Wednesday 4/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[superbeets]

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[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 17:30

Sassuolo

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Sampdoria

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BT2		11/10	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SASSUOLO	RECENT FORM
HWALHDAWHLAL​ Most recent​	0 - 0 1 - 2 1 - 1	AWADHLADHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sampdoria have scored in each of their last ten away Serie A matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Although they lost to Genoa in their last game on their own patch, it was only Sassuolo's fourth home defeat in 23 home matches. Sampdoria have won just three of their last 21 league games on the road, but they tend to find the net and can do so again.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga TODAY 19:00

Deportivo

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Barcelona

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		12	6	1/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT DEPORTIVO	RECENT FORM
HDALHWADHLAD​ Most recent​	0 - 4 4 - 5 0 - 4 1 - 3	ADHLHWALALHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Deportivo have drawn 17 La Liga matches this season, six more than any other team

EXPERT VERDICT: Barcelona have had their problems having fallen out of the Champions League and suffered league defeats to Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Valencia, but a victory over a team who have won just one of their last 17 matches should be routine. Expect Lionel Messi to score the first goal after he ended a four-match scoreless run by netting against Valencia.

RECOMMENDATION: L Messi first goalscorer
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[superbeets]

German Cup TODAY 19:30

Hertha Berlin

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B Dortmund

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BTEU		9/2	14/5	8/13	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HERTHA BERLIN	RECENT FORM
ALHWHWALHDAL​ Most recent​	0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 4 0 - 1	AWHWHDADALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Hertha have lost one of their last 16 home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Hertha have the benefit of playing this German Cup semi-final on their own pitch but Dortmund will be tough customers. Their 4-3 defeat at Liverpool has been their only loss of 2016, but Hertha's home record does deserve respect. It could prove a tight encounter that goes to extra-time.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
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[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 19:45

Roma

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Torino

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		4/9	7/2	13/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ROMA	RECENT FORM
ALAWHDAWHDAD​ Most recent​	3 - 0 2 - 1 2 - 0 3 - 2	HDALHLAWHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in nine of Roma's last ten Serie A games

EXPERT VERDICT: Roma's leaky defence cost them again last weekend in a 3-3 draw at Atalanta and the Wolves may struggle to keep a clean sheet against a confident Torino side. The visitors have won three in a row, including a 2-1 victory at Inter, and the best bet may be both teams to score, which has copped in 75 per cent of Roma's home games this season.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 19:45

West Ham

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Watford

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		8/15	10/3	6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
ADADHDHDHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 1 3 - 2	HLAWHLALHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham have not lost a league home game since August

EXPERT VERDICT: West Ham remain in the mix for a European place and they should justify favouritism at Upton Park. Watford have had a fine season on their return to the top flight but Quique Sanchez Flores and his players will be focused on Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final and the Hornets should be opposed.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
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REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Dutch Eredivisie TODAY 19:45

Heerenveen

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Ajax

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		9/2	10/3	8/15	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HEERENVEEN	RECENT FORM
HLADHLAWHWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 4 3 - 3 2 - 2 0 - 5	AWHDAWHWAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Ajax have not lost any of their last 15 Eredivisie matches

EXPERT VERDICT: There were plenty on nerves on show for title-chasing Ajax in their 2-2 draw at home to Utrecht on Sunday and they could give their fans another stressful performance at Heerenveen, who beat fourth-placed AZ Alkmaar 4-2 in their last game at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw-Ajax double result
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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (56-18) at Flyers (41-27)

Date: April 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

As the situation got ugly on the ice and on the scoreboard, it got uglier in the stands at Wells Fargo Center in Game 3 between the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.

That's where the series could end Wednesday night when the top-seeded Capitals look to complete a dominating sweep of the first-round matchup.

Washington overwhelmed Philadelphia with its power play Monday, scoring five times - four in the third period - en route to a 6-1 victory. The Flyers, fired up after a pregame ceremony honoring late owner Ed Snider, actually led when Michael Raffl scored on the first shot of the game 57 seconds in.

Washington leads a series 3-0 for the first time in team history.

'It's a huge opportunity for us to come back home with the win and see what's going to happen and who's going to be next,' Alex Ovechkin said after recording two goals and an assist.

Philadelphia made it easy, as a startling lack of discipline and seeming determination to revisit the "Broad Street Bullies" era led to nine Washington power plays. Fans followed suit in the third period, throwing wristbands used as part of a pregame lights show and other garbage on the ice despite the PA announcer's plea to "show some class" and Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds urging them to stop.

"Our power play has lots of confidence," coach Barry Trotz told the Capitals' official website. "And (the Flyers) keep giving us lots of practice."

Ovechkin has had plenty of help. Defenseman John Carlson continued his outstanding series with a goal and two assists in Game 3 to tie him for the team lead with six points (three goals, three assists). Nicklas Backstrom has a goal and five assists, while Marcus Johansson has recorded one and four.

Even if the Flyers tighten up their play, they'll have to find a way to solve Braden Holtby if they want to extend the series. They've scored two goals in the three games, with Holtby stopping 72 of 74 shots in the past two.

Holtby left practice Tuesday with an apparent left leg injury after colliding with a teammate, though Trotz expects him to play Wednesday.

'Basically just got nicked up a little bit, went off and we'll see where he is,' Trotz said. 'But I don't anticipate Braden not playing.'

Somewhat tempering the excitement over the Game 3 win was an upper-body injury to defenseman Brooks Orpik that will keep him out Wednesday.

'Anytime you lose a guy like Brooks Orpik, with his experience, he's been through the grind before, it's tough,' said Taylor Chorney, who could see his first action of the series. 'But at the same time, we've kind of been through it this year. He spent some time where he was hurt earlier in the year, and we had guys step up.'

While Washington has eight power-play goals in the series, the Flyers are 0 for 13. Claude Giroux, who led Philadelphia with 67 points, has none in the three games.

The Flyers are tasked with trying to stay alive against the team that's looked like the one to beat all season long and appears to have raised its level in the playoffs.

"They are a dangerous team offensively and if you give them too many chances, eventually they are going to punish you for it and you have to play especially smart defensively and stay out of the box," defenseman Mark Streit said.

First-year coach Dave Hakstol faces a tall order in getting his team refocused.

