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AAA 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts

We've blazed through almost every type of track there is over the first 11 races of the Sprint Cup season, with the exception of a road course and a one-mile high banked concrete oval, so let's check off that concrete track this week, a race at Dover that comes a few weeks earlier than it did last season.

Sunday's AAA 400 will be the first race of the season in the northeast after the series has run multiple times in the west, mid-west and south.

The main story coming into the race is no one being hotter in the series than Kyle Busch. The Las Vegas native just won his series leading third race of the season Saturday, his first ever at Kansas Speedway, which was also his series leading ninth top-five finish in 11 races.

After watching the first 11 races last season sitting in his rocking chair at home due to breaking a leg in the season opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona, he grew up real fast as a driver. He understood that the series was moving along just fine without him. Coupled with experiencing the birth of his first child at the same time, he's learned to not be so 'Rowdy" anymore and that adjusted temperament helped him win the first Sprint Cup title of his career and he's been on cruise control ever since.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that he also drives for Joe Gibbs Racing which is producing great cars for not only for Busch, but also Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth while providing equipment for Martin Truex Jr. Edwards' five top-fives is tied with Kevin Harvick for second most in the series and his two wins are tied with Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski for second most. Kenseth, who has had awful luck this season despite great cars, finally got his first top-five of the season at Kansas.

While the JGR drivers all figure to perform well on Dover's 'Monster Mile', the undisputed King of Dover and favorite to win is Johnson.

Last May, Johnson won for a track-record 10th time at Dover which made him the fifth driver in Cup history to win 10 times at a single track joining Richard Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt. In 28 starts, he has 15 top-five finishes, a ninth-place average finish and a series-best 2,999 laps led. At all phases of his career, Dover has been a consistent winner for him. He's currently on a run of winning three of the past five there.

Although Johnson is best at Dover, there was one driver that was better than him last season. Harvick finished second behind Johnson last May and then won in the fall during the Chase where he led 355 of the 400 laps. It was his first win in 30 starts on the track.

Busch has two Dover wins, but none since 2010. In 22 starts, he's got 14 top-10s and has led 1,037 laps. He finished second to Harvick last fall. The case to be made for him this week to win lies mostly with momentum, but also the new low downforce package which has never been used at Dover. The Gibbs drivers have it figured out and Kyle has shown he is a big momentum guy no matter the type of track. He won four of five during a stretch in July and won two straight to start April.

This is technically Mayetta, NJ native Martin Truex Jr's home track, and it was the site of his first career win in 2007. He's only won two races since, but he's probably never had a car set-up so perfectly week-to-week like this season. Last week he led 172 of the 267 laps at Kansas, but settled for 14th. He's been 11th or better in his past four Dover starts.

Edwards' only Dover win came in 2007, a time when he went on a run of finishing in the top-five in eight of 13 starts. He hasn't cracked the top-five since then with finishes of 11th or worse in his last six. The reason you might want to support Edwards this week is because of leading 276 of 500 laps in a win at Bristol's half-mile concrete layout last month. The speeds are way faster at Dover, but the banking is similar which makes the required set-up similar.

"I really think the way all of our JGR Toyotas have been running, and the way that Martin Truex, Jr. has been running, it’s going to be a really fun weekend," said Edwards. "I think we’re going to have to beat our teammates to win the race. So I look forward to going to Dover. The race itself is a really tough one. You have to stay focused the entire time because of the high speeds in the corners and the difficulty of that racetrack. It’s a pretty intense four hundred laps. It’s a really fun place to win."

I like the Bristol angle and that Edwards has won two of the past four races on the schedule.

We haven't seen a decent payout at over 15/1 odds at Dover since Truex, but there are two drivers that have shown consistency in recent years that will fetch high odds. Kyle Larson (30/1) has a 7.2 average finish over four starts, including a best of third in this race last year. Aric Almirola (100/1) was fifth in both races last year. Kasey Kahne (25/1) was fourth and sixth between the two 2016 races.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #19 Carl Edwards (8/1)
2) #48 Jimmie Johnson (5/1)
3) #18 Kyle Busch (7/1)
4) #4 Kevin Harvick (6/1)
5) #78 Martin Truex Jr. (15/1)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
AAA 400 Drive for Autism
Sunday, May 15th – 1:00 p.m. ET
Dover International Speedway – Dover, DE

Jimmie Johnson will be looking to win his third straight AAA 400 Drive for Autism when the Sprint Cup Series heads to Dover on Sunday. For those who may be confused, this race used to be known as the FedEx 400 benefitting Austism Speaks.

