The Bum's Best Bets For Monday May 25th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[StarDust Bum]

Rangers ready to welcome back Hamilton

NEW YORK -- The last time Josh Hamilton appeared in a game for the Rangers, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in the 2012 American League wild-card playoff game, which Texas lost 5-1 to the Baltimore Orioles.

After two seasons with the Angels and a self-reported drug and alcohol relapse that prompted Los Angeles owner Arte Moreno to indicate he didn't want Hamilton, the 34-year-old will return to the Rangers on Monday afternoon in Cleveland.

Hamilton missed the first seven weeks of this season while recovering from right shoulder surgery performed Feb. 4. When he does return, he will be slotted into left field, and first-year manager Jeff Banister is confident the transition will go well.

"I trust the nature of the guys that we have it will be seamless," Banister said Sunday before the Rangers completed a sweep of the New York Yankees with a 5-2 win. "They know that he's coming. It's not like he's just going to be dropped in. It's not a trade situation or somebody that all of a sudden it just happens overnight.

"This is somebody that they've known about, been aware of and paid attention to, so I think the transition will be fine. I trust that each one of those guys will be ready for it and handle it appropriately."

Hamilton will be rejoining the Rangers after appearing in eight rehab games for Triple-A Round Rock. He batted .250 (7-for-28) with Round Rock and .364 (16-for-44) with a home run and six RBIs in 12 rehab games overall.

Hamilton will be playing in his first game since Game 3 of the AL Division Series at Kansas City last Oct. 5. During the 2014 regular season, he was limited to 89 games and batted .263. The previous season, he played 151 games and batted a career-low .250.

The Rangers acquired him from Los Angeles on April 28 after the Angels agreed to pay most of the remaining $83 million on his contract that runs through 2017.

Adding him to the roster will create an interesting situation for Banister. Hamilton's presence could impact Delino DeShields or Leonys Martin.

DeShields has split time starting in center field and left field. Martin has started 34 games in center field but is 12-for-60 (.200) over his past 17 games.

Banister is leaning toward using DeShields, who has 16 hits in his last 48 at-bats (.333), in center field. However, since Hamilton won't appear in every game, there will be additional at-bats to fill.

"I've thought about that," Banister said. "We're going to continue to have Delino engaged as long as he's playing well in as many games as we can. There are matchups that we like with Delino and matchups we like with Leonys. It might give us an opportunity to give (right fielder Shin-Soo) Choo a day.

"(Hamilton) is a guy that we're talking about that had an injury last year that he missed time with, and we need to pay attention to him as well."

[StarDust Bum]

Tigers face long stretch without break

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers do not possess an imposing bench but they'll have to lean on their reserves during their seven-game road trip that begins Monday night.

The Tigers left for Oakland after their 10-8 loss to Houston on Sunday afternoon and will not get any days off this week. They play the A's for three games, then open a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. Their last day off was May 11 and they don't get another one until they return on June 1.

Tired legs and reduced energy could be an issue with the heavy workload the regulars have already endured, compounded by some injuries. Catcher Alex Avila and designated hitter Victor Martinez are on the disabled list and shortstop Jose Iglesias missed the game Sunday with a left knee contusion suffered during Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Astros

That means players like reserve infielders Hernan Perez and Andrew Romine, catcher Bryan Holaday and outfielder Tyler Collins could see more than just spot duty during the trip. Romine has been the most effective of that group, hitting .333 in 33 at-bats. Shortstop Dixon Machado was promoted from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, though he may get sent right back down when the team recalls Buck Farmer to pitch Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

"I guess you're right, just because it's a long stretch on the road," manager Brad Ausmus said of the bench playing an important role on the West Coast. "Guys will probably need a day (off), as opposed to having a scheduled off-day."

Three regulars -- Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes -- have appeared in every game. Nick Castellanos and J.D. Martinez have played in 44 of the 45 games this season.

Ausmus said it's almost become a competition between Kinsler and Cabrera as to which can go longer without a breather. It's especially surprising that Cabrera has not required a day off, given that he underwent offseason surgery to his foot and ankle and was questionable for Opening Day entering spring training.

"I don't want to give those guys a day off," Ausmus said, while adding, "they'll get one soon."

[StarDust Bum]

'Strikeout Factory' Lindgren joins Yankees' bullpen

NEW YORK -- Jacob Lindgren conducted his first interview with the New York media Sunday as the clubhouse television was showing Southeastern Conference baseball tournament games.

