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MLB

National League
Braves @ Nationals
Teheran is 1-1, 5.87 in his three road starts; four of his last five starts went over the total.

Fister is 2-1, 3.48 in his five starts; three of his last four went over.

Washington won seven of last ten games with Atlanta; last four series games went over. Braves won three of last five games; over is 7-2-2 in their last 11 games. Nationals won eight of last ten games; three of last four went over.

Mets @ Phillies
Niese is 2-2, 3.24 in his last four starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five. .

Harang is 3-2, 2.35 in six starts for a bad team; under is 3-1-2 in his starts.

Mets won eight of last 11 games with Philly; over is 3-2-1 in last six series games. NY is 3-3 in last five games, despite allowing total of eight runs in six games (two 1-0 losses)- all six games stayed under. Phillies lost seven of last ten games; over is 3-1-1 in their last five.

Cardinals @ Pirates
Cardinals are 5-0 when Martinez (3-0, 3.77) starts; he gave up seven runs in 3.2 IP in his last game-- over is 2-2-1 in his starts.

Worley is 2-1, 3.04 in his last four starts; six of his last seven went under.

Pittsburgh lost last seven games with St Louis; home side won eight of last nine series games, with four of last five staying under. Pirates also lost six of last seven games overall; under is 7-3-3 in their last 13. St Louis won ten of its last 11 games, with four of last five going over.

Cubs @ Brewers
Wood is 1-0, 5.82 in his last three starts (over 2-0-1); Cubs scored 24 runs in the three games.

Lohse is 1-4, 7.01 in his six starts (over 3-2-1). .

Chicago won seven of last ten games with Milwaukee; five of last six in series went under total. Cubs lost five of last seven games, with four of last five going over total. Brewers lost three of their last four games with all four going over the total.

Dodgers @ Rockies
Kershaw is 0-1, 3.10 in his last three starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five.

de la Rosa is 0-2, 10.50 in his three starts; three of his last four went under.

Colorado lost last seven games to the Dodgers; home side won eight of last nine series games- eight of last nine went over the total. LA won seven of last nine games with over 4-1-1 in its last six. Rockies lost their last eight games, allowing a total of 67 runs-- six of their last eight games went over.

Padres @ Diamondbacks
Ross is 0-3, 4.24 in his last three starts; Padres scored four runs in the three games. Five of his last seven starts went over.

Anderson is 0-1, 2.96 in his last four starts; four of his last five went under. .

Arizona lost three of last four games with San Diego; last five series games in Arizona went over the total. Padres lost five of last seven road games, with four of those seven staying under. Diamondbacks are 5-4 in last nine games; over is 7-2-1 in their last ten.

Marlins @ Giants
Phelps is 1-0, 1.88 in his four starts (over 2-2).

Bumgarner is 2-0, 1.25 in last three starts, all of which stayed under.

Giants won six of their last eight games; nine of their last 13 home games stayed under the total. SF won four of last six games with Marlins, but lost three of last five here; eight of last 12 series games went over. Miami lost four of last six games overall, with four of those six going over.

American League
Royals @ Tigers
Guthrie is 0-2, 6.95 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Sanchez is 1-1, 3.05 in his last thee starts; five of his last seven went over.

Kansas City is 4-7 in its last 11 games with Detroit; they're 2-4 in their last six games-- last five all went over total. Tigers won four of their last six games.

Orioles @ Bronx
WChen is 0-1, 8.31 in his two road starts; over is 3-2 in his '15 starts.

Whitley is 1-0, 0.75 in his two starts, both of which stayed under.

Orioles lost four of last six games with Bronx; six of last eight series games went over the total. Baltimore lost nine of last 11 road games, with seven of last eight staying under total. Bronx is 9-3 in last 12 games; eight of its last 11 stayed under.

Twins @ Indians
Hughes is 1-2, 4.91 in his last four starts (over 3-3).

BChen is making first '15 start; he is on his 11th MLB team, making his 226th career start- he was 2-4, 7.45 in seven starts for KC last year. Three of his last four starts stayed under the total.

Minnesota won three of last four games with Cleveland; five of last seven games in series went over total. Twins won eight of last nine games, with five of last six going over total. Indians lost nine of their last thirteen games- ten of their last eleven went over.

Red Sox @ Blue Jays
Kelly is 0-1, 8.62 in his last three starts; five of his last six went over.

Hutchison is 1-0, 8.14 in his last four starts; his last five went over, as Blue Jays scored 46 runs in his six starts this season. .

Boston-Toronto split last eight games, but Red Sox lost six of last seven games overall, with seven of its last eight staying under the total. Blue Jays won three of last four games, with three of those four staying under total.

Rangers @ Rays
Detwiler is 0-1, 2.19 in his last two starts (over 2-2-1).

Andreise is 0-1, 6.43 in his first two MLB starts.

Texas won four of its last five games; they've lost seven of last ten games vs Tampa Bay, with over 3-0-1 in last four. Under is 10-2 in last twelve Tampa Bay games. Rays lost four of their last seven games.

Astros @ Angels
Keuchel is 3-0, 0.80 in his six starts (over 3-3).