Johnson has dominated this event, winning his fifth race and second straight in 2015. He is tied with Bobby Allison for most wins ever in this race.

Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart have all had success here as well, winning twice each. This track is not a very long one, running only a mile long.

Chevrolet is the manufacturer with the most victories in this race and Hendricks Motorsports’ nine victories is more than any other team.

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

Drivers to Watch

Jimmie Johnson (4/1) - As previously mentioned, Johnson has mastered this track throughout his career. He has now won the AAA 400 Drive for Autism five times in his career (2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015) and has also won it each of the past two seasons. Johnson is extremely comfortable racing here and he also will have plenty of reasons to be hungry for a victory in this one. Johnson has really struggled the past two weeks, finishing 22nd two weeks ago and 17th last week. He can use a good placing at this race and it’s hard to imagine him not being near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday. He’s worth putting a few units on at 4/1.

Kyle Busch (5/1)- Busch is yet another one of the favorites to win this thing, so it’s not necessarily groundbreaking to be considering him this weekend. He is, however, a favorite for good reason and that is why he’ll be worth putting a few units on at 5/1 this weekend. Busch has been absolutely dominant on the year, winning three races and coming in the top five on nine separate occasions. Busch also happens to have won last week’s GoBowling 400, so he’ll be feeling confident entering this race. Outside of Johnson, Busch is tied for the most wins here amongst current drivers and he certainly will be hoping to catch Johnson at some point in his career.

Chase Elliott (20/1) - Elliott has pretty much become a staple on this list, but it’s just too hard to stay away from him. The rookie has been racing extremely well recently, finishing in the top 10 in four of the past five races. Elliott has a ton of poise for somebody his age and it’s very hard to imagine him not winning a single race this season. This is a very good one to back him at, as he’s receiving 28/1 odds and would pay off rather nicely if he were to win. He should be near the front of the pack in the race’s final laps, so it’s worth putting a unit or half-unit on him Sunday.

Tony Stewart (100/1) - Stewart might not be the first guy that comes to mind when trying to pick a winner in the Sprint Cup these days, but he is a pretty good dark horse candidate this weekend. Like Kyle Busch, Stewart has won this race twice in his career and he also happens to be the last person to win that wasn’t named Jimmie Johnson. It also doesn’t hurt that Stewart has looked solid since returning to racing, coming in sixth two weeks ago and 12th last week. He’s worth a half-unit at 66/1.

Odds to win AAA 400 Drive for Autism -

Jimmie Johnson 4/1
Kyle Busch 5/1
Kevin Harvick 6/1
Matt Kenseth 8/1
Carl Edwards 10/1
Joey Logano 12/1
Denny Hamlin 12/1
Brad Keselowski 12/1
Kurt Busch 12/1
Martin Truex Jr. 10/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 15/1
Chase Elliott 20/1
Kasey Kahne 30/1
Kyle Larson 30/1
Austin Dillon 60/1
Jamie McMurray 80/1
Ryan Newman 100/1
Ryan Blaney 100/1
Tony Stewart 100/1
Greg Biffle 200/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 100/1
Paul Menard 200/1
Aric Almirola 200/1
A.J. Allmendinger 500/1
Trevor Bayne 300/1
Clint Bowyer 500/1
Casey Mears 500/1
Danica Patrick 500/1
Chris Buescher 500/1

NASCAR XFINITY Series Race -- Ollie's Bargain Outlet 200 Results
By The Sports Xchange

