THE LAKERS TRY TO STAY IN THE PLAYOFF PICTURE AS THEY HOST THE HORNETS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

The Lakers host the Hornets, coming into the game as nearly double-digit favorites.

Line Information for this game.

Amazingly, just 12 days after getting surgery to repair a tear to his lateral meniscus in his left knee, the artist formerly known as Ron Artest says he will play Tuesday night against the Hornets. It has been all hands on deck for the Lakers as they furiously strive to make the playoffs. They come into the game only a half game back from the Utah Jazz, trying to get into the last spot in the Western Conference, the 8-seed.

Kobe Bryant went on to say, “I call him Logan now – he’s Wolverine (with special powers of healing himself at an accelerated rate). I’m not very surprised,…He takes care of himself. He eats all the right stuff. Still, it’s very impressive.”

What’s also been impressive is the amount of time Kobe Bryant has spent on the floor this week, despite suffering from a bone spur in his left foot and is recently coming off a severe ankle sprain. He rested only 56 seconds against the Mavericks last week and has been virtually on the court full-time every game they play over the past week or so. Expect the same as they face the Hornets – as there is zero room for error for the Lakers at this point.

The Hornets aren’t a team worth talking about. The Warriors just swept them and they’re going into the Laker game as massive dogs. Tony Montana would be proud though, as they’rechanging their name next year to the Pelicans.

Betting Information

The Hornets are 26-50 straight up, 37-37-2 against the spread and 39-36-1 Over on the year. They’ve gone 2-3 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last 5 games, with a 3-2 Under record against the total. On the road they’re 11-27 SU, 20-16-2 ATS and 21-17 Over.

The Lakers are 40-37 SU, punishing bettors bigtime with their 31-45-1 ATS and 40-35-2 on the year. In their last 5 games they’re 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS with a 3-2 Under record against the total. At home they’re a stout 25-12 SU, but still losing money for bettors with their 17-20 record against the spread and 18-18-1 against the total.

Sources: Yahoo! Sports, SLAM, New York Times

DAILY FREE PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS VS. KANSAS CITY ROYALS

by ODDSFATHER STAFF

MLB is just getting started and we have a game locked and loaded in our sites.

The Twins are out to a hot starts, going 4-2 straight up in their first 6 games.  They very likely will be a better team than the Royals this year.

Injury Report

The Royals are throwing Ervin Santana who is known for giving up the long ball. He demonstrated that in his first appearance of the season, giving up 3 homers in the first 4 innings. Lucky for him, they play in a pitcher’s park.

Meanwhile, the Twins are pitching Kevin Correia who is coming off a very solid start, giving up only 2 runs in 7 innings of work against a tough Tigers team.

Free Pick: Under 8.5 (game #967/#968)

YOUTH VS. EXPERIENCE: SHELBY MILLER VS. RYAN VOGELSONG

by JONATHAN YALES

Starting Pitchers:

Shelby Miller, RHP

The Cardinals’ 22-year-old 2009 first-round selection makes his second Major League start Saturday. Miller beat out Trevor Rosenthal and Joe Kelly during spring training to earn the fifth and final spot in St. Louis’ starting rotation. The right-hander’s only Major League start was last October against the Cincinnati Reds. In the final game of the Cardinals regular season Miller pitched six shutout innings, allowed only one hit and struck out seven against the then 97-64 SU Reds. This spring, Miller started three games, appeared in five and ended spring training with a 3.94 ERA. He pitched 16 innings, allowed 17 hits, five walks and seven earned runs.

Ryan Vogelsong, RHP

The Giants throw-out their 35-year-old veteran to combat the Cardinal’s young starting pitcher. Last season Vogelsong started 31 games, finished 14-9 and pitched 189.2 innings. He set career-highs in strikeouts (158), hits allowed (171), wins and innings pitched in 2012. However, Vogelsong has a history of struggling at the start of his seasons. He is 2-4 with a 6.31 ERA lifetime in April.

The LINE for this game

Last Game:

In the first game of the series Friday afternoon, the Giants defeated the Cardinals 1-0. Barry Zito out-pitched Jake Westbrook in their season debuts. Zito pitched seven scoreless innings allowing three hits, three walks, all while striking out four Cardinals. San Francisco’s starters have gone 26 innings without allowing an earned run.

