4-28-13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA playoffs: Sunday's East betting preview

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (+2, 181.5)

The Boston Celtics have a storied playoff history that is second to none in NBA annals, but they are in unchartered territory this postseason - courtesy of the New York Knicks. The Celtics have never lose the first three games of a playoff series and face the dubious task of trying to become the first team to erase a 3-0 deficit when they host the Knicks on Sunday in Game 4 of the best-of-seven series. New York pushed Boston to the brink of elimination with a 90-76 rout on Friday.

The Knicks are on the verge of their first postseason series win since the 1999-2000 season, and they are fully aware of the magnitude of accomplishing it in four straight games. "To be honest with you, to accomplish that would be spectacular," star forward Carmelo Anthony said. "It would be a dream come true." Anthony, the league's leading scorer during the regular season, has been the driving force behind New York's domination, averaging 32 points in the first three games. Sixth Man of the Year award winner J.R. Smith was ejected Friday for elbowing Boston's Jason Terry in the face.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE KNICKS: New York C Tyson Chandler was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for 2011-12, but he missed 16 of the last 20 games of the regular season with knee and neck injuries and has contributed a total of only nine points while averaging six rebounds in three playoff games. Still, the Knicks have completely taken away the Celtics' offensive flow, with guards Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni dominating Boston's backcourt. Prigioni missed Game 1, when Avery Bradley scored 14 points, but he has limited Bradley to a combined eight points over the past two games while contributing nine points and five steals in Game 3.

ABOUT THE CELTICS: It's hard to imagine Boston winning a game, much less the series, following a string of feeble offensive performances. The Celtics have yet to score 80 points and are averaging a mere 75 in the three losses. Paul Pierce is averaging 18.7 points, but he's disappeared for long stretches, including a four-point first half in what was considered a must-win Friday night. He's been way off the mark from long range, connecting on 2-of-16 3-point attempts. "I think our 3-point game hasn’t really been there the whole series," Pierce said. "It’s going to be difficult. The playoffs are hard to win and we’ve got to figure out a way to grind through."

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-0 in the last six meetings.
* Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
* Knicks are 7-0 ATS in their last seven road games vs. a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Knicks are 17-1 when Felton and Prigioni form the starting backcourt.

2. F Jeff Green is averaging a team-high 19 points for the Celtics.

3. New York was swept in four games by Boston in 2010-11 - Anthony's first season with the team.


Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks (+8.5, 195)

The Miami Heat have let the Milwaukee Bucks hang around until late in the third quarter in each of the last two games before putting the pedal down and sprinting to the finish. The Bucks will need to withstand that closing kick if they hope to extend the series beyond Game 4 on Sunday. The Heat are 13 wins away from back-to-back championships and have put up three convincing wins in the first three games against Milwaukee.

LeBron James has not approached the numbers he put up in Game 1 in either of the last two contests but has picked his spots to impact each game. He stayed on the floor with the second unit in the beginning of the fourth quarter of Game 2 to spark the decisive run and knocked down the 3-pointer late in the third quarter that got things rolling in Game 3. The Bucks have had some success with Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders on the inside but guards Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings have not been able to find a rhythm offensively.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami has looked vulnerable at certain points in each of the first three games before snapping back into focus and running away. James turned in a dominant performance in Game 1 but has let the supporting cast handle most of the heavy lifting in the subsequent two games. That cast might have to expand and put in even more work in Game 4 with Dwyane Wade ailing. The All-Star guard missed time at the end of the regular season with a bruised knee and was limited in practice by the injury on Saturday. If he can’t go in Sunday, the Heat have plenty of other options at the starting off-guard spot. Ray Allen has averaged 16.7 points off the bench in the first three games of the series and Mike Miller was strong in place of Wade at the end of the season.

