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Preview: Capitals (56-18) at Penguins (48-26)

Date: May 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A heady effort from a short-handed defense corps allowed the Pittsburgh Penguins to grab home-ice advantage away from the Washington Capitals.

The Penguins, though, likely won't have one of their top D-men in Olli Maatta as they look to move ahead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series Monday night in Pittsburgh.

The Capitals might be missing one of their top defensemen as well, with Brooks Orpik facing a possible suspension for his hit on Maatta.

Pittsburgh couldn't stop T.J. Oshie from recording a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime loss Thursday, but bounced back by stifling nearly all of the Capitals' roster in a 2-1 victory in Game 2 on Saturday. The Penguins allowed the one goal while short-handed during Washington's 14-shot third period, paving the way for Eric Fehr to score the winner against his former team with 4:28 to go.

Pittsburgh limited the Capitals to 10 shots over the first two periods despite losing Maatta less than five minutes into the game. Orpik knocked his former teammate out with a high hit.

"I thought it was a late hit," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "I thought it was a target to his head. I think it's the type of hit that everyone in hockey is trying to remove from the game. That's how I saw it."

Unsurprisingly, Washington coach Barry Trotz didn't.

'(Orpik) just finished on a hit,' Trotz said. 'There's a little size difference, and I think Maatta was leaning over a little bit. We'll let the league handle it.'

Orpik had a hearing with the NHL's department of player safety Sunday.

The Penguins are looking for their third win in four home games in these playoffs and fourth in five overall matchups against Washington.

Pittsburgh began that stretch with a 6-2 rout March 20 that ended a three-game home losing streak against the Capitals. Marc-Andre Fleury was in net for the Penguins in that game but is expected to remain out due to a concussion, likely giving 21-year-old rookie Matt Murray a sixth consecutive start.

Murray is 4-1-0 with a 1.74 goals-against average in that stretch.

"I thought Matt was real solid (in Game 2). It was a challenging game in that he didn't see a lot of shots early then in the third period obviously they pressed and he saw significantly some more action," Sullivan said. "I thought his focus was really good. When we needed him to be good down the stretch, he made that timely save for us."

Washington will try to give Braden Holtby a better chance to win by stifling Pittsburgh's prodigious shot production. The Penguins have a combined 80 shots on net in the two games and had another 38 blocked.

That's resulted in Holtby allowing five goals to Pittsburgh after giving up five in his six games against Philadelphia in the opening round. The Penguins would have had more if the Capitals hadn't denied them on all five power-play chances Saturday, moving them to 30 of 31 on the penalty kill this postseason.

"We know we can play better. We have had periods but not 60-minute games. We can't give a team like that as much time and space," Holtby said. "It will be a good thing to get on the road and play a more simple style. It seems like the road kind of does that to you. It will be good for us."

Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist have scored each of their three goals in this postseason in the Penguins' three home games. Kessel and Sidney Crosby both have a team-high five points in those contests.

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has one assist in his last seven games against the Penguins, including playoffs, and two points in his last five in Pittsburgh. Nicklas Backstrom has no points in his last four matchups.

"The ultimate goal is to win and we all have that in mind," Crosby told the NHL's official website. "We know taking that hit or taking that punch is going to go a long way."

NHL

Monday's games

Pittsburgh-Washington (1-1)
Washington D Orpik is out three games (suspension); he is their most physical defenseman, and a solid penalty killer. Fehr scored GW goal with 4:28 left as Penguins evened series in Game 2, visiting team is now 6-3 in last nine series games. Penguins outshot Caps 28-10 in periods 1-2, 35-24 for game; they are 0-7 on power play in series, Washington 1-6. Pens won nine of last 12 games; over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games. Under is 6-2-1 in Washington's last nine games. Caps won two of their last three visits here.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 5-3, Over: 4-2-2

Preview: Hawks (48-34) at Cavaliers (57-25)

Date: May 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James plucked the Atlanta Hawks clean and stuffed them for mounting by himself in last year's playoffs.

He's got more help now.

With Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving healthy and well-rested following a first-round sweep of Detroit, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers enter their series against the Hawks as overwhelming favorites to return to the Eastern Conference finals. The Cavs swept the Hawks a year ago on their way to the NBA Finals and have won seven straight over Atlanta.

James, though, said the recent domination means nothing once Game 1 tips off Monday.

'It don't matter if you can win 100 straight games against somebody,' James said. 'If you lose four in a row, then you're out of the playoffs.'

That's what happened to the Hawks last year, when James overwhelmed them in the conference finals. He nearly averaged a triple-double, posting 30.3 points,11 rebounds and 9.3 assists in the four games, the highest statistical line in postseason history.

The four-time MVP was forced to do much of it on his own after the Cavs lost Love to a shoulder injury in the first round and Irving was playing on a gimpy knee that eventually gave out in the Finals, when he shattered his kneecap in Game 1.

Atlanta's chances this time hinge on figuring a way to slow down James and take their chances with the rest of the Cavs.

'You start at the top, you put pressure on the leader, put pressure on their best player, which is LeBron James,' Hawks forward Paul Millsap said. 'I think we go for the head of the snake now, which is LeBron, make it tough on him, get out to the shooters when possible, just make it tough on them all around.'