"We're not going away. We're going to pick up and go back to work tomorrow like we always do, like we have all year long, and get ready to go out and win a game (Wednesday)," he said.

It's uncertain whether the beleaguered Steve Mason will start in net in Game 4 or Hakstol will go with ex-Capital Michal Neuvirth in an attempt to spark his club.

'If I get the call I'm going to be ready and I'll try to enjoy it and help my teammates,' Neuvirth said.

Philadelphia forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is suspended for this game for checking defenseman Dmitry Orlov from behind Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (47-26) at Islanders (45-27)

Date: April 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

On paper, the Florida Panthers' deep, skilled roster seemed like too much for the New York Islanders to overcome in order to capture their first playoff series in 23 years.

It's starting to look like the guts and persistence of the Islanders on the ice might be more than the Panthers can handle in order to snap their own postseason slump that dates to the same era.

After their second come-from-behind win helped the Islanders claim an edge in this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, they can jump far ahead with a Game 4 victory in Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

New York hasn't won a playoff series since 1993 and entered this one as an underdog to the surprising Panthers, who have a slump stretching back to 1996 but had been considered a Stanley Cup contender after winning the Atlantic Division.

However, the Islanders' two comeback wins during an exhausting stretch of three games in four days has them in the driver's seat.

After splitting a pair in Florida, New York kept home-ice advantage with Sunday's 4-3 overtime win in its postseason debut in Brooklyn. The Islanders rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 to force overtime, and Thomas Hickey one-timed a pass from Brock Nelson to end it.

'We had a good shift and grinded them out a little bit,' Hickey said. 'Somebody went to change, I saw a gap, and an unbelievable pass and (it) just got off my stick.'

Hickey's description of the overtime shift could be used for the entire series. The Islanders rallied from a 3-2 deficit to grind out a 5-4 victory in Game 1, and Hickey's winner may not have happened if not for a coach's challenge that wiped out Florida's third goal.

The Panthers seemed to take a 3-0 lead in the second period on an Aaron Ekblad tally, but it was overturned after video showed Florida was offside.

The final play of the game continued a promising trend for the Islanders, who entered this series leaning on the top line of John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen for scoring. That trio was great again Sunday, collecting a goal and four assists, but Shane Prince, Ryan Pulock and Hickey each logged their first career playoff goals while Nelson had his first assist.

That coincides with a negative trend for Florida, the play of Roberto Luongo. The six-time All-Star made 41 saves in Friday's 3-1 win but surrendered nine goals on 65 shots otherwise for a save percentage of just .862.

"I need the rest," Luongo told the team's official website. "Three games in four nights with an overtime, so I'm pretty exhausted right now. I need a couple days to re-energize here to get ready for Wednesday."

New York's Thomas Greiss has four postseason appearances to Luongo's 67, but he has outplayed the veteran in this series to the tune of a .922 save percentage. He has bent at times but hasn't quite broken, allowing seven goals but making 78 saves in the two wins.

While Florida forward Reilly Smith has found plenty of success with four goals and four assists, Jaromir Jagr has yet to record a point. Smith tied Dave Lowry for the franchise record with goals in three straight playoff games Sunday, but Jagr went without one for his 34th consecutive postseason contest.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (50-23) at Wild (38-33)

Date: April 20, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Less than five minutes into Game 3, it looked like the series was as good as over. The Dallas Stars had a 2-0 lead in the series and the game, and the Minnesota Wild were on their way to 400 minutes of postseason hockey without a lead.

But by the end of the second period, that span was over, and 20 minutes later, so was a six-game playoff losing streak. Rather than being up against a potential sweep, the Wild host the Stars in Game 4 on Wednesday night with a shot at evening the Western Conference playoff series many would have picked to be over first.

After Monday's 5-3 loss in Minnesota, Stars coach Lindy Ruff conceded the series could stretch on.

"It could be a heck of a series," Ruff said. "The parity in this league is incredible, and if you don't play well you're not going to win."

Dallas took control with two early goals from Patrick Sharp, but Minnesota's Chris Porter scored in the final minute of the period. After a pep talk from coach John Torchetti during the intermission, Erik Haula and Jason Pominville put the Wild in the lead.

"Leaders calm the group down and then we go," Haula told the team's official website. "It was 2-1, 40 minutes of hockey left. There's really not much (to say), everybody knows what to do, everybody knows when we're playing well, and everyone knows what it looks like."

Mikko Koivu extended the lead, and after Colton Sceviour cut Dallas' deficit in half with 6:15 to go, Pominville restored the two-goal advantage with an empty-netter.

Pominville also had an assist after being limited to two points in his previous nine playoff games. Koivu, the team's points leader, had gone five postseason contests without a point.

"We could have easily (folded)," Pominville said. "We could have done that a while ago, too. We're not that type of group. We're not that group that's going to fold. We're going to keep fighting and keep pushing."

The first two games followed the Wild's five-game losing streak to end the regular season, so the win let them avoid matching their worst skid of the season. It was just their second win in eight games against Dallas this season.

The Stars, meanwhile, had gone 11-2-0 over the previous month while never allowing more than three goals prior to Monday.

"We didn't play near as well as we needed to play," Ruff told the team's official website. "Probably as bad as I've seen us play in maybe five weeks."

Jamie Benn had an assist to give him a series-high five points, and the Dallas points leader has 18 on an 11-game streak against the Wild. For Sharp, it was his third two-goal playoff game against the Wild and eighth overall.

Pominville's was just the 11th in franchise history for Minnesota. Two of those belong to Zach Parise, the Wild's injured top scorer.

But both teams have been without key players. For Minnesota, Parise and Thomas Vanek are yet to play due to upper-body injuries, and there hasn't been any encouraging news for either. Dallas' Tyler Seguin, who played in Game 2 after missing a month with an Achilles injury, didn't travel with the team for Game 3 and is considered day to day.

In goal, Dallas had been thrilled with the play of Kari Lehtonen prior to allowing four goals on 24 shots in Game 3. Even so, he's 7-2-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and .932 save percentage over the last month.

Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk faced 17 shots for his lightest workload in a full game since October to end a six-game losing streak. The 1-6-0 span over his last eight games comes with a 2.83 GAA and .883 save percentage.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (48-28) at Sharks (46-30)

Date: April 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Already down 2-0 in the series, the Los Angeles Kings fell behind 30 seconds into Game 3. It wasn't the start they wanted, but they've climbed out of deeper holes.

The Kings recovered to win the game and will now look to even the series Wednesday night with a fourth straight playoff win in San Jose, while the Sharks try to avoid the memory of their 2014 collapse in the same first-round matchup.

After Los Angeles' 2-1 overtime win Monday, the road team has won each game by a goal, and the Kings are trying to wrestle back home advantage - though it just doesn't seem to mean all that much.

The Sharks are 4-0-0 in Los Angeles this season and the Kings 3-1-0 in San Jose. They've won the last three playoff games there as part of a 6-2-0 span, which dates to that 2014 series in which Los Angeles rallied from a 3-0 series deficit to beat the Sharks on its way to a second Stanley Cup title.

Tanner Pearson scored the winner and is on a season-best five-game point streak - one shy of his career-best run from May 2014, which came entirely in the postseason.

"It's not the start that we wanted, obviously, but we trust each other in here that we were going to bounce back," Pearson told the league's official website. "It's a confident group when our backs are against the wall. We're still there and we've got to fight back to even up the series."

Anze Kopitar tied it midway through the first period to give the Kings a power-play goal in five straight games against the Sharks after ending the regular season by going 3 for 38 in their last 16 overall.

Regardless of how the goals came, Drew Doughty said the result likely instilled a level of uneasiness for San Jose.

"You know they're thinking a little bit about it now, so we're right where we want to be," said Doughty, who played 35:01 of the game's 63:47.

San Jose isn't so sure there's been any real momentum shift.

"It's the first team to four," coach Peter DeBoer said. "I couldn't care less where we win the game. We played well enough to win the game tonight. We outshot them, outchanced them. We didn't win."

Shots, however, have meant little. In the last seven meetings, the team with fewer shots has won six times and the other ended with both teams recording 32.

Overall, San Jose has now dropped six of its last eight at home as part of a season long since defined by road success and home struggles. The Sharks have won 18 of 42 home games, while every other playoff team has won at least 22.

"The effort was there, the crowd was great," said Joe Pavelski, who leads the series with four points. "We felt like we did a lot of good things again. They were definitely a better team than the first couple of games. It's nothing we can't play with and we don't feel like we can't get our game going.

"It's still a big challenge out there, and we're excited."

After Joe Thornton's early goal, Jonathan Quick settled in for a 29-save night and has gotten better in each playoff game after Los Angeles missed the postseason last year. He's been in goal for the three straight playoff wins in San Jose while posting a 0.65 goals-against average and .980 save percentage.

Counterpart Martin Jones has faced his former team eight times this season, going 5-2-1 with a 2.34 GAA. He's 2-1-0 with a 1.50 GAA in five career playoff games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

In my opinion, the big winner of the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs was the Western Conference top-seeded Dallas Stars. The big loser? The greater Los Angeles area. I didn't give the Stars a great chance of winning the West because while it's a fabulous offensive team, Dallas wasn't great on defense during the regular season. But with has happened to the two L.A. teams thus far, now I'm rethinking that.

The Stars took a 2-0 series lead against Minnesota into Monday's game in Minneapolis. Kari Lehtonen has been great in goal, although it's against a Wild team missing two of its best forwards due to injury and that's easily the worst club in the postseason. My only worry about Dallas now is the status of star forward Tyler Seguin. He missed the final 10 games of the regular season and first of these playoffs with an Achilles injury. He did play 15:40 in Game 2 but apparently tweaked that injury. NHL teams are notoriously vague about these types of things. Seguin was to miss Game 3 and all Coach Lindy Ruff would say is that what Seguin is dealing with is "not his injury, but it is kind of related."

I don't think the Stars can win the Cup without Seguin at 100 percent, so I'd just sit him the rest of the Wild series to heal up for the conference semifinals. I do think they can win the West without him because now it looks as if Dallas won't have to deal with either the Los Angeles Kings, the Western Conference betting favorites entering the playoffs, or Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks in the conference finals.

I'm absolutely shocked that Los Angeles entered Monday's Game 3 of their series at San Jose down 2-0. True, the Sharks led the NHL in road wins during the season and set a franchise record, but I never saw them winning both games in L.A. It was a bad week in L.A. hockey as the Ducks also dropped their first two at home against Nashville, each by the same 3-2 score. John Gibson was in net for both of those, but I think you will see Coach Bruce Boudreau go with Frederik Andersen, who has much more playoff experience, in Game 3 on Tuesday. The Ducks' big guns, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, have been held to three total points. Perry is minus-three for the series. The Ducks are also taking too many penalties. They have now lost four straight playoff games, three at home, since leading the Blackhawks 3-2 through five games of last season's Western Conference Finals.

Anaheim is a +100 underdog for Tuesday's game in Nashville, which has a 2-0 playoff series lead for the first time in franchise history. The new odds to win the West are: Stars at +250, Blues (+450), Blackhawks (+500), Sharks (+500), Predators (+600), Ducks (+950), Kings (+1000) and the no-chance Wild at +4000.

Chicago faces a near must-win home game on Tuesday against St. Louis, with the Hawks as -155 favorites. They totally let one get away in Sunday's Game 2, leading 2-1 entering the third but falling 3-2. The Blackhawks had been 70-0-4 since the start of last season when they had the lead at the beginning of the third. The Blackhawks had trouble scoring in 5-on-5 play during the regular season, ranking in the bottom third of the NHL, and that has carried over with just one goal at even strength. The Blues finished second in 5-on-5 goals allowed this season and they have outpaced the Hawks in high-danger scoring chances during 5-on-5 play 35-19. I wouldn't bail on Chicago yet as the Hawks typically play inconsistently early in series and then flip the switch.

My original Western Conference picks to advance were Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Not looking great there at the moment.

In the Eastern Conference, Washington is now a huge -105 favorite to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. The Capitals looked to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Flyers in Philly on Monday night. The Penguins are next at +500 to win the East, followed by the Lightning (+750), Rangers (+750), Islanders (+900), Panthers (+1100), Flyers (+3500) and Red Wings (+3500). I'm sticking with my first-round selections: Washington, the two New York teams and Detroit.