A year ago, he was pitching and doing quite well in those games for Mississippi State. During his junior season, Lindgren was 6-1 with a 0.81 ERA in 26 relief appearances while recording 100 strikeouts.

The New York Yankees purchased Lindgren's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday and added him to their bullpen.

"Oh, man, it's been a crazy ride," Lindgren said of the past year. "I met a lot of guys on the way up and learned a lot of things, just trying (to discover) how to be a professional. From the college game to the professional game is a little different. It's a different routine. They're playing on the weekends and we're playing every day, so you try to add on to your routine and learn different things."

He must be a quick study, as he made a rapid ascent from being a supplemental first-round draft pick last year to being promoted to the Yankees.

Lindgren's promotion is the quickest for a Yankees first-round pick since 2006 first-rounder Joba Chamberlain reached the majors in August 2007, touching off a new set of rules about usage and a debate about him being a starter or a reliever.

"Them picking a reliever kind of high, I guess there's always that chance," Lindgren said. "But I kind of had to pitch my game and show them what I could do, and I guess they thought it was good enough to bring me up."

Although the promotion officially took place before Sunday's game, Lindgren found out during batting practice Saturday night when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Dave Miley told him. Miley had been on the phone with the Yankees, who were need of a bullpen arm after a 15-4 loss to the Texas Rangers that featured outfielder Garrett Jones pitching and getting the final two outs.

New York optioned Branden Pinder to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear a roster spot for Lindgren.

There are also other reasons why Lindgren is in the majors, and they relate to his numbers. He lived up to his "Strikeout Factory" nickname by fanning 29 in 22 innings this season while going 1-1 with three saves and a 1.23 ERA in Triple-A. In 46 2/3 innings minor league innings between last year and this year, he has 77 strikeouts and a 1.72 ERA.

Lindgren also stood out to the Yankees during spring training with the movement on his pitches.

"When you see it from my perspective, you don't really see a heavy sinker that you see with some of the other guys that sometimes you can see," manager Joe Girardi said Sunday before the Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Rangers. "But there's late movement, and you hear the catchers talk about how if you're not used to him, it's kind of uncomfortable because the ball moves so late. You saw a ton of groundballs, and you didn't see guys square the ball up on him. It was pretty impressive."

[StarDust Bum]

Blue Jays on fire in Memorial Day games

The Toronto Blue Jays are one of the hottest wagers on Memorial Day, having won five-consecutive ball games on the annual holiday.

The Jays have averaged 7.8 runs per game in those five games, while allowing just 2.6 per game.

This year, the Blue Jays welcome the Chicago White Sox to Rogers Centre and are presently -163 with a total of 9.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Dodgers' payroll this year is .$271,608,629, highest ever in baseball........

-- Adrian Gonzalez-- Owed roughly $22M a year thru 2018; hitting .342 this year with 32 RBI. Pretty much worth every penny.

-- Carl Crawford-- Owed $21.M a year thru '17; an injury-prone stiff.

-- Clayton Kershaw-- Owed roughly $35M a year thru 2020; not sure how anyone can live up to that money-- this year, he is 2-3, 4.32 in his first nine starts.

-- Zack Greinke-- Owed $25.5M a year thru 2018; this year, he is 5-1, 1.48 in his first nine starts.

-- Justin Turner-- Makes $2.5M a year; is hitting .288 with a .374 OB%.

-- Yasiel Puig-- Makes $30M over next four years; has been limited by injuries this year, playing in only eleven games.

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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Sunday........

13) Because pro sports have sold their souls to TV networks, the NBA Finals could be moved up two days if both semifinal series end up in sweeps. Right now, the Finals are scheduled to begin June 4, a week from Thursday, but they are saying it could be moved up two days to June 2, so people don't forget about the NBA during what would be a nine-day layoff.

12) They had 15,692 at The Trop in St Pete Sunday for A's-Rays and Tampa Bay is a surprise first place team. They had 10,010 in Louisville Saturday for a AAA game. No one can blame the Rays if they skip town and soon.

11) Sometimes, I just wish a guy who lost a PGA tournament would smile at the camera and say, "So what I didn't win? Second place is $600K and thats a damn good week." They're apparently coached never to say that.

10) Odrisamer Despaigne hasn't pitched well for the Padres this year, but how about a little support for the guy? San Diego was shut out in his last three starts, outscored 23-0 in the three games.

