will bounce back at home. The Rangers, who have not been to the Cup Final since they last sipped from Lord Stanley's mug in 1994, have a 3-2 series lead and can punch their ticket to the final Thursday night.

The Habs could provide great value for betters as road dogs in Game 5. They're riding a wave of momentum after putting seven goals on the board at home while taking the Rangers to overtime in two of their last three games.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-28-2014, 10:50 PM

Cappers Access

Thunder +4
Phillies -120

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:12 AM

MLB

Hot pitchers
-- Buchanan won his first MLB start, allowing two runs in five IP.
-- Vogelsong is 3-1, 1.64 in his last six starts.
-- Cole is 2-1, 3.86 in his last four starts.

-- Rangers won last three Martinez starts (1-0, 1.64 in last two). Deduno is 1-1, 3.09 in his last two starts.
-- Porcello is 6-1, 3.80 in his last seven starts.
-- Shields is 3-0, 2.67 in his last four starts. Dickey is 4-1, 3.89 in his last six.
-- Shoemaker is 2-0, 3.38 in his three starts.

-- Minor is 2-1, 2.29 in his last three starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Wheeler is 0-2, 6.88 in his last three starts.
-- Garcia has a 4.26 RA in his first two '14 starts.
-- Cingrani is 0-2, 6.19 in his last three starts. Collmenter has a 5.59 RA in his last five starts, but won his last two.
-- Haren is 1-3, 5.76 in his last four starts.

-- Chavez is 2-2, 4.50 in his last four starts.
-- Jimenez is 0-2, 10.00 in his last couple starts. Peacock is 1-3, 5.09 in his six starts this season.
-- Maurer is 0-3, 8.22 in his last three starts.

-- Peavy is 0-2, 6.59 in his last five starts.

Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- Wheeler 4-10; Buchanan 0-1
-- Vogelsong 1-10; Garcia 1-2
-- Cingrani 5-8 (5 of last 5); Collmenter 4-8 (4 of last 5)
-- Cole 3-10; Haren 4-10 (4 of last 5)

-- Martinez 1-4; Deduno 2-4
-- Porcello 4-9; Chavez 4-10
-- Shields 1-11; Dickey 1-11
-- Jimenez 4-10; Peacock 2-6
-- Shoemaker 0-3; Maurer 2-6

-- Minor 1-5; Peavy 1-10

Totals
-- Four of last five Wheeler road starts went over total.
-- Last eight Vogelsong starts stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Arizona games stayed under total.
-- Under is 7-1 in Pittsburgh's last eight road games.

-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Texas road games.
-- Nine of last ten Detroit games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-2 in last seven Toronto home games.
-- Three of four Peacock home starts went over.
-- Under is 9-4-2 in last fifteen Angel games.

-- Five of six Peavy home starts stayed under total.

Hot teams
-- Phillies are 5-3 in their last eight home games.
-- San Francisco won seven of its last nine games. Cardinals won ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Arizona won four of its last five home games.
-- Dodgers won six of their last nine games.

-- Rangers won six of their last eight games.
-- A's won eight of their last ten home games, lost five of last seven overall.
-- Toronto won last nine games, scored 22 runs in last three.
-- Houston won its last five games.
-- Angels won 13 of their last 19 games.

-- Red Sox won their last three games,scoring 18 runs.

Cold teams
-- Mets lost nine of their last fourteen games, but won last two.
-- Reds lost ten of last fourteen road games.
-- Pirates lost 16 of their last 20 road games.

-- Detroit lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Royals lost six of their last eight games.
-- Minnesota lost five of its last six games.
-- Orioles lost six of their last seven road games.
-- Mariners are 6-7 in their last thirteen home games.

-- Atlanta is 6-9 in its last fifteen games.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:14 AM

Today's MLB Picks

Detroit at Oakland

The A's wrap up their series with Detroit today and come into the contest with a 4-0 record in Jesse Chavez' last 4 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. Oakland is the pick (-145) according to Dunkel, which has the A's favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-145). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 29
Time Posted: 7:30 a.m. EST

Game 951-952: NY Mets at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Wheeler) 15.438; Philadelphia (Buchanan) 14.399
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+100); Under

Game 953-954: San Francisco at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Vogelsong) 15.482; St. Louis (Garcia) 16.730
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-150); Over

Game 955-956: Cincinnati at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Cingrani) 15.371; Arizona (Collmenter) 14.546
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Arizona (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-105); Under

Game 957-958: Pittsburgh at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Cole) 14.522; LA Dodgers (Haren) 16.157
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-125); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-125); Over

Game 959-960: Texas at Minnesota (1:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Martinez) 16.116; Minnesota (Deduno) 14.582
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+100); Over

Game 961-962: Detroit at Oakland (3:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Porcello) 14.989; Oakland (Chavez) 16.318
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Oakland (-145); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-145); Under

Game 963-964: Kansas City at Toronto (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Shields) 14.980; Toronto (Dickey) 16.716
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 2; 7
Vegas Line: Toronto (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-120); Under

Game 965-966: Baltimore at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Jimenez) 15.213; Houston (Peacock) 16.340
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+115); Over

Game 967-968: LA Angels at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Shoemaker) 14.472; Seattle (Maurer) 15.691
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 969-970: Atlanta at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 14.122; Boston (Peavy 15.763
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Boston (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-120); Over

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:14 AM

Today's NBA Picks

Oklahoma City at San Antonio

The Thunder head back to San Antonio tonight after evening up the series with a 105-92 win in Game 4 and face a Spurs team that is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. Oklahoma City is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 29
Time Posted: 7:30 a.m. EST

Game 519-520: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 127.486; San Antonio 128.598
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1; 202
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4 1/2; 206
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+4 1/2); Under

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:15 AM

Today's NHL Picks

Montreal at NY Rangers

The Canadiens stayed alive in the series with a 7-4 win in Game 5 and come into tonight's contest carrying a 6-2 record in their last 8 games after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game. Montreal is the pick (+160) according to Dunkel, which has the Canadiens favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+160). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 29
Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST

Game 21-22: Montreal at NY Rangers (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 13.239; NY Rangers 12.134
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-180); 5
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+160); Over

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:15 AM

WNBA Basketball Picks

Connecticut at Indiana

The Sun (1-3) head to Indiana tonight to take on a Fever team that is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games against a team with a losing record. Connecticut is the pick (+6) according to Dunkel, which has the Fever favored by only 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+6). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 29
Time Posted: 7:30 a.m. EST

Game 601-602: Connecticut at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 107.358; Indiana 110.038
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 2 1/2; 134
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 6; 142
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+6); Under

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:17 AM

Gamblers Data

Free Plays Thursday

Braves -105

Giants +125

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:18 AM

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

Free Play Thurs: OVER 206 Spurs/Ok City

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:50 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 29

Oklahoma City is 6-2 vs Spurs this year, 6-0 when Ibaka plays, 0-2 if he does not; Spurs shot 39.6%/39.8% in last two games, after making 58%, 50% in two series games here, with Ibaka out. OC has now won 12 of last 16 games with San Antonio, is 8-0 in last eight series games played here. Thunder was +17 in turnovers last two games. Nine of last twelve series games stayed under total. Home team covered eight of nine games in this round of playoffs so far. Lot of pressure on Spurs here; they led Thunder 2-0 two years ago, then lost in six games, when they had won 20 games in a row.