ABOUT THE BUCKS: Jennings said that Milwaukee would win the series in six games before the start of the playoffs. That optimistic prediction is now an impossibility, and free-agent-to-be Jennings could be down to his final game in a Bucks uniform. Jennings scored 26 points in Game 1 but has gone 8-for-30 from the floor in the last two contests, including 1-for-14 from 3-point range. Ilyasova and Sanders have been the most effective offensive performers in the last two games but have not been able to take control of the game in the fourth quarter while Miami has been pulling away. Ilyasova and Sanders averaged a combined 16.6 rebounds in the regular season but have not been able to help the Bucks gain an advantage on the glass in the series.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Under is 4-0-2 in Bucks’ last six vs. a team with a winning record.
* Heat are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a losing record.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Miami F Chris Andersen has collected 31 points on 13-of-15 shooting in the first three games.

2. Allen broke Reggie Miller’s record for career playoff 3-pointers in Game 3. He has 322 after knocking down five on Thursday.

3. Bucks F Mike Dunleavy has averaged 13.5 points off the bench in the last two games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Celtics' porous offense resulting in falling totals

The first three games of the first-round playoff series between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics have all gone under the total.

In fact, the under is 6-0 in the last six clashes between the two Atlantic Division rivals. The last game to play over was their Jan. 7 tilt which the Celtics won 102-96.

The Celtics have put up some horrific shooting numbers in the series. Boston is averaging 75 points per game in the playoffs - the worst mark among playoff teams - and has attempted the least amount of field goals with 68.3. The Celtics are also committing the third-most turnovers in the playoffs to date, averaging 17 per game.

Oddsmakers have adjusted totals accordingly with each game. The total in the series opener was 189.5, 185.5 in Game 2 and 183 in Game 3. Sunday's Game 4 total currently sits at 181.5.

Adding to Boston's postseason woes is the fact it can't stop Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks forward leads the playoffs in scoring with 32 points per game on 56.2 percent shooting from the floor.

The Knicks are 2-point road favorites in Game 4 Sunday.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Heat's Wade has knee treated, status day-to-day

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade's status is up in the air ahead of Game 4 in Milwaukee Sunday.

Wade's knee is still sore and ESPN hreported he would receive treatment for it on Friday. His status is day-to-day.

"Structurally, his knee is as good as it's been in years. That's why we're treating it day to day," Spoelstra told ESPN. "This was a bone bruise. What it needs is time and it gets better. But what it also needs is no collisions."

Wade said he would undergo "a couple of hours" of treatment on Friday and then Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would base his decision about Wade's Game 4 status around how he felt as a result.

The nine-year veteran has played 100 minutes total in the first three games and is coming off of a 1-for-12 shooting performance in Game 3.

Miami leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and is an 8.5-point favorite Sunday to complete the series sweep and eliminate the Bucks from the playoffs.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Three big-name pitchers vying for first wins Sunday

Here is a look at three starting pitchers that are trying to notch their first wins of the season on Sunday.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (0-3, 5.40 ERA)

Hamels is off to an especially slow start. He yielded 13 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings pitched in his first two starts. Things have gotten significantly better for the southpaw, however. Over his last three starts, he has gone 21 innings and given up just six earned runs. In his last outing versus the Pirates on April 23, Hamels went eight innings in a tough 2-0 loss. The Phillies are in New York to finish their series with the New York Mets on Sunday. Hamels was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four starts against the Mets in 2012.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays (0-2, 5.52 ERA)

The 2012 American League Cy Young winner is coming off of his deepest start of the young season. Price went eight innings in a 4-3 loss against the New York Yankees on April 23. He has started five games and the Rays have lost all of them. The velocity on his fastball is down three mph to 92.5 compared to last season. The Rays close out their series with the Chicago White Sox Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field. Price went seven strong innings in his lone start versus the Sox in 2012. He gave up two earned runs en route to the victory.

