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Golfers to Bet - Texas Open

Tournament: Valero Texas Open
Date: Thursday, April 21st
Venue: JW Marriot TPC San Antonio
Location: San Antonio, TX

Jimmy Walker will be looking to defend his title when the TOUR heads to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open on Thursday. Walker shot an 11-under to defeat Jordan Spieth by four strokes in 2015 and he’ll certainly be looking forward to getting back out on the 7,433-yard course. The best score ever shot at this tournament was a 27-under by Mike Souchak in 1955. That’ll be a tough one to beat this weekend, but there are some talented golfers in this field and they’ll definitely be looking to give it their best shot.

Some of the noteworthy players that will be teeing off on Thursday are Walker, Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker, Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard and Brooks Koepka. Leonard and Johnson are people to keep an eye on coming into this one, as Leonard has won this event three times in his career and Johnson has won twice. Another win for Leonard would give him the most victories ever in this tournament. He’s currently tied with Arnold Palmer at three apiece.

With that information out of the way, let’s now take a look at who might be winning this thing on Sunday:

Golfers to Watch:

Branden Grace (16-to-1) - Branden Grace has had an up-and-down season, but he should come into this game with a ton of confidence. Grace won last week’s RBC Heritage with a nine-under and he’ll now be looking to earn back-to-back TOUR victories. Grace’s victory at the RBC Heritage was not his only impressive outing of the season, as he also finished tied for fifth at the WGC-HSBC Championship in November. This is a guy that is currently ranked 11th in the OWGR and 16-to-1 odds are excellent for somebody with that standing. The odds are even better when factoring in that he just played his best tournament of the year. He’s somebody that people should consider putting a few units on this weekend.

Zach Johnson (20-to-1) - Zach Johnson has not yet won a tournament this year, but he’s due for one soon. He has been near the top of the leaderboard on a number of occasions this season, finishing top-10 in two events and top-15 in four as well. Johnson has not only played some solid golf this year, but he also is returning to an event that he should be very confident at. As previously mentioned, Johnson has won this tournament twice in his career and he will be looking forward to getting back out on this course. Desperate for a victory, this is exactly what Johnson needs to gain some momentum with the U.S. Open right around the corner. He’s an excellent play at 20-to-1.

Bryson DeChambeau (30-to-1) - Bryson DeChambeau earned low amateur honors at the Masters Tournament and finished tied for 21st in a very solid showing. He followed that event up with his professional debut at the RBC Heritage and was outstanding in that tournament. DeChambeau shot a three-under at Harbour Town Golf Links and that was good for a tie in fourth place at the event. He has now finished in the top-30 in all three of his appearances this season and he should be able to continue playing well moving forward. He’s a very good value play at 30-to-1.

Justin Leonard (175-to-1) - When looking for a dark horse for this tournament, it’s very hard to pass up on Leonard at 175-to-1. As mentioned earlier, Leonard has won this tournament three times in his career and he is going to be playing for the record of most wins ever at the Valero Texas Open this weekend. Nobody has ever won this tournament four times and Leonard isn’t necessarily that old. He’s only 43 and has plenty of good golf left in him, so it’s hard to imagine him not being near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday. He knows this course like the back of his hand and is a very high upside play for the weekend.

10 Players to Watch: Valero Texas Open
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Branden Grace, South Africa -- When Grace won for the first time on the European Tour in the 2012 Joburg Open, he followed by winning the Volvo Golf Champions the next week. He will try to do the same this week in the Valero Texas Open after claiming his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday in the RBC Heritage. Grace, now No. 12 in the World Golf Rankings, has 11 victories in his career and on three occasions has won twice in a matter of weeks. He has four other top-10 finishes and eight in the top 25 this season, including a victory in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. He is making his third start at TPC San Antonio, having tied for 79th in 2014 and tied for 30th last year.

2. Jimmy Walker, United States -- Walker, a hometown hero, defends his title this week at TPC San Antonio. He claimed his fifth victory on the PGA Tour a year ago by closing with a 2-under-par 70 that included two late birdies to beat fellow Texan Jordan Spieth by four strokes. Walker is making his 10th appearance on the AT&T Oaks Course. He also tied for third in 2010, finishing two shots behind winner Adam Scott of Australia. Walker hasn't started this season as well as he has the last few, but he does have three results in the top 10 and six in the top 25 -- missing a chance to win the Farmers Insurance Open when he lost the lead in the final round while shooting a 77 to wind up sixth.

3. Patrick Reed, United States -- Like fellow Texan Jimmy Walker, Reed has won three seasons in a row on the PGA Tour but has yet to break through in 2015-16. He is playing at TPC San Antonio for only the third time, having tied for 35th in 2012 and missed the cut the following year -- failing to break the par of 72 in any of his six rounds. Despite not winning, Reed has played well this season, with seven finishes in the top 10, including three in a row recently. He tied for seventh in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, tied for ninth in the WGC-Dell Match Play and tied for 10th in the Shell Houston Open. His best result was second, eight shots behind Jordan Spieth in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

4. Brandt Snedeker, United States -- Coming off a missed cut in the RBC Heritage, Snedeker will try to bounce back in what has been a strong season thus far when he plays in the Valero Texas Open for only the second time. He finished solo fourth at TPC San Antonio in 2011, two strokes behind champion Brendan Steele. After missing the cut twice in the fall portion of the 2015-16 schedule, Snedeker has finished in the top 10 on six occasions in the new year, including his eighth PGA Tour victory in the Farmers Insurance Open. He also lost in a playoff to Fabian Gomez of Argentina at the Sony Open in Hawaii, tied for third in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, tied for ninth in the WGC-Dell Match Play and tied for 10th in the Masters.

5. Phil Mickelson, United States -- After a missed cut in the Masters, where the three-time champion shot 72-79 -- 151, Lefty returns to play in the Valero Texas Open for the third time. He didn't tee it up at TPC San Antonio before withdrawing because of a pulled muscle in his right side after 10 holes in round three following a 77-70 start two years ago. Last year, he returned to tie for 30th. Mickelson has had his moments this year, including a tie for third in the CareerBuilder Challenge, second in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and a tie for fifth in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He has won the Colonial (twice), the Shell Houston Open and the Byron Nelson Classic, so a victory on the AT&T Oaks Course would give him the Texas Slam.

6. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Kooch has not been the top-10 machine that he was the last several years, but he has tied for ninth in both the WGC-Dell Match Play and the RBC Heritage recently after tying for eighth in the Northern Trust Open. However, his game has not been that far off, as he has seven top-25 results in 11 tournaments this season. Kuchar is playing in the Valero Texas Open for the 12th time. He tied for second in 2002, two strokes behind winner Justin Leonard, and also tied for fourth two years ago. He shot 7-under-par 65 in the third round of the latter but closed with a 75 and wound up two shots behind champion Steve Bowditch of Australia.

