5-16-10

[spook]

REGULAR SERVICE PLAYS NEW GUYS! LURKERS!

Dont be afraid to post services if you come across them. Your posts will be appreciated for sure.

Just put them in the appropriate section (regular or premium).......lets win some money....

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 859-371 (.698)
ATS: 658-609 (.519)
ATS Vary Units: 1564-1463 (.517)
Over/Under: 630-645 (.494)
Over/Under Vary Units: 819-844 (.492)

Eastern Conference Playoffs, Finals
Game 1, best-of-7 series
ORLANDO 101, Boston 90

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

DCI NHL

Season: 443-301 (.595)

Western Conference Playoffs, Finals
Game 1, best-of-7 series
Chicago vs. SAN JOSE: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Eastern Conference Playoffs, Finals
Game 1, best-of-7 series
PHILADELPHIA 3, Montreal 2

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

Conference Finals Odds and Picks

NBA Western Conference final series odds and pick
By ASHTON GREWAL

Los Angeles Lakers (-335) vs. Phoenix Suns (+293)

There’s no question who the sentimental favorite is in this one. There aren’t two more likeable guys in the league than Steve Nash and Grant Hill and you’ve got to figure that this is the last chance either will get at a championship ring.

But for Nash and Hill to get a shot to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, they’ll have to get by the defending champs.

What the Suns have going for them

I picked the Spurs to win last round but I think I underestimated the best thing the Suns’ biggest asset: chemistry. Nash has played on some ridiculously talented teams but he’s said repeatedly said that this is the best group of guys he’s played with.

The Suns are also oozing with confidence after sweeping the Spurs. It proved to all the critics that Phoenix is not the same cute, but one-dimensional squad.

What the Lakers have going for them

Kobe Bryant. The Lakers’ superstar had his way with the Jazz and has scored 30 or more points in five straight playoff games. The Suns don’t matchup well against the Lakers – particularly with Kobe.

Phoenix will probably put Hill and Jared Dudley on No. 24 for most of the series, but there’ll be times when Jason Richardson will have to guard Bryant and that’s a scary scenario for Los Suns backers.

And don’t forget the Lakers have owned the Suns in recent years, winning and covering in six of their last eight meetings.

X-factors

Suns: Channing Frye is the best weapon the Suns have against the Lakers’ starting big man duo. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum won’t be able to eat up Amare Stoudemire’s space in the paint if Frye is locked in from beyond the arc.

Lakers: Phoenix will only go as far as Nash will take them and it'll be up to Derek Fisher to limit the one-eyed monster. That’s no small feat for a player who has trouble staying in front of some of the lower-tier point guards. But Fish is smart and knows how to get underneath an opponent’s skin.

Prediction

Like I said, it’d be a great story if Phoenix won. It would undo some of the past hard luck the Suns have been dealt in the postseason. Unfortunately, the best story rarely pans out in the Association. The Lakers are a far superior team and they’ll prove it early.

Pick: Lakers in five


NBA Eastern Conference finals preview and pick
By LARRY JOSEPHSON

Orlando Magic (-275) vs. Boston Celtics (+244)

Anybody mind if we interrupt the constant yammering about LeBron James and his impending free agency to remind everyone that the world hasn’t ended and that we will actually have an Eastern Conference championship series and that it actually will start in a few days and that the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics are actually pretty good?

The Magic no doubt are as stunned as anybody else outside the 02114 area code that they’ll be taking on the Celtics, starting Sunday, in the East finals. The teams met in the second round a year ago when the Magic bested the C’s in a seven-game series on their way to The Finals. And while many of the same characters have remained the same, there are also significant differences.

How the Magic have remained the same

Orlando is still an inside-out team that can beat you by 25 if its outside shots are dropping and lose to a mediocre opponent if they aren’t. Last season the Magic took advantage of the absence of injured Kevin Garnett, sent Rashard Lewis to the corner and chuckled as Glen Davis, more comfortable in the paint defensively, struggled to close on him.

