The Phoenix Coyotes survived stretches of playing on their heels in the playoffs first two rounds, absorbing everything the opponent threw at them before counterpunching with a winning goal.

Against the Los Angeles Kings, they quickly learned that method wont work.

More skilled and equally tenacious as Phoenix, the Kings hit the Coyotes hard and kept coming in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, rolling to a 4-2 win Sunday night.

With Game 2 Tuesday night in the desert, the Coyotes have a short turnaround to figure out a way to stop this Los Angeles juggernaut or it could end up being a short series.

“We know we need to be better,” Coyotes forward Boyd Gordon said Monday after practice. “Theyre a very good team, they work hard, they compete and they battle. If we come out like we did in Game 1, well be in big trouble.”

The Kings have been doing this all playoffs.

The Wests last team to get in, Los Angeles has arguably been the NHLs best team in the playoffs, its combination of grit, skill and superb goaltending overwhelming opponents.

The Kings knocked off No. 1 seed Vancouver in five games, swept second-seeded St. Louis in the second round and dominated Phoenix in the opener of the conference finals.

With a week off since beating the Blues, Los Angeles picked up where it left off instead of showing any signs of rust, attacking the Coyotes from the opening faceoff. The Kings outshot Phoenix 17-4 in the first period, overcame two miscues by usually steady goalie Jonathan Quick and didnt give the Coyotes much of a chance to fight back after Dustin Brown scored early in the third period.

Dwight King sealed it with his second goal of the night on an empty net, sending Los Angeles to its sixth straight road playoff victory – one short of the NHL record for one postseason – and another surge along its wave of momentum.

These Kings are on such a roll they dont care whos on the ice against them; just line up and go after the players in front of you, whoever they are.

“We know how we play and dont worry about the matchups,” Kings center Jarret Stoll said. “We know all four lines can play, all four centermen can play in every situation. When you have that, thats pretty important to the team.”

Before Sunday night, the Coyotes had been able to snatch away wins when they were outplayed in the postseason.

They packed in against Chicagos skilled lines in the opening series, withstanding the Blackhawks numerous flurries before pulling a tight series that went to overtime five of the six games. Phoenix played a similar rope-a-dope style at times against Nashville, winning that series in five games.

The Coyotes do have experience in bouncing back from a poor series opener.

Against the Predators, they allowed 42 shots and were dominated for most of the third period and at times in overtime before Ray Whitney scored for an improbable win.

The big difference in this case is the outcome. Phoenix couldnt snatch a victory away from the confident Kings and finds itself trailing in a series for the first time this season.

“Weve been disappointed in the way we played some other games,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. “But, like I said before, weve been able to find a way to kind of scratch and claw our way out of it. Last night, we didnt get the result we wanted.”

One reason was the Kings top line of Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

The trio has given teams fits all postseason, combining for 11 goals and 17 assists the first two series. They were an unstoppable force against Phoenix, forcing Tippett to juggle his lineup in an attempt to find someone who could stop them.

No one really did.

The line combined for two goals and two assists, with Brown scoring what ended up being the winning goal on a mini breakaway after a stretch pass from Slava Voynov in the third period. They were seemingly everywhere and controlled the puck most of their time on the ice together, creating a huge matchup problem for the Coyotes.

“Im not sure what theyre going to try to do to stop us,” Brown said. “Its one of those things where theyre going to make adjustments. Its up to us as players to make adjustments in games to be effective and have an impact on Game 2.”

More than the technical adjustments, the Coyotes need a change in attitude, get back to their grinding ways.

A team without any true stars, Phoenix relies on a lunch-pail approach, getting to the loose pucks first, winning individual battles all over the ice.

The Coyotes didnt do that against Los Angeles in Game 1.

They came out flat and the Kings jumped on them at the start, by far the more aggressive team. Derek Morris scored late in the period on a shot from the center line, but that was more of a fluke than something Phoenix can expect to happen on a regular basis.

The Coyotes did use their grittiness to score their second goal – Mikkel Boedker in front after Antoine Vermette won a battle behind the goal – but there were far too few instances like that in the opener.

If Phoenix doesnt change that, what they do technically wont matter.

