MLB Wednesday: Astros vs Athletics

Astros are Red Hot in Series Finale Against Athletics

The Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics will meet on Wednesday at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Astros seem to be over the sting of losing in the 2018 American League Championship Series to Houston tries for its 11th straight victory tonight when they wrap up a two-game series. They rolled 9-1 on Tuesday.

TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network; AT&T SportsNet Southwest Plus (Houston), NBCS California (Oakland); LINE: Athletics -110; O/U: 8.5 Under -120.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Wade Miley (1-1, 3.45 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Frankie Montas (2-1, 3.18)

The Astros' Josh Reddick played with Oakland from 2012-16. He told reporters "it's always fun to come back, and to see how much I get booed". That was before going 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and two runs scored Tuesday. Will it be worse today? The Athletics are 0-4 versus Houston this season. They have given up 27 runs. The Astros have won eight of their last 10 in Oakland. Houston's Wade Miley takes the mound Wednesday. He is trying to limit his opponent to three or fewer earned runs for the 20th straight start. The Athletics Frankie Montas, who lost to the Astros two starts ago.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Astros, Miley improved to 5-1 with a 1.40 ERA in six career starts versus Oakland. He allowed four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-0 victory on April 6th. Miley survived a 41-pitch first inning in his laststart. He ultimately allowed three runs and six hits in four innings of Houston's 10-6 win at Seattle on Friday. Carlos Correa is 4-for-6 with a home run and Jose Altuve is 5-for-10 against Montas. Alex Bregman (.302) belted a grand slam Tuesday, giving him seven RBIs this season. Davis leads the majors with 10 home runs. He has gone consecutive games without one after hitting five in the previous three games.

The Athletics' Montas permitted two runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings of the 3-2 setback at Houston on April 5th. He allowed four runs and six hits in a combined 12 innings for two victories after that. The victories at Baltimore on April 10th and over the Los Angeles Angels on March 31st. Montas is 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA in five games (three starts) against the Astros. Kendrys Morales is 10-for-24 with one RBI while Khris Davis is 2-for-14 with a home run and four RBI's against Miley.

The Dart Throw: Astros 3, Athletics

MLB Betting Odds & Trends

Houston Astros
Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Houston is 7-14 ATS in its last 21 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Houston's last 18 games
Houston is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games on the road
Houston is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Oakland
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland
Houston is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Houston is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Houston's last 15 games when playing on the road against Oakland

Oakland Athletics
Oakland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Oakland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 5 games
Oakland is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 10 games at home
Oakland is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Houston
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Oakland is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston
Oakland is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Oakland's last 15 games when playing at home against Houston

Next up:
Houston at Texas Friday, April 19
Oakland home to Toronto Friday, April 19

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NBA Playoffs: Pacers vs. Celtics Game 2

After a spirited comeback, the No. 4 seed Boston Celtics have taken a 1-0 lead in their first-round playoff series against the No. 5 seed Indiana Pacers. The Celtics responded to the loss of one of their defensive leaders by putting forth a dominant effort on that end of the floor. They began their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series off on the right foot.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Indiana, NBCS Boston; LINE: Celtics -7.5; O/U: 203.

Boston was 8-point favorites at the closing line before beating Indiana 84-74 in Sunday’s opener. The Pacers took a 45-38 lead into the dressing room, only to be held to eight points during the third quarter. Like many of the Game 1 losers over the weekend, Indiana shot unusually poorly from 3-point range. They only connected on just 6 of their 27 attempts. The allowed bettors to easily cash in the UNDER on the total of 211 points.

The Celtics’ defense held strong despite the absence of two-way guard Marcus Smart. He suffered a torn oblique last week and isn’t expected to return until mid-May. Jaylen Brown started in Smart’s place and only scored two points in 28 minutes of action. Boston wouldn’t need those points in Game 1, thanks in large part to the Pacers. Indiana only shot just 12-of-21 from the free-throw line in between all those missed 3-pointers

This, That, and a Dart Throw

Kyrie Irving and forward Marcus Morris scored 20 points apiece for the Celtics. Boston also had a 55-42 advantage on the glass and held Indiana to 33.3 percent shooting. Irving had to watch Boston's run to the Eastern Conference finals from the sidelines last season due to injury, but he made the most of his first playoff game with the team by leading the defensive charge. Forward Jayson Tatum scored 15 points and was the only Celtic to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. He hit 6-of-11 shots, and 3-of-3 from downtown. Al Horford had 10 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Boston hit 18-of-22 free throws, and will need to continue hitting near that clip.