Phil Hughes, New York Yankees (0-2, 5.14 ERA)

Hughes is another starter is slow of the gate in 2013. He lasted just seven innings in first two starts this season, but is looking to build on a pair of good outings. Hughes is coming off two no-decisions where he went seven innings. He surrendered two earned runs and six hits on 109 pitches in both starts. Hughes will go up against R.A. Dickey on Sunday as they close out their series versus the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Hughes was 2-2 with a 5.73 ERA versus the Jays in 2012.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Sunday Night Baseball: Braves at Tigers
By STEVE MERRIL

Interleague play takes over Sunday Night Baseball as the Tigers host the Braves.

Atlanta Braves at Detroit Tigers (-140, 7.5)

DOING THE DOUGIE

Doug Fister has been great early for Detroit. The righty is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA, delivering three straight quality starts. He had his shakiest start to open the season, giving up three runs and six hits in five innings of work against the Yankees. Fister then allowed just three earned runs over his next three starts against Toronto, Seattle, and the Angels. Fister has displayed sufficient control, yielding only a total of six free passes in those four outings. The Detroit starter made three starts last year against the NL, giving up just three earned runs and 15 hits.

SOLID SOUTHPAW

Mike Minor is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA on the year and he’s coming off a solid outing in Colorado against the Rockies. Minor has already had a taste of interleague play, losing to the Royals at home despite giving up just one run and five hits in six innings. Minor's control has been fantastic this season, walking just three batters, while striking out 21.

INJURY REPORT

The Braves are nowhere near full strength, especially in the offensive lineup where they are without Jason Heyward and Brian McCann. Both hope to be back in May as Heyward deals with an appendectomy and McCann a shoulder ailment. On the pitching side, they are without Jonny Venters and Brandon Beachy. Venters hopes to return in May from an elbow injury, while Beachy could be out until late June due to Tommy John surgery. Detroit's injury report is a lot better, although Justin Verlander's cracked skin injury on his pitching hand may bear watching. We shall see if it crops up again making things more difficult for him. Octavio Dotel is on the DL with right elbow inflammation, while Phil Coke has a groin strain.

TRENDS

Braves are 8-1 in their last nine Sunday games.
Braves are 4-1 in Minor's last five road starts.
Tigers are 48-21 in their last 69 Sunday games.
Tigers are 10-4 in Fister’s last 14 starts.

HITTERS TO WATCH

B.J. Upton 0-for-5 vs. Fister
Ramiro Pena 1-for-2 vs. Fister

Prince Fielder 3-for-3 vs. Minor
Omar Infante 4-for-12 vs. Minor

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nadal favored in all-Spanish final at Barcelona Open

Rafael Nadal finds himself in the final of another tournament on clay.

The "King of Clay" will face fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in the final of the Barcelona ATP 500 tournament Sunday.

Nadal defeated Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-0 in his semifinal match on Saturday. Almagro, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, advanced to the final after his 6-2, 6-1 victory over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. Almagro aced the German nine times en route to the victory.

Nadal will be playing for his third straight championship in the tournament and his eighth in nine years. It will be the first time Almagro has been in the final.

Nadal is 8-0 lifetime versus Almagro, including six wins on clay courts.

Bet365 has Nadal as a big -1400 favorite.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty hit with the Bulls (-2 1/2) Saturday.

Sunday it’s the Celtics. The deficit is 457 sirignanos.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ROBERT FERRINGO

SUNDAY'S EARLY GAME

2-Unit Play. Take #509 New York Knicks (-2) over Boston (1 p.m., SUNDAY, APRIL 28)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Celtics Try to Avoid Being Swept by Knicks Sunday

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - New York leads series 3-0
Tip-off: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET
Line: New York -2, Total: 182

New York will be playing for a series sweep when it takes the floor in Boston on Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

The Knicks have completely dominated the series against the Celtics and now lead 3-0, and have covered in back-to-back games. Boston has yet to score 80 points in a game this series. New York won Game 1 by just seven points, but took Games 2 and 3 by a combined total of 30. The club could be short-handed though because in Game 4, Knicks SG J.R. Smith was ejected for a dirty elbow to Jason Terry. Smith got frustrated when Terry reached in for the ball, but was unable to keep his cool, and he is now facing a likely suspension from the NBA. The Knicks will need Smith on the floor in this game if they are going to cover, as he has been the only consistent source of offense for New York outside of SF Carmelo Anthony.