“First and foremost, if youre not willing to jump in and win a few more one-on-one battles, the tactical stuff you may as well throw it out the window,” Tippett said.

Especially against a team like the Kings.

NEW YORK — After 14 games and two nail-biting playoff series wins, the New York Rangers insist they have plenty left to make a run at the Stanley Cup.

If any proof was needed, Henrik Lundqvist provided it with a shutout victory over the well-rested New Jersey Devils in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night.

Lundqvist made 21 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout. Rookie Chris Kreider, defenseman Dan Girardi, and Artem Anisimov all had a goal and an assist in the third period as the Rangers turned a scoreless game into a 3-0 win. It came two days after New York outlasted the pesky Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the second-round series.

“I dont know where you guys get all this stuff about being tired,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said. “If were tired this time of the year, theres something the matter. We still have a month to play. You might as well not even ask me questions about being tired.”

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The Rangers said during their one day off before facing the Devils that they liked the rhythm of playing every other day, and didnt think the quick turnaround would affect them. The Devils, however, had been off for five days since they knocked out the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.

“Its always tough to come from a Game 7. So emotional, and everything around it, and then start over,” Lundqvist said. “[Sunday] was all about regrouping, and move your focus to a new team and just a different type of game.

“I didnt really know what to expect from this game, honestly.”

No team forced to play seven-game series in each of the first two rounds has gone on to win the Stanley Cup, but the Rangers are determined to be the first. The Rangers slogged through two scoreless periods and pulled out a win with a dominating third period.

The Rangers are in the conference finals for the first time since 1997, and they havent reached the Stanley Cup Finals since 1994, when they beat 22-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur and the Devils in a classic seven-game series that backed up captain Mark Messiers guarantee.

Brodeur and the Devils are making their first conference finals appearance since 2003, the year they won the Cup for the third time.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.

Girardi, who struggled at times with his defensive duties, got a perfect setup from Kreider and scored 53 seconds into the third period. Playing in just his 13th NHL game, all in these playoffs, Kreider sent a pass back from the right circle in the Devils zone to the point. Girardi took long strides as he charged up ice and stepped into a shot that ripped through a screen in front by teammate Derek Stepan.

“I saw [Kreider] coming up the wall, and I was delaying to see what he was going to do,” Girardi said. “I saw no one go to the point, and I kind of stepped into it and got it through.”

The shot beat Brodeur for Girardis second playoff goal this season and second in 47 career postseason games. It was a drive Brodeur said he never saw.

“We didnt finish Kreider down the board,” Brodeur said. “We didnt close him out and get him off of the puck. Nobody went to him, probably a miscommunication, and he was able to lay a puck to Girardi and for a bomb.”

The other assist went to 21-year-old defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who along with Kreider was only 3 when these teams last met in the conference finals in `94.

Girardi also earned a secondary assist on Kreiders power-play goal with eight minutes remaining that made it 2-0. New Yorks slumping power play connected after Girardi was drilled hard from behind into the boards by Devils forward Steve Bernier.

Anisimov, who also assisted on Kreiders goal, scored into an empty net to make it 3-0 with 1:27 left.

Brodeur heard sing-song chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” before the game started. Those got much louder after Girardis goal, and even more taunting after Kreider scored as the blue-shirt wearing, towel-waving fans excitement grew. Brodeur finished with 25 saves.

Lundqvist showed no signs of fatigue and was solid throughout in posting his second shutout of these playoffs — helped by 26 blocked shots by his teammates.

“Hank is huge for us back there,” Girardi said. “We were struggling a little bit in our defensive zone and he was there to bail us out. Thats what happened. He made some big saves, and in the third period we came out hard and got a couple of goals for him.”

To no ones surprise, the teams were still tied heading into the final frame, but not because of a lack of chances.

Lundqvist was sharp in turning aside pucks that sneaked through the wall of teammates that blocked so many shots. He was at his best while the Rangers were on a power play late in the second period.

Zach Parise had the puck to the left of the net and snapped off a forehand that Lundqvist blocked. Parise got another whack at the rebound, and was again denied. Given one more chance with a backhander, Parise failed to break the deadlock with a short-handed goal.

