Service Plays Monday 5/6/13

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English Breakfast

EPL Betting News & Notes

Here is a look at the ten games on tap in the Premier League over weekend and the final of the fixtures on Monday.

Monday

Sunderland (17th, 37) v Stoke (11th, 40) +110 +230 +300

Previous meeting: Stoke 0, Sunderland 0, October 27

* Sunderland is still very much alive in the relegation battle and are coming off a terrible 6-1 loss at home to Aston Villa.

* Stoke has done its best to avoid relegation by posting two wins in a row and a win over Sunderland would ensure its safety.

* Stoke has the second lowest goals scored on the season with just 31. Only QPR have less with 29

* There have been under 2.5 goals in five of Sunderland's previous six home matches.

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Preview: Round 2

The Miami Heat have been waiting a long time for their second-round opponent while the rest of the Eastern Conference slugged it out in their opening playoff series. Will those grueling series just make the road to the finals smoother for the defending champs?

Here’s a look at the matchups and series odds for the Eastern Conference semifinals.

No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 5 Chicago Bulls

Season series: Tied 2-2, 2-2 ATS, 2-2 O/U
Series prices: N/A

Why bet the Heat: Miami didn’t run up against much in Milwaukee and has had its feet up since April 28. The Heat take on a bruised and busted Bulls squad that’s coming off a grueling seven-game series with Brooklyn. Of course, you have LeBron, Wade and Bosh, but Miami’s deep bench is too much for Chicago’s thinning ranks to handle.

Why bet the Bulls: Chicago is used to playing with a mixed-bag lineup and there is the slight chance that Derrick Rose could swoop in for the rescue. The Bulls intensity is peaking right now and they could catch Miami napping after such a long layoff between series. Chicago’s frontcourt is active and physical, exploiting one of the Heat’s only weaknesses.

Miami Hosts Chicago in Game 1 of Their Second Round Matchup

Eastern Conference Playoffs Second Round
Game 1
Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Miami -11.5 Total: 186.0

The Miami Heat host the Chicago Bulls on Monday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Miami Heat swept their first round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks and they won Game 4 without Dwyane Wade (knee). Wade is, however, probable for Game 1 of the Bulls series. The Bulls on the other hand played a full series with the Nets in which most of their lineup was banged up at some point. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich both sat out of Game 7, with Deng dealing with the flu and Hinrich a bruised calf. The Bulls still were able to handle their business, going on to win 99-93. During the regular season, the two teams split wins SU and ATS at two a piece. During the regular season, Miami was a solid home team ATS finishing 22-19 at American Airlines Arena but the Bulls were an even better team on the road. Chicago finished the season 23-18 ATS away from their home building and definitely will be thinking about stealing Game ! in Miami.


The Chicago Bulls escaped from Brooklyn with a Game 7 victory in which they played without Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich. Joakim Noah’s fingerprints were all over the victory as the big man finished with 24 points (12-of-17 FG), 14 rebounds and six blocks in 41 minutes of play. Noah was willing Chicago to the next round and his effort on a sore foot was admirable. Marco Belinelli was on fire for Chicago in the game, finishing with 24 points (8-of-14 FG). Carlos Boozer continued to play well offensively for Chicago, putting up 17 points (6-of-13 FG) and seven rebounds in just 29 minutes of play. Taj Gibson played 20 minutes and gave Tom Thibodeau an extra boost defensively. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich are both questionable for the start of the series as they attempt to get better from their respective lapses.

The Miami Heat absolutely dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs, winning every single game they played by double digits. LeBron James was spectacular in the first round and was even able to get some rest in some of the games. James played 36.8 MPG, which was down from his regular season 37.9 MPG, and averaged 24.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 6.8 APG on 62.7% FG. James was taking excellent shots the entire series and also played lockdown defense the whole series. Chris Bosh didn’t have to do too much against the Bucks’ guard-oriented play-style, but he did average 12.8 PPG and 8.0 RPG on 53.8% FG. Dwyane Wade was dealing with an injured knee in the series, but Ray Allen was more than capable of stepping in for him. Allen played 28.8 MPG in the series and averaged 16.5 PPG on 46.7% FG. Allen was also on the money from downtown, where he shot 46.4% 3PT in the series.

