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French Open betting: Men to watch - and wager on - at Roland Garros

It’s Novak Djokovic versus the world as the French Open gets underway Monday morning in Paris. Djokovic has lost in the final in each of the past two years, but is playing like a man possessed so far in 2016 with five tournament victories on his resume.

Favorite

Novak Djokovic (-125)

Djokovic will be making his 12th appearance at the year’s second major tournament, and is hungrier than ever to complete the career Grand Slam. Last year’s loss to Stan Wawrinka hit him hard, but Djokovic has the tools to bounce back in a big way, having won nearly 80 percent of his career matches on clay.

That said, warning signs abound. Djokovic fell in the first round at Monte Carlo to Jiri Vesely and looked overmatched in a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Andy Murray (+425) in the final of last weekend’s Italian Open.

But the lanky Serbian will have a full week of rest prior to his opening-round French Open tilt, and shouldn’t have much trouble getting through his first few matches. And with Roland Garros proving to be a war of attrition most years, that extra down time will help Djokovic immensely.

About to turn 29, Djokovic knows he doesn’t have many cracks left at that elusive first French Open title. It took a Herculean effort from Wawrinka to deny the World No. 1 last year. It may take even more for someone to take him down in 2016.

Underdog to watch

Stan Wawrinka (+1,581)

Despite solidifying his place as a clay-court maestro with last year’s stunning French Open win, Wawrinka’s recent form has left much to be desired.

Entering this week’s Geneva Open, he hadn't moved past the quarterfinals in five straight tournaments after opening his season with two wins in four events. He was just 3-3 on clay entering this week’s event in Switzerland.

With clay-court losses to Rafael Nadal (+432), Nick Krygios (+6,642) and Juan Monaco (+55,273) already on his 2016 ledger, Wawrinka is hardly carrying much momentum into Paris.

But the same could be said last year, when he struggled through the pre-Open clay schedule but still rattled off seven straight wins at Roland Garros for his second Grand Slam title. If he gets hot, he’ll be there at the end again this year.


Live underdog

Dominic Thiem (+4,447)

Thiem is playing some of the best tennis of his young career - highlighted by a quarter-final showing in Rome that included a straight-sets win over Roger Federer, who pulled out of the French Open with a back injury. Thiem hung tough in his quarterfinal loss to Kei Nishikori, and is seeded 14th in what will be his third appearance at Roland Garros.

Thiem is one of those players whom savvy tennis fans wouldn't be surprised to see succeed in Paris. Four of his five career titles have come on clay, and his shot arsenal - top-spin serve included - plays well on what has been his strongest surface.

Thiem will likely need to beat more than one Top-10 player just to reach the final, so there's no guarantee he'll get there. But as underdog plays go, you won't find many with the combination of strong recent play and clay-court pedigree of Thiem.

French Open betting: Women to watch - and wager on - at Roland Garros

Serena Williams is once again the one to beat as the best women’s tennis players in the world converge on Roland Garros next week. But she’ll face stiff competition in search of her fourth French Open title - most notably from Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep.

Favorite

Serena Williams (+212)

Could it be anyone else? Williams comes into her 15th appearance at the year’s second Grand Slam on a tear, having won the only clay-court event she has entered in 2016 while failing to drop a set in the process.

Clay has been especially kind to Williams lately. Since struggling in 2009 and 2010, she has gone an incredible 75-4 on the surface. She’s still as powerful as ever at age 34 and will benefit greatly from the absence of Maria Sharapova, who is serving a drug ban.

So why isn’t she a heavier favorite? Perhaps it’s the fact that she’s been bounced in the first or second round in two of her last four appearances. Perhaps it’s her limited calendar so far this year. Perhaps there’s a belief that Azarenka or Halep will figure out how to end Williams' dominance.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that Williams is in elite form heading into her fortnight in France. While she’s only played four tournaments this year, she reached the final in three of them - and should do the same in Paris.

Underdog to watch

Angelique Kerber (+1,450)

Kerber has had an up-and-down clay-court season to date, prevailing in Stuttgart, Germany in April before dropping her opening matches in both Madrid and Rome earlier this month.

Yet, despite her recent poor form, Kerber could be one to watch in Paris. She secured the first Grand Slam title of 2016 with a stunning win over Williams at the Australian Open, and has won a title on every surface.

The absence of Sharapova will undoubtedly boost Kerber’s stock heading into Roland Garros, and as the third seed, she’ll avoid meeting Williams until the final, should both get that far. And, as she proved in Melbourne, Kerber has the skill and shot arsenal to pull off another upset.

Live long shot

Eugenie Bouchard (+4,600)

It’ll be a grueling road to climb for Bouchard, who reached the semifinals in Paris two years ago but has careened down the rankings since.

Bouchard still isn’t the player she was when she finished 2014 as the No. 7 player in the world, but she has shown improvement. The win over Kerber was her biggest in a while, though she promptly dropped her third-round match 6-1, 6-0 to Barbora Strycova.

Bouchard is still only 22, and has the physical tools to recover from what was essentially a lost 2015. The draw will go a long way in determining her chances of making it to the later rounds, but if she plays like she did against Kerber in Rome, she can go far no matter who she faces.

Preview: Lightning (46-31) at Penguins (48-26)

Date: May 22, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan has been stressing for weeks his team has multiple goaltenders capable of taking the franchise to the Stanley Cup.

