Michael Cannon
NBA Playoffs: 17-12-1 (+70 dimes); 2-4-1 last seven
Thursday's Plays...
15 Dime –
SPURS
Take the Spurs minus the points tonight as they attempt to stave off elimination against the Hornets.
The home team has won every game in this series, all by double-digits. I don’t see any reason to buck that trend tonight, not with the Spurs backs against the wall.
The home team is on a 7-0 SUATS run in this series dating back to the regular season. Eight of the nine total meetings have been double-digit blowouts, with the average margin of victory being 17.7 ppg.
The Spurs are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games, winning by 11 and 20 points respectively in Games 3 and 4 of this playoff series.
The Hornets are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games and are just 1-10 ATS in their last 11 Thursday games.
I don’t see the defending champs going down without a fight, so take the Spurs minus the points as they force a Game 7 with the win and cover.
10 Dime –
MARLINS (With Miller as listed pitcher)
Take the Marlins for the road win tonight over the Reds.
Cincinnati may have won the game last night, but they blew a 6-0 lead in the 9th inning before pulling it out in the 10th.
The Marlins have been one of the surprise teams in the league this year, as their young players have matured quicker than anticipated.
One of those players is Andrew Miller, who came over in the Dontrelle Willis-Miguel Cabrera trade with Detroit.
Miller has settled into a groove after a rough start to the season. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA over his last three games and is coming off his best start of the season. Miller pitched seven shutout innings, walking one and striking out seven at Washington on Saturday.
Miller should be able to neutralize the left-handed pop in the Reds’ lineup tonight.
Besides, Cincinnati is a team in disarray right now anyway. Ken Griffey Jr. is falling off, they aren’t getting the hitting they used to and they even batted out of order on Sunday.
Take the Marlins as they grab the road win.
5 Dime –
CARDINALS (With Pineiro as listed pitcher)
Take the Cardinals this afternoon for the home win over the Pirates.
Joel Pineiro will start for St. Louis and he’s had good success against the Bucs.
The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three career starts against Pittsburgh, including a seven-inning effort this year in which he gave up just one earned run.
The Pirates briefly closed within the magical .500 mark, but given their past history they’re due to take a serious nose dive which will quell any hopes of breaking their consecutive losing seasons streak.
Ian Snell will start for the Pirates and he is the ace of the staff, but his control has been erratic this year and he’s not racking up the strikeouts like he did the last two seasons.
Take the Cardinals as they grab the home win.