Shoemaker is 0-2, 6.19 in his last three starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Houston lost three of last five games and was down 2-0 in 9th in the only win; they've won four of last six against the Angels- under is 6-0-1 in last seven in series. Angels won three of last four games; five of last six Halo games stayed under the total.

A's @ Mariners
Hahn is 2-2, 5.33 in his five starts; three of last four went over.

Happ is 2-1, 3.51 in his five starts; three of last four stayed under.

Oakland lost seven of last ten games; ten of last 12 went over. A's are 3-6 in last nine games with Seattle; three of last four went over total. Mariners lost six of their last eight games, with five one-run losses.

Interleague
Reds @ White Sox
Marquis is 3-0, 4.66 in his last three starts; five of his last six went over total. He is getting best run support (33 runs/last three games) of any pitcher in major leagues.

Cueto is 2-1, 3.27 in his last three starts; four of his last five stayed under.

Noesi is 0-3, 6.75 in his three starts; his last five stayed under. Sox scored a total of 11 runs in his last six starts.

Chicago prospect Rodon is making first MLB start; NC State alum allowed two runs in 6.1 IP in three relief appearances.

Reds/White Sox are meeting for first time since 2009; Sox won eight of last nine series games, three of last four stayed under. Cincinnati is 7-4 in its last eleven road games. White Sox lost six of last eight games, with four of their last six staying under the total.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Atl-Wsh-- Teheran 4-2; Fister 2-3
NY-Phil-- Niese 2-3; Harang 4-2
StL-Pitt-- Martinez 5-0; Worley 2-3
Chi-Mil-- Wood 3-2; Lohse 2-4
LA-Col-- Kershaw 2-4; de la Rosa 0-3
SD-Az-- Ross 2-4; Anderson 1-4
Mia-SF-- Phelps 2-2; Bumgarner 3-3

KC-Det-- Guthrie 3-2; Sanchez 2-4
Balt-NY-- WChen 3-2; Whitley 1-1
Min-Cle-- Hughes 1-5; BChen 0-0
Bos-Tor-- Kelly 3-2; Hutchison 4-2
Tex-TB-- Detwiler 1-4; Andreise 1-1
A's-Sea-- Hahn 1-4; Happ 3-2
Hst-LA-- Keuchel 5-1; Shoemaker 3-2

Cin-CWS-- Marquis 4-1 Cueto 3-3; Noesi 0-3 Rodon 0-0

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Atl-Wsh-- Teheran 3-6; Fister 2-5
NY-Phil-- Niese 3-5; Harang 1-6
StL-Pitt-- Martinez 1-5; Worley 0-5
Chi-Mil-- Wood 2-5; Lohse 4-6
LA-Col-- Kershaw 3-6; de la Rosa 3-3
SD-Az-- Ross 2-6; Anderson 2-5
Mia-SF-- Phelps 1-4; Bumgarner 1-6

KC-Det-- Guthrie 2-5; Sanchez 1-6
Balt-NY-- WChen 1-4; Whitley 0-2
Min-Cle-- Hughes 2-6; BChen 0-0
Bos-Tor-- Kelly 3-5; Hutchison 1-6
Tex-TB-- Detwiler 2-5; Andreise 1-2
A's-Sea-- Hahn 1-5; Happ 2-5
Hst-LA-- Keuchel 1-6; Shoemaker 2-5

Cin-CWS-- Marquis 2-5 Cueto 3-6; Noesi 1-3 Rodon 0-0

Umpires
Atl-Wsh-- Home side won 10 of last 12 Culbreth games.
StL-Pitt-- Over is 9-2-2 in last thirteen Emmel games.
NY-Phil-- Underdogs won all six TBarrett games this year.
Chi-Mil-- Under is 10-4-1 in last fifteen Hallion games.
LA-Col-- Last four Tichenor games stayed under total.
SD-Az-- Four of last five Gibson games stayed under.
Mia-SF-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Muchlinski games.

KC-Det-- All three Ripperger games stayed under total.
Bos-Tor-- Over is 7-3-2 in last twelve Cederstrom games.
Balt-NY-- Three of last four Gorman games stayed under.
Min-Cle-- Underdogs won four of five Eddings games.
Tex-TB-- Under is 13-6 in last nineteen Hickox games.
Hst-LA-- All four Drake games stayed under the total.
A's-Sea-- Underdogs are 5-5 in last ten Cuzzi games.

Auto: Kansas 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts

The first half of the short track and restrictor-plate race season is over and now the Spring Cup series gets back to it's bread and butter: the cookie cutter season.

Saturday night’s race at Kansas Speedway will be the fourth of 11 races on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Last week Kevin Harvick was 12/1 to win at volatile Talladega, this week he’s back to be being 4/1, or even lower at a few bet shops.

On the basis on leading 354 laps and finishing first or second on the three 1.5-mile tracks run already between Atlanta, Las Vegas and Texas, Harvick is the easy favorite. However, it’s Jimmie Johnson who has won two of those races with Harvick only taking one. On a broader view, there have been eight different winners in the first 10 races showing that things appear to be equal. But things really aren’t that equal at all on 1.5s.