9) I'll give Cleveland coach David Blatt credit for this: not many coaches would be playing Matthew Dellevedova as much as Cleveland does. Kid won a lot of games at St Mary's, played four years- he is gritty and tough and knows how to win (get the ball to Lebron when it counts most).

8) I find myself rooting for the Diamondbacks a lot; so much of their front office/coaching staff has ties to the A's and pitching coach Mike Harkey's son is a tight end for the Rams. They've improved under Chip Hale and sounds like they're a good bargain as far as ticket prices go. May have to make a road trip out there one of these years.

7) Was encouraged to see clips of the Diamondbacks practicing sliding before game Sunday, mostly leadoff man Inciarte, who was working on his headfirst slides with the help of a sliding pad. Teams don't take infield practice before games anymore, not really sure why. Practice makes perfect.

6) Underrated baseball record: Shawn Green had 19 total bases in a game; if you hit four homers in a game, thats only 16 bases. Hard record to break.

5) Texas Rangers get Josh Hamilton in lineup today, as a surprisingly good series starts in Cleveland, Texas has won five in a row, Indians six straight.

4) Why did the golf tournament have lift-clean-place yesterday, even in the rough? Never saw that before. Makes it kind of easy for pros, if they don't get penalized even when they miss the fairway with drives.

3) Mets are going to a six-man pitching rotation, as GM Sandy Alderson sits by and watches the 2015 season unravel; they're 7-15 on the road, which wouldn't be so bad except that they still have 59 more road games to play.

2) We should all take a minute today to thank the people who risk their lives to keep our country safe, thats what Memorial Day is all about. Its not about politics or stuff like that; soldiers do good work and deserve to be thanked.

1) If the baseball playoffs started today (they do not) playoffs would be:
NL-- Nationals-Cardinals-Dodgers. Wild Card: SF-Chicago
AL-- Rays-Royals-Astros Wild Card: Detroit-Minnesota

[StarDust Bum]

Game 4: Warriors at Rockets

May 25, 2015

Warriors at Rockets (+4.5/213.5) – 9:05 PM EST – ESPN
West Finals Game 4 – Warriors lead 3-0 Well, this wouldn’t be much of a preview if all that was written here was something along the lines of “you saw Game 3,” so we’ll try to expound for you. Stephen Curry dropped 40 points on Saturday night, tying his high for this postseason after connecting on 7-for-9 from 3-point range. For the series, he’s now 18-for-31 (58 pct) from beyond the arc, which should be even more maddening if you’re Houston since he seems to find himself consistently wide open. Jason Terry took responsibility for the defensive breakdowns as Houston’s primary defender on the MVP, but the truth is that the entire team often lost sight of him. One of the prevailing images of Game 3’s blowout was Curry getting into the paint and beating Dwight Howard to an offensive rebound that was dismissed as just “one rebound” by Houston’s franchise center, but was indicative of Curry’s dominance and the Rockets lack of attention to detail.

Curry has now drained 64 3-pointers in his 13 postseason games, an NBA record. According to Synergy Sports, Curry is shooting 91 percent (10-or-11) on 3-pointers from the left corner. He’s averaged 35.7 points and six assists in this series while matching Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA conference finals history to drain five 3-pointers and score 40 or more while shooting at least 55 percent from the field. Houston hasn’t really altered its defensive approach against him despite his dominance and the relative ineffectiveness of Splash brother Klay Thompson. The Rockets have to know that the Warriors are 2-2 in playoff games where he shot under 40 percent, beating New Orleans in that dramatic Game 3 come back and losing two of the three games where it happened against Memphis. Unfortunately for the Rockets, they don’t have a Tony Allen or even a Mike Conley to help stay in front of him. Starting point guard Patrick Beverley remains unable to provide assistance due to a pin in his wrist that won’t be ready to come out until next month, almost certainly too late to help the Rockets this season.

Thompson scored a personal series-high 17 points on Saturday, but is averaging just 15.0 ppg for the series and shooting 4-for-23 from 3-point range (18 pct). Can you imagine what the carnage would be if he finds the range? If Houston sells out, as they should, in an attempt to run additional bodies at Curry to disrupt his rhythm, Thompson should have opportunities to restore some confidence before the end of the series. Of course, the way things are going, nobody is likely to bring direct momentum from the conference finals into the championship round since we’re starting at a lengthy layoff before the championship round begins on Thursday, June 4.