Over is 46-35 in playoffs this season, 4-5 in this round..
Favorites are 32-49 in playoffs this season, 8-1 in this round.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:55 AM

NHL

Wednesday, May 28

Rangers had allowed 11 goals in previous seven games before 7-4 loss in Game 5 debacle that resembled pond hockey; NY won six of last eight games overall, but is just 5-4 at home so far in playoffs. Montreal is 9-5 in last 14 series games, but needs win here to keep series alive; they're 2-3 in last five road games- five of their 16 playoff games went OT. Habs are 10-6 in the playoffs, 5-3 on road. Over is 45-26-14 in playoffs, 6-2-2 this round. Rangers tied Game 5 with three goals in 4:24 span of second period after they pulled Lundqvist; Bourque scored twice after that to get hat trick, keep Montreal alive in series.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:55 AM

Spurs ready for pivotal Game 5

Oklahoma City (69-30) at San Antonio (72-26)

Western Conference Finals
Game 5 - Series Tied 2-2
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:05 p.m. ET
Line and Total: San Antonio -4.5, Total: 206

The Western Conference Finals head back to Texas all tied up as the Thunder and Spurs each try to gain a series edge in Thursday's Game 5.

This series has gone the way of the home team, which has won each of the first four games easily. In the first two contests, the Spurs won by an average of 26.0 PPG while the Thunder took both games at home by an average of 11.0 PPG. On Tuesday night, Oklahoma City came out and put on a show, hitting 51% of its shots in the first half and finishing the game with a 105-92 victory as two-point favorites. San Antonio’s offense was stagnant in the two road defeats, shooting under 40% from the field in each loss. No starter on the Spurs played more than 26 minutes in Game 4, as they were down by too much and were setting up for the next contest.

PG Russell Westbrook and SF Kevin Durant combined for 71 points in Tuesday's win while no player on San Antonio put up more than 14 points. San Antonio will be happy to head back home as it has lost nine straight in Oklahoma City and is 40-10 SU (26-24 ATS) when playing in front of its fans this season. Meanwhile, the Thunder are 29-20 SU (24-24-1 ATS) in their away games over the course of the season.

Including the playoffs, Oklahoma City is now 6-2 (SU and ATS) in this season series to improve to a solid 13-8 SU (14-6-1 ATS) in this matchup over the past three seasons. But during this same timeframe, the Spurs are 7-3 SU (5-4-1 ATS) at home versus the Thunder.

Oklahoma City has gone 53-34 ATS (61%) after having won two of its previous three games in the past two seasons while the Spurs are 124-86 ATS (59%) after a double-digit loss since 1996.

Both teams come into this game with no significant injuries to their rosters.

Oklahoma City has been a great offense all season long, scoring 105.6 PPG (47% FG) throughout the season, including 103.0 PPG (45% FG) in the playoffs. They club has shot well in this series too, hitting at least 46% FG in three of the four games.

SF Kevin Durant (24.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG in series) had his best scoring performance of this series in Game 4, netting 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting while adding five rebounds, five assists and three steals. He has been all over the place with his shooting in this round, hitting 50% or more of his shots in two games while going 14-for-35 (40% FG) in the other two.

PG Russell Westbrook (26.5 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.5 SPG in series) was absolutely unbelievable on Tuesday, going for 40 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and five steals while looking unstoppable as he shot 12-of-24 from the field and 14-of-14 from the charity stripe. Even with his strong shooting performance in Game 4, he is still shooting just 41% in this series.

PF Serge Ibaka (12.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG in series) has made a profound effect in this series since returning from a hamstring injury and has been a force down low with seven blocks in his two games. He has not played much of a role in the offense though, attempting just 15 shots in the two contests while making 10. PG Reggie Jackson (9.8 PPG, 3.3 APG in series) was just 1-for-5 for three points on Tuesday after dealing with a tweaked ankle, and has made just 3-for-11 from long range over the four games.

San Antonio has been one of the most efficient offensive teams all season long with 105.4 PPG on 48.6% FG, and has been just as strong in the postseason with 105.6 PPG on an identical 48.6% FG. The Spurs defense has held opponents to 97.8 PPG on 44.3% FG, including 98.6 PPG on 44.0% FG during the postseason. These playoff defensive numbers have been even more impressive at home (94.4 PPG on 42.5% FG), including limiting the Thunder to just 91.0 PPG on 42.6% FG over the two games in San Antonio this series.

PG Tony Parker (14.8 PPG, 6.3 APG in series) averaged only 11.5 PPG and 4.0 APG in the two losses in Oklahoma City while failing to get to the free-throw line once. He has shot 50% or better in three of the four games in this series, but has nearly as many turnovers (11) as assists (13) over the past three contests.

PF Tim Duncan (16.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG in series) played just 25 minutes in Game 4, making 3-of-8 shots while scoring nine points and adding six rebounds. He has not logged more than 30 minutes in any of the games in this series, and has shot under 42% from the field in each of the past three games.

SF Kawhi Leonard (10.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG in series) has seen his production really drop in this series, and has made just 16-of-40 FG (40%) over the four games. He had 10 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s loss while on the court for 25 minutes. SG Manu Ginobili (14.3 PPG, 1.3 SPG in series) played only 11 minutes in Game 4, shooting just 2-for-8 while not adding a single assist or rebound in the game.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:56 AM

StatFox Super Situations

NBA | OKLAHOMA CITY at SAN ANTONIO
Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (SAN ANTONIO) revenging a road loss vs opponent of 10 points or more, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%)
120-72 since 1997. ( 62.5% | 40.8 units )
5-4 this year. ( 55.6% | 0.6 units )

NBA | OKLAHOMA CITY at SAN ANTONIO
Play Against - Any team vs the money line (SAN ANTONIO) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more, off 2 or more consecutive road losses
206-94 over the last 5 seasons. ( 68.7% | 71.0 units )
23-14 this year. ( 62.2% | -1.3 units )

NBA | OKLAHOMA CITY at SAN ANTONIO
Play Under - Any team vs. the 1rst half line in a playoff series which is tied, good team, winning 60-75% or more of their games on the season
200-119 since 1997. ( 62.7% | 69.1 units )
9-14 this year. ( 39.1% | -6.4 units )

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:56 AM

Preview: Canadiens (46-28) at Rangers (45-31)

Date: May 29, 2014 8:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) - The last time the New York Rangers had a game to forget, they responded with five straight wins that put them on the cusp of the Stanley Cup finals.

They are still there, and the Montreal Canadiens aren't going away without a fight.