Dover International Speedway
Dover, Del.
Saturday, May 14, 2016

1. (3) Erik Jones #, Toyota, 120.
2. (11) Darrell Wallace Jr, Ford, 120.
3. (5) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 120.
4. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 120.
5. (2) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 120.
6. (32) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 120.
7. (7) Joey Logano(i), Ford, 120.
8. (8) Matt Tifft(i), Toyota, 120.
9. (4) Daniel Su�rez, Toyota, 120.
10. (13) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, 120.
11. (17) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 120.
12. (19) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 120.
13. (14) Jeb Burton, Ford, 119.
14. (21) Drew Herring, Toyota, 119.
15. (12) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 119.
16. (6) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 118.
17. (20) Ray Black Jr #, Chevrolet, 117.
18. (15) Ryan Reed, Ford, 117.
19. (30) BJ McLeod #, Ford, 117.
20. (16) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 117.
21. (22) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 117.
22. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 117.
23. (28) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 117.
24. (27) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, 116.
25. (10) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 116.
26. (33) Timmy Hill(i), Dodge, 115.
27. (29) Alex Guenette, Chevrolet, 115.
28. (25) Mario Gosselin, Chevrolet, 113.
29. (9) Paul Menard(i), Chevrolet, 112.
30. (24) Travis Kvapil(i), Ford, 109.
31. (26) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 87.
32. (39) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 81.
33. (23) Jeff Green, Toyota, Vibration, 66.
34. (36) Carl Long, Toyota, Vibration, 32.
35. (35) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 28.
36. (38) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Suspension, 15.
37. (40) Josh Reaume, Chevrolet, Suspension, 5.
38. (37) Matt DiBenedetto(i), Toyota, Vibration, 4.
39. (31) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, Vibration, 1.
40. (34) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, Accident, 0.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 122.867 mph.
Time of Race: 00 Hrs, 58 Mins, 36 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.434 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 2 for 10 laps.
Lead Changes: 4 among 3 drivers.
Lap Leaders: 0; T. Dillon 1-11; E. Jones # 12-44; A. Bowman 45-77; E. Jones # 78-120.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): E. Jones # 2 times for 76 laps; A. Bowman 1 time for 33 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 11 laps.
Top 10 in Points: E. Sadler -- 349; D. Su�rez -- 346; T. Dillon -- 319; J. Allgaier -- 317; E. Jones # -- 309; B. Gaughan -- 305; B. Jones # -- 290; B. Poole # -- 282; D. Wallace Jr -- 268; R. Reed -- 244

Eastern Conference Finals
By Alex Smith

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Head-to-Head Meetings (2013-2016)

Feb. 20, 2016 - Tampa Bay 4 at Pittsburgh 2 (Lightning -105, Over 5)
Feb. 5, 2016 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 6 (Lightning -115, Over 5)
Jan. 15, 2016 - Pittsburgh 4 at Tampa Bay 5 (Lightning -130, Over 5)
Jan. 2, 2015 - Tampa Bay 3 at Pittsburgh 6 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)
Dec. 23, 2014 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 4 (Lightning -130, Over 5.5)
Dec. 15, 2014 - Tampa Bay 2 at Pittsburgh 4 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)
Mar. 22, 2014 - Tampa Bay 3 at Pittsburgh 4 (Penguins -165, Over 5.5)
Nov. 29, 2013 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 0 (Penguins -135, Under 5.5)
Oct. 12, 2013 - Pittsburgh 5 at Tampa Bay 4 (Penguins -115, Over 5.5)
Apr. 11, 2013 - Pittsburgh 6 at Tampa Bay 3 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)

Tampa Bay Recent Trends

-- 6-7 SU Last 13 Road Games

-- 8-2 SU Last 10 Games as a Favorite

-- 6-1 SU Last 7 Home Games

-- Team has held opponents to 2 goals or fewer in 9 of last 12 games

-- Penalty Kill Unit: 38/45 (88.4%) this postseason (#1 among remaining teams)

Starting Goalie

-- Ben Bishop: 14-4 SU Last 18 Starts Overall

-- Lifetime Record vs Pitt: 2-2, 3.97 G.A.A; .884 Sv% in 7 GP

Pittsburgh Recent Trends

-- 22-7 SU Last 29 Games Overall

-- 8-1 SU Last 9 Home Games

-- 6-1 SU Last 7 Games as a Favorite

-- 5-3-3 O/U Last 11 Games Overall

-- Power Play Unit: 11/40 (27.5%) this postseason (#1 among remaining teams)

