The second round of the NHL Playoffs begins today as the Washington Capitals make a trip to Gotham for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Rangers.
And over at the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers will fight to live another day when they take on the San Antonio Spurs later tonight.Check out our complete breakdown of that game here. In the meantime, read on as we preview the top games of the day.
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Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers (7:30 PM ET)
Line: Washington Capitals (-200) vs. New York Rangers (-170); total: 5.0 – view all NHL lines
[sc:NBA240banner ]After winning a grueling seven-game series against the Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Capitals are set to face another New York-based team in the form of the Rangers. Washington will be led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, who’ve combined for 11 points in the first round.
The Caps will be up against the Rangers’ tough defense, which is led by their excellent goalie, Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist went 4-1 with a 1.54 GAA and .939 SV% in the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Caps are 6-4 in their last 10 road games, while the Rangers are 7-3 in their last 10 home games against Washington.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs (9:30 PM ET)
Line: Los Angeles Clippers (+5.5) vs. San Antonio Spurs (-5.5); total: 205.5 – view all NBA lines
The Spurs are a win away from advancing into the second round of the NBA Playoffs. San Antonio has a chance to close out its series against the Clippers later tonight on their home floor. The Spurs are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.
That being said, the Clippers have been difficult to beat of late when they’re away from Tinseltown. They are 9-1 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games. Kawhi Leonard paces the Spurs with 23.4 points per game on an efficient 54.3% shooting thus far in the series. The Clips, on the other hand, have Blake Griffin, who leads the team with 23.8 points and 13.4 rebounds per game in these playoffs.
