The Bum's Best Bets For Tuesday June 9th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, June 9


Golden State @ Cleveland

Game 705-706
June 9, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
130.813
Cleveland
134.293
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 3 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 1 1/2
194
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+1 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, June 9

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GOLDEN STATE (80 - 19) at CLEVELAND (66 - 32) - 6/9/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-41 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-22 ATS (+8.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 39-26 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-4 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 5-3 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, June 9


NBA Finals - Best of 7 - Game 3 - Series Tied 1-1

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers, 9:00 ET
Golden State: 3-11 ATS in road games after having won 2 of their last 3 games
Cleveland: 25-11 ATS after 5 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 42% or less




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, June 9


Cleveland attacked hoop more with Irving gone; they were 28-40 on foul line in Game 2 (13-19 in Game 1). bench scored 21 points Sunday, after they had nine in Game 1. James Jomes was +22 in 23:00 Sunday. What the Warriors need is better shooting; they're 18-62 from arc in two games, 8-35 in Game 2-- Curry was a miserable 2-13. Dellavedova is a spunky guy who defends well; he played 42:00 in Game 2 after 9:00 in Game 1.

Golden State won eight of its last 11 games with Cleveland; nine of the 11 games were decided by 8+ points. Cavaliers are 13-3 so far in playoffs, Warriors are 13-4. Nine of last 12 Golden State games stayed under the total. Four of last five series games stayed under the total. Warriors won four of last five visits here, but Lebron was in Miami for the four wins.

2015 playoffs
Cleveland vs Golden State
GSt 108-100 OT, -6, O203.5
Clev 95-93, OT, +7.5, U199




NBA

Tuesday, June 9

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CLEVELAND
Golden State is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games
Golden State is 7-15 ATS in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Golden State
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, June 9

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Cavaliers
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Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (+1, 194)

League MVP Stephen Curry attempts to rebound from a horrific performance when the Golden State Warriors visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Tuesday's Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Curry was a dismal 5-of-23 shooting in Game 2 while Cleveland received 39 points from LeBron James to post a 95-93 overtime victory to even the series at 1-1.

Curry was only 2-of-15 from 3-point range as he struggled with his shot and with the hounding defense provided by Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova. "I don't expect to shoot like this," Curry said at his postgame press conference. "I've got to play better, find better shots and be more in a rhythm throughout the course of the game for us to really assert ourselves as a team." Cleveland blew an 11-point lead with just over three minutes left in regulation before resurfacing in the overtime as it survived the loss of point guard Kyrie Irving (knee) for the rest of the series. "All that writing off and underdog title and little chances, that's a good thing," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said in his press conference. "This team has nothing on their mind but trying to win the championship."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Cavs as 1-point faves, but that line has since hopped the fence to +1 as of this writing.

INJURY REPORT: Cleveland - K. Irving (out for season), K. Love (out for season) A. Varejao (out for season). Golden State - N/A.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Curry is just 4-of-21 from 3-point range over the first two games of the series and has looked nothing like the player who tormented the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference finals. "It happens to everybody, whether you're the MVP or a role player," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said at a press conference. "Sometimes the shots don't go in, sometimes things don't go your way. Steph will bounce back. He's a great player." Shooting guard Klay Thompson scored 34 points in Game 2 -- he's averaging 27.5 in the series -- while forward Draymond Green has been subpar by averaging 11 points on 6-of-20 shooting.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: James had 16 points and 11 assists in Game 2 to go with second straight high-scoring output -- he's averaging 41.5 points, 12 rebounds and 8.5 assists -- but the defensive star was Dellavedova, who was in the starting lineup only because of Irving's injury. "Obviously, he's a guy that's been counted out his whole life," James told reporters of a player who went undrafted two years ago before catching on with Cleveland. "Probably people have been telling him he's too small, he's not fast enough, can't shoot it enough, can't handle it enough and he's beat the odds so many times." The Cavaliers could use some scoring help from slumping shooting guards J.R. Smith (8-of-26) and Iman Shumpert (4-of-17), who are shooting a combined 27.9 percent from the field.

TRENDS:

*Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
*Warriors are 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.
*Over is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 home games.
*Under is 11-3 in Warriors last 14 overall.

CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 53 percent of wagers are backing the Dubs.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, June 9


Indiana @ New York

Game 651-652
June 9, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
105.061
New York
114.072
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
150
by 9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
by 4 1/2
145 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(-4 1/2); Over

Seattle @ Tulsa

Game 653-654
June 9, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
104.258
Tulsa
112.855
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tulsa
163
by 8 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tulsa
by 6
157
Dunkel Pick:
Tulsa
(-6); Over




WNBA

Tuesday, June 9

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
Indiana is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
New York is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Indiana

8:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. TULSA
Seattle is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Tulsa
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle's last 12 games when playing Tulsa
Tulsa is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Tulsa's last 9 games when playing at home against Seattle

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, June 9


Be sure to check out Game 3's referee assignments

Referees have been announced for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Danny Crawford, Marc Davis and Derrick Stafford are the officials with Ed Malloy as the alternate.

