Friday’s Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Who’s hot
NBA: The Grizzlies are 3-10-1 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
MLB: The Rays are 13-6 in the last 19 meetings in Baltimore.
MLB: The Marlins are 8-1 in their last nine overall.
Who’s not
NBA: The over is 6-2 in the Clippers’ last eight overall.
MLB: The Padres are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings in Philadelphia.
MLB: The Angels are 4-10 in their last 14 road games.
Key stat
11.24 – Los Angeles Angels supporters headed into Thursday’s action down 11.24 units, worst in the majors. The Angels face a stiff test when they visit Josh Hamilton and his AL West-leading Rangers for Game 1 of their series Friday.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals – Molina was hit on the back of the hand by a pitch Tuesday. X-rays came back negative, but he was held out of the lineup Wednesday and is considered questionable for Friday’s game against Atlanta. Molina is hitting .302 with four homers, 16 RBI, and four stolen bases.
Game of the day
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers (-1.5, N/A)
Notable quotable
"We preached to our team to focus on the moment. The first moment is the first quarter and so on. You can't think about the next game until you get to the next game. Now we can talk about the next game and just going out and playing the first quarter." – Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins after his club tied a franchise record for points in a quarter with 36 in the opening frame of Game 5’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Notes and tips
Wednesday night in Memphis, the Los Angeles Clippers failed to close out the Memphis Grizzlies, losing by 12. But more importantly, the Clippers might be without their best two players. Blake Griffin sprained his left knee, and Chris Paul strained his right hip flexor in the second half of the Clippers' loss. "The pain scares you," Griffin said. "But it's not because it hurts; it's because you don't know why." Griffin had an MRI on his knee Thursday and both are considered game-time decisions.
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee during the Vikings' Christmas Eve win at Washington. He had surgery six days later and has been ahead of schedule ever since. Peterson looks in great shape, as usual, but his left leg is understandably stiffer that observers are accustomed to seeing. He did some lateral drills, scooping up and returning a soccer ball that was rolled to his left and right. He also ran in a circle, sprinted the width of the field four times and did a standing jump to a box that was about four feet high. Peterson wore a knee brace for all but the straight-line sprints.
The Minnesota Twins have seen just about enough of Francisco Liriano. They demoted him to the bullpen after he posted a 9.45 ERA through his first six starts of the season. He has struck out 21 batters compared to 19 walks in 26 2/3 innings.