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Wednesday's NBA playoff notes: Smith probable, Nash will play
Hawks forward Josh Smith should be able to go in Game 2 after spraining his ankle in the opener. Here is a look at some notes for Wednesday's NBA Playoff action.
Smith probable
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith has been upgraded to probable for Wednesday night's game with the Indiana Pacers.
Smith sprained his ankle in Game 1. He played 35 minutes and scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Smith returned to full practice on Tuesday after missing practice on Monday, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Hawks are 7-point underdogs in Game 2. The total is 187.
Nash will play
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni said that guard Steve Nash will play in Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, according to a tweet from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
The Spurs are 9-point favorites at home in Game 2. The total is 186.5.
Nash started and played almost 30 minutes in Game 1, scoring 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the floor, with three assists. The former two-time MVP missed the previous eight games with a hip injury and missed 24 games in November and December with a leg injury.
Nash is averaging 6.7 assists this season, his lowest total since averaging 4.9 dimes in 1999-2000 with Dallas. -
Wednesday's NBA playoff action: What bettors need to know
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder (-11, 212)
Thunder lead series 1-0
The Oklahoma City Thunder were so dominant in the opening game of their first-round series with Houston that it won’t be a surprise if the Rockets get swept. Oklahoma City looks to take a 2-0 lead when it hosts Houston on Wednesday and matching its stellar Game 1 performance will be tough. “They did a good job of following the game plan, executing it, and playing as hard as they could possibly play,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said after Sunday’s 120-91 victory.
The Rockets traveled back to Houston in between games and will hope they are much more composed in Game 2. Eighth-seeded Houston looked overwhelmed by the top-seeded Thunder at the outset and then was mauled in the second half. “There were definitely nerves,” Rockets guard James Harden said afterward. “Not just for me, but also for my teammates that were going through their playoff game on the road.” Not only did Houston have trouble dealing with Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook but power forward Serge Ibaka scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, Comcast SportsNet Houston, Fox Sports Oklahoma
ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Point guard Jeremy Lin has trouble shadowing athletic opponents and was badly outplayed by Westbrook in Game 1. Lin had four points on 1-of-7 shooting and committed four turnovers. “He’s a young kid and this was his first playoff game,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said in defense of Lin after the contest. “I think that sometimes the expectation levels are so high. He’ll be better the next game. He’s a tough kid and he’ll bounce back.” Lin had plenty of company when it came to players who struggled as Harden (20 points on 6-of-19 shooting) was the lone starter to score in double digits.
ABOUT THE THUNDER: Westbrook operated at will in the opener and fell two rebounds shy of a triple-double. He had 19 points and 10 assists despite not playing in the final quarter. “When we have an open man, you have to pass the ball to the open man,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “Russell, he almost had a triple-double in the first half. His ball movement, his rebounding and ability to get to the basket was very good.” The Thunder got 47 points from its bench with veteran guard Derek Fisher sinking three 3-pointers while playing 12 minutes.
TRENDS
*The over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
*Houston is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games in Oklahoma City.
*Houston is 1-6 ATS in their last seven.
*Oklahoma City is 17-6 in their last 23 at home.
*Under is 6-1-1 in Thunder's last eight home games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Oklahoma City’s 29-point win marked its third rout of the Rockets this season. The Thunder notched regular-season victories of 30 and 22 points.
2. Houston’s 91-point outing in the opener was 15 points below its season average.
3. The Thunder are 18-5 in playoff games held in Oklahoma City.
Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers (-7, 187)
Pacers lead series 1-0
The Indiana Pacers had an easy time in Game 1 thanks to a huge free throw advantage and an inspired turn from Paul George. The Atlanta Hawks will try to even things up when they visit the Pacers for Game 2 on Wednesday. George recorded the second postseason triple-double in Indiana franchise history with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists on Sunday and was part of a defensive effort that left the Hawks with few options.
Atlanta coach Larry Drew was upset with how his team failed to respond to the Pacers’ physicality in Game 1 and called them out to reporters on Monday. “That team physically manhandled us,” Drew said. “This is playoff basketball. That cannot happen. Absolutely cannot happen.” The Pacers had ended their season in a bit of a funk defensively but have been one of the best teams in the league all season at controlling the pace. Indiana doesn’t mind slowing it down and playing inside-out with David West and Roy Hibbert in the post but found its most success with George slashing the lane and getting to the line on Sunday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sports South (Atlanta), Fox Sports Indiana, NBATV
ABOUT THE HAWKS: Atlanta forward Josh Smith suffered a sprained right ankle in Game 1 and missed practice on Monday. The Hawks’ leading scorer, who collected 15 points and eight rebounds on Sunday, is hopeful that he will play on Wednesday. The Pacers limited Smith and Al Horford to a combined 29 points in Game 1 while Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 21 points and seven assists. Teague got to the free throw line six times in the contest but the Hawks totaled only 14 attempts, making seven. The lack of aggression upset Drew. “We didn’t come up with the big plays,” Drew said. “We didn’t come up with the hustle plays, the energy plays…They clearly outworked us.”
