4-29-13

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Hawks' Petro in Miami for child birth; Game 4 status unclear

Atlanta Hawks center Johan Petro missed practice on Sunday to travel to Miami for the birth of his child, according to the Associated Press.

Petro's wife is scheduled to deliver on Sunday. The Hawks are hopeful he will be back in Atlanta on Monday night for Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers.

Petro started Game 3 and had six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes of action. Hawks coach Larry Drew played a bigger starting lineup in Game 3, starting Al Horford at power forward and relegating Kyle Korver to a bench role. Atlanta won 90-69, covering as 2-point favorites.

Ivan Johnson could start in Petro's place if he's unable to return to Atlanta in time for Game 4, but Drew said he would rather use Johnson as a reserve.

Petro is averaging 5.3 points and 2 rebounds per game in 13 minutes of action in the playoffs.

The Hawks are 2-point favorites in Game 4 and the total is 186.

The Pacers lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

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MLB weather watch: Rain in New York and Seattle

Here is Monday's notable weather across the bigs to help with your capping:

Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees (-237, 8)
Site: Yankee Stadium

A 50 percent chance of rain with winds blowing from right to left at 10 mph. The Yankees were 16-11 in 2012 when the wind blew from right to left at home.

San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs (-151, NA)
Site: Wrigley Field

Winds will blow out to left field at 12 mph.

Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals (-131, 9)
Site: Kauffman Stadium

Winds will blow out to left field at 13 mph.

Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals (-131, 7)
Site: Busch Stadium

Winds will blow out to left field at 13 mph. The under was 5-2 in 2012 at Busch Stadium when the wind blew out to left.

Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners (+101, 8)
Site: Safeco Field

There's a 60 percent chance of rain in Seattle.

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Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers

Two starters on bad teams are pitching very well and could generate good profit for those looking for a live underdog.

Here's a look at Monday's streaking and slumping starters:

Streaking

Lucas Harrell, Houston Astros (2-2, 4.08 ERA)

Don't let Harrell's numbers fool you. His stats are skewed because of a horrendous outing against Oakland on April 7, when he gave up eight earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. In his four other starts, Harrell has given up five earned runs and only two home runs. The Astros have won their last two with Harrell on the mound.

Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs (1-4, 3.03 ERA)

Samardzija is another guy who is pitching gems without getting wins. The Cubs have lost all of his last four starts. But Samardzija has given up only 11 earned runs in his five starts, has struck out an average of 7.8 batters per game, and walked only 10 opponents. The under is 4-1 in his starts.

Slumping

Mike Pelfrey, Minnesota Twins (2-2, 7.94 ERA)

Pelfrey is struggling in his first month in the American League. In his last three starts, Pelfrey's been rocked for an 11.57 ERA and has only five strikeouts. The over is 4-0 in Pelftey's outings.

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (0-2, 6.33 ERA)

Cain looks nothing like the pitcher that had a 3.60 ERA in the 2012 playoffs, pacing the Giants to the World Series. He has given up at least one home run in each of his last three starts, and has made it to the seventh inning once. San Francisco is 0-5 in Cain's starts.

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Moneyball: Athletics over improves to 21-5

The Oakland Athletics over improved to 21-5 on Sunday after beating the Orioles 9-8, continuing the biggest betting story in baseball's first month.

Any $100 bettor would be up $1,530.37 if they picked the over in each of Oakland's 26 games.

The A's are first in baseball in runs scored (129, 5.2 per game), seventh in hits (212, 8.5 per game) and fourth in OPS (.757), heading into Sunday's action.

Combine this with a pitching staff with the 21st-ranked 4.19 ERA and the 22nd-ranked opponenst batting average of .260 and you have a lot of high scoring games.

Oakland has seen three totals of 8.5 this season and none above.

The A's begin a series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. The over went 3-0 in the previous series between the two teams. Daniel Straily is expected to pitch for Oakland, while Tommy Hanson has been activated from the bereavement list and is scheduled to start for the Angels on Monday.