New York has been playing way better than anybody expected out of this team in the first round, especially considering the franchise hasn't won a playoff series since 2000 and entered this series with a horrific 1-12 SU mark (4-8-1 ATS) in its previous three postseasons. SF Carmelo Anthony has been brilliant, just like he was in the regular season, leading the Knicks with 26 points in their 90-76 victory in Friday's Game 3. PG Raymond Felton was also at his best on Friday night, going 7-of-14 from the field and recording a double-double of 15 points and 10 assists. New York jumped out to a big lead behind some excellent first-half shooting from PG Pablo Prigioni, who went 3-for-6 from three-point range in the game and he finished with nine points, five steals and a +13 rating. PG Jason Kidd continues to help the Knicks in multiple ways, finishing Game 4 with six assists, six rebounds and two blocks. SG J.R. Smith had 15 points (6-of-12 FG) in 24 minutes before being ejected from the game.

The Celtics have been atrocious offensively in this series, failing to score 80 points in any of the first three games where they're averaging 75.0 PPG on 39.5 % FG and 27.6% threes (16-of-58). PF Jeff Green has been one of the bright spots for a struggling Boston offense, scoring 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists in Game 3. PF Kevin Garnett also played his heart out with 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds (5 offensive). The Celtics, however, only go as far as SF Paul Pierce can take them, and on Friday night Pierce was really struggling. The Celtics great finished the game just 6-of-15 from the field, including 0-for-4 from three-point range. Pierce tallied 17 points, five assists and four rebounds, but he is capable of shooting the ball much better, and likely will in Game 4. One bright spot for the Celtics is that SG Jason Terry appears to be getting in the flow of the game. Terry struggled all season, but he had 14 points in Game 3 on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point land.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Heat aim to Sweep Away Bucks on Sunday

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - Miami leads series 3-0
Tip-off: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Line: Miami -9.5, Total: 196

The Bucks take their home court on Sunday trying to avoid a sweep against the defending champion Heat.

Going back to the regular season, Miami has now won its past 11 games, going 9-2 ATS over this stretch. In Game 3 of this series on Thursday, Milwaukee seemed like it was poised to make it interesting, but just like in the first two games the Heat pulled away and ended up winning by double-digits, 104-91. Miami took control of Game 3 by outscoring the Bucks 30-18 in the third quarter and held on for the 13-point win despite getting just four points from Dwyane Wade on 1-12 FG. The Bucks played their best basketball in Game 3 in Milwaukee, but they have still been shooting the ball too inconsistently in this series. The Heat’s defensive rotations have been making it very difficult for the jump-shooting tandem of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings to operate. Although Milwaukee is a .500 team at home this season (21-21 SU), it is a paltry 15-26-1 ATS (37%) at BMO Harris Bradley Center this season. Miami has been outstanding on the road this season, going 30-12 SU and 25-17 ATS (60%).

The Heat have dominated so far throughout the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, winning the three games by an average of 16.0 PPG. SF LeBron James had another outstanding effort in Game 3, finishing with 22 points (9-of-14 FG), six assists and five rebounds. Despite his five turnovers, he still posted a +14 rating. James really needed to play well as SG Dwyane Wade was seriously struggling, going just 1-for-12 from the field with six turnovers on the evening. However, Wade was able to contribute greatly in other areas with 11 assists, nine rebounds (6 offensive), five steals and two blocks. Also picking up Wade's offense was SG Ray Allen, who had his best game of the playoffs so far. Allen knocked down 8-of-14 shots, including 5-of-8 from three-point range to tally 23 points and a+14 rating in 30 minutes of play. Allen is a playoff-tested veteran who will need to be on his game for Miami the rest of the way. PF Chris Bosh also played a strong game for Erik Spoelstra’s team, pumping in 16 points (7-of-14 FG) and a game-high 14 rebounds.