Notable Injuries:

San Francisco

(1B) Brandon Belt – Flu

St. Louis

(3B) David Freese – Back – 15-day DL

(SS) Rafael Furcal – Elbow – 15-day DL

(CP) Jason Motte – Elbow – 15-day DL

TWO BIG NAME PROGRAMS FACE OFF IN FINAL FOUR: MICHIGAN VS. SYRACUSE

by ANDY MORRISSEY

When: Saturday, April 6^th, 8:49 PM

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Line: Michigan -2

Line Movement

Matchup: The two 4 seeds come in hot off of big wins as Michigan destroyed Florida in the Elite 8 and Syracuse held Marquette to 39 points as the Orange’s 2-3 zone continues to cause struggles for opposing teams. Michigan is 4-0 ATS in the tournament so far, while Syracuse is 3-1 ATS the past 4 games. Michigan likes to play fast break basketball and push the tempo, and shoot 3’s in transition, while Syracuse makes teams use the entire shot clock as they sit in their zone. Contrasting styles will lead to a great final four matchup.

Why Syracuse Covers: The Orange are playing great basketball at the right time, as they look to continue their tournament run with a spot in the National Championship game Monday. They are led by their stellar sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams who leads the 2-3 zone with his 6-6 frame and long wingspan. He averages 12.1 points per game and also averages 7.4 assists per game.  Shooters C.J Fair and James Southerland can be deadly if left open from 3 point territory. Fair is the team’s leading scorer with 14.4 points per game and he shoots 50% from 3- point land, while Southerland averages 13.9 points per game and shoots 41.6% from downtown. If the Orange continue to play strong defense and hit their open shots look for them to not only cover the 2 point spread but win the game straight up.

Why Michigan Covers: Michigan is led by their stud point guard and National Player of the Year Trey Burke, he had the biggest shot in the tournament against Kansas which sent the game to overtime where the Wolverines came back and won. He averages 18.8 points per game and 6.8 assists per game and only 2.2 turnovers per game. The wolverines go as he go and look for him to have another big game as he seems to perform better on the national stage. Freshman Mitch McGary has been stellar this tournament and is a hard worker both on defense and on the glass. He can cause matchup issues in the middle of the zone and has the opportunity to get a lot of second chance points against Syracuse’s zone. He has really come on in the tournament and look for his run of good play to continue. The X-factor in this game will be freshman Nik Stauskas he is a shooter and can make Syracuse pay for playing zone. He went 6 for 6 from behind the 3 point line against Florida and he shoots 45% from beyond the arc and will have open looks on Saturday. With Burke penetrating the zone and kicking out to Stauskas for 3 point looks and McGary cleaning up the misses and long rebounds the Wolverines have a good shot of beating Syracuse and their zone defense.

Prediction: Michigan -2. Michigan has the perfect formula for beating Syracuse’s 2-3 zone which has given teams headaches all tournament long. Burke can penetrate the zone and feed McGary in the paint or find open shooters who can knock down open 3’s. Michigan likes to run and could easily beat Syracuse’s zone down the floor and have fast break points. Michigan will dictate the tempo and pace of the game and will be in control of the game. The Wolverines will easily cover the 2 point spread and play in the title game on Monday.

Sources: ESPN, Covers

PLAYOFF PUSH: LAKERS HOST GRIZZLIES ON FRIDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Line: Lakers -2.5, Total: 191.5

Last Meeting: The Grizzlies defeated the Lakers 106-93 in Memphis on 1/23/13

Matchup

With only seven games left in their season, the Los Angeles Lakers can see the postseason in sight. But they will need to win games down the stretch, including Friday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at 10:30 ET in Los Angeles. With a half-game lead over the Utah Jazz for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs, the Lakers must continue securing victories to keep their season alive. Their journey will be difficult, especially on Friday against a Memphis team currently riding a four-game winning streak. The Grizzlies have been dominant all season and will look to take a wave of momentum with them into the playoffs.

The Grizzlies have secured their spot in the postseason and are seeded 5^th in the Western Conference. Because the other Los Angeles basketball team won their division, the only way for Memphis to improve their playoff standing is by finishing with more wins than Denver, which will grant them the 3 seed. The Lakers have a half-game lead over the Jazz for the 8^th seed and trail the 7^th seeded Houston rockets by 3 games.

Betting Information

The Lakers are 39-36 straight up and 31-44 against the spread on the season. At home, Los Angeles is 24-12 SU and 17-19 ATS. Against the total, the Lakers are 40-34 Over and are averaging 102.3 PPG.

Memphis has a record of 51-24 SU and 42-32 ATS. While playing on the road, the Grizzlies are 21-16 SU and 22-15 ATS. Against the total, Memphis is 42-32 Under on the year and are putting up 93.8 PPG.

Injuries

Lakers point guard Steve Nash is listed as doubtful for Friday’s game with a hamstring injury. Nash missed the Lakers previous game on Tuesday and is not likely to play against Memphis. Los Angeles will miss Nash and his 12.7 PPG and 6.7 APG if the two-time MVP is unable to suit up.

What to watch for

One major difference between these teams is how many points they allow per game. While the Grizzlies lead the league in points allowed with 89.8 PPG, the Lakers rank 24^thand average 101.3 PPG to opponents. Pay attention to Memphis’ incredible defense, which will be on display in LA on Friday.