That reality is bad news for Draymond Green, who has been Golden State’s second-most effective player behind Curry. Called upon to do everything from defending James Harden to Howard, Green comes off his finest performance of the series (17 points, 15 rebounds) and has expertly played the glue-guy role, averaging 14 points, 11 boards and 6.7 assists through the first three wins against Houston. Andrew Bogut can also be commended for his work in the paint, coming off his first double-double since Game1 of the Pelicans series, finishing with 12 points and 12 boards despite fouling out in 20 minutes. He had five blocks in Game 2 and has played his role as Golden State’s last line of defense expertly throughout the postseason. Facing a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Bogut is shooting 60 percent for the series and has shot 12-for-17 from the field the last two games, scoring in double-figures in consecutive games for the first time since November.

What more can be said about the Rockets without it seeming like we’re piling on? After falling behind 3-1 to the Clippers and coming back to steal the series, perhaps they’re just looking for more of a challenge in backing themselves into this corner. Perhaps not.

Harden was probably due a dud in this series, though it was surprising that it came in Houston’s first conference finals game since 1997. He shot 3-for-16, spent the fourth quarter on the bench and looked powerless to prevent the Rockets demise. Considering he was the driving force in Oakland, averaging 33 points, 10.5 rebounds and nine assists in helping Houston notch a pair of covers as 10-point underdogs, it was appalling to see Harden unable to start cooking back at home. Thompson, Green, Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala have all contributed to defending him. Howard is playing through knee pain and has averaged 13.3 points and 14.7 rebounds in the series, but doesn’t seem capable of putting the Rockets on his back the way he once did for Orlando in leading it to the ’09 NBA Finals. With Howard limited and Harden coming off a horrible night, it became irrelevant whether Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith, Terrence Jones, Corey Brewer or Terry can get things going.

"Reasons to back the Rockets? Gulp. Based on the first three games, it’s certainly hard to make a case for Houston in Game 4 but there are trends and historical angles that could have you leaning to the host on Monday,” said VegasInsider.com NBA expert Chris David. “As underdogs this season the Rockets have gone 6-3 straight up and 7-2 against the spread, which includes a 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS record in the playoffs. Historically, there have only been six sweeps in the last 20 years which equates to a 15 percent chance over this stretch. In case you’re wondering, six games has been the most common finish during this span, which happened 18 times.”

Since the conference finals could be over sooner than expected due to the dominance by the Cavaliers and Warriors, VI asked Jay Kornegay, Vice President of Race & Sports at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook for an expected line between Golden State and Cleveland.

“Golden State would be minus -310 on the series price, with Cleveland listed at plus-260,” replied Kornegay. “The Warriors would open as six-point point favorites for Game 1.”

For the fourth straight game in this series, oddsmakers have dropped the total which is now down to 213 ½ at most betting shops for Game 4. The Warriors did their part on Saturday but the Rockets didn’t come close to fulfilling their half. According to David, “Golden State has been a great ‘under’ bet in the playoffs, going 10-2-1, and it’s hard to go against that run. In two close-out games this postseason, Golden State has scored 109 and 108 points. Despite scoring 80 in Game 3, Houston’s offense is still dangerous. I dug up the numbers and saw they were held in the eighties four times during the regular season. In the next game, they scored 113, 69, 117 and 115 points. The Rockets actually won the 69-point effort in an ugly game versus a short-handed OKC squad in mid-November.”

[StarDust Bum]

Rockets respond to McHale's approach
May 25, 2015

HOUSTON (AP) - Kevin McHale's stride is painful to watch.

His limp is so pronounced it induces his 6-foot-10 frame into an odd bobbing motion with every deliberate step. And it tells a powerful story.

The awkward gait for the Houston Rockets' coach is the product of 13 punishing NBA seasons, including the 1987 postseason when he played on a broken foot.

''If you watch him walk, you know he laid it on the line,'' said Larry Bird, who won three titles alongside McHale in Boston. ''So as a player you look over and say: `Oh, my coach did it and he's telling me to do it. I've got to do it.'''

McHale is the ultimate player's coach, and his style has worked well for Houston all season. It will be tested Monday night when the Rockets try to avoid a sweep in the Western Conference finals against top-seeded Golden State.

Asked about McHale's best quality as a coach, Houston center Dwight Howard pointed to his Hall of Fame playing career.