ABOUT THE PACERS: George was given the award as the NBA’s Most Improved Player on Tuesday and will likely be on the shortlist for Defensive Player of the Year as well. The 22-year-old went 17-for-18 from the free throw line in Game 1 and little trouble getting into the lane against Smith, Kyle Korver or anyone else the Hawks threw at the swingman defensively. Indiana put six players in double figures in Game 1 and continued to pound the ball inside to Hibbert even though he went 7-for-17 from the field. The commitment to the post helped to open things on the outside for George Hill and Lance Stephenson. George and Stephenson both played over 40 minutes on Sunday but the playoff schedule will allow for two days off in between Games 1 and 2, and another two full days of rest before Game 3.
TRENDS
*The over is 8-1 in Atlanta's last nine road games.
*Indiana is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games.
*The favorite is 20-6 ATS in the last 26 meetings in this series.
*The over is 5-1 in Indiana's last six overall.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Indiana outrebounded Atlanta 48-32 in Game 1.
2. Horford grabbed six rebounds on Sunday, matching his lowest total since March 3.
3. The series will shift back to Atlanta for Game 3 on Saturday.
Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs (-8.5, 186.5)
Spurs lead series 1-0
San Antonio Spurs big man Tim Duncan called teammate Manu Ginobili the "X-factor" entering the postseason, and the future Hall of Famer's words proved prophetic in Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ginobili, who missed nine of the final 10 regular-season games due to a hamstring injury, scored 18 points and sparked a decisive run to help San Antonio to a 91-79 win. The Spurs will look to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series Wednesday at home.
The Lakers finished the regular-season on a five-game win streak, but their offense looked lost without superstar Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles got plenty of production from the inside tandem of center Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, who combined for 36 points and 31 rebounds. Points from the perimeter were hard to come by, thought, as Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Metta World Peace combined to shoot 13-for-37. "Both of the Steves had some good looks," Howard said. "I think they will knock down those shots in this game."
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Fox Sports Southwest (San Antonio), Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE LAKERS: Point guard Nash is clearly not 100 percent and looked rusty after sitting out the final eight games of the regular season with hip, leg and back injuries. He scored 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting and had just three assists while struggling to get the team into an offensive flow. "He's not having the explosive stuff he has, but he's always a threat on the perimeter," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He has a better shot at shooting well than anyone else I know, so we'll take our chances." D'Antoni conceded that Los Angeles is trying to make an abrupt transition to an "inside-out" offense that relies on the scoring of Howard and Gasol.
ABOUT THE SPURS: Ginobili pronounced himself fine one day after his efficient Game 1 outing that produced 18 points in only 19 minutes. "It's just his basketball IQ," Duncan said of Ginobili. "Just him being on the floor brings a different energy, a different movement to the entire team." It was the first time since March 27 that the Spurs had their Big 3 of Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker on the floor for extended minutes and erased the memory of seven losses in their last 10 games. Matt Bonner joined Ginobili in double figures off the bench with 10 points, giving San Antonio a 40-10 edge in scoring among the reserves. Duncan had 17 points and 10 boards in the opener.
TRENDS
*San Antonio is 5-16 ATS in its last 21.
*Lakers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight on the road.
*The under is 20-6 in the last 26 Lakers-Spurs games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Lakers are 34-1 when winning Game 1 in the first round and 4-9 when they drop the series opener.
2. Duncan has 139 postseason double-doubles and trails Shaquille O'Neal by three for No. 3 all time.
3. Lakers backup G Jodie Meeks did not practice Tuesday after rolling an ankle in the series opener.Comment
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Hot under pitchers headline Wednesday's starters
Wednesday features a number of starting pitchers that have satisfied under bettors so far this season. Here is a look at three that take the bump.
(Team over/under record in pitcher's starts indicated in italics)
Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants (3-0, 2.05 ERA)
0-4 over/under
The under is 4-0 in all four of Bumgarner's starts this season. San Francisco's offense supplies him with just 3.25 runs per game, tying him for 17th in the National League.
The Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Giants Wednesday. It will mark the first time that Bumgarner has faced Arizona this season. Bumgarner was 0-3 with an ERA of 6.71 versus Arizona in 2012. The over went 3-0 in those games.
Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers (3-1, 2.03 ERA)
1-3 over/under
Yu Darvish is off to a tremendous start in 2013. Opponents are batting a dismal .144 versus Darvish. He is second in WHIP with 0.79 and is first in strikeouts with 38. He has given up just six earned runs and has yet to surrender a home run in 2013.
The Rangers continue their series with the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday. Darvish pitched five innings and gave up three earned runs en route to the win over the Angels back on April 7. The Rangers won 7-3. It was the only start that went over the total for Darvish this season.
Joe Saunders, Seattle Mariners (1-2, 4.50 ERA)
1-3 over/under
The under is 3-0 in Saunders' last three starts. His ERA is high at 4.50 and he has just two quality starts on the season. The big lefty is last in the AL in run support with just 1.50 runs supplied to him per game. Seattle has scored just four runs in his last three starts.
Seattle is on the road to face the Houston Astros Wednesday. Saunders shutout the Astros 3-0 back on April 8. He went 6 1-3 innings giving up six hits and striking out a season-high five batters.Comment
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Wednesday's streaking and slumping MLB starters
A phenom in New York and a wily veteran highlight Wednesday's streaking and slumping report to help you with your capping.
Streaking
Wandy Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates (2-0, 0.56 ERA)
The veteran Rodriguez has a career 4.15 ERA in eight seasons, coming into this campaign. He has been throwing smoke as if he was 24 and not 34. Rodriguez has given up only one earned run and five hits in 16 innings pitched. The under is 3-0 in his starts.
Matt Harvey, New York Mets (4-0, 0.93 ERA)
The 24-year-old flame thrower has been one of the biggest revelations in baseball this season. He has given up three earned runs in four starts this season, with 32 strikeouts in 29 innings, and has walked only nine batters. The over is 3-1 in Harvey's starts due to the Mets offense. Harvey has gone at least seven innings in each of his starts.
Slumping
Brett Anderson, Oakland Athletics (1-3, 5.95 ERA)
Anderson has been roughed up for 11 earned runs in his past two starts. He lasted only one inning in his last start against Tampa after getting rocked for four runs and then left with a sprained ankle. He is expected to start Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks (1-2, 5.47 ERA)
Kennedy hasn't won a start since Opening Day and has given up a home run in each of his last three trips to the bump. He also hasn't made it to the seventh inning since his first start.Comment
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Borussia Dortmund-Real Madrid betting preview
The first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid is Wednesday.
Here's a few betting notes to help with your handicapping.
(All lines courtesy of Bet365.com)
Wednesday April 24
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid +163 +260 +175
* These two teams have already met in the group stage. Dortmund won 2-1 on October 24 at home and the clubs drew 2-2 on November 6 in Madrid.
* Real Madrid and Spanish national team captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas is expected to be on the bench for the fifth straight match in all competitions after returning from a fractured hand. Goalkeeper Diego Lopez has kept three clean sheets in 17 games since joining the club in January.
* Real Madrid will be sweating out on the status of a few defenders. Alvaro Arbeloa is suspended after picking up a red card in the second leg of the quarterfinal against Galatasaray. Marcelo will miss the match after picking up an injury on the weekend. Sergio Ramos and Fabio Coentrao also missed the weekend match against Real Betis.
* Real Madrid has kept one clean sheet in 10 Champions League matches this year.
* Borussia Dortmund forward Robert Lewandowski announced on his Facebook page that he will play against Real Madrid after having thigh pain in his team's last match against Mainz. Lewandowski has scored 10 goals in the past 10 games and scored against Real Madrid in October.
* Borussia Dortmund has won all five home matches in the Champions League, outscoring the opposition 10-3.
Futures odds:
Barcelona +210
Real Madrid +210
Bayern Munich +275
Borussia Dortmund +600Comment
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Cappers Access
Lakers +8.5
Nationals(RL) -1.5(+158)
Brewers -125Comment
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JACK JONES
20* NBA Wednesday Total ANNIHILATOR on Hawks/Pacers UNDER 188
The books have overcompensated for a high-scoring Game 1 between Atlanta and Indiana. The Pacers beat the Hawks 107-90 for 197 combined points in a game that had the total set at 185.5 as the closing line.
Now, the books have jacked this total up a couple points to 188, and I find a ton of value in backing the under. With their playoff lives at stake, I look for a much better effort defensively from the Hawks as they try to steal Game 2 after giving up 50% shooting and 107 points in Game 1.
Indiana always brings it defensively, and that will be the case once again in Game 2 after limiting the Hawks to 44.9% shooting and 90 points in Game 1. The Pacers only yield 41.4% shooting and 89.9 points/game at home this season.