New York needs one more victory to reach the championship round for the first time in 20 years. The Rangers know that Game 6 at home on Thursday is their best chance to get it.

They returned home from Montreal on Wednesday, one day after a wild 7-4 loss cut their series lead to 3-2. If New York doesn't end it Thursday, the Rangers will have to go back to Montreal for a deciding Game 7.

New York, which went the full seven games in each of the first two rounds of this year's playoffs, will be playing its 20th postseason game. No team that played a pair of seven-game series before the conference finals has reached the Stanley Cup finals.

'It's an opportunity to win the game to go to the Stanley Cup final,' Rangers forward Brad Richards said. 'I think everybody is alert and ready that way. We were talking about it all (Tuesday) how excited we were to get on the ice and start playing.

'We had some mental breakdowns, but I don't think it had anything to do with (fatigue). We've had a lot of rest this series. The opportunity that faces us right now, we're pretty excited about it. I don't think there is too much letdown.'

In the second round, a poor performance at home in Game 4 against Pittsburgh dropped the Rangers into a 3-1 series hole. But New York won Game 5 on the road, took Game 6 at home, and won the clincher back in Pittsburgh to set up the matchup with Montreal.

Now that the Canadiens have staved off elimination once, the Rangers are wary of giving them any more hope they can turn the tables.

'You learn a lot from it. That's why experience is experience,' Richards said. 'You go through many situations. (Tuesday) night was a bad feeling, but today we're getting on a plane to go back to our city, and we get to play in front of our fans.

'It's always, forget as quick as possible and try to remember the good things that we're doing. It was one bad night, but we've been doing a lot of good things in this series.'

The Rangers won the opening two games in Montreal and then split a pair of overtime decisions at home. Even though they have had success on the road and in recent Game 7s, they know that going the distance again works against them.

'It's a desperate time,' Richards said. 'You don't want to go back to a Game 7 where anything can happen. We want to get this done. They're a good team anywhere.

'We're going to have to be a lot better, and we will be.'

This is as far as New York has advanced since captain Mark Messier led the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup title - breaking the Rangers' 54-year drought.

The Garden will be ready to celebrate again Thursday. After the Rangers lost Game 4 to Pittsburgh, the loyal fans thought they might not see their team again until next season. That will be the situation again if the Canadiens pull off another victory.

'You win a game, and things change in your locker room and you start feeling better about yourselves,' Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. 'We know how it feels coming back in a series, but it doesn't change anything in our room. We are as confident as ever going into our building, and looking forward to it.'

So are the Canadiens.

They know that if they would've scored in overtime of Game 4 as they did in Game 3, they would've had a two-game sweep at the Garden and would be the ones looking to advance Thursday.

'We'll be ready for one of those tight-checking games,' defenseman Josh Gorges said Wednesday after an optional practice in Montreal. 'I'm sure it will be again one of those hard-fought games that we'll have to make sure that we're even better than we were last game.'

Montreal will have rugged forward Brandon Prust back in the lineup after he served a two-game suspension for a late hit on Derek Stepan in Game 3 that broke the Rangers forward's jaw. Stepan returned Tuesday and scored two goals while wearing a full faceguard.

The Rangers will be without defenseman John Moore. He was suspended for two games Wednesday after receiving a match penalty Tuesday night for a hit to Montreal forward Dale Weise's head.

Moore will miss the remaining two games in this series if it goes the distance, or will sit out Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals if the Rangers advance with a win Thursday.

'It's kind of what I would've thought would've happened,' Canadiens captain Brian Gionta said Wednesday night after the team arrived at their New York hotel. 'They were very similar plays, and I guess the precedent was set on Prust's hit.'

Henrik Lundqvist will be back in goal for the Rangers after he was pulled in Game 5 on a rare off night in which he allowed four goals on 19 shots in less than two periods. He avoided the loss when New York rallied from a 4-1 deficit to get even. Backup goalie Cam Talbot gave up two goals in relief.

'(Tuesday) night was probably the best game we've played in this series,' Canadiens forward Lars Eller said. 'If we keep doing a lot of those things, I think the end result will be good.'

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:57 AM

StatFox Super Situations

WNBA | CONNECTICUT at INDIANA
Play Against - Underdogs (CONNECTICUT) off a home win, on Thursday nights
93-50 since 1997. ( 65.0% | 38.0 units )

WNBA | CONNECTICUT at INDIANA
Play On - Any team vs the money line (CONNECTICUT) poor team from last season - outscored by opponents by 3 or more points/game, after a win by 10 points or more
34-17 since 1997. ( 66.7% | 0.0 units )

WNBA | CONNECTICUT at INDIANA
Play Under - Home teams where the first half total is between 65.5 and 70.5 points off a win against a division rival, in May, June, or July games
176-103 since 1997. ( 63.1% | 62.7 units )
2-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 2.0 units )

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:58 AM

StatFox Super Situations

MLB | BALTIMORE at HOUSTON
Play On - Home underdogs with a money line of +100 or higher (HOUSTON) with a starting pitcher whose strikes out 5 or more batters per start, with a team batting average of .260 or worse on the season (AL)
149-115 since 1997. ( 56.4% | 62.3 units )
4-6 this year. ( 40.0% | -1.4 units )

StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB | KANSAS CITY at TORONTO
TORONTO is 19-7 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
The average score was: TORONTO (5.5) , OPPONENT (4.1)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 08:58 AM

Steves Golf picks the Memorial

Bradley
Rose
Chappel
Donald
Van Pelt
Henely
All 1*

Head To Head

4* Van Pelt -170 Over Fowler

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:56 AM

XpertPicks

THURSDAY

Play Oklahoma City +4.5 over San Antonio (NBA)---RISK 10% OF YOUR BANKROLL
9:00 PM EST

Oklahoma City has won 92 of the last 133 games after scoring 105 points or more in their last game and they have won 79 of the last 114 games coming off a win by ten points or more.Oklahoma City has won 47 of the last 70 games when the total posted is greater than 200 points and they have won 82 of the last 138 road games.

================================================== =======

NHL HOCKEY

Play New York -180 over Montreal (NHL)---RISK 8% OF YOUR BANKROLL

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:56 AM

XpertPicks

THURSDAY BASEBALL

Play Atlanta +110 over Boston---Top Play (Risk 8% of your Bankroll)
7:10 PM EST

Mike Minor has won 8 of the last 9 games when pitching on a Thursday and he has won 16 of the last 24 games when pitching as an underdog of +100 to +150. Mike Minor has won 24 of the last 42 games when pitching in the 1st half of the season and he has won 45 of the last 79 games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs.