''He played in the league and he has a couple of championships,'' Howard said. ''He understands the game. He understands how tough it is to win a series, how tough it is to win four games and that no matter what the situation is you need to stay together and not have any negative energy and anything is possible.''

McHale spent his entire career in Boston after he was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft. The power forward helped the Celtics win it all in 1981, `84 and `86. The two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year was named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players in 1996 and was inducted into the Hall in 1999.

After his playing career, he spent several years as an executive with the Timberwolves before coaching the team for parts of the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons after coaches were fired. But his first real shot at coaching came when he took over the Rockets in June 2011.

He has a 189-123 regular-season record in four seasons in Houston, leading the Rockets to the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. He signed a three-year extension last December.

The old-school coach works for Daryl Morey, a Northwestern and MIT-educated general manager who relies heavily on analytics.

It's an interesting juxtaposition that raises questions of how the pair mesh.

''We get along great,'' McHale said. ''I think there's a place for analytics, you learn a lot through analytics but there's also times where you learn a lot more by looking in a guy's eyes and seeing what kind of determination he has, what kind of guts he's got. Is he going to fight in tight spots? There's no analytics for that stuff. So it's always going to be a blend of both.''

His work in leading the Rockets to the second seed in the Western Conference has drawn raves across the NBA. When he finished sixth in Coach of the Year voting, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said he thought people underrated what McHale did this season.

''Losing Howard for so many games and still getting the second-best record in the West is an outstanding job,'' Carlisle said, ''and I am not sure why it slipped under the radar the way it did.''

McHale cares deeply about his players and has a relatable manner that works up and down the roster. Houston star James Harden said he felt comfortable with McHale from the moment he met him.

''I felt like I was talking to an actual player,'' Harden said. ''Obviously he's won championships so he knows what he's talking about. So my ears are just locked in and focused in on what he's saying.''

But the gruff 57-year-old McHale isn't one to show his emotions, and he recently got a little testy when he thought questions were veering too much into a touchy-feely zone.

Before Game 3 on Saturday night, a reporter attempted to ask him about his relationship with the front office and he cut the man off before he could even finish the question.

''This is like the third relationship question,'' McHale barked. ''Is this like Oprah?''

He interrupted another query on Sunday when someone dared to ask how he felt.

''You know what, this is no time for - there's no feelings,'' McHale said. ''There's no feelings. I don't understand feelings. You're playing basketball. You've got to play with force and you've got to play harder.''

Bird says that is just McHale being McHale. He doesn't have time for ancillary chatter or discussing things other than good, old-fashioned basketball.

''Kevin feels good being around the gym, I know that,'' Bird told The Associated Press. ''That's where he feels the best. He likes to be in the locker room, he likes hold court and he likes to tell stories.''

Howard agreed and poked fun at McHale's penchant for reminiscing on the good old days with Bird and Robert Parish.

''He's big on talking about his Boston days with old Birdie and the Chief (Parish) and all those guys,'' Howard said chuckling. ''So yeah, we know all the stories.''

That's one thing that hasn't changed with McHale since he was roaming the court for the Celtics.

''Back in the day when I played with him we couldn't get him to shut up,'' Bird said laughing. ''He was always talking. Kevin was a good talker.''

Howard said the tales of his playing days are inspirational, even if they've heard them a few too many times.

''After a while you're like: `Uh, Coach, you told that story a week ago,''' Howard said. ''But he's great. He puts you in that place where you feel like anything is possible because he's went through it.''

So even if the mostly 20-something players roll their eyes when he starts another story with ''Back when I was playing,'' they still respect his words because they know just how difficult it is to win one title, much less three.

''He's going to push these guys and try to get the most out of them and he ain't going to have them do anything he wouldn't have done as a player,'' Bird said.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, May 25

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GOLDEN STATE (78 - 17) at HOUSTON (64 - 33) - 5/25/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-97 ATS (-39.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
HOUSTON is 57-39 ATS (+14.1 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 38-29 ATS (+6.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 52-39 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-33 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-26 ATS (+6.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 63-49 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 37-24 ATS (+10.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 92-127 ATS (-47.7 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-7 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 9-5 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, May 25


Western Conference - Finals - Best of 7 - Game 4 - GSW Leads 3-0

Golden State Warriros at Houston Rockets, 9:05 ET
Golden State: 37-65 ATS on road after scoring 60 pts or more in first half last game
Houston: 10-2 ATS off a home loss




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, May 25


Warriors are 7-0 vs Houston this year; nine of last ten series tilts went under the total. Heart check for Houston here after they lost last game by 35 at home. Rockets were down 3-1 in last series but NBA teams down 3-0 in a 7-game series are 0-116 in that series. Rockets are 20-70 from arc in first three games of series; I can sit here and type in stats all night, only question that matters is this- do the Rockets want to keep playing? Golden State is 4-1 in last five visits here, with all four wins by 11+. Nine of last ten Golden State games stayed under, as have five of six games in this round..