This play falls into a system that is 34-13 (72.3%) to the UNDER over the last 5 seasons. It tells us to bet the UNDER on all teams where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points (INDIANA) - extremely well rested team - playing 3 or less games in 10 days, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team.
Atlanta is 75-48 to the UNDER when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. The Hawks are 21-6 to the UNDER after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games over the last 3 seasons. Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.Comment
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Top 4 Hottest Bets in Sports
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Milwaukee Brewers headline some of the hottest bets in sports. Here is a look at four of the best plays around:
(All stats going into Tuesday's action)
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pens have been without Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Paul Martin and Kris Letang at various times over the past few weeks. But Pittsburgh has still won 22 of 24 games, including the last seven, scoring 3.5 goals a game and holding opponents to an average of 2.1 goals a night during the streak. A $100 bettor would be up $601.80 if they picked Pittsburgh the last seven games.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have won eight games in a row after starting the season 2-8. Milwaukee has $100 bettors up $760.19 if they picked the last eight contests. The Brewers have cut its ERA almost by half over the streak, collecting a 2.83 ERA in the last eight and 5.20 ERA in the previous 10.
Oakland Athletics - OVER
The over is 16-4 in Oakland's 20 games this season. The A's are mashing the ball. They are second in baseball in runs scored (106, 5.3 per game), sixth in hits (171) and sixth in OPS (.763). Combine this with a pitching staff giving up a 4.02 ERA and a ninth-worst 80 earned runs, you have a recipe for a lot of high scoring games.
Chicago White Sox - UNDER
The opposite of Oakland, the under is 14-4-1 in the White Sox's 19 games this season. Chicago is 27th in baseball in runs per game with 3.32 and batting average with .229. But the White Sox can pitch, with a fifth-best ERA of 3.33 and the staff has struck out 158 batters, good for eighth in baseball.Comment
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Dissecting the NBA Zig-Zag Theory: Betting Playoff Teams off a Loss
by Marc Lawrence
Long before the Gold Sheet first called out the premise, Zig-Zags were primarily recognized as popular rolling papers for those who enjoy their smoke of choice.
In NBA handicapping circles, Zig-Zags are trendy applications that have been profitable moneymakers during the playoffs. The premise is simple: Bet on the team coming off a loss.
The theory is that in a short series involving imminent elimination, a team is more inclined to bounce back with a good effort off a losing performance than it is to continue its losing ways.
How have these plays held up of late? You might be surprised.
Here are pointspread results of NBA Playoff Zig-Zags from 1991 through 2012:
Overall: 708-628-36 ATS • 52.9 percent
Game 2: 174-144-13 ATS • 54.7 percent
Game 3: 181-143-6 ATS • 55.8 percent
Game 4: 133-124-6 ATS • 51.1 percent
Game 5: 93-100-6 ATS • 48.1 percent
Game 6: 67-61-2 ATS • 52.3 percent
Game 7: 27-22-2 ATS • 55.1 percent
The strength of NBA Zig-Zag theory appears to be in Game 3, where teams off a loss become a near 56 percent pointspread win on the blind. That’s especially true for home teams that were limited to 75 or fewer points in Game 2, going 14-4 ATS in these contests.
Like all things popular, though, they eventually burn out and revert back to the norm.
A combination of the law of averages and an adjustment by the oddsmakers has seen the NBA Zig Zag theory go up in smoke since 2001.
That’s confirmed by the fact that these plays slipped dramatically the last 12 years (2001-2012), going 397-379-26 – or 51.1 percent - overall as opposed to a 311-249-10 mark – or 55.5 percent - in games played from 1991-2000.
Round-by-Round Zig-Zag results
Round 1: 334-293-29 ATS • 53.2 percent
Round 2: 216-188-7 ATS • 53.4 percent
Round 3: 104-101-6 ATS • 50.7 percent
Round 4: 52-46-3 ATS • 53.0 percent
While it appears there is no discernable edge between rounds, it’s interesting to note that the largest profits are derived by home teams in Round 2. They’re posting a 117-99-4 ATS mark, including 71-45-3 ATS when playing off a double-digit defeat.
Zig-Zag by seed
Results are since the 1996 season.
No. 1 Seeds: 93-90-5 ATS • 50.8 percent
No. 2 Seeds: 93-77-3 ATS • 54.7 percent
No. 3 Seeds: 81-71-9 ATS • 53.2 percent
No. 4 Seeds: 74-64-1 ATS • 53.6 percent
No. 5 Seeds: 62-57-2 ATS • 52.1 percent
No. 6 Seeds: 50-50-2 ATS • 50.0 percent
No. 7 Seeds: 38-53-3 ATS • 41.7 percent
No. 8 Seeds: 54-39-5 ATS • 58.0 percent
Disparate results abound between No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.