“I tried to go 5-hole on the first one and it just kept popping back to me,” Parise said. “I tried to go up, and he made the save. It came back, and I tried to go high, and he made another save. It was unfortunate. It was a few of those opportunities we had. We just didnt capitalize.”

It wasnt the first bit of frustration in the series opener for the Devils captain. Parise was caught from behind by hard-charging defenseman Ryan McDonagh to thwart a first-period breakaway before Parise could get a shot on Lundqvist

McDonagh made the most of his 22-year-old legs, and showed no signs of fatigue from 14 previous playoff games this season, when he also chased down Ilya Kovalchuk in the first period. Lundqvist made a stop at the end of the charge.

The Devils also peppered Lundqvist in the opening minutes of the second period. Lundqvist fought to see between a maze of players and even gave a shove to the back of teammate Anton Stralman, trying to move the defenseman out of his line of sight.

Brodeur also was sharp at the other end, even shaking off a collision with teammate Marek Zidlicky, who got tangled with Rangers forward Brandon Prust. Brodeurs mask was knocked off after the whistle.

Notes

The Rangers held an 18-17 edge in shots through 40 minutes, but New York also blocked 18 other Devils attempts. Brodeur, who has 24 postseason shutouts, made his 183rd consecutive playoff start for the Devils. He is the only player from the 1994 series still in the NHL. Kreider, who made his debut on April 16 at Ottawa after winning the NCAA championship with Boston College, has three goals in the playoffs.

Blake Griffin woke up Monday with his sprained left knee not feeling worse, but not really much better. Rest is the only remedy, a luxury the Los Angeles Clippers dont have, and doctors guess he might miss two weeks if this were the regular season.

Griffin? He says he will play in Game 1 on Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro is making no such guarantees.

“I dont know yet,” Del Negro said Monday. “Ill make that decision tomorrow after shootaround, after I talk to the trainer.”

Griffin doesnt think that conversation will be necessary.

Griffin said there is “no doubt” about his availability for the start of the Western Conference semifinals, which start two days after the hobbled All-Star played fewer than two minutes in the fourth quarter of a Game 7 win at Memphis. His injury is the most worrisome for the banged-up Clippers: All-Star Chris Paul said Monday that his bothersome right hip is OK, and forward Caron Butler is expected to play despite his broken left hand.

Following a light shootaround and film session Monday, Griffin put his health between 75 percent and 80 percent.

“Hopefully more than that, but realistically, probably about that,” he said. “But my knee hasnt gotten worse. Thats the encouraging thing. It just needs time, and we havent had much of it.”

Theyve barely had any at all.

The Clippers flew straight to Texas from Memphis on Sunday night, leaving them little time to savor one of the biggest wins in the woeful 41-year history of the franchise. Never had the Clippers won a Game 7 before Sunday, and this marks only the third time theyve advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Then there are the Spurs.

Few things about the No. 1 seed in the West could be more different than the Clippers, and not just in terms of franchise history. While the worn-out Clippers are facing their sixth game in 11 days, the Spurs havent played for eight days since sweeping Utah in the first round.

That the Spurs are not the most hobbled team in a playoff series is a refreshing change of pace for them. Winners of 14 in a row – one of the NBAs six-longest winning streaks sustained in the playoffs since 1986 – the Spurs are not just well rested but also in unusually good health for this time of year.

Theyre also in a good mood: After the Clippers won Sunday, Spurs guard Tony Parker sent Paul a text message.

“See you soon,” Parker wrote.

What took the Clippers so long, anyway?

“I was kind of expecting to play on Sunday,” Manu Ginobili said. “The uncertainty is not always good. I came here (Saturday) thinking I was going to know, and then I didnt. Its demotivating. Because you cant prepare for nobody.”

The Spurs won two of three meetings with the Clippers this season, their only loss coming when Parker sat out with a sore thigh. That was March 9; the Spurs have lost only three more times since then, and once was when coach Gregg Popovich didnt play Parker, Ginobili and Tim Duncan so his stars could rest.

