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  • NBA
    Long Sheet

    Friday, May 6


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

    CLEVELAND (63 - 25) at ATLANTA (52 - 38) - 5/6/2016, 7:05 PM
    Top Trends for this game.
    CLEVELAND is 35-43 ATS (-12.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
    ATLANTA is 100-84 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
    ATLANTA is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
    ATLANTA is 130-98 ATS (+22.2 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
    ATLANTA is 57-39 ATS (+14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
    ATLANTA is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
    ATLANTA is 7-23 ATS (-18.3 Units) in the second round of the playoffs since 1996.

    Head-to-Head Series History
    CLEVELAND is 10-6 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
    CLEVELAND is 10-6 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
    11 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

    SAN ANTONIO (72 - 16) at OKLAHOMA CITY (60 - 29) - 5/6/2016, 9:35 PM
    Top Trends for this game.
    SAN ANTONIO is 48-40 ATS (+4.0 Units) in all games this season.
    SAN ANTONIO is 47-35 ATS (+8.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
    SAN ANTONIO is 29-12 ATS (+15.8 Units) when tied in a playoff series since 1996.
    SAN ANTONIO is 195-136 ATS (+45.4 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
    SAN ANTONIO is 71-55 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
    OKLAHOMA CITY is 39-47 ATS (-12.7 Units) in all games this season.

    Head-to-Head Series History
    OKLAHOMA CITY is 12-7 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
    OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-9 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
    11 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




    NBA
    Short Sheet

    Friday, May 6


    Cleveland at Atlanta, 7:05 ET
    Cleveland: 2-10 ATS after 2 straight wins by 10 points or more
    Atlanta: 8-1 ATS in home games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6

    San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 9:35 ET
    San Antonio: 32-18 ATS after 1 or more consecutive unders
    Oklahoma City: 10-25 ATS off a road win by 3 points or less




    NBA
    Armadillo's Write-Up

    Friday, May 6


    Atlanta-Cleveland (C 2-0)
    Cavaliers won their last nine games (8-1 vs spread) vs Hawks, covered last three played here, winning by 2-12-8 points. Five of last seven tilts in series went over total. Cleveland made 25-45 on arc in Game 2, have made 40-76 on arc so far in series. Hawks might want to guard them, just an idea. Atlanta won last six home games since 110-108 OT loss April 1 to Cleveland. Hawks were down 74-38 at the half in Game 2; would be nice if they competed just a little bit harder in this game.

    Oklahoma City-San Antonio (1-1)
    San Antonio won seven of its last 11 games with Oklahoma City, but Spurs lost last two visits to Oklahoma by 19-6 points; Thunder won in Game 2, despite its bench being -55 in 66:00 played. Five of last seven series games stayed under total. Spurs won seven last eight games, taking last three on road- they covered five of their last seven. Aldridge scored 41 in Game 2, but only one other guy had mre than 11-- they need to be more balanced. Thunder was 11-42 on arc in two games at Alamo.

    Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
    Second round: Favorites: 5-3, over: 4-4





    NBA

    Friday, May 6


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Trend Report
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    7:00 PM
    CLEVELAND vs. ATLANTA
    The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Atlanta
    Cleveland is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
    The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games at home
    Atlanta is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland

    9:30 PM
    SAN ANTONIO vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
    The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Antonio's last 9 games
    San Antonio is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
    The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
    The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games at home
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • NBA
      Dunkel

      Friday, May 6


      Cleveland @ Atlanta


      Game 517-518
      May 6, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

      Dunkel Rating:
      Cleveland
      126.948
      Atlanta
      121.391
      Dunkel Team:
      Dunkel Line:
      Dunkel Total:
      Cleveland
      by 5 1/2
      202
      Vegas Team:
      Vegas Line:
      Vegas Total:
      Cleveland
      by 2 1/2
      198 1/2
      Dunkel Pick:
      Cleveland
      (-2 1/2); Over