The Stewart-Haas Racing team, or at least half of them between Harvick and Kurt Busch, have things dialed in the most on the these type of tracks after several changes to the rules package before the season started. Johnson may have two wins, but he hasn’t dominated like Harvick.

The best formula to use to bet Saturday’s race is look hard at the three previous races on 1.5-mile tracks this season, then mix in a little past Kansas history and sprinkle in a little current form. Any way you look at it, Harvick is the guy, but who wants to bet odds at 4/1? The positive if betting against Harvick this week is that he’s only won twice this year and only once on these type of tracks.

In Harvick’s final year with Richard Childress racing, he won for the first time at Kansas in the fall. Last year, he was second and 12th. In 18 career starts on the tri-oval with banking up to 20 degrees, he’s averaged an 11.5 finish. Six other active drivers have a better career finish, but only four that have started at least three of more times.

The best all-time at Kansas is Johnson with a 9.5 average finish and two wins, the last coming in 2011 in the first season Kansas was awarded two races. He finished 40th last fall, but in 17 career starts, he finished 10th or better in 14 starts. Chances are he’s going to be very good here again Saturday night, but do you want to get only 6-to-1 odds?

Let’s dig deeper to see if there is anyone who could step up, beginning with Harvick and Johnon’s teammates.

Kurt Busch has only averaged a 19th-place finish in 18 Kansas starts, but had a career best runner-up in 2013 while driving the No. 78. He led 45 laps at Texas and on the 2-mile layout at Fontana, he dominated leading 65 laps and finished third. That was the race where he was winning late on three occasions only to see cautions come out and Brad Keselowski stole to overtime win.

Jeff Gordon christened Kansas with a win when opened in 2001 and then he won again the next year. He wouldn’t win again there until doing so in the race last season. His three wins are the most in track’s short history. The problem with Gordon this week is we just haven’t seen him do much on 1.5s this season, however his best finish on them came in the last one at Texas April 11th with seventh-place. He could be a quality candidate to win that will pay double-digit odds like 10 or 12-to-1 odds.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been outstanding on 1.5s this season with finishes of fourth or better in all three. He also finished sixth at Fontana. Fresh off his Talladega win, he could be in store for a strong run. He was fifth in this race last season and his best finish was second-place in 2011.

Martin Truex Jr. has nine top-10 finishes in the 10 races this season, including ninth or better on all the 1.5-mile tracks. His best finish was runner-up at Las Vegas, a layout that is more similar to Kansas than Atlanta or Texas. In the 2012 season, he was second in both Kansas races and finished fourth last fall. He wouldn’t be a bad choice to win at 20/1 odds.

Also, don’t forget about the Penske Ford’s with Joey Logano and Keselowski. Logano won at Kansas last fall and was fourth in the prior two races there. Keselowski won there in 2011.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1)#4 Kevin Harvick (4/1)
2) #78 Martin Truex Jr. (20/1)
3) #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10/1)
4) #48 Jimmie Johnson (6/1)
5) #22 Joey Logano (8/1)

Soccer EPL Best Bets - Week 36
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

There are just three matchdays left in the 2014/15 Premier League, and things are hotting up at the bottom of the table. Burnley and QPR have been cut adrift in recent weeks, and both would be relegated with defeats this weekend. Burnley travel to Hull, while QPR travel to Man City in a repeat of the famous game that ended with Sergio Aguero winning the league for the home side.

Otherwise it is likely to be a fight between Leicester, Hull, Newcastle and Sunderland. Leicester looked dead and buried a month ago but are now the outsiders at 8/1. Hull and Newcastle, who have lost eight in a row, are 4/1 and 11/2 respectively with Sunderland the favourites to go down to the Championship at 4/6.

Let's handicap Week 36 of the Premier League.

The Banker: Everton to beat Sunderland at 4/5
(Saturday, 7:45 a.m. ET)

Everton’s season may be over, but they still have a lot to prove. Their season was going very badly until about late February, but since then the Toffees have gone on a great run and could now break into the top half of the Premier League. They welcome Sunderland to Goodison Park on Saturday and, even though Sunderland have far more to play for, it is very hard to make a case for Dick Advocaat’s team. The Black Cats have picked up just two away wins all season, while Everton have won their last four home games, most recently an impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United. Sunderland are just a very poor side at times, and despite a win over Southampton at home last time out, there is little to suggest they can overcome Everton away from home.

The Solid Bet: Chelsea to beat Liverpool at 11/10
(Sunday, 11:00 a.m. ET)

Liverpool have had a very disappointing season, bar two months in the middle. They have struggled badly for goals in the absence of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, and those defensive flaws are yet to be ironed out. Chelsea would not be 11/10 for this match if they were playing Spurs or Southampton, and on current form both would arguably be harder matches for the Blues.

The fact that Chelsea have already won the league has been factored into the price, but perhaps too much. Jose Mourinho has never been one for allowing his team to take their foot off the pedal. He will not play particularly experimental teams in the last three games, and the bad blood between Chelsea and Liverpool will mean that the Blues will take this match completely seriously. They are by far the best team in the league, and are a tempting bet to beat anyone at home at odds-against, let alone a Liverpool side who look set to miss out on the top four.