Here's a look at some of their numbers with each team this season:

Crawford - Warriors (8-0 SU, 4-4 ATS, 2-6 O/U), Cavs (6-2 SU, 3-5 ATS, 3-5 O/U)

Davis - Warriors (6-2 SU, 4-4 ATS, 3-5 O/U), Cavs (7-0 SU, 4-3 ATS, 3-4 O/U)

Stafford - Warriors (7-1 SU, 3-5 ATS, 6-2 O/U), Cavs (6-1 SU, 6-1 ATS, 3-3-1 O/U)

Malloy - Warriors (4-1 SU, 4-1 ATS, 2-3 O/U), Cavs (4-2 SU, 2-4 ATS, 3-3 O/U)




WNBA

Tuesday, June 9


Pair of teams jump out to 2-0 ATS records

Both the New York Liberty and Tulsa Shock have gotten off to perfect 2-0 starts against the spread in the extremely early stages of the WNBA season. Those two clubs will highlight a light scheduled in the league Tuesday.

The Liberty, cashing as 7-point dogs versus the Atlanta Dream and at the Washington Mystics, opened as 6-point home faves with the Indiana Fever in town Tuesday. That line currently sits at -4.5.

The Shock lost to the Minnesota Lynx 83-75 as 10-point road dogs and topped the Chicago Sky 101-93 as 2-point home faves. They'll host the Seattle Storm as 6.5-point home faves Tuesday.

[StarDust Bum]

Cleveland believing an NBA title is near

June 8, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) - High above downtown, there's no visible evidence of a painful 51-year professional sports championship drought - the longest for any major U.S. city.

Atop Terminal Tower, 42 stories over revitalized Cleveland, heartbreak and curses don't exist. Just a spectacular view.

Directly below the centerpiece of Cleveland's skyline, the city is undergoing a modern renaissance as heavy construction equipment transforms Public Square in advance of the city hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Orange barrels line nearly every street. Pedestrians jam the sidewalks, all seeming to wear something with Browns, Indians or Cavaliers written on the front - or a LeBron James jersey. In the distance, the sun's reflection dances off the windowed atrium of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Behold a new, shining Cleveland, once dubbed the ''Mistake on the Lake.''

The changes are more than cosmetic. There's been a startling attitude adjustment among skeptical and cynical Cleveland fans, who hope for the best, expect the worst and have agonized through painful sports moments given dubious nicknames like ''Red Right 88,'' ''The Drive,'' ''The Fumble,'' ''The Shot,'' ''The Move,'' and ''The Decision.''

One man has transformed that. James has made Cleveland believe.

From the moment the Akron kid turned basketball king announced he was returning home, preaching togetherness to a fan base he spurned by leaving as a free agent for Miami in 2010, a new positive vibe has enveloped a place that often sees the glass not as half full, but broken.

And although the Cavs lost All-Stars Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to season-ending injuries, James' brilliance and gritty contributions from unlikely players like Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov have the team within three wins of an NBA title.

The Cavs are tied 1-1 with the Golden State Warriors heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night.

''Not only are we becoming a destination that people want to come to, but we potentially have a championship team,'' said Laura Kubinski, operations director of Cleveland Clothing Company, a hip downtown store. ''It's our time. It's about damn time for Cleveland to win a championship.''

Since the Browns won the NFL title in 1964, the city's three pro teams and a hockey club that merged with Minnesota in 1978 have completed 143 seasons without one finishing on top.

Close calls and runner-up trophies have scarred the locals. Something always cancels the parade.

If not injuries, it's Browns quarterback Brian Sipe forcing a pass and getting intercepted by Oakland's Mike Davis in 1981 (Red Right 88 was the play call). It's John Elway's 98-yard march in the 1986 AFC championship or Earnest Byner's muff at the goal line in Denver the next year. It's Michael Jordan's hang-in-the-air jumper over Craig Ehlo, owner Art Modell taking the Browns to Baltimore or James announcing South Beach would be his new home.

Or it's 1997, when cases of champagne and the World Series trophy were wheeled into, then out of the Indians clubhouse when Jose Mesa blew a save in Game 7 of the World Series.

The drought is ingrained in the citizenry's collective psyche - part of a Clevelander's DNA.

''I've only been around for 38 years of it,'' said Nathan Zaremba, standing outside Quicken Loans Arena after buying a new Cavaliers cap for his 6-year-old son, Milo.

Zaremba said Clevelanders know all the bad moments and experience them from the first day of their lives.

''In Cleveland, you never quite have that hope, but we're feeling pretty confident,'' he said. ''We're closer than we've ever been. And, we've got LeBron.''

Understandably, some Cleveland fans can't shake their disbelief. After all, they've been raised to repeat the phrase ''Only in Cleveland'' any time there's misfortune. But others remain proud, able to laugh at their own misfortune, dust themselves off and lose again. Some seem to relish the anguish.

''It's almost like a badge of honor,'' said Browns Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas. ''It's kind of funny, it's like, we're still the most die-hard fans in all of sports and we haven't had a championship in 50 years. Hopefully, these next couple weeks we won't be able to say that anymore.''

Cleveland's time could be near, if James can turn the punching bag for other cities into a title town.

As Kubinski looks out the door of her store, the thought of a parade down Euclid Avenue makes her eyes tear.

''I get goose bumps. It's emotional,'' she said. ''My dad was at the 1964 game when the Browns won. His dad took him to the game. For all of us, this is huge.''

