| Get In The Game - with Nigel Ridgway of
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Written by Nigel Ridgway 2004-04-15 16:08:31
NBA Playoffs
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The NBA playoffs are upon us this weekend, and at the start ofthe season
the Lakers would have been the easy pick. However,their up-and–down season,
combined with the turmoil over KobeBryant, makes them opposable in the
West. Their loss to Sacramentoon Sunday adds further to the apprehension,
but who are the contendersfor the NBA crown? The Kings have suffered an
unexpected late-seasoncollapse, ever since Chris Webber returned from
injury, and havelost seven of their last eleven games. The Timberwolves
will bea hot playoff pick. They have a great inside-out game, and theyplay
wonderful defence, but with a lot of pressure on them towin – this is
their first season with a top three seed – theymight just wilt as a result.
This realistically just leaves theSpurs, who as defending champions seem
to bring out their bestfor the playoffs. As usual they didn’t look great
until Marchwhen Tim Duncan got ‘healthy’, and have since won ten games
ina row. The Pacers can emerge in the Eastern Conference, wherewith 60
wins they will have home-court advantage throughout theplayoffs. Rick
Carlisle has turned them around, and there arenot many teams who can beat
them at the Conseco Fieldhouse anddefend home court.
Boston @ Indiana get the ball rolling on Saturdayafternoon (2:00 pm EST – ESPN/19.00 GMT), with live coverage ofthe Milwaukee @ Detroit match-up (1:00 pm EST – ESPN/18.00 GMT)on Sunday. Join us for live betting on this game as the actionunfolds, where our markets will include Point Spread; Game Total;and Who Will Win the Quarter.
MCI Heritage Classic golf (starts Thursday)
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It’s just a short drive from Augusta National Golf Club to HarbourTown Golf Links, but there’s a huge change in playing conditionsfor the weary Masters participants who made the cut last week– there are 16 of them teeing it up this week. Not that HarbourTown is a pushover with its narrow fairways and small greens notto mention the wind that often blows which can balloon scoresespecially on the tricky par threes. Like Augusta, the home ofthe MCI Heritage Classic generally requires local knowledge beforesuccess is achieved.
Step forward Davis Love whose five wins here leavehim one short
of tying him with the likes of Jack Nicklaus forsecond all-time in victories
in one tournament, including lastyear’s playoff win over Woody Austin.
Touch wood, the only thingthat could stop him contending this week would
be a reoccurrenceof his back problem! Scott Verplank is a cumulative 31
under hereover the last four years, and is another with a game ideally
suitedto the course, while Bernhard Langer’s fourth here on 02, andtied
for third in 01 speaks for itself. Justin Leonard, a pastwinner here,
played well enough last week at Augusta to suggestthat a return to the
winners enclosure was imminent. They arepreferred to a likely deflated
Ernie Els, who must be wonderingwhat he has to do to win a Masters after
so narrowly losing outon the weekend.
NHL Playoffs
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The Bruins took a commanding 3-1 lead in game 4, Tuesday nightin a gruelling double-OT thriller. Now they can wrap it up withone more win at the Fleet Center. Can the Habs fight back andstay alive?
MON Canadiens v BOS Bruins Game 5
Th Apr 15 – 7:00 pm EST (CBC) Apr 15 – 00.05 GMT
This series is shaping up to be a good one. AfterEd Belfour shut them out two games in a row, the Sens got evenwith a 4-1 game 4 victory. Game 5 will be pivotal. Can the Leafsweather another Senators barrage on the home ice?
OTT Senators v TOR Maple Leafs Game 5
Fri Apr 16 – 7:00 pm EST (CBC) Apr 17 – 00.00 GMT
Flyers goalie Robert Esche was cool as a cucumberin shutting out the Devils in Game 4. Now the Flyers have thechance to send the defending champs home for the season with avictory in Philly, up 3-1 in the series.
NEW Devils v PHL Flyers Game 5
Sa Apr 17 – 3:00 pm EST (ABC) Apr 17 – 20.00 GMT
Once in-play join us for live betting on theabove games, and
all the live games this weekend, where our marketswill include: Puck Line;
Game Total; Next Goal Scored; Most Shotson Goal; Who Will Win the Period;
and Next Period Total.
Kentucky Derby (Saturday May 1st – 6:00 pm EST(ESPN2) / 22.00 GMT)
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After last weekend’s major trials, the first 20-runner maximumfield since 1984 is beginning to shake-up with any number of possiblesstill hoping to squeeze in on the earnings rule. Victory for theMichael Dickinson trained Tapit, in the Grade 1 Wood Memorialcatapulted him to the head of our ‘Derby’ market, but by doingso he recorded only the third-best Beyer figure among the weekend’shopefuls. Tapit’s rating of 98 pales into insignificance behindthe Bluegrass Stakes winner The Cliff’s Edge (111) and ArkansasDerby winner Smarty Jones (107), who is now unbeaten in six races.Interestingly, however, in a poll of Daily Race Form readers itwas the other way around with 41% thinking that Tapit had runthe best prep (38% Smarty Jones, 21% The Cliff’s Edge). If visualevidence is just as good as mathematical, and it often is, thenit will be no surprise to see that progress continue between nowand May 1st, especially considering who’s guiding his preparation.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Advance Auto Parts500
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Su Apr 18 – 1:00 pm EST (FOX) / 17.00 GMT
This week’s race takes in another of the Short Track speedwaysat Martinsville,
one of the toughest around, but evaluating formfrom Bristol Speedway does
not help in finding the secret behindMartinsville. Recent form suggests
that Jeff Gordon should bethe man to watch especially as he won both events
at this tracklast year, and has an impressive 5 wins here overall. However,a
couple of drivers to consider this week are Rusty Wallace, whoholds the
record of current drivers to have won here despite goingtwo years without
a win, and Kevin Harvick, who has been runningwell all season and was
brought up on the short tracks. Jeff Burtonhas struggled so far this season,
and is in danger of losing hiscar due to lack of sponsorship, but he could
rise to the occasionthis weekend on a track that is known for throwing
up big pricewinners. Take note of the Grid positions at Martinsville as
animpressive 76% of winners have won from the 1st 10 starting positions(55%
from the top 5).
Be lucky!
Nigel.
Please be aware that prices are subject to change.All
times EST (unless otherwise noted) and are subject to change.Check local
listings for TV coverage on these events
NIGEL RIDGWAY, an experienced punter andbetting shop
owner of many years, believes that “The key to successfulgambling is getting
value for money.” Nigel was once forced bylocal bookmakers, to stop writing
a tipping column in a UK newspaper,because he was costing them a fortune.
Find out what offers andlines are hot at Sportsbook.com
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