Tuesday 4/12/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Real Madrid

v

Wolfsburg

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		1/5	7	14	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT REAL MADRID	RECENT FORM
HWAWHWAWALHW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HWALHDALHWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Real have scored 15 goals in four home Champions League games

EXPERT VERDICT: Bookmakers are struggling to split these teams in the qualification market following Wolfsburg’s surprise 2-0 home win last week, but there’s reason to think Real Madrid can turn the tide. Real have a strong home record in Europe and rested key players for Saturday’s 4-0 victory against Eibar.

RECOMMENDATION: Real Madrid to qualify
2


REFEREE: Viktor Kassai STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Man City

v

Paris St-G.

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		2	5/2	7/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN CITY	RECENT FORM
ADHDHLAWADHW​ Most recent​	0 - 0	AWAWHLHWHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: PSG have failed to score in just three of their last 18 Champions League matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City have given themselves a great chance of progressing to the semi-finals of the Champions League after last week’s 2-2 draw but they rode their luck in Paris and PSG could turn the tie around. City’s defensive issues persist in the absence of Vincent Kompany and PSG, who tend to be positive on their travels in European competition, can punish them.

RECOMMENDATION: PSG
2


REFEREE: Carlos Velasco Carballo STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

English FA Cup We 13Apr 19:00

West Ham

v

Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BBC1		17/10	12/5	7/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
HWAWADADHDHD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 0 - 2 2 - 2 2 - 2	ALHDHDAWHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in 14 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: West Ham can reach the FA Cup semi-finals and a Wembley date with Everton by beating Manchester United in the last ever knockout tie at Upton Park. United’s 3-0 defeat at Spurs mean they have lost three of their last four away games, conceding six and scoring only one in their win against Man City.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
2


REFEREE: Roger East STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 13Apr 19:45

Atl Madrid

v

Barcelona

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		5/2	12/5	5/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ATL MADRID	RECENT FORM
HWHD*ALHWALAW​ Most recent​	1 - 2 0 - 1 2 - 3 1 - 0	HWHWADHLHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Barcelona have won only one of their last four outings

EXPERT VERDICT: Atletico Madrid’s first-leg away goal is a huge boost to their chances and they look a value selection to end Barcelona’s title defence. Barca haven’t been at their brilliant best of late and in the cauldron of the Vicente Calderon they may come unstuck against a typically tenacious Atleti side.

RECOMMENDATION: Atletico Madrid
1


REFEREE: Nicola Rizzoli STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 13Apr 19:45

Benfica

v

B Munich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		19/4	3	4/6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BENFICA	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHWALAW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 0	HWHD*AWHWHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bayern Munich have lost only one of their nine European games

EXPERT VERDICT: Bayern will have hoped to take more than just a slender one-goal advantage to Lisbon but should take their opportunites at the Estadio da Luz. After a rocky period, the German champions are playing with the same authority as earlier in the season and can secure their place in the last four.

RECOMMENDATION: Bayern Munich
2


REFEREE: Bjorn Kuipers STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League We 13Apr 20:00

C Palace

v

Everton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		2	12/5	8/5	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT C PALACE	RECENT FORM
ADHLAWHLADHW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 0 1 - 3 1 - 3	AWHLHWHLALAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Everton have recorded the most top-flight away draws

EXPERT VERDICT: Only Aston Villa have lost more home games than Crystal Palace in the Premier League and the Eagles have struggled against Everton recently. But while Palace haven’t scored against the Toffees in their last two home league meetings, Everton have a poor W5, D8, L2 away record this term

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Mike Jones STADIUM: Selhurst Park

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Best Bets - Quarterfinals
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals - Second Legs

The draw for the quarter-finals heavily favoured the four outright favourites, but the proposed semi-final quartet or Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and PSG is looking less solid than it did a week ago.

PSG are now outsiders to qualify after drawing at home to Manchester City, while bookies give Real Madrid a 50/50 chance of qualifying. Barcelona and Bayern Munich both won, but they were narrow wins at home by a goal to nil. All four ties are far from over.

Barcelona still lead the betting at 6/4, with Bayern second at 9/4. Real Madrid are 8/1, PSG are 10/1, just ahead of the week’s big movers in the market, Manchester City, who are 12/1.

Atletico Madrid are 16/1, Wolfsburg are 25/1 and Benfica are the rank outsiders at 100/1.


Tuesday, Apr. 12
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 and FS2

Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain: PSG to qualify at 5/4

Bookmakers opened up this game with both sides vying for favouritism, but all the money has been for PSG and they are now the 7/5 favourites with Manchester City at 2/1. After a 2-2 draw PSG need to win at the Etihad Stadium to go through (or draw 2-2 and take it to extra time, or draw 3-3 or 4-4). They are 5/4 to qualify, and on the evidence of the first leg this is a great bet.

Advertisement
Punters should not be fooled by City’s result at the Parc des Princes. It was extremely lucky. PSG dominated the game and should have had two penalties in the first ten minutes. In reality they were only given one, which they missed. City’s display had a sadly characteristic naivety about it, and the Parisians were clearly the superior team. PSG’s style is such that it does not vary that much depending on whether they are home or away, and they should have enough to get through this tie.

Real Madrid vs. Wolfsburg: Both teams to score at 3/4

Nobody could see Wolfsburg winning the first leg, let alone doing it by two goals to nil. But strikes from Ricardo Rodriguez and Max Arnold ensured they go into the second leg with a better chance than they could have dreamed of. But bookmakers still, amazingly, make them outsiders. They are evens to qualify with Real Madrid 5/6. A home win is 1/5 with a Wolfsburg win 14/1.

The away goals rule means that this match will be more than simply Real attacking and Wolfsburg defending. The German side know that an away goal hugely increases their chances of qualifying: if they score once, Real must score four. The Spanish side have the worst defence of La Liga’s big three, and Wolfsburg showed enough in the first leg that they can score on Tuesday night.

Wednesday, Apr. 13
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 and FS2

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona: Barcelona to win at 5/4

Fernando Torres repeated 2012 by scoring a vital goal in the Nou Camp, but just minute’s later he was sent off with his side Atletico still 1-0 up. After that there was an inevitability about Barcelona’s comeback, but a final scoreline of 2-1 means there is still lots of hope for Atletico. They are 5/2 to win and 10/3 to qualify. Barcelona are 5/4 to win on the night and as short as 2/9 to make it to the semi-finals.

If Atletico had held the Catalans to a draw it would all have been set up for a might defensive display typical of Diego Simeone’s side. But now that they are behind in the tie the onus is on Atletico to attack. And there is no-one better at counter-attacking than Barcelona. Their recent record against Atletico is excellent, and 5/4 is a good enough price to back Barcelona at.

Benfica vs. Bayern Munich: Over 2.5 goals at 17/20

A 1-0 home win in the Champions League is never a bad result, but after scoring almost straight away there was an uncertainty about Bayern Munich in the first leg against Benfica. Nonetheless they are as short as 1/12 to qualify with Benfica 1/7, who are also 19/4 to win the match with Bayern 4/6.

At that price Bayern do not seem worth backing: they stumbled past Juventus in the last round and do not look set to progress with much confidence here. If they meet Barcelona in the semi-finals it is hard to see past the Catalans over two legs.

It is not in the nature of a Pep Guardiola side to try and hold what they have and go for a draw. Bayern will almost certainly score at some point, meaning Benfica will have need three goals and will go for it. The game may open up quickly and this points to over 2.5 goals at 17/20.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

First Round Cheat Sheet

Key:
A – Atlantic
M – Metropolitan
C – Central
P – Pacific
W – Wild Card

Eastern Conference

1M Washington vs. 2W Philadelphia

Capitals: 56-17-8, 120 points
Flyers: 40-27-14, 94 points

Season series: The Capitals and Flyers each won two meetings this season in four matchups with the final three games decided by one goal each. Philadelphia edged Washington in the shootout on March 30 in a 2-1 home victory, while the Flyers shocked the Capitals as +200 road underdogs in overtime, 4-3 on January 27.

Previous playoff outcome: The Capitals reached the second round of the playoffs last season before bowing out to the Rangers in seven games. Washington knocked out the other New York squad in the first round by edging the Islanders in seven games, as each of their last five playoff series since 2012 have gone the distance. The Flyers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2014, as Philadelphia fell in seven games to the Rangers.

1A Florida vs. 1W N.Y. Islanders

Panthers: 47-26-9, 103 points
Islanders: 45-27-10, 100 points

Season series: The Panthers beat the Islanders in the first two matchups early in the season, but New York rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period of their last meeting to win, 3-2 in mid-March. In the only contest in South Florida, the Panthers edged the Islanders, 3-2 in the shootout on the night after Thanksgiving to begin a five-game winning streak.

Previous playoff outcome: Florida hasn’t won a playoff series since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1996, as the Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Panthers stretched the Devils to the limit, but lost Game 7 at home in the opening round in double-overtime. The Islanders fell in seven games to the Capitals in the first round of last season’s playoffs, while scoring one goal each in three of the losses.

2A Tampa Bay vs. 3A Detroit

Lightning: 46-31-5, 97 points
Red Wings: 41-30-11, 93 points

Season series: These two teams split four matchups this season with the home team winning each time. Detroit held Tampa Bay to one goal apiece in the two victories at Joe Louis Arena early in the season, while the Lightning scored six goals in their final meeting at Amalie Arena in late March. Three of the four meetings finished ‘under’ the total.

Previous playoff outcome: The Lightning and Red Wings are hooking up in the opening round for the second straight season, as Tampa Bay held off Detroit in seven games. Tampa Bay won three of four games at Amalie Arena, while the Bolts overcame a 3-2 deficit to win the final two games en route to capturing the Eastern Conference championship.

2M Pittsburgh vs. 3M N.Y. Rangers

Penguins: 48-26-8, 104 points
Rangers: 46-27-9, 101 points

Season series: The Penguins caught fire at the end of the season to win 14 of 16 games to finish in second place of the Metropolitan division. Pittsburgh grabbed three of four meetings from New York, including the last two matchups at Madison Square Garden. There weren’t any clear trends on the total between these teams with one ‘over,’ one ‘under,’ and a pair of ‘pushes.’

Previous playoff outcome: New York and Pittsburgh are locking horns for the second straight postseason in the first round, as the Rangers made quick work of the Penguins in five games. All four losses by the Penguins came in exact 2-1 scores, including a pair of losses at home. Pittsburgh has been bounced by New York in each of the last two postseasons, as the Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit to stun the Pens in the 2014 second round in seven games.

Western Conference

1C Dallas vs. 2W Minnesota

Stars: 50-23-9, 109 points
Wild: 38-33-11, 87 points

Season series: The Stars captured four victories in five games against the Wild this season, including three wins in overtime. Dallas won all three games at Xcel Energy Center, as all three road victories eclipsed the ‘over.’ The only win for Minnesota came at Dallas on January 9 in a 2-1 triumph, while the Wild blew a 3-0 third period lead in a 4-3 home overtime setback to the Stars in late November.

Previous playoff outcome: Minnesota advanced to the second round last season before getting bounced by eventual champion Chicago in four games. The Wild eliminated St. Louis in six games, while yielding two goals or less in all four victories. The Stars are back in the postseason following a one-year absence, as Dallas lost in six games to Anaheim in the opening round of the 2014 playoffs. The last time Dallas advanced past the first round, it reached the conference finals in 2008 as the Stars lost to the Red Wings in six games.

1P Anaheim vs. 1W Nashville

Ducks: 46-25-11, 103 points
Predators: 41-27-14, 96 points

Season series: These teams haven’t met since November 17, as the home squad won all three matchups. Nashville ripped Anaheim at home on October 22 by a 5-1 count, as the Ducks finished that early-season road trip at 0-5. The Ducks picked up revenge in the next meeting at the Honda Center on November 1 in a 4-2 victory before dropping a 3-2 decision in Nashville 16 days later.

Previous playoff outcome: Anaheim rolled past Winnipeg and Calgary in the first two rounds of last season’s playoff before losing in seven games to Chicago. Nashville is making its fourth playoff appearance since 2011, while looking to advance to the second round for the first time since 2012. The Predators fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks in six games of the opening round of the 2015 playoffs.

2C St. Louis vs. 3C Chicago

Blues: 49-24-9, 107 points
Blackhawks: 47-26-9, 103 points

Season series: The Blues won three of five matchups this season with the Blackhawks, including a comeback 2-1 victory at the United Center in overtime on April 7. All three losses by Chicago to St. Louis came past regulation, including two overtime defeats at home. After the first two meetings eclipsed the ‘over,’ the ‘under’ rebounded and went 2-0-1 in the final three matchups.

Previous playoff outcome: Chicago claimed its third Stanley Cup title since 2010 when the Blackhawks knocked out the Lightning in six games last June. The Blackhawks last met the Blues in the playoffs back in 2014 in the opening round, as Chicago rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate St. Louis in six games. The Blues have been bounced in the first round in each of the last three postseasons, as they last escaped past the opening round in 2012 before bowing out to the Kings in the conference semifinals.

2P Los Angeles vs. 3P San Jose

Kings: 48-28-6, 102 points
Sharks: 46-30-6, 98 points

Season series: The Sharks won three of five meetings against the Kings, including a pair of victories at Staples Center. This series was dominated for a long time by the home team, but the road team went 4-1 in the five matchups, while four contests were decided by at least two goals.

Previous playoff outcome: Two seasons ago, San Jose built a commanding 3-0 advantage over Los Angeles in the opening round, but ended up losing the final four games. The Kings wound up winning the Stanley Cup that season, as Los Angeles is back in the playoffs after missing out last season. The Sharks also return to the postseason following a one-year absence, as the Kings knocked out San Jose in both 2013 and 2014 in seven games apiece.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

1st Round Series Odds

Home Team listed first - Best of 7 Games (2-2-1-1-1)
(Opening Odds in parentheses)

Eastern Conference - First Round

Washington vs. Philadelphia
Capitals (-280)
Flyers (+230)

Florida vs. N.Y. Islanders
Panthers (-155)
Islanders (+135)

Pittsburgh vs. N.Y. Rangers
Penguins (-150)
Rangers (+130)

Tampa Bay vs. Detroit
Lightning (-150)
Red Wings (+130)

Western Conference - First Round

Dallas vs. Minnesota
Stars (-200)
Wild (+165)

Anaheims vs. Nashville
Ducks (-165)
Predators (+145)

Los Angeles vs. San Jose
Kings (-150)
Sharks (+130)

St. Louis vs. Chicago
Blues (-110)
Blackhawks (-110)

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Eastern Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Home team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Flyers: 7 of the Last 10 Meetings
Capitals: Lost 12 of Last 17 Road Playoff Games

Two clubs who's playoff history dates back to the vicious Patrick Division battles during the 1980s, The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are set to clash once again in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals have had a monstrous campaign, dominating for well over 3/4ths of the season. Washington set a new record for most wins (56/57), most points (120/121/122) and they captured their second President's Trophy in franchise history. Led by their superstar captain Alexander Ovechkin, who notched his 3rd consecutive 50-goal season and goaltender Braden Holtby, who ended the season tied with Martin Brodeur for most wins by a goaltender in a season with 47, the Caps have been the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup since after the New Year.

However, we have seen President's Trophy-winning clubs fall short of the grand prize time and time again. The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks are the last club to win both the President's Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same year, and that was a shortened season due to a lockout. You have to go back to the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings to find a club that won both trophies in a full 82-game season year. Philadelphia returns to the postseason after a down year in 2015-16.

The Flyers, led by first year coach Dave Hakstol, played simple, stripped-down hockey this year, focusing on puck possession, clean neutral-zone play and balanced lines that provided a good wealth of scoring all season. Forwards Wayne Simmonds & Claude Giroux along with rookie D-man Shayne Gostisbehere have been the 3 key pieces for this club's success offensively, while goaltender Steve Mason has turned in a decent ledger this season for the Flyers, but he has yet to prove his worth in a postseason series. With a 2-6 career playoff record, he will the biggest piece of the puzzle in order for them to pull what would be a big upset.

The Flyers haven't fully returned to the "Broad Street Bullies" just yet, but they play a strong, physical brand of hockey that is a contrast from the fast, offensive possession style that the Capitals have made an art form of this season. While these two teams have a built-up rivalry and some tight contests between each other, this Washington team is on a mission to get over their recent playoff struggles. This team will turn on an extra gear in this series and advance to the 2nd Round in what should be a deep postseason run.

Prediction: Capitals in 6

Washington Capitals
(Record: 56-17-8; 120 Points - Presidents' Trophy Winners)
O/U Record: (21-12-19 at 5 / 12-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#5: 21.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#2: 85.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 19

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat NY Islanders in 7, Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(7-7 SU, 3-9-2 O/U & 7-7 ATS Last Postseason)

14-14, 6-17-5, 18-10 ATS Last 5 Series
5-12 Last 17 Playoff Road Games

Current Form: On a 3-6 SU Run Last 9 Games
PK Unit: 20 Kills/22 Chances Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Evgeny Kuznetsov (20g, 77pts)
Alex Ovechkin (50g, 71pts), Nicklas Backstrom (20g, 70pts)
Justin Williams (22g, 52pts), T.J. Oshie (26g, 50pts)

#1 Goalie: Braden Holtby (48-9-7, 2.20 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 3 SO in 65 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 16-18, 1.92 G.A.A; .936 Sv%)

Philadelphia Flyers
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (23-11-20 at 5 / 8-18 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#11: 18.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#20: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 27

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(3-4 SU, 3-2-2 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
8-10 SU, 10-6-2 O/U & 8-10 ATS Last 3 Playoff Series

Current Form: On a 15-8 SU Run
On a 6-3 SU Run Last 9 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers: Claude Giroux (22g, 67pts)
Wayne Simmonds (32g, 60pts), Brayden Schenn (26g, 58pts)
Jakub Voracek (11g, 55pts), Shayne Gostisbehere (17g, 46pts)

#1 Goalie: Steve Mason (23-19-10, 2.51 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/ 4 SO in 53 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.11 G.A.A; .907 Sv% in 8 GS)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2, 1-3 O/U
Home team has won 10 of last 14 meetings
Lightning: Beat Red Wings in 1st Round Last Year in 7 Gms
Red Wings: 25 Straight Postseason Appearances (Longest Streak in North American Sports)

This rematch from last year's opening round series will have a much different feel this time around. The Tampa Bay Lightning enter this series as defending Eastern Conference Champions after beating the Red Wings in a thrilling seven-game series that was very physical and showcased the defensive prowess from both clubs that hadn't been their mantra during the season prior.

One major change in this match-up will be the absence of Bolts star winger Steven Stamkos, who is out indefinitely after surgery to correct a blood clot in his arm. Stamkos was 2nd in points scored for this Tampa club that has had trouble off and on all season finding consistent secondary scoring, a trait that carried them deep into the playoffs just a season ago. Detroit fought off Boston to grab the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division on the final weekend of the season to extend their postseason record to 25 consecutive seasons.

Kudos to 1st year coach Jeff Blashill for handling the pressure of dealing with rotating injuries, shaky goaltending and maintaining a record that the Motor City faithful take great pride in. With that said, this series will be a test of which club's offense can heat up at the right time. The Wings will be looking for a boost from rookie sensation Dylan Larkin and veteran mainstay Pavel Datsyuk, who has announced this will be his last NHL season at the conclusion of the playoffs. The oft-injured winger is one of the last members from the Detroit clubs that won Stanley Cups in 2002 & 2008.

The goaltending tandem of Jimmy Howard & Petr Mrazek were the glaring weakness in this series last year, and it seems like not much has changed in that time. Jimmy Howard has been solid as of late, winning 6 of his last 9 starts, but Petr Mrazek, who started all 7 games in the 2015 series, has lost 4 of his last 5 starts. For the Bolts, it's Ben Bishop who has been turning in yet another solid season between the pipes. The 6'7" netminder has won 6 of his last 8 starts and held opponents to 2 or fewer goals in 6 of his last 9 appearances overall. This will be another tightly contested series where goals will be at a premium, and small mistakes will be critical.

Prediction: Lightning in 6

Tampa Bay Lightning
(Record: 46-31-5; 97 Points)
O/U Record: (23-25-10 at 5 / 11-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#28: 15.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#7: 84%)
# of OT/SO Games:

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Detroit in 7, Beat Montreal in 6, Beat NY Rangers in 7, Lost to Chicago in 6)
(14-16, 12-17-1 and 16-14 ATS Last 5 Series dating back to 2014)

Current Form: 0-4 SU Last 4 as an Underdog, 3-6 Last 9 Road Games,
PK has allowed 1 Goal in 5 of Last 8 Games

Leading Scorers: Nikita Kucherov (30g, 66pts)
Steven Stamkos (36g, 64pts - Injured), Victor Hedman (10g, 47pts)
Alex Killorn (14g, 40pts), Ondrej Palat (16g, 40pts)

#1 Goalie: Ben Bishop: (35-21-4, 2.06 G.A.A; .926 Sv% with 6 SO in 60 GS)
(Career Playofff Record: 13-11, 2.18 G.A.A; .921 Sv%)

Detroit Red Wings
(Record:41-30-11; 93 Points)
O/U Record: (25-28-16 at 5 / 6-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#13: 18.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#14: 81.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-4-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
19-23 SU, 13-17-12 O/U & 23-18 ATS Last 5 Postseasons

Current Form: 5-13 SU Last 18 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 9 of Last 11 Games
Howard: 6-3 SU Last 9 Starts
Mrazek: 1-4 SU Last 5 Starts

Leading Scorers: Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 50pts)
Pavel Datsyuk (16g, 49pts), Tomas Tatar (21g, 45pts)
Dylan Larkin (23g, 45pts), Gustav Nyquist (17g, 43pts)

Goalies:
Jimmy Howard (14-14-5, 2.80 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 33 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 21-24, 2.53 G.A.A; .919 Sv%)

Petr Mrazek (27-16-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/4 SO in 49 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.11 G.A.A; .925 Sv%)

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Pens lead 3-1 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 7 of Last 10 Meetings
Under is 5-2-2 Last 9 Meetings
Rangers: Beat Penguins in 5 Games of first round in 2015
Penguins: Lost 6 of Last 10 meetings vs. Rangers

Another first round re-match from last postseason takes place as the scorching hot Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Rangers.

It was the Blueshirts who made short work of Sidney Crosby and company last April as the Rangers won the series 4 games to 1, but this season, the Penguins have picked up 3 wins in their 4 meetings. Earlier in the year it was the Rangers that were the all the rage in the Eastern Conference, starting off on a 18-7-3 run, but then cooling off once the injury bug started to hit and affect key guys like goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, and defensemen Kevin Klein & Dan Girardi.

Now it's Pittsburgh that has been one of the best teams in the NHL down the stretch, winning 16 of their last 20 contests to bounce from a fringe team on the bubble of reaching a Wild Card berth to firmly planting themselves into 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division. The mid-season coaching change, hiring Mike Sullivan to replace Mike Johnston, worked out very well, as this dynamic offense, led by Crosby, Evgeni Malkin & newly acquired Phil Kessel finally woke up and took charge, scoring goals in bunches for most of the 2nd half of the season.

Pittsburgh's only major concern has to be their current situation in net. Marc-Andre Fleury has missed time this season on two separate occasions with concussion issues, and while rookie Matt Murray looked stellar in goal during Fleury's recent absence, he too was injured in their season finale, suffering a blow to his head and is now listed as questionable for the start of this series.

As of now, should Fleury & Murray both be ruled out, the goaltending duties would be on Jeff Zatkoff & Tristan Jarry, the latter of which has never even appeared in an NHL contest. This will be an all-out battle, given these two clubs' history with one another. And while the offense for Pittsburgh has been electric, the question mark between the pipes is just big enough to cause some serious concern. I'll give the edge to King Henrik's club to edge out a close series victory.

Prediction: Rangers in 7

Pittsburgh Penguins
(Record: 48-26-8; 104 Points)
O/U Record: (26-16-12 at 5 / 10-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#16: 18.4%)
Penalty Kill: (#5: 84.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to NY Rangers in 5)
(1-4 SU, 1-4 O/U & 5-0 ATS in that Series)
16-17 SU, 16-16-1 O/U & 16-17 ATS Last 6 Series

Current Form: On a 16-4 SU Run Last 20 Games
Scored 4+ Goals in 11 of Last 14 Games
PK Unit: 41 Kills / 45 Chances over Last 14 Games

Leading Scorers: Sidney Crosby (36g, 85pts)
Kris Letang (16g, 67pts), Phil Kessel (26g, 59pts)
Evgeni Malkin (27g, 58pts) Patric Hornqvist (22g, 51pts)

Goalies:
Marc-Andre Fleury (35-17-6, 2.29 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/5 SO in 58 GP)
(Career Playoff Record: 53-44, 2.65 G.A.A; .906 Sv%)
(Last 5 Years Postseason: 15-20, 2.86 G.A.A; .905 Sv%)

Matt Murray (9-2-1, 2.00 G.A.A; .930 Sv% in 13 GS)
Rookie Was Starting in Place of Fleury, who was out with a concussion, but he suffered a head injury in the Season Finale and is questionable as well.

Jeff Zatkoff (4-7-1, 2.79 G.A.A; .917 Sv% in 11 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

New York Rangers
(Record: 46-27-9; 101 Points )
O/U Record: (20-29-16 at 5 / 8-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#14: 18.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#26: 78.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 16

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Pittsburgh in 5, Beat Washington in 7, Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)

11-8 SU, 6-12-1 O/U, 5-14 ATS Last Postseason
40-41 SU, 24-40-17 O/U & 31-50 ATS Last 5 Postseasons
4-5 in 1st Home Game of Series since 2013

Current Form:On a 7-4 SU & 6-0-5 O/U Run Last 11 Games
Allowed 2+ Goals in 18 of Last 19 Games
Lundqvist: 4-8 SU Last 12 Starts

Leading Scorers: Mats Zuccarello (26g, 61pts0
Derick Brassard (27g, 58pts), Derek Stepan (22g, 53pts)
Keith Yandle (5g, 47pts), J.T. Miller (22g, 43pts), Chris Kreider (21g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie:
Henrik Lundqvist (35-21-7, 2.48 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 4 SO in 64 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 54-56, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 SO)

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Panthers lead 2-1 SU, 1-0-2 O/U
Home Team has won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Underdogs have won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Over is 8-0-2 Last 10 Meetings
Panthers: 18-8 SU Last 26 Home Games
Islanders: On a 7-4 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall

It's a Cross-Divisional clash as the Atlantic Division Champion Florida Panthers open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders.

This has been a miraculous season for the 'Cats, as many people picked this club to fall somewhere between a Wild Card entry and a Top 5 Lottery Pick for the next Draft. However, with a solid blend of youthful talent and some crafty veterans, the Panthers not only reached the playoffs for the 2nd time in this decade, but with 103 points, the team set a new record for most points in franchise history, en route to winning their 2nd ever division title.

The "Ageless Wonder," 46-year old Jaromir Jagr is not only still skating on an NHL roster, but he leads this club in points and has really set an example for the younger guys on this hockey team with his tireless work ethic and love for this game. He's a perfect locker room guy to have around up-and-coming stars like Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad & Nick Bjugstad.

The New York Islanders had a nice honeymoon season in their new digs at the Barclays Center over in Brooklyn, reaching the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. The core of this club remains intact from last year, with star winger john Tavares leading the way, along with contributions from Forwards Kyle Okposo & Brock Nielson. This club is tough & gritty and will bang the boards with anyone in the league.

Their one weakness heading into the postseason is their defense, and that's as a result of injuries sweeping through their blue line and goaltenders as of late. D-men Travis Hamonic & Calvin de Haan both missed time late in the season with ailments, the former has yet to return to the line-up. In net, Starter Jaroslav Halak has been out for over a month with a groin issue, and Thomas Greiss has been moved to the #1 role, but his new back-up, Jean-Francois Berube, went down a week ago with a lower body issue, and he's questionable for Game 1.

Should something happen to Greiss, who virtually has no NHL playoff experience, the task of tending net would go to either Berube or Christopher Gibson, who barely even have a week's worth of NHL season time on their pads.

This will be a fun series to watch, as we get to see Florida in the playoffs, which is a rare treat, and we also get to see a great fan base in Brooklyn cheer on their squad. Both teams have made great strides over the last couple of seasons to reach this point and we will see a pair of hungry hockey clubs battle it out in this one. I like the Panthers here to win their first playoff series in over 20 years.

Prediction: Panthers in 6

Florida Panthers
(Record: 47-26-9; 103 Points, Atlantic Division Champions)
O/U Record: (25-18-18 at 5 / 8-13 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#23: 16.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#24: 79.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2012 (Lost to New Jersey in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-2-3 O/U & 5-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On an 11-5 SU Run Last 16 Games Overall
PK Unit has allowed 1+ Goals in 9 of Last 11 Games
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 13 of Last 17 Games

Leading Scorers: Jaromir Jagr (27g, 65pts)
Jussi Jokinen (18g, 60pts), Aleksander Barkov (28g, 59pts)
Jonathan Huberdeau (20g, 59pts), Vincent Trocheck (25g, 53pts - Injured)

#1 Goalie: Roberto Luongo (34-19-6, 2.35 G.A.A; .922 Sv% w/4 SO in 59 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 32-31, 2.54 G.A.A; .916 Sv% with 5 Shutouts)

New York Islanders
(Record: 45-27-10; 100 Points)
O/U Record: (11-9-8 at 5 / 22-32 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#17: 18.3%)
Penalty Kill: (#4: 84.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 21

Last Playoff Appearance:2015 (Lost to Washington in 7)
(5-10 SU, 6-7-1 O/U & 8-5 ATS Last 2 Postseasons)

Current Form: Over is 8-2-1 Last 11 Games
On a 4-1 SU run Last 5 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers:
John Tavares (33g, 70pts), Kyle Okposo (22g, 64pts)
Frans Nielsen (20g, 52pts), Brock Nelson (26g, 40pts)

Goalies:
Jaroslav Halak (18-13-4, 2.30 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/3 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 13-15, 2.39 G.A.A; .924 Sv%) (Injured-Groin)

Thomas Greiss (23-12-4, 2.36 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 38 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Western Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Stars lead 4-1 SU, 3-2 O/U
Road Team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Favorite has won 5 of the Last 8 Meetings
Over is 6-2 Last 8 Meetings
Stars: On a 13-5 SU Run Last 18 Games Overall
Wild: 2-5 SU Last 7 Playoff Games

With a dramatic 3-2 victory in their regular season finale at home, the Dallas Stars clinched both the Central Division crown and the top seed in the Western Conference, and will now open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

Dallas has been one of the best teams in the league all season from an offensive standpoint, with one of the best power-play units converting at a 22% clip, led by the duo of forwards Jamie Benn & Tyler Seguin, the two combined for 74 Goals & 87 Assists during the season.

Minnesota comes into this series on a 5-game losing streak, after previously winning 6 in a row. Their schizophrenic offensive attack has been the primary cause for their roller-coaster season, which saw a bit more stability once John Torchetti was brought in as new Head Coach late into the season. The Wild went 15-11-1 down the stretch with the former Chicago assistant at the helm. Injuries have bit this club as of late, as two key forwards Thomas Vanek & Zach Parise, could miss the start of this series. That duo combined for 43 goals during the season.

The keys to this series will undoubtedly come down to Goaltending & Special Teams. Dallas has been platooning between the Finnish duo of Antti Niemi & Kari Lehtonen all season. While both netminders have turned in respectable records this year, the 32-year old Niemi holds a 10-4-2 career record versus the Wild, which could give him the starting edge, despite Lehtonen winning 6 of his last 7 starts.

Devan Dubnyk will start between the pipes for Minnesota, and he will have to shake off his recent struggles if the Wild stand a chance of advancing out of the first round for the 3rd consecutive year. Dallas' PP shouldn't have too much of a struggle against the Wild's penalty-killing units.

Minnesota is ranked 4th-worst in the league in PK% at just under 78%. The Wild are a disciplined team, that stresses puck possession, but if they can't find the back of the net, they do get frustrated easily, which can turn into penalties.

If the Stars' blue-line corps can do enough to keep quality shots away from either netminder, this could be a very quick series for the club that once called the Twin Cities home over 2 decades ago.

Prediction: Stars in 5

Dallas Stars
(Record: 50-23-9; 109 Points - Central Division Champions)
O/U Record: (2-1-1 at 5 / 43-33 at 5.5 / 0-2 at 6)
Power Play: (#4: 22.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#10: 82.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Anaheim in 6)
(2-4 SU, 4-2 O/U & 4-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On a 9-2 SU run Overall and 6-0 Run at home.
5-1 SU Last 6 as a Favorite
PP has scored at least 1 Goal in 6 of Last 9 Games
PK Unit 50 Kills/53 Chances in the Last 15 Games
Lehtonen: 6-1 SU in his Last 7 Starts

Leading Scorers: Jamie Benn (41g, 88pts)
Tyler Seguin (33g, 73pts), Jason Spezza (33g, 63pts)
John Klingberg (10g, 57pts), Patrick Sharp (20g, 54pts)

Goalies:
Kari Lehtonen (25-10-2, 2.76 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 39 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.88 G.A.A; .874 Sv%)

Antti Niemi (25-13-7, 2.68 G.A.A; .905 Sv% in 43 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 35-26, 2.74 G.A.A; .907 Sv%

Minnesota Wild
(Record: 38-33-11; 87 Points)
O/U Record: (21-25-20 at 5 / 8-8 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#15: 18.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#27: 77.9%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat St. Louis in 7, Lost to Chicago in 4)
10-18 SU, 14-9-6 O/U & 14-15 ATS Last 5 Series
0-5 in Game 1's Last 5 Series

Current Form: On an 0-5 SU run
Offense held to 30< SOG in 7 of Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Mikko Koivu (17g, 56pts)
Zach Parise (25g, 53pts), Ryan Suter (8g, 51pts)
Mikael Grandlund (13g, 44pts), Nino Niederreiter (20g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie: Devan Dubnyk (32-27-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .918 Sv% with 5 SO in 65 GS) (Career Playoff Record: 4-7, 2.53 G.A.A; .908 Sv%)

St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Blues lead 3-2 SU, 2-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 5 of the Last 7 Meetings
Underdog has won 4 of the Last 6 Meetings
Blackhawks: 3-10 in Game 1 of Playoff Series since 2011
Blues: Lost to Chicago in 6 Games in 2014 first round

A historic division rivalry is renewed once again in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks look to officially begin their quest for a repeat, start off battling against the St. Louis Blues.

The Hawks & Blues face-off in an opening round series just 2 postseasons ago, where the Blues held a 2-0 series lead and dropped 4 straight, leading to the 2nd of what became 3 consecutive first round exits, while Chicago went all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, losing in Overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings.

This year's series has a similar setup, with St. Louis clinching home-ice less than a week ago after picking up a 2-1 OT win against these Hawks, in a game where they trailed for virtually the entire game, and tied up the contest with under a minute left and picking up the 2nd point early in the extra frame.

Both teams have superb offenses and talented defenders, but some hot & cold spells with goaltending. Chicago's top netminder Corey Crawford has returned after missing 11 starts with concussion-like symptoms, but he showed a bit of rust in his last start, a 5-4 OT loss at Columbus to conclude the regular season. The 2-time Cup Winner was looking like a Vezina Trophy Finalist during the 1st Half of the Season, going 28-12-2 with 7 shutouts before the All-Star Break, but faltering down the stretch with a 7-6-3 record.

The Blues are riding the hot pads of Brian Elliott, who suffered a mid-season injury, only to return and dominate between the pipes with a 12-1-1 record in his last 14 starts. Jake Allen was also very strong in net during Elliott's absence, but he is now out with his 2nd significant injury of the season and is questionable to even back-up his 31-year old counterpart.

The hottest offensive line in all of hockey has been the trio of Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin & Artem Anisimov. The 2013 Conn Smythe Winner will be adding to his trophy room collection this Summer regardless of how the Playoffs fare, as Kane becomes the 1st ever American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored during the regular season with 106. In addition, the 25-year old rookie Panarin led all first-year players with 76 points and is a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

With all of this being said, the Hawks will need this line to produce as well as major contributions from Captain Jonathan Toews and veteran Marian Hossa, who is slated to return from a minor leg injury in time for this series. St. Louis has been a very tough team and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder knowing that they have done well against Chicago during the season and will look to avenge their playoff defeat from 2 years ago. This club has just enough talent to pull off their first series win since 2012.

Prediction: Blues in 7

St. Louis Blues
(Record: 49-24-9; 107 Points)
O/U Record: (29-31-10 at 5 / 3-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#6: 21.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#3: 85.1%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Minnesota in 7)
11-17 SU, 12-12-4 O/U & 10-18 ATS Last 4 years

Current Form: On a 14-4 SU run Last 18 Games.
Brian Elliott: 12-1-1 Last 14 Starts
Under is 6-4 Last 10 Games
PK Unit: 24 Kills/26 Chances over Last 10 Games

Leading Scorers:
Vladimir Tarasenko (40g, 74pts), Alex Steen (17g, 52pts)
Paul Stastny (10g, 48pts), David Backes (21g, 45pts),
Kevin Shattenkirk (14g, 44pts)

Goaltenders:
Brian Elliott (23-8-6, 2.01 G.A.A; .931 Sv% with 4 Shutouts in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:6-10, 2.55 G.A.A; .898 Sv%)

Jake Allen (26-15-3, 2.35 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 6 Shutouts in 44 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-4, 2.20 G.A.A; .904 Sv%)

Chicago Blackhawks
(Record: 46-27-9; 103 Points)
O/U Record: (11-16-22 at 5 / 12-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#2: 22.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#22: 80.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Beat Nashville in 6,
Beat Minnesota in 4, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Tampa Bay in 6)
45-26 SU, 34-27-10 O/U & 36-35 ATS Last 5 Years
3-10 SU in 1st Road Game of a Series since 2010 Cup Final

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU run Last 8 Games Overall
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 6 of Last 8 Games.
PK Unit: 32 Kills / 35 Chances over the Last 13 Games
7/19 on the Power-Play over the Last 5 Games

Leading Scorers:
Patrick Kane (46g, 106pts - Art Ross Trophy Winner)
Artemi Panarin (30g, 77pts - Leads All Rookies)
Jonathan Toews (28g, 58pts), Brent Seabrook (14g, 49pts)

#1 Goalie: Corey Crawford (35-18-5, 2.34 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 58 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-29, 2.23 G.A.A; .921 Sv% with 5 SO's)

Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Predators lead 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 O/U
Over is 9-0-1 Last 10 Meetings
Ducks: 7-3 SU Last 10 Meetings
Predators: 7-9 SU Last 16 Playoff Games

One of the biggest comeback stories in this NHL season will be taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Anaheim Ducks take on the Nashville Predators in a first round series.

The Ducks got off to a 5-12 SU start to the season and looked like they would be a lottery pick contender, but they were able to muster through the storm and finished the 2nd half of the season with a 25-11 run over the last 3 months to climb all the way back and win the Pacific Division on the very last day of the regular season.

The longtime duo of Corey Perry & Ryan Getzlaf, along with a ton of young core players like Hampus Lindholm & Josh Manson, and the goaltending of Frederik Andersen & John Gibson all contributed to what was a magical run after a disastrous start.

For Nashville, the Predators were looking to expand on what had been a nice 2015-16 campaign, ended abruptly by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. The club had a bit of a roller-coaster season and eventually made the playoffs with a late push in, clinching the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Wingers James Neal & Filip Forsberg hold down the offense for the Preds while veteran goalie Pekka Rinne leads a slightly-above average defense. Once considered one of the top goaltenders in the world, the 33-year old starter has logged a lot of ice time and has shown signs of fatigue in the last couple of seasons.

Both of these clubs possess solid Special Teams units, with Anaheim leading the league in both Power-Play & Penalty Kiliing percentage. Nashville's numbers rank within the middle of the league, but this time of year is all about momentum, which is certainly on the side of the Ducks. This will be an interesting series to watch, but I don't expect any shocking finishes here.

Prediction: Ducks in 5

Anaheim Ducks
(Record:47-25-11; 103 Points - Pacific Division Champions)
O/U Record: (21-24-16 at 5 / 11-10 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#1: 23.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#1: 87.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Winnipeg in 4, Beat Calgary in 5, Lost to Chicago in 7)
21-15 SU, 17-12-7 O/U & 16-18 ATS Last 6 series

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU Run Last 8 Games
On a 6-4 SU Run Last 10 Games as a Favorite
6-14 SU This Season as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Ryan Getzlaf (13g, 63pts), Corey Perry (34g, 62pts)
Ryan Kesler (21g, 53pts), Richard Rakell (20g, 43pts)

Goalies:
John Gibson (21-13-4, 2.07 G.A.A; .920 Sv% w/4 SO in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-2, 2.70 G.A.A; .919 Sv% in 4 Starts

Frederik Andersen (21-9-7, 2.36 G.A.A; .917 Sv% w/ 2 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 14-7, 2.54 G.A.A; .913 Sv%)

Nashville Predators
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (19-15-18 at 5 / 14-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#10: 19.7%)
Penalty Kill: (#16: 81.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Chicago in 6)
2-4 SU, 5-1 O/U and 4-2 ATS in 2015 Playoffs

Current Form:
1-6 Last 7 Road Games, 5-2 Last 7 Home Games
5-1 Last 6 as a Favorite, 5-16 Last 21 as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Filip Forsberg (33g, 63pts), Roman Josi (14g, 61pts)
James Neal (31g, 57pts), Shea Weber (20g, 51pts)

#1 Goalie: Pekka Rinne (34-21-10, 2.48 G.A.A; .908 Sv% w/4 SO in 66 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:15-19, 2.48 G.A.A; .914 Sv%)

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Sharks lead 3-2 SU, 3-0-2 O/U
Road Team is 7-4 SU Last 11 Meetings
Over is 4-2-1 Last 7 Meetings
Kings: 3rd-Fewest Goals Allowed in NHL (192)
Sharks: Blew 3-0 Lead to Kings in 2014 first round

Two hated Pacific Division rivals clash in this opening round series between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

These two squads faced off just 2 postseasons ago, with the Sharks suffering a historic collapse after taking a 3-0 series lead, allowing the Kings to come back and win 4 straight en route to their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 years. That series loss was the catalyst for San Jose to fire coach Todd McLellan and a shake up of leadership and infusion of youth within the Sharks locker room.

Now this team is hungry again and ready to make another run into the playoffs after a one-year rebuild. The Kings also look primed and ready to make a deep postseason push after missing out on the playoffs last year, becoming the first team since the 2007-08 Carolina Hurricanes to miss the postseason a year after winning the Stanley Cup.

