THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco (0-2) at L.A. Dodgers (2-0)
Two of the top young pitchers in the National League square off as the Giants? Tim Lincecum (7-5, 4.00) opposes Chad Billingsley (12-5, 3.31) in the finale of this season-opening series at Dodger Stadium.
After blanking San Francisco 5-0 in Monday?s season opener, Los Angeles got a run in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday to pull out a 3-2 victory in improving to 2-0 for the first time since 2000. The Giants lost six of their last seven going back to last year and they?re 3-12 in their last 15 road outings.
The Dodgers have won 21 of the last 30 meetings in this rivalry. Also, the home team has taken five of the last six clashes after the visitor had been on an amazing 14-2 run.
Lincecum made 24 starts as a rookie last year, with 12 of the final 15 being quality starts (three earned runs or fewer in at least six innings of work). However, the hard-throwing righthander closed the campaign by going 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in his final three outings.
Lincecum was 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 road starts last year, with the Giants going 3-7 in the final 10. Also, in his lone start against Los Angeles, he yielded just two runs (one earned) on two hits and five walks over six innings, failing to get a decision in the Giants? 6-4 loss at Dodger Stadium.
Billingsley began 2007 in the Dodgers? bullpen before entering the rotation in mid-June, and he went 8-5 in 20 starts, giving up three earned runs or fewer in eight of his final nine outings, with Los Angeles winning six of his last eight starts.
Billingsley went 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA in 19 games (nine starts) at Dodger Stadium last year, a sharp contrast from his road numbers (8-3, 2.59 ERA in 24 games, including 11 starts). Also, the righthander is 2-0 with a 4.98 ERA in six games (four starts) against the Giants, including 1-0 with a 9.60 ERA in two home starts.
The under is 9-3 in Billingsley?s last 12 starts, but the over is 4-0 in his four career starts against San Francisco. Also, the over is 7-2 in the Giants? last nine overall (all versus the N.L. West), 4-2 in their last six on the road and 4-2 in the Dodgers? last six overall (all at home). However, the first two games of this season stayed way under the posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. DODGERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto (0-1) at N.Y. Yankees (1-0)
Mike Mussina (11-10, 5.15) looks to rebound from a disappointing 2007 campaign when he leads the Yankees against A.J. Burnett (10-8, 3.75) and the Blue Jays in the middle game of this three-game set at Yankee Stadium.
After Monday?s season opener was washed out, the two teams finally opened the season on Tuesday, with New York rallying for a 3-2 victory. The Yankees are on runs of 20-9 overall and 42-17 in the Bronx, and they?re 40-14 in their last 54 games on Wednesdays.
The Yankees have now won 11 of the final 16 meetings against the Blue Jays last year. Also, the road team is 7-5 in the last 12 battles between these division rivals.
Mussina struggled to the point that he was pulled briefly from the Yankees? rotation last year, but he ended up having a solid September, going 3-0 with a 3.49 ERA in five appearances (four starts). He finished 7-5 with a 4.88 ERA at home in 2007, and for his career, he?s 61-35 with a 3.65 ERA at Yankee Stadium.
Mussina handled the Blue Jays with ease last year, going 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two starts, improving to 23-11 with a 3.32 ERA in 41 lifetime starts versus Toronto.
Burnett had a sensational eight-start stretch toward the end of the season when he went 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA, pitching at least seven innings in all but one of those outings. However, he blew up in his final two starts, giving up 11 runs on 18 hits in 12 1/3 innings (8.03 ERA), though he split the two games.
Burnett was just 4-5 with a 4.33 ERA in 13 road starts last year. On the bright side, the veteran righthander was phenomenal in two outings against the Yankees, giving up just one run on eight hits in 15 innings (0.60 ERA), winning 6-0 in Yankee Stadium and getting a no-decision in Toronto?s 2-1 home win. Not including a quality start in the 2003 World Series when with Florida, Burnett is 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA in his career against New York.
The Yankees are 9-2 in Mussina?s last 11 home starts against the Blue Jays and 5-1 in his last six outings against Toronto overall. Meanwhile, Toronto closed out last season going 8-3 in Burnett?s last 11 starts against divisional rivals and 5-2 in his last seven outings overall.
