4-23-13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA Playoffs: Tuesday's East Betting Preview

Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat (-14, 197)

Heat lead series 1-0

LeBron James fell two assists short of his ninth career playoff triple-double in Game 1 on Sunday. The Miami Heat still won by 23 points. The Heat will be looking to make it a 2-0 cushion in the best-of-7 series when they host the eighth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks again on Tuesday. James went 9-for-11 from the floor and made or participated in a series of highlight drives and dunks in the second half that the Bucks could not answer.

Miami’s starters rarely played together over the last couple weeks of the regular season, but any rust wore off by the time the third quarter got underway in Game 1. The Heat looked like a well-oiled machine while the Bucks struggled to get anything from anyone other than Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis. The two guards combined for 48 points but could not get their big men involved. Milwaukee is the only playoff team with a sub-.500 record but was confident enough going into the series for Jennings to predict a win in six games. For that to happen now, the Bucks will need to take four of the next five.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), SUN (Miami), NBATV

ABOUT THE BUCKS: Milwaukee’s biggest advantage was supposed to be on the glass, where they have Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova up front. Instead, the Bucks were outrebounded 46-31 by a Miami team that ranked last in the NBA in rebounding average during the regular season. Ilyasova was a non-factor, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting and attempting only one 3-pointer. Milwaukee could stand to slow things down a bit and move the ball instead of settling for jumpers off the dribble from Jennings and Ellis. The Bucks starting frontcourt of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Ilyasova and Sanders combined for 18 field goal attempts while Jennings and Ellis put up 39 in Game 1.

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami has won 38 of its last 40 games and has shown no sign that it is ready to slow down. James’ efficient performance was the standard for the whole team, with no one attempting more than Ray Allen’s 13 field goals. Chris Bosh did what Ilyasova has done so well at times, stepping out and going 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and Chris Andersen provided energy to go along with 10 points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench. “All I care about is the win,” James said after the game. “I didn’t even know my stats. I just knew that we were playing efficient offensively besides the turnovers.” Those turnovers were the one thing keeping Milwaukee in the game in the first half, but the Heat cleaned that up after the break.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a losing record
* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings.
* Bucks are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 road games.
* Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Miami 3-point specialists Allen and Shane Battier combined to go 3-for-15 from beyond the arc in Game 1.

2. James has had three career playoff games with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists - the most in NBA history.

3. Milwaukee did not help itself by going 12-for-20 from the free throw line in Game 1.

Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (-6.5, 185.5)

Knicks lead series 1-0.

The Knicks got 36 points from Carmelo Anthony in Saturday's 85-78 victory, but their defense made the difference. New York trailed by seven points late in the third quarter but limited Boston to only eight points in the fourth quarter. The Knicks forced eight turnovers in the final 12 minutes and 21 overall. "We've been playing like this since Rondo went down, so it's not an issue," Celtics center Kevin Garnett said in downplaying the point guard's absence. J.R. Smith, who on Monday was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year, has 15 points for the Knicks in the series opener.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, CSNNE (Boston), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CELTICS: Boston appeared to have the Knicks right where they wanted them through three quarters, controlling the tempo and forcing Anthony into difficult shots. Garnett and Paul Pierce each missed multiple games down the stretch due to ankle injuries, so fatigue may have been a factor. The lack of bench production certainly was a concern the Celtics, who got a combined four points and zero field goals from their reserves. Jeff Green carried the offense for most of the game, scoring 26 points, but he was limited to two free throws in the fourth. Coach Doc Rivers expects more from Garnett in Game 2. "We've got to get Kevin more involved," he said.

ABOUT THE KNICKS: Although Smith typically provides the spark off the bench, New York received huge contributions from veteran reserves Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin. Kidd, forced into a bigger role due to the ankle injury suffered by starting point guard Pablo Prigioni, had eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Martin also came up big, supplying 10 points and nine rebounds after sitting out the final five games of the regular season with an ankle injury. "When you got Jason Kidd on the floor who's been in as long as he's been in, and Kenyon, I mean it makes a world of difference," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "That was the whole reason for adding those guys to our team."