7. Bryson DeChambeau, United States -- After his sensational pro debut last week, a tie for fourth in the RBC Heritage, DeChambeau received an exemption for the Valero Texas Open, which does not count against the seven he gets in which to earn his PGA Tour card. He closed with a 3-under-par 68 at Harbour Town and picked up 122.50 FedEx Cup points, a good start toward the 361 he needs to unlimited sponsor exemptions for the rest of the season. DeChambeau, coming off a tie 21st that made him low amateur in the Masters, also collected $259,600 for his top-10 finish a few days after signing a lucrative contract with Cobra Puma Golf, and also could earn his card by reaching $747,899 in official earnings. He should be a gallery favorite at TPC San Antonio after he won the NCAA Championship last year for SMU.

8. Luke Donald, England -- Even though Donald was unable to hold on for his first PGA Tour victory since the 2012 Transitions Championship last week in the RBC Heritage, the former No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings hopes his tie for second at Harbour Town gives him added momentum heading to TPC San Antonio. Donald said he was motivated by failing to qualify for the Masters, or any other major for that matter, for the first time since 2004, although he missed two in 2008 because of a wrist injury. He is playing in the Valero Texas Open for the fourth time, but he hasn't been there in 13 years. Donald tied for 71st in 2001, tied for 18th the following year when he finished 64-68-66, and tied for 34th in 2003.

9. Zach Johnson, United States -- Zach seemed to have his game heading in the right direction when he finished fifth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied for ninth in the WGC-Dell Match Play, but then he missed the cut in the Masters and tied for 33rd in the RBC Heritage. However, it was only one bad round that got him each time as he opened with a 72 at Augusta before coming back with an 80, and was tied for fifth at Harbour Town before closing with a 77. Johnson is playing in the Valero Texas Open for the fifth time, and won it in 2009, closing with 62-64 at La Cantera Golf Club to beat Charlie Wi, Tim Wilkinson and Mark Wilson by two strokes. Two years ago at TPC San Antonio, he tied for sixth.

10. Charley Hoffman, United States -- If Hoffman can figure out a way to overcome his final-round problems, he should be a contender again this week at TPC San Antonio. He has been in good position for high finishes several times this year but has struggled with a final-round scoring average of 74.75, which ranks 200th on the PGA Tour. It happened again last week, when Hoffman was tied for the lead after starting 68-68 and still was in the hunt after a third-round 71, but closed with a 75 to tie for 14th. He is making his 10th start in the Valero Texas Open and has finished outside the top 13 only once, including a tie for second in 2013, one stroke behind winner Brendan Steele, and a tie for third in 2013.

PGA Tour Picks: Valero Texas Open Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews

Two weeks ago at Augusta, England's Danny Willett became maybe the best European player most golf fans hadn't heard of to win his first PGA Tour event (and has since joined the PGA Tour). On Sunday at the RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, another guy with a great resume on the European Tour, South African Branden Grace, won his first title on the PGA Tour.

Grace, who has seven wins on the European Tour and was the best player for the International Team at last year's Presidents' Cup with a 5-0 record, was three shots behind leader Luke Donald when Grace teed off on Sunday. Grace took the lead for good with consecutive birdies on 12 and 13 and shot a final-round 66 to finish at 9-under 275 and two shots ahead of Russell Knox and Donald. The win was Grace's second of 2016. He also won the European Tour's Qatar Masters in January. He rose three spots in the world rankings to No. 11. That definitely won't be Grace's last PGA Tour win and I expect him to take a major very soon. He was Top 5 at last year's U.S. Open and PGA Championship.

Donald, meanwhile, is so overdue to win the RBC Heritage. The Englishman has now finished second four times and third twice in the past eight trips to Harbour Town. The other big story last week was Bryson DeChambeau, who turned heads at the Masters as low amateur, finishing T4 in his pro debut. That was easily a better debut than the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth or Rory McIlroy. DeChambeau jumped 144 spots in the world rankings to No. 205, just behind former major winners Ernie Els and Stewart Cink. Thanks to that Top 10, DeChambeau now is automatically eligible for this week's Valero Texas Open and doesn't have to use one of his seven sponsor exemptions.

I didn't have Grace winning last week. Jason Day was clearly the best player in the field, but I thought he'd struggle a bit. He finished T23. My winner was Matt Kuchar and I at least got him at +200 for a Top 10. Ditto on Donald at +400. Kuchar and Donald also won me some head-to-head props.

This week, the Tour heads back to the Lone Star State for the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio. It's a tournament that has moved around quite a bit on the schedule. It's one of the weaker fields of 2016 with guys like Mickelson, Patrick Reed and Jimmy Walker leading the way. Spieth usually plays in his native Texas but isn't this week. He's likely still on the mend emotionally from the Masters.

Last year, Walker won his hometown event (he lives about 35 miles away) at 11-under 277. Only 10 players finished under par and TPC San Antonio would see players finish an average of 2.52 strokes over par, the hardest non-major course of 2015. The first-round scoring average of 76.695 was the highest for any round in a non-major since 1999. It was very windy last year. Spieth finished second.

Golf Odds: Valero Texas Open Favorites

With no world Top-10 players in the field, there's no heavy favorite. Walker is the top guy at +1400. Obviously he knows the course as well as anyone but hasn't won since this tournament. Walker hasn't had a great season and his last Top-15 finish was at the WGC-Cadillac in early March.

Grace and Reed are +1600. Grace is the top-ranked player in the world entered. He has played here twice with a best finish of 30th. Off that breakthrough win last week, I expect nothing from him. Reed is another Texan but hasn't played here since a missed cut in 2013.

J.B. Holmes, Kuchar, Zach Johnson and Brooks Koepka, all at +2000, round out the favorites. Johnson won this tournament in 2008 & '09 but that was at a different course. He finished T6 two years ago and T20 last year.

Golf Odds: Valero Texas Open Picks

For a Top-10 finish, I like Walker (+150), Kuchar (+190), Mickelson (+230) and Charley Hoffman (+250). Go John Senden (+350) as top Australian, Fredrik Jacobson (+275) as top European and Els (+550) over Grace (-150) as top South African. Head-to-head, I like Johnson (-110) over Grace (-120), Kuchar (-115) over Reed (-115), and Mickelson (-115) over Brandt Snedeker.

I think Kuchar will contend again this week but am not going to pick him to win a second straight tournament. He was T15 here last year and T4 the year before. My pick is Hoffman at +3000. He has played every year since this tournament moved to TPC San Antonio and hasn't finished worse than T13. Hoffman, who was a solid T14 last week at Hilton Head, was third here in 2013 and second in 2011. Hoffman and Walker each have nine rounds under par at this course over the past three years, tied for the most among all players.

Preview: Penguins (48-26) at Rangers (46-27)

Date: April 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

One of the most impressive aspects of the Pittsburgh Penguins' hot streak over the last month and a half is that three goaltenders have played a role in it.

First Marc-Andre Fleury got hurt, then standout rookie Matt Murray's injury put Jeff Zatkoff in net for the first two games of this series, seemingly giving the edge to the New York Rangers. But Murray picked up right where he left off in Game 3, and now the Penguins are in position to take a 3-1 lead with another victory Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Pittsburgh has won 16 of 19 since March 11 with Fleury posting a 1.98 goals-against average through nine games in that stretch before suffering a concussion. Murray stepped in and won his first six starts before leaving the regular-season finale with a head injury.