2015 playoffs
Cleveland vs Atlanta
Clev 97-89, +2.5, U199.5
Clev 94-82, +4, U193
Clev 114-111 OT, -8, O190.5

Houston vs Golden State
GSt 110-106, -10.5 U219.5
GSt 99-98, -9.5, U219.5
GSt 115-80, +1.5, U216.5




NBA

Monday, May 25

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Houston's last 21 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, May 25

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Rockets
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Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (+3.5, 213)
Warriors lead series 3-0

The Golden State Warriors are one victory away from advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1975 and look to finish off a sweep of the host Houston Rockets on Monday. Golden State dismantled Houston 115-80 in Game 3 to take the commanding lead and no team in NBA history has recovered from such a deficit.

League MVP Stephen Curry poured in 40 points and was 7-of-9 from 3-point range on Saturday and he promises that the Warriors aren’t about to take their foot off the pedal. “We have five more wins to accomplish our main goal and obviously one more to get one step closer,” Curry said during Sunday’s press conference, “so until that happens there’s no time to really lose focus or to change anything about how we’ve gotten here.” The Rockets are on the other side of the equation and were demoralized during the contest and downright depressed following it. “We can’t fold. We can’t quit because we’re down,” center Dwight Howard said after Saturday’s game. “It’s easy to just give up and say they’re playing great. But they’re going to have to take all of us out on a stretcher.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: Most books initially opened the Rockets +4.5, but that's been bet down a full point to +3.5 since.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - O. Kuzmic (questionable), Speights (out indefinitely). Rockets - McDaniels (out indefinitely), Motiejunas (out for season), Beverley (out for season).

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Curry’s sharpshooting has been superb this postseason and he has made 64 3-pointers to surpass the single-season playoff record set by Reggie Miller (58 in 2000) while also becoming the first player to drain five or more in five consecutive postseason games. “Just trying to have ultimate confidence every time I step foot on the floor that every shot you take is going to go in and just enjoy the moment,” Curry told reporters. Curry has 107 points in the series, third-best all-time in a player’s first three conference finals games behind Rick Barry (116) and Amar’e Stoudemire (112).

ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Houston will need a much better effort from NBA runner-up James Harden if it is to rebound from the worst home postseason defeat in franchise history. The star guard was just 3-of-16 shooting while scoring a playoff-low 17 points as he struggled while being defended primarily by Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes after having little trouble scoring against Klay Thompson over the first two games. “We were too relaxed, we were too comfortable,” Harden told reporters of the club’s woeful effort. “We were playing downhill the majority of the game. Trying to come back, trying to fight. The fight wasn’t enough.”

TRENDS:

*Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Under is 9-1 in Warriors last 10 overall.
*Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
*Warriors are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

CONSENSUS: Bets on Consensus are split right down the middle, with each side receiving 50 percent of support each as of this writing.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, May 25


Golden State @ Houston

Game 513-514
May 25, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
134.890
Houston
128.292
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 6 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 4 1/2
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-4 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Boudreau pondering lineup adjustments for Game 5

With the series tied 2-2 following a double-overtime loss in Game 4 Saturday, Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau may tinker with his lineups for Game 5 Monday.

“We’re mulling it over,” Boudreau said on Sunday. “I mean, (Chris) Wagner is an energy guy that would do good in a series like this. (Tomas) Fleischmann is a good veteran that we’ve had a great record when he’s in the lineup.”

Furthermore, according to ProHockeyTalk, Bourdreau may even bring in defenseman James Wisniewski, who has yet to play in the postseason.

The Ducks are currently -130 for Game 5.

[StarDust Bum]

Blackhawks at Ducks: What bettors need to know

Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks (-129, 5)

Series tied 2-2

The Chicago Blackhawks' sudden-death supremacy this postseason has kept them from being swept and turned the Western Conference final into a best-of-three series. Chicago looks to record its first regulation victory of the set when it visits the Anaheim Ducks for Game 5 on Monday.