Play Pittsburgh +110 over Los Angeles Dodgers----Top Play (Risk 8% of your Bankroll)
10:00 PM EST

Dan Haren has lost 30 of the last 50 games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs and he has lost 20 of the last 34 home games. Dan Haren has lost 25 of the last 41 games when pitching in the 1st half of the season and he has lost 29 of the last 51 games when pitching as a favorite of -110 or higher.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:57 AM

Kevin's Pick(s):
With good defense by Toronto we were able to pick up an underdog winner last night, as they walked off on an error in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 victory. I'm coming right back on the Jays tonight...
2 UNIT = Kansas City Royals @ Toronto Blue Jays - BLUE JAYS TO WIN (-120)
Listed Pitchers: Shields vs Dickey
(Note: I'm risking 2.00 units to win 1.67 units)
The Blue Jays continued their winning ways as of late with a sweep of the Rays last night - their 9th straight victory. They are also 19-5 over their last 24 games, and 32-22 on the season. The Royals on the other hand were swept at home by the Astros yesterday afternoon and have lost 4 straight and 7 of their last 9 games overall to drop to 24-28 on the season. James Shields will take the mound for the Royals, and he is 6-3 with a 2.95 ERA, .252 OBA and 1.17 WHIP. He has been pretty solid all season long, but he has allowed 7 earned runs over his last two starts (13 innings combined) as he gave up 9 hits in each start. The Jays counter with their knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, who is 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA, .224 OBA and 1.30 WHIP. After a shaky start to the season he has given up 3 or fewer earned runs against in his last 7 starts. He also is 5-1 with a 2.89 ERA, .216 OBA and 1.09 WHIP at home. Take note that the Blue Jays are the best hitting team in baseball right now with a team .831 OPS in May. The next best team OPS is .794 (Colorado) and the Royals are dead last in the Majors in that category at .626. Toronto is also one of the best hitting home teams, while the Royals are one of the worst hitting teams on the road. Note that the Royals are just 3-10 in their last 13 games as an underdog, and 1-9 in their last 10 as an underdog between +110 and +150. The Blue Jays are 15-3 in their last 18 games following a win, 7-0 in their last 7 home games, and 5-0 in their last 5 game 1s of a series. Toronto is also 5-2 in Dickey's last 7 starts and 5-0 in his last 5 home starts. Toronto is 24-10 in their last 34 home games vs the Royals. Although Shields is a great pitcher this Toronto team is playing great all around baseball right now and winning games. I'll take them again tonight to continue their winning streak

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:57 AM

FantasySportsGametime

THURSDAY
NBA BASKETBALL

1000* Play Oklahoma City +4.5 over San Antonio (NBA TOP PLAY)
9:00 PM EST

Oklahoma City has won 28 of the last 40 games when the total posted is between 200 and 209.5 points and they have won 57 of the last 86 games vs. Southwest Division Opponents.Oklahoma City has won 37 of the last 48 games coming off an UNDER the total in their last game and they have won 29 of the last 45 games after having won two of the last three games.

=========================================

NHL HOCKEY

50* Play New York Rangers -180 over Montreal (NHL TOP PLAY)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:57 AM

FantasySportsGametime

MLB Baseball

1000* Play Toronto -110 over Kansas City (MLB TOP PLAY)

RA Dickey has won 28 of the last 42 home games and he has won 31 of the last 54 games when the total posted is between 7 and 8.5 runs.RA Dickey has won 27 of the last 43 games when pitching in the 1st half of the season and he has won 8 of the last 13 games when pitching on a Thursday.

================================================== ===

50* Play St. Louis -130 over San Francisco (MLB BONUS PLAY)
50* Play Oakland -130 over Detroit (MLB BONUS PLAY)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:58 AM

BeatYourBookie

THURSDAY

NBA BASKETBALL

10* Play Oklahoma City +4.5 over San Antonio (Top NBA Play)

==================================

NHL HOCKEY

10* Play New York -180 over Montreal (Top NHL Play)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:58 AM

BeatYourBookie

THURSDAY

MLB BASEBALL

10* Play Pittsburgh +110 over LA Dodgers (MLB TOP PLAY)

Pittsburgh is 73-59 when playing in the 1st half of the season
Pittsburgh is 52-47 when playing as an underdog of +100 or higher
Pittsburgh is 79-57 in night games the last two seasons

10* Play Cincinnati +115 over Arizona (MLB TOP PLAY)

Arizona is 7-17 in home games this season
Arizona is 8-16 when the total posted is between 8.5 and 10 runs
Arizona is 3-9 vs. left-handed starting pitchers this season

=============================================

5* Play New York Mets +115 over Philadelphia (MLB BONUS PLAY)
5* Play Atlanta +110 over Boston (MLB BONUS PLAY)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:59 AM

Hondo

Thursday night: Mr. Aitch will make a major wager on Minor — 10 units on Los Bravos to swat the Sawx.

BRAVES

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:59 AM

EZWINNERS

2 STAR SELECTION: (960) Minnesota Twins -$120
(Risking $240 to win $200)
(Action)

2 STAR SELECTION: (961) Detroit Tigers +$125
(Risking $200 to win $250)
(Action)

2 STAR SELECTION: (969) Atlanta Braves -$110
(Risking $220 to win $200)
(Action)

2 STAR SELECTION: (965) Baltimore Orioles -$125
(Risking $250 to win $200)
(Action)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 11:59 AM

BEN BURNS

9* *VERY EARLY* MLB Breakfast Club!
Minnesota Twins ML -114

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 12:00 PM

PAUL LEINER

500* Orioles -130
100* Reds +105
50* Redsox -115

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 12:00 PM

DENVER MONEY

MLB totals
Rangers @ Twins - Over 8.5 -115

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 12:00 PM

PGA Tour Picks: The Memorial Tournament Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews

The final round of the 2014 Masters was rather drama-free. Thus, I have no problem saying the most exciting day of golf so far this year was last Sunday. In his first tournament as the world’s No. 1 player Adam Scott won the Colonial, a tournament he only entered late because he wanted to make sure he played at least one event as the world’s top-ranked player. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy came from seven shots back on Sunday to win the European Tour’s top event, the BMW PGA Championship, in the wake of his very public split with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

Scott sure didn’t look like the world No. 1 on his first nine holes of the Colonial as he was 4-over. But on the back-nine Sunday he was a bogey-free 3-under and beat Jason Dufner on the third hole of a playoff (Scott birdied two of those). Scott was the sixth consecutive come-from-behind winner at the Colonial; he and Dufner started the final round tied for 11th. The victory assured Scott remained at No. 1 for this week as he could have lost it to Henrik Stenson. Scott is also the first player to win all four PGA Tour events staged in Texas in his career.

Scott was 16/1 to win, and I didn’t think he would play that well, to be honest, what with the pressure of being No. 1 and a bit of rust. Plus, he hadn’t played Colonial in a while. I went with Zach Johnson to win as he owns that course, but he was a monumentally disappointing 73rd. I liked Matt Kuchar for yet another Top 10, but he shockingly missed the cut. I think he’s just tired as Kuchar plays practically every week. I didn’t get much right last week other than expecting Ryan Palmer to have a good tournament, and he finished T5.