The Outsider: Crystal Palace to beat Manchester United at 7/2
(Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Manchester United’s season look set to blaze into life, albeit rather late, after they beat Manchester City 4-2, but a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea has heralded a dreadful run of form for Louis van Gaal’s side. They have lost their last three games, most recently going down 1-0 at home to West Bromwich Albion.

United still need one win to all but guarantee Champions League football next year, but it may not come at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Palace manager Alan Pardew is just the type to relish a battle with a struggling giant. Crystal Palace have a great home record against the good teams, backed by a passionate home support in their old-fashioned South London stadium. United have won just five league away games all year, and a trip to Palace, with their fast counter-attacking style, does not look a good place for them to make it six.

The First Goalscorer: Sergio Aguero for Manchester City vs Queens Park Rangers at 3/1
(Sunday, 8:30 a.m. ET)

The day Manchester City won their first title of the ‘new era’ at the club, QPR stayed up despite losing 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium. A defeat on Sunday would guarantee relegation for the Hoops and, despite some decent recent away form and City’s poor second half of the season, I expect it to happen. City have won three on the bounce and have won their last five home games.

QPR’s defence might be one of the slowest ever seen in the Premier League, and Sergio Aguero, the top scorer in the Premier League with 22, is the man to capitalise on that. He has six in his last six games and looks a decent bet at 3/1 to get the scoring going for City.

NHL Preview: Lightning (50-24) at Canadiens (50-22)

Date: May 09, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning are 5 for 5 this year in Montreal. Now they need one more road win against the Canadiens.

The Lightning had a chance to sweep the Canadiens on Thursday night, but goaltender Ben Bishop was pulled in the second period of Montreal's 6-2 victory. Now the second-round series is headed back to Canada for Game 5 on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay has won each of its five games in Montreal in 2015, outscoring the Canadiens 18-8 in Bell Centre. It scored eight of the 11 goals in the first two games of the series at Montreal.

'We've had some success in their building and we played well there in the regular season, too,' Lightning forward Ryan Callahan said Friday. 'I think we're comfortable going in there.'

Montreal had six different goal scorers in its first win in nine games this season against Tampa Bay. It had struggled to score against the 6-foot-7 Bishop, who stopped 100 of 104 shots through the first three games of the series.

'We get as much pressure as we can on him and go to the net, score some goals, shoot a lot of pucks at him and it will pay off eventually,' center Tomas Plekanec said.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper lifted Bishop after David Desharnais' shot skipped off the goaltender's glove and into the net for the 5-7 forward's first goal of the playoffs. Bishop finished with 11 saves.

The Lightning still have a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, but a couple of the games could have gone either way. They won 2-1 in double-overtime in Game 1, and grabbed another 2-1 victory on Tyler Johnson's goal with 1.1 seconds remaining Wednesday night.

'We have to get back to our speed game, our transition game,' Callahan said. 'I think we're at our best when we move the puck up the ice and attack the other team. There hasn't been enough of that the last couple games.'

Cooper said he is confident his team will bounce back from the Game 4 loss.

'We have to put our best foot forward,' he said. 'Both teams know each other well, we just have to execute. We are a confident group. We have proven we can rebound from disappointing games.'

The Canadiens won their first three games of the playoffs against Ottawa, and then dropped their next two before eliminating the Senators with a 2-0 victory in Game 6 on April 26.

'It's always a comfortable lead when you're up by three, but on the other hand you've got to understand momentum can change quick,' Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. 'Momentum in hockey changes quick and breaks change quick.'

Max Pacioretty hopes to have found some momentum after getting a short-handed goal and two assists Thursday. The club's scoring leader during the regular season had only one point through the first three games of this series.

Defenseman Andrei Markov also registered just his second point of the playoffs after having 50 this season.

Tampa Bay had only allowed four goals over its previous 14 periods before Markov and Pacioretty scored in the first period Thursday. The loss ended the Lightning's five-game playoff winning streak during which Bishop allowed six goals.

Bishop is 13-2-2 lifetime against the Canadiens, including playoffs.

What bettors need to know: Lightning at Canadiens

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (-125, 5)
Lightning lead series 3-1

The Montreal Canadiens kept alive their season with a lopsided victory and hope to stave off elimination again when they return home to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Saturday's Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Canadiens averted a sweep with a 6-2 drubbing at Tampa Bay on Thursday, ending a string of eight consecutive losses to the Lightning this season.

“We’re not going away quietly,” Montreal forward Brandon Prust said after his team rebounded from a crushing last-second loss in Game 3. The Canadiens dominated both games at Tampa Bay and one of their two home losses came in double overtime. The Lightning, who won all five regular-season meetings before taking the first three games of this series, know they need to put forth a better effort. "We got what was coming," Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. "We had too many passengers the last couple games. The team will address that."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA

LINE HISTORY: Sportsbooks opened the Habs in the -116 ballpark, but that line has since moved to -125.