Digging deeper, No. 7s are an unlucky 3-13-1 ATS as dogs of nine or more points, while No.8s are 12-3 ATS as a pick’em or favorite.
So then where is it that bettors can expect to catch the best value possible with NBA Zig-Zags these days?
Double-digit dogs are 41-22-1 ATS - 65.2 percent - and favorites of 4.5 or more point off a loss of 20 or more are 29-8 ATS • 78.3 percent.Comment
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Thunder Try to Crush Rockets again in Game 2 Wednesday
Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - Oklahoma City leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Oklahoma City -11, Total: 212
After a thorough beatdown on Sunday night, the Rockets will try to climb back into their first-round playoff series in Wednesday's Game 2 versus the mighty Thunder.
The Rockets are now 2-5 SU (1-6 ATS) in their past seven games, but none of those losses were as painful as the 120-91 shellacking they absorbed in Game 1. All five of Oklahoma City's starters posted a rating of greater than +20, and none needed to log even 35 minutes in the blowout victory. The Thunder have now won 11 of their past 14 games (9-5 ATS), and have beaten Houston three out of four times this season, winning those games by 22, 30 and 29 points. The Rockets have struggled all season on the road, producing a 16-26 SU record (17-24-1 ATS, 42%) while allowing 104.3 PPG to host teams. The Thunder have scored a hefty 108.8 PPG at home this season, tallying a 35-7 SU record (28-14 ATS, 67%) at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Although Houston is 9-5 SU (7- 7 ATS) with 2 days' rest this season, Oklahoma City is a perfect 8-0 SU (5-3 ATS) in this same scenario.
Houston's offense was outstanding all season with 106.0 PPG (2nd in NBA) on 46.1% FG and 36.6% three-pointers (both 9th-best in league), knocking down 10.6 threes per game (2nd in NBA). But in Game 1, the club shot 36% from the floor, including just 8-of-36 threes (22%), with nearly as many turnovers (15) as assists (17). Defensively, this Rockets team really struggles to stop opponents, allowing 102.5 PPG (3rd-worst in league) in the regular season. SG James Harden was the only Game 1 starter in double-figures with 20 points, but he made just 6-of-19 FG (1-of-6 threes) and posted a horrific minus-28 rating in his 34 minutes on the court. PF Greg Smith was even worse in this category with a minus-34 rating in just 17 minutes. Harden did have six rebounds though, and he should be able to bounce back against his former team, whom he averaged 29.3 PPG (44% FG) and 4.0 RPG in three meetings during the regular season. SF Chandler Parsons usually stuffs the stat sheet, entering this series with 23.5 PPG on 58% FG (4-of-11 threes) with 5.0 APG and 4.0 RPG in the final two games in the regular season. But he finished Game 1 with a pedestrian nine points, three rebounds, zero assists and minus-18 rating in 25 minutes. PG Jeremy Lin was awful in his postseason debut on Sunday, posting four points (1-of-7 FG, 0-for-4 threes), four assists, four turnovers and a minus-23 rating. Lin's confidence should have been pretty high after stringing together a strong month of April with 17.3 PPG (44% FG, 36% threes), 6.9 APG and a 2.70 Ast/TO ratio. C Omer Asik averaged a double-double versus Oklahoma City (10.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG) during the regular season, but fell just short of those marks on Sunday with nine points and seven rebounds in his 27 minutes. Although two players came off the bench to score double-figures on an identical 4-of-10 shooting -- PG Patrick Beverley (11 points, four assists) and SG Carlos Delfino (10 points) -- the duo combined for a minus-31 rating.
Like Houston, Oklahoma City possesses an outstanding offense, scoring 105.7 PPG (3rd in NBA) on a remarkable shooting accuracy of 48.1% FG (3rd in league) and 37.7% threes (also 3rd in NBA) during the regular season. The team shattered those marks in Game 1 with 120 points on 53% FG and 42% threes (10-for-24). The Thunder dished out more than twice as many assists (28) as turnovers (13) while also stepping up defensively with nine steals and nine blocked shots. They also won the rebounding battle, 46-39, and outscored the Rockets 50-46 in terms of points in the paint. SF Kevin Durant had his typical strong performance of 24 points (7-of-15 FG, 9-of-9 FT), six rebounds, four assists, two blocks, two steals and an unbelievable +34 rating. This effort wasn't a huge surprise though, considering he had his way against Houston in the regular season with 26.3 PPG (47% FG), 7.0 RPG and 5.7 APG. PG Russell Westbrook had been even better in the regular-season series with 23.3 PPG, 8.3 APG and 7.7 RPG, and he posted a near triple-double in Game 1 with 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, leading to a +29 rating. PF Serge Ibaka was also highly efficient (+26 rating), pitching in 17 points (7-of-11 FG), seven rebounds and three blocks in his 27 minutes. He was also outstanding versus the Rockets in the regular season with 16.0 PPG (65% FG), 8.7 RPG and 4.0 blocks per contest. SG Kevin Martin (14.0 PPG) has been dealing with a minor back injury, which could have been a major factor in his 5-of-15 shooting night. However, Martin did not shoot very well against Houston during the regular season (41.5% FG), but still scored 17.0 PPG in the three meetings. Three other backcourt players all had solid games for the Thunder with nine points apiece, as SG Thabo Sefolosha recorded a +21 rating, PG Reggie Jackson had four assists and PG Derek Fisher drained 3-of-4 threes.Comment
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Hawks Try to even Series Wednesday at Indiana
Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - Indiana leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Indiana -7.5, Total: 188
The Hawks will need to rally together and come back with a better performance in Wednesday's Game 2 after losing by 17 points to the Pacers in Sunday's series opener.
