Thursday’s Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Weather to watch
Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics – 13 mph winds are expected to blow out to right-centerfield.
Who’s hot
NBA: Celtics are 16-5-2 ATS in their last 23 games as a home underdog.
MLB: White Sox were 14-3 in their last 17 overall heading into Wednesday's action.
MLB: Cardinals are 9-3 in Lance Lynn's last 12 starts.
Who’s not
MLB: Indians are 0-7 in their last seven games with umpire Gerry Davis behind home plate.
MLB: The Cubs are 0-5 in Matt Garza's last five starts.
NBA: Heat are 1-10 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Boston
Key stat
2- The Boston Celtics have lost just two series in franchise history after taking a 3-2 lead (36-2).
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox – Konerko sat out his second straight game Wednesday after having a loose fragment flushed from his left wrist. He had the same procedure last season and the team hoped he would be able to play Wednesday, he but obviously needs more time. Konerko is hitting .366 with 11 homers and 33 RBI.
Game of the day
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (+1.5, 179.5)
Notable quotable
"It's probably like a boxer. You just got to go back to your corner right now. We all just have to huddle up and lean on each other. We're the only people we can depend on right now. That can be a very powerful thing." – Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra after his club dropped a 94-90 decision at home to the Boston Celtics as a 7.5-point favorite in Game 5.
Notes and tips
The Miami Heat don’t know if Chris Bosh will start Game 6 in Boston, but they do plan to use him more than in Game 5. Bosh came off the bench Tuesday and chipped in nine points and seven rebounds in a little more than 14 minutes of work. Bosh missed nine playoff games with an abdominal strain and the Heat went 4-5 against the spread without him.
The Toronto Blue Jays' revamped lineup looked good Tuesday in a 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Brett Lawrie, batting leadoff for the first time as a professional, had three hits and scored three runs. Colby Rasmus, batting second for the fifth time, had a career-best five hits, including a two-run homer, and finished with four runs and three RBI. Rasmus is batting .500 (12-for-24) with four homers and nine RBI as the No. 2 hitter. Not surprisingly, the Blue Jays went back to the well with the same lineup Wednesday.
The Cleveland Indians activated Johnny Damon Wednesday from the Paternity List and optioned Luke Carlin to Triple-A Columbus. Damon, 38, is currently hitting .180 (16-89) with nine runs scored, one home run and five RBI in 25 games for Cleveland since being added to the roster May 1. He last appeared in a game Saturday against Minnesota and is 5-for-17 (.294) over his last five games.