Easily the most interesting series in the East has been Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers, especially in net. Blueshirts star Henrik Lundqvist left Game 1 with an eye injury and New York lost. He was a game-time call for Game 2 on Saturday but was in net and led a 4-2 victory to even the series at one. The Penguins have played both games with third-stringer Jeff Zatkoff in net and he's expected to be in there against Tuesday with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray still recovering from injuries. It was because of Zatkoff that I liked New York in this series. The Penguins did welcome back star forward Evgeni Malkin in Game 2; he had been out since March 11 and was supposed to be out at least six weeks. Malkin played nearly 20 minutes Saturday and had an assist. The Rangers are actually +101 underdogs for Tuesday. On the series line, the Pens are -165 and Rangers +145. Blueshirts captain Ryan McDonagh hasn't played yet in the series and is doubtful for Tuesday. He did practice Monday for the first time since being hurt two weeks ago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wednesday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds

The opening round of the NBA Playoffs gets back to business Wednesday night with a trio of solid matchups. The Hornets, Pistons, and Trail Blazers will all be trying to avenge Game 1 defeats.


Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat (-4.5, 199)

Heat lead series 1-0

The third-seeded Miami Heat versus the sixth-seeded Charlotte Hornets was supposed to be one of the tighter matchups of the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Heat breezed to a 32-point victory in Game 1 and will try to open up a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set with another easy win when they host the Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Miami’s clear advantage entering the series was experience, and Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson all have plenty of experience in the postseason, even if none of it came together. Deng looked comfortable with a season-high 31 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Game 1 to lead a 57.6 percent shooting effort from the Heat. “Whether you lose by 30 or one, it’s one-nothing,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters. “We lost one game. And up front, we just got manhandled. If Deng and (center Hassan) Whiteside are going to combine for those kinds of numbers, it’s going to be hard for us to win.” Charlotte was outrebounded 49-37 and outscored in the paint 56-36 but does not plan to move center Al Jefferson into the starting lineup.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southeast (Charlotte), FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The line for this contest opened with the Heat pegged as five-point favorites and the public didn't trust that line, betting it down to -4.5. The total opened at 202.5 and took a drastic downward turn - settling in at 199.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (48-35, 42-40-1 ATS, 41-40-2 O/U): Kemba Walker was one of three players to score in double figures with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting in the first game but lamented the team’s execution. "We made a lot of mistakes," Walker told reporters. "Coach gave us an awesome game plan and we just completely went against it. We didn’t do what he told us to do. That’s not really us. We’re usually the team that plays mistake-free. (Sunday), that wasn’t the case. They played extremely well as well, but we definitely made a lot of mistakes." Starting guards Walker, Courtney Lee and Nicolas Batum each managed only one assist in the loss.

ABOUT THE HEAT (49-34, 44-38-1 ATS, 35-47-1 O/U): Whiteside was playing in his first postseason game and had no trouble getting the better of Charlotte’s frontcourt with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes. “We just knew it was time to play Miami Heat basketball,” Whiteside told reporters. “We’re in the playoffs. It’s all or nothing. Just leave it all out there. We came out and played our hearts out as a team. We’re just going to try to keep it rolling.” Whiteside finished third in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting revealed on Monday.

TRENDS:

* Hornets are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Heat are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.
* Over is 6-0 in Hornets last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 6-1 in Heat last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 9-0 in the last 9 meetings in Miami.


Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (-10, 201)

Cavaliers lead series 1-0

The Detroit Pistons let an upset opportunity get away in the series opener and look to avoid a 0-2 hole when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Wednesday's Game 2. Eighth-seeded Detroit held a seven-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in Game 1 before top-seeded Cleveland rallied and stymied the Pistons.

Detroit point guard Reggie Jackson personifies the club's swagger and he doesn't see the missed opportunity as a devastating blow. "We know this is Goliath. We welcome it. We like the challenge," Jackson told reporters after the 106-101 loss. "I think we played well, I don't think we played necessarily our best game. We'll figure it out. It's a 1-0 series. We for sure got another one on Wednesday - come back and be ready to come out swinging." The Cleveland trio of point guard Kyrie Irving (playoff career-best 31 points), power forward Kevin Love (28 points, 13 rebounds) and small forward LeBron James (22 points, 11 assists) were all in stellar form in the opener. "We have a number of guys on this team, veterans that prepared us for this moment," Love told reporters. "So kind of leading up to it, three or four weeks left in the season, we were approaching every game like we had to get into the flow of a playoff game and approach every game as a tough one for us."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Cleveland)

LINE HISTORY: The Cavs opened at -10.5 and the line was quicly dropped to -10 after Detroit's gutsy performance in Game 1. The total opened at 201 and hasn't moved off that number.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (44-39, 43-38-2 ATS, 43-40 O/U): Backup rookie forward Stanley Johnson was a solid contributor in the opener with nine points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his regret that he didn't play Johnson over Tobias Harris (nine points in 40 minutes) down the stretch. The first-round draft pick from Arizona averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season but has impressed his teammates with his tenacious approach. "Stanley Johnson is a complete dog. He doesn't fear no man," Jackson told reporters. "We all bleed, so there ain't no reason to worry anybody, and that's how he feels. He's going to come at you and attack you. It's a mindset that we all need to have, and it's one that we embrace with him on this team."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (58-25, 37-43-3 ATS, 42-41 O/U): Irving (five) and Love (four) combined for nine of Cleveland's 12 3-pointers in the opener and James was ecstatic to see both players come through after injuries ended their postseasons early last season. "For these two guys, they were just excited to get back to this moment," James told reporters. "These guys have been working hard - Kyrie on his knee, Kevin on his shoulder - just to get back to this moment. It was great to be out on the floor with them and for them to put together the performance that they did." Outside of the trio, there wasn't much offense from the rest of the Cavaliers, as the other six who played combined for just 25 points.

TRENDS:

* Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Central.
* Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 7-0 in Pistons last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 vs. NBA Central.
* Pistons are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Cleveland.


Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (-8.5, 209)

Clippers lead series 1-0

The Los Angeles Clippers had no trouble with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 and will try to take a 2-0 lead when they host Game 2 on Wednesday. The Clippers coasted to a 115-95 victory in the series opener behind 28 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul and a solid defensive effort against the Trail Blazers’ talented backcourt.