Zatkoff made 35 saves in a 4-2 win in Game 1 against the Rangers but struggled somewhat in a 4-2 loss in Game 2. Murray returned to make 16 saves in Tuesday's 3-1 victory.

Fleury practiced Monday before being ruled out, and his status going forward is questionable.

'The nerves were definitely going at the start of the game. That's understandable,' Murray said. 'It was my first playoff game, at MSG no less. I was able to control it and that was all I could ask for.'

He got help offensively as the Penguins outshot the Rangers 31-17. Sidney Crosby tied it on the power play in the second period before Matt Cullen put the Penguins ahead early in the third. Kris Letang added an empty netter.

Pittsburgh has won all three meetings this season at Madison Square Garden and has taken nine of its last 10 on the road.

'Our mindset is playing the right way, doing the things that have got us here. The past is the past," Crosby said. "Right now we want to make sure we are better every game. I think we took a good step here (Tuesday).'

The Rangers hoped the return of captain Ryan McDonagh would help, but they couldn't slow the Penguins' attack enough. McDonagh didn't show any signs of rust, playing a team-high 22:48 after missing the previous five with a hand injury.

Rick Nash scored short-handed in the second period after New York had a goal nullified in the first when video review showed the Rangers had gone offside on Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan's challenge.

"We didn't make it tough on them in their own zone as much," McDonagh said. "It's a little disappointing we can't find a way to get a goal (in the third period) and they get a road win and are up in the series. We have to respond here."

The Rangers have gone 2-3-1 in their last six at home, a stretch that started when Pittsburgh beat them in overtime March 27. They've also scored three goals while dropping their last four playoff games at MSG.

New York didn't give much help to Henrik Lundqvist, who made 28 saves after stopping 29 shots in Game 2. He's helped knock the Penguins out of the last two postseasons and has a 1.52 GAA in his last 11 playoff games against Pittsburgh, including when he left early in Game 1 because of an eye injury.

The Rangers will need plenty more than another solid performance from Lundqvist, though, if they want to head back to Pittsburgh with the series tied.

"Everyone in here wishes the game were (Wednesday) and we can get back out there and play," defenseman Keith Yandle said. "We are real confident. We know this group. We know we can play a better game."

Preview: Red Wings (41-30) at Lightning (46-31)

Date: April 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

After an anemic offensive display in Game 3, the Tampa Bay Lightning made working on their power play a priority ahead of a pivotal point in the series.

Now the onus is back on the Red Wings to make adjustments after Tampa Bay's breakthrough on special teams left Detroit on the brink of elimination.

With the memory of last year's grueling seven-game first-round series still fresh, the Lightning hope to take care of business on their home ice Thursday night and get some rest.

Tampa Bay made a point of working on its power play after going 1 for 14 over the first three games of this series, including 0 for 3 in Sunday's 2-0 loss at Joe Louis Arena. Coach Jon Cooper said he also made some minor personnel changes.

The moves certainly paid off Tuesday when the Lightning scored three times on five chances with the man advantage. Ondrej Palat's power-play goal with 2:59 remaining gave them a 3-2 victory and a 3-1 advantage in the series.

"We decided to put the puck in the hands of the guys who know what to do with it and challenge them," Cooper told the team's official website. "You don't expect to go 3 for 5, and at some point special teams is going to affect a series."

Nikita Kucherov, who was second on the team during the season with nine power-play goals, scored twice and Jonathan Drouin added three assists. Kucherov has been a handful for Detroit in the four games, totaling five goals and eight points.

The Lightning hope to continue that production and earn their 19th win in the past 25 home games dating to the regular season. Including the playoffs, they've also won 10 of the last 12 home meetings with the Red Wings by a combined 39-20.

Tampa Bay doesn't want the series to drag on like it did a year ago as it tries to move on to the second round in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 12 years.

"When you have a chance to win a series at home, you want to do it," Cooper said. "It's rest, travel, jumping on a plane, more hotels, that's the part that wears on you."

The Red Wings' 25th consecutive postseason appearance could be short-lived if they don't figure out a way to iron out their own special teams issues. Not only did they allow Tampa Bay's outburst, but they've gone 1 for 21 on the power play.

Darren Helm and Gustav Nyquist scored their first postseason goals in the second period Tuesday after the Lightning built a 2-0 lead. Tomas Tatar, though, came up empty after finishing with an assist in each of the first three games.

Pavel Datsyuk, who might be leaving Detroit after the playoffs, seeks his first point after having a team-high eight power-play goals during the season.

"We obviously lost the game on special teams, both the power play and the penalty kill," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We'd like to stay out of the box more than that. The fact that they punished us is what I'm most concerned with."

It certainly hasn't helped that Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop has been on his game. He owns a .937 save percentage in the series and hasn't allowed more than two goals in any of his last 10 meetings with the Red Wings, including the postseason.

Detroit's Petr Mrazek could get the nod again after posting a .939 save percentage in past two contests. Jimmy Howard played better than Mrazek at the end of the regular season, but had a .891 mark while losing the first two at Tampa Bay.

'Either you win or you go home and the season's over,' defenseman Niklas Kronwall said.

Preview: Ducks (46-25) at Predators (41-27)

Date: April 21, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A change in net and location changed everything in this series.

One thing the Anaheim Ducks want to remain the same Thursday night is that only the road team wins.

That's been a surprise considering no Western Conference teams had fewer regulation home losses during the regular season than these first-round opponents, and Frederik Andersen can send his Ducks back to California with this series tied by winning in Nashville again.

It was the Predators who were going home happy to begin the week, having won 3-2 in each of the first two games in Anaheim. The Ducks had a West-low 10 home losses in regulation, one fewer than Nashville.

The Pacific Division champions faced a potential 0-3 series deficit as they headed to Bridgestone Arena, where they had lost both visits during the regular season and where the Predators had gone 9-1-4 since Feb. 15.

After John Gibson allowed six goals on 60 shots through two games, coach Bruce Boudreau turned to Andersen even though he had played once in April because of a concussion. The switch paid off as Andersen made 27 saves in the Ducks' 3-0 win.

"We had a business-like mindset," Andersen said. "We wanted to get back into this series. It was a huge game for us. We came ready to play in the first period, and did some of the things right that we wanted to improve upon from the last two games."

One of those things was taking better care of the puck. Anaheim had three giveaways Tuesday after combining for 35 in the first two games.

Boudreau didn't even mind that the Ducks gave up five power-play chances for a second straight game.

'We did control our emotions,' he said. 'The penalties we got, other than the too many men on the ice, they were earned. We'll take them. We are really proud of our penalty killers."

He also had to be proud of Andersen, who has a 17-1-2 record with a 1.89 goals-against average in his last 20 starts. It marked an impressive playoff return for a netminder who was torched for 18 goals in the final four games of last year's conference finals as the Ducks lost in seven to Chicago.