TRENDS:

* Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a loss.
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in Knicks’ last six home games.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Boston's eight fourth-quarter points tie a franchise record for its fewest in a quarter in a playoff game.

2. New York limited the Celtics to 25 second-half points, matching the franchise mark for fewest points allowed to an opponent in the postseason.

3. The Knicks are hopeful Prigioni will return Tuesday. They were 16-2 with him in the starting lineup.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Warriors at Nuggets: Game 2 Betting Preview

Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets (-8, 207)

Nuggets lead series 1-0

The first three quarters of Game 1 were all about a pair of young teams getting their feet wet in the playoffs. The final period was when both the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors really came alive. The Nuggets will try to take a commanding 2-0 lead when they host the Warriors in Game 2 on Tuesday. Golden State battled back in the fourth quarter despite losing David Lee early in the period and will have to figure out a way to win without him going forward.

Lee, who was the team’s lone All-Star and led the league in double-doubles during the regular season, went down with a hip injury in Game 1 and is expected to miss the remainder of the playoffs. The veteran forward was playing his first career postseason game and had helped the Warriors gain an advantage on the glass with 14 rebounds in 29 minutes before exiting. With Lee out of the paint, Andre Miller took over in the final quarter for Denver. The veteran point guard scored 18 of his 28 points in the final frame and drove for a layup with 1.3 seconds left to give the Nuggets a 97-95 victory.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Golden State), Altitude (Denver), TNT

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: An MRI taken after the game on Saturday revealed a torn right hip flexor for Lee, ruling him out for the rest of playoffs. That leaves a big hole in the frontcourt for Golden State, which had thrived with Lee working alongside Andrew Bogut. Those two helped the Warriors build up a 55-45 rebounding advantage in Game 1. With Lee out, Carl Landry will likely move into the starting power forward spot, tightening the defense a tad but shortening the bench and leaving the team without its best inside scorer and weak-side rebounder. Golden State could put even more of the offensive burden on the backcourt trio of Curry, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack. Curry went 1-for-10 in the first half on Saturday but finished with 19 points and nine assists and helped the Warriors score 31 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer with 14 seconds left tied it at 95. Golden State was the top 3-point shooting team in the regular season but struggled to 8-for-22 from beyond the arc in Game 1 and will need to pick that pace up to survive without Lee.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Denver will be looking to take full advantage of Lee’s absence with the return of Kenneth Faried, who missed Game 1 with a sprained ankle. Faried averaged 11.5 points and 9.2 rebounds in the regular season and is one of many Nuggets able to finish strong on the break and battle in the paint. Denver leaned on Miller in the fourth quarter and the veteran rewarded that trust with strong play on both ends of the floor. Miller led a reserve corps that totaled 49 points, helping to make up for a less impressive effort from the starters. Point guard Ty Lawson was held to 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting and four assists. The Nuggets went 38-3 at home during the regular season and were counting on their team athleticism to wear the Warriors down in the fourth quarter. Getting Faried back should help Denver push the pace right from the start on Tuesday.

TRENDS

* Warriors are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games following a loss.

* Over is 4-1 in Nuggets' last five overall.

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Denver.

* Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors are 3-18 in 21 games without Lee over the last three seasons.

2. Golden State turned the ball over 18 times in Game 1, leading to 18 points for the Nuggets.

3. Faried has averaged 11.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in seven career games against the Warriors.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

See Spot. See Spot Bet: This Week's Best Spot Bet Opportunities
by Jason Logan

Spot bets are a classic handicapping practice that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Lookahead Spot

The Miami Heat displayed why they’re the top team in the NBA and shut up Brandon Jennings in the process, knocking around the Milwaukee Bucks for a 110-87 win in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday. The Heat host Game 2 Tuesday night and the results are expected to be the same, if the monstrous Miami moneylines are any indication.

The series swings to Milwaukee Thursday and, if everything goes according to plan, Miami could be looking ahead to its second-round opponent before the Bucks are even in the bag. The Bucks were able to steal a game against the Heat at home back in late December, winning 104-85 and forced 22 turnovers in that upset. Miami coughed the ball up 19 times in Game 1 against a Milwaukee defense that forces 16 turnovers per game - most in the NBA.