Paul had plenty of help from the rest of his teammates, including a strong game from Blake Griffin that made it look as if the former All-Star was all the way back from his quad and hand injuries. “I'm just going to go play and play as hard as I can and fill any void that we see as a team,” Griffin told reporters. “I'm not really worried about the whole, ‘Can he get back?’ or, ‘Will he be able to play at a high level?’ It's just about filling those gaps for our team and finding ways to help.” The Trail Blazers could use a solid performance from their frontcourt after starters Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee combined to go 7-of-25 from the field. The vaunted backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum wasn’t much better offensively and struggled trying to stop Chris Paul and J.J. Redick on the other end of the floor.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as 8.5-point favorites and the total opened at 209 - neither number has moved at this point.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (44-39, 44-39 ATS, 44-39 O/U): Lillard managed 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and eight assists in Game 1 but was no match for Paul in his first playoff game as the unquestioned leader of the team. "We knew that they would make runs, but you've got to answer back," Lillard told reporters. "You've got to get stops. You've got to score the ball." Lillard helped drag the team to the playoffs despite losing four veteran starters from a playoff team last season and needs more help from McCollum, who struggled to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 1.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (54-29, 41-39-3 ATS, 34-49 O/U): Integrating Griffin back into the rotation after an absence of over three months was a focus for the team in the final two weeks of the regular season, and he looked comfortable in Game 1. "He was great,” Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters of Griffin. “Assertive. I loved his energy. Yeah, I mean, like I said before the game, I've been surprised with him. His energy, his endurance. (Sunday), I thought was the first day that he had great timing as well, so that was good for us.” Griffin delivered 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes after playing only five games down the stretch in the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Trail Blazers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
* Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 12-3 in Trail Blazers last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 22-5 in Clippers last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (48-34) at Heat (48-34)

Date: April 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

So much can be said about what the Miami Heat don't have anymore from their last playoff run, but the start of the latest was all about newer faces.

Each began in similar fashion against the same team.

After a record-breaking blowout in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series, the Heat will go for their sixth straight postseason win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night in South Beach.

The last time Miami was in the playoffs, it fell in five games to San Antonio in the 2014 Finals, marking the breakup of its Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The latter two are still with the team, though Bosh has been out since the All-Star break with blood clots in his leg, and Wade, the longtime leader of the franchise, was merely the Heat's third-best player in Sunday's opener.

The 12-time All-Star scored 16 points in a 123-91 rout of the Hornets but took a back seat to a pair of players making their Heat postseason debuts.

Luol Deng made 11 of 13 shots for 31 points, his most in two seasons with Miami, and Hassan Whiteside shot 9 of 11 for 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking three shots.

'Whether you lose by 30 or one, it's 1-0,' Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. 'So we lost one game. But obviously, particularly up front, we just got manhandled. And if Deng and Whiteside are going to combine for that kind of numbers, it's going to be hard for us to win.'

Deng, a 12-year veteran who spent his first 9 1/2 seasons with Chicago, hadn't scored that many points since going for 37 in a triple-overtime game against New Orleans while with the Bulls on Dec. 2, 2013.

'He wants to make winning plays,' coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'He wants to help a team. I think that will be different things, different nights. ... Mature, veteran players understand it's not about the numbers. It's about contribution of winning plays.'

While Wade was somewhat held in check, the Heat still posted a franchise playoff record for points and shot 57.6 percent. They made 9 of 18 3-pointers, including Deng's 4 of 6, and poured in 41 points in the opening quarter to match another franchise mark.

Oh, and they never trailed.

That was a similar story to the 2014 first-round series swept by the Heat, who won the four games over Charlotte by an average of 9.8 points. Eight regular-season matchups since that series have been split even though the Hornets have lost 15 of 16 in Miami, where the Heat have won seven in a row overall and 13 of 15 since the All-Star break.

Miami has won 10 straight first-round playoff games and 16 of its last 20 series after grabbing a 1-0 lead.

Charlotte, meanwhile, is still searching for its first playoff victory since topping the then-New Jersey Nets in Game 3 of a second-round series in 2002. The Hornets have since dropped 11 in a row.

Nicolas Batum scored 20 of his 24 points in Sunday's first half, and leading scorer Kemba Walker finished with 19 but sat out most of the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Walker has averaged 19.4 points in five career playoff games, all losses to the Heat.

The two teams finished the regular season with identical 48-34 records, but Miami ended up with the No. 3 seed and home advantage in a tight East race, while Charlotte wound up sixth.

'I thought we were going to be ready to go,' Batum said. "We've got to be ready next game. This may be a good lesson for us.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (44-38) at Cavaliers (57-25)

Date: April 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Pistons did beat the Cleveland Cavaliers three times during the regular season, but the defending Eastern Conference champions' Big 3 was healthy for only one of those games.

The trio appears to be very much at full strength now, leaving the Pistons trying to avoid exiting Cleveland in an 0-2 hole Wednesday night even though they were quite competitive in the opener to this first-round series.

LeBron James has won 14 straight opening-round games, so even winning one from the Cavs would be a notable achievement for an eighth-seeded Detroit team making its first playoff appearance since 2009.

It's clear, though, that these young Pistons aren't lacking in confidence despite being heavy underdogs against a team which has so much more playoff experience and All-Star appearances - 12 for James and three apiece for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Reggie Jackson is Detroit's only starter with playoff experience and Andre Drummond has the roster's lone All-Star nod.

"We don't care who you put in front of us," Jackson said. "We fear nobody and experience is going to be our best teacher. We're going to learn on the fly. We think we have a chance."

That certainly was the case Sunday in Game 1, which the Pistons led by seven early in the fourth quarter before losing 106-101.

Irving had seven of his 31 points in the final 3 1/2 minutes, Love's 28 included two key 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions midway through the fourth and James chipped in 22 points with 11 assists.

"It definitely starts with us. It starts with our mindsets and it starts with how we approach the game," James said when asked about the Big 3's role.

It was a triumphant return to the playoffs for Irving, who broke his kneecap in Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals, as well as for Love, whose 2015 postseason ended in the first round with a shoulder injury.