Lewis was Orlando’s most consistent offensive player, raining 3-pointers on the Celtics for seven games. He averaged 20.5 points a game in the series, scoring no fewer than 17 in any game.

Dwight Howard remains every bit the defensive force he was last season but appears to be whining less about not getting the ball enough on the offensive end.

How the Magic have changed

So far so good on the Vince Carter deal. With Jameer Nelson, who missed the Celtics series last year due to injury, back at full speed and Carter on board, the backcourt gives the Celtics different concerns this time around. Both players can go off at any time – the inconsistent play of Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Hedo Turkoglu actually allowed the Celtics to keep the series alive last season.

Orlando won’t have an advantage over Celtics starters Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, but they won’t be as overmatched as Cleveland backcourt was. Matt Barnes has been a nice addition and has wormed his way into the rotation.

How the Celtics have remained the same

Dwight Howard has called Kendrick Perkins the best low-post defender in the league, and if Perkins can stay out of foul trouble (no easy feat), it make life much easier on the Boston front line. Orlando likes to get Howard the ball early and often in the first period, and that won’t change.

The Celtics were somehow able to get past Cleveland despite a subpar performance from Paul Pierce, but that was partly because Rondo’s emergence. Allen’s 3-point shooting has been streaky – if he’s on, the defense is stretched, opening up things for Pierce to slash.

How the Celtics have changed

Magic fans might not recognize Garnett, who was hobbling around the last time the teams played in Orlando. Lewis drove by an immobile Garnett for the winning hoop way back on Jan. 28, but Garnett’s knee is greatly improved. Last season Lewis abused Davis, but a rejuvenated Garnett is able close on Lewis’ perimeter game faster than Davis could.

And then there is the matter of Rondo, who will most likely be a constant visitor in Mike Brown’s dreams for the next two or three decades. If Rondo is a reasonable duplicate of the player who dominated Cleveland’s backcourt, Nelson is in for an interesting next couple of weeks.

The overall matchup

Any team that wins eight consecutive playoff games, like Orlando has done in swatting away the Bobcats and the Hawks by an average winning margin of 17.5 points, should be oozing with confidence. And the Magic certainly don’t lack swagger.

But if the Magic think that the Celtics are going to wet their pants the way the Hawks did against Orlando, well, it just ain’t going to happen.

Boston was one of the best road teams in the league (better on the road than at home, actually) and the Celtics’ starting five has never lost a playoff series. Boston’s veterans, who struggled all season when they appeared worn out by travel, nagging injuries and back-to-back sets, appear energized again as they take advantage of days off between games and longer TV time-outs.

Look hard at the under

Five of the seven games in the Eastern semis last season went under, and low over/under totals are expected again this season, perhaps in the 187-188 range for Games 1 and 2. Miami and Cleveland both attacked the Celtics the same way, slowly down the ball and insuring that their superstars (James and Dwyane Wade) had the ball in their hands on every offensive set, hoping to force the Celtics defense to work for large portions of the 24-second clock.

Working in favor of the under is the increased playing time given to Boston defender Tony Allen. When he’s on the court, games can resemble an Ohio State football game from the 1980s.

Prediction

Assuming it goes 7, this series will be played out over 15 days, with the only 3-day break coming between Games 2 and 3 as the series shifts to Boston.

Rashard Lewis, who as mentioned earlier was the x-factor in last year’s series, is not playing great basketball. If he isn’t knocking down corner 3-balls, then KG can cheat down low in the paint.

Liking a slow start in Game 1 for Boston, then agita for Stan Van Gundy from that point on as Boston wins in 7.

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

NBA DUNKEL

Boston at Orlando
The Magic look to build on their 7-0 ATS record in their last 7 games as a playoff favorite. Orlando is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Magic favored by 17 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-6). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MAY 16

Game 503-504: Boston at Orlando (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 119.277; Orlando 136.861
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 17 1/2; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 6; 189 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-6); Under

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

NY Players Club 5/16/2010......
Sunday's Play = 3* on Orlando -6.5

Good luck!