Starting Goalie

-- Matt Murray: 16-5 SU in 21 GS (Season & Playoffs combined)

-- Lifetime Record vs TB: First-ever meeting

Series Odds
Lightning +185
Penguins -220

Exact Game Props
5 Games Penguins Win 5/2
7 Games Penguins Win 3/1
6 Games Penguins Win 7/2
6 Games Lightning Win 6/1
4 Games Penguins Win 7/1
7 Games Lightning Win 7/1
5 Games Lightning Win 8/1
4 Games Lightning Win 18/1

Odds Subject to Change

Western Conference Finals
By Alex Smith

St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks

Head-to-Head Meetings (2013-2016)

Mar. 22, 2016 - St. Louis 1 at San Jose 0 (Blues +120, Under 5)
Feb 22, 2016 - San Jose 6 at St. Louis 3 (Sharks +105, Over 5)
Feb 4, 2016 - San Jose 3 at St. Louis 1 (Sharks +100, Under 5)
Jan 8, 2015 - San Jose 2 at St. Louis 7 (Blues -175, Over 5.5)
Jan 3, 2015 - St. Louis 7 at San Jose 2 (Blues +110, Over 5)
Dec 20, 2014 - St. Louis 2 at San Jose 3 (Sharks -130, Push 5)
Dec 17, 2013 - San Jose 4 at St. Louis 2 (Sharks -110 Over 5.5)
Nov 29, 2013 - St. Louis 3 at San Jose 6 (Sharks -120 Over 5.5)
Oct 15, 2013 - San Jose 6 at St. Louis 2 (Sharks +115, Over 5.5)

-- San Jose has won 6 of Last 10 Meetings vs St. Louis

-- Over is 7-2-1 Last 10 Meetings

-- Underdog has won 6 of Last 8 Meetings

St. Louis Recent Trends

-- 10-2 SU Last 12 Road Games

-- Over is 10-5-4 Last 19 Games Overall

-- 11 of Last 16 Games have been decided by 1 Goal

Starting Goalie

-- Brian Elliott: 20-8 SU Last 28 Starts

-- Lifetime Record vs SJ:5-4, 2.67 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/2 SO in 11 GP

San Jose Recent Trends

-- On a 9-4 SU Run Last 13 Games Overall

-- Over is 6-2-4 Last 12 Games Overall

-- 6-1 SU Last 7 Home Games

-- 13-6 SU Last 19 Road Games

Starting Goalie

-- Martin Jones:10-6 SU Last 16 Starts

-- Lifetime Record vs STL:2-2, 2.08 G.A.A; .925 Sv% in 4 GS

Series Odds
Blues -135
Sharks +115

Exact Game Props
7 Games Blues Win 3/1
5 Games Blues Win 4/1
6 Games Sharks Win 4/1
7 Games Sharks Win 9/2
6 Games Blues Win 5/1
5 Games Sharks Win 6/1
4 Games Blues Win 10/1
4 Games Sharks Win 12/1

Odds Subject to Change

Preview: Sharks (46-30) at Blues (49-24)

Date: May 15, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS (AP) The rest of the postseason, the St. Louis Blues have home-ice advantage. Now, if they can only capitalize on it.

The Blues are in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2001 not because of those rip-roaring, standing room crowds, but because they've been so good at blocking out the noise elsewhere.

They're 3-4 in the Scottrade Center and 5-2 in the other two rinks, including the 6-1 knockout blow in Game 7 of the second round at Dallas two days after they fumbled a chance to wrap up the series at home.

Heading into Game 1 Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks, the message from coach Ken Hitchcock to the players is time honored: Keep it simple, get the puck to the open man, avoid heroics.

'One-on-one hockey is for November and February,' Hitchcock said Saturday. 'Not now.'

Ensemble work, combined with sterling goaltending by Brian Elliott, has carried the Blues this far. Six players have at least 10 points and five others have at least a half-dozen points.

'I think it doesn't matter who you are playing now, both teams are going to be good home and on the road,' Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. 'So we have to make sure we play our game.'

