Wednesday’s Betting Tips
By Covers.com
Who’s hot
NBA: The Knicks are 20-9 ATS in their last 29 games overall.
NBA: The over is 6-1 in the Clippers’ last seven overall.
NHL: The New York Rangers are 7-3 in their last 10 road games.
MLB: Tampa Bay had won seven straight meetings with the Yankees heading into Tuesday's action.
Who’s not
NBA: The under is 22-6 in Miami’s last 28 games as a home favorite.
NBA: The Grizzlies are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games as a favorite.
NHL: The over is 0-3-3 in the Capitals’ last six overall.
MLB: San Francisco is 3-9 in Tim Lincecum's last 12 starts.
Key stat
1 – Just one of the Washington Capitals’ 12 playoff games have been decided by more than one goal and the club has already gone to overtime six times. They are 0-5 when allowing the first goal in the postseason.
Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks – There was some talk that Lin (knee) might be able to return to the lineup at some point in the club’s opening-round series with the Miami Heat, but that’s not going to happen. The club ruled him out of action Tuesday, a day before the team looks to avoid elimination down 3-1 in its series with Miami.
Game of the day
Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies (-6, 183.5)
Notable quotable
“We’ve got to knock those free throws down when we get to the line. Maybe it’s good for us to really sulk on this loss for the next two days and really focus on where we need to be. We’re not there right now.” – Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh following Game 4’s loss to the New York Knicks. Miami shot 68.8 percent from the line with Dwyane Wade struggling in a big way. He hit just four of his 11 attempts from the charity stripe.
Notes and tips
The Rockies are turning to youth in an attempt to stabilize a rotation that has been highly unreliable and a major weakness. Right-hander Alex White was activated to start Tuesday at San Diego. And left-hander Christian Friedrich will be activated to start there Wednesday in his major league debut. White, 23, has made 10 starts in the majors, including seven with the Rockies last year following a trade from Cleveland. White went 2-4 with an 8.42 ERA in those seven Rockies starts. Friedrich, 24, was the Rockies' first pick and the 25th player taken overall in the 2008 draft. Colorado opened as a +115 underdog for Wednesday’s afternoon affair.
As of Tuesday evening, about 62 percent of Covers.com Consensus bettors were supporting the Los Angeles Clippers as they head into Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Memphis Grizzlies as 6-point road underdogs. The Clippers are 2-1-1 against the spread in the series but are only 1-3-1 against the spread in their last five road games.
Three blown saves and a recent spate of poor outings have cost Javy Guerra his role as the Los Angeles Dodgers' closer. Manager Don Mattingly made the change Monday, meeting with Guerra before the game against the San Francisco Giants.Kenley Jansen, who is tied for the major league lead with 16 appearances and leads all relievers with 27 strikeouts, is the new Dodgers closer.
Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton became the 16th player to hit four home runs in a game Tuesday. He went 5-for-5 with eight RBI and is is now hitting .406 with an AL-leading 14 homers and 36 RBIs.