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

BASEBALL CRUSHER
Play of the Day:

Colorado Rockies -140 over the Washington Nats

[kar261]

Re: 5-16-10

Steven Budin-CEO
SUNDAY'S PICK
The Greek Syndicate has a 25 Dime play on Orlando in the 1st Half in today's contest at home againot Boston. As this play is releasead at 2:30 AM Eastern, the Magic are -3 1/2 points in the 1st half in Las Vegas and offsoore in the game.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 5-16-10

Jimmy Boyd

3*- Boston Celtics/ Under 189 1/2
3*- Phillies
5*- Atlanta

[Mr. IWS]

Re: 5-16-10

Ats baseball lock club 5/16

4 Units on Texas (-120)
3 Units on OVER 10.5 Minnesota/NY Yankees,
3 Units on Atlanta (-120)

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

papayagang pick of the day 5-16

Atlanta braves ML
Chicago Cubs ML
Detroit tigers ML

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

Arthur Ralph Sports
446 - 324 run 58 %

Free play Sun RED Sox

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

SPORTS ADVISORS

SUNDAY, MAY 16

NBA PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Boston (8-3 SU and ATS) at Orlando (8-0 SU, 7-1 ATS)

The red-hot Magic, aiming for their second straight trip to the NBA Finals, put their perfect playoff mark on the line when they open the Eastern Conference finals against the upset-minded Celtics at Amway Arena. Orlando, which at 59-23 had the league’s second-best record behind Cleveland in the regular season, swept Charlotte in the first round, then pounded No. 3 seed Atlanta in four games in the second round. The Magic ripped the Hawks by 43, 14, 30 and 14 points again, and the 101-point margin of victory was the largest ever in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series. Orlando finished off the Hawks with Monday’s 98-84 road win as a six-point favorite. Vince Carter led the Game 4 attack with 22 points, and he was one of five Magic players to score in double figures. Stan Van Gundy’s troops are riding a 14-game winning streak dating to the regular season (13-1 ATS), including 10 double-digit routs and an average victory margin of 16.8 ppg. Going back to Jan. 20, Orlando is 42-8 SU, with 28 of those wins being by double figures. Point guard Jameer Nelson (20.5 ppg) has led the Magic in scoring during the postseason, and Dwight Howard is averaging a double-double of 15.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs. Boston took out Miami in five games in the first round, then pulled off the upset of No. 1 overall seed Cleveland in six games. The Celtics trailed 2-1 against the Cavaliers, then won the next three games, clinching the series with Thursday’s 94-85 home win as a 1½-point chalk night. Kevin Garnett paced the Game 6 victory with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists. Rondo leads a balanced Celtics squad in averaging 18 ppg in the playoffs, with Garnett (17.6), Ray Allen (17.4) and Paul Pierce (16.3) right behind. Rondo is also leading the league in assists in the postseason (11.1 per game). Orlando took three of four meetings with Boston this season (2-2 ATS) and has won five of the last six overall (4-2 ATS). These teams haven’t faced off since Feb. 7, when the Magic notched a 96-89 road win as a three-point underdog. Orlando also knocked out the Celts in the second round last year, rallying from a 3-2 series deficit and finishing it off with a 101-82 blowout in Game 7 in Beantown as a 2½-point pup. Going back to Game 7 last year, the visitor and underdog have cashed in five straight in this rivalry, and Boston is 5-2 ATS in its last seven visits to Amway Arena. The SU winner has cashed in all 11 of the Celts’ playoff contests this season and in 21 straight games overall for Doc Rivers’ team, and the SU winner is 15-1 ATS in the Magic’s last 16 outings.
Boston is 29-17 on the highway (24-21-1 ATS), going 3-2 SU and ATS in the playoffs, including blowout wins over Cleveland in Game 2 (104-86) and Game 5 (120-88). The C’s are averaging 98.5 ppg (47.8 percent shooting) away from Boston, while giving up 94.3 ppg (44.3 percent shooting). Orlando is 38-7 at home (27-17-1 ATS) this season, including 4-0 (3-1 ATS) in the playoffs, outscoring visitors by more than 12 ppg on the year (105.3-92.9), while shooting 48.4 percent and allowing 43.4 percent shooting. The Magic have won 11 straight (8-2-1 ATS) and 17 of their last 18 (13-4-1 ATS) inside Amway Arena.
Along with their 8-3 ATS mark in the postseason (3-0 last three), the Celtics are on pointspread upswings of 12-4-1 as a playoff pup and 16-7 when catching five to 10½ points. However, Boston has gone 2-6-1 ATS in its last nine Sunday starts and 4-9 ATS in its last 13 outings coming off a SU win.
The Magic are on a plethora of positive ATS runs, including 23-7-1 overall (13-1 last 14), 7-1-1 at home, 23-5-1 as a favorite, 7-0 as a playoff chalk, 12-3-1 against winning teams, 17-5 after a spread-cover and 20-6-1 following a SU win. Also, in last year’s six-game upset of the Cavaliers in the conference finals, Orlando went 5-1 ATS. Orlando sports a bundle of “under” streaks, including 5-2-1 overall, 12-5-2 at home, 20-5-1 on Sunday, 33-16-2 as a favorite and 7-2-1 as a playoff chalk. That said, in last year’s conference finals against Cleveland, the over hit in five of the six games. Boston is on a 7-2 “under” roll in conference finals contests, but is otherwise on “over” stretches of 4-1 on the highway (all in the playoffs), 6-1 after either a SU or an ATS win, 8-3 as an underdog and 22-10-1 after a two-day break. Finally, in this rivalry, the total has stayed low in seven of the last eight clashes overall, including three of four this season. Also, the under is on a 9-3 tear between these two in Orlando.