The Sharks were the NHL's best road team during the season, although that hasn't carried over to the playoffs. They were 4-0 at home in the second round against the Predators, and 0-3 in Nashville.

'That's the playoffs,' San Jose forward Tommy Wingels said. 'You're expected to win at home and hold serve. If we can go in and continue winning games on the road, I'll be very happy.'

Both teams are strangers in recent years to deep playoff runs, and neither has won a Cup. San Jose, in the Western Conference final for the first time since 2005, took two of three during the season.

But this, every coach and player will tell you, is a different animal.

Some things to watch:

MAKING THE STOPS: The 31-year-old Elliott has thrived in his first extended postseason opportunity, making an NHL-high 441 saves. Elliott was a ninth-round pick in 2003 by Ottawa. 'It's something you wake up in the morning and you just try to have that same winning feeling,' Elliott said.

Goalie was one of the biggest questions facing the Sharks heading into the playoffs given Martin Jones, formerly undrafted, had not made a postseason start. Jones has passed the test so far, posting a 2.16 goals-against average and giving San Jose its first playoff shutout in six years in the Game 7 clincher last round against the Predators. 'We're confident in him,' coach Peter DeBoer said. 'He's been great all year for us.'

CLUTCH COUTURE: It took awhile for Sharks center Logan Couture to regain form after missing about two months early in the season with a broken leg. He's at the top of his game this postseason, leading the NHL with 17 points, including a franchise-record 11 in the second round. His presence gives the Sharks a second top center behind Joe Thornton and makes it tough for opponents to match up.

X FACTOR: Blues center Patrik Berglund is playing perhaps the best of his career with four goals, four assists and a team-leading plus-9 rating. He missed about half of the regular season, totaling 10 goals and five assists.

'Did you see me in Juniors? I was sick,' Berglund joked. 'No, I'm happy with how I'm playing right now but there's more to go, so I hope I can elevate it even more.'

POTENT POWER PLAY: The Sharks' top-ranked power-play unit has been together for years and has been a work of art this postseason. With playmaking from Joe Thornton, a big shot from the point from Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski's ability to find open space and versatility from Couture and Patrick Marleau, the Sharks have converted at 31 percent - the best of any team that made it past the first round. In its victories, San Jose has converted 41 percent. The best defense against that unit: Stay out of the penalty box.

'It keeps the other team honest,' DeBour said. 'Again, you need all the pieces. I think the further you get, you can't just survive on power play.'

NHL

Sunday's game

Sharks won six of last nine games with St Louis; over is 6-2-1 in those games. Blues won ten of last 12 road games; over is 10-5-4 in their last 19 games. 11 of last 16 St Louis games were decided by a single goal. San Jose won nine of last 13 games but just had tough 7-game series with Nashville; Blues also had a 7-game series win over Dallas. Sharks won six of last seven home games. Over is 6-2-4 in their last 12 games overall.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 0-1, Over 0-1

Sunday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds: Heat at Raptors

Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors (-4.5, 189.5)

Series tied 3-3

The Miami Heat are embracing small ball in ways rarely seen in the NBA and are on the verge of taking it to the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat will once again operate without a traditional center when they visit the Toronto Raptors for Game 7 on Sunday.

Miami didn’t just leave the center out of the lineup in Game 6 with starter Hassan Whiteside sidelined, it left power forwards Amar’e Stoudemire and Udonis Haslem on the bench the entire game as well while small forwards Luol Deng, Justise Winslow and Joe Johnson started and got the bulk of the playing time in the frontcourt. "Sometimes unconventional works," veteran guard Dwyane Wade, who scored 22 points in the 103-91 triumph, told reporters of the lineup. The Raptors received solid play from the backcourt pairing of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry but failed to contain the Miami guards and the waves of perimeter players the Heat sent at them on the defensive end. “They did an excellent job of setting the tempo and the style of play early and we didn’t adjust to it as far as guarding the basketball, containing the basketball, keeping it in front of us,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters.