The Hawks believe their experience last season against James, along with the confidence gained in their first-round win over Boston, will serve them this time.

'Winning Game 6 in Boston is a huge step for not only myself, but this team,' guard Kent Bazemore said. 'I don't think a lot of people thought we were going to go up there and close it, the way they had been playing us all series. It's just a step for us in the right direction.'

Here are some other things to note as the Hawks and Cavs meet for the second straight postseason:

TWITTER TOUGHNESS: Bazemore doesn't like James and vice versa.

Atlanta's guard began bashing James on social media before he got to the NBA, and he gave the superstar a shove in last year's playoffs. Needless to say, James shoved back.

Bazemore relishes the chance to match up with James and needs an edge to do so.

'Whatever helps you wake up in the morning,' said Bazemore, who will likely get the first crack at guarding James. 'You got to amp yourself up. You can't go in humble, I guess. You've got to make yourself angry and do whatever you gotta do, because he's a freight train. He comes with everything he has. You have to do the same to hang in there.'

DIRTY DELLY: Cavs hustling guard Matthew Dellavedova was a major pain - literally - in last year's matchup.

Dellavedova knocked Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver out of the series with a sprained ankle while diving for a loose ball. He also got tangled up with Hawks big man Al Horford, who threw a forearm in frustration and was ejected from Game 3.

'Delly has actually been a thorn in our side,' Bazemore said. 'He's hurt us. I respect him. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. Plays hard. He isn't afraid. You've gotta respect that, especially myself. I'm sure he's not trying to take guys out.'

REST VS. RUST: Last season, the Cavs came off a weeklong break following the first round and dropped Game 1 at home to Chicago. Cleveland also lost Game 3, and if not for James' clutch, game-winning 3-pointer in Chicago in Game 4, the Cavs could have been in a 3-1 hole.

Coach Tyronn Lue said Sunday his team is 'very anxious' for the series to start.

LAST MEETING: When the teams played in Cleveland on April 11, James scored 34 points (on 13 of 16 shooting) and added six rebounds and six assists - in just three quarters. Irving added 35 points in the Cavs' 109-94 win.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: If there's one noticeable change in the Hawks this season, it's their defense. Atlanta held opponents to a league-low 43 percent field-goal percentage and 99.2 points per game.

Millsap said the change happened naturally.

'We were struggling offensively,' he said. 'If you're not scoring, can't let the opponents score. That's where it all started. We struggled on the offensive end, defense was our staple. Defense kept us in games, won us games for us.'

Preview: Thunder (55-27) at Spurs (67-15)

Date: May 02, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

There was a possession in which LaMarcus Aldridge grabbed a defensive rebound, outlet-passed to Manu Ginobili, who then turned and fired a 70-foot strike to Kawhi Leonard for a dunk.

The whole play took about 3 seconds. And the ball never touched the floor.

Not everything came that easily for San Antonio in the opener of the Spurs' Western Conference semifinal series against Oklahoma City on Saturday. It only seemed that way, as they rolled to a 124-92 win and now look to take a 2-0 lead when the series continues in San Antonio on Monday night.

'Now we've got to get back to the drawing board and see what we've got to do better to get ready for Game 2,' Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook said. 'Come out and play with a different mindset.'

That would be a start.

The three worst playoff losses of Kevin Durant and Westbrook's time together in Oklahoma City have one thing in common - they all happened in San Antonio.

The Spurs won by 35 on May 21, 2014, followed that up eight nights later with a 28-point win and now have added a 32-pointer for good measure. The Game 1 margin was the biggest defeat Thunder coach Billy Donovan has dealt with in more than 17 years.

It was Feb. 10, 1999 - 660 games ago for Donovan - when his Florida Gators lost 91-56 to Tennessee. That Gator team recovered and won four of its next five games, and if the Thunder are going to get out of this series they'll have to do something similar.

'I think the guys in that locker room are pretty competitive,' Donovan said. 'I think they're going to want to come back and respond.'

The key for the Thunder in Game 2 will be stopping Aldridge. They had no answers for him in Game 1; Aldridge scored 38 points and didn't even play 30 minutes.

When the Spurs acquired him, it was evident that they would again be a major title favorite. It's working out exactly as San Antonio planned.

'I don't know an exact date,' coach Gregg Popovich said when asked how long it took Aldridge to get comfortable with the Spurs. 'It was a progression. Any new player in a new program, it's a progression. It takes a little bit of time to get comfortable with the system and secondly, with teammates - who does what, when, where, how, all that kind of thing. It was just a steady kind of improvement and recognition as the year went on.'

If players get asked to play big minutes Monday, that shouldn't be an issue. Game 3 isn't until Friday night in Oklahoma City.

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have long been one of the league's all-time trios. But the sheer margin by which they're separating themselves from some of the others on that list is getting to be staggering.

Consider:

Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won 600 games together for the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish won 632 in their days as Boston Celtics teammates.

It took a long time for those numbers to be passed. It's going to take a real long time before anyone even comes near what Duncan, Parker and Ginobili have done - now with 700 wins together after Saturday's Game 1 victory.