Might be time to find out if he's right.

Rookie Matt Murray's precocious postseason play came to a sudden and abrupt halt in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night. Sullivan pulled the 21-year-old after two periods in which the energized Tampa Bay Lightning forced Murray to dig the puck out of the net four times. In came well-rested Marc-Andre Fleury, playing for the first time in seven weeks, a sabbatical that began while he recovered from concussion sustained on March 31 and continued long after he was cleared thanks to Murray's steadying presence.

Fleury stopped all seven shots he faced in the third as Pittsburgh put together a frantic rally before falling 4-3 as the Lightning evened the entertaining series at 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Sunday.

Sullivan declined to name a starter on Saturday. The way he sees it, there really are no bad options. In Murray the Penguins have watched their goaltender of the future evolve into the goaltender of the present. In Fleury Pittsburgh has a goaltender whose name is already on the Cup and who handled Murray's rise with customary class.

'Marc's been a big part of this team all year,,' Sullivan said. 'He's really helped this team get to the position it's at with the way he's played all season. The timing of his injury down the stretch was unfortunate. It's not a perfect circumstance. But I think that's the nature of the business we're in. We just try to make the best decisions and make the most of the situation that we're in.'

And as flat as Pittsburgh looked over much of the first 40 minutes on Friday to squander a chance to take firm control of things, the Penguins were just as dominant in the third while nearly pulling off a comeback that - if completed - would have delivered an emotional punch Tampa Bay would have found difficult to overcome.

It's playing with that kind of urgency Pittsburgh will focus on heading home, not who will be in net.

'We know the way we need to play at this point,' forward Matt Cullen said. 'We know we didn't play that way the first half of the game and that's what cost us.'

And not Murray's first real statistical stumble since taking over in Game 3 of the opening-round series against the New York Rangers. He gave up four goals on 30 shots, a couple of which he attributed to crazy bounces rather than poor positioning. He's not going to sweat Sullivan's call, knowing everything at this point is a game-by-game basis.

'It's the same old thing every day,' said Murray, who is 9-4 with a 2.33 goals against average during the playoffs. 'My job doesn't change. I just have to be ready when my name is called.'

The Penguins may have to move forward without defenseman Trevor Daley, who sustained a lower-body injury after colliding with Tampa Bay's Ryan Callahan and had to be helped to the trainer's room. Sullivan offered no update Saturday, though it seems unlikely Daley would be available on Sunday, leaving Olli Maatta - benched earlier in the series - or Derrick Pouliot as the likely options to step in.

Like Pittsburgh, the Lightning aren't too concerned whether Murray or Fleury lead the Penguins onto the ice. Like Pittsburgh, the Lightning are more focused on sticking to the style that allowed them to put together their two most dynamic periods since dispatching the New York Islanders in the second round.

'I don't think it really changes anything because ultimately they (were) playing a guy that was on fire,' coach Jon Cooper said. '(Murray) has carried them to this point. I think whatever decision they make you still got to put the puck behind them. They're both really good National Hockey League goalies, so it doesn't change our mindset or outlook at all.'

Tampa Bay beat Fleury twice during the regular season, scoring a combined nine goals against him and chasing him once, though Fleury made a couple of quality stops on Friday night, including a breakaway save early in the third that seemed to shift the momentum.

'I felt a lot better at the end of it than at the beginning of the period,' Fleury said. 'Being part of the game, being part of the speed was nice. I'd been practicing for a while. It's good to see the difference.'

Speed that will likely amp up with a trip to the Cup finals two wins away for a pair of teams that have been among the league's most resilient clubs all year. The Penguins haven't dropped consecutive games since January and the Lightning put together a similar stretch that was snapped after dropping Game 2 and Game 3 of a series that in some ways is just getting started.

'Our guys, they know the formula,' Sullivan said. 'They know what works for us. When we go out, and we execute, we play with determination, we believe we can beat anybody.'

NHL

Sunday's game

Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh (2-2)
Tampa Bay led Game Four 4-0 after two periods, had to hold Penguins off for last 6:52 after Pitt cut lead to 4-3. Lightning won six of its last nine games with Penguins- they won two of last three played here. Over is 9-1-1 in last 11 series games, 2-1-1 in this specific series. Lightning is 2-8 on power play in first three games in this series, Pittsburgh is 3-13. Pittsburgh is 6-3 in its last nine games, going 4-1 in last five at home. Tampa Bay won three of last four road games (2-1 in OT). Pittsburgh won three of its last four home games.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 4-4, Over 3-4-1

Warriors' Curry says his elbow is OK
By The Sports Xchange

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry isn't having any lingering problems with his right elbow after falling on it Wednesday night during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Curry developed a tennis ball-sized bump after diving into the stands going after a loose ball during the Warriors' 118-91 win that tied the series at one victory each.
"Oh, it's fine. Swelling went down, so no worries," Curry said Friday at the Warriors' practice facility.
But he was wearing a shooting sleeve over the elbow for protection.
"Just compression to make sure I can get shots up and not have any swelling,"
Curry said. "It's sore, just because of the impact, but the spot it's at doesn't affect the range of motion, so I can shoot and dribble and do all I need to do. It's uncomfortable, but it's not necessarily painful."
Curry said the swelling made the injury look more severe than it is.
"These are, from what I hear, very common injuries. You land on something, hard surface, or get bumped -- elbow, hip, knee -- they tend to kind of swell up," he said. "They don't cause any problems mechanically or what not. I can still use my arm, do what I need to do. It just looks ugly and is a little uncomfortable. That's it."
The series resumes in Oklahoma City on Sunday, giving Curry more time to heal. He has also dealt with a sprained ankle and a sprained knee earlier in the playoffs.
"I'm doing all right, nothing to really worry about," Curry said. "It's nice to have three days in between to get your body right.