Sometimes it comes down to simply making enough shots. Indiana was nowhere close to achieving that goal. During the third quarter they were 2-of-19 from the floor. Wesley Matthews and Joseph hit a pair of 3-pointers apiece, while their teammates combined to go 2-of-17 from long range. Cory Joseph came off the bench to lead the Pacers with 14 points, while the team's five starters combined for 38 on 15-of-44 from the floor. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pacers' starting five with 12 points

The Dart Throw: Celtics 105, Pacers 96

NBA Playoffs Betting Odds & Trends

Indiana Pacers
Indiana is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
Indiana is 7-17 ATS in its last 24 games on the road
Indiana is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Indiana's last 12 games on the road
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Indiana is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Celtics
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Boston's last 17 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
Boston is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games when playing at home against Indiana

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MLB Tuesday: Red Sox vs Yankees

Yankees and Red Sox are Struggling Early On

The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees meet at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. These two squads are no strangers to sitting atop the American League East. They have combined for 17 American League East titles over the last 20 seasons. Neither team has played anywhere close to that level so far this season.What better way to get the two arch-rivals will some momentum? Pit them against each other.

TV: 6:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), WPIX (New York); LINE: Yankees -108; O/U: 8.5 -110.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Chris Sale (0-3, 9.00 ERA) vs. Yankees LH James Paxton (1-2, 6.00)

Boston combined the majors' highest-scoring offense with a top-10 pitching staff last year. It led them to their fourth World Series title in 15 seasons. The offense has fallen off, and are tied for 14th with 74 runs scored, in 2019. The pitching is among the worst in the majors with a 5.93 ERA, that ranks 28th in MLB. The offense and the pitching held true to form Monday as the Red Sox were pounded 8-1 by Baltimore in the final contest of a four-game series. The loss left Boston without a series win in five tries.

New York has been a tad better. It is a miracle with the team dealing with a host of notable injuries. They enter this series having lost five of six and sporting a 3-6 home record. The last of the Yankees' recent losses came in New York on Sunday. They could muster only four hits and gave up five stolen bases to the Chicago White Sox in a 5-2 loss. The Red Sox have won four of the last five meetings, including last year's AL Division series. The Yankees took six of nine at home against Boston during the regular season.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

Chris Sale has hardly looked like himself so far in 2019 for the Red Sox. Sale is easily off to the worst start to a season in his decorated career. He has given up at least five runs in two of his first three turns in the rotation. The lefty has lasted no more than four innings in those outings. The seven-time All-Star was hammered for five runs on seven hits at home last Tuesday against Toronto. This was after road losses at Seattle and Oakland. Sale boasts a 1.86 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) at Yankee Stadium. He has tormented Aaron Judge, who is 3-for-18 with 13 strikeouts against him.

Paxton struggled through his worst turn in three tries as a Yankee on Wednesday. He gave up five runs on eight hits. That included two homers, over four innings in a loss to Houston. The only start at home was arguably his best since coming over in a trade from Seattle this offseason. He yielded two runs, only one earned, over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Baltimore. J.D. Martinez is 4-for-8 against Paxton. He is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in four career starts versus the Red Sox.

The Dart Throw: Red Sox 4, Yankees 2

MLB Betting Odds & Trends

Boston Red Sox
Boston is 3-14 ATS in its last 17 games
Boston is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Boston is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 9 games when playing NY Yankees
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees

New York Yankees
NY Yankees is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Yankees is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 9 games
NY Yankees is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
NY Yankees is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games at home
NY Yankees is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 9 games when playing Boston
NY Yankees is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

Next up:
Boston at New York Wednesday, April 17

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Gonzaga Star Rui Hachimura Signs Up for NBA Draft

After three years in college, Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura signed up for the NBA draft. In addition, he said playing at Gonzaga is a dream come true. Now he wants to pursue his next dream of playing in the premier basketball league.

Rui Hachimura was born in Toyama Prefecture to a Beninese father and Japanese mother. He is a top prospect in this year’s draft. During his last season for the school, he scored an average of 19.7 points and got 6.5 rebounds each game. Also, he shot 59.1 percent from the field according to bookie software. With those numbers, he helped Gonzaga reach the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament. However, Texas Tech knocked them out.

In a tweet, Hachimura thanked Gonzaga University, his coach and coaching staff, and his teammates. Also, he thanked Gonzaga fans for the support and love they gave him. Lastly, he thanked his Japanese fans for cheering him on and off the court.