Everything worked for the Spurs in the opener. They had 39 assists and all but one of their players who got minutes had at least one - the exception being Andre Miller. And the Spurs are 43-1 at home this season, 34-0 when Duncan is in the lineup.

And for all the adjustments Oklahoma City will make, figuring out how to get better against Leonard's defense probably should be foremost. Leonard spent much of Game 1 guarding Westbrook, helping force him into a 5-for-19 night from the floor. Meanwhile, Leonard and Aldridge combined to make 28 of 36 shots.

Monday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

**Atlanta at Cleveland**

-- When these clubs met in the Eastern Conference finals last season, Cleveland dealt out broom treatment with a clean 4-0 series sweep. Even with Kevin Love sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Cavaliers won the first two games in Atlanta. J.R. Smith’s 28-point explosion on 8-of-12 shooting from 3-point land was the catalyst in Game 1. Kyrie Irving injured his knee in the series opener, but his absence didn’t prevent the Cavs from winning Game 2 by a 94-82 count behind LeBron James’s 30 points. Atlanta came out strong in Game 3 and was leading in the second quarter when Al Horford was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul that was complete garbage. Matthew Dellavedova, who put Kyle Korver out for the series by injuring him during a loose-ball scramble in Game 2, cut Horford’s legs out from under him. While falling to the ground, Horford had to brace his fall and he was coming down on Dellavedova by no fault of his own. Horford gave him a love-tap of a forearm as he landed, but it was nowhere near an act deserving of an ejection, especially in the playoffs. (Trust me, folks. If Horford wanted to give Dellavedova a forearm as if he meant business, Dellavedova would’ve been out for the game as well.) Anyway, without Korver and Horford, Cleveland won 114-111 in overtime. James scored a game-high 37 points, while Jeff Teague had a team-best 30 points in the losing effort. With Irving returning for Game 4, the Cavs easily closed out the series in a 118-88 blowout.

-- Cleveland (61-25 SU, 39-44-3 ATS) won all three regular-season meetings against Atlanta this year. The Cavs beat the Hawks 109-97 as 5.5-point home favorites. Then on April 1, Tyron Lue’s squad won a 110-108 decision at Atlanta in overtime as a 2.5-point road ‘chalk.’ On April 11, Cleveland won 109-94 as a 6.5-point home favorite.

-- Cleveland advanced to the East semifinals by sweeping Detroit in four games, but the Pistons went 2-2 ATS. They covered as 11-point underdogs in a 106-101 loss in Game 1. Detroit led by five early in the third quarter of Game 2, but Cleveland went on a big run and eventually collected a 107-90 triumph as a 10.5-point home favorite. In Game 3 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Cavs won by a 101-91 count as five-point road favorites.

-- In Game 4 at Detroit, Cleveland captured a 100-98 win as a 6.5-point road ‘chalk.’ Reggie Jackson’s 3-point attempt to win the game at the buzzer was off the mark. Jackson pleaded for a foul call on the play to no avail. Irving sparked the winners with 31 points, including a huge trey with 42 seconds remaining. James tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Smith added 15 points, while Love contributed 11 points and 13 rebounds.

-- Irving averaged 27.5 points per game in the first-round series against Detroit. James averaged 22.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while Love averaged 18.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per contest.

-- Cleveland owns a 35-8 SU record and a 21-22 ATS mark at home this year.

-- Atlanta (52-36 SU, 45-42-1 ATS) eliminated Boston in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-2011. The Hawks coasted to a 104-92 victory as three-point road ‘chalk’ Thursday night at TD Garden Arena. The 196 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 198-point total.

-- Mike Budenholzer’s club put the Game 6 on ice in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 39-26 after leading by eight at halftime. Atlanta cashed tickets for first-quarter (-0.5, -115) and first-half (-1.5) wagers. The Hawks led by 28 points at one point before Boston trimmed the deficit late in the fourth quarter to create a misleading final score. Paul Millsap led six Atlanta players in double figures with 17 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Kent Bazemore added 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocked shots, while Horford snapped out of his scoring slump to produce 15 points, three blocked shots and two steals. Horford hadn’t scored in double figures in the three previous games.

-- Korver capped an excellent first-round series in Game 6 by contributing 14 points, nine rebounds, two blocked shots, one steal and three assists compared to just one turnover. Dennis Schroder had 12 points, eight assists and three boards in the series finale, while Teague finished with 11 points and five assists.

-- For Monday’s Game 1, the Westgate SuperBook opened Cleveland as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 201. The number for the side hasn’t moved, while the total was at 200.5 points Sunday night. The Cavs are -350 on the money line, leaving the Hawks as the +290 underdogs (risk $100 to win $290). The Cavs are four-point ‘chalk’ for first-half plays.

Chris David likes the Cavs in Game 1. He said, "Even though I believe this series will be more competitive than last year’s playoff encounter, I’m still buying Cleveland in Game 1 at home based on the rest. The Cavaliers will have had eight days off heading into the opener and they’ve thrived in this spot, going 5-1 with at least three days of rest this season. More importantly, they’ve covered four of those wins while outscoring opponents by 13 points per game (101-88)."

-- Atlanta owns a 22-22 SU record and a 21-22-1 ATS mark in its 44 road assignments this year.