The Bucks led for most of the first half on Thursday, but in the third quarter the Heat took over the game while the Bucks never recovered. They shot a respectable 46% from the floor with 20 fast-break points but Milwaukee made just 7-of-26 threes. The biggest issue for the Bucks has been the combined shooting of their talent-loaded backcourt of SG Monta Ellis and PG Brandon Jennings. In 40 minutes of play in Game 3, Monta Ellis was just 2-for-9 from the field (1-of-6 threes) with seven points, six assists and three steals. Ellis has now scored seven points in back-to-back games despite averaging 19.2 PPG during the regular season and scoring 22 points in Game 1. Jennings played very well in Game 3 outside of his three point shooting (1-of-7), but for a player who thrives on the three-ball he’ll need to find his long-range stroke quickly. Jennings did have 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals on Thursday. However, the Bucks’ frontcourt, which was miserable in Game 1, has now turned in two straight solid performances. SF Ersan Ilyasova finished the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. C Larry Sanders improve upon his 14-point, 6-rebound performance in Game 2 with 16 points and 11 rebounds (4 offensive). The Bucks are going to need everybody on the team to play well in Game 4, otherwise the Heat will be breaking out the brooms and ending Milwaukee's season.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Spurs Look to Sweep Away Lakers Sunday

Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - San Antonio leads series 3-0
Tip-off: Sunday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: San Antonio -10.5, Total: 189.5

Following three straight double-digit victories, the Spurs look to sweep the injury-riddled Lakers out of the 2013 playoffs on Sunday night.

The first two games of this series were relatively close, with San Antonio prevailing 91-79 and 102-91 at home. Game 3 at Staples Center was supposed to be even closer, but the Spurs shot 61.2% overall from the floor and 68.1% from inside the three-point arc and rolled to a 120-89 blowout at Staples Center, marking the worst home playoff loss in Lakers history. Not only was L.A. missing SG Kobe Bryant (Achilles), but they also played Game 3 minus both of their top point guards -- Steve Nash and Steve Blake -- due to hamstring injuries. In Sunday's potential series clincher, Los Angeles will not only be missing another starter, as SF Metta World Peace is hampered by a knee injury, while reserve SG Jodie Meeks is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. Despite the dire straits the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers find themselves in, this team did go 29-13 SU (19-22-1 ATS) at home this season with 102.3 PPG on 47% FG. San Antonio is 24-18 SU on the road, but just 21-21 ATS away from home this season. With Friday's win, the Spurs are 6-1 ATS and 5-2 SU in their past seven road games versus the Lakers.

San Antonio's offense has been lights-out in this series with 104.3 PPG on 50% FG and 37% threes. The club's efficiency has been remarkable, as it has sported 23.7 APG and just 10.7 TOPG. Defensively, the Spurs have used 9.3 SPG and a +3.3 RPG margin to keep the Lakers at bay. The usual suspects have carried San Antonio's offense, as PG Tony Parker has 22.0 PPG (47% FG) and 7.3 APG, while PF Tim Duncan has contributed 19.7 PPG (53% FG) and 8.0 RPG. Duncan had his best game of the series on Friday, scoring 26 points (12-of-16 FG) with nine rebounds in just 31 minutes. SG Manu Ginobili has also had a great series with 12.3 PPG on 50% FG and 7-of-11 threes (64%). SF Kawhi Leonard has really stepped up his offense in the past two games with 14.0 PPG on 13-of-20 FG (65%). Six other Spurs also scored at least six points in Friday's rout, while all 13 players recorded a rating of +6 or better. This supporting cast was highlighted by starting SG Danny Green, who had 11 points (5-of-7 FG), four rebounds, four assists and a +19 rating in Game 3, and C DeJuan Blair, who came off the bench to score 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting with seven boards and a +14 rating in only 14 minutes.