      San Antonio @ Oklahoma City


      Game 519-520
      May 6, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

      Dunkel Rating:
      San Antonio
      127.412
      Oklahoma City
      130.959
      Dunkel Team:
      Dunkel Line:
      Dunkel Total:
      Oklahoma City
      by 3 1/2
      204
      Vegas Team:
      Vegas Line:
      Vegas Total:
      Oklahoma City
      by 1 1/2
      200
      Dunkel Pick:
      Oklahoma City
      (-1 1/2); Over
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • Friday's Tip Sheet
        May 5, 2016


        **Cleveland at Atlanta**

        -- The East semifinals move to Philips Arena in Atlanta for Game 3 on Friday night. Cleveland ventures south with a 2-0 series advantage. The Cavaliers have won nine in a row over the Hawks while going 8-1 ATS. They are 5-0 both SU and ATS in the five head-to-head meetings this season.

        -- The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas opened Cleveland (63-25 straight up, 41-44-3 against the spread) as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 200 points. Those number hadn’t budged as of Friday afternoon. The Cavs are -145 on the money line, leaving the Hawks at +125 on the comeback (risk $100 to win $125). Tyron Lue’s squad is a 1.5-point ‘chalk’ for first-half wagers.

        -- Cleveland absolutely destroyed Atlanta in Wednesday’s Game 2 by a 123-98 count as a seven-point home favorite. The 221 combined points soared ‘over’ the 196-point total. The Cavs cashed tickets for both first quarter (-2.5, -115) and first-half wagers (-4.5) for a second straight time. With the game tied at 16-16, Lue’s club went on a 19-4 run to go ahead 35-20 heading into the second quarter. That’s when this game turned real ugly, as Cleveland exploded with a flurry of 3-pointers en route to a 74-38 advantage at halftime.

        -- Cleveland drained 25 treys in Game 2 to set an all-time NBA record. Ten different players connected from deep led by J.R. Smith’s seven 3-balls. The Cavs shot at a 55.6 percent clip from long range. LeBron James scored 27 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out five assists and made three steals. Smith scored 23 points, while Kyrie Irving contributed 19 points and six assists compared to merely one turnover.

        -- Atlanta (52-38 SU, 45-44-1 ATS) was led by Paul Millsap’s 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Teague had 14 points and six assists. Kris Humphries (12), Mike Muscala (10), Al Horford (10) and Thabo Sefolosha (10) were also in double figures. Atlanta head coach wisely rested all of his starters for the entire fourth quarter.

        -- I’ve been perplexed with Budenholzer’s decision in these playoffs to give Muscala the minutes Humphries was getting late in the regular season. Humphries played an average of 14 minutes in the 21 games he played after being acquired by Atlanta, averaging 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He has only been given minutes twice in eight postseason games. Granted, they came at garbage time, but Humphries has continued to play well. In Game 2, he produced 12 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in just 15 minutes of playing time. In his only appearance in the Boston series, Humphries finished with eight points, four rebounds and one assists in merely eight minutes of faction.

        -- When a team is getting blasted like Atlanta was Wednesday during a seven-game series in the playoffs, you have to show some toughness and pride. Down by 36 at intermission, the game was over. But the mental warfare was still being waged. While the Cavs were gunning for the 3-point record and their bench was basically holding a dance party the entire night, the Hawks didn’t display any physicality whatsoever. You never want to hurt another player but, again, this is the playoffs. It’s completely inexcusable that no Atlanta player didn’t give any hard fouls in the lane in the second half.

        -- When meeting with the media afterwards, several Atlanta players, including their two veteran leaders in Millsap and Horford, expressed unhappiness with the way the Cavs went about bombing triples in the final stanza in an effort to break the NBA record. Instead of complaining afterwards, a Hawks’ player should’ve just given a statement foul by knocking a Cavs’ 3-point shooter on his ass. Am I implying a quasi cheap shot? You damn right I am. This is the playoffs. A team has to have a backbone unless it’s resigned to going on vacation sooner rather than later.

        -- VegasInsider.com’s Chris David had this take on the side for Game 3: “After watching Atlanta lose the first two games of this series, it’s certainly hard to make a case for them in Game 3. Catching points at home hasn’t happened often for the Hawks this season, only three times. They dropped double digit decisions to the Spurs and Warriors while knocking off the Thunder. I wouldn’t put the Cavaliers in the same class as San Antonio and Golden State but they are steps ahead of Oklahoma City, which makes this number seem fair.”