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

LINE HISTORY: The Raptors opened as 4.5-point favorites and the total hit the board at 189.5. At the time this preview will be published on Saturday evening, neither number has moved. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE HEAT (55-40, 51-43-1 ATS, 39-55-1 O/U): Miami, like Toronto, is playing a Game 7 for the second time already in this postseason and is confident it can get the job done on the road. "It's different than a normal game," Wade told reporters. "It's not a Game 1, where you have a Game 2 the next day. You have to give a little more. You have to do a little more. You have to give everything you have. There's no tomorrow." The Heat are at their best when point guard Goran Dragic is playing aggressively and attacking the basket, and the 30-year-old posted his playoff high with 30 points in Friday’s triumph.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (63-32, 49-46 ATS, 46-48-1 O/U): Toronto was without its starting center as well (Jonas Valanciunas, ankle) but elevated reserve center Bismack Biyombo into the starting lineup and tried to play a more traditional style on offense. The Raptors lamented their struggles with one-on-one defense after the loss, with Lowry in particular noting the difficulty of containing Dragic, but are excited for Game 7 at home. “This is going to be fun,” Lowry told reporters. “It’s Game 7, (No. 2 seed) versus No. 3 and a good opportunity to play on one of the biggest stages there is. Time to just go out there and hoop.”

TRENDS:

* Heat are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Raptors are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Under is 7-2 in Heat last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Over is 23-5 in Raptors last 28 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

CONSENSUS: The public is favoring the Raptors as home favorites at 55 percent and the Over is getting 60 percent of the action in early wagering.

Preview: Heat (48-34) at Raptors (56-26)

Date: May 15, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

MIAMI (AP) History is going to happen.

Either Toronto or Miami will become the 15th NBA team to win two Game 7s in the same postseason. The Raptors could go to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time. The Heat have a shot at being the first team ever to erase 3-2 deficits in consecutive playoff series.

And if that wasn't enough, LeBron James awaits the winner in the East finals.

The stage is set, the stakes are super-high. The final second-round game of this year's playoffs is Sunday afternoon in Toronto, where the Raptors and Heat will play Game 7 and finally decide their back-and-forth, black-and-blue series. The winner will join Golden State, Oklahoma City and Cleveland as the four teams left standing in the chase for the NBA championship.

'This is why we're in this business, to be pushed and tested and challenged,' Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said Saturday. 'There's no greater challenge than a Game 7.'

The Heat fended off elimination Friday, going with a super-small lineup and beating the Raptors 103-91 in Miami to force a winner-take-all game. Miami won a Game 7 in the first round, topping Charlotte at home. Toronto also successfully defended home-court in a first-round Game 7, and this series has gone just as that one against Indiana did - Raptors lose at home, win at home, win on the road, lose on the road, win at home, lose on the road.

They hope history repeats itself one more time Sunday.

'Game 7 in the first round was a little more tight,' Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. 'This one Sunday will be `Just go out there and hoop.''

Every team and every year is different, but closeouts seem to never come easily for Toronto.

The Raptors are 2-6 all-time when they have a chance to eliminate an opponent, and lost a Game 7 at home two years ago to Brooklyn - a team that featured current Heat forward Joe Johnson. Lowry and backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan are averaging a combined 42.7 points in the series, but are still shooting a combined 38 percent.

'Our backs will be against the wall,' Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll said. 'It's Game 7 on our home court with our home crowd. What better place do you want to be?'

The Heat, meanwhile, oddly seem to thrive when in trouble.

Miami has won its last four Game 7s, could join the Lakers and Celtics as the only franchises to win five straight, and are 7-1 in its last eight games when facing elimination. And Miami has somehow won its last three series after falling into a 3-2 hole.

'You've got to give a little more,' said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, the leading scorer in the series at 25.2 points per game. 'You've got to do a little more. Obviously, it's a great environment to be in. ... It's phenomenal. But you've got to give everything you have. There's no tomorrow. That's the way we approach it. I think it's going to be two teams trying to give everything they have. Best team win, man.'

Miami figures to stay with the small lineup, with rookie Justise Winslow the de facto center to open the game - as was the case in Game 6 when Spoelstra rolled the dice and played only eight players, just one standing taller than 6-foot-9.

It was unconventional. It was necessary. And it worked, with Goran Dragic's 30 points leading the Miami win.