Both of these teams are built in similar fashion, with big, strong forwards up front who have the skills to score but also the toughness to bang bodies along the boards. They each have very dangerous Power-Play attacks and neither club takes a ton of dumb penalties. However, given the nature and history of this rivalry, we will definitely see our fair share of hits, collisions, extra-curriculars after the whistles, and maybe even a fight or two break out. The one glaring edge in this match-up is goaltending.

Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the world when he's hot and with his deep playoff experience, he is always a guy the Kings can rely on to steal a game within a series. He'll either face off against his old back-up in Martin Jones, who has done a stellar job this season for SJ, but doesn't have any postseason experience, or James Reimer, who was acquired from Toronto near the Trade Deadline. The 28-year old backstop has played in one postseason series a few years ago, and has looked good since joining the club with a 6-2 record.

I expect this to be one of the roughest and toughest series of all of the first round match-ups, and with the past events looming in the heads of those veteran Sharks players like Joe Thornton & Patrick Marleau, I expect the San Jose club to see "Red" whenever the Silver & Black hit the ice, and I look for them to get past LA in this opening round.

Prediction: Sharks in 7

Los Angeles Kings
(Record:48-28-6; 102 Points)
O/U Record: (24-27-23 at 5 / 4-5 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#8: 20%)
Penalty Kill: (#15: 81.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014
(Beat San Jose in 7, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Chicago in 7, Beat NY Rangers in 5)
16-7 SU, 14-8-4 O/U and 15-11 ATS in 2014 Playoffs

Current Form:
On a 4-7 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall
1-5 SU Last 6 Road Games
Allowed 3+ Goals in 8 of Last 11 Games

Leading Scorers:
Anze Kopitar (25g, 73pts), Jeff Carter (24g, 61pts)
Tyler Toffoli (30g, 57pts), Milan Lucic (20g, 54pts)

#1 Goalie: Jonathan Quick (40-23-5, 2.22 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/ 5 SO in 68 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-31, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 Shutouts)

San Jose Sharks
(Record: 46-30-6; 98 Points)
O/U Record: (19-18-8 at 5 / 23-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#3: 22.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#21: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Los Angeles in 7)
(3-4 SU, 5-1-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that series)
58-56 SU in Playoffs from 2004-2014 (10 Appearances)

(Note: 2013 Sharks became the 4th team in Stanley Cup Playoff History to blow a 3-0 Series lead with 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins, 2010 Bruins)

Current Form: On a 5-2 SU Run Last 7 Games overall
10-3 SU Last 13 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 12 of Last 15 Games

Leading Scorers:
Joe Thornton (19g, 82pts), Joe Pavelski (38g, 78pts)
Brent Burns (27g, 75pts), Patrick Marleau (25g, 48pts)

Goalies:
Martin Jones (37-23-4, 2.27 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/6 SO in 65 GS)
(Only NHL Playoff experience: 56 Minutes of Relief in 2 GP)

James Reimer (6-2, 1.62 G.A.A; .938 Sv% with 3 Shutouts in 8 GS for SJ)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.88 G.A.A; .923 Sv%)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

I love the NHL but honestly don't watch much hockey during the regular season. But I would argue that the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason of any major American sport, and the pucks drops on them starting Wednesday.

Certainly the top storyline has to involve the Chicago Blackhawks, the team of the decade. Chicago has won three Stanley Cups in the past six seasons but has yet to repeat. The last team to go back-to-back was the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 & '98. These Hawks don't look as good as last year's club, but if any team knows how to flip a switch, it's this one. Patrick Kane finished with an NHL-high and career-best 106 points to become the first American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as top scorer. Kane, who had 27 multipoint games, has to be the NHL MVP, which will be announced later this summer. And the Hawks should have the Calder Trophy winner as Rookie of the Year in Kane's linemate Artemi Panarin, who led all rookies with 77 points. The last Hawk to win that award? Kane in 2007-08.

Chicago is +450 to win the Western Conference and +750 to win the Cup. The Hawks open at St. Louis on Wednesday night. A reminder that Chicago will be without top defenseman Duncan Keith, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, for that game as he finishes a suspension. The Hawks and Blues are both -110 on the series line.

St. Louis will get back captain David Backes after he missed the final week or so with an injury. The Blues won three of the five regular-season meetings, with three of the five games decided after regulation. The Blues took a 2-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs two years ago against Chicago and then proceeded to lose the next four games. This franchise hasn't won a playoff series since the 2011-12 season, and I highly doubt Coach Ken Hitchcock is brought back if it happens again.

The other main story is that of the Presidents' Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin won yet another Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer with 50. It's the fourth straight season and sixth time overall he has done that. But Ovechkin's teams have flamed out in the postseason, failing to reach the conference finals with him. The Capitals have not played past the second round since they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998.

The Caps are +400 favorites to win the Cup and +150 to win the East. It's actually pretty rare for a team to win the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season, doing so just eight times. Chicago was the last in 2012-13. Washington opens against Philadelphia, a team I didn't think would make the playoffs and which has a negative goals differential (minus-4). Washington is -265 on the series line with Philadelphia at +225. The teams split four regular-season meetings.

Probably the marquee playoff matchup is Pittsburgh against the New York Rangers. The Pens won three of the four meetings and are -155 series favorites. Back in 2014, the Penguins won Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. However, the Rangers won the next three and also ousted Pittsburgh last year in five games.

Both teams have injury questions. New York captain Ryan McDonagh is dealing with an upper-body injury, reportedly a broken hand, and won't start Game 1. It's not clear if he will play at all. Fellow defenseman Dan Girardi is questionable, as is center Eric Staal, who was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in a trade on Feb. 28.

Pittsburgh remains without Evgeni Malkin, who has been sidelined since March 11 due to a suspected wrist/hand injury. He's not likely to play in the opener at least. Who will be in net for the Pens? Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't played since March 31 due to a concussion but was at practice on Monday. Youngster Matt Murray was great in Fleury's place but he was injured on Saturday -- a possible concussion -- and being called day-to-day. Why was he playing in a meaningless game?

The other significant injury to watch around the league is to the Stars' Tyler Seguin. He has been out since March 17 with an Achilles injury but was at practice on Monday. Coach Lindy Ruff wouldn't say if Seguin could play in Game 1 against Minnesota on Thursday. Seguin had 33 goals and 40 assists in 72 games for the NHL's highest-scoring team. The Stars probably don't need him to beat Minnesota, which enters the playoffs on a five-game losing streak. Dallas, the West's top seed, is -175 on the series line.

My Western Conference picks to advance are: Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles (over San Jose) and Anaheim (over Nashville), so chalk there. In the East: Washington, NY Rangers, NY Islanders (over Florida) and Detroit (over Steven Stamkos-less Tampa Bay).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Pippen pays respects to Warriors
By The Sports Xchange

The Golden State Warriors, who tied the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' NBA-best wins record with their 72nd victory of the season Sunday night, can set a new mark with a home win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, the season's final night.
The Warriors joined the ranks of Michael Jordan's Bulls after beating San Antonio 92-86 to end the Spurs' chance of completing the first undefeated home schedule in NBA history.
Eight days after saying the 1995-96 Bulls would sweep the 2015-16 Warriors in a four-game series and that he would hold Stephen Curry to under 20 points, Scottie Pippen took to Twitter to congratulate Golden State on its record-tying 72nd win with only nine losses.
"Giving credit where credit is due. Congrats to @SteveKerr and his @warriors on win no. 72. They earned it tonight," Pippen tweeted Sunday night.
"@StephenCurry30 showed why he's the MVP. As cold blooded shooter as I've ever seen and a basketball IQ that is off the charts," Pippen wrote in a second tweet.
On April 2, the 50-year-old Pippen was approached by a staff member of the "Dan Patrick Show" and asked for his projection on how a series between his Bulls and these Warriors would play out.
"Bulls in four," Pippen said.

---As another season winds down without the New York Knicks being involved in the postseason, rumors are swirling about the team's next head coach.
Multiple reports indicate team president Phil Jackson will take a long, hard look at David Blatt.
The deposed Cleveland coach, was fired earlier this season despite guiding the Cavs to a 30-11 record. In addition, he led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals as a rookie coach last season.

---Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert will miss the final two games of the regular season after experiencing soreness and inflammation in his left knee that kept him out of Saturday's game in Chicago.
After further evaluation on Sunday, Shumpert had his left knee drained. He will undergo additional treatment and rest over the next several days and is expected to be fully available for the start of playoff practice and preparation later this week, the Cavs said.
Guard Mo Williams' availability is less certain. He traveled to see Dr. James Andrews in Florida for additional evaluation on his ailing left knee.
The Cavs also recalled center Sasha Kaun and guard Jordan McRae from the Canton Charge.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (32-49) at Pacers (43-37)

Date: April 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

After securing a playoff berth in impressive fashion, the Indiana Pacers have a shot to avoid nemesis LeBron James and Eastern Conference-best Cleveland in the first round.