The Lakers offense has been horrendous all series, failing to surpass 91 points in any of the three defeats. For the postseason, the team is scoring just 86.3 PPG on 43.2% FG and 26.3% threes. L.A. has been careless with the basketball (14.7 TOPG), and hasn't really thrived defensively with 7.0 SPG and 5.3 BPG. Despite the team's struggles, two players are averaging a double-double in the series, C Dwight Howard (20.3 PPG, 11.7 RPG) and PF Pau Gasol (13.3 PPG, 12.7 RPG). Howard has made 60% of his shots, while Gasol has dished out 7.0 APG. But besides these two, there hasn't been many bright spots. D-League MVP PG Andrew Goudelock was forced into a starting role on Friday and responded nicely with a career-best 20 points (8-of-17 FG) and three steals, but had just one assist and one rebound in 41 minutes on the floor. PG Darius Morris also started in the backcourt and finished with 24 points (9-of-15 FG) and six assists. However both of the players recorded a woeful minus-28 rating. With SF Metta World Peace out, PF Antawn Jamison will likely get most of his minutes, but Jamison scored a mere five points with a minus-17 rating in Friday's loss.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Denver Tries to Even Series Sunday at Golden State

Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - Golden State leads series 2-1
Tip-off: Sunday, 9:35 p.m. ET
Line: Denver -1.5, Total: 212.5

After an exciting Game 3 triumph on Friday, the Warriors look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the visiting Nuggets on Sunday night.

Golden State lost Game 1 on a last-second shot by Andre Miller, but the club made sure there would be no late-game heroics in Tuesday's Game 2, shooting an incredible 65% from the floor (14-of-25 threes) in a 131-117 drubbing of Denver. In Game 3, the Warriors erased a 13-point deficit in the second half and pulled out a 110-108 victory that wasn't decided until Andre Iguodala's half-court heave clanged off the rim. Golden State has now posted six straight ATS wins and improved to 29-13 SU (24-18 ATS) at Oracle Arena this season. But the club is just 21-26-1 ATS (45%) following an SU win and 22-23-1 ATS on one day's rest. The Nuggets, who are just 1-6 ATS in their past seven contests, fell to 19-23 SU and 21-21 ATS on the road this season, and 1-11 SU in their past dozen road playoff games. But even with Friday's defeat, they are still 15-11 ATS (58%) coming off an SU loss this season. Denver still has the 4-3 SU edge in the season series, but Golden State is 4-3 ATS in these seven meetings.

The Nuggets have played well offensively in this series with 107.3 PPG on 47.0% FG and 31.7% threes. Although they have committed 14.7 TOPG, they have also generated 8.7 SPG and 23.0 APG for a strong 1.6 Ast/TO ratio. The big problem for Denver has been its lack of rebounding, as Golden State holds a +9.3 RPG margin in the series. Per usual, PG Ty Lawson has been the club's best player, averaging a team-high 22.0 PPG and 8.7 APG in the series. On Friday, Lawson exploded for 35 points and 10 assists, but also had four turnovers and a minus-2 rating. SF Corey Brewer was the other offensive star, coming off the bench for 16 points and a team-best +11 rating. Brewer has scored in double-figures in all three games in the series, averaging 15.0 PPG. SG Andre Iguodala (13.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.3 SPG in series) scored 14 points with five rebounds, five assists and two steals on Friday, while SF Kenneth Faried bounced back from a horrible Game 2 (4 pts, 2 reb), to contribute 15 points and seven rebounds in Game 3. SG Wilson Chandler led the team no Friday with nine boards while netting 11 points, but Game 1 hero, PG Andre Miller, had his worst game by far, scoring just seven points on 2-of-13 shooting with four assists and three turnovers. In the first two games of the series, Miller had 23.0 PPG on 68% FG with 5.0 APG. PF Anthony Randolph had a monster Game 2 with 14 points in only 10 minutes, but was limited to just four minutes of action on Friday.