Sunday's NBA Conference Finals betting preview and odds: Warriors at Thunder

Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder (+2.5, 220)

Series tied 1-1

The Oklahoma City Thunder accomplished one goal by taking Game 1 at Golden State to begin the Western Conference finals but saw a different Warriors team in a Game 2 loss. The Thunder will try to protect home court when the series shifts to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Sunday.

The Thunder dominated on the glass and at the free-throw line in Game 1, effectively keeping Golden State out of its offense in the second half as they surged to a 108-102 victory. The Warriors were the more aggressive group in Game 2 and made the necessary adjustments on the glass and on the offensive end to free up Stephen Curry for a third-quarter barrage that stunned Oklahoma City and propelled Golden State to a 118-91 triumph. "We've got to deal in the reality and the truth," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "The reality and the truth is, OK, here are the things that went wrong (in Game 2). Here are the corrections we need to make. Here are the adjustments we need to make. Here's what we need to do and the series right now is 1-1. That's the truth right now coming out of it.” Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant bounced back from a tough shooting performance in Game 1 by going 11-of-18 from the field on Wednesday but watched most of the fourth quarter from the bench with the game already decided.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 2.5-point road favorites and, as of publication time of this preview, the line has not moved. The total hit the board at 219 and has been bumped up a full point to 220.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (82-12, 53-39-2 ATS, 50-43-1 O/U): Curry dove into the stands trying to save a loose ball in the first quarter of Game 2 and landed hard on his right elbow, leaving a giant knot that swelled out during the game. The knot didn’t seem to bother him much as he was scoring 15 points in under two minutes in the third quarter to finish with 28 points in 30 minutes for the game, and Curry doesn’t believe the injury will hamper his shooting moving forward. "It's sore, just because of the impact, but the spot it's at doesn't affect the range of motion, so I can shoot and dribble and do all I need to do," Curry told reporters after practice on Friday. "It's uncomfortable, but it's not necessarily painful."

ABOUT THE THUNDER (64-31, 45-49-1 ATS, 45-50 O/U): Oklahoma City was demolished 124-92 at San Antonio in Game 1 of its second-round series before bouncing back to win the series in six games, and the team fully believes it will recover against the Warriors. “It helps with our confidence knowing that we’ve been in this position before,” Durant told reporters. “It’s not foreign land to us. But the last series, we can’t really worry about that too much, we’ve got to focus on who we’ve got in front of us right now. We know it’s easier said than done. Just because we did it last time doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to happen again. We’ve got to make it happen.” Durant will try to “make it happen” by cutting down on the turnovers after committed eight of the team’s 16 in the Game 2 setback.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Sunday games.
* Thunder are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 6-1 in Warriors last 7 Conference Finals games.
* Under is 6-1 in Thunder last 7 Conference Finals games.
* Home team is 8-1-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

CONSENSUS: As usual, the Warriors are picking up the majority of the betting action - even as road favorites. 62 percent of the Consensus picks are on the Dubs. Picks on the total are a little bit closer with 57 percent of the wagers coming in on the Over.

Game 3 - Warriors at Thunder
By Brian Edwards

The 2016 Western Conference finals shift to Oklahoma City on Sunday night with the series knotted at 1-1. The Thunder overcame a 13-point intermission deficit to win Game 1 by a 108-102 count as a 7.5-point underdog, hooking up money-line supporters with a payout in the +325 range (risk $100 to win $325). Then in Game 2, Golden State (82-12 straight up, 53-39-2 against the spread) responded by smashing OKC 118-91 as a nine-point home ‘chalk.’

For Game 3, the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas opened the Warriors as 2.5-point road favorites. As of Saturday afternoon, most betting shops had Steve Kerr’s team favored by three points. The total was 219.5 on the send-out at the Westgate, but that number has been adjusted up to 220.5 points. Golden St. is -150 on the money line, leaving Billy Donovan’s squad as the +130 underdog (risk $100 to win $130) to win outright.

Let’s go back to the series opener. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were the catalysts in the comeback victory. Durant had 26 points to go with 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals. It was far from a vintage KD performance, however, as he made only 10-of-30 shots from the field and committed five turnovers.

Westbrook overcame a disastrous first half to heat up in the third quarter. He finished with 27 points, 12 assists, seven steals and six rebounds. Steven Adams contributed 16 points, 12 boards and a pair of blocked shots. Serge Ibaka produced a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Dion Waiters tallied 10 points and four assists without a turnover. He drained 4-of-6 shots, including both of his launces from long distance.

In the losing effort, Steph Curry finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals, but he also committed seven turnovers. The Davidson University product went 9-of-22 from the field. Klay Thompson added 25 points, nine boards and four assists, while Draymond Green tallied 23 points, five boards, four assists, two blocks and one steal. Harrison Barnes was the only other Warrior in double figures with 12 points.