Now the Tour heads to Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. This will be the final warm-up tournament for many top players ahead of the U.S. Open, although a few will play next week in Memphis. The Memorial is one of Tiger Woods’ favorite non-major tournaments, and he usually dominates the event. But he’s still nowhere near ready to return. Usually this is a terrific field, one of the best non-majors on Tour, and it is again with eight of the world’s Top 12 and 18 of the Top 25 playing. Scott, McIlroy and defending champion Kuchar lead that group. Last year, Kuchar beat out Kevin Chappell by two shots. Muirfield Village’s overall scoring average of 73.256 made it the second hardest non-major course on Tour (but hardest par 72). Kuchar and Chappell were the only players with all four rounds under par.

Jason Day is also expecting to play. He hasn’t since the Masters and has been battling a thumb injury since February. Day now lives nearby as his wife his from the area. This really starts Phil Mickelson’s laser-like focus to win the U.S. Open. He also is expected to play next week. The U.S. Open has been his stated main goal all year.

PGA Tour Golf Odds: The Memorial Tournament Favorites

McIlroy is the 8/1 favorite at Bovada (http://www.cappersmall.com/forums/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Frecord.bettingpartners.com% 2F_pO1vV3scjG8UbyPgnoR23mNd7ZgqdRLk%2F1%2F) . Last week’s win was his eighth Top-10 finish in nine stroke-play events in 2014 across the world, and he’s putting out of his mind these days. I just can’t pick him to win back-to-back weeks, especially with all the travel. He was T58 here last year after an opening 78.

Scott is the 10/1 second-favorite , and because he won last week I don’t expect a ton from him, either. The Aussie was 13th at the Memorial last year and had back-to-back top-5 finishes at Muirfield Village in 2006 and 2007.

Kuchar (14/1), Justin Rose (16/1) and Dustin Johnson (22/1) round out the favorites. Kuchar’s win in 2013 was his fifth straight Top-10 at Memorial, and perhaps getting last weekend off will be a blessing in disguise. Rose’s first PGA Tour win was at the Memorial in 2010. He was T8 last year. DJ missed the cut in 2013 but was fourth at the Memorial in 2011.

PGA Tour Picks: The Memorial Tournament Predictions

On the Top-10 props, take Kuchar at +125, Mickelson at +200 as I think he’s focused now, Rose at +135 and McIlroy at -130. Do take Scott as the top Aussie at 2/3 because Day (9/2) is going to be rusty and doesn’t have a good track record at Muirfield. I like Luke Donald at +175 over Rose (-110) as the top Englishman, but McIlroy (11/8) as the top European. Go with Ernie Els, who knows this course as well as anyone, at 13/2 as the top South African.

Head-to-head, take Donald (-115) over Johnson (-115), Mickelson (-115) over Jordan Spieth (-115), Bubba Watson (-115) over Day (-115), Charl Schwartzel (-115) over Chris Kirk (-115) and Spieth (-165) over Day (+125). Bovada (http://www.cappersmall.com/forums/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Frecord.bettingpartners.com% 2F_pO1vV3scjG8UbyPgnoR23mNd7ZgqdRLk%2F1%2F) also is offering a few tournament trios. I like Mickelson as the +180 long shot against Johnson (+160) and Spieth (+175). Also like Jim Furyk at +200 against Rose (+135) and Donald (+200).

Bo Van Pelt is interesting at 66/1 to win. In his past four starts in the event, he hasn’t been worse than 21st and has a third-place finish. However, I’m going with Furyk at 25/1. He has six Top-10s in his career at this tournament, was runner-up in 2009 and winner in 2002. He didn’t play great last week but had back-to-back second-place finishes before that. Furyk is overdue.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 12:01 PM

Kuchar looks to defend Memorial title
by Freddy Wander

the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance

Tees Off: Thursday, May 29
Muirfield Village Golf Club – Dublin, OH
Odds to Win Tournament

Golfer Odds
Rory McIlroy 7-to-1
Adam Scott 9-to-1
Matt Kuchar 13-to-1
Justin Rose 16-to-1
Luke Donald 21-to-1
Dustin Johnson 22-to-1
Jim Furyk 24-to-1
Jordan Spieth 24-to-1
Phil Mickelson 24-to-1
Bubba Watson 25-to-1
Gary Woodland 30-to-1
Jason Dufner 35-to-1
Jason Day 35-to-1
Keegan Bradley 35-to-1
Charl Schwartzel 50-to-1
Steve Stricker 50-to-1
Bill Haas 55-to-1
Ryan Moore 55-to-1
Hideki Matsuyama 60-to-1
Kevin Chappell 60-to-1
J.B. Holmes 70-to-1
Hunter Mahan 70-to-1
Charles Howell III 70-to-1
4 Golfers 75-to-1
2 Golfers 90-to-1
4 Golfers 100-to-1
Paul Casey 110-to-1
4 Golfers 120-to-1
Matt Every 130-to-1
2 Golfers 140-to-1
2 Golfers 150-to-1
5 Golfers 160-to-1
Kevin Na 170-to-1
6 Golfers 180-to-1
Pat Perez 200-to-1
3 Golfers 210-to-1
2 Golfers 220-to-1
2 Golfers 230-to-1
48 Golfers 250-to-1

The PGA Tour will head to Ohio this weekend for the Memorial presented by Nationwide Insurance with a strong field where the top-75 players on last year’s money list are the only players guaranteed an invitation to the 120-man field. Last year, Matt Kuchar had no issues on the Par-72, 7,354-yard course, as he shot 12-under and defeated American Kevin Chappell by two strokes. Tiger Woods has been dominant in this tournament, winning it five times over his career, so his absence due to injury will open the door to plenty of other players this week. Last week was a big one for some of the top players in the world, as Adam Scott won the Crown Plaza Invitational, proving why he has earned the No. 1 ranking in the world, while Rory McIlroy took a victory on the European Tour; moving from 10th to sixth in the World Golf Rankings. This was actually a surprise, as much of the season has been about newcomers with names like Jimmy Walker, Brendon Todd and Chesson Hadley all getting their first career victories. Let’s take a look at a few golfers — established and non-established — who could top the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.

Golfers to Watch

Adam Scott (9/1): Scott proved worthy of his top ranking in the world last week, shooting two consecutive rounds of 66 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational and finishing off the tournament with a playoff win over Jason Dufner. It was Scott’s 11th career PGA victory and he has now placed in the top-10 in half of his eight tourneys this season. He has averaged 4.2 birdies per round (4th on tour) and has a scoring average of 69.79 (5th on tour) this year while getting a birdie or better 53.9% of the time on par-5’s (best on tour). His No. 1 ranking has given Scott confidence, and he should have a good chance at making it two consecutive wins this weekend.

Justin Rose (16/1): This tournament has been a great one for Rose, who has placed in the top-8 in three of the past four years; including a victory here in 2010. He also has five top-10 finishes in his nine tournaments in 2014, with his best finish being a runner-up performance at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. His past three events have been amazing, totaling 33-under par in the three tournaments, and while his driving accuracy is not great (57%, 144th on tour), he has the ability to score from the rough with a scrambling percentage of 67.2% from there (3rd on tour).