Golden State's offense has been sizzling in the past two victories with 120.5 PPG on 59% FG and 22-of-45 threes (49%). The team has been unselfish with a lofty 26.3 APG, but also has a sloppy 19.3 TOPG. Five Warriors players have averaged at least 14.0 PPG in this series, led by PG Stephen Curry, who's pumped in 26.0 PPG, 11.0 APG and 5.0 RPG this series. He's shot 47% from the floor and 44% from long range (12-for-27). Despite playing on an injured ankle for the majority of the past two games, he's still managed to score a combined 59 points and 24 assists in this pair of wins. PG Jarrett Jack shot terribly in the series opener (3-of-12 FG), but has been on fire in the past two games with 24.5 PPG on 20-of-29 FG (69%) with 7.0 APG. SF Harrison Barnes has also been sizzling in the two victories, averaging 21.5 PPG on 55% FG with 6.5 RPG during the win streak. SG Klay Thompson started off the series on a high note with 21.5 PPG on 60% FG, but was held to a mere six points on 3-of-10 shooting, including 0-for-5 from downtown. PF Carl Landry has also had a strong series with 14.0 PPG (47% FG) and 4.7 RPG. He scored 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting in Game 3. C Andrew Bogut hasn't scored much (7.0 PPG on 10-of-15 FG), but has been a beast on the boards in this series with 10.3 RPG.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA Playoffs

Sunday's West Betting Preview

San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (+10.5, 189.5)

Spurs lead best-of-seven series 3-0.

The Los Angeles Lakers opened the season with four potential future Hall of Famers in the starting lineup, and they will look to keep their season alive with three starters that averaged a combined 11.3 points. With their top four guards sidelined due to injury, the Lakers will trot out a starting unit that includes Earl Clark, Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock as they attempt to stave off elimination in Sunday's Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

Facing an injury-depleted lineup didn't cause any let-up for the Spurs, who were steely efficient in dismantling Los Angeles 120-89 in Game 3 to put the Lakers on the brink of a first-round sweep for the first time since 1967. San Antonio shot 61.2 percent and received a combined 46 points from ageless Tim Duncan and rejuvenated point guard Tony Parker in Friday's romp. “We respect these guys,” Duncan said. “We’re not trying to give them any momentum whatsoever.” Spurs center Tiago Splitter injured an ankle Friday and is expected to miss at least a week.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, Fox Sports Southwest (San Antonio), Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE SPURS: Parker was scratched in the white of his eye in Game 3 that caused some blurred vision, but he said he expects to be fine for Game 4. He is coming off back-to-back 20-point performances for the first time in over a month. Coach Gregg Popovich declined to name who will start in place of Splitter, who has averaged only 4.8 points and 4 boards in the series but provides a big body to match up with Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol. Among the candidates are DeJuan Blair, who had 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench Friday, Tim Bonner or Aron Baynes. The Spurs dominated the glass 49-35 in Game 3.

ABOUT THE LAKERS: Already down to its fifth and sixth guards due to the string of injuries, Los Angeles will also be shorthanded in the frontcourt in Sunday's game. Metta World Peace has been ruled out of the contest after having fluid drained from his knee Friday. He was a non-factor in Game 3, failing to score or grab a rebound and missing all six shots. Starting guards Steve Nash (hamstring/back) and Steve Blake (hamstring) and reserve Jodie Meeks (ankle) will all sit out as well. Second-year guards Darius Moore and Andrew Goudelock will start in the backcourt. The duo combined for 44 points Friday night.