"For these two guys, they were just excited to get back to this moment," James said. "It was great to be out on the floor with them and for them to put together the performance that they did."

Love's 22 field-goal attempts were his most in a Cavaliers uniform, and Cleveland improved to 17-4 this season when he has more than 20 points.

"My mentality was to be aggressive all night," said Love, who also grabbed 13 rebounds. "We have to do that the entire series."

Coach Tyronn Lue echoed those sentiments and had to be happy that Cleveland outscored Detroit in the paint (38-24) and off turnovers (19-2) after the Pistons won both battles in three of four regular-season meetings.

"Our objective in this series is to be aggressive and attack; we don't want to bail them out with jump shots," Lue told the Cavaliers' official website. "We want to attack, get downhill, get to the paint, and then we can kick out for 3s. I thought the Big 3 did a phenomenal job of doing that."

Detroit was the better 3-point shooting team in Game 1, hitting 15 of 29, even though Cleveland was much more prolific in that department this season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit four en route to 21 points and Marcus Morris made three and scored 20.

"I thought our guys were out there playing like it was any other game and competing hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I'm proud of the way they competed."

Yet, the Pistons know improvements must be made if they're going to hand James his first opening-round loss since 2012 and return to Detroit for Friday's Game 3 with the series tied.

They are one of only four East teams to win in Cleveland this season and the only one in the league to do it twice.

"We're still confident," Jackson said after scoring 17 points in Game 1. "We know this is Goliath. We welcome it. We like the challenge."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (44-38) at Clippers (53-29)

Date: April 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

While the frontcourt of Lob City seems to be back on the rise, Rip City's backcourt has stumbled in the opposite direction.

Still, the Los Angeles Clippers were critical of their 20-point blowout victory in the opener of their Western Conference first-round series, while the Portland Trail Blazers remained surprisingly optimistic.

Perhaps that's because the rout will mean little if the Clippers drop Wednesday night's Game 2 at Staples Center and relinquish the home advantage to the Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles cruised to Sunday's 115-95 victory behind a rejuvenated Blake Griffin, who played his sixth game after missing over three months with quadriceps and hand injuries - the latter from punching a team employee in January in a fight that resulted in a four-game suspension.

Griffin had his best stat line since his return with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and Chris Paul made 10 of 19 shots to finish with 28 points, 11 assists and six boards. The fourth-seeded Clippers improved to 6-0 with Griffin back in their lineup with their fourth straight win in this series.

They were electric offensively, shooting 53.8 percent - aided by several highlight-reel dunks from Griffin and DeAndre Jordan - and committing only 10 turnovers for their eighth consecutive win at Staples.

The other end of the floor, though, was the difference. The fifth-seeded Blazers, riding a 2-10 road slump, shot 39.8 percent and 33.3 from 3-point range. Damian Lillard was the only starter to make more than three shots, finishing 7 of 17 for 21 points.

However, after watching game film Monday, the Clippers felt it was more of an off-shooting night for Portland than a defensive effort worthy of applause.

"I thought we were good defensively, but I don't think we were anything past good," coach Doc Rivers told the team's official website. "We made a lot of mistakes. They're going to make adjustments, and we're going to have to be better."

The recurring game plan will be trying to slow Lillard and backcourt running mate C.J. McCollum, who finished 3 of 11 for nine points. The pair combined to average 45.9 in the regular season.

"They go as Damian goes," Austin Rivers told the team's official website. "Our focus was to stop him and limit everybody else as well. And I still think we can do a better job of that."

The Blazers missed 50 of 83 shots and 20 of 30 from long range for their worst shooting game since March 14. Somehow, they took that as a positive as they try to avoid their second straight first-round exit.

"They played as good a game as they've played in a while," Lillard said of Los Angeles. "We just have to understand that the things we saw on film, if we clean up some of those things offensively and defensively, then we'll have a chance. We know we'll have a chance."

Dropping Game 2 would make a comeback much more difficult. NBA teams are 16-254 all-time after trailing 0-2 in a best-of-seven series, and only two of 53 teams to face that hole have prevailed since 2009.

However, the last team to cough up that advantage was Los Angeles in a six-game first-round exit at the hands of Memphis in 2013.

The Trail Blazers are 1-7 when facing a 0-2 deficit, the lone victory coming in the 1977 Finals against Philadelphia. To avoid it they will have to beat the Clippers at Staples Center for just the second time in 11 tries over the last five seasons.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Wednesday, April 20 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

These are not your father's New York Knicks. Two decades ago, that was one of the top jobs in the NBA, maybe the best. Pat Riley took it. So did Rick Pitino. But now that franchise is a mess and team president Phil Jackson reportedly can't even get a Warriors assistant coach, Luke Walton, to take over as head coach. Meanwhile, to show how much has changed, the perennially downtrodden Minnesota Timberwolves -- formerly the Siberia of the NBA for coaches -- have plenty of big names interested in their opening because of so much young talent on the roster, and they are likely to hire either Jeff Van Gundy, a former Knicks coach, or Tom Thibodeau, the former Bulls coach, as their new guy very soon. Whomever it is likely also gets full control over personnel like Stan Van Gundy has in Detroit. Expect a decision this week.


Game 2: No. 6 Hornets at No. 3 Heat (-4.5, 202)

Charlotte and Miami finished with the same regular-season record, but they didn't belong on the same court in Game 1 as the Heat crushed the Hornets 123-91. It was over after one quarter with Miami up 41-22. Luol Deng had a season-high 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting and Hassan Whiteside had 21 points on 9-for-11 from the field to go with 11 rebounds in the first playoff game of his career. They were only the second pair of teammates to each shoot better than 80 percent from the field during the same game (with at least 10 attempts) during the postseason since the shot clock era. The other duo was Miami's Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Williams on May 2, 2006, vs. Detroit. The Heat's 41 first-quarter points tied their most ever in any playoff quarter and their 123 total points were a team record in a postseason game. The Heat turned it over only six times, tying the second-fewest in a playoff game, and the 32-point margin of victory was No. 4 in team playoff history.

Charlotte shot 43.1 percent overall and 6-for-17 from long range. It had 11 total assists, just one more than Miami's Goran Dragic by himself. Nic Batum had 24 points, Kemba Walker 19 and Al Jefferson 13 off the bench but no one else bothered showing up. The Hornets have lost 11 straight playoff games, tied for the third-longest losing streak in NBA postseason history.