Indiana led 34-26 after the first quarter and the Hawks couldn’t make it any closer after that. The Pacers dominated the game from start to finish and it was in large part due to their excellent rebounding. They out-rebounded the Hawks 48-32 despite shooting just 44.9% from the field compared to Atlanta’s 50.0% FG. So far this season, the Pacers are 2-1 ATS at home versus the Hawks with their only non-cover being a six-point victory. They have owned Atlanta at home and this will continue to be the case as long as SF Paul George, coming off a triple-double in Game 1, and the rest of the Pacers continue to outwork their opponents.
Atlanta came out in Game 1 with a very poor effort, failing to do the little things necessary to win a game. The Hawks were destroyed on the glass, but that is something the team has dealt with all season, posting a poor minus-2.8 RPG margin (5th-worst in NBA). The best player on the floor for Atlanta in Game 1 was PG Jeff Teague, who finished with 21 points (7-of-14 FG) and seven assists. If the Hawks are going to win, however, they will need their big guys to play much better. SF Josh Smith was just 7-15 from the field on Sunday with 15 points, eight rebounds, four turnovers and a minus-21 rating. He will need to be more aggressive in attacking the rim as well as defending it, as Smith had zero blocks despite his 1.8 BPG during the regular season. C Al Horford will also need to make a bigger impact on the game as he saw just 28 minutes of playing time due to foul trouble early, as well as a lack of effectiveness. Horford was 7-for-12 from the field with 14 points and six rebounds, but turned the ball over three times and posted a minus-15 rating. His shooting wasn’t a problem, but he didn’t seem as engaged mentally as he has been in the past, pulling down zero offensive rebounds.
The hero of Game 1 was clearly SF Paul George, who played the best game of his career on national television. George, who was struggling coming into the playoffs, finished the game with 23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. George shot poorly from the field (3-of-13), but was able to make 17-of-18 free throws. He was getting to the rim at will and drew fouls pretty much every time he wanted to. C Roy Hibbert was also a big factor in this contest as the Hawks don’t have anybody with the size to match up with him. Hibbert contributed 16 points (7-of-17 FG), eight rebounds and two blocks. SG Lance Stephenson played 41 minutes in Game 1, scoring 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Stephenson did a little bit of everything, finishing with five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a game-high, +23 rating. Two other starters also played well, as PF David West scored 13 points with nine rebounds, while PG George Hill pumped in 18 points (7-of-10 FG) with a +19 rating.Comment
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Lakers Look to Get Even with Spurs Wednesday
Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 2 - San Antonio leads series 1-0
Tip-off: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET
Line: San Antonio -8.5, Total: 186.5
After a poor offensive showing in Game 1, the Lakers try to get their offense going when they attempt to even their first-round series in San Antonio on Wednesday night.
Los Angeles entered the playoffs on a hot streak, scoring 105.0 PPG on 46.1% FG during a five-game win streak to end the regular season. But its offense was completely shut down in Sunday's Game 1 when it tallied just 79 points on 41% FG and 3-of-15 threes. In five games without Kobe Bryant this season, the Lakers have scored only 91.6 PPG, well below the 101.9 PPG they average overall. The Spurs also struggled to shoot the basketball, making 37.6% FG and 7-of-22 threes. But they dominated in fast-break points (17 to 2), and committed just half (nine) the amount of turnovers the Lakers had on Sunday (18). L.A. is now 16-26 SU and 15-27 ATS (36%) on the road, and despite being a veteran club, is just 10-9 SU (8-10-1 ATS) with at least two days of rest this season. That's a big difference from San Antonio, which is 15-2 SU (10-7 ATS) with this much time off in between games. But the Spurs, who are 36-6 SU (86%) at AT&T Center, are just 2-7 ATS in their past nine home games, and 27-29-2 ATS (48%) following an SU win this season.