Andersen is 5-1-0 with a 2.36 GAA and .928 save percentage in six starts against Nashville after outplaying Pekka Rinne, who made only 18 saves Tuesday. Rinne had 27 in Games 1 and 2.

How well he plays won't matter much if the Predators don't find a way to score this time, and that would be made tougher if Craig Smith can't go. The second-line forward played just 65 seconds in Game 3 due to a lower-body injury, and his status for Thursday is unclear. Nashville hasn't played without him since December 2013.

Smith has a team-best plus-3 rating in the series with a goal and an assist in Game 2. His 21 goals were third-most on the Predators this season and his six game-winners led the team.

"Obviously you want him out there because he's a key part of our team, but we gotta find a way to shuffle around and just play better as a group," center Mike Fisher said.

Nashville went 0 for 5 on the power play and was outshot 18-14 in the first two periods, during which Anaheim scored all of its goals.

"We weren't quick, we weren't fast, we didn't use our legs and we didn't use our brains as fast as we needed to," center Ryan Johansen said. "That's why it looked easy out there for them."

Not for Corey Perry, who did have an assist on Richard Rakell's goal in Game 3 but hasn't scored in the series after recording a team-leading 34 goals. Perry hasn't gone four straight playoff games without one since 2013.

Game 5 is Saturday in Anaheim.

Preview: Blackhawks (47-26) at Blues (49-24)

Date: April 21, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Andrew Shaw committed an untimely penalty that helped cost the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4, then did something even more dumb that landed him in hot water with the NHL and the league's fan base.

Both incidents are examples of the Blackhawks losing their cool. Now the defending Stanley Cup champions are on the ropes heading into Thursday night's Game 5 in St. Louis, with the rival Blues having a chance to rid themselves of their reputation for faltering in the playoffs.

Shaw's interference penalty with 2:04 left in the third period Tuesday left Chicago short-handed while trying to overcome a one-goal deficit. When he was sent to the box, television cameras clearly showed him directing a homophobic slur toward someone on the ice.

He apologized Wednesday, but the league still suspended him for Game 5 and fined him $5,000. Shaw, who also will be required to undergo sensitivity training, will leave the Blackhawks short-handed again after playing on the top line in Game 4.

'It was hard to see. Emotions got the best of me,' Shaw said after being shown the video. 'I'll never use that word again, that's for sure. ... That's not the type of guy I am.'

The Blackhawks normally aren't the type of undisciplined team they've been in the last two games. Patrick Kane took a four-minute high-sticking penalty late in Game 3 that led to the tiebreaking goal in a 3-2 loss, and Blues grabbed the lead early in the third Tuesday on the power play after Duncan Keith's holding penalty.

St. Louis also took advantage of defensive miscues in its 4-3 victory in Game 4, as Alexander Steen put his team ahead by two goals in the third when he scored unassisted after stealing Trevor van Riemsdyk's pass.

The Blues have been bounced from the playoffs in the first round each of the previous three seasons, garnering the reputation as a team that can't keep its composure when things aren't going its way. Chicago has been that team in this series, though.

Even goaltender Corey Crawford received a roughing penalty in the second for attacking Robby Fabbri after the rookie got an interference call. Chicago's 78 penalty minutes in Game 4 marked its most in a playoff game since having 90 in a loss to the Minnesota North Stars in 1991.

'We haven't had that great response when tough stuff happens (in the past)," Blues captain David Backes said. "There's a good feeling that we're more cohesive and playing for each other and doing the right things all over the ice than we ever had in this locker room."

St. Louis certainly is playing some of its best postseason hockey since last advancing to the second round in 2012. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice in Game 4, and the Blues have outscored Chicago 6-3 in the third period and overtime.

Brian Elliott has been a huge part of the reason Kane, the Art Ross Trophy winner, and Jonathan Toews don't have a goal in the series. Elliott made 39 saves Tuesday and has stopped 144 of 151 shots faced in the series.

Now St. Louis is headed back home with a chance to close out the Blackhawks, who picked up their only victory in Game 2 at Scottrade Center.

'We just have a belief that we can beat anybody,' coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Chicago has been in this situation before, though. It trailed Detroit 3-1 in the Western Conference semifinals in 2013, won Game 7 in overtime and went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The Blackhawks will need that same resolve, beginning with Game 5.

"We've got to regroup, go to St. Louis, get excited," coach Joel Quenneville said. "No pressure. Go try to win one game and come back (to Chicago) for Game 6. That's got to be the mindset."

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

In my opinion, the big winner of the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs was the Western Conference top-seeded Dallas Stars. The big loser? The greater Los Angeles area. I didn't give the Stars a great chance of winning the West because while it's a fabulous offensive team, Dallas wasn't great on defense during the regular season. But with has happened to the two L.A. teams thus far, now I'm rethinking that.

The Stars took a 2-0 series lead against Minnesota into Monday's game in Minneapolis. Kari Lehtonen has been great in goal, although it's against a Wild team missing two of its best forwards due to injury and that's easily the worst club in the postseason. My only worry about Dallas now is the status of star forward Tyler Seguin. He missed the final 10 games of the regular season and first of these playoffs with an Achilles injury. He did play 15:40 in Game 2 but apparently tweaked that injury. NHL teams are notoriously vague about these types of things. Seguin was to miss Game 3 and all Coach Lindy Ruff would say is that what Seguin is dealing with is "not his injury, but it is kind of related."

I don't think the Stars can win the Cup without Seguin at 100 percent, so I'd just sit him the rest of the Wild series to heal up for the conference semifinals. I do think they can win the West without him because now it looks as if Dallas won't have to deal with either the Los Angeles Kings, the Western Conference betting favorites entering the playoffs, or Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks in the conference finals.

I'm absolutely shocked that Los Angeles entered Monday's Game 3 of their series at San Jose down 2-0. True, the Sharks led the NHL in road wins during the season and set a franchise record, but I never saw them winning both games in L.A. It was a bad week in L.A. hockey as the Ducks also dropped their first two at home against Nashville, each by the same 3-2 score. John Gibson was in net for both of those, but I think you will see Coach Bruce Boudreau go with Frederik Andersen, who has much more playoff experience, in Game 3 on Tuesday. The Ducks' big guns, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, have been held to three total points. Perry is minus-three for the series. The Ducks are also taking too many penalties. They have now lost four straight playoff games, three at home, since leading the Blackhawks 3-2 through five games of last season's Western Conference Finals.

Anaheim is a +100 underdog for Tuesday's game in Nashville, which has a 2-0 playoff series lead for the first time in franchise history. The new odds to win the West are: Stars at +250, Blues (+450), Blackhawks (+500), Sharks (+500), Predators (+600), Ducks (+950), Kings (+1000) and the no-chance Wild at +4000.