Series line: Heat -350, Hornets +290

Key trends: Miami is 7-0 against the spread in its past seven home games. The Heat are 11-4 ATS in their past 15 after a win of at least 10 points. The Hornets are 1-4 ATS in their past five as a road dog. The "over/under" is 7-3 in Miami's past 10 vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 6-0 in Charlotte's past six overall.

Early lean: Heat and over.

Game 2: No. 8 Pistons at No. 1 Cavaliers (-10, 201)

Game 1 of this series was one of the few that were actually close. Cleveland escaped with a 106-101 victory, but the Pistons definitely gave the Cavs all they could handle. Detroit led entering the third and fourth quarters and was up seven with about 11 minutes left before the Cavs went on a run to take the lead for good. The Cavs' Big 3 of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all played well. James had 22 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, Irving 31 points and six assists, and Love 28 points, including a couple of clutch baskets, and 13 rebounds. Remember, LeBron never had those two on the floor with him after last year's first-round series against Boston.

Detroit did beat Cleveland three of four times in the regular season, although one of those games was totally meaningless. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points, Marcus Morris had 20 -- one after halftime -- and Reggie Jackson added 17 for the Pistons in Game 1. Andre Drummond had 13 points and 11 rebounds but wasn't a huge factor down low as he was often covering Love outside the paint. The Pistons aren't a great 3-point shooting team but finished 15-for-29. Not sure they can keep that up. Stan Van Gundy ripped the refs during a TV interview during the game, saying that LeBron basically does what he wants on offense without ever being called for a charge. Van Gundy's probably right, but he was fined $25K. We shall see if the refs call something on LeBron in Game 2.

Series line: Cavaliers -4000, Pistons +1600

Key trends: The Pistons are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 following an ATS win. The Cavs are 5-2 ATS in their past seven after allowing at least 100 points in their previous game. The over is 6-2 in Detroit's past eight after a loss.

Early lean: Cavaliers and under.

Game 2: No. 5 Trail Blazers at No. 4 Clippers (-8.5, 209)

Portland hung with the Clippers for most of the first half in Game 1 but then Los Angeles pulled away with runs entering the half and coming out of intermission for a 115-95 blowout win. Chris Paul totally crushed his matchup with Damian Lillard as Paul had 28 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals. Blake Griffin looked back to pre-injury form as he threw down three big dunks and had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He and DeAndre Jordan (18 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks) dominated the smaller Blazers in the paint.

The Blazers' lone chance is for guards Lillard and C.J. McCollum to average about 50 points a night in the series. Lillard had 21 in the opener but was just 7-for-17 from the field. McCollum was swallowed up by the much bigger Luc Richard Mbah a Moute on defense as McCollum finished with just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting. The Clippers essentially dared anyone else to beat them and no one could. The Blazers have to hit a ton of 3-pointers for the upset but were only 10-for-30 from long range in Game 1.

Series line: Clippers -900, Trail Blazers +675

Key trends: The Blazers are 0-4 ATS in their past four games. They have failed to cover their past five playoff games as an underdog. The Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their past four at home. The over is 7-2 in the Clippers' past nine as playoff favorite.

Early lean: Clippers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

At the Gate - Wednesday
By Mike Dempsey

It was not a good weekend if you backed Cupid in the Kentucky Derby future book or Songbird in the Kentucky Oaks, as both are now out.

Cupid finished a disappointing 10th in the Arkansas Derby (G1) as the beaten chalk. He will have surgery for an entrapped epiglottis. The breathing problem likely explains his poor performance in his last start after looking so good winning the Rebel (G2) in his previous outing.

His defection was good news for the connections of Mo Tom, who moved from 21st in the points standings into the Derby field.

Songbird has been the early betting favorite for the Kentucky Oaks and she was getting hammered in the early betting, down to a ridiculously low number. She likely would have been 1-5 in the Oaks.

She spiked a fever a few days after her win in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1). Her owner Rick Porter put a statement on Facebook that read in part, ““We have to report that Songbird will miss the Kentucky Oaks. She developed a low grade fever after the [Santa Anita] Oaks and has not been able to go to the track.

“With the fever not resolved, she was started on a course of antibiotics today, and as a result it’ll be another seven-10 days before she’s able to return to the track.

“We are sorry to have to miss the Oaks but what’s most important is to get Songbird well.”

She likely would have been a top three betting choice if her connections had decided to run her against the boys in the Kentucky Derby.

Nyquist continues to be the early betting favorite for the Kentucky Derby, currently at 3-1, with Exaggerator second at 7-2 with Mohaymen drifting up to 7-1 after suffering his first loss when fourth in the Florida Derby.

Current Betting Odds for the Kentucky Derby
Nyquist 3-1
Exaggerator 7-2
Mohaymen 7-1
Destin 9-1
Mor Spirit 9-1
Creator 10-1
Gun Runner 11-1
Brodys Cause 12-1
Suddenbreakingnews 12-1
Danzing Candy 15-1


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

KEE Race 1 Md Sp Wt (1:05 ET)
#2 Spellker 8-5
#4 Red Lodge 9-5
#3 Hey Mike 6-1
#7 Absolute Asset 6-1

Analysis: Spellker gets the call and it is tough to look past any Ward juvie he sends out at this meeting. The filly was the beaten chalk last out in her debut, sent off at 4-5 and beaten a neck by a Hancock first timer. She was 4 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field and figures to move forward with a race under her belt. Ward hits at as 20% clip with second out maidens.

Red Lodge is also sent out by Ward, who is 24% winners overall with first timers and dating back three years here has hit with 11 of 35 two-year-old first time starters. The $82,000 purchase is by Midshipman out of an Aldebaran mare that has dropped two foals to race, one winner. A bullet drill on the morning tab on April 15.