        -- Cleveland owns a 26-17 SU record and a 18-22-3 ATS mark in its road assignments this year.

        -- Atlanta has compiled a 30-14 SU record and a 24-20 ATS ledger at home this season. As David noted, the Hawks were home underdogs three times this year, going 1-2 both SU and ATS.

        -- The ‘under’ is 50-40 overall for the Hawks, 25-19 in their home outings.

        -- Totals have been an overall wash (44-44) for the Cavs this season. The ‘under’ is 23-20 in their road assignments.

        -- VI’s David likes the total to stay ‘under’ in Game 3. He explained, I believe the oddsmakers jumped the gun on the total for Game 3 and sent an opener of 200 after we saw Game 2 close at 196. I believe the number will drop back down by tip off and I’m leaning to the ‘under’ based on what we’ve seen from Atlanta at home in the playoffs. Since head coach Mike Budenholzer took over, the Hawks have seen the ‘under’ go 12-2 at home in the postseason and that includes a 3-0 record this season. Only two teams have scored 100 points on Atlanta during this span and even though Cleveland won both of the postseason meetings last year at Philips Arena, it scored 97 and 94 points.”

        -- Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

        **San Antonio at Oklahoma City**

        -- Oklahoma City (60-29 SU, 41-47-1 ATS) bounced back from a blowout loss in Game 1 to capture a 98-97 win as a 7.5-point underdog Monday at AT&T Center. The Thunder hooked up money-line supporters with a stellar +320 payout (paid $320 on $100 wagers). Kevin Durant buried a floater with 33 seconds remaining to put his team up 96-91, but San Antonio answered when LaMarcus Aldridge knocked down a 3-ball off an amazing pass from Tony Parker. With OKC leading by four after Russell Westbrook hit a pair of free throws, Aldridge gave Serge Ibaka a pump fake before taking a 3-pointer. Ibaka inexplicably fouled Aldridge in the act of shooting to provide three shots. Aldridge was true on all three from the charity stripe to slice the deficit to one. On the ensuing inbounds play from halfcourt after a timeout, Dion Waiters struggled to find an open man and just before passing the ball nailed Manu Ginobili with an elbow to clear space for a pass. Nevertheless, the entry to Durant was stolen by Danny Green, who eventually passed to Patty Mills, who missed a 3-pointer from the corner. With two seconds left, the teams battled for the rebound under the basket without a call being made. Alas, though it tried to hand San Antonio the game with a slew of knucklehead plays at crunch time, OKC emerged victorious to knot the series at 1-1.

        -- Westbrook produced 29 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot in the Game 2 triumph. Durant finished with 28 points, seven boards and four assists, while Ibaka, Enes Kanter and Steven Adams scored 12 points apiece. Adams brought down a game-high 17 rebounds, while Kanter had eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

        -- In the losing effort, Aldridge was sensational again with a game-best 41 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists and a pair of rejections. Kawhi Leonard and Ginobili were the only other Spurs in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Tim Duncan missed a bunch of high-percentage shots and had only two points on 1-of-8 shooting. Parker struggled too, finishing with seven points and six assists.

        -- For Friday’s Game 3, the Westgate opened OKC as a 1.5-point favorite early on Tuesday morning. The total was 199 points on the send-out. By lunch, however, the Spurs had moved into the 1.5-point ‘chalk’ role. Then on Wednesday, the Spurs were favored by two and that remained the number as of early Thursday night. The total moved from 199 to 200 on Thursday. The Spurs are -130 on the money line, leaving the Thunder at +110 to win outright (risk $100 to win $110). San Antonio is a one-half point favorite for first-half bets.

        -- San Antonio (72-16 SU, 48-40 ATS) smashed OKC in the series opener by winning a 124-92 decision as a 6.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The Spurs led by 33 at halftime and by 39 going into the final stanza. Aldridge was the catalyst with 38 points, while Leonard had 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. Leonard made 10-of-13 shots, while Aldridge hit 18-of-23 attempts from the field. Danny Green chipped in 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting from downtown.