Gonzaga Star Rui Hachimura a Top NBA Prospect

Rui Hachimura received the Julius Erving Small forward of the Year Award. Also, he was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and the US Basketball Writers Association District IX Player of the Year.

If an NBA team picks and signs Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura, he will be the first Japanese player to be drafted and play in the NBA. In 1981, Yasutaka Okayama became the first Japanese player drafted by an NBA team. However, he didn’t sign with the Golden State Warriors and didn’t play in the league according to sports news archives.

At present, the best bookie pay per head projects Hachimura to be the 20th pick of the draft. His ability to make jumpers and his smooth playing style will impress various teams. Also, his athleticism and length are some factors that make him a first-round pick in the draft.

NHL Playoffs: Jets Look to Pull Even Versus Blues

Jets Make a Series After Looking Like Early Exit

The Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues will reconvene this Tuesday in St. Louis. They will continue their best-of-seven series in the NHL Playoffs. There’s a lot riding on Tuesday’s game. A Blues victory would push Winnipeg to the brink of elimination. A Winnipeg win would even the series and reestablish the Jets’ home ice advantage.

The First-Round matchup between these teams is proving to be a fine one already. We’ve seen everything from highlight-reel goals to otherworldly saves to downright insane physical play. With so much on the line, Game 4 is sure to entertain fans.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CNBC, TVA, Sportsnet (Winnipeg), FS Midwest (St. Louis); LINE: Blues -143; O/U: 5.5 Under -123.

Prior to Game 3, there were serious concerns about the Winnipeg Jets’ netminder Connor Hellebuyck. While he let in six goals in two games, several could be considered must-save shots. Game 3’s performance wasn’t perfect, Hellebuyck made some key saves to allow his team to build some momentum. They were able to capture a win on the road.

St. Louis will look to get back to their defensive-minded ways in Game 4. They executed their plan perfectly in Games 1 and 2. After allowing six goals on Sunday, they’ll look to tighten up their play in their own end of the ice. Teams winning Game 4 to build a 3-1 series lead, which the Blues will attempt to do Tuesday, win the series 90.1 percent of the time.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

Winnipeg remains in a dangerous spot. A loss Tuesday gives the Blues a 3-1 advantage, and St. Louis will be anxious to more closely resemble the team that roared from the NHL cellar to a playoff spot with a torrid second half. Rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington allowed more than four goals for the first time in his NHL career. Two assists from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forward Vladimir Tarasenko's first goal of the series were not enough.

Binnington started strong, making 13 saves in the first period. The rest of the game was the issue as he surrendered six goals on 16 shots afterwards. Forward David Perron, who netted his second goal of the series, and Tarasenko both scored on the power play Sunday. The Blues finished 2-for-5 with the man advantage after opening the series 0-for-7. Pietrangelo has at least one assist in each game and four assists in the series.

Jets forward Patrik Laine scored for the third consecutive game, giving him nine goals in seven games against the Blues this season. Hellebuyck rebounded from a substandard performance in Game 2, stopping 26 of the 29 shots he faced. He was able to keep the Jets in the game after allowing a late first-period goal. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien finished with a goal and an assist, giving him five points in the series. Including the regular season, the Jets are 3-0-0 in St. Louis and have outscored the Blues 19-8.

The Dart Throw: Jets 5, Blues 2

NHL Playoffs Trends

St. Louis Blues Trends

• Trend Under is 5-1 in Blues last 6 games as a home underdog of +201 or greater. Hit % 83.30% (6) O/U 1|5 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 4-1 in Blues last 5 playoff games as an underdog of +110 to +150. 80.00% (5) 1|4 0
• Under is 5-2 in Blues last 7 games as a home favorite of -151 to -200. 71.40% (7) 2|5 0
• Under is 3-1-2 in Blues last 6 playoff games as a favorite of -151 to -200. 75.00% (6) 1|3 2

Winnipeg Jets Trends

• Trend Over is 4-0 in Jets last 4 playoff games as an underdog of +110 to +150. Hit % 100.00% (4) O/U 1|4 Push 0 W/L
• Over is 19-9 in Jets last 28 games as a road underdog of +201 or greater. 67.90% (28) 19|9 0
• Under is 3-1-1 in Jets last 5 playoff games as a favorite of -110 to -150. 75.00% (5) 1|3 1
• Under is 4-0 in Jets last 4 playoff games as a favorite of -151 to -200. 100.00% (4) 0|4 0

Meetings Trends

• Trend Jets are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in St. Louis. Hit % 100.00% (4) O/U Push 0 W/L 4|0
• Jets are 12-5 in the last 17 meetings. 70.60% (17) 0 12|5
• Road team is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings. 0.00% (5) 0 0|5
• Underdog is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings. 0.00% (4) 0 0|4

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NBA Playoffs Free Betting Pick- Nets at 76ers Game 2

76ers Look to Put Despicable Game 1 Performance Behind Them

The Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers resume their best-of-seven matchup in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Monday night’s Game 2 tilt in Philadelphia tips off at 8 pm. EST. BetAnySports has opened the 76ers as eight-point favorites with the total set at 225.5 points.