[StarDust Bum]

With series tied, what to watch in Game 3 of the NBA Finals

June 9, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) - For the sixth consecutive year, the NBA Finals are tied after two games.

Sometimes that means a long series is coming, such as when Miami and San Antonio went the distance before LeBron James' magnificent Game 7 gave the Heat the title in 2013.

Or, as James knows, it may not.

The Heat and Spurs were tied again last year after Game 2, with the Heat feeling they could've won both games. San Antonio blitzed them from there, winning both games in Miami easily before wrapping it up in Game 5 at home.

Perhaps the Golden State Warriors can duplicate that and the NBA's best team in the regular season can find its game on the road. But with the way the Cleveland Cavaliers are defending in this series, that won't be easy.

''You know, we're going to come in with an aggressive mindset defensively and offensively,'' James said after Game 2.

''And for us to win a finals game shooting 32 percent from the field, it's just a testament of how gritty we can be. It has to be that for the rest of the series, no matter how many games it takes.''

Game 3 is Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, and here are some things to watch:

PIVOTAL GAME?: The Game 3 winner when the finals is tied 1-1 has gone on to win the series 31 of 37 times, according to information provided to the NBA by the Elias Sports Bureau. That stat hasn't meant much when James is involved. His Heat rallied to win the series in 2013 after dropping Game 3 to the Spurs, but lost to Dallas in 2011 after being ahead 2-1.

ROAD WARRIORS: Golden State lost home-court advantage but has proven it can win on the road. The Warriors set a franchise record with 28 road victories during the regular season and are 5-2 away from Oracle Arena in the playoffs.

Cleveland, though, has won 26 of its last 28 at home.

''I mean, we know it's going to be a tough Game 3. Every game against this team is going to be tough,'' Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova said. ''So while it's nice to be going back home, yeah, we're still going to have to do it out there on the court and, yeah, get ready to go.''

PASS THE BALL: The Warriors had only 16 assists in Game 2 after finishing with 24 in Game 1, and they know they need to be closer to the latter number for their offense to click.

''They are playing good defense, but I think a lot of it is on us,'' guard Klay Thompson said after Game 2. ''We're not playing like ourselves. We're not moving the ball like we should. We only had 16 assists. That's not us, man. We usually get 20, 25 when we're playing great. So we've got to move the ball better and trust each other.''

MIGHTY MOZGOV: Timofey Mozgov averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in the first two games, outplaying counterpart Andrew Bogut, but was on the bench for much of the latter part of Game 2. That's because the Warriors went with a small lineup, not because of the way the 7-foot-1 Russian has done wrong.

''Well, first of all, Moz played great. He played extremely well the in first game, too,'' Cavaliers coach David Blatt said.

MISFIRING MVP: Stephen Curry is 15 for 43 in the series, but after shooting 5 of 23 in Game 2, knows his shot can start falling in Cleveland.

''I'm not going to let one game kind of alter my confidence,'' he said Sunday. ''I know as a team we're not going to let one (game) alter our belief that we're going to win the series.

''We've got to move on and be ready to play a good team that's ready to go home.''

[StarDust Bum]

Barkley: 'Curry will kill [Dellavedova] in the overall scheme of things'

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry struggled in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, going 5-for-23 from the field and 2-for-15 from 3-point range with six turnovers. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova was his primary defender, and he did all that he could to stop Curry from getting in rhythm. TNT analyst Charles Barkley, though, isn't going to heap praise on the undrafted point guard.

"I think people need to slow down giving him so much credit," Barkley said in an interview on Bleacher Report Radio. "Steph Curry will kill that kid in the overall scheme of things. He just didn't make shots last night, and I think everybody needs to slow their roll talking about him. Steph Curry just missed some shots."

Barkley did call Dellavedova a hard-working player, and he dismissed the notion that he was dirty. Clearly, though, the Hall of Famer does not think that his ball denial and physical defense made an impact on Curry.

"This notion that he stopped him is just ridiculous," Barkley said. "When you're a jump shooter, you have good days, you have bad days. And Steph had a bad day last night. But, listen, Dellavedova wasn't the reason he was missing shots."

As usual, the truth likely lies somewhere in between. There is no one on the planet who can "stop" Curry, as Dellavedova himself said after the 95-93 Cleveland win. The Cavs, though, collectively slowed him down, just like the Memphis Grizzlies were able to do briefly. Curry was able to bounce back after his slow start in that series, and no one should be surprised if he does that again here. At the same time, you have to expect Dellavedova and the entire Cleveland defense to remain totally committed to pushing him out of his comfort zone.

[StarDust Bum]

2015 NBA Finals: The good, bad, and insane of Steph Curry Game 2 Shots

As the NBA Finals head to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4, the Golden State Warriors have a big question on their hands. Did Stephen Curry just miss shots in their overtime Game 2 loss or did the Cleveland Cavaliers figure out how to defend him, especially with Matthew Dellavedova?

The 2014-15 MVP had a horrific performance, going 5-of-23 from the field and 2-of-15 from 3-point range for 19 points, five assists, and six turnovers in the 95-93 loss. He even air balled the potential winning shot in overtime as Dellavedova crowded away his space as best he could on the jumper. It was a perplexing game and one that needed just one of those 13 missed 3-pointers to fall to change the mood of this series. The Cavaliers went from dead on arrival after the Kyrie Irving injury news to feeling like they can survive and win their first NBA title.