The Spurs Look to Win Game 1 in San Antonio

Western Conference Playoffs Second Round
Game 1
Tip-off: Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET
Line: Golden State -8.5 Total: 201.0

The Golden State Warriors head into San Antonio on Monday night looking to steal Game 1 from the Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs had an easy first round series with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning the series in just four games. Golden State on the other hand edged out Denver in a tough six game series led by the unbelievable play of All-Star snub, Stephen Curry. During the regular season, the two teams split wins SU in the series series with Golden State covering in three out of the four. During the regular season, San Antonio was just 19-20-2 ATS when playing on their own home court but the Warriors weren’t too much better when playing on the road. Golden State had the exact same record as the Spurs did at home going 19-20-2 ATS away from Oracle Arena. The status of David Lee is going to be a major question mark this series as his presence only improves a Warriors team that has covered in nine straight contests.

The Golden State Warriors won an enduring series against the Denver Nuggets in which Stephen Curry emerged as the breakout superstar of the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, Curry averaged 24.3 PPG (45.8% FG, 44.2% 3PT) , 9.3 APG, 4.3 APG and 2.2 SPG. Klay Thompson also had a good series for the Warriors, averaging 14.7 PPG on 46.3% FG. Thompson did, however, struggle shooting the ball from areas he normally excels on the court. He is a 40.1% 3PT shooter and 84.1% FT shooter on the season, but shot just 34.3% 3PT and 66.7% FT in the series. Andrew Bogut played some of his best basketball in a Warriors uniform in the first round, specifically in the close-out Game 6. In Game 6, Bogut played 39 minutes and finished with 14 points (7-of-10 FG) and 21 rebounds. Bogut was active on both ends of the floor and played with a ton of energy.

The San Antonio Spurs were happy to find out they drew the Los Angeles Lakers and with good reason. The Lakers were without Kobe Bryant and couldn’t keep the rest of their team healthy either. The Spurs won all four games in the series and did so behind a very balanced attack. Tony Parker has been on his game for San Antonio so far in the playoffs. In the four games the Spurs played, Parker played 31.8 MPG and averaged 22.3 PPG (49.3% FG) and 6.5 APG. Tim Duncan also played the same consistent basketball he played all year, dominating the Lakers inside with 17.5 PPG (51.7% FG), 7.5 RPG and 1.0 BPG. Duncan was frustrating Dwight Howard throughout the series and really set the tone for San Antonio. If the Spurs are going to get by the Warriors, they are going to need Manu Ginobili to play his best basketball. Ginobili showed glimpses of his old self in the Lakers series, averaging 11.3 PPG in just 19.5 MPG. Ginobili’s biggest concern has been staying healthy and so far he has done just that.

Monday's NBA playoff action: What bettors need to know

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat (-11.5, 186)
Game 1

LeBron James was named Most Valuable Player on Sunday and the Miami Heat get back to playing basketball on Monday when they open the Eastern Conference semifinals against the visiting Chicago Bulls. Miami hasn’t played since finishing a four-game, first-round sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks on April 28. Chicago completed its seven-game series win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Bulls will likely be without forward Luol Deng (illness) while point guard Kirk Hinrich is a game-time decision.

Chicago used a gritty Game 7 effort against Brooklyn to reach the conference semifinals with center Joakim Noah leading the way with 24 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. The Bulls are thriving without guard Derrick Rose, who mysteriously continues to sit out with a knee injury nearly two months after he was medically cleared to play. James had a superb campaign in winning his fourth MVP award. The Miami forward averaged 26.8 points, eight rebounds and 7.3 assists while helping the Heat to a league-best 66-16 mark. The only other players to win four or more MVPs are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (four).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE BULLS: Deng missed the final two games of the Brooklyn series after a spinal tap caused serious complications. The spinal tap was performed to see if Deng had contracted meningitis – results were negative – but the procedure caused severe headaches and other issues that required Deng to be hospitalized. His return date remains uncertain. Hinrich (calf) missed the final three games of the series against the Nets and Nate Robinson will again be in the starting lineup if Hinrich can’t play. Guard Marco Belinelli will have a solid role in the series after scoring 24 points in the Game 7 victory and 22 points the previous outing.