-- The ‘under’ went 5-1 in Atlanta’s series against Boston. The combined scores were (in order) 203, 161, 214, 199 (despite OT), 193 and 196.

-- The ‘under’ is 49-39 overall for the Hawks, 24-20 in their road assignments. They have watched the ‘under’ cash at a 9-2 clip in their last 11 outings.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (43-43) for the Cavs this year. The ‘over’ is 23-20 in their home games.

-- The ‘over’ is 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings between these teams.

-- VI's David also has a play on Cleveland's team total. He said, "The total for Game 1 is hovering between 200 and 201 at most betting shops. The Cavaliers match up real well with the Hawks and it showed in the box scores. They averaged 109 PPG in the three regular season meetings plus they posted 105.8 PPG in the four-game playoff sweep last season. In the first round against Detroit, the Cavs weren’t held under 100 in any of the games and I believe the Pistons scheme and players are much better defensively. Cleveland’s team total is 104 and I believe they surpass that number on Monday."

-- Tip-off for Game 1 is scheduled for Monday night at 7:05 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

**Oklahoma City at San Antonio**

-- Game 1 was a quick and easy one for the Spurs, who coasted to a 124-92 win as 6.5-point home favorites. The 216 combined points soared ‘over’ the 199.5-point total. San Antonio went ahead 43-20 by the end of the first quarter and led by 33 at intermission. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 38 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Aldridge made 18-of-23 shots from the field. Kawhi Leonard added 25 points, five rebounds and five assists compared to merely one turnover. He hit 10-of-13 attempts from the field. Danny Green buried 5-of-6 launches from downtown and finished with 18 points.

-- In the blowout defeat, Serge Ibaka scored a team-best 19 points for OKC. Kevin Durant had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Russell Westbrook produced 14 points and nine assists. Westbrook struggled from the field by hitting only 5-of-19 attempts.

-- For Game 2, the Westgate opened San Antonio (72-15 SU, 48-39 ATS) as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 202.5 points. Those numbers hadn’t budged by Sunday night. The Spurs were -350 on the money line, leaving the Thunder available for gamblers for a +290 payout (risk $100 to win $290). Gregg Popovich’s team is a four-point ‘chalk’ for first-half wagers.

-- San Antonio went 43-1 SU and 26-18 ATS at home this year.

-- Oklahoma City (59-29 SU, 40-47-1 ATS) is 25-19 SU but just 19-25 ATS on the road. Billy Donovan’s team owns a 4-7 spread record with just one outright victory in 11 games as a road underdog this season.

-- After losing Game 2 at home to Dallas in its first-round series, Oklahoma City won three in a row to close out the Mavericks. The Thunder beat the Mavs by margins of 38, 29, 11 and 14. They won a 118-104 decision in Game 5 thanks to 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists from Westbrook. Durant added 33 points.

-- Through six postseason games, Durant is averaging 24.3 PPG but he’s struggling mightily from the field. The 27-year-old who played one season at the University of Texas is making only 37.2 percent of his shots, including an abysmal 25.6 percent from 3-point land. Westbrook is averaging 24.0 points, 10.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game.

-- VI's David likes the Spurs in Game 2. David said, "Oklahoma City was exposed in Game 1 to the masses and I expect to see more of the same as this series progresses. Saturday’s defensive effort was the 10th time this season that the Thunder allowed 120 or more points and it’s even more amazing that they won three of those games. OKC is an offensive juggernaut and I wouldn’t advise betting on a team that needs to hit a high percentage to win. San Antonio has gone 21-10 as a favorite of eight or less points this season and 19-12 ATS, which means they usually cover when they win and I’ll take those percentages in Game 2 on Monday."

-- The ‘under’ is 45-43 overall for the Thunder, but the ‘over’ is 26-18 in its road assignments. They have watched the ‘over’ cash in each of their last five games.

-- The ‘under’ is 48-37-2 overall for the Spurs, 23-20-1 in their home outings. They have seen the ‘under’ go 6-2 in their last eight contests.

-- These teams split their four regular-season meetings with each club holding serve at home. The home team has compiled an 18-8-1 spread record in the last 27 encounters between these teams.

-- TNT will have the telecast at 9:35 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Golden State captured a 118-106 win over Portland in Sunday’s series opener of the West semifinals at Oracle Arena. The Warriors raced out to a 20-point lead at the end of the first quarter and enjoyed a 65-51 advantage at halftime. They easily covered first-quarter (-3.5) and first-half (-6) bets. All five starters scored in double figures led by Klay Thompson’s game-high 37 points. Thompson hit 7-of-14 shots from 3-point range, grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists and made two steals. Draymond Green produced a triple-double with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocked shots. Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes both scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

-- Trailing by 14 at intermission, Portland was a two-point underdog (+16 adjusted) for second-half wagers. The Trail Blazers covered those bets thanks to a 33-25 advantage over the Warriors in the fourth quarter. Damian Lillard finished with 30 points, but he got most of those in the second half and struggled from the field by making only 8-of-26 attempts. Golden State did an outstanding job of defending the Blazers’ backcourt, forcing C.J. McCollum to go 5-of-17 from the field in a 12-point effort. Terry Stotts has to feel great about the way his bench played, though. This group was an amazing 16-of-22 from the field. Allen Crabbe had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists without a turnover. Ed Davis fouled out after playing only 19 minutes, but he still contributed 11 points, seven boards and three assists without a turnover.