By Monday afternoon, the Clippers were so starved for rest that Griffin was talking about the Game 7 afternoon start almost as though it were a blessing, because it gave them another precious half-day to recover.

“Going through a seven-game series is definitely exhausting,” Griffin said. “We may have some guys that are a little beat-up. Thats how it is. But a lot of teams have that, and we cant use that as an excuse.”

BOSTON — Not this time, Celtics.

After letting another fourth-quarter lead slip away in Boston, Philadelphia took it right back and held on to it, fighting off every run the Celtics made down the stretch for an 82-81 victory Monday night to even the Eastern Conference second-round series at one game apiece.

“We knew to expect the same type of game,” said Evan Turner, whose layup with 40.4 seconds to play put Philadelphia ahead to stay. “We did what we needed to do to win this game, just like we didnt the first time around.”

Turners layup gave the Sixers a 76-75 lead and Philadelphia clinched it by going 6 for 6 from the free throw line over the final 12 seconds.

“We just found a way,” Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said. “All season long we couldnt win these games and now our guys are believing they can do it. And it is pretty special to watch.”

Turner finished with 10 points, Jrue Holiday scored 18 and Andre Iguodala added 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Sixers, who blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead as the Celtics won Game 1.

Philadelphia failed to hang on to the lead again, but this time the Sixers outplayed the Celtics down the stretch.

Game 3 will be Wednesday in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia won its first playoff game in Boston since 1982 despite committing a playoff-high 19 turnovers and getting outrebounded 47-36.

“Were keeping our composure. Were keeping our confidence and know its going to be grind-out games,” Iguodala said.

Every time the Celtics appeared to have regained the momentum, the Sixers came up with an answer. After trailing by eight points entering the fourth quarter, Bostons Kevin Garnett tied it at 65-all on a turnaround jumper with 4:33 to play. The Celtics had the Sixers on the verge of a turnover when Paul Pierce blocked Lou Williams and the ball went out of bounds with only 0.9 seconds left on the shot clock.

No problem.

Lavoy Allen got the inbounds pass and banked in a shot from 22 feet and the Sixers were back in the lead.

“Well, the clock was down to point-nine seconds. I did what I could,” Allen said.

Garnett scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 12 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 17 points for Boston.

Brandon Bass had 12 points for the Celtics, who couldnt quite repeat their comeback in the series-opening 92-91 victory.

“Listen, we put ourselves in that position,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “You put yourself in position to let someone else do something, then you can lose games and thats what happened.”

Philadelphia led 57-49 entering the fourth, but Boston tied it twice before going up 72-71 on Avery Bradleys 3-pointer, setting off a series of shots from beyond the arc.

Holiday answered with a 3 for the Sixers, then Ray Allen got the lead right back for the Celtics on a 3-pointer with 1:40 left. The Celtics had a chance to extend the lead after forcing the Sixers into a 24-second shot clock violation, but Rajon Rondo missed a shot and Iguodala got the rebound, leading to Turners layup to put the Sixers up 76-75 with 40.4 seconds to go.

“We gave them a couple shots that if we could get back we would love to have back,” Allen said.

Rondo and Allen both missed shots that would have put Boston ahead, then Rondo fouled Turner with 14.4 seconds left. The Celtics fouled Turner again with 12 seconds and he hit both free throws to extend the lead to 78-76.

Fans grew restless as the second half opened with sloppy, choppy play by both teams. Boston led 38-36 at halftime and nearly seven minutes into the third quarter, the score was 43-41 with the Celtics still ahead.

When the shots finally started falling, they were all for Philadelphia. The Sixers scored 14 consecutive points, turning a 47-43 deficit into a 57-47 lead in the final minute of the period. Boston went without a point for 4:40, finally scoring when Pierce made two free throws with 2.4 seconds left in the period.

The Celtics committed seven turnovers during the quarter and made only 4 of 17 shots.

“We knew itd be a close game. We just needed to get stops down the stretch and we didnt,” said Pierce, who finished with only seven points. “The third quarter really hurt us. We couldnt score, and then Turner made some tough shots down the stretch.”

Spencer Hawes finished with eight points and 10 rebounds and Lavoy Allen scored 10 points for the Sixers.

