It’s odd day for only one of six times this century, but it’s always odds day here. Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Tiger Woods hits the links, LeBron James hits the hardwood, and the Ducks and Canucks look for playoff wins on the ice.
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
LeBron James and the Cavaliers will be looking to stomp the Hawks for the second straight time on Thursday night when those teams meet in the lone NBA game on the schedule. The Cavs cruised to a 99-72 home win in the series opener on Tuesday night, getting 34 points and 10 boards from James and 21 points from Mo Williams. Josh Smith had 22 points in the loss for the Hawks, who scored only 28 points in the second half. Mike Bibby had 19 points in the contest.
Sports headlines…
Dirk Nowitzki’s girlfriend Cristal Taylor was arrested at his home. What is crystal clear is that she has several outstanding warrants…Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games for using performance enhancing drugs. The MLB odds still have the Dodgers as a favorite tonight, but some sportsbooks have the line dropping to -147…Reports say that Vikings head coach Ray Childress is meeting with Brett Favre in having Favre’s retirement again be short lived….GodsTips is 8-2 in the NBA including 5-0 with Wise Guys. Get tonight’s Hawks-Cavaliers side, plus Red Wings-Mighty Ducks side and total and three day baseball winners for $17. Click now to purchase…More have been charged in the Toledo point shaving scandal and gambling rights activists are hopeful Barney Frank will be success in his bid to overturn gambling. Who knows, maybe the Republicans will wake up and joint him. Follow every development in the betting news section.
Meeting up on the diamond . . .
The Diamondbacks’ Dan Haren will take on the Padres’ Chris Young on Thursday afternoon in the top pitching matchup on the baseball schedule. Righthander Haren has won each of his last three starts and has given up just seven earned runs over 43 innings this season (for an ERA of 1.47). Righthander Young is coming off a solid outing against the Dodgers in which he gave up one run in seven innings; still, his 2-1 mark and 4.81 ERA need some improvement.
Elsewhere in the National League on Thursday it’ll be
Over in the American League on Thursday it’s Seattle at Kansas City, Texas at Oakland, Minnesota at Baltimore, Tampa Bay at the Yankees, Detroit at the White Sox, Toronto at the Angels, and Cleveland at Boston. Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield held the Indians scoreless on one hit over seven innings on April 27.
Taking a trip around the rink . . .
Up 2-1 in their best-of-seven second-round series, the Ducks will be at home again on Thursday night to play host to the Red Wings.
The Canucks also hold a 2-1 series lead as they stay on the road on Thursday night for Game 4 of their set with the Blackhawks.
Rounding out the Roundup . . .
Tiger Woods is the 2/1 Vegas favorite to win this week’s PGA Tour stop, The PLAYERS Championship at TPC at Sawgrass. Woods, though, hasn’t won this event since 2001. Defending champion Sergio Garcia is farther down the odds list this week at 25/1, while 2007 winner Phil Mickelson is nestled right behind Woods at 8/1. Sean O’Hair, who held off Woods and company to win the Quail Hollow Championship last weekend, is third on the odds chart this week at 8/1. Padraig Harrington and Geoff Ogilvy are both holding down 20/1 odds to grab The PLAYERS Championship win, with Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry both at 25/1.