With the way the Cavaliers have controlled the pace and flow of this series so far, it's starting to feel a lot like what the Warriors went through in their second round matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. After three games, the Warriors were left scratching their heads with a 2-1 series deficit and Curry along with the Warriors' offense looking stymied. The Grizzlies were fueled by the return of Mike Conley and it allowed them to get back to the defense that got them into being considered a contender in the West.

It was tough trying to figure out how well the Grizzlies were doing against Steph Curry because of the types of shots he takes. He shooting conscience is brazen and the shots he takes can be quite unconventional. It's like watching a kid troubleshoot ways to make shots in a driveway, except Curry has taken that to a successful NBA career. Against Memphis, he was missing a considerable amount of open shots and looks that are good for him and typical of his repertoire. However, was he missing those good looks or were the Grizzlies taking him out of his rhythm?

Game 2 against the Grizzlies saw Curry go 7-of-19 from the field and 2-of-11 from 3-point range as he totaled 19 points in their 97-90 loss. Of those 19 shots, these were the only real looks in which Curry seemed crowded into a tougher shot or out of rhythm in his offensive flow.

The majority of those looks were good for Curry and they simply didn't fall. Golden State had to feel like the floodgates would eventually open if they kept going with what had worked all season long for them. Curry's ambitious but controlled attempts had to fall, especially if the Grizzlies had really only forced him into three or so uncomfortable attempts in the game.

The Game 3 loss by the Warriors was a different story. They lost 99-89 to the Grizzlies as Curry went for 23 points on 8-of-21 shooting and 2-of-10 from 3-point range. For those two games, Curry managed to shoot 4-of-21 from 3-point range, which seemed peculiar for the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history. There were also a lot more shots by Curry the Grizzlies had seemed to snuff out.

We weren't seeing the same separation on jumpers we had all season. We weren't seeing the same follow-through on all of his jumpers. The pump fakes were more tentative than tactical. The troubleshooting was bringing up more errors than solutions.

Even the shot he made on that leaning banker from the left side wasn't a good, comfortable shot, nor was the left side falling jumper he hit in the third quarter. Over the next three games, Curry (27.6 points, 44.4 percent FG, 51.4 percent 3FG) would figure it out as the Warriors figured out ways to completely take away the Grizzlies' offense. It was a symbiotic relationship that helped them dominate the rest of the series and start moving toward the Finals.

Heading into Game 3 against the Cavaliers, it's feeling like Curry is suffering both from his own rhythm not being there on shots he'd normally take and the Cavs defending him quite well. But it's mostly about the decision-making on these shots that Curry has to figure out.

He's in a unique position that we haven't really seen much, if at all, in NBA history. You'll get the occasional pundit saying his jump shooting heavy offense is doomed in playoff basketball, but mostly his incredibly audacious shooting decisions don't get criticized. His talent seems to transcend questioning whether he's making the right call when he hoists up a quick shot because we've almost grown numb from six years of Curry's shooting morphine drip.

THE GOOD SHOT DECISIONS

In re-watching the shots he took from Game 2, Curry made more good shooting decisions than I had assumed watching it live. Of the 23 shots he took, 12 of them look like good decisions by Curry. I'm classifying "good decisions" here as shots you feel comfortable with Curry taking based on his progression as a shooter over the years and whether or not they look like they're in the rhythm of his game.

He made just three of those 12 "good" attempts. On these shots, seven of them were open or very lightly defended, but he only made one of those. You walk away from watching this video of Curry's good shots and it leaves you thinking that Curry maybe just had an off night in Game 2.

One thing you have to remember is that unless a defender is up in the face of Curry and preventing him from being in his normal shooting motion, he's really unlikely to be affected by a defender there. You look back to his 2013 series against the Denver Nuggets and he was being "guarded" but he wasn't really defended on so many of those attempts.

You get a similar viewing experience in the video of his good shot attempts. But only a little over half of those attempts were good, which means there were some bad shooting decisions as well.

THE BAD SHOT DECISIONS

The conversation throughout the game and after the Cavs secured the victory in Oakland was how well Dellavedova had defended Curry. After looking lost in his brief moments on the floor in Game 1, Dellavedova seemed more comfortable and prepared for his defensive assignment in Game 2. That led to him defending Curry for much of the night, and receiving some good help from the big men as they forced Curry to go around some long screen hedging to eventually come free for shots that quickly disappeared.

While Dellavedova did a great job on Curry, it felt like it was the team concept that made sure Curry was covered so that the Australian guard could recover and take away space. Six of Curry's 23 shots were just flat-out terrible shooting decisions that were covered beautifully by the Cavs. He didn't make a single one of those six shots.

As you can see in the video, Tristan Thompson defended Curry on three of those six attempts with one of them coming at the end of the second quarter. Curry could've driven to the basket or tried to create space, but he picked up his dribble too early and was left with a prayer attempt over Thompson. The other two attempts he defended came on switches or pick-ups on the perimeter and he forced Curry into two bad, uncomfortable attempts without any rhythm.