Chris Bosh has been out since February after another blood clot was found, Hassan Whiteside has missed most of this series with a knee injury, and seven of the eight players who got minutes Friday were not with the Heat when they played in the 2014 NBA Finals.

Yet here they are, on the cusp of reaching the conference finals for the seventh time in Wade's 13 seasons.

'I didn't want to go down not swinging, so that was pretty much my mentality,' Winslow said. 'I'll approach Game 7 the same way.'

The Raptors could throw a wrench in Miami's small-ball scheme if center Jonas Valanciunas - out since spraining his ankle in Game 3 - was to return. The Raptors say he's not ready to play, but the Heat know some sort of adjustment from Toronto is coming.

'We have to respond,' Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

The series has had a little of everything. There was Wade's anthem flap, injuries to Whiteside and Valanciunas, DeRozan playing through a bad thumb, bloodied faces for Lowry and Dragic, and Carroll and Luol Deng playing through sore wrists in Game 6.

Now it's time to decide a winner, and Cleveland's opponent in the East final.

'Nobody said it was going to be easy,' Dragic said.

NBA

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 12-8, over: 11-9

Hawthorne Harness: Sunday 5/15 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Best Bet (0 - 1 / $0.00): BUFF’S IMAGE (3rd)

Spot Play: LYONS JIMMYDEAN (5th)


Race 1

(7) CAFFEINE KID had much more to offer last week drawing away late. (4) HE GONE JACK pacer makes his second start off a layoff and has room to improve off a good effort. (2) SLEAZY DUDE first time starter could be a major player off a nice qualifier. The 3-year-old comes from a proven pedigree.

Race 2

(4) JOHN JAY has been facing tougher in Indiana; versatile. (2) ROCKNROLL WILDCATS owns some ability and should find this spot much more to his liking. The sophomore pacer looks to be one of few threats in the race. (1) OCAPTAIN MYCAPTAIN gets the best post and owns a win over the track on the year.

Race 3

(4) BUFF'S IMAGE well bred pacer has been improving in each start. The 3-year-old has shown good closing ability and will be closer turning for home. (5) MIGHTY MCARTHUR just raced evenly last week but probably needed a start over the track. (3) JD'S MILITARY STAR has been very competitive against similar.

Race 4

(5) JETHRO could be the sleeper in the race and will offer the best price of the contenders. (8) IYQ YQR is probably the best horse in the race coming off a really nice winning debut, however the pacer does get sent out for a low percentage pilot. (3) DUNESIDE SPORT was a game winner last week and should be shaper second start back.

Race 5

(4) LYONS JIMMYDEAN well bred pacer has been facing much tougher in Indiana. (3) DR DRAKE RAMORAY has also been facing better but looks to offer low value and has been off over a month. (2) JDS CHANCEY DESIGN nice-looking pacer has tons of upside but could need a start.

Race 6

(5) ROCKINWITHTHEBEST nice looking pacer has lots of room to improve getting sent out for proven connections. (1) SHOTSKI will look to make it four straight wins and gets the best starting post. (4) ROYAL IMAGE looks to need more to hit the top spot; use underneath.

Race 7

(2) CITIZEN KANE comes into the race off an impressive qualifier and looks to offer value. (4) WE ROB BANKS was the top driver's choice and was flying late last week. (8) TRIXSEN GRAM looks to be coming along nicely and is a threat with a good setup.

Race 8

(8) KING MUFASA pacer is ready to get his picture taken. The trotter has been facing much tougher in Indiana. (9) KARETS trotted a big mile out east to a nice opponent last start. (1) BIG EXPENSE well bred trotter gets the best post and is capable of hitting the ticket at a price.

Race 9

(3) IT'SASWAN went a big three-quarters of a mile last week before tiring late. The trotting mare makes her second start back off a long layoff and should be tighter. (7) ROCK HOLLYWOOD doesn't win often but is fast enough to tackle this group. (6) MACIE RAE has been sharp off the layoff; threat.

Race 10

In a weak and inconsistent field, (2) HARLEY J will offer a big price and should be in line for a much easier trip. (6) TOO TALL TAMARAC pacer makes his third start back off a layoff; threat. (7) CRUIZE COMMANDER pacer looks to offer low value; use caution.

