Saturday's Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
A 14-mph wind will be blowing in from right when Cleveland hosts Texas on Saturday night. Skies will be partly cloudy, with a 20 percent chance of rain.
Who’s hot
NBA: The road team is 5-2 ATS in the last seven Pacers-Magic games.
NBA: The under is 4-1 in the Thunder’s last five road games.
NHL: The Rangers are 7-2 in their last nine road games.
MLB: San Francisco is 11-1 in Madison Bumgarner’s last 12 home starts.
MLB: The under is 18-7-2 in Felix Hernandez’s last 27 home starts for Seattle.
Who’s not
NBA: Utah is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games vs. teams with winning road records.
NBA: The Clippers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games.
NHL: The over is 0-3-3 in the last six Rangers-Capitals games.
MLB: The White Sox are 2-6 in Gavin Floyd’s last eight starts.
MLB: San Diego is 0-8 in Clayton Richard’s last eight starts vs. NL East teams.
Key stat
40 – That’s the advantage San Antonio has had in the paint against Utah, outscoring the Jazz 120-80 in an area that was supposed to be Utah’s strength. The Spurs lead the series 2-0, with Game 3 Saturday night. San Antonio is set as a 5.5-point favorite.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Clippers veteran guard Mo Williams, who left Game 2 with a forearm contusion, said he expects to play in Saturday’s Game 3 in Los Angeles. He had nine points in the series opener, then 11 points and four assists in 21 minutes of Game 2. For the season, he averaged 13.2 points and 3.1 assists.
Games of the day
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers (-3, 187.5)
New York Rangers at Washington Capitals (-115, 5)
Notable quotable
“If we continue playing like we did, creating offense, blocking shots, you know, playing good, patient hockey, we’ll be successful.” – Capitals winger Troy Brouwer, on his team’s 2-1 series deficit heading into Saturday’s Game 4.
Notes and tips
It’s fair to wonder how much juice Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh will have for Saturday’s Game 4 after he logged an incredible 53:17 of ice time in Game 3. McDonagh blocked eight shots in New York’s triple-OT win. "It's not really exhaustion when you win the game," he said. "You feel like all the effort paid off and that's the only way to put it."
The Knicks are listing F Amare Stoudemire (hand) as doubtful for Sunday’s Game 4. Stoudemire severely cut his non-shooting hand while punching a fire extinguisher case in frustration after New York’s Game 2 loss in Miami. The Heat leads the series 3-0.
The A’s put OF Coco Crisp on the 15-day DL with an inner ear infection. The issue has plagued Crisp for weeks, and he’s hitting just .194 with five RBIs in 67 at-bats. Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes are expected to get most of the starts in left field.
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, 42, vowed Friday to return from his torn ACL. "I'm coming back. Write it down in big letters," he told reporters. "I'm not going out like this." Rivera has 608 career saves, and his 42 postseason saves are the most in MLB history.