Dellavedova had two of the other defended shots and he was draped all over Curry. Never fouling, always making him work, and contesting those two shots perfectly (we'll get to the end of the game attempt in a minute, but there's a reason it wasn't included here). What Dellavedova did perfectly and what most defenders can never seem to do is he used his strength against Curry and it helped him take away the space Curry usually has to shoot.

It's one thing to close out on Curry well. If it doesn't cause him to alter his shooting motion or rhythm, you're probably just looking good on SportVU data rather than actually defending the shot. But when he doesn't have any space to shoot in the first place, you're actually defending him and that's what Dellavedova did on those attempts.

THE INSANE SHOOTING MOMENTS

There were a couple of insane shot attempts and shooting moments that I felt needed to be separate here because those seem to be the moments that define Steph Curry games. It's the acrobatic attempts or the moments in which a shot goes halfway down and then crawls out of the rim like that creepy girl in "The Ring."

These are moments in Game 2 that seem to defy logic or normal shooting conditions, so I wanted to keep them separate. There were five of these attempts and he made two of them.

The first attempt in this video is a reckless runner/floater/circus shot type of attempt by Curry over Thompson that I guess technically counts as a layup. He ends up playing PLINKO with the ball and the rim before it drops in for one of his five made shots. The second shot in this video is a great look he creates for a missed jumper, which is followed up by an offensive rebound and that missed 3-pointer that went halfway down before crawling out of the well.

This was the attempt when it felt like there wasn't anything Curry could do to right the ship.

The shot after that was your typical "Curry shooting in someone's face when they think they're actually defending him but aren't" moment with 2:46 left in the fourth quarter and the Warriors in the middle of a furious comeback. LeBron James was on Curry but he wasn't actually on him. He knocked down the 3-pointer, finally getting one to drop.

The final shot in the video was Curry's final shot in the game. Despite having a horrendous shooting night for the Warriors, they trusted their MVP to still knock down the big shot in the game down one point with 10 seconds left. Curry jab-stepped then dribbled to the left where he'd create space and take a step-back jumper. Iman Shumpert was near Curry in help, and maybe that caused a little bit of angst in the shooting motion by Curry, but Dellavedova also recovered well to give it a solid contest.

Curry ended up with the air ball and then couldn't get a shot off on the final possession in a scramble to get the ball up the court without any timeouts. It was good defense by Dellavedova, but it was also a moment in which it's hard to figure out why the air ball was forced there. The defense wasn't so good that he didn't have room to do anything but blindly hoist. He has a good rhythm and motion on the shot; he just didn't have what he and his team needed that night.

THE POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT

If Curry can't get going in Quicken Loans Arena Tuesday night for Game 3, there may be a simple adjustment that is afforded to him by the aggressive hedging of the Cavaliers' defense. The Cavs' big men (especially Tristan Thompson) are over-emphasizing taking the high road against Curry when he's coming around screens and not allowing him to turn his shoulders and get to facing the basket. The Cavs have done a great job of moving Curry laterally or even backing him up on these pick-and-roll opportunities.

One adjustment that could be made and really cause chaos in the Cavs' defensive decisions is for Curry to start splitting those soft traps made by the recovering defender and the helping big. We saw it earlier in the "good shots" video and it's something that helped get the Warriors a key bucket to send the game to overtime.

One fun little thing to notice in this possession is Curry made sure to use his body to shield the defender and get the easy scoop layup off inside. He wasn't going to have a remix of the Irving block from Game 1 haunt him at the end of Game 2.

This is the type of adjustment that could really help Curry get going and get the Cavs' defense to scramble. Once Curry does this a couple of times, it will force the Cavs to start collapsing more on the paint and make a decision between taking away these layup attempts or chasing ball movement and shooters on the perimeter. The Cavs have done such a good job of slowing down these first two games, but if they're forced to make these decisions, it will be tough to keep the flow out of Golden State's offense.

Once this starts happening, we could see the Cavs' defense forced to adjust on how hard they hedge the pick plays for Curry, which could then start leaving him enough space to turn and fire away. If that happens, the Warriors and especially Curry could be back in their normal offense. With LeBron James on the other side of the floor, it's something Curry and the Warriors have to force the Cavs to do.

They're not afforded the same time frame of figuring this out like they were against the Grizzlies. Give the Cavs any more confidence after their Game 2 victory, and the Warriors could be in trouble. That's on Curry to take away from his Finals opponents.

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron to Cavs fans: 'We can be much louder than any fan base'

Thanks to raucous Golden State Warriors fans, Oracle Arena is more affectionally known as the Roarcle. Often referred to as one of the loudest arenas in the NBA, Warriors fans act as another member of the team, causing opponents and coaches to be affected by their noise. In the first round of the playoffs, then New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams openly complained about the noise. Warriors fans responded by being even louder the following game leaving ear plugs for Williams to use.

But according to LeBron James, the Roarcle is no match to the atmosphere in Quicken Loans Arena. With the Cavs heading back to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4, James challenged Cavs fans to be louder than they have ever been.

At his postgame press conference following Game 2, James spoke about how excited here is to head home and hear his hometown fans.

“It means everything. It means everything to be able to be a part of history and get this win for this franchise, for our city, for all the Cavs fans all over the world. But if I could leave our fans with anything: These fans here are pretty loud, pretty good—really good. I'm looking forward to seeing our fans and I can't wait to see our fans. I've heard our fans pretty loud a few times before. A couple instances: My first postseason appearance was really loud; me coming home against the Knicks to start this season was pretty good. But I know we can be much louder than any fan base in this league. I know they're getting ready and I can't wait to see them.”