The Lakers' lack of offense was troubling in Game 1, considering during the regular season, they scored 102.2 PPG (6th in NBA) on 45.8% FG (10th in league) despite a subpar 35.5% threes (19th in NBA). The defense did play better than it usually does this season, where it allowed 101.0 PPG (9th-worst in NBA) on 45.3% FG (14th in league) and 35.7% threes (also 14th in NBA). C Dwight Howard and PF Pau Gasol have been carrying this team on their large shoulders, and Sunday was no different as Howard went for 20 points (8-of-12 FG), 15 rebounds and two blocks, but did commit four turnovers and five fouls in his 41 minutes. Gasol logged 43 minutes of action, scoring 16 points (7-of-16 FG) with 16 boards, six assists and two steals, but also six turnovers. While Gasol has 14.0 RPG in three games versus San Antonio this season, he has struggled offensively (11.0 PPG on 30% FG). Howard has been strong though, with 19.7 PPG and 15.7 RPG in three games versus the Spurs. SF Metta World Peace has still not regained his form after being out with a torn meniscus. He made just 35% FG for 7.0 PPG in 21.2 MPG in the final five games of the regular season, and started the postseason with five points (2-of-9 FG) and six rebounds in 32 minutes. The club did get a boost with SG Steve Nash back on the court after having missed eight straight games with a hamstring injury. The future Hall of Famer scored 16 points (6-of-15 FG), but dished out only three assists in his 29 minutes. PG Steve Blake pitched in 12 points (5-of-13 FG), but had just three assists, three turnovers, five fouls and a dismal minus-14 rating. His defense was strong though, producing four steals and two blocks. L.A.'s bench was horrible in Game 1, as the foursome of PF Antawn Jamison, SF Earl Clark, PG Darius Morris and SG Jodie Meeks combined for 10 points (2-of-8 FG) and a minus-44 rating over 56 minutes.
San Antonio is usually a great offensive team, scoring 103.0 PPG (4th in NBA) on 48.1% FG (2nd in league) and 37.6% threes (4th in NBA) during the regular season. The club also led the NBA in assists (25.1 APG) and ranked second in Ast/TO ratio (1.78), and ball protection was a big part of their 12-point win on Sunday, as the Spurs tallied 20 assists and only nine turnovers. Defensively, they were also pretty strong in the regular season, giving up only 96.6 PPG (11th in NBA) on 44.2% FG (8th in league) and 35.3% threes (12th in NBA). Their 8.5 steals per game ranked 6th-best in the league, and they produced a hefty 12 steals in the Game 1 victory. The team continues to be led by PG Tony Parker and PF Tim Duncan. Parker has been bothered with neck and ankle injuries this month, but appeared to be healthy on Sunday when he scored 18 points (8-of-21 FG) with eight assists, three steals and a +12 rating. Duncan produced a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding three steals and a strong +11 rating. Duncan has a well-rounded stat line of 16.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.5 APG and 2.8 BPG in four meetings with the Lakers this season. SG Manu Ginobili has had a poor season, due mostly to injuries, but he was outstanding in Game 1 with 18 points (6-of-13 FG, 3-of-5 threes) and a game-high +19 rating in just 19 minutes. PF Matt Bonner also played well off the bench with 10 points, five rebounds and a +18 rating in 29 minutes. This reserve duo helped make up for a lackluster starting trio of C Tiago Splitter, SF Kawhi Leonard and SG Danny Green, which combined for 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting (28%). Leonard did help his team down low though, with 11 boards and two blocksComment
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NHL
Hot teams
-- San Jose won four of its last five games.
Cold teams
-- Lightning lost last six games, last three by one goal each. Toronto lost six of its last nine away games.
-- Red Wings lost five of their last seven games. Los Angeles lost its last five road games.
-- Oilers lost eight of their last nine games. Chicago lost its last two games, after winning its previous seven.
-- Coyotes lost four of their last five games.
Totals
-- Under is 4-1-1 in Toronto's last six road games.
-- Under is 6-0-2 in last eight Detroit games.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Edmonton games.
-- Under is 6-0-2 in last eight Phoenix games.
Series records
-- Maple Leafs won five of last six games with Tampa Bay.
-- Kings lost their last three visits to the Motor City.
-- Oilers won four of last five games with Chicago.
-- Sharks won three of last four games with Phoenix.
Back-to-backs
-- Los Angeles is 5-3 if it played night before, 2-0 if it lost.