Chicago faces a near must-win home game on Tuesday against St. Louis, with the Hawks as -155 favorites. They totally let one get away in Sunday's Game 2, leading 2-1 entering the third but falling 3-2. The Blackhawks had been 70-0-4 since the start of last season when they had the lead at the beginning of the third. The Blackhawks had trouble scoring in 5-on-5 play during the regular season, ranking in the bottom third of the NHL, and that has carried over with just one goal at even strength. The Blues finished second in 5-on-5 goals allowed this season and they have outpaced the Hawks in high-danger scoring chances during 5-on-5 play 35-19. I wouldn't bail on Chicago yet as the Hawks typically play inconsistently early in series and then flip the switch.

My original Western Conference picks to advance were Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Not looking great there at the moment.

In the Eastern Conference, Washington is now a huge -105 favorite to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. The Capitals looked to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Flyers in Philly on Monday night. The Penguins are next at +500 to win the East, followed by the Lightning (+750), Rangers (+750), Islanders (+900), Panthers (+1100), Flyers (+3500) and Red Wings (+3500). I'm sticking with my first-round selections: Washington, the two New York teams and Detroit.

Easily the most interesting series in the East has been Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers, especially in net. Blueshirts star Henrik Lundqvist left Game 1 with an eye injury and New York lost. He was a game-time call for Game 2 on Saturday but was in net and led a 4-2 victory to even the series at one. The Penguins have played both games with third-stringer Jeff Zatkoff in net and he's expected to be in there against Tuesday with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray still recovering from injuries. It was because of Zatkoff that I liked New York in this series. The Penguins did welcome back star forward Evgeni Malkin in Game 2; he had been out since March 11 and was supposed to be out at least six weeks. Malkin played nearly 20 minutes Saturday and had an assist. The Rangers are actually +101 underdogs for Tuesday. On the series line, the Pens are -165 and Rangers +145. Blueshirts captain Ryan McDonagh hasn't played yet in the series and is doubtful for Tuesday. He did practice Monday for the first time since being hurt two weeks ago.

NHL

Thursday's games

Detroit-Tampa Bay (T 3-1)
All three Lightning goals in Game 4's 3-2 win came in 7:16 when they had man advantage- Tampa Bay had been 1-13 on power play in first three games. Home side won eight of last nine Detroit-Tampa Bay games; under is 5-2-2 in those nine games. Over is 4-1-3 in last seven Tampa Bay games- Lightning won four of last six games, allowig total of five goals in winning last three at home. Detroit is 1-21 on power play in series; Lightning scored a goal in all nine periods in its three series wins. Red Wings lost five in a row at Tampa Bay and its last four road games overall.

NY Rangers-Pittsburgh (P 2-1)
Rangers lost four of last five games with Pittsburgh; road team won eight of last eleven games in this rivalry. Penguins won four of last five visits here. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games Rangers got outshot 31-17 in Game 3- they haven't scored first period goal in series, but over is 8-1-4 in their last 13 games. Pittsburgh won ten of its last 12 games, seven of its last ten games went over the total. Rangers are 1-12 on power play in series; Penguins are 4-13. Rangers lost four of their last six home games overall.

St Louis-Chicago (S 3-1)
Blues won five of last six games with Chicago, with four wins by one goal, three in OT/SO; under is 4-1-2 in last seven series games. Blackhawks lost three of last five visits here, .five of their last six games overall, with three losses in OT; they outshot Blues 88-56 in pair of games in Windy City, but lost both games. Over is 5-2-2 in last nine Chicago games. Blues won ten of their last 13 games, but are 2-3 in last five home games. St Louis is 4-12 on power play in series; Chicago 3-14. All four games in series have been decided by one goal.

Nashville-Anaheim (N 2-1)
Road team won all three series games. Ducks lost four of last six games with Nashville (over is 9-1-3 in last 13); Anaheim lost two of last three visits here- they've lost four of last seven games overall, but won four of their last five road games; under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games overall. Nashville won four of last six games overall, but is 2-3 in last five at home; under is 4-1-2 in its last seven games. In 17 years of existence, Nashville has only two playoff series, first round series in 2011, 2012; they've been over .500 11 of last 12 years. Anaheim is 1-7 on power play in series, Predators 1-13.

Playoffs tally: Home: 15-15, Over: 9-10-11

Thursday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds

Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks (+8.5, 196.5)

Series tied 1-1

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki plans to play through a bruised right knee and the Mavericks look to take a 2-1 series lead when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. Nowtizki injured the knee during Monday's 85-84 victory, a stunning road win that kept sixth-seeded Dallas alive in the series.

Nowitzki, who said he was injured on the first play of game, underwent an MRI exam that revealed the bone bruise and he was relieved that it wasn't anything more significant. "I had it worked on a little bit and after the game I was really stiff," Nowitzki told reporters on Wednesday. Coming off the plane, I could barely walk anymore. There was some swelling (Tuesday), but it's feeling a lot better, moving around a little bit." The third-seeded Thunder are dealing with a bruised psyche after losing Game 2 following a 38-point beat down of the Mavericks in the series opener. All-Star forward Kevin Durant was a horrid 7-of-33 shooting in Monday's loss, prompting coach Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan to describe it this way: "For a guy that's been as great a scorer as he has his entire career, for him to shoot the ball the way he did was really uncharacteristic."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Oklahoma, KTXA (Dallas)

LINE HISTORY: The Thunder opened the betting for this matchup as 8.5-point favorites. The line initially dropped to Dallas +8, then rose as high as +9.5, before settling back down to the opening number of +8.5. The total opened at 197 and dropped slightly to 196.5. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (56-28, 38-45-1 ATS, 39-45 O/U): Durant, who scored 21 points, had never previously missed 26 shots before in a game and he didn't have any answers for why he shot so poorly. "Bad shooting night for me," Durant said. "It's a part of it. I wish it didn't happen tonight, but it's a part of it. Got some great looks all night and just didn't knock them down. Just stick with my routine - don't do too much extra." Point guard Russell Westbrook also shot a poor percentage (8-of-22) while contributing 19 points and 14 rebounds but only six assists.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (43-41, 46-37-1 ATS, 39-44-1 O/U): Nowitzki's injury is just the latest in a long line of ailments for Dallas, which won't know until close to game time whether or not point guards J.J. Barea (groin) and Deron Williams (sports hernia) or forward David Lee (foot) will be available. Barea ran after Wednesday's practice - a good sign - while Williams is trying to fight through an injury that will require offseason surgery. "We know from a manpower standpoint we're at a pretty big disadvantage," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "And we know we're not going to outrun or outdunk or outskill these guys."

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Mavericks are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 6-1 in Thunder last 7 vs. NBA Southwest.
* Under is 9-2 in Mavericks last 11 overall.
* Over is 24-9-1 in the last 34 meetings in Dallas.


Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers (+1.5, 193)

Series tied 1-1

Jonas Valanciunas has been Toronto's most reliable performer through the first two games of the series and the Raptors hope the 7-foot center has another strong effort in him when they visit the Indiana Pacers in Thursday's Game 3. Valanciunas averaged team-leading figures of 17.5 points and 17 rebounds as second-seeded Toronto split the first two games with seventh-seeded Indiana.

Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds in Monday's 98-87 victory as the Raptors evened the series in a contest in which All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan continued to struggle. "We've all got to step up," Valanciunas told reporters. "It's not an individual sport. Some nights are tough for Kyle, some nights it's tough for DeMar, tough for me. Everybody has tough times, so everybody has got to pull for each other." All-Star forward Paul George is averaging 30.5 points in the series but he was annoyed the Pacers returned to Indianapolis with a split instead of a 2-0 lead. "You usually feel good walking away from a road trip with the series tied at one, but I'm upset because a lot of stuff that we gave up was preventable," George told reporters. "(Game 2) was set up the same way for us as Game 1 to rally back and win this game. I thought our focus was lost and we gave up some plays that we shouldn’t have."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Indiana

LINE HISTORY: This game opened as a PICK and the public pushed the Raptors all of the way up to -1.5. The total opened at 193 and was bumped up to 193.5. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (57-27, 46-38 ATS, 42-41-1 O/U): Lowry is averaging 14 points on 7-of-26 shooting and DeRozan is averaging 12 points on 10-of-37 shooting as neither player has come close to his All-Star form in the series. Most concerning was DeRozan's Game 2 showing as he didn't attempt a single free throw - he averaged 8.4 per game in the regular season - and coach Dwane Casey kept him on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. "I feel like it's nothing to get frustrated about, I really do," DeRozan told reporters at Tuesday's practice. "I don't mind having bad shooting nights. You have to be able to take the good with the bad. I had a great season, the season is over with and I've had two rough shooting nights. I don't think it's the end of the world; we still won (Game 2)."

ABOUT THE PACERS (46-38, 42-41-1 ATS, 37-47 O/U): George has been terrific but could certainly use some help from his teammates as shooting guard Monta Ellis (15 per game) is the only other Indiana player averaging in double digits in the series. "We all have to do a better job of helping Paul out," Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey told reporters. "We're at our best offensively when we're moving the ball around and moving (our feet)." Other than George, Indiana's frontcourt production has been practically non-existent with starting center Ian Mahinmi (0-of-8 shooting) and starting power forward Lavoy Allen each averaging three points per game and reserve forwards Myles Turner (nine per game) and Solomon Hill (7.5) also with room to improve.

TRENDS:

* Raptors are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Pacers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 6-0 in Raptors last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 4-0 in Pacers last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Raptors are 8-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Indiana.


Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (+6, 217.5)

Warriors lead series 2-0

The Golden State Warriors got some good news in regards to Stephen Curry’s health, but the team might not even need the superstar to get through the first round. The eighth-seeded Houston Rockets are down 0-2 and will try to get back into the series when they host Game 3 on Thursday.

Curry scored 24 points in the first half of Game 1 before leaving with an ankle injury and sat out Game 2. The Warriors breezed to a 115-106 win behind 34 points from Klay Thompson on Monday and on Tuesday announced that an MRI exam on Curry’s ankle showed nothing of concern. "We'll see how he responds the next couple of days, and if he's not right, obviously being up 2-0 does give us more cushion if we decide to sit him," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Monday’s win. "But it will be based on his health - not the series score." Whether or not Curry plays, Houston is going to need to find a way to hang onto the ball after totaling 43 turnovers in the first two games.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), ROOT (Houston)

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5.5-point favorites on the road for Game 3 of this series. The public pounded Golden State and the books were forced to move the Dubs' line up to -6. The total opened at 217 and was bumped up to 218. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (75-9, 47-35-2 ATS, 46-37-1 O/U): Curry is listed as questionable for Game 3 and Golden State knows how to play without its star if necessary. “All the guys knew they had to be aggressive with Steph out,” Kerr told reporters after the Game 2 victory. “The best number on the stat sheet is 16 free throws for Klay. I thought he was fantastic. He came up big.” Shaun Livingston started in Curry’s place and scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting while Andre Iguodala stepped up off the bench with 18 points and Draymond Green flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (41-43, 37-47 ATS, 48-36 O/U): James Harden scored 28 points in Game 2 and went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line after not attempting one in Game 1, but Houston appeared disjointed on both ends in both games. Center Dwight Howard has taken some criticism and needed his coach to come to his defense after Game 2. “No, I don’t think he was disinterested,” interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. “I thought he was good on the glass. I thought he was running. Give (Warriors center Andrew) Bogut some credit, he does a good job with his size. He’s physical, uses his length, he pushes, he grabs, he holds, so I wouldn’t say he was disinterested. I thought he gave his effort.”

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 9-0 ATS in their last 9 Thursday games.
* Rockets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 5-0 in Warriors last 5 road games.
* Over is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Warriors are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Houston.

Preview: Thunder (55-27) at Mavericks (42-40)

Date: April 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

After a game coach Rick Carlisle called "one of the most disappointing in franchise history," the Dallas Mavericks turned the tables on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Dallas' scoring woes, however, could worsen with Dirk Nowitzki's condition.

With Nowitzki expected to play through a bruised right knee, the banged-up Mavericks hope to keep putting the pressure on the Thunder on Thursday night as this deadlocked series shifts to the American Airlines Center.

Dallas suffered a scare Monday when Nowitzki fell early in an 85-84 road victory in Game 2 before his knee swelled up on him that night. The 13-time All-Star is day to day but will have had two days to recover from what is being called a bone bruise.

'He's a great player who's been a big part of any success we've had this year,' coach Rick Carlisle said of his leading scorer. 'Without him we wouldn't be in the playoffs.'

Nowitzki joins a list of players who could be limited or sidelined for Game 3, including starting guards Deron Williams and J.J. Barea and backup forward David Lee. Backup Devin Harris has been trying to play through a torn ligament in his thumb.

Williams scored 13 points on Monday before having to leave in the third quarter. He's dealing with a sports hernia injury that will require offseason surgery,

'We know from a manpower standpoint we're at a pretty big disadvantage,' Carlisle said. 'And we know we're not going to outrun or outdunk or outskill these guys.'

Nowitzki is averaging 17.5 points as the only Maverick to reach double digits in both games. After shooting 29.8 percent en route to the lowest postseason scoring effort in franchise history, the Mavericks got up to a more respectable 42.7 percent in Game 2.

Raymond Felton came up big with 21 points and a career playoff-high 11 rebounds. He missed two free throws with 7.1 seconds left, but Dallas stole home-court advantage in the series when Steven Adams' tip-in was determined to be after the final buzzer.

"We have to be better," Thunder star Kevin Durant told the team's official website. "We have to be more physical on the offensive end and play with more pace."

Durant could easily have been talking just about himself after missing 26 of 33 shots and committing seven turnovers in Game 2. No one had attempted that many shots and made so few in an NBA game since Jerry Stackhouse went 7 for 34 while playing for Detroit on Feb. 3, 2001.

The Mavericks, who said they did a good job of being physical with Durant, had allowed an average of 111.6 points while dropping the first five meetings this season.

Durant's 26 misses Monday were his most in 716 career regular season and playoff games. He went just 1 for 11 from the field when Wesley Matthews guarded him.