The Blackhawks are 4-0 in overtime this postseason, posting two victories in the second extra session and another pair that needed three bonus periods to decide the outcome. Chicago's most impressive overtime triumph came on Saturday, as the team allowed three goals in a 37-second span midway through the third period to watch a 3-1 lead turn into a one-goal deficit. The Blackhawks - whose current core players also were members of their championship clubs of 2010 and 2013 - drew upon that experience as Patrick Kane responded 3 1/2 minutes later before late-season acquisition Antoine Vermette evened the series 5:37 into the second overtime. The Ducks hope to bounce back from that tough defeat, as well as their first setback at home in Game 2, which went deep into the third extra session before Marcus Kruger provided the heroics for Chicago.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Ducks -129 and the total at 5.

INJURY REPORT: Blackhawks - D Michal Rozsival (Out, ankle).

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: The irony of Vermette scoring the winning goal to prevent Chicago from falling into a 1-3 series hole was remarkable, considering the veteran center was a healthy scratch for Game 3. "The emotion (of being scratched), it's not a pleasant one," Vermette said. "As a proud competitor, like anybody else on this team, you want to be part of the team. You think you can help the team." The 32-year-old, who reached the Stanley Cup final with Ottawa in 2007, has notched two tallies and an assist over 11 games as he appears in just his second postseason since 2009.

ABOUT THE DUCKS: Anaheim, which entered Game 4 as one of two teams in NHL history (1979 New York Rangers) to have played their first 12 postseason contests without losing in regulation, should have little trouble shaking off Saturday's loss. After all, it rebounded from the Game 2 triple-overtime setback by posting a 2-1 victory two nights later. "We're a resilient group," defenseman Cam Fowler said. "(The overtime losses) could be a tough pill to swallow, but you can also use it as motivation to get ready."

TRENDS:

* Under is 3-0-2 in the last five meetings in Anaheim.
* Road team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Blackhawks are 6-1 in their last seven games playing on one days rest.
* Under is 2-0-2 in Ducks last four home games.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, May 25


Anaheim is 10-3 in playoffs this year, but is 2-2 in this series with losses in 3OT/2OT- over is 6-3-2 in last 11 Duck games, 2-0-2 in this series. Chicago won six of last nine games with Anaheim; road team has won nine of last 11 series games- under is 9-3-2 in last 14 series tilts. Over is 8-3-3 in last 14 Chicago games. Ducks outhit Chicago 167-124 in last three games- they're 1-9 on power play in this series;; Chicago is 3-17 on power play in series. Both teams scored three goals in wild third period Saturday. Over is 4-3-2 in this round of the playoffs.

2015 NHL playoffs
Tampa Bay vs NY Rangers
NYR 2-1, -$143, U5
TB 6-2, +$128, O5
TB 6-5, -$130, O5
NYR 5-1, +$129, O5
TB 2-0, +134, U5

Chicago vs Anaheim
Ana 4-1, -$135, N5
Chi 3-2, 3OT, +$113, N5
Ana 2-1, +$145, U5
Chi 5-4, 2OT, -$123, O5




NHL

Monday, May 25

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. ANAHEIM
Chicago is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Anaheim is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
Anaheim is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home


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NHL
Dunkel

Monday, May 25


Chicago @ Anaheim

Game 69-70
May 25, 2015 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
12.467
Anaheim
13.956
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Anaheim
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Anaheim
-125
5
Dunkel Pick:
Anaheim
(-125); Under


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NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, May 25

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CHICAGO (58-32-0-6, 122 pts.) at ANAHEIM (61-24-0-10, 132 pts.) - 5/25/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 62-56 ATS (-26.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 61-34 ATS (+16.9 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 15-2 ATS (+12.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
ANAHEIM is 37-19 ATS (+4.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
ANAHEIM is 199-148 ATS (+50.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 19-9 ATS (+6.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
ANAHEIM is 25-9 ATS (+13.8 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
ANAHEIM is 35-20 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ANAHEIM is 226-208 ATS (+475.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
CHICAGO is 35-17 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 7-6 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 7-6-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+5.0 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores

9:00 PM EDT

513 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS -4.5 -07 -4.5 -05 / -4.5 / -4.5 -11 -4.5 -15 -190