-- The 224 combined points went ‘over’ the 210-point total for the Warriors and Trail Blazers. The ‘over’ also hit for second-half bets (105, 221 adjusted).

-- Miami routed Charlotte 106-73 as a six-point home favorite in Sunday’s Game 7 in South Florida. Goran Dragic was the catalyst with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists. Luol Deng added 15 points, eight boards and four assists.

NBA

Monday's game

Atlanta-Cleveland (0-0)
Cavaliers haven't played in eight days, Atlanta in four days. Cleveland won its last seven games (6-1 vs spread) vs Hawks, covered three of last four played here. Four of last five series games went over. Atlanta lost four of last five road games, with win coming Thursday in Game 6 over the Celtics. Cleveland swept the Pistons 4-0; they're 3-2 vs spread last five home games, with three of those five going over the total.

Oklahoma City-San Antonio (SA 1-0)
In Game 1, Leonard/Aldridge combined to make 28-36 from floor in easy win that Spurs led 73-40 at half. San Antonio won seven of its last ten games with Oklahoma City, winning last four played here, by 4-8-39-32 points. Four of last six series games stayed under the total. Spurs won last seven games overall, covering five of their last six. Westbrook missed 14 of 19 shots Saturday; Thunder was 6-23 on arc in an ugly loss.

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 2-0, over: 2-0

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Oklahoma City at San Antonio May 2, 9:30 EST

Spurs with the best defense in the league allowing a lowly 96.3 points per opponent 100 possessions along with featuring the third-best shooting team in the league netting 108.8 points per 100 possessions handed Thunder a 124-92 beat-down as 6.5 point home chalk in the opener of their conference semifinal game.

Home-court something San Antonio can tap into, easy making a case for Spurs. Tough nuts to crack at AT&T Center in San Antonio the Spurs have reeled of a 43-1 record in front of the friendly crowd with a profitable 26-18-1 mark against the betting line. Matching that, the Spurs are 15-4 (13-6 ATS) the past nineteen second season games on home court including 4-0 SU/ATS running the hardwood vs Thunder.

Mohawk: Monday 5/2 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool


20-CENT PICK 5: 3,4,5,8/2/1,2,4,5/3,4,5,6/6,8 = $25.60

EARLY PICK 4: 3,4,5,6/6,8/3,6/2,4,9 = $48

LATE PICK 4: 2,4,9/3,4,5,8/2/2,3,6,7 = $48

MEET STATS: 46 - 131 / $276.60 BEST BETS: 9 - 13 / $39.90

SPOT PLAYS: 3 - 13 / $15.40

Best Bet: MUSCLE BABY DOLL (9th)

Spot Play: VELOCITY MIRAGE (1st)


Race 1

(8) VELOCITY MIRAGE makes his first start for trainer Weller after he bought him for himself in a private sale this month. That's good enough for me to take a stab in this suspect field. (4) CHALK PLAYER raced well behind a sharp winner in his sophomore debut but he has now run his record to 0-12. He looks like one of the ones in here, but is hard to love on top. (5) MACS STAR looks well prepped by Dr. Moore, who is batting 33% with horses returning from layoffs of 60 days or more in the past calendar year.

Race 2

(2) BEE IN CHARGE - 1/2 sister to 2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician - finally put it together last time and wasn't far from winning in a non-winners of two class. She should easily beat these maidens if she stays flat but will be a very short price and there is no guarantee she will trot the entire mile. (3) DAYLINER finished well vs. a strong winner and figures highly here but the 0-11 record is worrisome. (8) MAGIC SON was beaten by a horse in his qualifier that daylighted the field in fast time here on Thursday; using.

Race 3

(5) CHARLIE IS A JOKER has caught fire the past two weeks and finished quicker than he had been for several weeks. He should get a good spot early here and could score the three-peat. (4) FEARLESS MAN lost all hope when he broke at the start last time. He could rebound here but may be getting tired after so many tough miles spent on the engine. (2) O NARUTAC PERFETTO has never been better and could close for a good piece of this despite the class rise.

Race 4

(3) NEW YORK NIGHTMARE was heading for the front last week but got left on the rim in a 25 4/5 opening 1/4 which killed his chances. If he makes front here from a better post he could carry his speed a long way. (4) MARKATHY chased some big fractions last time and fell just short. He frequently looks like a contender, but his 2 for 55 record in the past two years is a concern. (5) YOURE MY HERO has big speed when he can stay flat, which he has been having trouble with recently. He is erratic but capable in this class.

Race 5

(8) BLISSFUL YEARS has faced much better than these for several weeks with little luck. Expect a big speed try similar to his Feb. 29 win here. (6) THE FIRE WITHIN had a decent race behind a tough winner last week and could hit the board at a price here. (3) VEGAS RICH makes his first start of the year off a decent qualifier and is another to consider at a price.

Race 6

(6) HILLSONATOR and (3) MYSTERY BET will be happy to escape the country's best trotter (Musical Rhythm) here. Those two look best with a minor shot given to (7) OAKLEA WYATT who has been finishing quickly and looks like the best chance to upset the top two.