Matt Kuchar (13/1): Kuchar has had a tremendous season so far, and even though he was unable to make the cut in last week’s Crowne Plaza Invitational, he has still placed in the top-5 in half of his 14 tournaments. He earned his sixth career victory here last season and has done well at Muirfield Village many times in the past, placing fifth in 2009, eighth in 2010 and coming in second in 2011. Unsurprisingly, Kuchar has the best scoring average on tour (69.44) this year and could use that to win his eighth career PGA event come Sunday.

Freddie Jacobson (100/1): Jacobson will be turning 40 years old this season and is coming off his best performance of the year as he placed in third at the Crowne Plaza Invitational this past weekend. Jacobson has just one career PGA victory on his resume, but has been incredible on the green this year, gaining .825 strokes putting (6th on tour) and three-putting just 1.1% of the time (best on tour), which gives him a strong chance in this tourney.

George McNeill (250/1): McNeill is having one of the best seasons of his career and has placed in the top-10 three times already this year. He has been one of the better scorers on par-3’s, making a birdie or better 15.8% of the time (27th on tour) and is even overall on the short holes this year (17th on tour). McNeill does have two career PGA victories and could be a nice longshot pick for this tournament

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 12:01 PM

Chase Diamond

10* Boston -115

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:30 PM

Las Vegas Pipeline

15* NY Rangers

10* Blue Jays

10* Spurs

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:30 PM

River City Sharps

Pirates -104 over LAD

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:31 PM

Diamond Dog Sports

For 5/29

Sides 53-43-0
+1,534

#959: Rangers: +105 0.5*
Listed Pitchers: Martinez / Deduno

Totals 41-50-5
-2,220

#951/952: Over Phillies 8.0 -115 2*
Listed Pitchers: Wheeler / Buchanan

#959/960: Under Twins: 8.5 -110 1.5*
Listed Pitchers: Martinez / Deduno

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:32 PM

PowerPlayWins

Plays Of The Day

* MLB Minnesota Twins-110
* MLB Toronto Blue Jays -115
* MLB Boston Red Sox -115
* MLB Baltimore Orioles -130
* NBA San Antonio Spurs -4.5

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:32 PM

GOODFELLA

2* OAKLAND A’s

(Listed Pitchers)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:33 PM

Prime Time Sports

5* OKC / S Ant OVER 206

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:34 PM

Tampasports
minnesota m.line

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:34 PM

River City Sharps

The Pirates travel to Los Angeles to start a three-game series tonight vs. the Dodgers as they try and break out of a mini-slide. The Bucs have lost three of their last four games and tonight will send Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.76 ERA) to the mound and he will be opposed by Dan Haren (5-3, 3.16 ERA), who was roughed up in his last start vs. the Phillies. The Dodgers haven't exactly taken advantage of being at home so far this season, sporting an 11-14 home record so far this year. The line movement seems very interesting to us, which is another strong reason for the play on the Bucs. Lots of the public hopping on the Dodgers here at home tonight, yet the line seems to be moving towards the road doggie. A great reason for us to back them as well! The Sharps say...

3 UNITS - PITTSBURGH PIRATES (-104)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:35 PM

Mike Shuttlesworth

Los Angeles Dodgers +100 Triple Star

Texas Rangers +104 2 Units

Oakland Athletics -130 2 Units

Angels/Mariners 1st 5 Over 4 -125 2 Units

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:35 PM

psychicsportspicks

PSYCHIC
(1-5)

5 unit San Antonio -4 (WISEGUY)

WIIZARD
(1-10)

8 unit over 206 SA/OKC

JT WALKER
(all units same one unit)

1 unit Kansas /city -115

Iceman
(1-3)

2 unit NY Rangers -175

Genius
(1-10)

8 unit Oakland -145

Michael Cash Money
(1-10)

8 unit Minnesota -120

10 unit San Antonio -4 (NBA Game of the Year)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:36 PM

Vegas Runner

Steam Move

1961 OVER 4 (-125) DET/OAK (1st 5 Innings)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:36 PM

Indian Cowboy's Picks For WNBA 5/29

3 Units #601. Take Under 141 Connecticut vs. Indiana (Thursday @ 7:05pm est)

Pass in the NBA Today

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:37 PM

Ecks and Bacon

Ben lee won in the NBA Playoffs On Wednesday with the Pacers +2.5/Heat.

"Mr Chalk" lost on Wednesday in MLB in the National League with the Dodgers -$190/Reds.

For Thursday in the NHL Playoffs E&B like the Rangers -$170/Canadians.

For Thursday in the NBA Playoffs E&B only have a lean on the Spurs -4.5/Thunder.

"Mr Chalk" has Np in MLB for Thursday.

Ben lee is 4-2 +$42 for week thirty one 132-155-5 -$2695.

"Mr Chalk" is 23-24 -$667 for the 2014 MLB season.

All E&B selections will be for $50 unless noted.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:38 PM

Toby Smoke

3* Toronto -126
5* Baltimore -120

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:38 PM

Sports Commission

LA Dodgers -106
Seattle +107
San Antonio -4.5
NY Rangers -177

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:50 PM

Wunderdog Sports Free Pick

Game: Detroit Tigers @ Oakland Athletics
Time: Thursday 05/29 3:35 PM Eastern
Pick: Oakland -130 (moneyline) at TopBet

The wheels have come off for the Detroit Tigers who not too long ago were cruising along on the mound and at the plate. Detroit lost in walk-off fashion last night, moving them to an ugly 2-8 in their last 10 games. During that 10-game stretch, they have produced 2 runs or fewer in half of them, while allowing 5 runs or more in eight of them. Oakland continues to march on with the best rotation in baseball, but with few notable names. Rick Porcello has seven wins, but just a 3.88 ERA, and his track record vs. Oakland is very poor as he owns an 0-4 record and 5.46 ERA against them. Jesse Chavez is just another Oakland starter getting it done with a 4-2 record and 2.61 ERA on the season. The A's keep on keepin' on as home chalk at 77-36 in their last 113, and are 8-2 in Chavez's last 10 starts overall. The Tigers are just 2-5 in Porcello's last seven starts vs. the A's, and have lost all momentum right now. Take Oakland.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 02:51 PM

Jeffrey James (YouWinNow)

MLB Play of the Day Los Angeles Dodgers with Haren

Haren has been very strong at home this year in 4 starts with a 2-0 record and ERA of 2.39. Cole goes for the Pirates and he has been iffy at best on the road this season. Pittsburgh is very bad on the road while the Dodgers are good at home and they have owned Pittsburgh beating them the last 6 times they played them at home.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:40 PM

Thursday's MLB betting cheat sheet: Blue Jays defying the odds

Here's a comprehensive look at betting notes for Thursday's major league games:

Giants Roll as Favorites

The San Francisco Giants (-152) rolled to their second consecutive shutout Wednesday, cruising past the Chicago Cubs 4-0. The Giants have been sensational as a big favorite of late, winning six consecutive games at -150 or better while allowing just six runs in those contests.