Letdown Spot

The Chicago Cubs are currently battling the National League Central-leading Cincinnati Reds in a three-game road series, which finishes up with a matinee Wednesday. Heading into the series, the Cubbies have lost four in a row to the Reds, dating back to last season, and have just one win in their last 10 meetings with Cincy. Looking back long term, Chicago is 16-36 SU in its last 52 games with Cincinnati.

Following that grinder with the Reds, the Cubs welcome the warm weather in South Beach for a four-game stop to play the lowly Miami Marlins. The road hasn’t been kind to Cubs bettors this month. The team is 2-7 SU away from Wrigley heading into the week. Chicago made a similar stop in Miami around this time last April, going 0-3 versus the Marlins coming off a tough series with St. Louis.

Schedule Spot

Now that life is starting to get back to normal in the Boston area, the Bruins can refocus on the playoff push in the final week of the regular season. The schedule makers haven’t made it easy for Boston, sticking the Bruins with four games in the final six days to close the year, two of which come on the road.

Boston kicks off this stretch at Philadelphia Tuesday against a Flyers team that would love to spoil the B’s playoff positioning. The Bruins are home to Tampa Bay Thursday, back on the road at red-hot Washington Friday and finish up versus Ottawa at home Sunday. Boston has just one win in its last five outings and is holding off Montreal for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tuesday's Streaking & Slumping Starting Pitchers

Here are two streaking and two slumping MLB pitchers set to take the hill Tuesday:

Streaking

Carlos Villanueva, Chicago Cubs (1-0, 1.29 ERA)

Villanueva has been effective since making the transition to the National League. But the righty has only one win to show for three quality starts against top-notch opponents. Villanueva has yielded just three earned runs in 21 innings pitched against the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers.

Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks (2-0, 1.42 ERA)

The Diamondbacks are 3-0 in Corbin's starts. The rookie has only been touched up for three earned runs in 19 innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Slumping

Jason Vargas, Los Angeles Angels (0-2, 6.75 ERA)

Vargas has been awful since making the move from Seattle to Los Angeles. The lefty has yet to complete six innings in each of his first three starts and has surrendered 10 earned runs over his last two outings. Vargas is 4-6 with a 4.48 ERA in his career versus the Rangers.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays (0-1, 6.26 ERA)

The Rays’ ace is winless in his first four starts and was touched up for five earned runs in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles. The lefty owns a career 3.77 ERA against the Bronx Bombers – his second-highest mark against any AL opponent

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NHL Non-Playoff Teams: That Would Love to Play Spoiler

There’s just one week left on the NHL schedule and those teams on the outside looking in on the postseason picture have little to play for.

However, some teams relish the opportunity to spread their misery around the league and drag opposing teams down with them.

Here are three NHL teams that could play spoiler down the stretch:

Philadelphia Flyers (20-22-3 SU, 17-28 ATS)

It’s been a disappointing season for the Flyers, but no team has more potential to play spoiler down the stretch than Philly. The Flyers are building momentum with three wins in their last four contests, and have three games remaining against squads that will be desperate for wins down the stretch – Boston, New York (Islanders), and Ottawa.

Phoenix Coyotes (19-17-8 SU, 22-22 ATS)

The Coyotes aren’t technically out of playoff contention yet, but they’re certainly on life support as they trail the eighth-place Columbus Blue Jackets by five points in the West with four games to play heading into action Monday. The Desert Dogs are coming off a huge 3-2 win over Chicago and have earned points in three of their last four contests. Phoenix will have the chance to put a serious dent in Detroit’s playoff plans Monday night and squash San Jose’s chances of earning home advantage in the first round of the postseason on Wednesday.