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Rounding the bases: The best bets in the bigs

Every week we take a look at the hottest and coldest teams as well as the best over and under bets in major league baseball.

For the week of April 22-28.

Hot team: Boston Red Sox
Last week: 6-1
Season: 18-7
Upcoming schedule: at Blue Jays, at Rangers

Skinny: The Red Sox knocked off the Astros 6-1 Sunday to complete the four-game series sweep of Houston and tie the club record for most wins in April (17).

Cold team: Toronto Blue Jays
Last week: 1-6
Season: 9-17
Upcoming schedule: vs. Red Sox, vs. Mariners

Skinny: The Jays dropped two of three to the Baltimore Orioles and were swept by the New York Yankees this past weekend. Toronto has dropped 10 of its last 13 games to fall into second-last in the American League, ahead of only the Houston Astros (7-18).

Over team: Oakland A’s
Last week: 6-1 over/under
Season: 21-5 over/under
Upcoming schedule: vs. Angels, at Yankees

Skinny: The A’s rank in the top five in nearly every offensive statistical category and their pitching, which was the backbone of the team last season, has been sub-par (4.19 ERA).

Under team: Chicago Cubs
Last week: 2-5 over/under
Season: 8-16 over/under
Upcoming schedule: vs. Padres, vs. Reds

Skinny: The Cubs are averaging only 3.30 runs per game and their pitching staff boasts a 3.29 team ERA – the fifth-best mark in the bigs.

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Who is this year's L.A. Kings? Capping Stanley Cup long shots

The Los Angeles Kings went from a +2,500 long shot to Stanley Cup champion a year ago.

Here's a look at three hot teams that could be having an unexpected kiss with Lord's Stanley's mug in June:

(All futures courtesy of Sports Interaction)

St. Louis Blues, +1,400

Only the Pittsburgh Penguins come into the playoffs hotter than St. Louis. The Blues went 12-3 in April, with Brian Elliott backstopping them to a 1.47 GAA, well below the team's season 2.40 GAA mark. The St. Louis penalty kill yielded only three goals in 38 power plays in April.

New York Rangers, +1,800

New York went 7-2 in the final nine games of the season. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist had a 2.00 GAA during the streak, and the Rangers have scored 3.8 goals per game - well above the team's 2.6 season average. New York's first round opponent, the Washington Capitals, had only one more point than the Rangers, despite playing 21 games against playoff teams compared to the Rangers' 24.

Detroit Red Wings, +2,800

The Wings were dangerously close to missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990. But they won four in a row to punch a playoff ticket, with goalie Jimmy Howard posting two shutouts during the streak. Detroit gave up 2.3 goals per game (fifth in the NHL) and won both road games against its first-round opponent, the Anaheim Ducks.

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NHL betting review: Best bets of 2013 season

The lockout-shortened NHL regular season has provided bettors with plenty of action for the last few months and that action will undoubtedly heat up with the playoffs just around the corner.

Here’s a look back at some of the best bets of the 2013 season:

Best moneyline bet

Anaheim Ducks (+22.01 units)

The Ducks’ 30-12-6 straight up record was the third-best in the NHL and good enough to clinch the Pacific Division.

Best puckline bet

Columbus Blue Jackets (36-12 ATS)

The Blue Jackets came up just short in their playoff drive, but their puckline bettors are rolling around in mounds of cash. Columbus had an uncanny ability to keep games close all season long.

Best over bet

Tampa Bay Lightning (25-19-4 over/under)

The Lightning had no issues lighting the lamp in 2013. Martin St. Louis captured the Art Ross Trophy thanks to his 60-point campaign and playing on a line with sniper Steven Stamkos (57 points) didn’t hurt his cause. Tampa’s horrendous goaltending also contributed to its stellar over record.

Best under bet

Ottawa Senators (10-30-7 over/under)

The Senators have gone low in 10 straight contests heading into Sunday’s finale with the Boston Bruins. Goaltender Craig Anderson leads the league with a sparkling 1.69 GAA and .941 save percentage.