Curry responded in Game 2 with a much more efficient outing. He scored 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including a 5-of-8 performance from 3-point range. Seven Warriors scored in double figures, including Thompson (15), Andre Iguodala (14), Mo Speights (13), Festus Ezeli (12), Barnes (11) and Green (10).

Green stuffed the stat sheet as usual, finished with eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocked shots and one steal. Speights scored 13 despite playing only nine minutes. The University of Florida product, who has won a ring in college and the NBA, hitting 5-of-6 shots, including both from downtown.

A late first-half run built Golden St.’s lead up to nine at halftime. Then the Warriors poured it on in a dominant third quarter, outscoring the Thunder 31-19. The blowout was on from there with both coaches resting their starters for the majority of the final stanza.

Even though he played only 35 minutes, Durant scored 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting. However, he had an atrocious 1/8 assists-to-turnovers ratio. Westbrook had 16 points and 12 assists.

After a split at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Sportsbooks have the Warriors as a -340 favorite for the updated series price. Gamblers can take OKC on the comeback for a lucrative +270 return (risk $100 to win $270).

As for the futures to win the NBA Championship, Golden St. is the -125 ‘chalk.’ Cleveland has the second-shortest odds (+160), followed by the Thunder (+750) and Raptors (200/1).

Oklahoma City (64-31 SU, 45-49-1 ATS) has been a home underdog only twice this season, producing a 0-1-1 spread record. The Thunder dropped a 100-96 decision to San Antonio as a 2.5-point home underdog in Game 3 of the West semifinals. The only other home ‘dog spot came in the regular season on Feb. 27 when the Warriors rallied to force overtime and then captured a 121-118 victory as three-point road ‘chalk.’

Golden St. owns a 36-9 SU record and a 25-18 ATS mark in its 45 road assignments this year. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City has posted a 36-11 SU record and a 23-23-1 ATS ledger in its home outings.

As Chris David points out, Golden State remained undefeated in bounce-back spots with its Game 2 win. OKC has been equally effective in such situations in these playoffs, albeit over a shorter span of time.

David said, “Golden State improved to 12-0 this season off a loss after defeating Oklahoma City in Game 2. What’s more impressive is that the Warriors have gone 8-3-1 ATS in those victories. To be fair to the Thunder, we should make a note that they haven’t dropped back-to-back games in the playoffs. OKC has gone 3-0 both straight up and against the spread and they’ve won those games by an average of 14.6 points per game and the offense has averaged 133.3 PPG in the victories.”

The ‘over’ is 50-43-1 overall for the Warriors, 25-20 in their road games.

The ‘under’ is 50-45 overall for the Thunder, 28-19 in its home contests.

After cashing in the first two games of this best-of-seven set, the ‘under’ is 4-1 in the five head-to-head meetings between these clubs this year. The combined scoring outputs have been 224, 239 (in overtime, 206 at the end of regulation), 227, 210 and 209.

VI’s David had this opinion on the Game 3 total: “The ‘under’ has gone 2-0 in the first two games of this series in totals that have ranged from 223 to 225. Game 3 opened at 219 ½ and has been bumped up to 220 ½ at most betting shops and the number is very doable, needing 55-56 points in every quarter. The pace for an up-tempo game was there in the opener but Oklahoma City tapped on the breaks in Game 2, only attempting 78 shots from the field and just 19 free throws. I’d expect Billy Donovan and company to be very aggressive on Sunday and that should increase both numbers. Whether the shots fall or not is anybody’s guess but the last two games played in OKC between the pair saw a combined 239 and 242 points, with one of those games going into overtime. Just based on the pace, I’d lean to the high side on Sunday.”

Tip-off on Sunday night is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

Preview: Warriors (73-9) at Thunder (55-27)

Date: May 22, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Warriors' big men might be just as important as the Splash Brothers right now.

'When the shot goes up, you can't be watching, looking for the rebound,' Golden State forward Draymond Green said.

The Thunder won the battle of the boards by eight in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals and seized home-court advantage with a 108-102 win. Golden State bounced back in Game 2 and outrebounded Oklahoma City by nine in a 118-91 victory. The series shifts to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Sunday.

Golden State's Game 2 effort on the glass was a surprising development. The Warriors are a smaller team; the Thunder were the league's top rebounding team during the season.

The 3-point wizardry of Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson does provide some margin for error. But not all that much considering Oklahoma City was just behind the Warriors as the league's No. 2 scoring team this season.

Green, Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli and Marreese Speights need to mix it up underneath for Golden State. Otherwise, there will be fewer opportunities for the Warriors to shoot those 3s and more opportunities for the Thunder in transition.

The Warriors insist they'll be ready to take on Steven Adams, Enes Kanter, Serge Ibaka and the rest of the Thunder in Game 3.

They're 'always flying in there, trying to get the rebound,' Green said. 'So you've got to hit bodies.'

The Warriors went all out on the offensive boards in Game 2, risking fast breaks by the Thunder. Golden State finished with 15 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points.

'I think they just got all the 50-50 balls on the offensive glass,' Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. 'It kind of surprises when guys are running in there because we're so good in transition. But they were in there and able to get their hands on some basketballs, so you have to give them credit.'

Now that the Thunder have seen Golden State's approach, they need to respond.

'It's on us to make adjustments, boxing guys out and putting bodies on them and getting those rebounds,' Durant said. 'As simple as that. So we can't have that next game.'