ATS ADVANTAGE: ORLANDO and UNDER


NATIONAL LEAGUE

St. Louis (21-16) at Cincinnati (20-16)

The top two teams in the National League Central square off for the rubber match of a three-game series at Great American Ballpark, as the Cardinals’ Brad Penny (3-3, 1.70 ERA) tries to snap a personal three-game losing skid when he matches up against the Reds’ Bronson Arroyo (2-2, 5.36) After dropping a 4-3 decision on Friday, Cincinnati bounced back to score a 4-3 win Saturday, gunning down the final out at home plate. The Cardinals remain just 3-8 in their last 11 games (3-5 on the road), and they’re in additional slumps of 2-5 against N.L. Central rivals, 5-10 against winning teams and 1-6 versus right-handed starters, but St. Louis has won four straight on Sunday and six of eight in the third game of a series. Cincinnati was on a five-game winning streak – all against the N.L. Central – before Friday’s 4-3 loss. The Reds, who had outscored their opponents 35-6 during their five-game winning streak, are on a 6-3 run at home but they are just 2-3 at home against the Cardinals this season. This is already the third time these rivals have squared off in a series this season. St. Louis has won five of the eight contests, and going back to last year, the Redbirds are on a 6-3 roll against Cincinnati. Penny has lost three straight games despite a 2.84 ERA, including Tuesday when he gave up four runs (none earned) over seven innings in a 6-3 loss to the Astros. On the road, Penny is 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA in four outings and he’s already seen the Reds twice this season, with the Cards losing both, 2-1 on April 8 and 3-2 on April 30. In his career, Penny is 7-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 14 starts against the Reds, and at Great American Ballpark he is 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA in six starts, allowing eight runs in 40 innings of work.
Arroyo is 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA in his last three outings, but at home he is just 0-1 with a 6.50 ERA. He shut down the Pirates on Monday, giving up one run on five hits over seven innings of a 2-1 victory. He also dominated the Cardinals on April 8, giving up one run on four hits in eight innings of work, with Cincinnati winning, 2-1. Arroyo is 6-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 23 appearances (21 starts) against the Cardinals. Also, the Reds are 8-1 in Arroyo’s last nine starts against the N.L. Central, but they’ve lost 13 of his last 16 Sunday starts. St. Louis is on a slew of “under” streaks, including 24-10-1 overall, 10-2 on the road, 13-4-1 within the division, 8-2-1 against right-handed starters and 9-2 against teams with a winning record. Also, the under is 6-1 in Penny’s seven starts this season. Cincinnati has topped the total in five of nine against right-handed starters at home, but the “under” is 4-1-1 in the Reds’ last six against division foes, 31-14-7 in their last 52 against winning teams and 16-5-6 in their last 27 on Sunday. And with Arroyo on the hill, the under is on surges of 16-6-4 overall, 7-1-1 at home, 18-6-4 against the N.L. Central and 23-5-2 when he’s coming off five days of rest. Finally, the under is 5-0-1 in the last six series meetings, but 10 of the last 15 clashes in Cincinnati have hurdled the total.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER


AMERICAN LEAGUE

Minnesota (22-14) at N.Y. Yankees (24-12)

The Yankees’ Sergio Mitre (0-1, 3.86) gets his second start of the season as he takes the mound at Yankee Stadium in the finale of a three-game series against the Twins, who will hand the ball to Nick Blackburn (3-1, 4.76). New York has now beaten the Twins 12 straight times after Andy Pettitte pitched the Bronx Bombers to a 7-1 victory Saturday. Before Friday’s 8-4 series-opening win, the Yankees had lost four of five games to end a road trip, a slump that came on the heels of a six-game winning streak. Still, New York remains on upticks of 100-43 overall, 50-11 at Yankee Stadium (12-2 this year), 39-14 against the A.L. Central, 51-24 on Sunday and 45-10 when facing right-handed starters at home. Even with the first two losses in this series, Minnesota has still won seven of 12 and is 39-21 in its last 60 overall. However, the Twins have lost 44 of 64 against the A.L. East. The Yankees swept the Twins out of the best-of-5 American League Division Series last October, finishing the year 10-0 against Minnesota, so they’ve now won 12 straight in this lopsided rivalry. In fact, New York has won 52 of the last 68 meetings overall and 29 of the last 34 in the Bronx. Blackburn was dominant in his last start a week ago, scattering four hits in seven shutout innings en route to a 6-0 victory. However, Blackburn has been knocked around on the road this year, going 1-1 with a 6.27 ERA, giving up 14 runs (13 earned) in 18 2/3 innings. Minnesota is unbeaten in Blackburn’s last four starts overall, but they’re 8-19 in his last 27 road outings, 2-13 in his last 15 roadies against winning teams and 4-9 in his last 13 against the A.L. East. Also, the Twins have lost four straight times with Blackburn facing the Yankees, including a 4-3, 12-inning defeat in Game 2 of last year’s ALDS. Including that contest, Blackburn is 0-1 with a 4.88 ERA in five career starts against New York. Mitre made his first start of the season on Monday and took the loss in a 5-4 defeat in Detroit, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. Mitre has never faced the Twins in his career. The Twins are on “under” runs of 5-1 overall, 21-5-2 against the A.L. East, 36-16-1 on Sunday, 18-7-1 when Blackburn starts on the road, 10-2 when Blackburn pitches on Sunday and 5-0-1 when Blackburn faces A.L. East teams. Likewise, the Yankees have stayed low in five of six overall (all against the A.L. Central), but the over is 5-3 in their last eight home games and 6-2 in their last eight Sunday contests.
Finally, the under is 30-12-4 in the last 46 Twins-Yankees battles in the Bronx, and all three playoff meetings in October stayed low.

ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES and UNDER

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

GAMBLERS DATA
Atlanta -130

[spook]

Re: 5-16-10

Joe Wiz's Daily Free Pick

NHL. Montreal +125 over the Flyers