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NHL Western Conference playoff preview: Round 1

The NHL’s Western Conference playoffs are seemingly always a crapshoot because very little separates all eight teams that qualify for the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Kings were the darlings of last year’s NHL’s playoffs and are back to defend their Stanley Cup title as the No. 5 seed, but everyone is talking about the Chicago Blackhawks and their dominance on ice this season.

Here is our Western Conference playoff preview:

No. 1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. No. 8 Minnesota Wild

Season series: Blackhawks won 3-2 SU, 1-4 over/under

Series prices: TBA

Why bet the Blackhawks: The Blackhawks are the Presidents’ Trophy winners for establishing the league’s best regular-season record. Chicago allowed a league-low two goals per game while netting 3.1 markers – the second-highest output in the NHL.

Why bet the Wild: The Wild haven't appeared in the playoffs since the 2007-08 season so their faithful are starved for playoff hockey. The frenzied Minnesota crowd is sure to make life difficult for Chicago at the Xcel Energy Center. The Wild outhit the Blackhawks in all three meetings (66-38 overall) and could wear down Chicago in a long series. The Blackhawks have lost in the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010.

No. 2 Anaheim Ducks vs. No. 7 Detroit Red Wings

Season series: Red Wings won 2-1 SU, 2-1 over/under

Series prices: TBA

Why bet the Ducks: The Ducks are the Pacific Division champs and boast a two-headed monster in goal. Jonas Hiller and Viktor Fasth form a formidable one-two punch and coach Bruce Boudreau won’t hesitate to pull the trigger on a goaltender switch at any point in the series.

Why bet the Red Wings: The Wings have already been playing playoff-style hockey down the stretch in order to qualify for their 22nd consecutive postseason. Goaltender Jimmy Howard has posted two shutouts during Detroit’s current four-game win streak.

No. 3 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 6 San Jose Sharks

Season series: Sharks won 3-0 SU, 0-1-2 over/under

Series prices: TBA

Why bet the Canucks: When these squads last squared off in a playoff series two years ago during Vancouver's run to the Stanley Cup final, the Sharks had a significantly higher physical component going for them, with the likes of Ryane Clowe, Douglas Murray and Jamie McGinn. Vancouver has struggled against physical opponents at times throughout the regular season, but shouldn't be pushed around by San Jose. The Canucks have been cup contenders for the past few seasons, and boast a roster loaded with plenty of playoff experience.

Why bet the Sharks: The Sharks have one distinct advantage over the Canucks - a goaltender that boasts a Stanley Cup ring. Antti Niemi has been carrying the team all season long and has been there and done that in the NHL postseason. The Sharks also have an experienced core of forwards such as Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Pavelski that will be out to change their reputations as chokers in the postseason.

No. 4 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Kings

Season series: Kings won 3-0 SU, 2-0-1 over/under

Series prices: TBA

Why bet the Blues: The Blues fought hard down the stretch and won 12 of their final 15 contests to earn home-ice in the first round. They also have a hot goalie. Brian Elliott has returned to form, allowing just 16 goals in April on 305 shots (.948 save percentage). He also led the NHL in April with 11 wins and a 1.28 goals-against average.

Why bet the Kings: The Kings are the defending Stanley Cup champs. Los Angeles made history as the No. 8 seed last season and not having home-ice in any of the four rounds didn’t matter. The Kings will also welcome back captain Dustin Brown for Game 1 after he served a two-game suspension for an elbow on Minnesota’s Jason Pominville.

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Pucking the trends: This week's best NHL bets

Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.

For the week of April 21-28

Hot team

Detroit Red Wings (4-0 SU)

The Red Wings took care of business down the stretch, posting four straight wins to qualify for the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive season. Jimmy Howard is already in postseason form, posting two shutouts during the run. Detroit’s focus now turns to its best-of-seven series with the Anaheim Ducks in the opening round.