Struggling Ubaldo Favored

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez has had a dreadful start to the season, going 2-8 against the money while ranking in the bottom 10 in total units among starters ($-546). Jimenez is favored for the first time all season as the Orioles (-128, 9) visit the Houston Astros.

Oh, Canada

The Toronto Blue Jays are riding a nine-game winning streak following Wednesday's 3-2 win over Tampa Bay; six of those victories came as an underdog, while two others came as a very slight favorite (-105). Toronto is -115 for Thursday's series opener against visiting Kansas City.

Pitching Notes

* Detroit Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello has rolled in his last three starts as an underdog, allowing only four runs over 21 innings in those contests. Porcello carries a four-game road winning streak into Thursday's game against the host Oakland Athletics (-138, 7.5).

* Over could be a strong play as Cincinnati lefty Tony Cingrani and the Reds (+106, 8.5) visit the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cingrani is 6-1 O/U over his last seven starts and will face a Diamondbacks team that is 15-10-2 O/U at Chase Field for the season.

Hitting Notes

* Baltimore Orioles slugger Nelson Cruz went deep twice in Wednesday's 8-3 loss to Milwaukee, giving him seven homers in his last nine games and a league-best 19 on the year. The Orioles are just 8-9 S/U in games in which Cruz goes deep entering Thursday's showdown with Houston.

* The Cubs managed just two hits Wednesday and are hitting a league-low .226 in May. Chicago is 10-15 S/U and 10-13-2 O/U so far this month, and will look to bounce back from consecutive shutouts Friday in Milwaukee after enjoying a much-needed rest day.

Totals Streak

Seattle Mariners (2-6-1 O/U): Mariners pitchers have been on target in recent days, allowing one run in four of their last seven games. Seattle is 24-25-3 O/U for the season entering Thursday's tilt with the visiting Los Angeles Angels.

Prop of the Day

Extra innings between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers - set at +625 - could be a strong longshot play Thursday. The Pirates have played the most one-run games in the majors (25) while the Dodgers lead the league in extra-inning games (10).

Injury Notes

* Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters will try some light throwing Friday as he continues his long road back from a major elbow injury. Baltimore is 8-12 SU, 11-9 O/U and -414 units for the season without Wieters, who doesn't have a timetable for his return.

* Miami Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez left Wednesday's starts with right elbow stiffness after tossing five shutout innings. The Marlins hope Alvarez won't miss any time, having gone 6-2 against the moneyline over his previous eight starts.

Weather Watch

* Fans at O.co Coliseum should expect wind blowing out to right field at 7 mph for the game between the Athletics and the visiting Tigers. The Athletics went 21-8 while allowing just 3.1 runs in 29 games last season with wind blowing out to right at between 0-10 mph.

Umpire Note of the Day

The road team is 8-2 in umpire Bill Welke's last 10 Thursday games behind home plate. Welke will call the balls and strikes for the interleague series finale between the host Boston Red Sox (-113, 8.5) and the Atlanta Braves.

** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 7:55 a.m. ET Thursday.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:40 PM

Who's Hot - AL Edition
By Mike Rose

In the American League this year, baseball bettors have been treated to a few teams that have really overachieved their expectations, but they have had to endure a number of teams who have badly underachieved as well. Today, we'll look at the overachievers of the bunch who are really raking in the green almost two months into the 2014 campaign.

Toronto Blue Jays (31-22, +$924) – The Jays just keep doing well, and they are really doing their damage on the road. They're 16-11 this year away from Rogers Centre, and that has equated into $724 worth of profits. Even on the run-line, Toronto has been massive this year, posting the best record in the league at +$1,400 (33-20). This offense is averaging right at 5.00 runs per game, and a lot of that is because there have been a ton of guys mashing the baseball. Edwin Encarnacion has 16 homers on the season, while Jose Bautista has 12 jacks. Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie both have eight bombs, while both Colby Rasmus and Juan Francisco have lifted off nine times each. That's a heck of a lot of power from one of the better power hitting lineups in the game.

Minnesota Twins (24-25, +$671) – You don't need a winning SU record in order to be a winning team for your wagering supporters, and the Twins are proof of that. Thanks to the fact that this is a club with the worst pitching staff in the game, the Twins are usually underdogs against most comparable clubs. Alas, it's true that a 4.61 ERA is going to end up getting you killed, especially when your starting pitchers by just about every metric imaginable are the worst in the league. No one has more than five wins, yet this team is still way ahead of the game for bettors. Be careful, though. Minnesota has a heck of a schedule coming up with games against teams like the Rangers and Yankees, and there's a long road trip ahead in Toronto, Detroit, and Boston as well. Troubling waters are certainly ahead for Gardy’s troops.

Chicago White Sox (27-27, +$655) – The White Sox are another example of a team which isn't lighting it up in terms of wins and losses but is doing well in totality for bettors. Even though the North Siders are just 15-12 at home, they are up over four units this year as a result. Again, we do have to throw some caution to the wind here, though. Chicago is down $254 for the season on the run-line, and it is winning a lot of close games, especially when installed a narrow favorite. There is a likelihood that there is going to be a bit of a market correction at some point. A horrid bullpen without a consistent back end stopper is going to really bite this team in the backside sooner rather than later.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:40 PM

Dave Aquino/Eric Henderson

Today's Selections

MLB: Reds/DBacks Under 8.5

NHL: Canadiens/Rangers Over 5

NBA: none

WNBA: Fever/Sun Under 140.5

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:41 PM

SPORTS INSURANCE ADJUSTERS

FREE PLAY: LA Dodgers -120 vs Pittsburgh

Thursday 5/29 Service Plays

Yesterday gave us 4 straight winning days!!! The tide has now turned back into our favor!! Let's roll with this and make today 5 straight winning days!! We have now won 5 straight in the NBA Playoffs after Indiana got the cover last night for us!!! We were so close to the big night if just Colorado could have held on to the lead in the 9th!! Can we make it 6 in a row in the NBA tonight!!??