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Arlington Park (6th) Nobiz Like Sue Biz, 6-1
(8th) Scitech, 6-1

Belmont Park (2nd) Young Anna Lee, 3-1
(5th) Gunlock, 7-2

Churchill Downs (5th) Twenty Gauge, 9-2
(9th) Crescent Drive, 5-1


Emerald Downs (2nd) Packy's Out, 5-1
(4th) Secret Mark, 9-2


Golden Gate Fields (8th) Many Roses, 6-1
(9th) Badasmywifeletsmeb, 4-1


Gulfstream Park (2nd) Dunkin Bend, 7-2
(7th) Ginger Rush, 4-1


Lone Star Park (6th) Cosmo Cassis, 4-1
(8th) Charlie's Phantasy, 7-2


Monmouth Park (5th) Miss Bob, 5-1
(6th) Quigley's Corner, 3-1


Mountaineer (3rd) Sage Master, 6-1
(5th) Autumn Dreams, 5-1


Parx (5th) Bella Campari, 3-1
(7th) Isabella Swift, 8-1


Pimlico (4th) Glamour Queen, 3-1
(7th) Proud to Say, 6-1


Prairie Meadows (2nd) Roman Pleasure, 5-1
(5th) Miss Azul, 5-1


Santa Anita (3rd) Mischievous Bull, 3-1
(6th) Bourbon Soul, 6-1


Woodbine (4th) Magic Skys, 8-1
(6th) Shanghaied, 3-1

Preview: White Sox (24-12) at Yankees (14-20)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: May 15, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

For all the woes the New York Yankees have been through, they have a chance Sunday to capture a third straight series to complete this homestand with their best pitcher on the mound.

The unbeaten Masahiro Tanaka just turned in his worst outing of the year as he gets the ball in this three-game series finale against the Chicago White Sox.

New York (15-20) put another player on the disabled list Saturday in struggling starter Luis Severino, who joins CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez as key injured Yankees.

One bit of good news is that Jacoby Ellsbury will likely return to the lineup for the first time since suffering a hip injury May 6. He saw his first action since that contest as a defensive replacement Saturday.

Last-place New York improved to 6-3 on the homestand with Saturday's 2-1 victory. The Yankees captured series against Boston and Kansas City and now can hand the White Sox a fourth loss in five games.

They'll turn to their best starter in Tanaka (1-0, 3.11 ERA), who allowed a season-high six runs over seven innings Tuesday in a no-decision in a 10-7 win over Kansas City. He posted a 2.29 ERA in his first six outings.

The right-hander won his lone career start versus Chicago (24-13) on May 25, 2014, yielding one run over 6 2/3 innings in a 7-1 rout. Brett Lawrie is 2 for 9 against him and Melky Cabrera is 2 for 6 with a homer.

Tanaka will be backed by a bullpen that has thrown 15 2/3 scoreless innings, including 9 2/3 in this series. Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman struck out eight in 3 1/3 innings Saturday.

'We knew these would be the type of games that we would use all three of them, and that if we could line them up, it'd be pretty good,' manager Joe Girardi said.

New York has mustered three runs and 11 hits in this series. Brett Gardner is in a 1-for-12 slide and Mark Teixeira a 2-for-19 rut.

Those hitters have had different results against Miguel Gonzalez (0-0, 4.91), who has 12 starts versus the Yankees for his third-most against an opponent. Gardner is 7 for 24 against him while Teixeira has a double in 14 at-bats.

The right-hander is 3-4 with a 4.03 ERA against the Yankees, going 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA in his last five outings in the Bronx.

Gonzalez was recalled from the minors May 9 and has made two starts, pitching into the sixth inning in Toronto and Texas.

"For him, we look at he's had two tough lineups, both on the road," manager Robin Ventura told the White Sox's official website. "I think he's done a great job of being able to control that."

Todd Frazier went deep Saturday for the White Sox, giving him five homers and 14 RBIs over his last seven games. Leadoff man Adam Eaton is 4 for 8 in the series and batting .462 in his career versus New York for his best mark against any team.

Yankees shortstop Starlin Castro went 0 for 4 on Saturday as an eight-game hit streak in which he batted .345 ended.