Sunday's Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
A 16-mph wind will be blowing in from left when the Cubs host the Reds on a cloudy Sunday. There’s a 20 percent chance of rain, and temperatures will be in the low 50s.
Who’s hot
NBA: Golden State is 12-3 ATS in its last 15 road games.
NBA: The Hornets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games.
NHL: Pittsburgh is 9-4 in its last 13 games in Philadelphia.
MLB: The White Sox are 5-0 in John Danks’ last five starts vs. Seattle.
MLB: The D-Backs are 7-2 in Ian Kennedy’s last nine home starts vs. winning teams.
Who’s not
NBA: The Lakers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games playing on one day’s rest.
NBA: Sacramento is 0-6 ATS in their six games playing on one day’s rest.
NHL: The over is 2-7-3 in the last 12 Kings-Canucks games.
MLB: The Twins are 2-6 in Nelson Liriano’s last eight road starts.
MLB: The Angels are 0-5 in Dan Haren’s last five starts on grass.
Key stat
23 – That’s how many first-period goals the Flyers and Penguins have combined to score, most in NHL history through the first five games of a playoff series. The record of 25 was set by Chicago and Edmonton in 1985.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Nicklas Grossman, arguably the Flyers’ top defenseman, missed Game 5 with a concussion and is doubtful to play again in the series, which resumes Sunday in Philly. Grossmann took first-period hits from the Tyler Kennedy and Evgeni Malkin in the Flyers’ 10-3 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. He sat out the third period, then was replaced by Erik Gustafsson on Friday.
Games of the day
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (115, 7)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (1, 200)
Notable quotable
"We're in this together. We worked hard all year to be in this position. Right now, I am going to do the best I can to be ready in case I'm needed. I'm 100 percent behind Cory and my teammates." – Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo, who is expected to be on the bench again for Sunday’s Game 5 as Cory Schneider makes his third straight start. There is speculation that Luongo, the best goalie in franchise history, already has played his last game as a Canuck.
Tips and notes
Despite first baseman Ike Davis’ struggles, the Mets don’t plan to move him out of the cleanup spot. Davis is hitting an abominable .148 (8 for 54) with three homers and seven RBIs. ''We need him,'' manager Terry Collins said. “As I told him, I’d move him and let him relax but I don’t have anyone else I can put in that spot right now either… I think eventually and very soon, he’s going to be doing some damage.'' Davis went 1 for 4 with an RBI in New York's 5-4 win over San Francisco on Saturday.
Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire will play his second game since returning from a back injury when New York visits Atlanta on Sunday. On Friday against Cleveland, Stoudemire played 27 minutes, getting 15 points and four blocks. "As the game went on, I felt more comfortable," said Stoudemire. "It’s just muscle memory." But Carmelo Anthony didn’t adjust well to Stoudemire’s return, scoring 12 on 5-of-13 shooting in the loss to the Cavs. Melo had been on a tear over the previous 13 games without Stoudemire. The Knicks went 9-4 in that span.
Ryan Dempster, whose 1.33 ERA ranks eighth in the NL, won’t make his scheduled Sunday start against the Reds: he was put on the DL with a quad injury. Randy Wells was called up from AAA Iowa to take Dempster’s place. Dempster’s injury is just the latest blow to the reeling Cubs, who placed reliever Kerry Woods on the DL Friday with a sore right shoulder.