Cold team

San Jose Sharks (1-3 SU)

The Sharks squandered an opportunity to earn home advantage in the playoffs in the final week of season and are skidding into their best-of-seven series with the Vancouver Canucks. San Jose was just 8-14-2 away from home during the regular season.

Best over play

Winnipeg Jets (3-1 over/under)

The Jets came up short of the playoffs, but over bettors profited big time during their stretch run. Winnipeg played over in six of its final seven games.

Best under play

Ottawa Senators (0-3 over/under)

The Senators have played under the total in 10 consecutive games heading into Sunday’s finale with the Boston Bruins. Ottawa has failed to score more than two goals in each of its last four games and has dropped its last five to Boston.

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Mighty Quinn

Mighty hit with the Celtics (+2) Sunday.

Monday it’s the Nets. The deficit is 407 sirignanos.

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Nets Try to Stave Off Elimination Monday vs. Bulls

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 5 - Chicago leads series 3-1
Tip-off: Monday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Brooklyn -5.5, Total: 180

After an amazing turn of events on Saturday, Chicago now has an opportunity to advance to the next round with a road win in Brooklyn on Monday night.

The Bulls went up 3-1 on the Nets after an epic triple-overtime game Saturday in which Nate Robinson sparked an amazing fourth-quarter comeback. The Chicago point guard had 23 points in the fourth quarter alone, to send it to overtime where the Bulls prevailed after 15 minutes of extra play. After Brooklyn dominated in Game 1 of this series, Chicago has won three straight games (2-1 ATS) and completely taken control. The Bulls are 24-18-2 ATS (57%) on the road this season, but just 22-21 SU, scoring a mere 93.3 PPG away from home. The Nets are 27-16 SU (63%) at Barclays Center, but just 17-24-2 ATS (42%) on their home floor. Chicago has been solid with 0-to-1 days of rest this season at 31-30-1 ATS (37-25 SU), while Brooklyn is a subpar 29-35-2 ATS (45%), despite a 38-28 SU mark, with this small preparation time.

The Bulls looked like they were in for a long series after a Game 1 beat-down served by Deron Williams and the Nets, but since then, they have completely taken over the series. In Game 4, Chicago trailed by 12 points with under six minutes left to play, but then it became the Nate Robinson show. He netted 23 points in the fourth quarter on his way to scoring 34 points in the game. Despite Robinson’s late-game heroics, it is PG Kirk Hinrich who is giving the Bulls a huge boost at the point guard position over the past two games, where he's averaging 15.0 PPG (50% FG) and 8.0 APG. He has also played excellent defense on All-Star Deron Williams. Chicago got yet another great performance from PF Carlos Boozer in this series in Game 4. Boozer finished the game with 21 points (10-of-16 FG) and eight rebounds, and is now averaging 20.3 PPG (59% FG) and 11.0 RPG for the series. C Joakim Noah also played his best game since returning from plantar fasciitis. After having just one point and eight rebounds in Game 3, Noah responded with 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in 39 minutes of play on Saturday.

After a promising Game 1 performance, the Nets have let the series slip out of their hands. PG Deron Williams put up good numbers in Game 4, finishing with 32 points and 10 assists in 58 minutes of play, but scored just two points after regulation. His defense was sluggish too, as he was the one allowing Nate Robinson to erupt in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn SG Joe Johnson finally woke up in the fourth quarter of Game 4 in the series, hitting some big shots to force more overtime and scoring 22 points (10-of-20 FG) in the game. Johnson will need to use the momentum from the end of Game 4 in order to get himself going earlier in Game 5. C Brook Lopez continued to play well for the Nets, going 9-of-20 from the field and 7-for-9 from the line on his way to scoring 26 points. He also had 11 rebounds and four blocks in the game, and is averaging 22.5 PPG (48% FG), 7.5 RPG and 4.3 BPG in the series. A turning point in the game was when backup PG C.J. Watson missed a dunk late in the fourth quarter. The Nets will need to avoid bone-headed plays like that if they are going to extend this series and pull off a series comeback.