Calgary Flames (19-22-4 SU, 22-23 ATS)

The Flames parted ways with long-time captain Jarome Iginla at the trade deadline, waving the white flag on their failed campaign. Calgary also did its best to ship goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff to Toronto, but he boldly refused to report to a new team if traded. The veteran netminder has since announced his retirement at season’s end and the Flames have been playing spirited hockey ever since. In fact, Calgary has already been playing spoiler over its last three games knocking off Minnesota, Anaheim and Detroit. The Flames will now try to throw a wrench in the Blues’ chances of earning home advantage in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday.

All stats prior to action Monday.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Champions League Semifinals Betting Preview

The first leg of the Champions League semifinals begin on Tuesday.

Here's a few betting notes to help with your handicapping.

Tuesday April 23

Bayern Munich v Barcelona +120 +250 +250

* The last time the two clubs met was the quarterfinal of the 2008/09 Champions League, where Barcelona won 5-1 on aggregate.

* Barcelona F Lionel Messi has traveled to Munich but has not been given medical clearance to play as of Monday. He has played only 28 minutes in Barcelona's past four matches in all competitions. Defenders Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano are missing from the squad with injuries and full-back Adriano is suspended.

* Barcelona has allowed five goals in the four matches of the knockout round of this year's tournament. It allowed 27 goals in its previous 32 Champions League knockout round ties dating back to 2007-08.

* Bayern Munich won the German Bundesliga earlier than any German team in history, and is on pace to set a record for goals scored (101), goals conceded and highest points tally in a season, according to German journalist Raphael Honigstein.

* Bayern F Mario Mandzukic is suspended for the first leg, with German national team striker Mario Gomez likely to take his starting spot. Gomez has started only 10 matches this season, but has 15 goals in all competitions. Mandzukic has 20 goals in 28 starts.

* Bayern Munich held Juventus goalless in the two quarterfinal matches, after keeping only one clean sheet in its previous eight Champions League matches.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Heat Heavily-Favored over Bucks in Tuesday's Game 2

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - Miami leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Miami -14, Total: 197

The Bucks will try to improve greatly from Sunday's showing when they visit Miami for Game 2 of their playoff series on Tuesday night.

In Game 1, the Bucks did everything they could to put up points and keep the Heat off the board. That wasn’t enough however, as Miami came out on top by a final score of 110-87. Despite the best efforts by Milwaukee’s starting backcourt (Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings combined for 48 points), the Heat won the second half by 16 points (58-42). The Heat didn’t let the Bucks score 25 points in a single quarter, and defensively the Bucks had absolutely no match for LeBron James, who was nearly perfect on the night. James finished the game 9-for-11 from the field with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. The Bucks (21-21 ATS on road this season) got little help from their bench and role players, and without them, they do not stand a chance versus Miami (38-4 SU, 23-19 ATS at home).

The Bucks are going to need perfect play from their entire roster if they are going to win a game in this series. On Sunday, SG Monta Ellis went 10-for-19 from the field with 22 points and added four steals, four rebounds and a team-high-tying three assists. He was getting quality looks in the game, but he went just 1-for-6 from three and also 1-for-6 from the foul line, contributing to a game-worst, minus-26 rating. Ellis will need to pick up those shooting percentages if Milwaukee is to keep these games closer. PG Brandon Jennings was the only other Bucks player to score in double-digits and he too played a strong offensive game, going 8-for-20 from the field (4-of-10 threes) for 26 points. Jennings only had two assists though, and will need to do a better job of getting his teammates involved. Outside of Jennings and Ellis, no other Milwaukee player eclipsed six points. SG J.J. Redick will have to provide more offense in Game 2, as he went just 1-of-6 from the field with six points and a minus-7 rating in this one.

The defending champions got off to a quick start Sunday against the Bucks and after Milwaukee got the game close again towards the end of the first quarter, the Heat flipped a switch and dominated the rest of the game. SF LeBron James was outstanding, missing a triple-double by just two assists, but he did commit a game-high five turnovers. PF Chris Bosh was dominant inside with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range. Bosh’s size caused Milwaukee tons of problems on Sunday and it could continue to do so in Game 2. SG Dwyane Wade had 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a game-best +26 rating on Sunday, but it was SG Ray Allen who stole the show for Miami at the shooting guard position. In his first playoff game with the Heat, Allen dropped 20 points (6-of-13 FG), five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 29 minutes. He and PF Chris Andersen (10 points on 4-of-4 FG, seven rebounds in 16 minutes) both provided a huge spark off the bench for Erik Spoelstra’s team.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Seeks 2-0 Series Lead Tuesday vs. Boston

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - New York leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: New York -6.5, Total: 185

Boston will be looking to even up the series at one game apiece when they play in New York on Tuesday.