The Thunder use their size and rebounding as an equalizer. In Golden State's 121-118 overtime victory at Oklahoma City during the season, the Thunder countered Curry's 46 points and 12 3-pointers by outrebounding the Warriors 62-32.

The rebounding prowess goes beyond Oklahoma City's power forwards and centers. Durant often has double-figures rebounds, Westbrook is one of the best rebounding point guards in league history and shooting guard Andre Roberson is a 6-foot-7 leaper.

Adams, an emerging star for the Thunder, took some hits in Game 2 and had to leave the game briefly. The 7-foot center finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. But he but didn't have the impact he had in Game 1 when he had 16 points and 12 rebounds and set the tone with physical play. Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Friday that Adams will be ready to go.

'I was a little bit concerned when he kind of went down in the first half, but he was fine,' Donovan said. 'He was able to get back in the game, and I think he feels good.'

Ezeli understands the challenge no matter which Oklahoma City players are on the floor.

'We know they're a very tough team,' he said. 'It's going to be a battle of the rest of the series, that's for sure. We just have to keep focusing on what we do and playing the right way, and hopefully it works out in our favor.'

'Western Conference Finals'

Golden State at Oklahoma City May 22, 8:00 EST

The defending champion Golden State Warriors stunned in the opener of this best-of-seven Western Conference Final vs Oklahoma City rebounded nicely spanking Thunder 118-91 as -9 point home favorite in game-two.

Warriors with a 54.0 effective field goal percentage in the Western Conference Finals netting 110.7 points per 100 possessions while holding Thunder to a 48.8 effective field goal percentage and 99.3 offensive effeciency rating have opened - 2.5 to -3.0 point road favorites for game-three scheduled Sunday evening at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

When handicapping this contest a few betting nuggets to ponder. The Warriors have been poor bets as favorite in Oklahoma City (0-3-1 ATS) and terrible bets in game three of a postseason series on the road (1-5 ATS). On the other side, Thunder are a sparkling 4-0 against the betting line off a posteason loss the previous effort.

NBA

Oklahoma City-Golden State (1-1)
Warriors led by 14-8 at half of first two games; they scored 61 in second half of Game 2, after being held to 41 in Game 1. Golden State won seven of last nine games with Oklahoma City; both games in this series stayed under. Warriors split last four visits here; three of those four games went over total. OC split pair in Oakland even though Westbrook/Durant combined to go 33-83 from floor. Thunder won three of last four home games. Golden State split its last four road games.

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 13-8, over: 12-9
Conference final: Favorites: 3-2, over: 1-3-1

Preview: Sky (1-1) at Dream (1-1)

Date: May 22, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

Elena Delle Donne's usual high-powered performance in her return from an illness wasn't enough to keep the Chicago Sky unbeaten ahead of their first road game this season.

The Sky seek to bounce back Sunday while spoiling the Atlanta Dream's home opener.

Delle Donne had 28 points on 12-of-20 shooting Wednesday in her season debut, but Chicago lost 97-80 to reigning champion Minnesota. With 18 points, Cappie Pondexter was the only other Sky starter in double figures and one of three overall for the team.

Chicago (1-1) opened the season with a 93-70 victory against Connecticut on May 14 while Delle Donne, last season's league MVP, sat out.

Delle Donne, who led the WNBA with 23.4 points per game in 2015, averaged 32.7 and 9.7 rebounds in her three games against Atlanta (1-1). She tallied a career-high 45 points and 11 boards in 100-96 overtime home victory June 24.

Chicago won the final three of its four matchups with the Dream and earned a 98-96 victory in Atlanta on Aug. 29 while Delle Donne sat out because of an ailing foot. The Sky have won in four of their last five visits, including two in the 2014 playoffs.

The Dream also dropped their latest game, 94-85 to Indiana on Friday, and couldn't overcome a 15-point deficit in the final seven minutes. Layshia Clarendon scored a career-high 19 points while matching Tiffany Hayes for the team lead.

The two players also combined for 10 of Atlanta's 21 turnovers, and the Fever registered 17 steals.

"It was our inefficiency to come down and make the right play," coach Michael Cooper said. "I think we were just throwing the ball in too loose. When you do that, good teams capitalize on it."

Angel McCoughtry has scored 15 in each of the first two games, including a 73-63 overtime win against San Antonio on May 14, and is off the pace from her 20.1 per game in 2015. She averaged 24.8 points in the four games against Chicago and had a season-high 34 in the overtime loss.

She also had 33 points and 11 rebounds in the final matchup in 2015.

Atlanta was 9-8 at home last season and finished 15-19 overall while missing the playoffs for the first time since its inaugural 2008 campaign. The Dream were 13-4 on their own floor in each of the previous two campaigns.

Preview: Lynx (2-0) at Storm (1-1)

Date: May 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Jewell Loyd gave the Seattle Storm a major boost ahead of No. 1 draft pick Breanna Stewart's home debut for the team.

Earning a win in that highly anticipated game will likely prove challenging for the Storm, given the way Minnesota's title defense has started.

The Lynx will seek to improve to 3-0 while registering another decisive victory Sunday.

Loyd scored a career-high 30 points, 10 in the final 3:14, and banked in her final shot with 2.9 seconds left to deliver an 81-80 victory over Phoenix on Friday. Stewart registered her first double-double - 14 points and 13 rebounds - after tallying 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in her pro debut, a 96-66 defeat to Los Angeles last Sunday.

Stewart and the Storm (1-1) will next face a team that's won its first two games by a combined 36 points.

Sylvia Fowles had 24 points and 13 rebounds in a 97-80 win at Chicago on Wednesday, her first matchup against her former team. Maya Moore chipped in 22 points after tallying 27 in a 95-76 win over Phoenix on May 14.

Minnesota (2-0) has shot a combined 52.8 percent from the field and 32 of 37 from the free-throw line. The Lynx registered 27 assists in their latest win, topping their best performance from 2015 by two, and had 24 versus Phoenix.

"We've kind of gotten back to the way we have played in past years, which is sharing the ball," coach Cheryl Reeve told the team's official website. "We've got good players all over the place, and if we just make the easy play, that leads to that big number in assists."

The Storm snapped a six-game skid to Minnesota in their final matchup in 2015, claiming a 78-64 home victory Sept. 11. The Lynx, however, were resting Moore, Seimone Augustus (foot) and Lindsay Whalen (Achilles) before their playoff run.

Minnesota, though, has lost three of its past four visits to Seattle. The Storm were 8-9 at home last season during their 10-24 campaign.

At the Gate - Sunday
By Mike Dempsey

There will be no Triple Crown winner this year as Exaggerator finally turned the tables on Nyquist in his fifth attempt, winning the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (G1) yesterday at Pimlico in the slop.

Exaggerator got just what he needed—rain, a hotly contested early pace and a dream trip and he won by three lengths under a heady ride by Kent Desormeaux.

It was not such a heady ride by Mario Gutierrez, who engaged Uncle Lino early and the duo set sharp early fractions of 22.38 and 46.56 for a half-mile.

Nyquist was never comfortable and gave up the lead and still battled on gamely in the stretch while Exaggerator idled a bit when he got the lead. Nyquist lost a photo for the runner up spot to the late running Cherry Wine.

Exaggerator returned $7.20 with the $2 exacta returning $88.40.

I thought Gutierrez just blew it. There was no reason to battle for the early lead, instead tucking him in behind Uncle Lino while avoiding kickback would have been a better strategy. The fact that he only lost the place spot by a nose showed just how good Nyquist was in suffering his first career defeat.

Exaggerator trainer Keith Desormeaux said it is off to the Belmont Stakes (G1) in three weeks, but it remains to be seen if Nyquist makes the trip.


Here is today’s opener from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Clm $25,000 (1:30 ET)
#5 Bustin the Bank 2-1
#6 Ogermeister 5-1
#4 Bug Juice 7-2
#1 Dean Verdile 3-1

Analysis: Bustin the Bank beat state bred Alw-1 company two back in his first start off the claim by the Toscano barn and then he failed to fire when shipped to Finger Lakes last out. We will toss that outing and expect to see this guy bounce back with a better effort in this spot.

Ogermeister tracked the early pace and faded to finish a well beaten seventh last out against state bred Alw-2 optional claimers on turf. He makes his second start off the claim by the Gullo barn and is back on dirt and at the $25,000 tag. His last win came against state bred Alw-1 foes four back over a wet inner track at the Big A. He owns back numbers good enough to be in the mix in this spot and Gullo usually does good work with recent claims.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 5,6 / 4,5,6
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 7 Md Sp Wt (4:41 ET)
#7 Numbered 8-5
#5 Won Dozen Banks 8-1
#6 Henrik Rules 7-2
#4 Players Luck 6-1

Analysis: Numbered makes his debut for the McLaughlin barn that is 20% winners (with a +ROI) with first time starters. The colt is by Bernardini (11% winners with debut runners) out of the stakes winner Seventh Street ($716,000) who has dropped one winner. The colt prepped at Palm Meadows and finds a good spot for his debut here.

Won Dozen Banks caught a muddy track last out where he prompted the early pace from the outside and weakened to finish fourth. Two back at Aqueduct the gelding chased the early pace and was no match for the winner late in a runner up finish. Blinkers are added today and he will be in the mix if he runs back to his effort two back. He is out of a stakes placed Signal Tap mare, this her first foal to race.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 5,7 / 4,5,6,7
TRI: 5,7 / 4,5,6,7 / 1,4,5,6,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Monmouth Park:

MTH Race 8 Alw $40,000N1X (4:10 ET)
#5 Emerald Pond 7-2
#3 Daring Bride 6-1
#1 Liberty Kitten 4-1
#4 Big N Toasty 3-1

Analysis: Emerald Pond faces winners for the first time here after picking up her diploma last out in her fifth career start. It was her first go off a 10-month layoff. In her first four career starts she ran into repeat winners in two of the starts. The Brown barn is 21% winners with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff. She looks like she has more upside than most of these.

Daring Bride stalked the early pace and came up short in the stretch in a seventh place finish last out in her turf debut, catching ground labeled as good. The winner Happyness came back to beat Alw-2 foes in her next outing here on May 18. She has a decent turf pedigree, by Scat Daddy out of an Unbridled mare that has dropped four other winners including one turf winner. Willing to give the Pletcher trainee another look here.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 3,5 / 1,3,4,5
TRI: 3,5 / 1,3,4,5 / 1,3,4,5,7

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R2: #8 Silent Mission 8-1
R4: #5 Night Madam 12-1
R4: #6 Legend of Lorelei 8-1
R5: #4 Nite Princess 10-1
R5: #8 Arietta 10-1
R6: #6 Chasintheblues 8-1
R7: #5 Won Dozen Banks 8-1
R9: #1 Light the Vow 15-1
R9: #4 Irish Player 8-1

Good luck today!