TRENDS:

* Spurs are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Lakers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games following a loss.
* Over is 4-1 in Spurs’ last five overall.
* Over is 7-0 in Lakers’ last seven games following a loss of more than 10 points.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a postseason series.

2. Gasol had a double-double in Game 3, his third one in the past six contests.

3. "We’re not just going to quit because all the odds are against us." - Lakers C Dwight Howard.

Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors (+1.5, 211.5)

Warriors lead best-of-seven series 2-1.

A sore left ankle and anything the Denver Nuggets threw at him defensively could not slow down Stephen Curry in Game 3. Curry will try to lead the Golden State Warriors to a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series when they host the Nuggets in Game 4 on Sunday. Curry suffered a left ankle sprain in Game 2 and was a game-time decision before Game 3 but made it into the starting lineup and collected 29 points and 11 assists in the win.

Denver has been beaten at its own game in the last two contests, as the Warriors have crashed the paint and gotten out in transition in back-to-back victories. Nuggets guard Ty Lawson nearly got the better of Curry in Game 3 with 35 points and 10 assists but made the key turnover in the final seconds that allowed Golden State to close it out. The home crowd in Oakland was fired up for the first home playoff game since 2007 on Friday and should be in top form again for Game 4.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Golden State), TNT

ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Denver stole Game 1 on Andre Miller’s last-second drive but was thoroughly beaten in Game 2 when the Warriors went to a smaller lineup. The Nuggets countered with their own smaller unit in Game 3, pushing Kosta Koufos to the bench and re-inserting Kenneth Faried into the starting lineup. Wilson Chandler and Faried served as the big men for most of the night, spreading the floor to open drive-and-kick lanes for Lawson. Denver nearly pulled off the victory with that strategy but could not overcome some key turnovers down the stretch. “There was a lot of good tonight,” Nuggets coach George Karl said after Game 3. “I told the team after the game, ‘the process of the NBA playoffs is to get better. We got better tonight.’”

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Things looked bleak for Golden State after David Lee was lost for the playoffs with a torn hip flexor in the fourth quarter of the Game 1 loss. But the Warriors regrouped by moving Jarrett Jack into the starting lineup and catching fire from long range in Game 2. Curry, who continued playing after rolling his left ankle in the third quarter of Game 2, got treatment between games and made the start in Game 3. The star guard had no trouble moving around early and put the Warriors on his back in the fourth quarter, driving to the hoop of a left-handed hook shot over Faried on one possession and taking Corey Brewer into the lane for a floater on the next to help Golden State maintain its slim advantage. The pace of the contest did lead to some trouble holding onto the ball, and the Warriors gave up 30 points on 23 turnovers.

TRENDS:

* Nuggets are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Warriors are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Over is 6-1 in Nuggets’ last seven overall.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Curry joined Oscar Robertson (1962), Kevin Johnson (1989) and Chris Paul (2008) as the only players with at least 78 points and 33 assists in their first three playoff games.

2. Denver Cs Koufos and JaVale McGee combined for just four points in 25 minutes in Game 3.

3. Golden State G Klay Thompson went over 20 points in each of the first two games but slumped to six on 3-of-10 shooting in Game 3.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MLB Weather Watch

Chance of Rain in Minny

There is rain in the forecast for Minnesota but temperatures should be pleasant in most MLB parks Sunday.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets (+100, 7)

Site: Citi Field

Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 10 mph. The Mets were 8-21 SU (straight up) when wind blew out to left field in 2012.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals (-119, 7.5)

Site: Nationals Park

Skies will be mostly cloudy and temperatures will be in the high-60s. Winds will blow out to left field at 11 mph. The over was 8-4 in 2012 when wind blew out to left field.

Texas Rangers vs. Minnesota Twins (+127, 8)

Site: Target Field

There is a 30 percent chance of rain in the forecast and temperatures will be in the mid-70s. Winds will blow in from right field at 14 mph. The under was 3-0 in 2012 when wind blew in from right field.