Notes

The Celtics scored the first nine points. Boston made its first five shots, not missing until Hawes blocked Bradleys attempt 3:24 into the game. Rondo had eight assists in the first half, including alley-oop setups for Greg Stiemsma and Ryan Hollins, who had to reach behind his head for the pass but still corralled it for the two-handed dunk to put the Celtics up 33-29. Holiday led Philadelphia with 13 points in the first half. He was the only Sixer to score in double figures in the first two periods. Hawes was the next closest with six points. The Sixers had lost their previous seven playoff games in Boston, last winning on May 23, 1982, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes – Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why Los Angeles Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several betting sites, you have to look at which team is playing the better brand of ball at the moment, and its clearly the Kings. Los Angeles swarmed Phoenix in Game 1 of this still-young series on Sunday, winning its sixth road game of the playoffs in as many outings. The Kings got almost 50 pucks on goal, a season high for them. Coach Darryl Sutter is squeezing the most out of his team, which is clicking on all four lines and is getting top-shelf play from goaltender Jonathan Quick. The Kings also ought to feel good about themselves because they made two stupid plays in Game 1 on Sunday. Quick allowed a very bad goal on a mid-ice shot, and Quick also gave up the puck behind his own net to a player who was being closely followed. The exchange led to a turnover and a quick Phoenix goal. Los Angeles ability to overcome these mistakes should only fuel the Kings confidence to a much greater degree.

This team has lost only one playoff game so far. It has steamrolled through the first two rounds, it is winning games on the road with regularity, and it has the look of a team that believes in itself far more than any other team left in the National Hockey League playoffs. The Kings are not the same team they were in the regular season. They have undergone the kind of transformation that typically happens with a Stanley Cup favorite. They dismissed the top two seeds in their conference, beating teams that accumulated 220 points in the NHL regular season (Vancouver and St. Louis). It would be very hard to pick against the Kings at this point, especially since they already have a 1-0 lead in the series and have taken home ice away from the spirited but inferior Coyotes.

Why Phoenix Will Win

The people who are studying the sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your bet, the Phoenix Coyotes have made a living out of defying the odds this postseason. They won a series against the Chicago Blackhawks that featured five overtime games. Thats just not a very regular everyday occurrence. They were a clear underdog against the Nashville Predators but decisively won that series in five games. Phoenix loves being counted out. The Coyotes will just keep coming; they like surprising the experts.
Read more on the latest sportsbook odds in the NHL playoffs.

Who Will Win?

While Phoenix will put up a very good fight, this is Los Angeles series to lose. The Kings are in a zone right now. Everything they touch turns to hockey gold. They will win this series, though Phoenix will push them.

NHL Betting Pick: Los Angeles in 6 games

Boston Red Sox @ Philadelphia Phillies – Series Overview

Game 1: Friday, May 18

If you are interested in betting on baseball this season, the upcoming three-game series between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies presents the kinds of situations in which raw numbers arent all theyre cracked up to be. The first installment of this three-game series pits Boston starter Daniel Bard, with an earned-run average of 4.30, against Philadelphia hurler Cole Hamels, who totes a snappy 2.28 ERA at the moment. Hamels is a better pitcher than Bard; you wont get any argument on the matter from a baseball betting expert. However, one must also realize that earned-run averages in the American League and the National League have to be taken with a grain of salt. The American League, because of its use of the designated hitter, is a much tougher league in which to pitch. An ERA just above four runs per game is a lot worse in the National League than in the American League.

If Bard and Hamels switched leagues, their earned-run averages, currently two runs apart, would probably be within three-fourths of a run, maybe only half a run. The sense here is that Bostons better batting order will make Hamels work. Hamels relies on his mixture of speeds to get hitters out, so as long as Bostons hitters are patient, they will get hittable pitches in the strike zone. This game should be very close, but Boston is in a position where it can wear down the Phillies arms. The Red Sox will strike first and prove that ERAs dont tell the whole story in a baseball game… not all the time, at least.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston

Game 2: Saturday, May 19

The team that is a mystery for a lot of online sportsbooks is the Philadelphia Phillies, and the big reason for the teams slump is that it has not produced at the plate. In Saturdays game, Jon Lester of the Red Sox, with a 3.71 ERA, will face the Phillies Joe Blanton, who brings a 2.96 earned-run average into Citizens Bank Park. Lester should be able to shut down the Phillies, while Blanton – a reliable starter at the back end of the Phillies rotation – does not have the overpowering stuff that can silence Bostons bats. Blanton will pitch well, but Lester will pitch better, and thats a recipe for a Red Sox victory in game two.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston

Game 3: Sunday, May 20

The team that online sports betting sites are not favoring at the moment is Boston. The Red Sox have more weaknesses than the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays, and when they finish this Sunday game, theyre likely to have one more loss. The Red Sox will go with Josh Beckett, who carries a large 5.97 ERA into this game. Philadelphia will trot out its staff ace, Cliff Lee, who has been humming along this season with a 2.17 earned-run average. Lee will dominate, while Beckett – immersed in a horrible season – will find it hard to outduel his counterpart. Philadelphia will win the finale of this three-game set.

MLB Betting Pick: Philadelphia

Lakers Thunder Betting

Oklahoma City likely came into this matchup as the NBA betting favorites and they have to be even bigger favorites after a 119-90 rout of the Lakers in Game 1 in which Los Angeles looked exhausted after a seven-game series with Denver, including three games in the high altitude of the Pepsi Center, while the Thunder looked well rested after sweeping the defending champions from Dallas. Oklahoma City is going to look to push the pace as much as possible and basically play the Lakers the same way as Denver did, except the Thunder has better players.

If the Lakers are going to stop the Thunder, they’re going to need Ramon Sessions to wake up as he has declined throughout the postseason and he has to be able to offset Russell Westbrook, who had 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the opener. He doesn’t have to put up those types of numbers, but Sessions has to put some pressure on Westbrook when the Lakers have the ball and force him to use energy at that end of the court. The Lakers also need their bench to step up because you know the Thunder is going to get scoring from their second unit, although Sixth Man of the Year James Harden is a glorified starter.

Speaking of Harden, the subplot between he and the Lakers’ Metta World Peace will be a theme throughout this series, but don’t expect any revenge for World Peace’s elbow that netted him a seven-game suspension at the end of the regular season. The Thunder realize that the best form of revenge will be to thump the Lakers and they played with a lot of intensity in Game 1. They’ll carry that intensity throughout the series and the Lakers just don’t have the horses to hang with the Thunder; Harden is going to have a monster of a series and there isn’t much that the Lakers will be able to do about it. The Thunder in five games sound about right.

Betting Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder

Clippers Spurs Betting

NBA betting odds have San Antonio as a massive -2000 favorite over the Clippers at +1200, and many sportsbook players feel that most of that edge goes to the Spurs because of coaching; Gregg Popovich was the Coach of the Year and really, he has been one of the top two or three coaches in the league over the last 15 years. The Clippers counter with Vinny Del Negro, who has earned deserved criticism for many moves, but his decision to bench his starters and go with the subs was the main reason why the Clippers won a tough Game 7 in Memphis to wrap up the first round. There were a lot of folks ready to pounce on Del Negro, but he made a gutsy move and stuck with it.

Del Negro will have to make more moves like that if the Clippers are going to hang with the Spurs, who made short work of Utah in a sweep that was never in doubt. Many thought the Spurs would be one of the teams that suffered most in the shortened season because of their age, but Popovich did an excellent job of pacing his stars, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, and he also threw younger players like rookie Kawhi Leonard into the fire so they would be ready for this time of year. While the team still takes on Duncan’s personality, the straw that stirs the drink is Parker, who earned some MVP consideration for his play.

The matchup between Parker and Los Angeles’ Chris Paul is going to be fun to watch if you’re a point-guard aficionado; for all of the credit Parker got this year, Paul got a little more and is regarded as the best pure point in the league by many experts, so Parker has motivation to show that he belongs up there with Paul; yes, a three-time champion and former Finals MVP has something left to prove.

