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**Udog** · 05-21-2015, 08:36 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Six major league umps with largest strikeout/walk ratios when they work plate:

6) Scott Baker 3.53 strikeouts per walk, eight games behind plate

5) Paul Schrieber 3.58, five games

4) Adam Hamari 3.71, eight

3) Dana Demuth 3.75, seven

2) Ryan Blakney, 4.80, four

1) Mark Ripperger 4.81, six

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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud.....

13) Bryce Harper has to chill; he obviously now has a bad reputation with umpires, getting tossed for arguing ball/strikes for second time in last week. He is only 22 but very intense- his team needs him in the game.

12) Speaking of the Nationals, Bronx Bombers came on the field to take batting practice before the game Tuesday and the PA system in Washington started playing Send in the Clowns, the Judy Collins classic. Coincidence?

11) Jeff Teague plays for the Hawks, Kyrie Irving for Cleveland; long time ago, their dads were teammmates at Boston University.

10) Let me get this straight; Scott Books got fired by the GM who let James Harden walk? Interesting......

9) Sacramento Kings are in the NBA draft lottery most years; of the last 17 times they were in the lottery, they've never moved up but have fallen at least one slot eight times.

8) Charlie Weis is still getting paid $4.5M this year, despite not having a job; this fraud is still in top 10 nationally of highest paid college football coaches. How Kansas ever got suckered into hiring him is beyond me.

7) Top 10 college basketball recruit Caleb Swanigan flipped from his initial choice Michigan State to Purdue, whch will make the Boilermakers' games in East Lansing the next couple of years more interesting affairs.

6) Toronto Maple Leafs land coach Mike Babcock from Detroit, giving him an 8-year, $50M contract. Babcock has won the Stanley Cup, something the Leafs haven't done since the mid-60's.

5) QB Everett Golson transfers from Notre Dame to Florida State for his last year of college football, but he won't have the benefit of spring practice and Jimbo Fisher's playbook is complex by college standards, so Golson is no lock to start for the Seminoles in September.

4) Why are the Indianapolis Colts not giving coach Chuck Pagano a contract extension? With Andrew Luck at QB in a weak division, Indy figures to be good again this year, which will only boost Pagano's leverage in negotiations.

3) Actor/wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson once played defensive line with Warren Sapp at Miami, where their position coach was Ed Orgeron, who is now in the same job at LSU. Lot of strong personalities in those meetings.

2) Seriously, the Knicks couldn't find a way to utilize JR Smith?

1) If laughter is indeed the best medicine, David Letterman helped heal a hell of a lot of people over the last 35 years. Thanks for everything, sir.

**Udog** · 05-21-2015, 08:41 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 21

Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors

Game 505-506
May 21, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston Rockets
127.008
Golden State Warr
133.075
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State Warr
by 6
225
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State Warr
by 10 1/2
220
Dunkel Pick:
Houston Rockets
(+10 1/2); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 21

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HOUSTON (64 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (76 - 17) - 5/21/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-38 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-32 ATS (+11.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-25 ATS (+7.5 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 62-48 ATS (+9.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 56-38 ATS (+14.2 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 115-77 ATS (+30.3 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
HOUSTON is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 37-28 ATS (+6.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 6-6 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 7-5 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 21

Warriors are 5-0 vs Houston this year, with four of five wins by 11+ points; seven of last eight series games went under the total. Livingston was +16 in 29:00 off bench for Warriors- Curry hit six of 11 on arc in Game 1. Howard's knee injury may force Rockets to play smaller, which should increase tempo of game and eliminate hack-a-Dwight which mars game. Ariza had big game for Rockets in Game 1; can he keep it up? Six of last eight Rocket games went over total; seven of last eight Golden State games stayed under.

2015 playoffs
Cleveland vs Atlanta
Clev 97-89, +2.5, U199.5

Houston vs Golden State
GSt 110-106, -10.5 U219.5

NBA

Thursday, May 21

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

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**Udog** · 05-21-2015, 08:44 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 21

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Game of the Day: Rockets at Warriors
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Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-10.5, 220)
Warriors lead series 1-0

Center Dwight Howard is listed as questionable as the Houston Rockets attempt to even the Western Conference finals when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Howard played just 26 minutes in Game 1 after suffering a left knee injury and an MRI exam performed Wednesday determined the injury was a sprain.

The Rockets had to use a smaller lineup for much of the opening game and that played into the hands of the Warriors, who recovered from a 16-point, second-quarter deficit to post a 110-106 victory. NBA MVP Stephen Curry had 34 points and knocked down six 3-pointers to fuel Golden State and has made 20 3-pointers over the last three games. NBA runner-up James Harden was stellar for the Rockets with 28 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals and has scored at least 20 points in all 13 games this postseason. “Game 1 slipped away from us,” Harden told reporters. “We had several opportunities to win the game, didn’t happen, so I think we’ll look at some film, we’ll go from there and correct some things basically that were on us and just be better in Game 2.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: Most books, both online and in Vegas, opened the line at GS -10/220. The spread has since been bet to GS -10.5.

INJURY REPORT: Rockets - C Dwight Howard (Ques-Knee), G K.J. McDaniels (Out-Wrist) Warriors - C Ognjen Kuzmic (Ques-Ankle)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Howard suffered what was originally termed a bruised knee when teammate Josh Smith came crashing into his leg and he said afterwards that the injury was “very painful.” Undersized Clint Capela filled in but Houston coach Kevin McHale is aware he needs Howard on the floor for his club to have a chance at knocking off top-seeded Golden State. “Hopefully Dwight is healthy and we can play big,” McHale told reporters. “We didn’t have that option with Dwight out.”

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: While Curry continues to dazzle in the postseason and lead the way, forward Draymond Green is a valuable piece to the puzzle. The 6-7 Green had 13 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the opener and saw a lot of time at center and can also guard players on the perimeter. “Draymond is one of the best defensive players in the league because he can guard low-post guys and perimeter guys,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “He can switch onto James Harden, he can guard Dwight Howard. Doesn’t mean he’s always going to get a stop, but he’s always going to put up a fight, and he’s got a chance.”

TRENDS:

*Rockets are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Warriors are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a S.U. win.
*Over is 7-1 in Rockets last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
*Under is 7-1 in Warriors last 8 overall.

CONSENSUS: 66.35 percent of users are backing the Rockets with 55 percent on the under.

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**Udog** · 05-21-2015, 11:01 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 21

Warriors slumping ATS with Capers as ref

The Golden State Warriors have gone just 1-5 against the spread in the regular season and playoffs when James Capers has been a part of the officiating crew.

Along with Monty McCutchen and John Goble, Capers will be working Game 2 between the Warriors and Houston Rockets Thursday night.

The Warriors' only ATS win this season was a 123-110 win as 6.5-point faves at the Dallas Mavericks on April 4. They failed to cover against the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics (twice), Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.

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Thursday's NBA and NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 5/21

Thursday's NBA and NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 5/21

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