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

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Keeneland:

KEE Race 7 Alw $66,000N3X (4:24 ET)
#7 Ol' Fashion Gal 3-1
#8 Mojo Risin 7-2
#2 Christie's Ready 8-1
#5 No Fault of Mine 8-1

Analysis: Ol' Fashion Gal came off the bench last out and just missed by a neck at Oaklawn Park in a game effort. She won the Selene (G3) two back on poly at Woodbine. The Casse barn is 26% winners (with a +ROI) with runners making their second start off a +180-day layoff. The barn is off to a great start at the meeting here, winning seven races from 32 starters to top the trainer standings through Sunday.

Mojo Risin makes her U.S. debut here and first start since last August for the Chad Brown barn that is 26% winners with runners coming back off a +180-day layoff. The filly won three of her five starts across the pond and was fourth beaten three lengths in the Prix de Psyche (G3) in her last outing. Castellano takes the call and the filly adds lasix.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 2,5,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 2,5,7,8 / 2,5,7,8,9

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

Keeneland
R6: #6 Match Up 10-1
R7: #2 Christie’s Ready 8-1
R7: #5 No Fault of Mine 8-1

Good luck today!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Northfield: Wednesday 4/20 Analysis + Pick Four ticket
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Race 8 - $10,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Jeremey’s $1 Pick Four Play:

5 / 1,3,4,5 / 2,4 / 1,5,7 = $24


Best Bet: FASHION CHOCOLATE (5th)

Spot Play: WE LOVE CAVIAR (7th)


Race 1

(5) IVA SECRET nice-looking filly comes into the race off a superb qualifier. (4) CREDIT TO THELIMIT had an excellent 2-year-old season last year. The filly is a huge threat if she's ready. (6) BELLE'SVICTORYRING is another nice-looking trotter; threat.

Race 2

(2) ANASTASIA GUNNER 3-year-old makes his career debut against a weak field full of question marks. (1) TWO DAYS DITTO gets the best post off a decent qualifier. (4) SNEAKY SAM just needs to stay trotting for a chance to hit the ticket at a price.

Race 3

(2) TRAFICANT has burned cash in three straight, however the trotter keeps the top driver and owns ability. (6) UF CASHNMYCHIPS adds lasix for the second time and should be ready for a better effort against weaker. (7) WEST RIVER ZAIDA mare went a huge effort last out breaking her maiden; threat.

Race 4

(2) AT DAYBREAK pacer makes his second start in a new barn with a good post. (1) NATHAN looks to be in line for a better trip closer to the pace. (9) RELLA ON ATTACK has room to improve second start off the layoff.

Race 5

(9) FASHION CHOCOLATE well bred trotter was the driver's choice and looks to own a big burst of speed. (2) SON OFA SPUR has been much improved since the layoff; fires early. (3) HASTE classy trotter was a good second at this level last out; threat.

Race 6

In a really tough race to gauge, (4) LISLEA PAT will offer a big price and owns a win against better on the year. (5) TOBINS FORTUNE showed a good burst of speed two back; threat. (3) MEXICAN COAST hasn't come back the same horse this year but does pick up a top driver.

Race 7

(1) WE LOVE CAVIAR 3-year-old makes his third start back off a layoff with the best post. (3) AIRZOOMS IMAGE will look to make it two straight wins against similar. (5) CREDIT CHARGER has some upside coming off a nice late closing victory.

Race 8

(5) UNTOLD LEGEND will be tough to beat with a good setup. (8) IWANASHOWUSOMETHIN is one of the faster pacers in the field but needs to find a way into the race. (1) D GS SUAVEMENTE looks to be in line for a great trip on the lead or in the pocket.

Race 9

(4) AMBER JOHN lightly raced pacer has room to improve making her third start back on the year. The filly finds a really weak and inconsistent field. (3) IM BABYS BIG GIRL mare is 0 for 44 lifetime but does fit in with this bunch; threat. (5) FRISKIE ZENA could be a sleeper in the race at a big price.

Race 10

(4) LIBERTY BEACH mare drew off impressively last out in her first start of the year and might have more to offer. (2) KANDY KRISP just missed last week to a slightly better bunch. (3) NORTHMEDO DELILAH is one of many young trotters in the race with upside.

Race 11

(7) FEELIN LUCKY sophomore pacer adds lasix for his season debut off an easy victory in the qualifier. (1) ROCKY BEACH pacer gets the best post making his second start in the top barn. (5) DREAMER'S CAN FLY has been very competitive at this level; threat.

Race 12

(9) MATTER OF PRIDE might be starting to turn a corner after trotting gamely last week. (7) VALENEOUS filly needed her last start coming off a scratch and a five week layoff. She flashed some ability a few starts back. (6) ROSE RUN PANCHO needs a lot of racing luck to hit the top spot; use underneath.

Race 13

(8) RIGHT ON TIME takes a significant drop in class but will need to get position early for his best chance. (5) DJ LANCE is capable of pacing a good mile with a smooth trip. (2) LIMA RITCH was an easy winner down in class last week; needs more.

Race 14

(4) JOYEUX DREAM looks ready to roll off a nice qualifier over the track. (3) ROMPAWAY ELVIS will be used aggressively down in class; threat. (2) MEADOWVIEW ARTY has been facing much tougher and benefits from a top driver.

Race 15

(3) RECKONING DAY owns some back class and gets sent out first start for capable connections. (6) AWESTREOS usually offers a big price and can pick up the pieces in the right scenario. (5) ARLO GRAM has just been racing evenly; use underneath.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Wednesday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Aqueduct (2nd) Starago, 4-1
(5th) Truth, 4-1


Charles Town (4th) Peb Hughes, 8-1
(5th) Harley Hill Lady, 6-1


Evangeline Downs (3rd) Doin a Happy Dance, 5-1
(5th) It's Time to B, 10-1


Gulfstream Park (5th) Papa Pig, 3-1
(8th) Starship Wildcat, 4-1


Indiana Grand (1st) Fearless Majesty, 9-2
(9th) Desert Darlin, 7-2


Keeneland (3rd) Twenty Gauge, 4-1
(4th) Behemoth, 4-1


Mahoning Valley (5th) Mound, 5-1
(7th) Navy Cross, 7-2


Mountaineer (1st) Comeonwillie, 8-1
(6th) Golden B. J., 6-1


Penn National (2nd) Olympic Diamond, 3-1
(7th) Honor Achieved, 9-2


Tampa Bay Downs (3rd) Kearney Square, 7-2
(8th) Back With Sue, 4-1