INJURY REPORT: Lighting - C Cedric Paquette (Ques-Undisclosed) Canadiens - Nathan Beaulieu (Ques-Upper Body)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Ben Bishop was sidelined due to injury when Montreal swept the Lightning in four games a year ago, but the 6-7 netminder had haunted the Canadiens since, stopping 100 of 104 shots in the first three games before he was sent to an early exit Thursday. "I think Bishop sort of was sitting on a horseshoe for a little bit there," Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban said. "He's played well, but he's been lucky, as well. I think seeing him being pulled out of the net is a confidence booster for our team." Ondrej Palat, who had 16 goals and 63 points during the regular season, scored once and set up the Lightning's other tally Thursday to match his point total from the previous six contests.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Montreal netted only eight goals in the five regular-season meetings and four more in the first three games of the series before leading scorer Max Pacioretty set up one tally and scored short-handed in the first 8:43 of Game 3 to ignite the rout. "This group won three out of four elimination games in the playoffs last year, so we knew what to expect and we played with that desperation we needed to have," Pacioretty said. "But we're still down three games to one and we need to play with that same desperation the next game and hope to creep into their mind by playing the right way." Pacioretty finished with three points while Subban and Alex Galchenyuk added two assists each.

TRENDS:

*Lightning are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Montreal.
*Canadiens are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Over is 8-3-2 in the last 13 meetings.
*Over is 6-1-2 in Canadiens last 9 home games.

NHL

Tampa Bay won eight of its last nine games with Montreal; they held the Canadiens to four goals in the first three games of series, then fell behind 5-0 in Game 4-- teams are playing for third time in four nights. Seven of last ten series games went over total. Lightning won last five visits here; they've now won five of last six games overall. Canadiens lost five of last seven games, but scored shorthanded goal to break Game 4 open. Canadiens are 1-11 on power play in series. Tampa Bay's two goals on power play last game came after Montreal led 5-0.

Home teams are 10-7 in this round of playoffs; under is 8-7-2.

NBA Saturday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

**Hawks at Wizards**

-- Just like the other three series in the NBA Playoffs, the Hawks and Wizards are knotted at 1-1 in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals showdown that shifts to Washington D.C. for Saturday's Game 3. The big news that came out Thursday afternoon concerns Washington point guard John Wall, who is expected to miss a second straight game due to a wrist injury. Wall took a hard fall in Game 1 and braced himself with his left hand as he hit the deck. An X-ray Thursday revealed five non-displaced fractures, leaving his status for the rest of the postseason in question.

-- Wall averaged 17.6 points, 10.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game during the regular season. In a 104-98 comeback win at Atlanta in Game 1, Wall had 18 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

-- On Thursday morning, most betting shops had Washington (51-37 straight up, 38-47-3 against the spread) installed as a 1.5-point favorite for Game 3. When the Wall news broke early Thursday afternoon, the number was adjusted to Atlanta as the 1.5-point favorite. As it became more clear Wall is unlikely to play Saturday, the line moved more. As of early Friday afternoon, most books had the Hawks favored by 3.5 points with a total of 199.5. The Wizards are +145 on the money line (risk $100 to win $145).

-- Atlanta (65-25 SU, 53-35-2 ATS) evened the series by capturing a 106-90 win as a nine-point home 'chalk' in Tuesday's Game 2 at Philips Arena. DeMarre Carroll was the catalyst again as he continued to his stellar postseason play with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists. Carroll became the first Hawk to score 20 points or more in six straight playoff games since Dominique Wilkins pulled the same trick in 1988. Paul Millsap added 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Al Horford finished with 18 points, six assists, four boards, three steals and a pair of blocked shots. Kyle Korver and Kent Bazemore were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Jeff Teague, who has been hampered by a sprained ankle since Game 5 of the Brooklyn series, had just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field. However, the Wake Forest product did dish out eight assists and pull down seven rebounds.

-- Despite the Game 2 loss, Washington had to be encouraged by the play of Bradley Beal, who sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 1. Beal looked fine health-wise on Tuesday, producing 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. Ramon Sessions, who started at PG in Wall's absence, came up big with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 from long distance. Otto Porter and Paul Pierce contributed 15 points apiece. Porter also had eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.

-- The 'under' is 44-42-2 overall for the Wizards, but the 'over' is 23-19-1 in their home contests.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (45-45) for the Hawks this year, but the 'over' is 23-21 in their road assignments.

-- The adjusted series price has Atlanta at -300, while Washington is available for a +250 return (risk $100 to win $250).

Chris David had this take on the series going into Game 3: "With or without Wall in the lineup, Atlanta is the better team in this series. Due to his health, it would be surprising to see the Wizards defeat the Hawks. The one thing I don’t like about Washington is that it hasn’t been a great team off a loss this season, losing 19 back-to-back games. Those outcomes include losing skids of three, four, five and six games. Even though the Wizards have solid veterans on their squad with playoff experience, they seem to buckle when things aren’t going well and it’s clear that they’re heading in that direction now.