The first game between these two teams on Saturday ended up in a sloppy 85-78 game in favor of the Knicks. They really clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter and held the Celtics to just eight points in those final 12 minutes. The Knicks are now a sizzling-hot 17-2 SU (15-4 ATS) in their past 19 games, including 11 straight home wins (9-2 ATS) to improve their record at Madison Square Garden to 32-10 SU (25-17 ATS) this season. Boston is just 5-12 SU (7-10 ATS) in its past 17 games overall, and 14-28 SU (16-24-2 ATS) on the road this season.

The Boston Celtics were up by as much as seven points in the third quarter of Game 1, but could not get anything going in the fourth quarter. PF Jeff Green was dominant in the first half of the game, but nowhere to be found in the second. He finished the game with 26 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, but he had just six of those points in the second half. He will need to be aggressive for the entire game if Boston is going to upset New York. SF Paul Pierce also struggled in the second half, but played very well overall for the Celtics with 21 points, seven assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes. But both Green and Pierce turned the ball over six times apiece, contributing heavily to the team's 20 miscues. Boston will need more scoring out of PF Kevin Garnett, who played well defensively (nine rebounds), but finished with just eight points on 4-of-12 shooting. PG Avery Bradley was on top of his game though, going 7-of-14 from the field with 15 points, four assists and three steals. The Celtics are going to need a lot more production from their bench as it combined for just four points, missing all seven FG attempts on Saturday. SG Jason Terry was 0-for-5 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range in 20 horrible minutes.

The Knicks didn’t play their best in Game 1, but they certainly will take the final result, which was a win over a tough division rival. SF Carmelo Anthony was hot in the first quarter, struggled in the second and third, and then heated up again in the fourth quarter for New York. He was hitting timely buckets when the Knicks need him and finished the game with 36 points (13-of-29 FG), six rebounds and four steals. He was focused defensively and played with tremendous effort. SG J.R. Smith went ice-cold from three-point range, going 1-for-7 on his way to a 7-of-19 shooting performance, but it is unlikely that Smith is that off again. New York was able to get only 20 minutes of playing time out of C Tyson Chandler, who took zero shots in the game after coming back from a bulging disc in his neck. Chandler said after the game that he was rusty, so look for him to improve in Game 2. The two difference makers on Saturday were veterans PG Jason Kidd and PF Kenyon Martin. Kidd finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. He also hit back-to-back threes in the third quarter to stop a very threatening Boston run. Martin was also magnificent off the bench, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds (five offensive) and two blocks, including a huge swat on Jason Terry that had Madison Square Garden roaring.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Lee - Less Warriors Look to Even Series with Denver Tuesday

Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - Denver leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET
Line: Denver -8, Total: 207

After nearly knocking off the heavily-favored Nuggets on Saturday, the now Warriors try to even up their first-round series without their best big man in Tuesday night's Game 2 at Pepsi Center.

Denver PG Andre Miller hit an acrobatic reverse lay-up with less than two seconds remaining to cap off a 28-point night and give his team a 97-95 win in Saturday's Game 1. Not only did Golden State lose the game, but they also lost All-Star PF David Lee to a torn right hip flexor in the fourth quarter that will keep him out for the remainder of the postseason. The Nuggets were also missing their starting PF Kenneth Faried (ankle), but he might be able to return to the court on Tuesday for the first time since April 14. Both teams finished the regular season strong, as the Warriors won 10 of their final 15 games (SU and ATS) while the Nuggets closed the season with eight wins in their final nine contests (5-4 ATS). With Saturday's tight victory, Denver has now won four of the five meetings (3-2 ATS) between these teams this season, and is a remarkable 39-3 SU (28-14 ATS) at Pepsi Center, including 24 straight home wins. Golden State is only 19-23 SU (20-21-1 ATS) on the road this season, but is now 5-2 ATS in its past seven away games.

