Sunday News, Notes, Trends

Sunday, May 7, 2006

 

In addition to the Derby plays, we went 2-1 Saturday in hoops and bases.  America’s greatest sports service the Dream Team at Godspicks.com has both NBA sides including a Wise Guy on Dallas-San Antonio for Sunday.  Late steam is inclusive in the price which is sent upon completion later in the morning. Details on what is on the late steam as it comes in at JoeDuffy.net

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NBA

·        Cleveland has gone under 14-2 to the division this year

·        Detroit has gone over 7-of-9

 

Here are news and notes from Godspicks.com private clipboard.  They are compiled from hometown newspapers and the team’s own press releases. Get advanced news and notes ready for opening lines at blog on our home page. 

Mavericks-Spurs

Sporting News

This is the most playoff-ready group the Mavericks have ever fielded, and pressure is high to get to the Finals. Coach Avery Johnson, in his first full season, has remade the normally high-scoring Mavericks as a defensive-minded team and got the team to 60 wins in the regular season by allowing just 93.1 points per game. Last year, the Mavericks held opponents to 96.8 points per game on the defensive end, but that changed in the playoffs, when they allowed 106.8 points per game. Dallas’ D got off to a good start in a sweep of Memphis, allowing 84.3 points, but the Spurs figure to be a stiffer challenge. Manu Ginobili, Spurs. The focus has mostly been on the foot injury to Duncan this year, and now the injuries to Parker, but the many bumps and bruises suffered by Ginobili have been overlooked. He has not been himself, and was a non-factor in four out of the six first-round games the Spurs played. He had a decent game last time out against Dallas (22 points and four assists, but 1-for-6 from the 3-point line and 7-for-18 from the field). Against the Kings, Ginobili could not handle the defense of linebacker/forward Ron Artest, and certainly, there’s no shame in that. But Ginobili will again face tough defenders in Round 2, Adrian Griffin and Howard.

Cavaliers-Pistons

KRT Wire

When a team comes off an emotional series to advance and takes the court about 39 hours after winning a heart-stopping, feet-stomping, emotion-sapping 114-113 decision in overtime - the first game of the next series on the road against a rested, experienced team could be a nightmare for the Cavs and their fans. The Pistons will be far superior and more demanding opponents than the run-and-gun, let’s-have-some-fun Wizards. The Pistons give up 90 points a game, compared to 100 for the Wizards. They value defense as much as offense. In their history, the Cavaliers had never won more than one road game in any playoff series - until this season, when they took two games in Washington.

 

MLB

·        Williams 2-8 lifetime to Cubs

·        Buehrle 12-6 lifetime to KC

·        Maroth 3-8 lifetime to Minnesota

·        Santana 6-1 lifetime to Detroit