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Hawks Aim to Tie Up Series Monday vs. Pacers

Eastern Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - Indiana leads series 2-1
Tip-off: Monday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -1.5, Total: 186

Atlanta looks to even up its first-round playoff series in Monday night's Game 4, hosting an Indiana team that hasn't won at Philips Arena since 2006.

The Hawks looked like a team ready to be swept after Games 1 and 2, but on their own home court they were able to turn this series around. After a small lineup change that found C Johan Petro in the starting lineup and Josh Smith at small forward, Atlanta dominated the Pacers and won Game 3 by a final score of 90-69, holding them to a 27.2% shooting night from the field. That gives the Hawks 12 straight home wins in this series, as they are 10-2 ATS versus Indiana during this seven-year dominance. The Pacers have been a decent road team this season at 19-22 SU (21-20 ATS), while the Hawks have been a terrible wager on their home floor this season at 15-25-2 ATS (38%), far below their strong 26-16 SU mark (62%) at Philips Arena.

Indiana did not show up for Game 3, making just 4-of-25 threes and getting outscored 50-30 in the paint. The team also had more than twice as many turnovers (22) as assists (10). The Pacers did rebound well though, holding a 52-48 advantage on the glass with 17 offensive rebounds. One players whose shot was falling in Game 3 was PF David West, who scored 18 points (7-of-14 FG) and grabbed six rebounds. After dominating in Games 1 and 2 with 21.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG, SF Paul George came back to earth with a 4-of-11 shooting game on Saturday, in which he finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and a minus-17 rating. Outside of West and George, the team struggled severely. Their starting backcourt of PG George Hill and SG Lance Stephenson was a combined 2-for-15 from the field and 1-8 from three-point range. The Pacers also did not get much production from their bench that got 10 of its 20 points from SF Gerald Green, who made just 4-of-12 shots (2-of-8 threes).

The Hawks looked like a lottery team in Games 1 and 2, but it was a completely different story on their home court. Just like in the regular season, the Hawks played their best at Philips Arena, and they did so behind the superb play of C Al Horford, who was too much in the post for the Hawks last game with 26 points (12-of-20 FG) and 16 rebounds. SF Josh Smith also showed up to play in this game, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and a +19 rating in 31 minutes. Smith has been in foul trouble in the past two games though, and will need to play smarter on defense is he is going to keep his team in this series. PG Jeff Teague shot poorly (4-of-15 FG), but still contributed heavily with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Although Atlanta didn’t have a good scoring performance from its bench, all seven reserves tallied a positive rating, led by PF Ivan Johnson's +21 rating and SF Kyle Korver's +14 rating.

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Thunder Look to Finish Sweep of Rockets Monday

Western Conference Playoffs First Round
Game 4 - Oklahoma City leads series 3-0
Tip-off: Monday, 9:35 p.m. ET
Line: Oklahoma City -2, Total: 206

After falling short in two straight near-comeback attempts from double-digit deficits, the Rockets are now just trying to extend their season for one more game when they host the Thunder in Monday's Game 4.

In Game 2, Houston nearly erased a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 2 with a stunning 21-2 run, but Oklahoma City made big shots down the stretch and held on for the 105-102 win. In Saturday's Game 3, the Rockets trailed 50-24 after the first 20 minutes of the game, but came roaring back to take a two-point lead with 45 seconds remaining. However, Kevin Durant capped off his 41-point night with a fortunate bounce on a three-pointer at the top of the key that put the Thunder up for good in a 104-101 victory. Houston lost Game 3 at home despite outshooting its opponent 43.4% FG to 37.9% FG and outscoring them 42-30 in the paint and 17-6 on fast-break points. While the Thunder will be without PG Russell Westbrook (knee) for the rest of the postseason, the Rockets starting point guard is also hurting as Jeremy Lin (chest) was limited to just 18 minutes on Saturday. Oklahoma City has been an outstanding road team this season at 27-15 SU (22-18-2 ATS), but Houston has been tremendous at Toyota Center, going 29-13 SU and 24-18 ATS (57%), scoring 108.1 PPG in its home building. Although the Thunder are a hefty 40-14 SU (33-20-1 ATS, 62%) with one day of rest this season, the Rockets are 26-15 SU (22-18-1 ATS, 55%) in this same scenario.