"I prefer to play totals more than sides and I’m going to keep riding the Atlanta team total ‘over’ in this series. The Hawks still haven’t put forth a great shooting performance and they put up 98 and 106 points in the first two games. They match up real well and they got to the line 11 more times (25-14) in Game 2. I’m hoping Budenholzer pushes the aggressive approach and I’m guessing Jeff Teague will finally start making shots. The number is 100 ½ and I believe Atlanta will jump over the century mark again on Saturday.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Warriors at Grizzlies**

-- Without starting point guard Mike Conley (facial fractures) in Game 1, Memphis (60-29 SU, 44-42-3 ATS) was blasted at Golden State by a 101-86 count as a 10-point road underdog. The combination of Nick Calathes and Beno Udrih at point guard produced just seven total points and more turnovers (four) than assists (three).

-- With Conley returning for Game 2 wearing a protective mask on his face, the Ohio State product scored a game-high 22 points to spark Memphis to a 97-90 win as a 10-point road 'dog. Conley drained 8-of-12 attempts from the field and connected on 3-of-6 shots from 3-point land. Zach Randolph added 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Marc Gasol finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Courtney Lee was also in double figures with 15 points. Tony Allen had nine points and four steals, showing why he's a perennial first-team selection to the NBA's All-Defensive Team. Allen held Klay Thompson to 13 points and forced him into five turnovers.

-- Golden State (72-16 SU, 49-38-1 ATS) lives and dies by its efficiency from 3-point land and it wasn't there in Tuesday's setback at home. The Warriors made only 6-of-26 from downtown (23.1%), as The Splash Brothers (Steph Curry and Thompson) combined to hit just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc. Curry scored a team-high 19 points to go with six assists and five rebounds. Draymond Green finished with 14 points and 12 boards, but he hit just 3-of-11 shots from the field. Leandro Barbosa scored 14 points from off of the bench.

-- Memphis is a home underdog in this spot for just the fourth time this year. Regardless of the venue, the Grizzlies went 12-8 ATS in 20 games as underdogs of three points or more.

-- Memphis has won five in a row at home while going 4-0-1 versus the number. The Grizzlies owns a 22-19-3 spread record at home this season.

-- Even though Memphis currently holds home-court advantage, Golden State is still a -600 'chalk' to win the series . The Grizzlies are +450 on the comeback (risk $100 to win $450).

David offered these thoughts going into Game 3: "Memphis is a very solid club and I expected a dogfight in this series, predicting the Warriors to win in seven games. However, I’m not foolish to know that Golden State is the better team and the line tells you so. To put things in perspective, the Grizzlies have been home underdogs three times this season and they’ve gone 1-2 in those games. The one win came in the last game of the season when Memphis rested versus Indiana and we all saw the Pacers fold. The two losses came to quality contenders in the Cavaliers and Warriors. Cleveland beat them by 22 and Golden State racked up a 23-point road win. I don’t see the deficit being this high on Saturday but I’m not afraid to lay the price with the road favorites.

"Even though the first two games in this series went ‘under’ the total, I’d lean ‘over’ in Game 3 just based on the offensive tendencies from Golden State. The Warriors have been held under 100 points 14 times this season and in the very next game, the club has averaged 110.1 PPG in the following contest. In the first round, Golden State scored 97 in Game 2 versus New Orleans and rebounded with 123 in Game 3. Memphis is a different animal defensively but I don’t expect another inconsistent effort from the league’s best offense.

-- The 'under' is 47-40-1 overall for the Warriors, 25-18 in their road games. They have seen the 'under' cash in three straight and four of their last five.

-- The 'under' has been a major money maker in Memphis games, going 51-36-2 overall. The Grizzlies have seen the 'under' hit at a 29-14-1 clip in their home outings. They have seen the 'under' go 6-2 in their last eight games.

-- ESPN will have the broadcast from The Grind House at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Game of the day: Saturday's NBA Playoff action

Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards (+3, 199)
Series tied 1-1

John Wall will likely be on the sidelines for a second consecutive contest when the Washington Wizards host the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday. The star point guard has been diagnosed with five non-displaced fractures in his left hand and wrist and Washington has yet to announce his status for the rest of the series.

Wall’s injury is a big blow to the Wizards, who solidly defeated the Hawks in Game 1 before Atlanta recovered to win the second game with Wall sitting out. “By no means do we feel like this series is over or our goals change,” veteran forward Paul Pierce told reporters. “We will continue to go out there and reach for our goals.” The Hawks played much better in Game 2 after a lackluster opening performance and look to take control of the series. “We’ve been doing it all year,” center Al Horford told reporters. “I know it’s the playoffs and the intensity goes up. There are a lot of things that go into it, but it’s gotten us this far, so we have to stay confident.”

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Wiz as 2-point favorites, but that line has since hopped the fence all the way to +3 as of this writing.

INJURY REPORT: Hawks - N/A Wizards - G John Wall (Doub-Wrist)

ABOUT THE HAWKS: Atlanta would like to see shooting guard Kyle Korver (9-of-26 in the series) regain his stroke and point guard Jeff Teague (7-of-26) is also struggling. One player thriving is small forward DeMarre Carroll, who is averaging 23 points in the series and has compiled six consecutive 20-point efforts, the longest by a Hawks’ player since Dominique Wilkins rattled off 12 straight in 1988. Power forward Paul Millsap has posted back-to-back double-doubles and has four in the postseason.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS: Journeyman Ramon Sessions started in place of Wall and had a solid effort with 21 points in Game 2. He will continue to play a big role in the series moving forward with Wall’s status in doubt while Pierce is troubled by the timing of the injury. “It is definitely difficult for the team but I am sure it is even more devastating for John,” Pierce told reporters. “I’m more hurt for him than anything because I know how badly he wants to be out there.”