Race 7

(2) WILD AND CRAZY GUY raced well from the 10-hole last week now will likely be sent for a spot near the front early from this inside post. He can trip out and score a minor upset here. (9) YOURE MAJESTIC has been racing well in some quick miles at The Meadowlands and is an obvious contender here but will likely be overbet. (4) CASH FOR GOLD pulled first up into a 27 3/5 final 1/4 which was a no chance proposition last time. He has a good shot here and his price will no doubt be better.

Race 8

(3) MAJOR HOMER moves inside after two tighteners and should get better position early in the mile here. (4) SHOCK N ROCK finished quickly to be second on a rapid mile but it's hard to say what will happen if he has to work for it in the middle of the mile. He looks like a contender nonetheless. (5) PIERCE HANOVER had a disappointing sophomore season but looks ready to roll here and should be a threat.

Race 9

(2) MUSCLE BABY DOLL was a sharp winner off the shelf last week and will take beating again here vs. many of the same mares. (1) ROCKIN WITH DEWEY finished a few lengths back of the choice when she too was making her seasonal debut. She looks next best but is likely fighting it out for place money if the choice brings her A game tonight. (4) SECOND SISTER beat males in her first 2016 start down south and can take a good share here vs. her own gender.

Race 10

(6) THE ROCK was super in defeat last week racing uncovered a long way. He could take this at a square price. (7) PERFECT VISTA has been racing great off a helmet and is sure to be flying late again here. (3) RAFA was really motoring late last week but has been an unreliable win bet and will likely be overbet here. (2) CASIMIR OVERDRIVE made a powerful move to win going away last week when claimed. He can hit the Super here in his current sharp form. (4) IMKEEPNTHISGUY will be passing many of these late on his way to a small share.

Yonkers: Monday 5/2 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 144 - 418 / $758.70

BEST BETS: 19 - 35 / $65.30

Best Bet: HEEZ ORL BLACK N (7th)

Spot Play: AMERICAN VENTURE (5th)


Race 1

(1) PRETTY SAMMIE paced evenly in her career debut for Toscano down at Philly and more could be expected tonight. (5) CHEYENNE MOLLY has raced decently in her last couple. (4) POKERFACE is the lone 4-year-old in the field but is just 1 for 33 lifetime; include her, but perhaps just underneath.

Race 2

(5) MOTHER OF ART buried money in her 2016 debut but likely needed the start; Burke trainee can be tighter tonight. (2) SOULMATE HANOVER was a good winner in her 3-year-old debut at Pocono for a sharp outfit. (6) UPSIDE SURPRISE was collared by a sharp trip-sitting winner last week.

Race 3

(3) GALOWS NIGHTMARE was a very impressive winner right off the bench for Chris Lems and she ships from Vernon to take a chance for more money; give him a long look from this spot. (4) OK IMAGINE flattened last week after an uncovered battle but he was a sharp winner the start prior. (8) COMBAT has obvious ability but has to overcome the worst post.

Race 4

(4) JK ONAROLL returns locally off a failed try in the Weiss at Pocono and he's had some good local efforts. (3) COBRA JOE ships from The Meadowlands and looks like a good fit. (2) STELLA'S FELLA does a great job of picking up checks but is winless lifetime in 49 starts; connections should go to Monti and dominate a NW1 field.

Race 5

(3) AMERICAN VENTURE has back class and could get well versus this group. (1) PIER HO TEMPTATION returns to Brennan and gets post relief. (4) DONAU has not fired in his last three; use caution.

Race 6

(2) FRANNEY LOVE DAT looked solid beating lesser in her debut for Milici and she should be followed again. (5) ROCK HER WORLD ships from Canada where she's been racing well; big threat. (1) ART CRITIC beat cheaper last out after walking on the front end.

Race 7

(1) HEEZ ORL BLACK N is much better than he's been showing and this looks like a now-or-never spot. (2) J T was conservatively handled last week and closed with pace up the rail; he may be in line for a pocket ride. (7) WINDS OF CHANGE has found his stride in his last three but returns locally in a tough post.

Race 8

(3) DCS BETTER LIFE had aim for second last out behind a 1/9 shot but flattened out; I'm convinced he has more ability than he's been showing and I'm giving him one more chance. (4) JK HEAVEN SENT faces tougher after jogging on the front end. (2) SHANE ADAM closed well last out and can always be counted on for a share.

Race 9

(5) TEAM CAPTAIN goes second-time Lasix and gets an improved post; It wouldn't surprise me if we saw more from him tonight. (1) WINNING IS SWEET returns locally for Allard after some decent tries out of town. (2) ELWELL finished with pace last week in a needed start.

Race 10

(4) TWIN B SPEEDO isn't a prolific winner but he does drop a notch in class and has a decent post to work with. (1) URBANA BAYAMA has tailed off in recent weeks but he's done good things in the past with Brennan driving. (7) ROCK OUT gets a barn change to Milici, picks up Bartlett and cannot be ignored.

Race 11

(1) WESTERN PIONEER put in a big effort last week to just miss after breaking leaving the gate and getting jammed in traffic; he's clearly the one to beat from this spot. (3) EDWARD TEACH ships in for Burke looking for three staright. (4) PAN STREET USA was a big upset winner two back with Buter in the bike.