With his club fighting to move up in the standings, coach Frank Vogel isn't expected to rest his starters Tuesday night when Indiana seeks its seventh straight win over a visiting New York Knicks team closing out another lost season.

Though they've struggled to be consistent for much of the season, the Pacers have come together with four victories in five games this month. They could have wrapped up a postseason spot Friday, but a 111-98 loss at Toronto ended a three-game winning streak.

Indiana bounced back with urgency Sunday, leading by as many as 42 and cruising to a 129-105 home win over Brooklyn to clinch its fifth playoff berth in six seasons.

"All year we felt we had a team that could do damage in the playoffs," Vogel said. "(It) was about getting it done to get there. I think our guys were motivated after the Toronto game."

Myles Turner had 28 points and 10 rebounds, George Hill finished with 18 points and Paul George scored 15 in just 22 minutes. Turner, who was sent to the bench when Indiana lost five of eight in March, had averaged 5.6 points over his prior eight games.

"I want to start. You have to put your pride aside do your job," Turner said. "I'm completely fine with the role I am in right now. I am looking forward to the playoffs."

It's still uncertain who the Pacers (43-37) will get in the opening round. They're tied with Detroit for seventh place with a date at Milwaukee remaining Wednesday. The Pistons play Miami at home Tuesday before visiting Cleveland in their finale.

Indiana holds the tiebreaker over Detroit and would likely avoid the Cavs by finishing seventh. James-led clubs have eliminated the Pacers in their last three postseasons, and Indiana's only win in this season's series came with James sidelined.

Vogel told the team's official website he did not plan to rest anyone against the Knicks (32-49), whose season finale will come without Jose Calderon, Kristaps Porzingis and Lance Thomas because of injuries.

The Pacers, who have won seven straight at home versus New York, can extend their longest win streak in the 40-year series with only their third season sweep.

Both meetings, however, have gone down to the wire. George scored 15 of his 27 in the fourth quarter of a 108-105 home win Feb. 24 before Indiana nearly coughed up an 18-point second-half advantage in a 92-87 victory at Madison Square Garden on April 3.

Carmelo Anthony struggled with 14 points on 5-of-20 shooting in February - the only time he's been able to play in the past five meetings. The All-Star forward scored 21 on Sunday in the club's sixth loss in eight games, 93-89 to the visiting Raptors.

Rookie Jerian Grant has been a bright spot, averaging 16.3 points in his last three games, and his play along with that of Porzingis has given Knicks fans the belief that better days are ahead. Porzingis, last year's No. 4 overall draft pick, showed great potential while averaging 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 72 games.

The overall result for New York was far better than its 17-65 record in 2014-15, but Derek Fisher was still fired as coach in early February and replaced by Kurt Rambis.

"My mindset is just figuring out how we're going to better this situation, how we're going to continue to grow as a team, grow as an organization, and not get used to going home this early in April," Anthony said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (47-33) at Pistons (43-37)

Date: April 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Stan Van Gundy undertook the project of rebuilding the Detroit Pistons back into a contender as coach and president of basketball operations prior to last season and acknowledges there's still plenty of work to be done to reach that level.

Still, qualifying for the playoffs is a major coup this early in the process, and that's exactly why he doesn't care who the Pistons play when the postseason begins.

The Miami Heat could face the same opponent whether they open at home or on the road. They've played much better in their own arena lately, though, and need to win their final two starting at Detroit on Tuesday night to ensure they start there.

The Pistons (43-37) will be out to ruin Miami's chances for that advantage despite knowing they'll be traveling to either Cleveland or Toronto for their playoff opener. Indiana needs to win one of its last two in order to clinch the seventh seed, which means Detroit would face the Eastern Conference's top team.

None of that matters to Van Gundy, who has guided the Pistons to their first playoff appearance in six years after going 32-50 last season. They wrapped up a berth with Friday's 112-99 win over Washington as Reggie Jackson - the only starter with postseason experience - scored 39 points.

"It's huge for us. It's huge for our organization," Van Gundy said. "It's a great milestone for them to get in and we hope this is just the start of bigger things. But you've got to start somewhere, and this is it."

It'll be the first playoff appearance for most of Detroit's young core that includes 22-year-old standout Andre Drummond, who leads the league with 66 double-doubles. Three have come in each meeting with the Heat (47-33), including a 12-point, 13-rebound effort in a 107-89 road loss last Tuesday after the Pistons won the first two meetings.

That's one of only three defeats in the last 12 games as Detroit pulled away from Chicago and Washington to get into the postseason with some time to spare.

"I was the backup before, we were always clinching at around 60 games (with Oklahoma City) and we always knew that we would be there," said Jackson, who is averaging 26.5 points over his last four. "We're a young team, we're growing together, we have a nice mixture of players who are very young and some older veterans who have been here. We're just trying to figure this thing out."

Dwyane Wade has won three championships with Miami but went through a difficult 37-45 campaign last season after LeBron James returned to Cleveland. The Heat have improved drastically, though, despite Chris Bosh again being out with a blood clot issue.

They're tied with Boston for home advantage in a potential first-round series and will have a chance to lock it up in Wednesday's matchup against the Celtics at TD Garden if they can get past the Pistons.

Miami has won 10 of its last 11 at home but lost four of five on the road.

"We're going to go, we're going to play two games, we'll go out there and compete and whatever happens after that happens," Wade said after scoring 17 points in Sunday's 118-96 win over Orlando.

"If we start at home, it's going to be great for this team. If we don't, it's going to be a great challenge. But either way we're going to be preparing for the playoffs."

It's unclear if rookie Justise Winslow will be available after leaving in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle. Coach Erik Spoelstra said Winslow will travel with the team.

"Most importantly, I'm going to try to be 100 percent (for the playoffs)," Winslow said. "I'll see whether I can play through it Tuesday or Wednesday."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (10-70) at Raptors (54-26)

Date: April 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

DeMar DeRozan knows what importance home-court advantage carries throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

But with it officially out of reach, DeRozan and the Raptors can at least find solace in their impressive road mark as they seek a 12th straight win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

Cleveland's Monday win over Atlanta guaranteed it the East's top spot over Toronto (54-26), which closes the season Wednesday night at Brooklyn.

Toronto has the franchise's best-ever road record to fall back on. The Raptors moved to 23-17 away from home with Sunday's 93-89 victory over New York, their second straight win and fifth in the last seven games.

'In this league, you've got to be able to win at home and win on the road,' DeRozan said after scoring 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting. 'Sometimes the road is bigger and I think we just like that pressure of having our backs against the wall and I think that's why we play so well on the road.'

It doesn't matter where Toronto has played league-worst Philadelphia (10-70). The Raptors won this season's first three matchups for 11 straight since the start of 2013-14, and they have beaten the 76ers six straight times at home.

DeRozan has averaged 23.3 points during Toronto's win streak in this series while Kyle Lowry has posted 18.3 and 7.8 assists per contest.

The Raptors rested both stars in Friday's 111-98 win over Indiana while DeMarre Carroll sat after returning from a 41-game absence a day earlier. Carroll, who averaged 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds while playing 23 games before his surgery, returned against his former team in Thursday's 95-87 loss at Atlanta and hopes his minutes restriction will be lifted in the postseason.

The Raptors have a chance to make Philadelphia the fourth team in NBA history with 71 losses. While Toronto can close its home schedule with a 32-9 record, the 76ers can fall to 3-37 on the road with Wednesday's contest at Chicago remaining.

Philadelphia has lost 14 straight away from home.

The 76ers avoided matching their 1972-73 team for the league's worst 82-game mark with last Tuesday's 107-93 win over New Orleans, but they have followed with consecutive tight losses.

Ish Smith had 22 points and Nerlens Noel added 18 and 13 rebounds on his 22nd birthday as Philadelphia lost 109-108 in overtime to Milwaukee on Sunday to finish 7-34 at home.

Still 16,267 fans attended the game and were enthusiastic down the stretch.

'We can't thank them enough for accepting the route that we have been on the past three years,' coach Brett Brown said. 'I'm just blown away at the city at how good, and in some ways, forgiving, they have been to support us the way that they do. That does not go unnoticed.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (55-26) at Spurs (65-15)

Date: April 12, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The San Antonio Spurs no longer have a chance of becoming the first team to go unbeaten at home and will have to settle for being the second to finish 40-1.

They look to tie the single-season home victory record Tuesday night when they play in a preview of a possible second-round series against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that may rest stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

San Antonio (65-15) had not lost consecutive games all season until its current three-game slide that includes two defeats to a Golden State club on the verge of setting the NBA record for victories. That includes the Warriors' 92-86 victory Sunday that ended the Spurs' 48-game regular-season home win streak.