Oklahoma City scored 66 points in the first half on Saturday night, but managed just 38 points in the final two quarters. The club actually shot better from three-point range (38.5%) than from inside the arc (37.7% FG) in Game 3, but made a blistering 28-of-30 foul shots and committed just 11 turnovers, which was a small number for such a fast-paced game without their top point guard. Although the Thunder had 12 of their shots blocked on Saturday, they still grabbed eight more offensive rebounds than Houston (13-5) and held a convincing 49-41 overall rebounding edge. The best player in this series has clearly been SF Kevin Durant, whose playoff career-high 41 points plus 14 rebounds in Game 3 gives him 31.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 5.7 APG this postseason. These are pretty hefty numbers for a player making just 42.9% FG and 30.4% threes in his three games. PG Reggie Jackson was one of many Oklahoma City players to share point-guard duties on Saturday, and although the second-year player from Boston College had just one assist and three turnovers, he thrived offensively with 14 points (3-of-6 FG, 6-of-6 FT). PF Serge Ibaka also shot more than usual, attempting 14 field goals (7-of-14 FG) in Game 3, after combining to shoot just 17 times in the first two contests of this series. Ibaka collected his second straight double-double on Saturday with 17 points and 11 boards to increase his series averages to 15.3 PPG (61% FG), 9.7 RPG and 3.7 BPG. SG Kevin Martin continues to misfire, making just 3-of-11 shots on Saturday to bring his series shooting percentage down to 31%. But he's been much better from three-point range in the series (7-of-17 threes) to give him 12.7 PPG in the postseason. SG Thabo Sefolosha also shot terribly on Saturday (1-of-7 FG), but contributed nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in the big road win.

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 so far this series, the club has 98.0 PPG on 39.6% FG and 27.8% threes. Defensively, this Rockets team really struggles to stop opponents, allowing 102.5 PPG in the regular season (3rd-worst in league), and 109.7 PPG during the postseason. SG James Harden continues to pace the offense with 28.7 PPG in this series, but has shot just 36.9% FG and 4-of-21 threes (19%). Harden also has 8.3 RPG, 4.7 APG and 1.3 SPG in the three defeats, comprising a stat line of 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks in the Game 3 loss. SF Chandler Parsons shot poorly in the two games in Oklahoma City (11-for-34 FG, 32%), but had a huge Saturday night with 21 points on 8-of-12 FG (3-of-6 threes) with seven rebounds and seven assists. PG Patrick Beverley played great in the first two contests with 13.5 PPG on 48% FG, 8.0 RPG and 5.0 APG, but really struggled in Game 3 with six points on 3-of-10 FG with two rebounds, three assists and five fouls. Even with Thunder PG Russell Westbrook out, PG Jeremy Lin also had a lackluster performance in Game 3 with two points (1-of-6 FG) and one assist. SG Carlos Delfino recorded his third straight game of 10+ points on Saturday by netting 11 off the bench, but hit just 3-of-10 shots and missed the potential game-winning three with time winding down. SG Francisco Garcia drained a huge three-pointer to give his team the lead in the final minute, capping off a stellar 18-point night (7-of-13 FG, 4-of-8 threes) which included five rebounds and three blocks. C Omer Asik scored 10.1 PPG during the regular season, but took only one shot in 31 minutes on Saturday. He was strong defensively though, with eight rebounds and four blocks, and is averaging 9.7 RPG this postseason.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Monday's NBA playoffs: What bettors need to know

Chicago Bulls at Brooklyn Nets (-5.5, 180)

Bulls lead best-of-seven series 3-1.