ABOUT THE HEAT: James and his teammates are well-rested after the extended break – one that should help guard Dwyane Wade’s balky right knee. Wade recently returned to practice and is expected to be in the starting lineup for the opener. Wade told reporters on Sunday he’s more concerned about his level of conditioning than the knee. “When you go out for a while, your wind is the first thing to go and your legs get heavy,” Wade said. “So it’s just about getting them under you early on and just getting into the game.” The Heat won all four games of the Milwaukee series by double digits.

TRENDS
* Heat are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games.
* Bulls are 1-8 ATS in their last nine games following a SU win.
* Over is 7-1 in Bulls last eight games playing on one day rest.
* Home team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The teams split four regular-season meetings, including a Chicago victory on March 27 that ended Miami’s 27-game winning streak.

2. The two teams met in the 2011 Eastern Conference finals with Miami winning the series in five games.

3. Chicago is 7-23 all-time when playing a postseason Game 1 on the road.

Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs (-8.5, 201)
Game 1

The Golden State Warriors were longshots to make the Western Conference semifinals as the No. 6 seed. After dispatching the Denver Nuggets in six games, the Warriors will be staring at even slimmer odds when they open a seven-game series at the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Golden State has not won in San Antonio since 1997, and the Spurs looked dominant in cruising past the Los Angeles Lakers in four games.

The Warriors lost David Lee to a torn hip flexor in a Game 1 loss against the Nuggets but leaned on Stephen Curry the rest of the way. Curry will need to have another big series against San Antonio, which held the Lakers to an average of 85.3 points in a four-game sweep. The Spurs have been sitting around waiting for the rest of the Western Conference to finish up the first round since April 28, giving Manu Ginobili an extra eight days to rest his tender hamstring and Tiago Splitter the same time to recover from an ankle sprain.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Andrew Bogut had his best game in a Golden State uniform with 14 points, 21 rebounds and four blocks in the decisive Game 6 against the Nuggets and will be counted on even more against Tim Duncan and a bigger San Antonio front line. The Warriors got plenty of open looks on the perimeter for the likes of Harrison Barnes, Jarrett Jack, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in the first round and will continue to run to the 3-point line on the break and off the pick-and-roll. Golden State will go as far as Curry can take the team, and the star guard has had a few extra days to rest his ailing left ankle since the series with the Nuggets ended on Thursday. Curry rolled the ankle in Game 2 and was the target of some physical play the rest of the series but never stopped draining big second-half jumpers. He did his most damage in the third quarter of the Warriors’ wins and was a key during the decisive run in Game 6. Now all Golden State needs to do is get over the mental hurdle of a near-breakdown at the end of Game 6, when a slew of turnovers and missed shots allowed the Nuggets to creep back into the game.

ABOUT THE SPURS: San Antonio sputtered down the stretch in the regular season, with Ginobili and Tony Parker missing time, but had no trouble with the beat-up Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. The Spurs swept that series by an average of 18.8 points and have an offense that can get out and run with the Warriors and even challenge them on the perimeter with 3-point shooters Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Matt Bonner and Gary Neal. San Antonio is also capable of playing stifling defense, as the Lakers learned in the first round. “This is a good start for us,” Duncan said after the Game 4 win over Los Angeles. “We like the pace we’re at now. We like the rhythm we’re at right now and how healthy we are right now. Hopefully it can stay that way.”

TRENDS

* Warriors are 5-0 ATS in their last five road games.
* Warriors are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games against the Western Conference.
* Spurs are 4-0 in their last four games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in last five meetings in San Antonio.
* Over is 4-1 in Spurs' last five games at home.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lee made an emotional one-minute return to the lineup in Game 6 and will be available off the bench against the Spurs, though not likely for extended minutes.