The over is 7-4 in the Blue Jays? last 11 overall and 8-3-1 in New York?s last 12 at home. However, with last night?s game staying low, the under is now 23-10-2 in the last 35 head-to-head battles at Yankee Stadium, Also, the under is 13-5-1 in Burnett?s last 19 starts overall and 10-4-2 in Toronto?s last 16 Wednesday outings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
NBA
Toronto (38-36, 37-36-1 ATS) at Atlanta (34-40, 34-39-1 ATS
The Hawks continue their pursuit of their first playoff berth since 1999 when they host the Raptors in a key Eastern Conference clash for both teams.
Atlanta, which is coming off Monday?s 116-99 rout of the Grizzlies as a three-point favorite, has won four straight games and eight of its last 10, with three of the last four victories coming by double digits. With about two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Hawks have a firm grip on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, three games ahead of Indiana and 3? games behind Philadelphia for the No. 7 seed.
Toronto held off the Bobcats in Charlotte on Monday, prevailing 104-100 as a 2?-point road chalk. The Raptors have followed up a 3-11 slump by winning three of their last four. However, they?re only 4-13 ATS in their last 17 outings, including 3-7 ATS on the road.
The Raptors have a four-game SU and ATS winning streak against Atlanta, taking the first two meetings this year by scores of 100-88 as a three-point road chalk and 89-78 as a six-point home favorite. The SU winner has cashed in each of the last 10 series meetings, with the Raptors going 7-3 during this stretch, including 5-1 in Atlanta. Finally, the road team is 14-6 ATS in the last 20 head-to-head clashes.
Despite its spread-cover against Memphis on Monday, the Hawks are just 3-4 ATS in their last seven and 6-10 ATS in their last 16 overall, including 3-6 ATS at home. Atlanta is also on pointspread slumps of 3-8 on Wednesdays and 2-7 when playing on one day of rest.
The Raptors are 29-9 ATS in their last 38 Wednesday contests and 36-15-2 ATS in their last 53 versus Southeast Division foes. On the downside, Toronto has failed to get the cash in five straight road games and four straight contests when playing on one days? rest
Atlanta has topped the total in four straight games and eight of the last 10. Also, the over is 17-5 in the last 22 Hawks-Raptors battles, including 5-1 in the last six in Atlanta. However, Toronto has stayed under the number in six of its last eight outings overall and four of its last five on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: TORONTO and OVER
Golden State (45-29, 33-41 ATS) at Dallas (46-28, 31-39-4 ATS)
The Warriors and Mavericks hook up for the second time this week, this time at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, as the two squads continue their quest for the playoffs.
Dallas currently occupies the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoff standings, a half-game ahead of Denver for the eighth and final berth and one game ahead of the Warriors, who currently sit on the outside looking in.
Golden State pulled away from the Mavs late in the fourth quarter on Sunday en route to a 114-104 victory as a five-point home favorite. However, the Warriors followed that with last night?s 116-92 loss at San Antonio as an 8?-point underdog ? ending a 37-game streak in which Golden State had scored at least 100 points. Don Nelson?s team has alternated SU wins and losses in its last 12 contests, but it has rebounded from a 2-5 ATS slump by going 3-1 ATS in its last four.
Dallas bounced back from Sunday?s loss at Golden State and held off the Clippers 93-86 on Monday, barely cashing as a 6?-point road chalk to halt an 0-6 ATS slide. Despite the win, the Mavericks are just 2-5 SU in their last seven, including 1-3 at home.
The Warriors, who pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in NBA playoff history last year in knocking out top-seeded Dallas in six games, are now 22-5-1 ATS in the last 28 meetings with the Mavs, including 11-3 ATS in Texas. However, Dallas had won the first two series clashes this year prior to Sunday?s loss in Golden State.
Additionally in this rivalry, the home team has cashed in four straight battles, and the underdog is 20-7-1 ATS in the past 28 meetings.
Despite last night?s blowout loss in San Antonio, the Warriors remain on pointspread streaks of 13-6 against the Southwest Division, 6-4 on the road and 9-4 when playing on back-to-back nights.
The Mavs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven on Wednesdays. Aside from that, however, they are mired in ATS funks of 2-6-2 against the Pacific Division, 0-7 against winning teams, 0-4 at home and 0-4 when playing on one day of rest.
The over is 20-8 in the last 28 series meetings (3-0 in the last three), including 8-1 in the last nine clashes at American Airlines Center. Also, the over is on runs of 9-3 for Golden State against the Southwest Division, 9-2 for Golden State when playing on back-to-back nights, 39-19-1 for Golden State on Wednesdays and 9-2 for Dallas against the Pacific Division. On the flip side, the Warriors have stayed low in nine of their last 13 outings overall and five straight on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: GOLDEN STATE and OVER