TRENDS:

*Hawks are 5-1-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
*Wizards are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
*Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
*Over is 10-2 in Wizards last 12 home games.


Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies (+4.5, 196.5)
Series tied 1-1

The return of Mike Conley sparked Memphis in Game 2 and the Grizzlies look to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals when they meet the visiting Golden Warriors on Saturday. Conley scored 22 points eight days after having facial surgery to lead Memphis to a 97-90 victory on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies have homecourt advantage after splitting the two games on Golden State’s floor, and thoroughly rattled the Warriors in Game 2 while forcing 20 turnovers. “We were too quick with our intention to score,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “Instead of just moving the ball and setting good screens, everyone was trying to do everything frantically on their own.” Memphis standout defender Tony Allen is causing problems for Golden State and insists the Grizzlies haven’t tweaked their philosophy. “We play a certain style no matter who we play,” Allen told reporters. “It’s just a game of basketball. You’ve got to get back in transition and with a team like (the Warriors), you’ve got to defend the perimeter.”

LINE HISTORY: Books initially opened the Grizz +4 but that's been bet to its current price of +4.5.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - C Ognjen Kuzmic (Ques-Ankle) Grizzlies - N/A

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: The Golden State backcourt of Stephen Curry (20.5 average in the series) and Klay Thompson (15.5) have yet to hit their stride and the Warriors were 6-of-26 from 3-point range in Game 2. Curry was a subpar 7-of-19 shooting in the contest while Thompson was reduced to non-contributor status by Allen, ducked the media afterward and then bristled the following day when a reporter suggested Allen was in his head. “They know what I think now? That’s all I gotta say,” Thompson responded. “In my head? Come on, man.”

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Conley wore a mask to protect the broken bones in his face and was 8-of-12 shooting in 27 stellar minutes. “I’m just happy that he’s able to play,” center Marc Gasol told reporters. “I’m happy that Mike is not only able to push through it but help his team win. He gives us poise, he gives us toughness.” Conley said his vision was fine out of the swollen left eye for most of the game, but his lack of activity did cause cramping issues in the final minutes.

TRENDS:

*Road team is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
*Grizzlies are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
*Under is 6-1 in Warriors last 7 Conference Semifinals games.
*Under is 24-4 in Grizzlies last 28 home games.

Hawks' series price jumping up due to Wall's MRI news
Stephen Campbell

Just how big of an impact has John Wall's injury had on the Washington Wizards? Check out these Hawks-Wizards series prices moves:

Opened: Atlanta -260

After Game 1 loss: Atlanta -115

After Game 2 victory: Atlanta -165

After news broke of Wall's MRI: Atlanta -270

NBA

Wall has multiple fractures in left hand/wrist; can he manage pain enough to play after missing Game 2? Washington is 2-4 in its last six games vs Atlanta; eight of last ten series games went over total. Seven of last nine Wizard games went over total. Hawks bench shot 7-20 in Game 1, 7-15 in Game 2; they took ten less 3's last game, got to foul line 11 more times. Wizards' bench was a combined +35 in Game 1, Atlanta's -27- in Game 2, Wiz bench was -30, Hawks +9. .

Memphis PG Conley (facial fractures) scored 22 points in 27:00 in Game 2 upset, giving his team a great lift; Warriors were just 6-26 from arc in Game 2, after going 13-28 in first game. Grizzlies lost five of last seven games with Golden State; six of last eight series games stayed under the total. Six of last eight Memphis games stayed under total. Golden State has 72 wins this year; they've won nine of last ten games but covered only two of last nine. Both series games stayed under the total.

NBA Odds and Predictions: Saturday, May 9 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I don't know about you, but I can't remember an NBA playoffs where injuries have been such a factor. The Cavaliers, of course, are without Kevin Love. The Hawks lost a key bench player when he was hurt while being arrested before the playoffs (he'll be suing the NYPD). The Grizzlies lost the heart and soul of their team for a while. Ditto the Clippers. The Pelicans occasionally had their starting point guard. The Raptors' best player, Kyle Lowry, played at clearly less than 100 percent. Those are just some of them. Now comes perhaps the biggest injury of all and it might derail Washington's chances of winning the Eastern Conference. Here are your Game 3 previews for Saturday.

Hawks at Wizards (+3.5, 199.5)

The injury I speak of is to Washington All-Star point guard John Wall, who has been fantastic this season and in the playoffs. He injured his left/wrist hand in Game 1 of this series but played through it and was awesome with 18 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds in totally dominating All-Star counterpart Jeff Teague. The injury wasn't thought to be serious, and by all accounts Wall was going to play in Game 2 on Tuesday -- even Wall said he was. But obviously something changed and Wall was scratched. The Wizards weren't the same, losing 106-90, their first loss in these playoffs. Can't really blame Wall's replacement in the starting lineup as Ramon Sessions had 21 points and four assists, although the team was outscored by 10 with him on the floor. Obviously Sessions moving into the lineup weakens the bench.