2. Parker averaged 22.3 points and 6.5 assists in the first round despite not playing more than 27 minutes in the final two games.

3. The teams split four games in the regular season but San Antonio has taken 17 of the last 19 meetings.

NBA playoff betting: Round 2 trends and stats
By MARC LAWRENCE

With the top seeds having flexed their muscle in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, it’s on to Round 2 where a series upset is always in the realm of possibility.

Here are four solid moneymaking angles from my powerful database that have withstood the test of time throughout the second round playoff action, along with a few tempting team trends.

All results are ATS and since 1991, unless noted otherwise.

No. 1 for a reason

One golden rule in this round applies to top seeds: Never lay points against No.1 seeds.

That’s because inferior teams are just 16-27-1 ATS when playing points into No. 1 seeds since 1996. Worse, if the No. 1 seed is off a SU and ATS loss, lower seeded favorites are just 3-10 ATS.

And if the lower seeded favorite beat the top seed and covered the spread by nine or more points, they dip to 1-10 ATS.

Tripped out favorites

Teams that take it on the chin three times in a row do not fare well when laying points in Round 2.

That’s confirmed by the fact that teams laying points off three consecutive losses that are 3-13 ATS in these games.

Worse, if they dropped their last game straight up as a favorite, these teams generally fall off the map and out of the playoffs, going 3-7 SU and 0-10 ATS.

Role reversals

You may not be comfortable changing roles in a relationship, but NBA teams in this round of the playoffs certainly are.

Round 2 dogs (or picks) off a straight-up loss as a favorite are a 58 percent ATS proposition, going 32-23 ATS.

When changing roles off back-to-back SU and ATS losses, these pick-of-the-litter plays bark to the tune of 12-6 ATS, including 11-1 ATS if they own a win percentage of less than .675 on the season.

Running on empty

Home favorites that scored well below their average (77 or less points) in their previous game tend to fuel up the next game in this round.

That’s evident by a sparkling 21-9-1 ATS mark by Round 2 favorites that tallied 77 or fewer points in their last game.

Put these favorites up against .625 or greater opposition and they top off at 16-3 ATS, including 13-1 when laying four or more points.

Tantalizing playoff trends

Chicago: 5-1-1 ATS in second round versus .696 greater opponent
Golden State: 0-3-1 ATS in second round off a win
Indiana: 0-5 ATS as second-round favorite off ATS win 18 or more points
Memphis: 0-3 ATS in second round vs. opponent off loss
Miami: 7-0 ATS second round off double-digit loss
New York: 5-1 ATS as second-round double-digit dog
Oklahoma City: 0-5 ATS in second round off win 20 or more points
San Antonio: 8-1 ATS as second-round home favorite more than 8 points

Rounding the bases: The best bets in the bigs

Every week we take a look at the hottest and coldest teams as well as the best over and under bets in Major League Baseball.

For the week of April 29-May 5.

Hot team: Detroit Tigers
Last week: 6-1
Season: 18-11
Upcoming schedule: at Nationals, vs. Indians
Skinny: The Tigers outscored the opposition last week 49-18.

Cold team: Houston Astros
Last week: 1-6
Season: 8-23
Upcoming schedule: vs. Angels, vs. Rangers
Skinny: The Astros averaged 2.7 runs scored per game last week, below the team's average of 3.97 per game.

Over team: Colorado Rockies
Last week: 6-0 over/under
Season: 18-12-1 over/under
Upcoming schedule: vs. Yankees, at Cardinals
Skinny: Colorado has the third-highest scoring team in baseball (5.29 runs per game) and are 20th in baseball in quality starts (20).

Under team: Texas Rangers
Last week: 1-5 over/under
Season: 9-20-2
Upcoming schedule: at Cubs, at Brewers, at Astros
Skinny: The Rangers' pitching staff has a 3.02 ERA, best in baseball.