The Chicago Bulls look to close out the first-round series and the Brooklyn Nets attempt to bounce back from Saturday’s collapse as the teams square off in Monday’s Game 5 in Brooklyn. The Bulls won a 142-134 triple-overtime classic to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference best-of-seven series. Chicago rebounded from a 14-point deficit in the final minutes of regulation behind backup guard Nate Robinson. The Nets were 8-of-27 shooting during the three overtimes.

Brooklyn didn’t practice Sunday and coach P.J. Carlesimo aims to have the team forget about the Game 4 setback. “We have to move away from the disappointment and channel it into anger or resolve or whatever else,” Carlesimo said in a Sunday conference call. “We can’t focus on Saturday. We’ve got to focus on Monday – got to be ready at 7 o’clock. We’ve got a one-game season. It’s as simple as that.” Chicago would like to slam the door shut and not give the Nets a chance to get back into the series. “We’ve been fighting through adversity and things all year,” Bulls center Joakim Noah said. “To be in this position now going to Brooklyn – but it’s not going to be easy.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, My9 (Brooklyn),

ABOUT THE BULLS: Robinson had a quarter for the ages when he poured in 23 of his 34 points in Saturday’s fourth quarter. He scored 12 straight points during the game-tying 14-0 run and finished 14-of-23 from the field. “Whenever I’m in the game, I just play with a lot of confidence,” Robinson said afterward. “You kind of have to lie to yourself and feel like you can’t miss.” The 23-point quarter was the second most in franchise history behind Michael Jordan’s 24-point quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1990 playoffs. “It was big shot after big shot,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s what he does. That’s what makes him so valuable. It doesn’t take much to get him going. Once he gets going, he can have a great run.” Robinson scored 35 total points in the first three games.

ABOUT THE NETS: Guard Joe Johnson had 22 points and played 48 minutes in Game 4 despite a painful foot injury. Johnson forced the first overtime with a last-second floater to continue a trend of making clutch shots for Brooklyn. “If you look at the 86 games we’ve played, I think Joe would be up there in terms of last-second or end-of-game (or) overtime plays for the year,” Carlesimo said. In the history of the NBA, has somebody had a better season? Probably. But it’s scary to think about what this year would’ve been like without Joe Johnson.” Johnson is averaging 17.5 points during the series.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a win.
* Over is 8-1 in Nets’ last nine games following a loss.
* Nets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following an ATS loss.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Noah played nearly 39 minutes in the triple-overtime game, which were 14 more than the target due to his bout with plantar fasciitis.

2. Nets C Brook Lopez had 26 points in Game 4 and has topped 20 in each game. He is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots.

3. Bulls PG Kirk Hinrich had 18 points and 14 assists in Game 4 after totaling just nine assists over the first three games.


Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks (-2, 186)

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

The Atlanta Hawks were dominated physically in the first two games of the series and had little hope of stopping anything the Indiana Pacers were doing offensively. Coming home seemed to rejuvenate the Hawks in a strong Game 3 performance, and they will be looking to even up the best-of-seven series when they host the Pacers again on Monday. Al Horford led the way as Atlanta went to a bigger lineup and slowed the pace.

The Hawks stifled Indiana in the half court and held it to 27.2 percent shooting in Game 3, including 4-of-25 from beyond the arc. That was a far cry from the first two contests, when the Pacers totaled 220 points and looked like they were on their way to an easy series sweep. Atlanta’s bigger lineup put Josh Smith on Paul George defensively, and the Pacers’ star had some trouble dealing with the added length. The Hawks had that game in hand at the half and gained some momentum going forward.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports South (Atlanta), NBATV

ABOUT THE PACERS: It’s Indiana’s turn to regroup after a dismal performance. The Pacers’ starting backcourt of George Hill and Lance Stephenson combined to shoot 2-for-15 while reserve guards D.J. Augustin and Orlando Johnson backed them up with a combined 0-for-9 effort. “They came out with a lot of energy, put us on our heels early, and the rest is history,” Hill told reporters. “We turned the ball over a lot and we weren’t getting to the places that we want to get to on the offensive end.” The Hawks made an obvious effort to play with more aggression and Indiana did not respond well to the increased physicality. George posted a triple-double in Game 1 and went for 27 points in Game 2 but was held to 16 on 4-of-11 shooting on Saturday in Atlanta.