I have no idea if Wall will play in Game 3 or any other game in these playoffs. He has been diagnosed with five fractures in that wrist and hand. I don't see how a point guard could play with something like that. Maybe a power forward or center with a cast on as he wouldn't really have to handle the ball much. But the Wizards haven't ruled Wall out yet. Washington could have lost arguably any other player and still beaten Atlanta. Not Wall. The team was averaging 115.7 points per 100 possessions in these playoffs with Wall on the court (that would have led the NBA during the regular season) and 96.0 with him off. Before sitting out Game 2, Wall had four consecutive double-doubles, one shy of Moses Malone's franchise playoff record. Including Tuesday's loss, the Wizards are now 10-40 when Wall sits over the past five seasons.

This line has changed dramatically with the Wall news (as did series line). It opened as high as Washington -2. The total hasn't much moved.

Updated series line: Hawks -275, Wizards +230.

Key trends: Atlanta has covered one of its past five road games. The Wizards are 0-6-1 against the spread following a loss of 10 points or more. The over is 5-1 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: Even if Wall plays, I just don't see how he can be effective. Plus the team has no one behind Sessions so he might have to play all 48 minutes and that's obviously not a good thing. Take the Hawks and the under.


Warriors at Grizzlies (+4, 196)

I'm not saying that Memphis point guard Mike Conley is as good as Wall because he isn't. But he's just as important to his team, and that was clear in Game 2 against Golden State. I didn't think Conley would play due to his facial fractures but did have the Grizzlies covering a big spread -- I just didn't see them winning. But thanks to Conley's return, they pulled off a 97-90 stunner, only the Warriors' third home loss all season and first in regulation since Nov. 11. Wearing a mask, Conley was spectacular with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting along with three assists and only one turnover. Just playing clearly fired up his teammates. That's clear proof emotion matters in the playoffs. The guy who had been starting for Conley, Nick Calathes, didn't even play in Game 2.

Conley also did a fine job when he guarded Steph Curry, as the league MVP hit only 7-for-19 from the field and 2-for-11 from 3-point range. Tony Allen, meanwhile, terrorized Klay Thompson into 6-for-15 shooting and 1-for-6 from the 3-point range. Those two were a combined minus-4. The Warriors are a jump shooting team and aren't winning a title if those two aren't hitting. They don't have a consistent third scorer. But I don't expect the team to go 6-for-26 from long range again, either. Coach Steve Kerr said his team was too impatient. Golden State took a 4-2 lead, and that would be the Warriors' last of the game. It was the team's first loss this season when holding a foe under 100 points, which is pretty amazing.

Updated series line: Warriors -488, Grizzlies +413.

Key trends: The Warriors are 6-0 ATS in their past six playing on three or more days of rest. They are 1-5 ATS in their past six after an ATS loss. The Grizzlies are 4-0-1 ATS in their past five at home. The under is 5-0 in Memphis' past five playing on three or more days of rest. The under is 6-2 in Golden State's past eight road games.

Early lean: Golden State wasn't going to run the table in these playoffs. I expect a much more focused club. Give the points and go under.

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Balmoral Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 4 - Post: 8:10 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 92 - Purse:$9400 - WINNERS OVER $30,000 LIFETIME


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 6 JUSTICE JET 6/5


# 5 HUDSON JESSE 4/1


# 4 CELEBRITY HERCULES 3/1


Hard not to give the nod to JUSTICE JET as the top pick today. Overall stats appear competitive. Can't throw out at this point. Many smart handicappers know speed is is key. This solid standardbred has credentials with a 93 avg statistic. This nice horse earned a respectable speed figure last out. Looks sharp to come right back. HUDSON JESSE - Should be given a look based on the very nice TrackMaster Speed Rating earned in the last contest. Looks like a strong pick in this bunch and her positive winning percentage says she has the desire to dominate today. CELEBRITY HERCULES - Been going to post with some tougher customers of late, has a distinct class edge. (Average Rating 89). With better than average win statistics, Oosting should have this gelding in excellent position to win the race.

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Saratoga Harness

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 11 - Post: 10:05 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 93 - Purse:$15000 - WINNERS OVER $25,000 LIFE SARATOGA


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 1 PANPERO FIRPO 5/2


# 6 GEORGE JETTISON 9/2


# 5 PAPPY'S PAL 4/1


Hey, listen up! PANPERO FIRPO is the sharp bet if you like to win. His 95 average has this horse among the best speed ratings in this one. The 93 avg class stat may give this horse a distinct edge in the field of horses. If performance in the last race is any indication, this solid standardbred will have a very competitive shot in this contest. High last race speed rating. GEORGE JETTISON - Heads into this race with great TrackMaster class markings relative to the grouping - worth a look. Talk about a dynamic duo, Aldrich and Godinez have some of the best driver-trainer figures at the track. PAPPY'S PAL - Not many knocks against this contender, let's give him a shot. Devaux and Rohr have a very nice working relationship. Outstanding results from their outings.