Monday's Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants – A 17-mph wind will be blowing out to left-center at AT&T Park Monday afternoon. There’s a 40 percent chance of showers, with temperatures hovering in the mid-50s.
Who’s hot
NBA: OKC is 20-6 ATS in its last 26 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5 points.
NHL: The under is 6-0-1 in the last seven Devils-Kings games.
MLB: The Dodgers are 6-0 in Clayton Kershaw’s last six starts vs. winning teams.
MLB: The D-Backs are 7-2 in Joe Saunders’ last nine starts vs. losing teams.
Who’s not
NBA: The under is 2-6 in the last eight Thunder-Spurs games.
NHL: The Kings are 0-7 in their last seven games as a favorite of -151 to -200.
MLB: St. Louis is 5-16 in Kyle Lohse’s last 21 road starts vs. winning teams.
MLB: Texas is 1-10 in Scott Feldman’s last 11 starts vs. AL West teams.
Key stat
49.7 – That’s the percentage of baskets that the Thunder had assists on during the regular season, an NBA low. But in Game 4, OKC assisted on 27 of 44 field goals (61.3 percent). Kevin Durant dished out eight assists, his most since April 9. Game 5 is Monday night in San Antonio.
Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked
Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun and third baseman Aramis Ramirez got the day off Sunday to rest minor injuries. Ramirez strained his left quadriceps on Saturday, and Braun is dealing with a tight right Achilles. Milwaukee is off Monday, and it’s unclear whether the team’s Nos. 3 and 4 hitters will play in Tuesday’s opener against the Cubs.
Game of the day
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (-5, 202.5)
Notable quotable
“It’s embarrassing the way we play on the power play. We think it’s going to be easy, but we have to work, we have to be sharp.” – forward Ilya Kovalchuk, whose Devils trail the Kings 2-0 heading into Monday’s Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. New Jersey is 0-for-6 with the man advantage in this series after going 3-for-23 in the conference finals against the Rangers.
Notes and tips
Braves catcher Brian McCann, who was hit in the left knee by a Jonny Venters wild pitch on Saturday, sat out Sunday but hopes to return to the lineup following Monday’s off day. The All-Star is having a subpar season, hitting .248 with seven homers and 28 RBIs.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (thumb) plans to be back in the lineup Tuesday, wearing a molded plastic brace under his batting glove. Boston is off Monday. Pedroia is hitting .295 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion left Sunday's game after being hit on the right hand by a Daniel Bard pitch. X-rays came back inconclusive. Encarnacion is hitting .279 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs. The Blue Jays are off Monday before opening a series at the White Sox on Tuesday.