Race 12

(3) HOT LEMONADE lingered in last then closed with plenty after the fact in her last start; I would hope for a more aggressive effort tonight. (1) MAYA SCAPE has been much-improved in her last two. (6) TRY N KEEP UP has looked good in recent; only knock here is the outside post.

SPOT PLAYS

For Monday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Finger Lakes (6th) My Favorite Two, 3-1
(8th) Keepin It Zeal, 9-2

Mountaineer (1st) Save My Soul, 7-2
(5th) Don't Defy Me, 3-1

Parx (2nd) Rienzi, 3-1
(4th) Wyandot, 7-2


Thistledown (5th) Bucket Beat, 5-1
(6th) Summer Shoe, 4-1


Turf Paradise (5th) Allen's Crown, 3-1
(7th) Migiwewin, 3-1

May Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

Horse racing fans recognize May as the month of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. For baseball purists May is simply the second month of the 2016 pro baseball season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in May, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts.

To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s May list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

De La Rosa , Jorge -11-3 (5-1 A)

The Colorado right-hander had a rough April and will look to find his groove this month. The normally reliable right-hander has start and stop windup and still has low 90's fastball with tail action. He will need to spot pitches better and have more control with slider and changeup to match past numbers. Update - Went on 15-day DL on 4/27 with groin.

Hernandez, Felix -11-5 (8-3 A)

Though the "King" does not have the same velocity as a few years ago, he has more pitches he throws for strikes. Thus, he's not going to be as dominant as often, but he's making the transition away from pure power pitcher to smarter hurler to get batter out.

Hughes, Phil -10-4 (6-1 H)

Never the ace many envisioned in his younger days with the Yankees, Hughes is a dependable starter for Minnesota, who commands low-90's fastball and spins a tight-curve. His walk-to-strikeout command is excellent but the biggest problem is staying focused inning after inning and has always been prone of losing concentration.

Porcello, Rick -11-5 (8-1 A)

Sinker-ball pitcher who tried to become strikeout chucker with big contract in Boston last year and failed miserably. Has gone back to what he does best so far this season, which has batters beating the ball into the ground. A true No. 3 or No. 4 starter in the rotation whose not comfortable being depended on for more.

*Sale, Chris -10-1 (5-0 A)

A true strikeout machine who, at 27, has gained the confidence to also be clubhouse leader. At 6'6 and thin, all arms and legs with funky left-side delivery, has mid to upper 90's fastball and catcher seldom has to move once target is set. Headliner of an overabundance of White Sox lefty starters.

*Scherzer, Max -13-4 (6-1 H)

Since the middle of last season, has been pedestrian performer, more like was with Arizona, with ERA over 4.25. Scherzer depends on clean mechanics for velocity and tilt on breaking pitches. It seems to come and go without warning. Washington is looking for the pitcher they had the first half of last year as right-hand version of Clayton Kershaw when he was unhittable.

*Vogelsong, Ryan -12-3 (6-1 A)

Now with Pittsburgh, lost starting job in spring training and now works in long relief or as spot starter. Not likely to change at 38 unless injuries occur.

*Weaver, Jered -10-2 (6-1 H)

After shoulder issues in the spring related to tightness, which had his fastball topping out at 81-82, Weaver got stretched out and is now serviceable mid-rotation pitcher, who knows how to works counts and change speeds. Fastball still only in mid-80's but throws so many off-speed pitches his fastball is looking quicker to hitter's thus far.

Zimmermann, Jordan -11-5 (7-1 H)

The formers Nats pitcher took an immediate liking to the American League and went 24 1/3 innings before giving up a run in 2016. Has four good pitches he can keep in the zone and is frontline hurler. For whatever reason, seldom pitches beyond the seventh inning.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Hamels, Cole -5-12 (2-6 A)

Has fit in comfortably at Texas, with still good fastball that moves late when low in the zone, excellent cutter and still one of the best changes in the game. Part of poor record is he's been on some bad teams of late in Philadelphia and has thrown better when the weather heats up, which is not a problem in Dallas.

Peralta, Wily -3-12 (1-6 A)

Been hit hard thus far in 2016, not keeping fastball down and delivering too many room service sliders. Peralta lacks great stuff and even when he's at his best, not many swings and misses. Note: Figures represent career start marks.

Preview: Cubs (17-5) at Pirates (15-9)

Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 02, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

The Chicago Cubs have chosen a creative wardrobe on this visit to Pittsburgh.

They certainly enjoyed a raucous celebration the last time they were there.

The Cubs start a three-game series with the Pirates on Monday night in the NL Central rivals' first meeting since last year's wild-card game.

Chicago (17-6) is used to offbeat manager Joe Maddon deciding on unusual themes for road trips. This one is being called a minimalist zany suit trip, with players set to wear ugly suits.

'I saw this website with some cool suits, different,' Maddon said. 'Mine will feature tulips. If you're at any time without part of your suit, it's a hundred-dollar fine, unless you're working out. ... Part of it is that we never get dressed up. If we're going to dress up, I don't want it to be a conventional suit. That was my premise. Then I found these."