NBA

Oklahoma City +5 (Buy .5 point if needed)

MLB

Texas +105

Baltimore RL -1.5 +135

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:41 PM

ACCUSCORE - MLB

ML-Home Wins 50 to 54.9% STREAK 17-6, 73.9% +709
TEX 959 vs MIN 960 -- Over 50% on Minnesota Twins -115
BAL 965 vs HOU 966 -- Over 50% on Houston Astros +115
CIN 955 vs ARI 956 -- Over 50% on Arizona Diamondbacks -115
PIT 957 vs LAD 958 -- Over 50% on Los Angeles Dodgers -125

SV-Home Line is +110 to +129 STREAK 5-0, 100% +576
BAL 965 vs HOU 966 -- Value on Houston Astros +115
LAA 967 vs SEA 968 -- Value on Los Angeles Angels -120

OU-Betting Line of 9 TO 9.5 STREAK 7-3, 70% +370
BAL 965 vs HOU 966 -- Under 9

4 STAR SIDE VALUE STREAK 7-3, 70% +318
DET 961 vs OAK 962 -- Value on Oakland Athletics -145

AL WEST DIV GAME O/U STREAK 4-1, 80% +290
LAA 967 vs SEA 968 -- Under 8

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:41 PM

Doc's Sports

MLB

3-unit Play Take #954 St. Louis Cardinals (-130) over San Francisco Giants (8:15pm EST)

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:41 PM

Joe Wiz

Early Phone

Texas

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:42 PM

Jeff Clement

7 Units Pirates / Dodgers Under 7

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:42 PM

Joe Williams

Thunder / Spurs Under 206.5

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:42 PM

Philly Ross

1* Twins -123

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:42 PM

Diamond Trends - Thursday
By Vince Akins

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Cardinals are 16-0 (+$1,610) since September 16, 2010 at home after a loss in which they had at least five more team-left-on-base than their opponent.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

When Gerrit Cole starts the Pirates are 9-0 since June 21, 2013 when the bullpen has allowed at least one run for two straight games for a net profit of $1038.

ACTIVE TREND:

The Cardinals are 10-0 OU since September 13, 2009 at home when they are off a loss in which they scored in at least four separate innings.

CHOICE TREND:

The Twins are 0-9 (+$1,056) since 2011 as a favorite after a loss it is the last game of the series.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

When James Shields starts the Royals are 16-3 since June 01, 2013 on the road for a net profit of $1300.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:43 PM

Primetime Insiders

3* Under Reds
Angels (RL)

2* Blue Jays
Under Giants

1* Mets
Dodgers
Braves
Under Tigers

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:43 PM

BOB BALFE

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES -105 (Buchanan/Wheeler)

The Phillies broke out of their shell last night with a late inning comeback for the first time this year. This is a team that has people scratching their heads on why they can’t put up runs on a regular basis. Last night was a good win for them and we will see if that gets a little momentum going. The Mets are not a good hitting team themselves and Wheeler although he has great strikeout ability tends to walk a lot of guys. Walks kill in the big leagues. Take the Phillies.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:43 PM

LineCatchers

Jonathan Young

Oakland Athletics -130

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:43 PM

WORLD CLASS CAPPER

MLB- 3* Tigers money line @ +123
Starts at 3:30 PM est

NBA- 3* Spurs -5 point spread @ -110
Starts at 8:00 PM est

MLB-3* Phillies money line @ -105
Starts at 7:00 PM est

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:44 PM

SPORTS WAGERS

NHL

Montreal Canadiens +156 over NEW YORK

OT included. Indeed we have the Canadiens in the series but the price on this game forces us to make a move. It’s been often said that the close-out game is the most difficult of them all and the Rangers will come into this one with all the pressure on their backs to seal the deal while the Habs will play with no pressure, as they are expected to lose after falling behind 3-1 in the series.

It’s been Montreal that has been gaining steam over the past four games and has actually been the better team in at least three of those games. We also like that they were able to fend off a Rangers comeback last game. New York had huge momentum entering the third period after rallying from three down to make it a one-goal game. Instead of allowing the Rangers to fully come back, Montreal buried them early in the third to seal it and set up this one. Of course the Rangers can win here but once again we focus in on the value. Montreal’s chance of winning this one is just as good as the Rangers chance. The goaltending will ultimately decide which team emerges victorious and in that regard, we have just as much faith in the “kid” as we do in Henrik Lundqvist. Price dictates play and if we didn’t have Montreal in the series we would make this a regular 2 unit wager instead of 1.

Can'tPickAWinner

05-29-2014, 03:44 PM

SPORTS WAGERS

MLB

TORONTO -1 +119 over Kansas City

The Royals were just swept at home by the Astros and were outscored in that three-game series, 21-5. The Royals offense remains dead last in the majors in home-runs and in extra-base hits. Now this putrid offense will face a knuckler that is quietly throwing as good as any pitcher in baseball. R.A. Dickey has elite numbers across the board over his past six starts. Over that span he’s pitched six full or more in every start and has allowed two runs or less in five of them. The only start over that span in which he allowed more than two runs was at Texas, where he allowed three runs. Dickey’s groundball/line-drive/fly-ball rate over his last six games is an elite 57%/8%/36%. Overall, he’s 5-1 at Rogers Center with an ERA of 2.89 and these reeling Royals don’t figure to do much, if any damage against him

The Blue Jays are coming off six games against two extremely tough pitching staffs in Oakland and Tampa Bay. Six wins later and now Toronto’s winning streak is at nine. Now this potent offense will see James Shields and his misleading 2.95 ERA. Shields’ has been tagged for 42 hits over his past 33 innings. An unsustainable 80% strand rate has kept his ERA in check. The Jays figure to cash some of those base-runners that his WHIP says he'll allow. Over his last five starts, Shields has a WHIP of 1.44 and that high mark should never coincide with an ERA under 3.00. Furthermore, because they are not winning or scoring runs, K.C's starters feel they have to be near perfect to win. That’s added pressure before they even throw the first pitch. Regression analysis is in play here against James Shields versus the hottest team in baseball.

Atlanta +104 over BOSTON

The struggles of 33-year-old Jake Peavy mirror the recent performance of the Red Sox. While Peavy posted a 2.87 ERA in four April starts, he’s scuffled in May, with a 6.59 ERA in five starts. Peavy's main problem is that he's walking a lot more batters than usual, leading to the worst command in his 13-year career. Since Peavy's hit % and strand % are in the normal range, there aren’t many signs that his ERA will improve any time soon. He no longer has the oomph to blow hitters away. While he averaged 94 mph average fastball in his salad days, he’s been consistently at 90 mph for the past four years. Over his past 29 innings, Peavy has walked 12 and struck out 16. His groundball/fly-ball split is 41%/40% but his HR/f is 12%, meaning more balls are leaving the park. The drop in skills tells the story of Peavy's slide over the past couple of years. Until he stops issuing so many free passes, it’s unlikely he’ll contribute much to a Red Sox turnaround. It’s also worth noting that in six starts, Peavy has yet to win at Fenway this season, where he is 0-2 with an ERA of 4.42.

Mike Minor started the year on the DL so he was a step or two behind when he rejoined the club. He’s now started four games and he’s getting stronger. Minor has a BB/K split of 9/27 in 30 frames and has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last three starts. Last season, Minor built on his 2012 solid second half and zoomed into near-elite status. His control and K rate each took steps up, he broke the 200-IP barrier for the first time and reined in the HR's without the benefit of a lucky hr/f. Confidence in four pitches and perfect reliability make him a low-risk, high-reward investment and certainly a better one than Jake Peavy.

Pass NBA