Monday's MLB weather watch: rainy in California

Rain is expected in many parts of California on Monday, which could impact games played in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

Here's the rest of Monday's notable weather in baseball:

(All lines courtesy of Betonline.com)

Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds (-123, 7.5)
Site: Great American Ball Park

There's a 70 percent chance of rain in Cincinnati.

Texas Rangers vs. Chicago Cubs (+117, NA)
Site: Wrigley Field

The wind will blow at 10 mph in from left field. The Cubs were 1-5 in 2012 at Wrigley Field when the wind blew in from left field.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (-105, 7)
Site: Dodger Stadium

There's a 65 percent chance or rain with possible thunderstorms in the forecast in Los Angeles.

Miami Marlins vs. San Diego Padres (-173, 7.5)
Site: Petco Park

There's a 70 percent chance of rain in San Diego.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants (-144, 6)
Site: AT&T Park

The wind will blow out to left field at 14 mph. The Giants were 3-0 in 2012 at home when the wind blew out to left field. There is also a 20 percent chance of rain.

Three slumping pitchers on the mound Monday

Monday features a fairly light schedule in the bigs with nine games on the agenda. Some familiar names take the mound, but these guys find themselves in a bit of slump. Here, we take a look at three pitchers who get the call and whose teams have strung together losses in their recent outings.

Paul Maholm, Atlanta Braves (3-3, 3.08 ERA)

Its been a bit of a rough patch for Maholm after he started the year 3-0. He was excellent to start the year and did not give up an earned run in those first three starts. The lefty went on to lose his next three starts and will look to get in the winning as he heads into Monday's matchup versus Bronson Arroyo and the Cincinnati Reds. Maholm has given up 13 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings pitched in his three straight losses. His last outing versus the Washington Nationals was a bright spot, however. He did his job going eight innings and surrendering two earned runs on just three hits.

Maholm threw six innings and gave up one earned run in his lone start against the Reds in 2012.

Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays (1-2, 4.71 ERA)

The Tampa Bay Rays are struggling out of the gate with a 13-16 record as of Sunday. The pitching staff is partly to blame as it ranks 12th in the American League in ERA (4.35) and owns the second-worst bullpen ERA (4.72) in the AL. Hellickson has certainly not been immune to the slow start. He has a 1.21 WHIP and a 4.71 ERA which ranks him 11th from the bottom for qualified pitchers. He is coming off a no-decision in the Rays' 9-8 loss against the Kansas City Royals. Tampa Bay has lost four of Hellickson's six starts this season.

Hellickson will take the hill against the Toronto Blue Jays Monday. He was 2-2 with a 2.19 ERA in four starts versus the Jays in 2012.

Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies (2-2, 3.46 ERA)

Lee got off to a great start this season winning his first two outings versus the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. Its been downhill since as the Phillies have lost each of his next four starts. After giving up just three earned runs in his first two stellar outings, Lee has given up 14 in his next four. The veteran last pitched on May 1. He lasted six innings in a 6-0 loss versus the red-hot Cleveland Indians.

The Phillies travel to the Bay to face the San Francisco Giants who counter with Madison Bumgarner. Lee pitched 10 innings of shutout ball in his only start versus the Giants in 2012. He gave up seven in the Phillies' 1-0 victory.

Monday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know

Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (+115, 5)
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle pulled out all the stops in Game 2 to give his team its first postseason victory in nine years, evening its Eastern Conference first-round series with the Boston Bruins at one game apiece. The fifth-seeded Maple Leafs will try to carry that momentum home for Game 3 when they host fourth seed Boston on Monday. Carlyle shuffled his lines on the fly during Saturday’s 4-2 triumph in order to free Phil Kessel from the smothering defense of Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. The moves paid dividends early in the third period when Kessel scored the eventual game-winner on a breakaway for his first even-strength goal in 24 contests against his old team.