Now San Antonio can only equal the 40-1 mark set by the 1985-86 Boston Celtics after shooting 37.8 percent for its second-lowest mark and allowing 57 second-half points.

"We just didn't have enough offense tonight, just didn't make some key shots," forward David West said. "And then obviously I thought defensively, we had a few breakdowns."

The only regular who rested was Tim Duncan, who had played in the previous five games. There's no word on who coach Gregg Popovich will rest Tuesday in this opener of a back-to-back set.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard added 20 and 13 for the Spurs, who saw improvement Sunday from the previous two losses.

"I think we didn't improve too much in the last two games," guard Manu Ginobili said. "I think today we did. We got some good things done but now it's a matter of having a couple of good practices, keeping everybody healthy and rested and wait to see who we play."

It's highly possible the Spurs could meet the Thunder (55-26) in the second round since San Antonio is seeded second and Oklahoma City is third. Home-court advantage could be key since the home team has taken all three 2015-16 matchups.

The Thunder come to town after crushing the Los Angeles Lakers 112-79 on Monday. They have lost five of their last six on the second half of a back-to-back set, with Durant resting on the last two such games and Westbrook in the last one. Neither has incentive to play Tuesday.

Durant scored 34 points despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter Monday, extending his streak with at least 20 to 64 games. It's the longest run since Michael Jordan's 69-game stretch in 1990-91.

"Passing the 20-point stuff, it didn't really move me like it moved everybody else," Durant said. "I just liked the way I stayed with it the whole season, just continued to keep getting better and keep getting used to the offense game by game."

Westbrook had a triple-double by halftime, his league-leading 18th of the season and 37th of his career. He finished with 13 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.

The last time these teams met, Popovich rested Duncan, Ginobili, Aldridge, Leonard and Tony Parker in a 111-92 defeat March 26.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (42-38) at Clippers (52-28)

Date: April 12, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Coach Dave Joerger has remained upbeat throughout an injury-induced plummet, but that won't get the Memphis Grizzlies far if they fall into an inauspicious playoff matchup.

The Los Angeles Clippers are soaring as the Western Conference's fourth seed while Blake Griffin tries to rediscover his All-Star form before the start of the postseason.

In a potential first-round matchup, the Grizzlies seek their second win in 10 games Tuesday night when they visit a Clippers team that's chasing a sixth straight victory.

Memphis has managed to secure a postseason spot despite dropping 12 of 15 while playing without Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, who are out for the rest of the season and playoffs.

The Grizzlies also did not have Jordan Adams, Tony Allen and Brandan Wright on Saturday when they led by 10 points in the fourth quarter before falling 100-99 to Golden State. Draymond Green's tip-in with one minute left gave the Warriors their 71st victory.

"We battled, we got loose balls, we got offensive rebounds, and we got into the paint," Joerger told the team's official website. "I'm just really, really proud of our guys and proud of our season."

Former Clippers forward Matt Barnes stepped up with 24 points and 15 rebounds for Memphis. He's averaged 18.8 and 8.5 while hitting 13 3-pointers over his last four games.

The Grizzlies (42-40) get a rematch with the Warriors on Wednesday after visiting the Clippers. They can finish as high as fifth and would certainly like to avoid the seventh or eighth spots which would pit them against San Antonio or Golden State.

Memphis has a chance to move into a tie with fifth-place Portland with its second win over Los Angeles in this ugly stretch. Zach Randolph had his first career triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 113-102 home win March 19.

Randolph has proved to be a difficult assignment for Los Angeles (52-28), averaging 23.8 points, 10.8 boards and 5 assists over his last four meetings.

The Clippers have turned things around by winning nine of 10 since dropping the last three of that five-game trip. Griffin wasn't around in the first matchup with Memphis as he was in the midst of a 45-game absence due to multiple injuries and a four-game suspension.

The star forward has worked on finding his rhythm during the team's five-game winning streak. After missing nine of his first 11 shots Sunday, he hit five of the next seven and finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in a 98-91 home win over Dallas.

"There down the stretch, that was the Blake that we know, just being aggressive," guard Chris Paul told the team's official website. "It's good to see spurts from him like that."

Griffin led the way with 24 points and 12 boards and J.J. Redick scored six straight points in the final minute to key a 94-92 victory in the first meeting at Staples Center on Nov. 9.

With the Clippers expected to rest players in their finale against Phoenix on Wednesday, Griffin, Redick, Paul and DeAndre Jordan are likely to play in this one.

Jamal Crawford has totaled 52 points while going 8 of 17 from 3-point range in his last two games, but he's scored a combined 20 while shooting 4 of 16 in this season series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, April 12 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Just two days left in the NBA's regular season, and there's not much drama in the individual department. By that I mean for awards and league leaders. Steph Curry is a lock to win the NBA MVP and the scoring title, with James Harden finishing second in scoring for the second year in a row. Curry might even win Most Improved Player as he's been that good. Detroit's Andre Drummond is your rebounding king, and Rajon Rondo will take the assists title. Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns will win Rookie of the Year, with New York's Kristaps Porzingis finishing second. Defensive Player of the Year? Probably Golden State's Draymond Green, who was beaten out for that honor last season by San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, also is in the running this year. Coach of the Year is probably the most wide-open race. I think it should go to Portland's Terry Stotts as that team was gutted this offseason but has made the playoffs.

Knicks at Pacers (-8.5, 198)

This closes the books on New York's season as it looks to avoid 50 losses. The Knicks are off a 93-89 home defeat to Toronto on Sunday. New York remained without injured starters Porzingis (strained right shoulder) and Jose Calderon (bruised right quadriceps), and you won't see them here, either. Indiana beat Brooklyn 129-105 on Sunday and is still battling Detroit for the No. 7 seed instead of No. 8. Rookie Myles Turner had 28 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Nets as the Pacers officially clinched a playoff spot. They led by as many as 42 points. Indiana goes for the season sweep and has won six straight overall vs. the Knicks and seven in a row at home.

Key trends: The Knicks are 1-7 against the spread in the past eight meetings in Indiana. The "over/under" has gone under in six of the past seven meetings.

Early lean: Pacers and under.

Heat at Pistons (-3, 202)

Miami is still aiming to finish as high as No. 3 in the East. In their home regular-season finale Sunday, the Heat beat Orlando 118-96. Hassan Whiteside moved back into the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 20 and had 18 points and 15 rebounds. Justise Winslow left in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle and is questionable here. Detroit beat Washington 112-99 on Friday to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in seven years. Reggie Jackson had 39 points and nine assists. Detroit leads the season series 2-1 and has taken three straight at home.

Key trends: The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 8-2 in Miami's past 10 on the road.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

76ers at Raptors (TBA)

Philly suffered loss No. 70 on Sunday, 109-108 in overtime in its home finale vs. Milwaukee. The Sixers would miss three shots on their final possession. They shot a franchise record 46 3-pointers but made just 13 of them. This is Toronto's final regular-season home game. The Raptors won a second straight Sunday, 93-89 at the Knicks. DeMar DeRozan converted a tiebreaking three-point play with 1:05 left and finished with 27 points to become the second-leading scorer in franchise history. He'll pass Chris Bosh for No. 1 sometime next season. Toronto has won 11 straight in this series.

Key trends: The 76ers are 0-4 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 8-2 in Toronto's past 10 vs. the East.

Early lean: This is presumably TBA because the Raptors would have nothing to play for if Cleveland wins Monday night and clinches the top seed in the East. So wait on that result.

Thunder at Spurs (-6, 206)

First game of a TNT doubleheader and will have live betting at sportsbooks. Frankly, the game means absolutely nothing to either side so I doubt everyone of note plays. They will see each other again in the conference semifinals assuming both get there. Oklahoma City hosted the Lakers on Monday night. San Antonio's shot at the first-ever perfect home regular-season record went up in smoke Sunday in a 92-86 loss to the Warriors, the Spurs' third straight defeat. I was shocked that Gregg Popovich didn't play Tim Duncan. Hard to know if he goes here. The Thunder lead the season series 2-1 but have dropped two straight in San Antonio.

Key trends: The home team has covered 17 of the past 25 meetings. The over is 5-0 in OKC's past five overall.

Early lean: Wait and see who plays.

Grizzlies at Clippers (-8, 199.5)

Second TNT game. Memphis dropped a second straight Saturday, 100-99 at home to Golden State. The Grizzlies really had that one in the bag, blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. Lance Stephenson missed two shots in the final seconds. Tony Allen missed the game with a hamstring injury and it's doubtful he goes here. The Clippers won a fifth consecutive game Sunday, 98-91 over Dallas. Blake Griffin had 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The teams have split two meetings, each winning at home.

Key trends: The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 4-1-1 in the past six.

Early lean: Clippers if everyone plays and under.