The Cavs have been tough to beat at home in the playoffs. They have only lost once at home i, falling to the Chicago Bulls in the first game of the second round. Now after winning Game 2, the Cavs have homecourt advantage and thanks to LeBron's challenge, a riled up home crowd.

Game 3 is Tuesday night at 9 PM EST, will Cavs fans follow through on LeBron's edict and bring the noise?

[StarDust Bum]

J.R. Smith takes blame for Warriors comeback: 'I did some dumb things'


Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith had a rough go of it at the end of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. He committed two silly fouls down the stretch as the Golden State Warriors erased an 11-point lead, first needlessly fouling Stephen Curry in the backcourt and then losing track of Harrison Barnes under the basket and giving up a three-point play. He then fouled out after biting on a Curry pump fake late in overtime.

In 38 minutes, Smith shot 5-for-13 for 13 points, and he was a minus-13. The Cavs won 95-93, but he understandably wasn't feeling great about his individual performance afterward.

Smith told reporters that he apologized to his teammates, but LeBron James told him that "when you want it so bad, you stop focusing, you try to make plays and you make the wrong plays." James told him he needed to keep his composure.

"Please win this game," Smith said when asked what went through his mind watching the end of the game from the bench. "I don't want the phone calls, the emails, Instagrams, tweets, memes. I don't want none of that right now."

Fortunately for him, Cleveland did indeed win it. He probably got a lot of those same messages anyway, though. And if the Cavs are going to get more victories in this series, they're going to need more from him. Given their lack of depth, it's amazing they were able to pull this one off the way they did.

[StarDust Bum]

Game 3 Props - Best Bets

June 9, 2015

The NBA Finals head to Cleveland for Game 3 on Tuesday and along with the side and total, the oddsmakers have started to adjust their numbers on the available proposition wagers as well.

Changing of the venue always requires a different handicap and hopefully it treats a couple of our experts better.

The overall numbers are in the red (8-9, $600) but we have at least three games to turn it around.

Overall Results

Chris David: (1-4, -460)
Tony Mejia: (3-4, -480)
Kevin Rogers: (4-1, +340)

Based on a five-unit bankroll, their top props are listed for Game 3 below.

Odds & Props provided by Sportsbook.ag

Chris David

3 Units - Over Draymond Green Total Points 13 ½ (-115)

I believe this wager has a very solid chance of cashing and that’s why I’m going with a three-unit investment. Green is averaging 11 points per game in this series despite shooting 30 percent from the field (6-of-20) which tells you that he’ll be close to this number even if he plays poorly. Based on what we’ve seen from Green on the road in the playoffs, I expect him to break out of his funk and really give Golden State the boost it needs. In this year’s playoffs, he’s averaging 15.2 PPG on the road and he’s surpassed this prop (13 ½) in five of the seven games. He scored 16 at Quicken Loans Arena in February and I expect the kid from the Midwest to be ready to produce on Tuesday.

2 Units – Under Tristan Thompson Total Rebounds 11 ½ (-130)

I cashed the ‘over’ on Thompson’s rebounds (10 ½) in Game 1 and stayed away from it on Sunday as the number and money were both juiced up. For Game 3, his total is up to 11 ½ and I believe it’s inflated. For starters, this kid has to be spent. He just logged 47 and 39 hard fought minutes and now has to maintain that energy on one days rest. I’m not buying it at and his numbers at home (9.3 RPG) in the postseason haven’t been as good as his production on the road (11.3 RPG), which I noted last Thursday. At home in this year’s playoffs, he’s only surpassed this number once which came with a 12-rebound effort in Game 2 versus Chicago. I’ll take the extra rebound, lay the number and hopefully get back on track.

Kevin Rogers

3 Units - Over Tristan Thompson Total Points 8 ½ (-130)

Thompson struggled to score in the first two games in Oakland, putting up just four points. However, the former Texas product has stepped up at Quicken Loans Arena, scoring in double-figures in each of the past three home games. The confidence factor will shoot up for Cleveland heading home, where this team has put up at least 100 points in five of seven contests at the "Q," which will open up scoring opportunities for Thompson. .

2 Units – Over LeBron James Total Points in the 1st Quarter 8 ½ (-120)

The energy level will be up for the Cavaliers returning home for the first time since May 26, as James will have to carry the offense once again. In each of the first two games, James scored 10 and 12 points in the opening quarter, as the opportunities will definitely be there for the former MVP to make at least four field goals in the first 12 minutes. James scored only four points in the first quarter of his last home game, the clincher against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, as he struggled to score early against Atlanta at home. I'll ride this current form with James to bust this number early.

Tony Mejia

3 Units - Over LeBron James 19 Rebounds + Assists (-115)

James was proudest of his 11 assists in Game 2, stating afterward that he has never been a volume shooter and isn't exactly comfortable with the 36.5 shots per game he's attempted thus far in these Finals. Look for him to be more of a distributor at home, which combined with his 12 boards per game in Oakland, lends itself well to expect another run at a triple-double.