Despite the success of the line-shuffling, the Maple Leafs surrendered 41 shots in Game 2. Toronto goaltender James Reimer has been sharp in his first two postseason starts, earning his first career playoff victory on Saturday and stopping 75 of 81 shots thus far. Boston goalie Tuukka Rask has allowed five goals on 29 fewer shots in his first postseason starts since 2010. The Bruins have surrendered a power-play goal in each of the first two games this series after finishing the season ranked fourth in the league in penalty killing. Boston looked much less dominant on Saturday than it did in Game 1 and will now need to contend with the Maple Leafs possessing the crucial last player change as the series shifts to Toronto.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS, NHL Network (U.S.), NESN

ABOUT THE BRUINS: The scoring line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton has been Boston’s brightest spot in the series now that Horton has returned from injury, combining on four of the team’s six goals. Krejci leads all players in the series with four points, while Horton has two goals and Lucic has three assists. Veteran Jaromir Jagr, acquired at the trade deadline to bolster Boston’s scoring depth, is minus-2 with no points to open the postseason following a stretch of nine points in 11 contests. Tyler Seguin fired eight shots in Game 2 and leads all players with 15 in the series, but has yet to record a point. Rookie defenseman Dougie Hamilton played 13:32 in his playoff debut in place of suspended blue-liner Andrew Ference, who will be eligible to return to the lineup on Monday.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: Joffrey Lupul scored the team’s first two goals in Game 2 for his first playoff tallies since 2009 when he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. James van Riemsdyk, also a former Flyer, scored in each of his first two postseason games for Toronto and has 10 goals in his last 20 playoff contests. Along with Mike Kostka, who broke his finger in Game 1, Carlyle scratched Frazer McLaren, Clarke MacArthur and John-Michael Liles on Saturday, dressing Ryan Hamilton, Matt Frattin, Jake Gardiner and Ryan O’Byrne in their place. Hamilton, Frattin and Gardiner each contributed an assist, while O’Byrne finished plus-1 with four hits and two blocked shots in 14:49 time on ice. Tyler Bozak led all Toronto skaters in ice-time in Game 2 with 24:22.

TRENDS
* Maple Leafs are 1-4 in their last five games following a win.
* Bruins are 1-4 in last five road games.
* Over is 4-1-1 in last six meetings in Toronto.
* Bruins are 4-1 in last five meetings in Toronto.
* Home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

OVERTIME

1. Boston is 3-6-2 in its last 11 contests overall, dating back to April 11.

2. The last NHL playoff game in Toronto occurred on May 4, 2004, when the Maple Leafs lost 3-2 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference second-round series.

3. The league chose not to review a hit by Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf on Daniel Paille in the third period of Game 2 despite claims by the Bruins that Phaneuf made contact with Paille’s head.

Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers (-138, 5)
Washington leads series 2-0

If the sixth-seeded New York Rangers hope to get back in their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Southeast Division champion Washington Capitals, they're going to have to generate some offense when they host Game 3 on Monday. New York, which finished in the middle of the pack in goals scored during the regular season despite recording 51 over 14 games in April, has totaled just one over its first two playoff contests and finds itself in a 2-0 hole. And that tally, which was scored by Carl Hagelin to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the series opener, went in off Washington defenseman John Erskine's skate.

Third-seeded Washington hasn't been lighting it up offensively either, but its flurry of three goals in a span of 8 minutes, 8 seconds in the second period of Game 1 was enough to produce a 3-1 victory. Like their opponent, the Capitals were unable to break through in regulation on Saturday afternoon, but defenseman Mike Green cashed in on a power-play opportunity eight minutes into overtime to help his team maintain home-ice advantage. Washington should not feel comfortable, however, as it has lost four of the last six series in which it has held a 2-0 lead.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN2, RDS2, CSN (Washington), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Coach Adam Oates had all players report to the rink Sunday but made the practice optional. "I just brought them all in just to come to the arena and make sure we just get hockey on your mind," Oates told the Washington Post. "It's a stressful environment, you win in overtime, you're excited, but still it's very stressful. So let the guys just breathe a little bit." Washington's special teams have been impressive through two games. The club is 2-for-7 on the power play and has successfully killed all seven of its penalties.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: After Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett returned from injuries to play in Game 2, Ryane Clowe could follow suit on Monday. Clowe, who recorded three goals and eight points in 12 games after being acquired from San Jose, has not played since April 25 due to an undisclosed injury that is suspected to be a concussion. He hopes to be in the lineup for Game 3 but won't return prematurely. "You've gotta make sure you're fit to play and you can at least help the team," Clowe said. "I don't want to go in there and come out again, so I want to make sure I'm ready."