-- Sharks are 2-5 if they played night before, 0-4 on road.Comment
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MLB
Hot pitchers
-- Latos is 0-0, 2.63 in his last two starts.
-- Giants are 4-0 in Bumgarner starts (3-0, 2.05).
-- Pirates are 3-0 in WRodriguez starts (2-0, 1.13). Halladay is 2-0, 1.80 in his last couple starts.
-- Harvey is 4-0, 0.93 in four starts this season.
-- Milwaukee won last three Estrada starts (2-0, 3.79).
-- Quintana is 1-0, 0.00 (13.2 IP) in his last two starts.
-- Davis is 3-0, 2.25 in three starts this season. Scherzer is 0-0, 1.93 in his last couple starts.
-- Lester is 2-0, 1.29 in his last three starts.
-- Harrell is 1-0, 2.38 in his last couple starts.
-- Pettitte is 3-0, 2.01 in three starts this season. Cobb is 2-1, 2.95.
-- Darvish is 3-1, 2.28 in four starts this season.
Cold pitchers
-- Samardzija is 0-3, 5.30 in his last three starts.
-- Strasburg is 0-3, 6.23 in his last three starts. Cardinals lost last three Garcia starts (0-1, 6.06).
-- Chatwood is making his first '13 start; he is 1-3, 7.03 in his last six starts, last of which was last September. Hudson has a 4.50 RA in four starts this season.
-- Kennedy is 0-2, 6.62 in his last three starts.
-- Lilly is making first '13 start; he was 1-1, 9.20 in his last three starts, last of which was May 23, 2012.
-- Padres are 0-4 in Volquez starts (0-3, 9.33).
-- Morrow is 0-2, 5.52 in his last three starts. Stinson allowed one run in four IP (60 PT) in his only MLB start October 3, 2012; he's allowed one earned run in 11.2 IP in two AAA starts in '13.
-- McAllister is 1-2, 5.19 in three starts this season.
-- Anderson is 0-2, 14.85 in his last couple starts.
-- Saunders is 0-2, 11.42 in his two road starts this season.
-- Williams is making first '13 start; he's made 96 career starts, 15 LY; his last game was Sunday, throwing three scoreless innings in extra-inning win.
Totals
-- Six of last seven Pittsburgh games stayed under total.
-- Last three Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last ten Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Met games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five San Diego home games went over total.
-- Seven of last nine Arizona games stayed under the total.
-- 17 of last 20 Oakland games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Kansas City games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last eleven Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Bronx games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 8-4-1 in last thirteen Cleveland games.
-- Eight of last eleven Seattle games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Texas games; 12 of last 14 Angel games went over the total.
Hot teams
-- Pirates won 10 of their last 14 games.
-- Cardinals won nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Reds won seven of their last nine games.
-- Mets won four of their last six home games.
-- Atlanta won 13 of its last 17 games. Rockies won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Brewers won their last nine games, scoring 52 runs.
-- Giants won seven of their last eight home games.
-- Red Sox won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Orioles won five of their last six games.
-- Royals won three of their last four games.
-- Rays won five of their last seven games. Bronx won 10 of its last 14.
-- Cleveland won its last three games, scoring 27 runs.
-- Texas won five of its last seven games. Angels won four of their last five.
Cold teams
-- Nationals lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Phillies lost six of their last nine games.
-- Cubs lost 11 of their last 15 games.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last eight games.
-- Padres lost ten of their last thirteen games.
-- Arizona is 6-8 in its last fourteen games..
-- Oakland lost four of its last five games.
-- Detroit lost its last four games, outscored 24-4.
-- Blue Jays lost six of their last eight games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Mariners lost ten of their last fourteen games. Houston lost seven of its last nine games.
Umpires
-- StL-Wsh-- Four of last five Joyce games stayed under the total.
-- Pitt-Phil-- Underdogs are 10-7 in last seventeen Iassogna games.
-- Chi-Cin-- Last four Baker games went over the total.
-- Atl-Col-- Favorites won 12 of last 16 Everitt games.
-- LA-NY-- Over is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Wegner games.
-- Mil-SD-- Over is 29-6-3 in last 38 Emmel games.
-- Az-SF-- Home side won seven of last ten Cooper games.
-- A's-Bos-- Eight of last eleven Layne games stayed under total.
-- Tor-Balt-- Over is 8-5 in last thirteen Dimuro games.
-- NY-TB-- Over is 6-3-2 in last 11 Holbrook games; visitor won eight of his last ten games behind plate.
-- Clev-Chi-- Underdogs are 7-5 in last dozen Conroy games.
-- Sea-Hst-- Favorites won 11 of last 15 Hallion games.
-- Tex-LA-- Favorites won last four Hirschbeck games.Comment
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