2 Units - Over Stephen Curry 3.5 3-pointers (-200)

The juice on this is significant, but coming off a 2-for-15 performance from 3-point range and shooting just 4-for-21 in this series has turned the NBA Finals on its ear. Count on the Warriors doing a better job screening for him since the Cavs have done a great job of shading his way, ensuring there are always multiple bodies headed in his direction. Expecting a minimum of 4-for-10 from beyond the arc seems like a winning proposition.

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Tuesday

June 9, 2015


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pirates are 10-0 SU since May 12, 2015 when their starter has had two straight quality starts

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Miguel Gonzalez starts the Orioles are 0-14 OU since July 30, 2012 after he allowed at least two home runs but less than seven total runs last start.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Indians are 8-0 (+$883) in database history when facing a team averaging less than 1.5 runs over their last five games.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Rays are 0-10-1 OU against since Jun 20, 2014 vs a team that has lost at least their last four games.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Mariners are 0-10 OU since May 14, 2015 when they are off a game in which they did not score more than one run in any inning.

[StarDust Bum]

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores

9:00 PM EDT

705 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 196u19 -1.5 -15 / -1.5 / -1.5 -08 -1.5 -120

706 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS -1 +02 193.5 / 194 / 194.5 194 +100

Time-change to 09:00pm EDT | CLE-G-Kyrie Irving-OUT | CLE-PF-Kevin Love-OUT | TV: ABC


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NBA Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

9:00 PM Golden State -2 559 52.94% Cleveland +2 497 47.06% View View



TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

9:00 PM Golden State 194.5 645 72.23% Cleveland 194.5 248 27.77% View View

[StarDust Bum]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores


7:05 PM EDT

901 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Jungmann, T 7.5 7.5 / 7.5o30 / 8u15 7.5o25 +1.5(-135)
902 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (L) Liriano, F -220 -171 / -180 / -182 -183 -1.5(+115)

PIT-CF-Andrew McCutchen-Probable | TV: FS-Wisconsin, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 659, 669 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 74, RH 53% HEAT INDEX 76

7:10 PM EDT

903 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Harang, A 7.5o20 7.5o25 / 8o25 / 8o15 8o20 +1.5(-190)
904 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Desclafani, A -150 -133 / -134 / -140 -142 -1.5(+160)

TV: FS-Ohio, DTV: 661 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND OUT TO CENTER 3-8. GAME TEMP 80, RH 46% HEAT INDEX 81

7:10 PM EDT

905 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Heston, C 7.5u20 7 / 7o15 / 7u21 7u20 +1.5(-210)
906 NEW YORK METS (R) Syndergaard, N -125 -121 / -120 / -119 -120 -1.5(+180)

TV: CSN-Bay, SNY, DTV: 639, 696 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS EARLY. WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 10-15. GAME TEMP 78, RH 62% HEAT INDEX 80.

7:10 PM EDT

907 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Shields, J -135 -123 / -121 / -119 -122 -1.5(+140)
908 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Foltynewicz, M 7.5u15 7u13 / 7u15 / 7 7o15 +1.5(-160)

TV: FS-San Diego, SportsSouth, DTV: 646, 694 | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY. WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 85, RH 56% HEAT INDEX 89

8:40 PM EDT

909 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Wacha, M -140 -114 / -115 / -117 -114 -1.5(+134)
910 COLORADO ROCKIES (L) De La Rosa, J 10u15 10u15 / 9.5o15 / 10u20 10u15 +1.5(-154)

STL-LF-Matt Holliday-OUT | TV: FS-Midwest, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 671, 683 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND OUT TO LEFT 8-13. GAME TEMP 82, RH 30% HEAT INDEX 80

10:10 PM EDT

911 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (L) Ray, R 7.5o20 7.5u17 / 7.5u25 / 7o25 7.5u20 +1.5(-160)
912 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (R) Frias, C -165 -149 / -146 / -145 -158 -1.5(+140)

TV: FS-Arizona, DTV: 686 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE SHOWERS EARLY. WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 82, RH 42% HEAT INDEX 82

7:05 PM EDT

913 BOSTON RED SOX (L) Rodriguez, E 8o20 -103 / -104 / -113 -114 -1.5(+140)
914 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (R) Gonzalez, M -105 8u15 / 8 / 8o15 8o20 +1.5(-160)

TV: MASN2, NESN, DTV: 628, 641 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO RIGHT 5-10. GAME TEMP 83, RH 45% HEAT INDEX 84

7:10 PM EDT

915 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (R) Shoemaker, M 7.5o15 7.5o20 / 7.5o15 / 7.5 7.5u20 +1.5(-215)
916 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Karns, N -120 -106 / -108 / -109 -108 -1.5(+185)

TV: FS-West, SunSports, DTV: 653, 692 | Dome

7:10 PM EDT

917 SEATTLE MARINERS (L) Elias, R 7 7o13 / 7o15 / 7o20 7o25 +1.5(-119)
918 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Kluber, C -180 -202 / -200 / -202 -205 -1.5(-101)

TV: ROOT-Northwest, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 687 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 5-10. GAME TEMP 72, RH 55% HEAT INDEX 73

8:10 PM EDT

919 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Young, C 8.5u15 -115 / -112 / -113 -109 -1.5(+145)
920 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) May, T -105 8.5 / 8.5o25 / 8.5o21 8.5o20 +1.5(-165)