Dexter Fowler wore pink shorts and a matching sports coat for his outfit. Maddon said he bought the suit with tulips as well as one with leopard skin.

The Cubs' early success is putting the idiom that "a leopard can't change its spots" to the test since the perennially woebegone franchise has been baseball's best team. Maddon's first year with the club was a rousing success, and Chicago's postseason run started with a 4-0 road victory Oct. 7 over a Pirates club that won 98 games.

Jake Arrieta struck out 11 in a five-hitter that night to hand Pittsburgh (15-10) its second straight wild-card game loss.

Gerrit Cole (2-2, 2.78 ERA), who lost that night by allowing four runs in five innings, will face the Cubs again Monday. He went 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA in four 2015 regular-season starts versus Chicago, allowing no homers over 25 1-3 innings before Fowler and Kyle Schwarber - currently on the disabled list - took him deep in the playoffs.

Cole is 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA in nine regular-season outings versus Chicago. Fowler is 6 for 17 overall against him.

The right-hander won his second straight start Tuesday by yielding four runs - two earned - in six innings of a 9-4 victory at Colorado.

The Cubs will counter with a pitcher who has been even more effective than the unbeatable Arrieta in Jason Hammel (3-0, 0.75), who has the NL's best ERA. Hammel struck out seven in six innings of a 9-0 rout at Cincinnati on April 24 in his last outing.

The right-hander was 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA in four 2015 starts against Pittsburgh. Andrew McCutchen is a .300 hitter in 30 at-bats in this matchup and Francisco Cervelli is 5 for 10.

Cervelli is expected back in the lineup after he sat out Sunday's 6-5, 11-inning home defeat to Cincinnati that ended Pittsburgh's six-game win streak. The Pirates, who committed a season-high four errors, rallied to tie the game during each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

'We got in our own way a couple times, but we battled, and everybody kept playing,' manager Clint Hurdle said. 'We scored late, they scored late. It was like throwing punches at one another - and they were able to throw one more than we were.'

Chicago welcomed Kris Bryant back from a one-game absence due to an ankle sprain in Sunday's 4-3, 10-inning defeat to Atlanta.

The Cubs, who have yet to lose two straight, took 11 of 19 matchups in the 2015 regular season.

Preview: Rangers (14-10) at Blue Jays (11-14)

Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: May 02, 2016 7:07 PM EDT

When they last met the Texas Rangers in October, Jose Bautista capped the Toronto Blue Jays' comeback victory with the bat flip heard 'round North America.

The Rangers were clearly angered by that celebration to the shot that cost them the AL division series and it remains to be seen whether they'll seek retribution.

All eyes figure to be on Bautista's first at-bat Monday night when Texas tries to deal Toronto its longest home slide in two years in the opener of a four-game series.

Bautista provided the most memorable moment of last year's playoffs when he turned around a 97-mph heater from Sam Dyson in the seventh inning for a tie-breaking three-run homer in the Blue Jays' 6-3 win in the decisive Game 5.

Bautista stood at home plate to admire his drive, enthusiastically flipping his bat high in the air. Fans proceeded to litter the field after Dyson took exception and walked over to confront the Blue Jays, leading to both dugouts and bullpens to empty.

'It's tough to see,' said pitcher Cole Hamels at the time, also disappointed by Bautista's celebration, 'a lot of us on our team don't carry ourselves that way.'

It should be interesting to see how A.J. Griffin (3-0, 2.52 ERA) handles things after he spent the entire 2015 season with Oakland while recovering from elbow surgery.

The right-hander hopes to build on his best outing Tuesday when he allowed one run and four hits over eight innings in a 10-1 home win over the New York Yankees.

Griffin has gone 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four starts versus Toronto, but hasn't faced them since 2013. Edwin Encarnacion is 2 for 9 with a home run off him and Bautista is hitless in five at-bats.

"They like playing in their ballpark," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We'll have to play good baseball and pitch it well."

Toronto hopes to avoid its first four-game home skid since April 2014 after taking two of three at Tampa Bay. Josh Donaldson hit his AL-leading ninth homer and Troy Tulowitzki's three-run blast keyed a four-run ninth inning in Sunday's 5-1 win.

"It's nice to come through for the team in a big spot," Tulowitzki, who is hitting .172, told the league's official website. "I feel good out there. Obviously things aren't going my way, but it's a long season and I'll just keep on grinding away."

The Rangers had their four-game winning streak snapped in Sunday's 9-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels that capped a 4-2 homestand. Rougned Odor finished with three hits, while Adrian Beltre, Ian Desmond and Delino DeShields had two apiece.

Odor, who has six hits over his last two games, is 13 for 27 with two home runs and four doubles in nine regular-season meetings with the Blue Jays (12-14).

R.A. Dickey, who spent his first five seasons with the Rangers (14-11), hopes to move past his recent struggles at Rogers Centre. He's allowed 13 runs and 16 hits - including two homers - over 11 innings while losing two home starts.

Dickey (1-3, 6.75) is 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA in eight games versus Texas, including playoffs. He gave up one run over 4 2/3 innings in an 8-4 win in Game 4.

Odor is 2 for 3 with a triple off him, but Elvis Andrus is hitless in nine at-bats.

The Rangers dropped four of the six regular-season meetings last year.