514 HOUSTON ROCKETS 214o05 214o05 / 214.5 / 214 213.5 +161

TV: ESPN, DTV: 206

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores

1:10 PM EDT

951 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Gonzalez, S 7.5 7.5 7.5o15 +1.5(-150)

952 NEW YORK METS (R) Colon, B -170 -170 -1.5(+130)

TV: SNY, DTV: 639

1:10 PM EDT

953 COLORADO ROCKIES (R) Butler, E 8.5 8.5o25 / 8.5o20 / 9u20 9u15 +1.5(-160)

954 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Marquis, J -130 -154 / -153 / -145 -148 -1.5(+140)

COL-SS-Troy Tulowitzki-Doubtful | TV: FS-Ohio, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 661, 683

2:10 PM EDT

955 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Lincecum, T -115 8o15 / 8o20 / 8.5u20 8.5 +1.5(-200)

956 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Lohse, K 8 -115 / -120 / -123 -122 -1.5(+170)

TV: CSN-Bay, FS-Wisconsin, DTV: 669, 696

2:20 PM EDT

957 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Roark, T 11.5o20 -110 / -113 / -110 -115 -1.5(+130)

958 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Wada, T -108 11.5o20 / 11.5 / 11.5u15 11.5u25 +1.5(-150)

TV: MASN2, WGN, DTV: 307, 641

4:15 PM EDT

959 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (R) Anderson, C 7.5 7.5 / 7.5o13 / 7.5o15 7.5o20 +1.5(-160)

960 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Martinez, C -160 -160 -157 -1.5(+140)

STL-LF-Matt Holliday-? | TV: FS-Arizona, FS-Midwest, DTV: 671, 686

7:05 PM EDT

961 MIAMI MARLINS (R) Phelps, D 7.5 7.5 / 7.5o15 7.5 +1.5(-175)

962 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (R) Morton, C -140 -140 -134 -1.5(+155)

TV: FS-Florida, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 654, 659

8:10 PM EDT

963 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Perez, W 7.5 7.5 / 7.5u20 7o20 +1.5(-130)

964 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (L) Anderson, B -180 -185 / -190 / -189 -190 -1.5(+110)

TV: SportsSouth, DTV: 646

1:05 PM EDT

965 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Guthrie, J 8.5 8.5 / 8.5o20 / 8.5u16 8.5 +1.5(-190)

966 NEW YORK YANKEES (R) Eovaldi, N -120 -130 / -127 / -128 -125 -1.5(+160)

TV: ESPN, FS-Kansas City, YES, DTV: 206, 631, 672

1:35 PM EDT

967 HOUSTON ASTROS (L) Keuchel, D -120 -116 / -115 / -110 -113 -1.5(+145)

968 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (L) Chen, W 7.5 7.5 7.5o20 +1.5(-165)

TV: MASN, ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 640, 674

2:10 PM EDT

969 BOSTON RED SOX (R) Kelly, J -125 -115 / -116 / -115 -113 -1.5(+145)

970 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) Nolasco, R 8.5 8.5 / 8.5o11 8.5o15 +1.5(-165)

TV: FS-North, NESN, DTV: 628, 668

4:10 PM EDT

971 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Klein, P 8.5u20 8.5u15 / 8.5 / 8.5o25 9u20 +1.5(-155)

972 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Marcum, S -140 -142 / -140 / -152 -150 -1.5(+135)

TV: FS-Southwest, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 676

4:05 PM EDT

973 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Greene, S 7.5o15 7.5o15 +1.5(-205)

974 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (R) Hahn, J -108 -123 / -122 / -117 -115 -1.5(+175)

Time-change to 04:05pm EDT | TV: ESPN, FS-Detroit, DTV: 206, 663

7:05 PM EDT

975 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (R) Noesi, H 9 9 / 9o20 9o25 +1.5(-145)

976 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (R) Hutchison, D -150 -150 / -169 / -165 -163 -1.5(+125)

TV: CSN-Chicago, DTV: 665

7:10 PM EDT

977 SEATTLE MARINERS (L) Elias, R 7o15 7o15 +1.5(-190)

978 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Odorizzi, J -150 -145 / -142 / -143 -142 -1.5(+160)

TV: ROOT-Northwest, SunSports, DTV: 653, 687


979 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Ross, T 7.5 7.5 +1.5(-190)

980 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (R) Weaver, J -135 -139 / -140 / -134 -133 -1.5(+160)

TV: FS-San Diego, FS-West, DTV: 692, 694