TRENDS

* Capitals are 10-2 in the last 12 games following a win.
* Capitals are 8-2 in their last 10 road games.
* Rangers are 6-0 in their last six home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Capitals' last four games.

OVERTIME

1. The Rangers are 1-20 in series in which they've lost the first two games.

2. G Braden Holtby's shutout Saturday was just the second by a 1-0 score in the Capitals' playoff history. Olaf Kolzig blanked Pittsburgh 1-0 on April 12, 2001.

3. New York did not register a shot on goal over the final 17:43 of Game 2, including eight minutes of overtime.

Mighty Quinn

Mighty hit with the Penguins Sunday.

Monday it’s the Heat. The deficit is 502 sirignanos.

MLB

Hot pitchers
-- Reds are 3-0 in Arroyo's home starts (2-0, 2.86).
-- Cahill is 1-1, 1.98 in his last four starts.
-- Bumgarner is 3-0, 1.55 in six starts this season.

-- Former Ranger Feldman is 2-0, 2.30 in his last two starts.

-- Jimenez is 1-0, 3.00 in his last two starts.
-- Buchholz is 6-0, 1.01 in six starts this season.
-- Shields is 1-0, 2.57 in his last two starts. Sale is 2-0, 2.57 in his last two.

Cold pitchers
-- Maholm is 0-3, 6.62 in his last three starts.
-- Miami is 0-6 when Leblanc starts (0-4, 6.53). Cashner is 1-2, 5.14 in three starts this season.
-- Capuano allowed two runs in five IP in his only '13 start, vs San Diego.
-- Phillies lost Lee's last four starts (0-2, 6.50 in last three).

-- Tepesch is 1-2, 4.35 in his last four starts.

-- Parker is 1-4, 7.67 in six starts this season.
-- Worley is 0-3, 9.13 in his last five starts.
-- Buehrle is 0-2, 6.16 in his last three starts. Hellickson is 0-1, 7.36 in his last couple starts.

Totals
-- Eight of last eleven Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Miami road games went over the total.
-- Over is 11-3-1 in last fifteen Dodger games.
-- Nine of last twelve Philly road games stayed under the total.

-- Eight of last ten Texas games stayed under the total. Over is 5-1-1 in last seven games at Wrigley Field.

-- Six of last eight Cleveland home games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in the last seven games at Fenway Park.
-- Last eight Tampa Bay games went over the total.
-- Over is 8-2-1 in last eleven Kansas City home games.

Hot teams
-- Reds won nine of their last eleven home games.
-- Padres won eight of their last eleven games.
-- San Francisco won ten of its last twelve home games.

-- Rangers won their last three games, allowing four runs.

-- A's won five of their last seven games. Indians won six of their last seven.
-- Tampa Bay won five of its last six home games.
-- Royals won nine of their last twelve games.

Cold teams
-- Braves lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Marlins are 2-8 in series openers, 5-11 overall on road.
-- Dodgers lost six of their last nine home games. Arizona lost five of its last six games overall.
-- Phillies lost seven of their last nine games.

-- Cubs lost 11 of their first 15 home games.

-- Red Sox just got swept at Texas, but they've won their last five at home. Twins are 3-8 in their last eleven road games.
-- Blue Jays lost 11 of their last 15 games.
-- White Sox lost five of their last seven games.