After Durant and Russell Westbrook, no other player finished with more than 12 points for Oklahoma City, which owns a 110-78 advantage on the glass in the series.

"This is going to show what type of team we are â?? how we respond," guard Dion Waiters said. "We have to take care of business. We have to come together as a whole, like we've been doing the whole year, and bounce back."

Although they've stifled the Mavericks defensively overall, the Thunder are focused on improving after allowing them to score on eight of their final 13 possessions Monday. Billy Donovan was also concerned with an offense that bogged down around Durant and totaled just 11 assists, its fewest in 120 games.

"We can't lose sight or focus on the things we have control over in trying to make improvements," Donovan said.

Preview: Raptors (56-26) at Pacers (45-37)

Date: April 21, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Even though the Indiana Pacers split the first two games in Toronto, Paul George insists he isn't pleased as the series shifts to Indianapolis.

That's partly because Jonas Valanciunas has been dominant in the midst of a breakout performance for the Atlantic Division champion Raptors.

As George looks to continue his strong play, the Pacers hope to find an answer for the 7-foot Lithuanian on Thursday night when they try to take a 2-1 series advantage.

George forced Toronto's hand when he finished with 33 points and hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range in Saturday's 100-90 Game 1 victory. The Raptors responded by moving top defender DeMarre Carroll into the starting lineup for rookie Norman Powell on Monday, even though Carroll is still working his way back from knee surgery.

The move had little impact as George scored 28 points and went 10 for 11 from the free-throw line in a 98-87 loss at Air Canada Centre that evened the series. Even when Carroll has guarded him, George has shot 6 for 9 in the two games.

'There's no stopping PG. He's playing phenomenal,' Toronto guard Kyle Lowry said. "You're not going to stop him from getting 25 or 30. He's going to get that, that's how talented he is. We've just got to make it a little bit more difficult."

The Raptors might be able to live with George's 25 or 30 points if they're able to contain the rest of the Pacers. Monta Ellis was the only other Indiana player to score in double figures Tuesday with 15 points after five did so in Game 1. The other Pacers besides George and Ellis combined to shoot 34.9 percent in Game 2, including 1 for 15 from 3-point range.

Though Indiana stole home-court advantage, George is frustrated the club wasn't able to take a 2-0 series lead.

'Usually you walk away from (a split) feeling good about it but I'm kind of upset... because a lot of stuff that we gave up was preventable,' George said. 'The game was set up the same way as Game 1 for us to rally back and win."

Valanciunas helped make certain that wouldn't happen as Toronto snapped a seven-game postseason losing streak. He had a playoff career-high 23 points and 15 rebounds after pulling down a franchise playoff-record 19 boards in the opener. One reason the Raptors didn't win that game is Valanciunas fouled out and played less than 22 minutes, including 2:32 of the decisive fourth quarter.

Still, with Valanciunas leading the way, the Raptors have outscored the Pacers 88-56 in the paint and outrebounded them 96-71. That's been huge since Lowry has shot 7 for 26 and fellow All-Star DeMar DeRozan has gone 10 for 37.

'He's rolling hard, he's rebounding the ball extremely well," Lowry said. "When teams are trying to take myself and DeMar out, he's got to have big games for us.'

George and George Hill have played a key role in slowing Toronto's backcourt, but the Pacers are still looking for answers against Valanciunas. The fourth-year center had 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting with Ian Mahinmi on him in Game 2 after doing his most damage in the opener against Myles Turner with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting.

'We're doing a good job on Kyle and DeMar but (Valanciunas) has stepped up," George said. "He's who is causing us the problems and we've got to figure it out.'

Turner could be back on Valanciunas with Mahinmi listed as day to day after he wasn't able to play in the second half on Monday because of a sore back. The Raptors are 14-2 when Valanciunas has at least 17 points.

Toronto's Terrence Ross is also uncertain to play after missing the second half. The forward has been dealing with a headache and is undergoing the NBA's concussion protocol after being knocked down during an inbounds play in the second quarter.

Preview: Warriors (73-9) at Rockets (41-41)

Date: April 21, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Stephen Curry's injured right ankle didn't stop him from rising to his feet and becoming Golden State's biggest cheerleader in Game 2. His Warriors teammates certainly appreciated the sentiment, but they'd much rather have the reigning MVP in uniform for Game 3 on Thursday night in Houston.

The Rockets seem to have bigger problems than just Curry's possible return. The rematch of last year's Western Conference finals looks more like a mismatch, and Dwight Howard and James Harden appear no closer to being able to mesh together on the floor.

Golden State beat Houston for the 14th time in the last 15 meetings Monday as Klay Thompson scored 34 points in a 115-106 victory while Curry cheered from the bench. Curry's MRI the following day didn't reveal anything new, leaving him questionable for Game 3.

Curry practiced Wednesday but said: 'Based on how I feel right now I probably couldn't play. But tomorrow it could be different.'

But these record-setting Warriors have relied heavily on their depth for the past two seasons, and it was on display again in Game 2. Draymond Green had 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Shaun Livingston finished with 16 points starting in place of Curry.

'When Steph goes down, that's obviously not easy to replace, so not one guy's going to come out and do what Steph does for this team,' Green said. 'Even if a guy comes out and gets 30, he's still not going to do what or bring what Steph brings to this team. He draws so much attention that he gets other people shots as well. ... I think we're the deepest team in the NBA.'

Coach Steve Kerr said there's no reason to rush Curry back if he's not 100 percent, especially with Golden State holding a two-game edge in the series.

'You couldn't see anything today as far as a limp,' Kerr said Wednesday. 'So he's doing a lot better.'

The Warriors are pulling together with their best player hobbled, but the Rockets' two stars seem to be at odds. Howard disputed any potential rift with Harden despite cameras showing them appearing to argue.

Howard finished with 12 points and 10 boards while Harden had 28 and 11 assists, but they also combined for eight of Houston's 19 turnovers.

'That wasn't jawing at each other. It was just emotion. It wasn't saying anything crazy to each other,' Howard said. 'It might look like that, but we both want to win. It's emotional because we're playing basketball and we're trying not to go home. It was nothing bad.'

The Rockets will need to get their act together quickly whether or not Curry plays. Their only victory in last year's five-game conference finals loss came on their home floor, but the location likely won't matter if Howard can't keep up with the Warriors' big men.

Howard committed five fouls in Game 1 before fouling out in Game 2 and has struggled in the paint against Golden State's rotation of Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli and Marreese Speights.

'We understand our opponent. We understand how good they are as a team and the drive they have," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "We can't look at it's a night off for us or anything like that (if Curry is out). We've got to go out and play twice as hard and try to win.'

NBA Odds: Thursday, April 21 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

So what do you do if you are the Golden State Warriors? It's now pretty clear that the Houston Rockets just don't care and aren't going to put up much of a fight in their first-round Western Conference series. So does Warriors coach Steve Kerr allow Steph Curry to play in Game 3 on Thursday as the series shifts to Texas? Or does he give Curry a few more days to heal that ankle/foot. Curry had an MRI on Tuesday and it came back clear. He is currently listed as questionable. The Warriors will not beat the Clippers in the next round without a fully healthy Curry. I probably sit him at least one more game.