Watching Duncan against Blake Griffin in the post will be another matchup to watch, although the Spurs will likely run a number of defenders at Griffin so they can save Duncan’s legs for late in the game. Duncan has never been the most athletic player in the league and is even less now, while Griffin relies solely on his athleticism.

The Spurs won two of three against the Clippers during the regular season, with all three going over the posted total, but the game will slow down in the playoffs and we have more faith in the Spurs’ experience, which is why they should be your online betting pick in five games.

Betting Pick: San Antonio Spurs

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat – Series Prediction

Sports betting experts are not going to change their minds about the Indiana Pacers-Miami Heat series after what they saw on Sunday in Game 1. The biggest key in this series, going in, figured to be Indianas ability to find a reliable second scorer behind team leader Danny Granger. There is zero doubt that Granger is the Pacers main meal ticket, but much as Miami took away New York star Carmelo Anthony in the first round, given that the Knicks lacked depth and balance due to a number of injuries, it was highly likely that the Heat would be able to contain Granger. Theyre going to focus on denying him the ball and limiting his opportunities, which means that Indiana coach Frank Vogel needs a second man – probably forward Paul George – to answer the call. In game one, neither Granger nor George performed well. It was the big man tandem of Roy Hibbert and David West that did the most damage for Indiana against Miamis small frontline. The question – Is George mentally ready to shoulder a big workload against the Heat? – was strongly answered in the negative.

Yes, the Pacers are a hard-working and overachieving team. They made the Chicago Bulls work in the first round of last years playoffs, and by winning over 40 games in this compressed 66-game regular season, the Pacers clearly surpassed expectations. Most basketball pundits think that their road will end here, however. Miami, even without forward Chris Bosh – injured in Game 1 on Sunday – has the two best players on the floor in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Indiana doesnt have the experience or the shotmaking ability to stay with Miami. Its that simple.

NBA Basketball Betting Pick: Miami in 5 games

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics – Series Prediction

When you take a quick look at this series to make a play on any of several sports betting sites in the country, you can try to convince yourself that the Philadelphia 76ers have a real shot at taking down the Boston Celtics. However, you will likely fail. In Game 1 on Saturday night, the Sixers should have led by at least 13 to 15 points by halftime, yet led by only five. Boston is not as quick as the younger Philadelphia squad, but it is superior in every other respect. The Celtics are smarter, more powerful, and know how to perform in the clutch. They have the better point guard, Rajon Rondo, and play better halfcourt defense under the guidance of head coach Doc Rivers, who is a better bench boss than Sixer head coach Doug Collins. This is Bostons series to lose; Game 1 affirmed as much.
Click here for more on the latest sportsbook odds.

NBA Basketball Betting Pick: Boston in 5 games

Eastern Conference Finals: New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers – Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why New Jersey Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several sports betting sites, there will come a time when you have to acknowledge the power of transformation, of a team that changes its identity and becomes quite different from what it was during the regular season. The New Jersey Devils once were an elite organization. From 1995 through 2003, the Devils won three Stanley Cup championships while making a fourth appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals and losing in seven games to the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. Goalie Martin Brodeur was at the top of his game, leading a previously hapless franchise to the mountaintop. However, since the 2003 championship, the Devils had not gone past the second round of the playoffs. Brodeur lost his magic as he approached his 40th birthday, and it seemed the Devils had just about run out of steam. New Jersey struggled in the first round but won overtime thrillers in Game 6 and Game 7 to escape from that series. Nevertheless, the Devils figured to get crushed by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round.

Instead, they did the crushing. New Jersey won in five games and now looks like a completely different team. These transformations happen all the time in the NHL. Momentum is on the Devils side. 

Why New York Will Win

The people who are studying the sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your latest attempt to bet on sports, the Rangers have the knowledge that theyve already survived a seven-game grind in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators and the Washington Capitals. New York was really shaky in Games 3 through 5 (and the first 25 minutes of Game 6) of the first-round series against Ottawa, and it was 6.6 seconds away from losing Game 5 in a 2-2 series against Washington, but when Brad Richards banged in that last-second goal to send Game 5 into overtime, the Rangers made just as great an escape as they did in the first round, when they also won in seven games against a determined opponent.  Goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it is reasonable to say, has stolen each of the first two series for the Rangers, but now that this team has once again danced out of trouble, it has to feel very good about itself. New York hasnt played brilliant hockey in the first two rounds, but it is still standing. This means that the Rangers should be full of confidence precisely when they need it the most. Thats a big shot in the arm for any team in any playoff series. Getting home ice for another possible Game 7 doesnt hurt, either.