Golden State had little trouble putting up points this season with 101.2 PPG (7th in NBA) on 45.8% FG (11th in league) and an NBA-best 40.3% three-point clip. In Game 1, they fell well below all of those averages with 95 points on 41% FG and 36% threes. Despite holding teams to 43.9% FG (4th in NBA) and 34.7% threes (7th in league), the Warriors still allowed 100.3 PPG overall (19th in NBA) and 107.5 PPG in the season series, so they were pleased to hold Denver to 97 points. Golden State committed the third-most turnovers in the league (14.8 TOPG), but was strong on the glass with a +2.3 RPG margin (8th in NBA). Both of these trends held true on Saturday when the team committed 17 turnovers but dominated the boards with a 55-45 rebounding edge. PF David Lee and C Andrew Bogut were the biggest reason their team fared so well on the boards in Game 1, pulling down 14 rebounds apiece. With Lee leading the NBA with 56 double-doubles in the regular season, eight more than any other player, his absence will surely be felt. Lee also crushed Denver during the regular season with 23.3 PPG (56% FG), 10.3 RPG, 5.0 APG and 2.3 steals per game. Bogut and PF Carl Landry will be asked to score more in the paint. Bogut netted just nine points on Saturday, but blocked four shots and posted a team-best +10 rating. Landry came off the bench to score 14 points with five rebounds in 24 minutes. PG Stephen Curry set an NBA record for most three-pointers made in a season (272), as he actually shot better from three-point range (45.3%) than from inside the arc (44.9%) this season. He couldn't make anything to start the game, going 0-for-9 from the floor, but heated up after that dry spell by finishing 7-of-11 FG including a game-tying three-pointer right before Andre Miller's heroics. Curry finished with 19 points, nine assists, four rebounds, five turnovers and a +8 rating. SG Klay Thompson had a huge finish to the regular season with three straight 20-point efforts, averaging 24.0 PPG on 48% shooting over that span. He kept that streak going in Game 1 with a team-high 22 points (10-for-19 FG). PG Jarrett Jack shot just 42% FG in the regular-season series with the Nuggets, and was also cold on Saturday, making just 3-of-12 shots (0-for-5 threes). But he still contributed a near triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in 33 minutes off the bench.

The Nuggets led the NBA in scoring with 106.1 PPG, as they attempted the second-most field goals in the league (85.2 FGA per game). But they also shot a stellar 47.8% FG (5th in NBA), despite a subpar 34.3% clip on three-pointers (25th in league) during the regular season. Denver failed to reach any of these marks in Game 1 though, scoring 97 points on 44.7% FG and 3-of-16 threes, while missing 10 free throws. Miller was the only Nuggets player with more than a dozen points, getting his playoff-career-high 28 points on 11-of-16 FG with five assists and just two turnovers. Miller had been in a major shooting slump over the final four games of the regular season, scoring just 6.3 PPG on 6-of-30 shooting. PG Ty Lawson didn't play very well in the playoff series opener with 12 points and four assists, well below his 16.7 PPG and 6.9 APG during the regular season. But two other starters also played very well in SF Wilson Chandler and SG Andre Iguodala. Chandler shot just 5-of-16 from the floor, but still finished with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. He has really stepped up his offense with SF Danilo Gallinari (torn ACL) sidelined, pouring in 20.0 PPG on 51% FG (43% threes) with 6.0 RPG in the final five regular-season games. Iguodala took just four shots, but wound up with eight points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a game-high +11 rating. This performance wasn't a big surprise considering he had a huge series versus Golden State in the regular season with 20.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 5.0 APG in the four meetings. PF Kenneth Faried hasn't played a full game since April 12 when he recorded a double-double (11 pts, 10 reb) in Dallas. The team thinks his ankle is healed enough for Tuesday, as Faried was a beast in the paint with 11.5 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 2.3 BPG against the Warriors this season.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Stephen Nover | NBA Sides - Tuesday, Apr 23 2013 10:30PM
726 DEN -8.0(-110) Hilton vs 725 GSW double-dime bet