TV: FS-Kansas City, FS-North, DTV: 668, 672 | PARTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY. WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 6-11. GAME TEMP 85, RH 45% HEAT INDEX 86

8:10 PM EDT

921 HOUSTON ASTROS (L) Keuchel, D -125 -139 / -140 / -141 -140 -1.5(+120)
922 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Rodon, C 7.5o15 8o25 / 8.5 / 8.5u20 8.5u15 +1.5(-140)

TV: CSN-Chicago, ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 665, 674 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND RIGHT TO LEFT 7-12. GAME TEMP 81, RH 45% HEAT INDEX 82

10:05 PM EDT

923 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Martinez, N 7 7 7u15 +1.5(-140)
924 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (R) Gray, S -180 -178 / -180 / -178 -180 -1.5(+120)

TEX-3B-Adrian Beltre-OUT | TV: CSN-California, FS-Southwest, DTV: 676, 698 | MOSTLY FAIR, WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 8-13. GAME TEMP 71, RH 59% HEAT INDEX 71

7:05 PM EDT

925 MIAMI MARLINS (R) Haren, D 8.5o25 9o15 / 9u15 / 9 9o15 +1.5(-155)
926 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (L) Buehrle, M -145 -151 / -153 / -156 -153 -1.5(+135)

TOR-1B-Edwin Encarnacion-Probable | TV: FS-Florida, DTV: 654 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 9-14. GAME TEMP 70, RH 63% HEAT INDEX 71

7:05 PM EDT

927 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Scherzer, M 6.5o25 7u15 / 7 / 7o15 7o25 +1.5(-195)
928 NEW YORK YANKEES (R) Tanaka, M -115 -123 / -124 / -126 -128 -1.5(+165)

TV: MASN, YES, DTV: 631, 640 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 30% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS EARLY. WIND OUT TO CENTER 10-15. GAME TEMP 77, RH 64% HEAT INDEX 79

7:05 PM EDT

929 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Lester, J 7.5o20 9u20 / 8.5o15 / 8.5 8.5u20 +1.5(-165)
930 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Sanchez, A -107 -128 / -130 / -132 -140 -1.5(+145)

TV: CSN-Chicago, FS-Detroit, DTV: 663, 665 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT 4-9. GAME TEMP 76, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 78

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

7:05 PM Milwaukee +164 326 25.02% Pittsburgh -178 977 74.98% View View

7:07 PM Miami +141 410 31.51% Toronto -153 891 68.49% View View

7:10 PM Philadelphia +122 392 32.59% Cincinnati -132 811 67.41% View View

10:10 PM Arizona +129 417 33.85% LA Dodgers -140 815 66.15% View View

7:10 PM Seattle +174 427 33.89% Cleveland -190 833 66.11% View View

10:05 PM Texas +161 537 43.66% Oakland -175 693 56.34% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco +109 540 44.30% NY Mets -118 679 55.70% View View

7:08 PM Chi. Cubs +129 598 46.00% Detroit -140 702 54.00% View View

7:05 PM Washington +120 637 47.43% NY Yankees -130 706 52.57% View View

7:05 PM Boston -115 605 48.75% Baltimore +106 636 51.25% View View

7:10 PM LA Angels +100 639 53.25% Tampa Bay -108 561 46.75% View View

8:10 PM Kansas City -113 673 55.80% Minnesota +104 533 44.20% View View

7:10 PM San Diego -120 735 57.78% Atlanta +111 537 42.22% View View

8:10 PM Houston -135 913 70.02% Chi. White Sox +125 391 29.98% View View

8:40 PM St. Louis -115 1012 73.33% Colorado +106 368 26.67% View View



TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

8:10 PM Houston 8.5 303 41.17% Chi. White Sox 8.5 433 58.83% View View

8:10 PM Kansas City 8.5 300 42.43% Minnesota 8.5 407 57.57% View View

7:10 PM Seattle 7 322 44.48% Cleveland 7 402 55.52% View View

7:05 PM Washington 7 368 46.17% NY Yankees 7 429 53.83% View View

8:40 PM St. Louis 10 343 47.71% Colorado 10 376 52.29% View View

7:05 PM Boston 8 373 49.73% Baltimore 8 377 50.27% View View

7:10 PM San Diego 7 368 50.14% Atlanta 7 366 49.86% View View

10:05 PM Texas 7 370 51.68% Oakland 7 346 48.32% View View

7:07 PM Miami 9 387 51.74% Toronto 9 361 48.26% View View

7:10 PM San Francisco 7 386 53.09% NY Mets 7 341 46.91% View View

7:08 PM Chi. Cubs 8 402 54.55% Detroit 8 335 45.45% View View

7:10 PM LA Angels 7.5 423 57.63% Tampa Bay 7.5 311 42.37% View View

7:05 PM Milwaukee 7.5 404 59.06% Pittsburgh 7.5 280 40.94% View View

10:10 PM Arizona 7.5 435 60.67% LA Dodgers 7.5 282 39.33% View View

7:10 PM Philadelphia 8 475 65.16% Cincinnati 8 254 34.84% View View


Games are highlighted when more than 59% of all cash contests players choose outcome.