Hawthorne Harness: Sunday 5/22 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Best Bet (2 - 3 / $6.80): MAJOR LEGACY (4th)

Spot Play: SLEAZY DUDE (7th)


Race 1

(3) GOINDUNESIDE pacer really put in a nice effort last start. He should offer good value against a softer bunch. (4) JOHN JAY burned cash last week just missing; command a price. (5) PARTY FALLS has lots of room to improve second start back off the layoff.

Race 2

(9) TEA PARTY TEMPEST pacer flashed ability last year as a 2-year-old and finds a really weak field. (3) JUST DANCE WITH ME probably has the most upside of the bunch and should learn from the qualifier. (5) PRETTY STELLA was good two starts back before coming up empty last week against much tougher; threat.

Race 3

(4) JDS CHANCEY DESIGN is still eligible to the North America Cup next month and is 13 for 15 lifetime. The pacer was a game winner in his sophomore debut and probably has more to offer. (2) RED HOT ART four-year-old pacer could be the fastest horse in the field if he minds his manners. (1) DR DRAKE RAMORAY was off over a month before his start last week. The pacer gets the best post and looks to be in line for a nice ground saving trip.

Race 4

(8) MAJOR LEGACY was sharp last week beating a decent bunch. The 3-year-old looks to have nice tactical gate speed as well as showing a strong late kick. (1) JD'S BLITZ was close to this group last week at a huge price. (3) SHOTSKI well bred pacer looks good on paper but the effort last start was just average; use caution.

Race 5

(6) CAFFEINE KID pacer has drawn off in two straight; short price. (2) CITIZEN KANE was the driver's choice and might be the only threat to the top pick. (3) RED RED REDNECK showed some promise as a 2-year-old and makes his third start back off a layoff.

Race 6

(10) TOPVILLE AVATAR beat a quality field for fun last week. If the 3-year-old is on his game he will make a lot of money this year. (7) FOX VALLEY QATAR owns ability and has room to improve second start back off a six month layoff. (9) BIG EXPENSE talented trotter will most likely be blasting out for position.

Race 7

(8) SLEAZY DUDE lightly raced 3-year-old has a proven pedigree and has been super in his first two outings on the track. (5) TE'S BLACK TIE was also impressive in his dominating win last week. (4) WE ROB BANKS just raced evenly last start but does have some upside.

Race 8

(7) LEXINGTON LADY filly has never been off the board in fifteen career starts. She just missed last week against older off a long layoff; fires early. (4) CHAR N MARG last year's two-year-old champ was just given a safe trip around the oval last week. This week you can expect a much different approach. (2) FEEL LIKE DANCING pacing mare is ultra consistent and has beaten better when on her 'A' game.

Race 9

In a field full of question marks, (2) CERTAINLY doesn't look the best on paper but does own a good brush when timed right. (8) IT'SWAN is one of the faster trotters in the race but has lacked stamina late in two straight. (3) ABC BIG SHOT gelding will offer a big price and needed his last start.

Race 10

(8) ADDIE ROSE well bred mare is 0 for the year but faces much weaker. (6) PARKLANE INDY has a history of playing bridesmaid but was flying late last week. (7) SIMPLY BURBON closed decent ground last week from a tough post; use underneath.

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Arlington (1st) Tiz Liz, 7-2
(5th) Silver Liner, 7-2


Belmont Park (6th) Lehigh Five, 5-1
(7th) Won Dozen Banks, 8-1


Belterra Park (3rd) Please Daddy, 9-2
(7th) La Quebrada, 6-1


Canterbury (5th) Why Frank, 10-1
(6th) Honey's Sox Appeal, 7-2


Gulfstream Park (4th) Alabama Slim, 3-1
(9th) Wabel, 9-2


Emerald Downs (1st) Time for a Memory, 9-2
(8th) O B Harbor, 5-1


Golden Gate Fields (4th) Dorian, 6-1
(7th) My Friend George, 4-1


Gulfstream Park (5th) Burning Wild, 9-2
(8th) Killer Bird, 10-1


Lone Star Park (5th) Sure Thing Sheila, 3-1
(8th) Silver Diablo, 10-1


Monmouth Park (3rd) Bank Fraud, 7-2
(7th) Goldiebuxx, 6-1


Mountaineer (1st) Sarge's 7-2
(5th) Argentine Tango, 4-1


Parx Racing (6th) Chicharito, 5-1
(8th) Cosmic Destiny, 6-1


Prairie Meadows (5th) Turkish Wonder, 4-1
(8th) St Albert Abbey, 7-2


Presque Isle Downs (2nd) Big Favorite, 6-1
(6th) Sam's Melody, 9-2


Santa Anita (1st) Saint Dermot, 6-1
(9th) Follow Me Crev, 7-2


Woodbine (4th) Forest Brother, 4-1
(9th) Abbey Grace, 6-1

Preview: Nationals (26-17) at Marlins (22-20)

Game: 3
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 22, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

Though Max Scherzer continues to pile up the strikeouts, the long ball still remains a problem for the Washington Nationals right-hander.