Analysis:Now that the Nuggets had a scare in Game 1, winning just 97-95, I see them blowing away the Warriors in Game 2. I don't believe the Nuggets will be flat a second straight game.
Not only will Denver be better prepared for Andrew Bogut, but the Nuggets won't have to worry about David Lee. His season is over after he torn his right hip flexor. Lee is out and Kenneth Faried, Denver's leading rebounder, is back in after he sat out Saturday's Game 1 with an injured ankle.
The combination of no Lee, the league leader in double-doubles, and Faried back in Denver's lineup is a letha ·l one for the Warriors. There is no way the Nuggets want to travel to the Bay Area with the series tied 1-1. The Nuggets have covered 15 of their last 21 (71 percent) at Pepsi Center. Note, too, that a home team in the first round of the playoffs that wins the opening game wins the second game, too, at a 76.5 percent clip.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Bookies Hunter

2* Bucks/Heat - Under 196.5

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Capitals won nine of last ten games. Winnipeg won six of its last seven.
-- Islanders won 11 of their last 14 games.
-- Flyers won three of their last four games.
-- Rangers won five of their last six games.
-- Calgary won five of its last six games.
-- Blues won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Kings won four of their last five games.
-- San Jose won three of its last four games.
-- Penguins won their last seven games, outscoring opponents 26-15.

Cold teams
-- New Jersey lost 12 of their last 14 games. Canadiens lost four of their last five.
-- Hurricanes lost 17 of their last 20 games.
-- Bruins lost four of their last five games.
-- Florida lost its last eight games, outscored 35-13.
-- Predators lost their last eight games, outscored 28-12.
-- Colorado lost 16 of its last 21 games.
-- Minnesota lost eight of its last eleven games.
-- Dallas Stars lost three of their last four games.
-- Sabres lost their last two games, 8-4/2-1.

Totals
-- Four of last five Winnipeg games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Montreal games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Islander-Carolina games went over total.
-- Under is 14-4-3 in Boston's last 21 games.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Rangers' last four games.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Calgary games.
-- Under is 8-1-1 in last ten St Louis games.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Minnesota games.
-- Over is 13-5-1 in last nineteen Dallas Star games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Buffalo games.

Series records
-- Jets are 0-3 vs Washington this week, outscored 13-1.
-- Canadiens are 2-0 vs New Jersey this year, winning 4-3/2-1.
-- Islanders are 0-2 vs Carolina this year, losing 6-4/4-2.
-- Flyers lost ten of last twelve games with Boston.
-- Rangers won four of last five games with Florida.
-- Flames lost three of last four games with Nashville.
-- Blues lost 11 of last 15 games with Colorado.
-- Kings won five of their last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Sharks are 0-3 vs Dallas this year, losing 3-1/5-4ot/2-1.
-- Penguins won nine of last twelve games with Buffalo.

Back-to-backs
-- Winnipeg is 3-4 if it played the night before.
-- Sabres are 2-6 if they played the night before. Pittsburgh is 4-2.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MLB

Hot pitchers
-- Wainwright is 3-0, 1.96 in his last three starts. Detwiler is 1-0, 1.35 in his first three starts this season.
-- Hamels is 0-0, 2.77 in his last two starts, but Phillies are 0-4 in his starts this season, scoring four runs in his last two outings.
-- Villanueva is 1-0, 1.29 in three starts this season. Cingrani allowed one run in five IP in his first MLB start, beating Miami 11-1.
-- Niese is 1-0, 1.84 in two home starts this season.
-- Minor is 2-1, 0.95 in three starts this season. Colorado is 3-0 in Garland's starts (2-0, 3.32) scoring 24 runs.
-- Richard is 0-0, 1.64 in his last two starts; he missed his last start with an illness.
-- Corbin is 2-0, 1.09 in three starts this season.

-- Correia is 1-1, 2.95 in three starts this season.