ABOUT THE HAWKS: Petro’s move into the starting lineup and the extended use of Ivan Johnson off the bench in the center spot allowed Horford to focus on the offensive end in Game 3. Petro returned home to Miami on Sunday for the birth of his child but is expected to be back in time for Monday’s game. The rotation change also benefited Kyle Korver, who struggled going up directly against George in the first two games as the starter but was free to focus more on the offensive end off the bench and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. The 54-30 halftime lead marked the franchise record for the fewest points allowed in the first half of a playoff game, and included a key play that Atlanta’s players pointed to after the game. Horford was taken down by a flagrant foul in the second quarter and point guard Jeff Teague rushed to his defense, shoving Indiana forward David West and refusing to back down.

TRENDS:

* Pacers are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Hawks are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Over is 9-1 in Pacers’ last 10 games following a loss.
* Over is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Hawks have won 12 straight over the Pacers in Atlanta.

2. West (7-for-14) and Ian Mahinmi (1-for-2) were the only Indiana players to shoot at least 50 percent from the field on Saturday.

3. Horford’s 26 points and 16 rebounds in Game 3 marked the first time an Atlanta player had reached at least 25 and 15 in a playoff game since Dikembe Mutombo in 1997.


Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets (+1.5, 206.5)

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

The Oklahoma City Thunder found a way to win without Russell Westbrook and now look to finish off the host Houston Rockets in Monday’s Game 4. The Thunder learned Saturday that Westbrook is done for the postseason after undergoing knee surgery and they edged the Rockets later that night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference best-of-seven series. Houston recovered from a 26-point deficit to take the lead before succumbing 104-101.

The Rockets are attempting to avoid the sweep and they are lamenting missed opportunities in two of the first three games. “You’ve got to find a way to win these games,” forward Chandler Parsons said after the Game 3 loss. “I think we are learning a lot and growing a lot right now but it is very frustrating. We feel we should be up 2-1 right now and yet we’re down 0-3.” Oklahoma City standout Kevin Durant matched his personal playoff career high with 41 points and hit the decisive 3-pointer while taking 30 shots with Westbrook out. “I just go out there on the court and I knew I had to give it my all no matter what,” Durant said afterward. “That’s what I’m going to do for however many more games we have to play.”

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Fox Sports Oklahoma, Comcast SportsNet Houston

ABOUT THE THUNDER: Second-year guard Reggie Jackson had 14 points in 25 minutes while making his first career start due to Westbrook’s injury. He went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, including two big ones with eight seconds left to provide the final margin. “Reggie did a terrific job,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks. “I’m proud of him, I’m proud of the way he played. He kept his composure during some tough moments of the game.” Durant took over much of the ball-handling responsibilities to take the pressure off Jackson and veteran Derek Fisher spelled Jackson and scored nine points in 24 minutes off the bench.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Veteran swingman Francisco Garcia provided a boost by scoring 18 points in 32 minutes off the bench in Game 3. Garcia shadowed Durant most of the second half after Durant scored at will in the first half with 27 points. Garcia figures to again receive a lot of minutes in Game 4 with Houston’s season on the line. Standout James Harden scored 30 points and is averaging 28.7 points in the series but also missed five free throws in Game 3. He shot 85.1 percent from the free-throw line in the regular season. Harden has two 30-point games in the series and three in his career.

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games.
* Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Rockets’ last four overall.
* Under is 8-2-1 in Thunder’s last 11 road games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Houston has made 30 3-pointers in the series but is shooting just 27.8 percent from behind the arc.

2. Thunder PF Serge Ibaka had 17 points and 11 rebounds in Game 3 for his second double-double of the series.

3. Rockets PG Jeremy Lin (chest) is questionable for Game 4. He attempted to play Saturday but left after 18 ineffective minutes.