Who Will Win?

While New Jersey has momentum, the Rangers have an unshakeable belief in themselves. They also have the better netminder in the person of Lundqvist. That will matter in what should be an excellent series

NHL Betting Pick: New York Rangers in 7 games

What: Horse Betting
When: Saturday, May 19th
Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, MD

The Favorites

Bodemeister (+140) has emerged as the favorite at the Preakness after a second-place run in the Kentucky Derby, but his handlers will be gutted that he didn’t come away with the victory after leading for most of the race. Only fatigue could defeat Bodemeister, or at least hold him back until I’ll Have Another (+400) stole in to take the victory, but that could be one more positive in Bodemeister’s direction when it comes to the Preakness, which is the shortest of the Triple Crown races and clocks in at a half-furlong shorter than the Derby. That means Bodemeister’s pure speed could be enough to land him the victory here after he tired and allowed I’ll Have Another to catch him.

Of course, that isn’t taking anything away from I’ll Have Another, who had to put himself in position to win the race and take advantage of Bodemeister’s fatigue. The win at Churchill Downs may have surprised all but knowledgeable horse betting sharps and I’ll Have Another’s handlers as he had won two straight races and three of five overall before lining up at the Kentucky Derby, and now he has a genuine shot to go on and win the Preakness if he can get off to a better start, or at least say close to Bodemeister.

Went The Day Well (+800) may have surprised a few with his fourth-place run at the Derby, and it was only a surprise because he hadn’t run that many races in his career, three to be exact. These may be the most dangerous horses, the ones you don’t hear much about, and Went The Day Well is now in the top tier of horses because Dullahan, who finished third at Churchill Downs, will skip the Preakness.

The Second Tier

This is where it gets interesting as there are a handful of horses with the chops to compete with the top tier. Creative Cause (+1000), Hansen (+1200) and Liaison (+1500) are all as good as the top horses and they should be a strong consideration of horse betting players. Creative Cause has a ton of experience and the start in the Kentucky Derby was the ninth of his career, but a fifth-place finish in the Derby was the worst of his career after running in the top three for the eight previous races. Creative Cause has run against a number of the best horses in the United States and held his own as all of his races except for his maiden has been a Grade-1  and Grade-2 race, so he knows how to step up to the competition and should have a much better run at the Preakness.

Hansen also struggled at Churchill Downs en route to a ninth-place finish after many thought he was going to contend for a victory, and the Derby has a funny way of humbling both a horse and his handlers. He had never finished lower than second in his first six starts, and Hansen was never able to get things going as he could never catch up to the pace of the race. He’ll need a better start at the Preakness thanks to the shorter distance and the smaller field (there are 14 horses in the Preakness field as opposed to 20 for the Kentucky Derby), but the speed is there for Hansen, as is Liaison, which finished sixth at the Derby, but he wasn’t thought to be a serious challenger anyway and he could sneak into the mix at Pimlico. He also shares trainers with Bodemeister: Bob Baffert certainly knows how to train a horse for the Preakness, which he has done five times.

The Darkhorses

Optimizer (+2500) has had an up-and-down career and hasn’t finished higher than sixth in four of his last five starts, which includes an 11th-place run in the Derby. He didn’t have great odds there and he shouldn’t move up the list too much for the Preakness. Cozzetti (+3000) and Hierro (+3000) both sat out the Kentucky Derby, although Hierro did finish first in a Derby trial at Churchill Downs, but neither has done much to be a real contender in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Outlook

Don’t expect much movement in these horse betting odds leading up to the Preakness Stakes, unless there is a major injury of some sort. Bodemeister was running away with the Derby before he tired, but much like Shackleford last year, he is extremely fast when it comes to pure speed and the shorter distance of the Preakness favors him, which is why he’ll be at the top of the online sports betting list until post time.