Brooklyn wrapped up the regular season with three wins in a row both straight-up and against the spread. On Saturday, it started play in the postseason with a 111-102 upset against Philadelphia. They were a 7.5-point road underdog. The total stayed UNDER BetAnySports’ 228-point closing line in that game and it has stayed UNDER in five of the Nets’ last seven games. They are now 7-1 ATS over their last eight road games.

D’Angelo Russell scored a team-high 26 points in Saturday’s win. He led Brooklyn in scoring all season long with 21.1 points per game. Caris LeVert connected on all three of his shots from three-point range as part of his 23-point effort off the bench. The Nets shot 42.3 percent from beyond the arc in that game. They also went 24-for-26 from the free throw line.

76ers are in a TailSpin

The 76ers lost four of their last six games in the regular season both SU and ATS. They did beat Brooklyn 123-110 on March 28 as seven-point home favorites to even up the season series at two games apiece. Philadelphia was 1-3 ATS in those four contests. Prior to Saturday’s loss, the total had gone OVER BetAnySports’ closing line in five of Philadelphia previous six games. It is 2-5 ATS in its last seven home games.

One of the big issues for the Sixers in this series is the health of Joel Embiid’s left knee. He was able to play 24 minutes in Game 1 with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He remains listed as day-to-day for Monday night’s contest. Jimmie Butler led all scorers in Saturday’s matchup with 36 points while going 11-for-22. Philadelphia shot a dismal 3-for-25 from three-point range in that game. During the regular season, this was the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA with an average of 115.2 PPG.

The 76ers have been a tough team to bet on lately, but I have a good feeling that they will bring their A Game to the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night to win this game by more than eight points.

NBA Playoffs Trends

Philadelphia Trends

• Trend Over is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5. Hit % 80.00% (5) O/U 4|1 Push 0 W/L
• Under is 5-0 in 76ers last 5 playoff games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5. 100.00% (5) 0|5 0
• Under is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5. 80.00% (5) 1|4 0
• Over is 4-1 in 76ers last 5 games as a home favorite. 80.00% (5) 4|1 0

Brooklyn Trends

• Trend Under is 8-3-1 in Nets last 12 games as an underdog of 11.0 or greater. Hit % 72.70% (12) O/U 3|8 Push 1 W/L
• Over is 4-1 in Nets last 5 playoff games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5. 80.00% (5) 0|5 0
• Under is 7-3 in Nets last 10 games as a favorite of 11.0 or greater. 70.00% (10) 3|7 0
• Under is 7-2-1 in Nets last 10 games as a road underdog of 11.0 or greater. 77.80% (10) 2|7 1

Meetings Trends

• Trend Over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Philadelphia. Hit % 80.00% (6) O/U 4|1 Push 1 W/L
• Nets are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. 80.00% (5) 0 4|1
• Nets are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Philadelphia. 71.40% (7) 0 5|2

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Sunday Night Baseball: Mets vs Braves

Braves Look to Even Series Against Mets

The New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves meet on Sunday night at SunTrust Park. The Mets lead the 4 games series 2-1, so the Braves will be looking to even the series in the finale. Tonight will showcase two of the quickest workers, and two pitchers who throw a lot of strikes with success. It should be a close game that moves along very quickly. The rain has moved out of the area and the wind is howling while the temperature will dip into the mid-40's early in the game.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN; LINE: Mets -147; O/U: 8.5 Over -115.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (1-1, 6.00)

One of the biggest story lines in baseball last season was the lack of run support the Mets provided Jacob deGrom during his Cy Young winning season. So far in 2019 they have produced plenty of offense for their ace. New York has scored 16 runs in deGrom's first three starts. They scored three runs or fewer in 21 of his 32 starts a season ago. Only producing one run or fewer on nine occasions.