NBA

Gritty, banged-up Bulls head south after winning Game 7 in Brooklyn 48 hours ago; they get Deng back here, but he spent several days laid up in hospital, so not sure how effective he'll be. Teams split four meetings this year, going 1-1 in each building; Heat shot 50.7/51.4% in two games they won, 46.2/48.1% in two losses. Miami won its last 12 games since home loss to New York April 12; they're 5-2 vs spread last seven games they were home favorite. Over is 9-4 in Chicago's last thirteen games.

Golden State won six of its last eight games, covered last nine, including last four as road underdogs; Warriors split four meetings vs San Antonio in regular season, with home side winning all four games, Spurs winning by 7-11 points here. SA hasn't played in eight days since sweeping LA, with all four wins by 11+ points. Warriors finished off Denver at home Thursday, so they've had decent rest time. Three of Golden State's wins in first round went over total; both its losses stayed under.

NHL

Capitals won 13 of last 15 games to position themselves as one of favorites in the Eastern Conference; they've won four of last five road games. Rangers won seven of last nine in regular season, but scored just one goal in first two games of this series; they've won six in a row at home, with last home loss to Washington March 24, which was Caps' first win in last four visits to Manhattan. New York scored 4+ goals in its last five wins, 1-2-2-0 in its last four losses. Under is 10-0-5 last 15 series games, as all five pushes ended 3-2.

Toronto reduced its penalty minutes from 39 in Game 1 to 7 in Game 2, Boston had only one power play chance, and Leafs evened series with road win. Bruins hit road just 3-8 in last 11 games overall, losing six of last eight games on foreign ice; they've scored 3+ goals in only two of last 11 games, but won 10 of last 12 vs Maple Leafs, taking four of last five visits here. Boston outshot Maple Leafs 71-52 in first two games. Toronto is 3-5 in its last eight games- they split their last six home games. Over is 10-3-2 in last fifteen series games.

Ducks outscored Detroit 8-1 in third period in series so far, though Red Wings did win in only OT game in series. Anaheim's 4-0 win here in Game 3 was just their second in last ten visits to Motor City, where Red Wings won three of last four games overall, allowing seven goals. Ducks are now 5-2 in last seven games, winning last four on road, allowing total of two goals. Seven of last ten Detroit games stayed under the total. Home teams are 13-9 so far in playoffs, with under 11-8-3. Red Wings were 0-6 on power play last game, after being 4-10 in two games in Anaheim.

Total of seven goals in three games, with Blues 1-13, Kings 1-10 on power play in series. Los Angeles won its last seven home games, last six all by a single goal; they've scored one goal in all three games of this series, with home side winning all three. Kings are 10-5 last 15 games vs St Louis, winning five of last six played here. Blues are 14-4 in last 18 games overall, allowing one goal each in last five. Only once in their last 11 games overall have Blues allowed more than two goals. Under is 9-1-1 in Blues' last 11 games overall, 6-1-1 in last eight series games.

DCI Pro Basketball
The Daniel Curry Index

05/06/13 Predictions

Season
Straight Up: 834-393 (.680)
ATS: 660-598 (.525)
ATS Vary Units: 1654-1537 (.518)
Over/Under: 647-612 (.514)
Over/Under Vary Units: 887-814 (.521)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game #1
MIAMI 101, Chicago 88

Western Conference Semifinals
Game #1
SAN ANTONIO 107, Golden State 100

DCI Pro Hockey
The Daniel Curry Index

05/06/13 Predictions

Season: 292-186 (.611)

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Game #3
Washington vs. N.Y. RANGERS: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Boston vs. TORONTO: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Western Conference Quarterfinals
Game #4
DETROIT 3, Anaheim 2
St. Louis vs. LOS ANGELES: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

[h=1]Today's MLB Picks[/h] [h=2]Atlanta at Cincinnati[/h] The Braves look to take advantage of a Cincinnati team that is 1-6 in Bronson Arroyo's last 7 starts against teams with a winning record. Atlanta is the pick (+105) according to Dunkel, which has the Braves favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+105). Here are all of today's picks.

Gamblers Data

Bonus Play Monday

DBacks -110

Hondo

Atlanta Braves