Kobe Bryant has played well beyond his years recently, notching a triple-double and scoring over 30 points three different times over the Lakers past five games. Watch for the Black Mamba to take over this game on Friday and light up the Grizzlies for 30.

If Steve Nash is out of service, look for Grizzlies point guard Michael Conley to be seen throughout this one. Conley has improved his game this season, scoring more than he ever has in his career. Keep an eye on Conley and his 14.5 PPG and 6.2 APG to torch Lakers backup Steve Blake in Nash’s absence.

The pick

Although I think the Lakers will sneak their way into the postseason, I believe the outcome of this game will favor the Grizzlies. Los Angeles has been playing significantly better basketball in the second half of their season, but that won’t stop Memphis from sweeping their season series with the Lake Show. The Grizzlies big men will be too much for the Lakers to handle, adding another defeat to the Lakers loss column and another thousand discussions of whether Kobe, Dwight, Steve and Pau will be playing ball after the regular season has commenced on April 17th. I like the Grizzlies to handle the aging Lakers on the road, 104-96.

Source: ESPN

A NEW MLB SEASON IS UPON US: CUBS VS. PIRATES

by MICHAELANGELO MILLER

Line Breakdown

The Chicago Cubs are 1-0 against the spread, going 1-0 Under. The Pittsburg Pirates are 0-1 ATS and are 1-0 Under.

Injuries

The Cubs have placed these players on the 15-day disabled list:

Matt Garza (P) – Side injury

Darwin Barney (2B) – Knee injury

Ian Stewart (3B) – Quad injury

The Pirates have placed these players on the 15-day disabled list:

Brandon Inge (3B) – Shoulder injury

Charlie Morton (P) – Elbow injury

Francisco Liriano (P) – Arm injury

Jeff Karstens (P) – Shoulder injury

Match-Up

The new MLB season is upon us and teams are eager to start their journey towards the Fall Classic, also known as the World Series. In their first match-up of the season, the Cubs beat the Pirates 3-1, behind a stellar performance by pitcher Jeff Samardzija. Due to injuries to starting pitchers Matt Garza and Scott Baker, Samardzija stepped in as starter allowing just two hits through 8 innings and striking out 9 players. This gave the Cubs their fist opening day win in four years. The Cubs are one of baseball’s most beloved teams and the fans must be happy to see them start the season off on the right foot.  Samardzija is now 4-0 all time against the Pirates in his short career. The Pirates faced troubles with Samardzija all afternoon as he kept them at bay with his two-seam fastball and changeup. The just couldn’t get the handle of his combinations and they were left unbalanced the whole game. They only managed two balls out of the infield the whole time Samardzija was pitching. They didn’t even score until the last inning when Alvarez (3B) singled to center and McCutchen (CF) ran it home for the Pirates but that was about the only bright spot for the team. Pirates’ pitcher, A.J. Burnett, didn’t fair too well in his season debut ending with a 4.76 earned run average, allowing 6 hits. The Pirates will look to turn things around quickly as this was but the first of a three game series. They still have plenty of time to get things on the right track and come out on top of the overall match-up.

The Cubs, as a team, have a .182 batting average with a .333 slugging percentage. The Pirates have a .097 BA with a .129 SLG.

Sources: ESPN

FOR ALL THE MARBLES: MAVERICKS VS. LAKERS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

It’s the end of the season and these final games will determine who ends up in the playoffs and who will be watching it from their couch at home.

TRACK LINE MOVEMENT – Opening line: Lakers -3, Total: 207

With Dirk Nowitzki playing well, the Mavs have made a run for it. They’ve won 4 out of their last 5 games straight up (2-3 ATS) and are now 1.5 games back from the Lakers (and the Jazz have slipped ahead of the Lakers by a half game) who are vying for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the 8th seed.

The Lakers have been a team scrambling to play well all year and now is no exception. They’ve only won 2 out of their last 6 games straight up, absolutely pounding bettors by only covering once during that stretch. The Lakers have Gasol and Blake back in the lineup, but their newest concern stems from a bone spur in Kobe’s left foot.

Pre-game Injury Report for both teams

Typically in the NBA, the home team will gain a 3 point advantage as it relates to the spread. In this game with the Lakers favored by 3 points at home, it’s the linesmakers’ way of saying that these teams are evenly matched.

These two teams have met three times this year, with the Mavs winning and covering the first game and the Lakers winning and covering both the 2nd and 3rd game. This game, both teams are coming off a day of rest. It’s the beginning of a 2-game homestand for the Lakers and the beginning of a 4-game roadtrip for the Mavs. This is one of the biggest games of the year for both teams; expect a hard-fought game worth watching.

Sources: Bleacher Report, Medicine Net