The Mets aim to win the four-game series despite the Braves matching a season high 13 hits in Saturday's 11-7 win. The win snapped New York's three-game winning streak. Six different Atlanta hitters recorded multiple hits. The Braves got the first homers of the season from third baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Nick Markakis. Shortstop Dansby Swanson drove in three runs to move into fourth place in the majors with 18 RBIs. Atlanta beat a National League East rival for just the third time in nine tries this season, as they dominated the East last year. New York infielder Jeff McNeil had two hits and an RBI in the loss. He extended his hitting streak to four games (7-for-18 in that span).

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Mets' deGrom, and his streak of consecutive quality starts ended at 26 on Tuesday against Minnesota. He allowed six runs on eight hits. The real kicker is he had only three strikeouts in four innings. He looked like his dominant self in his first two outings, striking out 24 hitters in 13 scoreless innings. He had two walks, eight hits and no walks in victories over Washington and Miami. deGrom pitched outstanding against the Braves last season but received no support. He posted a 0.88 ERA but going 1-2 in six starts.

The forgotten man in the Atlanta Braves young rotation is the old man amongst them. He is a an ancient 28-years old. Julio Teheran has started the season strong. He has one bad inning in his last start Monday at Colorado skewing his numbers. Teheran gave up six runs in the fifth against the Rockies and finished with five hits allowed in five innings. He earned his first victory in an 8-6 Atlanta win. Teheran had struck out 14 with just four runs given up in his first two starts. He went 1-2 with a 1.65 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in five starts against New York in 2018. Donaldson recorded his second straight multi-hit game. He extended his hitting streak to six games (8-for-23 in that stretch) after beginning the season 4-for-27.

The Dart Throw: Braves 3, Mets 2

MLB Betting Odds & Trends

New York Mets
NY Mets is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
NY Mets is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Mets's last 8 games on the road
NY Mets is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
NY Mets is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
NY Mets is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
NY Mets is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of NY Mets's last 13 games

Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets
Atlanta is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Atlanta is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Atlanta is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Atlanta is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games at home

Next up:
New York at Philadelphia Monday, April 15
Atlanta home to Arizona Tuesday, April 16

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NBA Playoffs: Jazz vs Rockets

Rockets Go as Harden Goes Against Jazz

The fans at Toyota Center will see the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets when they take their seats on Sunday. They open their first round NBA Playoffs series in the Western Conference. James Harden will look to carry on his torrid play into the postseason. Harden, who is the front-runner for MVP of the league, led the NBA with a 36.1 scoring average. His 378 three-point baskets are second all-time behind Stephen Curry. Curry had 402 in 2015-16.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston) LINE: Rockets -6.5; O/U: 214.5.

The fourth-seeded Rockets knocked out the Jazz in five games in the second round of last season's playoffs. Harden averaged 28 points and 7.4 assists in the series. Houston ended the regular season with a flourish. They rolled off 20 wins in 23 games before suffering a final-second 112-111 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in its season finale.

Fifth-seeded Utah may be the underdog in the series but second-year shooting guard Donovan Mitchell sees no reason why his club can't reach the NBA Finals. "I think that's my mindset at least. I play this game to win," Mitchell told reporters. "It doesn't matter. They can say, 'No rookie has ever gotten to the finals.' They can say, 'No second-year player.' But for the guy who I look to is Dwyane Wade got there in his third year so why can't we do it? Why can't we as a team get to that point?"

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Utah Jazz finished the regular season at 50-32. It appeared over the final few weeks that the Portland Trail Blazers would be Utah's first-round opponent. The way things played out on the final day of the season led to the slim odds of Houston being the foe. Mitchell topped 20 points in nine of the club's 11 playoff games last season. Both of his under-20 outings came against Houston. PG Ricky Rubio (quadriceps) missed the final three games of the regular season. He is expected to give it a go in Game 1.

The Houston Rockets finished the regular season at 53-29. Harden isn't looking just to be a scorer during the postseason. He feels more like a leader than he did earlier in his career. "I've learned to be more even-keeled," Harden said of his postseason experiences. "We have to be confident, keep that up as we go along." Center Clint Capela had a career-best 45 doubles-doubles this season. He is battling an upper respiratory infection but is expected to be ready for the series opener. We will have to see how this plays out. PG Chris Paul topped 20 points in three of the past seven games.

