Benjamin Eckstein's blog

It took double overtime, but the Chicago Blackhawks prevailed in Game 5 over the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup final to face the Boston Bruins.

The Miami Heat won and covered easily as a 7-point favorite in Monday’s 99-76 blowout win in Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers. With the win, the stage is officially set for a Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals.

This is Miami’s third straight trip to the NBA Finals and San Antonio’s fifth under head coach Gregg Popovich since 1998-99. The Spurs have won the championship in each of their last four NBA Finals appearances. Miami is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in its last four games against the Spurs, including an 88-86 win in San Antonio and a 105-100 win in Miami this season.

The San Antonio Spurs are 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS over their last five postseason games, including a 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS run against the Memphis Grizzlies to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Spurs will try to complete the sweep Monday night in Memphis.

The Indiana Pacers are 5-5 SU and ATS in their last 10 games against the Miami Heat, and they’ll look to give the defending champs a run for their money in their Eastern Conference Finals matchup this week.

No horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed did it in 1978, but Kentucky Derby winner Orb is looking to change that with another step towards infamy this Saturday at the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland.