Winning Points Online
NBA
MONDAY, APRIL 14
8:05 pm
**PREFERRED
Milwaukee* over Chicago by 11
Two quittin' bums match up in Milwaukee. The Bucks played
their first home game in front of their new General Manager
on Saturday, and in case their sustained uninspired play
this season for head coach Larry Krystowiak hadn't already
ensured his pending departure, the players went the extra
mile for him on Saturday, tanking by 13 points to New Jersey
in front of the paying home folks and the new GM.
''It didn't seem like he had the usual energy level,''
Krystkowiak said of the Bucks' alleged best player, guard
Michael Redd. Mission accomplished, probably.
At least Redd has shown some energy against the Bulls,
with 31.3 points per game in three outings this season. It's
the home finale, and if there is a team that packed it in
earlier than Milwaukee did this season, who could care
less about their own coach, it's the Bulls, who played
yesterday while the Bucks were off, and whose own
home finale and possible call to arms is Wednesday
night. Drew Gooden's absence for the Bulls means that a
rookie with no range (Noah) is playing more minutes than he
oughta be.
MILWAUKEE 109-98
MLB
CLEVELAND (Westbrook) -125 over BOSTON (Lester)
Coming off a weekend showdown with the Yankees
at Fenway Park, and with a trip to the Bronx on tap
for this Wednesday, we catch the Red Sox in a classic
letdown situation. Jake Westbrook has looked sharp
in his first two starts of the year (2.76 ERA) and with
Ortiz slumping, his task in this game is made easier.
The Tribe hasn't gotten on track vs, lefties just yet,
but they posted a huge profit vs. southpaws in '07
(+$1025) and Jon Lester has been adequate at best
so far in 2008 (4.50 in three starts). We'll lay the
short price on the home team in this one.