The Dart Throw: Rockets 118, Jazz 109

NBA Playoffs Betting Odds Trends

Utah Jazz
Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Utah is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
Utah is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 6 games on the road
Utah is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Houston
Utah is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games when playing Houston
Utah is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Utah's last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston

Houston Rockets
Houston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Houston's last 20 games
Houston is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games at home
Houston is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Utah
Houston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Utah
Houston is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah
Houston is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Utah
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games when playing at home against Utah

Next up:
Utah at Houston Wednesday, April 17

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NBA Playoffs: Pistons vs Bucks

Pistons Could be Without Best Player in Game One

The Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks will meet on Sunday at Fiserv Forum. They open their first round Eastern Conference NBA Playoff Series. The Pistons had to fight until the final day of the regular season to make the postseason. That earned themselves the right to face the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks. The Pistons won their final two games to reach .500 and earn the No. 8 spot. The team heads to Milwaukee on Sunday with some uncertainty surrounding the availability of their best player.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Detroit, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee) LINE: Bucks -13; O/U: 219.

Detroit forward Blake Griffin sat out four of the final seven games of the regular season, including Wednesday's finale. He has a left knee injury and is considered questionable for Sunday. The Bucks are aware of the expectations that come with being the No. 1 seed. They seem to be prepared to be at their best from the start. "The playoffs bring pressure," Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. "Now is the time when you've got to execute defensively and offensively. There's no 'two weeks from now we need to get better' or 'a month from now.' Every team feels that pressure, the sense of the playoffs. I think our guys are excited about that and the coaching staff the same."

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Detroit Pistons are a heavy underdog in the series. They can claim an advantage up front with a healthy Griffin alongside center Andre Drummond. Drummond led the NBA in rebounding (15.6) and double-doubles (69) while averaging 17.3 points on 53.3 percent shooting. Wayne Ellington is averaging 12 points and shooting 37.3 percent from 3-point range in 28 games since joining the team.

The Milwaukee Bucks had an NBA best 60-22 record during the regular season. Milwaukee lost in the first round in each of the franchise's last eight trips to the playoffs. The team is trying not to look any further ahead than Game 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo battled ankle and calf injuries down the stretch. He is expected to be on the court Sunday and should be close to 100%. If he is anywhere close to the player that averaged 27.7 points on 57.8 percent shooting, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in the regular season the Bucks should be fine. Milwaukee took each of the four regular-season meetings by an average of 14.8 points.

NBA Playoffs Betting Odds & Trends

Detroit Pistons
Detroit is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 1-3-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Detroit is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Detroit is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee

Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Milwaukee is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games
Milwaukee is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games at home
Milwaukee is 3-4-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Detroit
Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit

Next up:
Detroit at Milwaukee Wednesday, April 17

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NBA Playoffs: Thunder vs Trail Blazers

Point Guards Control Action in Thunder vs Blazers

Divisional rivals meet on Sunday when the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Portland Trail Blazers meet at Moda Center. They open their first round NBA Playoffs series in what should be a great battle.

Star point guards Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard will wage a heavy battle in the Western Conference first-round series. Lillard's Trail Blazers made a late surge to grab the No. 3 seed in the West. Westbrook and the Thunder are the No. 6 seed after winning their final five regular-season contests.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC LINE: Trail Blazers -3.5; O/U: 224.5.

Westbrook averaged 29.5 points, 10 rebounds and 8.8 assists in four games against Portland this season. Lillard averaged 34.8 points and 7.8 assists in these tense showdowns. Thunder forward Paul George is struggling with right shoulder soreness but should play in the opener. Portland will rely on center Enes Kanter to combat Oklahoma City's Steven Adams. These former Thunder teammates know each other well. Portland is trying minimize not having bulky big man Jusuf Nurkic, who is out with a broken leg.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Thunder finished the regular season at 49-33 after struggling most of the first half of the year. George was superb against Portland in the regular season with averages of 38 points and 10.5 rebounds. George fell one point shy of his career high on Feb. 11 when he had 47 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his lone triple-double of the season in a 120-111 home win over the Trail Blazers. The Thunder went 4-0 against the Trail Blazers this season with an average winning margin of seven points.

The Trail Blazers finished the regular season 53-29 in the tight knit Western Conference. The health of shooting guard C.J. McCollum will be observed closely after he missed 10 games late in the season with a knee injury. He didn't fare well upon his return. McCollum averaged 10 points and made just 8-of-26 field-goal attempts after returning. He was 2-of-11 from 3-point range in two games before being rested in the season finale.

The Dart Throw: Trail Blazers 119, Thunder 112

NBA Playoffs Betting Odds & Trends

Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Portland
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Portland
Oklahoma City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
Oklahoma City is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland

Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games
Portland is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Portland's last 16 games at home
Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Portland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Portland is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

Next up:
Oklahoma City at Portland Tuesday, April 16

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