After a pair of homers doomed him in his last start, Scherzer hopes to keep the ball in the park Sunday when he tries to avoid a second loss in a month to the host Miami Marlins.

Scherzer (4-3, 4.01 ERA) is second in the majors with 76 strikeouts, but tied for the lead with 13 home runs allowed.

"The home runs have been his nemesis all year," Nationals manager Dusty Baker told MLB's official website.

Following his historic 20-strikeout game May 11 against Detroit, Scherzer fanned 10 over 6 1/3 innings Tuesday against the New York Mets. However, two of the three hits he gave up left the park in the 2-0 loss.

'It's just one of those outings where, when you lose, it's always frustrating, because you go back and think how you can pitch better,' said Scherzer, who has allowed eight home runs in three games. 'At the end of the day, I did pitch well, just not well enough.'

Scherzer did not pitch that well April 21, when he yielded a three-run first-inning homer to Marcell Ozuna and two other runs while striking out a season-low three over five innings of a 5-1 loss at Miami (22-20).

Martin Prado had two hits off Scherzer, and is 11 for 22 against him all-time.

Two of the three homers Adam Conley (3-2, 3.40) has allowed this season came from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, plus two other runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 7-0 loss to the Nationals (26-17) on April 19.

The left-hander, however, has a 1.96 ERA while winning three of his last four starts. After yielding four runs in four innings to Milwaukee on May 10, Conley overcame eight hits to give up only a run over six of Monday's 5-3 victory at Philadelphia.

"Conley looked like he had more finish on his ball,' manager Don Mattingly said. 'He was definitely sharper compared to the last game.'

Daniel Murphy is 3 for 4 with a double and a triple against Conley.

Batting a major league-leading .390, Murphy had two more hits Saturday. But the Nationals managed only one run with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth inning of a 3-2 defeat.

The result ended Washington's three-game winning streak and snapped a slide of the same duration for the Marlins.

'This team has a big heart, and I love the passion we play with," winning pitcher Jose Fernandez said. "We know what (Washington) can do. But we're not backing down.'

With three hits in that contest, Ozuna is batting .405 with six homers, 13 RBIs and 18 runs scored in his last 20 games.

It's uncertain if teammate Christian Yelich will be available after being scratched Saturday because of back spasms. He is 7 for 17 in the last four games.

Hitless in five straight contests, Miami's Giancarlo Stanton is 4 for 48 with 23 strikeouts in his last 14 games.

"This is obviously a little bit extended, but you don't run from your guys," Mattingly said. "He's going to come out of it.'

Stanton's only hit in four at-bats against Scherzer was a home run.

Preview: Brewers (18-25) at Mets (24-18)

Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 22, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

As concern over Lucas Duda's lingering back injury continues to mount, the New York Mets hope other players can keep stepping up like they did in Saturday's thrilling walk-off win.

Noah Syndergaard will try to take some of the pressure off a short-handed offense Sunday when the Mets look to complete their first three-game home sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in 14 years.

Duda, who has seven home runs and 19 RBIs, seems likely to miss some time after sitting for the third time in five games Saturday because of a bad back. Manager Terry Collins said the first baseman was examined by a doctor, had an MRI and will also sit out Sunday's series finale.

'When you take a big bat like Lucas' out of the lineup, that's a big hole because that's some power,' Collins added. 'Hey, these are opportunities, somebody's got to step up and do the job."

That happened Saturday when Eric Campbell went 2 for 4 while filling in for Duda, Yoenis Cespedes added his 14th home run and Curtis Granderson hit his eighth. David Wright singled on a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to give New York a 5-4 victory.

Cespedes has gone 9 for 23 with three home runs over his last seven games, while Wright had been in a 5-for-42 slump before coming through to complete the Mets' rally from a three-run deficit.

"I don't think it's relief, it's excitement,' the third baseman said. 'To see the way the guys reacted, the coaches reacted, obviously made me feel good because I've been struggling."

New York hopes to complete its first home sweep of Milwaukee since April 2002 after the club had dropped six of its previous seven games. The Mets (24-18) have averaged 2.5 runs and batted .214 over their last 11 games, but might not need much scoring with Syndergaard on the mound.

The hard-throwing Syndergaard (4-2, 2.19 ERA) will try to win his third straight start after allowing five hits and striking out 10 over seven innings in Tuesday's 2-0 home victory over Washington. He ranks among the major league leaders in strikeouts (65) and ERA.

In his only career start against the Brewers (18-25), Syndergaard surrendered one run and three hits with five strikeouts over six innings in a 5-1 win at Citi Field on May 17, 2015.

He'll get another look at a Milwaukee team that has averaged 2.9 runs and batted .220 over its last 10 games. Jonathan Villar, however, had three hits and Ramon Flores homered Saturday.

'We've been in a lot of close games,' manager Craig Counsell said.

It certainly hasn't helped that star slugger Ryan Braun has missed the past four games with a stiff back. Braun, hitting a team-high .364, is day to day after feeling better on Saturday.

Chase Anderson hopes to build on his last outing Tuesday when he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander went on to snap a personal five-start losing streak, allowing two runs and three hits over 8 2/3 innings in a 4-2 home win.

Anderson (2-5, 5.32) went 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts versus the Mets last season while with Arizona. Juan Lagares has gone 3 for 5 with a home run lifetime in their matchups.