Game 3: No. 3 Thunder at No. 6 Mavericks (+9.5, 196)

Just when you think you know what you are doing as a bettor, something like Game 2 of this series happens. The Thunder absolutely destroyed the Mavericks in Game 1. So of course Dallas, minus injured guard J.J. Barea and with fellow guard Deron Williams very limited with his own injury, upset the Thunder 85-84 in Game 2. Raymond Felton stepped in for Barea and had one of the best games of his career with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Who saw that coming? As of now, the Mavs don't know if Barea or Williams will play in Game 3. Ditto forward David Lee, who has yet to go in this series with a heel injury.

Was Dallas much better on defense in Game 2? No question about it. The Mavs, especially Wesley Matthews, were way more physical on Kevin Durant. But good defense or not, you couldn't have predicted Durant going 7-for-33 from the field. Those 26 misses were a career-high for him and tied Michael Jordan for the most in an NBA postseason game in the past 30 years. Durant had a shot to win in the final seconds on a contested layup after Felton missed two free throws on the other end. But Durant missed, a tip missed and then Steven Adams' made putback came a blink after the final buzzer. Russell Westbrook also struggled, going 8-for-22. The two stars combined for 11 turnovers.

Series line (BetOnline): Thunder -3000, Mavericks +1500

Key trends: OKC is 3-9 against the spread in its past 12 Thursday games. The Mavs are 9-4 ATS in their past 13 vs. the Western Conference. The "over/under" has gone under in nine of the Mavs' past 11.

Early lean: I'll take the points. Clearly Durant and Westbrook will be better and probably lead a win, but that's a lot of points to give a decent team at home. Go under as both games have in this series thus far.

Game 3: No. 2 Raptors at No. 7 Pacers (+1.5, 193)

Toronto has to be happy with a 1-1 split heading to Indianapolis. Why? For one, the Raptors got a big monkey off their backs with Monday's 98-87 win. Toronto had lost seven straight playoff games -- two in 2014 when leading Brooklyn 3-2 in the series, four straight last year to Washington and then this series opener by 10. The reason I think the Raptors are OK at 1-1 right now is because All-Star DeMar DeRozan has done very little thus far. He has combined to score 24 points on 10-for-37 shooting (27 percent) while attempting just six free throws. DeRozan averaged 23.5 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting during the season and ranked third in the NBA in free throw attempts per game (8.4). Also a positive for Toronto: Indiana has had no answer yet for Jonas Valanciunas, who is averaging 17.5 points and 17.0 rebounds in the series. Indiana just can't match up with him.

Paul George has been great in both games of the series for Indiana and he will need to continue to be. He might be the best player in the series, but Toronto has at least the next best three in DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Valanciunas. George got very little support in Game 2. Monta Ellis added 15 points but the other three starters combined for 11 points. The bench wasn't much better. Indiana starting center Ian Mahinmi was limited to 21 minutes with a sore lower back in Game 2 and did not play in the fourth. He is day-to-day. Indiana was 1-1 at home vs. Toronto this season.

Series line: Raptors -250, Pacers +210

Key trends: The Raptors are 2-6 ATS in their past eight following an ATS win. Indiana is 8-2 ATS in its past 10 after a loss. The under is 4-1 in Toronto's past five road games. It is 9-3 in Indiana's past 12 at home.

Early lean: Pacers and under.

Game 3: No. 1 Warriors at No. 8 Rockets (+5.5, 217.5)

Curry warmed up for a few minutes ahead of Game 2 on Monday before walking back into the locker room clearly perturbed. I watched that whole game and the Rockets truly are a disjointed, disinterested bunch. So many stupid shots -- hello Josh Smith -- and turnovers. At least twice I saw Dwight Howard grab a rebound nearly under the Warriors basket and instead of trying to dunk or something didn't even look up and instead threw out to a 3-point shooter. The only guy who seems to give max effort all the time is Patrick Beverley. James Harden cares on offense but is still a joke on defense at times. On multiple occasions he simply stood there while his opponent rolled baseline on him for either a layup or a dunk. And then Harden would point at Howard and criticize him. Those two clearly don't like each other and it's 100 percent that Howard won't be back next season.

Golden State won 115-106, actually scoring more points than they did with Curry (for a half) in Game 1. The Warriors' offense ran through Klay Thompson in Game 2 and he was solid with 34 points and five assists. Draymond Green added 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists without a single turnover in 39 minutes. Shaun Livingston started for Curry and had 16 points and six assists.

Series line: TBA because of Curry

Key trends: The Warriors are 9-0 ATS in their past nine Thursday games. Houston is 5-2 ATS in its past seven following an ATS loss. Golden State is 5-1 ATS in its past six in Houston. The under is 7-3 in the Warriors' past 10 after a win.

Early lean: For all I just said about Houston, maybe the home crowd draws a big effort for one game; the Rockets did get one game there in last year's West Finals vs. Golden State. So I'd take the points if Curry sits. Only then. Wait on Curry for total choice as well. Over if he plays.

NBA

Thursday's games

Indiana-Toronto (1-1)
Sometimes life is simple: Pacers made 4-20 on arc in Game 2 loss, after draining 11-21 in Game 1 upset- rest of stats were similar in first two games. Raptors won seven of last nine games with Indiana, winning three of last four here; Toronto covered 10 of last 12 series games- six of last nine went over total. Pacers won seven of last ten overall, Raptors won eight of last 11 overall, covering six of last nine.

Dallas-Oklahoma City (1-1)
Durant went 7-33 in 85-84 home loss in Game 2; Westbrook was 8-22. Thunder won five of last six games with Dallas, but Mavericks are 7-5 vs spread in last 12 series games. Thunder won by 13-3 in last two visits here. Seven of last ten series games went over. Dallas won eight of last 11 games, covered five of last seven as a dog- Nine of last 11 Dallas games stayed under total. Thunder lost five of its last six road games SU, with one win at Denver.

Houston-Golden State (G 2-0)
Curry's ankle ould keep him out again here, as Warriors won by 9 without him in Game 2, going 27-38 on line. Golden State won 11 of last 12 games (8-4 vs the spread) against Houston, covering three of last four played here. Houston turned ball over 43 times in first two games, looked disinterested on defense- they did hit 10-25 on arc in Game 2, compared to 6-22 in Game 1 but Golden State got to line 14 more times than Game 1, and without Curry. .

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 12-4, Over: 4-12

Curry Questionable for Warriors in Game 3

The Houston Rockets haven't solved the Golden State Warriors yet, but they might catch a break when they get home for Game 3 of their first-round matchup this Thursday (9:30 PM ET, TNT). Stephen Curry could miss his second straight game for Golden State with foot and ankle issues.

The Warriors blew away the Rockets by 26 points in Game 1, but with back-up point guard Shaun Livingston starting in relief of Curry Monday night, they had to settle for a push, winning 115-106 as 9-point home favorites. That was down from –13.5 in Saturday's opener.