-- Oakland is 3-0 when Colon starts (2-0, 3.15).
-- Davis is 3-0, 2.25 in three starts this season. Scherzer is 0-0, 1.93 in his last couple starts.
-- Dickey is 2-0, 0.73 in his last couple starts.
-- Quintana is 1-0, 0.00 (13.2 IP) in his last two starts.
-- Iwakuma is 3-0, 1.69 in four starts this season.
-- Ogando is 2-1, 3.32 in four starts this season.

Cold pitchers
-- Locke is 1-1, 5.17 in three starts this season.
-- Kershaw is 0-2, 5.68 in his last couple starts.
-- Teheran is 0-0, 7.31 in three starts, but Atlanta won all three, scoring total of 18 runs. Francis allowed 15 runs in six IP in his last two starts.
-- Gallardo is 1-1, 5.56 in four starts this season.
-- Cain is 0-2, 9.72 in his last three starts.

-- Miami is 0-4 in Nolasco starts (0-1, 4.15 last three). Fernandez is 0-1, 3.60 in his first three MLB starts. Pelfrey has an 8.31 RA in three starts.

-- Aceves has a 4.50 RA in two starts this season.
-- MGonzalez is 0-1, 6.17 in his last two starts.
-- Tampa Bay is 0-4 in Price starts this year (0-1, 7.41 in last three). Hughes is 0-2, 7.07 in three starts this season.
-- Norris is 1-2, 7.43 in his last three starts. McAllister is 1-2, 5.19 in three starts this season.
-- Vargas is 0-2, 6.60 in his first three starts for the Angels.

Totals
-- Five of last six Pittsburgh games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last fourteen Washington games went over total.
-- Six of last nine Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Met games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four San Diego games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last eight Arizona games stayed under the total.

-- Three of four Nolasco starts stayed under the total.

-- 16 of last 19 Oakland games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Kansas City games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last ten Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Bronx games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 8-4-1 in last thirteen Cleveland games.
-- Seven of last ten Seattle games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-2-1 in last twelve Texas games; 11 of last 13 Angel games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Pirates won nine of their last thirteen games. Phillies won three of four.
-- Cardinals won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Reds won seven of their last eight games.
-- Mets won four of their last five home games.
-- Rockies won eight of their last nine games.
-- Brewers won their last eight games, scoring 46 runs.
-- Giants won their last seven home games.

-- Red Sox won eight of their last ten games.
-- Orioles won four of their last five games.
-- Royals won three of their last four games.
-- Rays won five of their last six games. Bronx won nine of its last thirteen.
-- Cleveland won its last three games, scoring 27 runs.
-- Texas won five of its last six games. Angels won three of their last four.

Cold teams
-- Nationals lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Cubs lost 11 of their last 14 games.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last seven games.
-- Braves lost four of their last five games.
-- Padres lost nine of their last twelve games.
-- Arizona is 5-8 in its last thirteen games..

-- Marlins lost 15 of their first 19 games. Minnesota lost six of its last nine.

-- Oakland lost its last four games, scoring ten runs.
-- Detroit lost its last four games, outscored 24-4.
-- Blue Jays lost five of their last seven games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Mariners lost nine of their last thirteen games. Houston lost seven of its last eight games.

Umpires
-- StL-Wsh-- Eight of last eleven Blaser games went over total.
-- Pitt-Phil-- Favorites won 13 of last 18 Knight games.
-- Chi-Cin--Six of last eight Hudson games went over the total.
-- Mil-SD-- 12 of last 18 Darling games stayed under the total.
-- Az-SF-- Home side won all four Tumpane games this season.

-- A's-Bos-- Underdogs won eight of last 12 Wendelstedt games.
-- Tor-Balt-- Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven Marquez games.
-- NY-TB-- Over is 5-1-2 in last eight Drake games.
-- Clev-Chi-- Underdogs are 7-5 in last dozen Conroy games.
-- Sea-Hst-- Eight of last ten Guccione games went over the total.
-- Tex-LA-- Home side is 9-4 in last 13 Hoye games, with five of last seven going over the total.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

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