        -- In the Game 1 defeat, Ibaka paced the Thunder with a team-best 19 points, but he’s been getting destroyed at the other end by Aldridge for eight consecutive quarters. Westbrook (5-of-19, 14 points) and Durant (6-of-15, 16 points) had mediocre performances in the series opener.

        -- OKC won both SU and ATS in a pair of regular-season meetings with San Antonio at home. On March 26, the Thunder cruised to a 111-92 win as a 12.5-point home favorite. Durant posted a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds, while Westbrook tallied 29 points, eight assists and six rebounds. We should obviously note that Duncan, Aldridge, Leonard and Parker did not play (rest).

        -- On Oct. 28, OKC won a 112-106 decision over the Spurs as a four-point home ‘chalk.’ Westbrook led the way with 33 points and 10 assists, while Leonard countered with 32 points in defeat. San Antonio played all of its players in this encounter.

        -- Gregg Popovich’s team owns a 29-14 SU record and a 22-21 ATS mark at home this year.

        -- Billy Donovan’s team is 34-10 SU and 21-22-1 ATS at home this season.

        -- VI’s David is bullish on the Spurs as short road faves in Game 3. David said, “I was very surprised when I saw the Thunder open as a 1 ½-point favorite for Game 3 but that line flipped in a hurry and it’s the right move in my opinion. It’s hard to ignore the fact that the Spurs went 12-0 off a loss in the regular season in meaningful games when the club put out a full squad. Another solid stat that could have you leaning to San Antonio is the record of the Thunder as underdogs. OKC did cash tickets in Game 2 of this series but it’s just 2-12 as an underdog this season. Also, it should be noted that road favorites have done very well in this year’s postseason, going 10-4 straight up and 8-6 against the spread.”

        -- The ‘under’ is 46-43 overall for the Thunder, 27-17 in its home games.

        -- The ‘over’ had hit in four consecutive games for the Thunder until Game 2 went ‘under’ the tally.

        -- The ‘under’ is 49-37-2 overall for San Antonio, 25-17-1 in its road assignments.

        -- The ‘under’ is on an 8-2 run in San Antonio’s last 10 games played at OKC.

        -- ESPN will have the telecast at 9:35 p.m. Eastern.
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • Stephen Curry unlikely to play Game 3
          May 5, 2016

          OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry is unlikely to play Saturday for Golden State in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Portland since he still hasn't practiced on his sprained right knee.

          Curry did work on the side while the Warriors practiced Thursday but couldn't yet do any of the scrimmaging that the medical staff and coaches want to see before he is cleared to return.

          ''It's tough to see him playing Saturday,'' coach Steve Kerr said. ''He's gotten better and better each day.''

          In fact, Kerr said ''probably not'' when asked about Curry playing Saturday. Game 4 on Monday is still a conceivable option if Curry keeps making good progress.

          ''Everything has gone very smoothly. He hasn't had any setbacks,'' Kerr said. ''He's ramping up things in the weight room.''

          The Warriors will practice again in Oakland on Friday before flying to Portland in the afternoon. Kerr said that even on a game day when his teammates only have shootaround, Curry could get some two-on-two work with coaches Luke Walton, Jarron Collins and Theo Robertson.

          Defending champion Golden State leads the best-of-seven series against Portland 2-0. The Warriors had Wednesday off from practice after winning Game 2 on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.

          Curry returned from an ankle injury only to injure his knee April 24 when he slipped on a wet spot just before halftime of a Game 4 win at Houston in the first round of the playoffs.

          The Warriors would probably want to see how Curry comes out of his first practice then have him participate in another before he is game-ready, Kerr said.

          ''That's what we did in Houston with the ankle. He wanted to play but he hadn't practiced,'' Kerr said. ''We gave him two straight days of three-on-three, five-on-five, and he felt pretty good. So that's why he started out Game 4. We probably need to get through that process. We need to see him in rhythm, cutting, moving and see how he responds the next day as well.''
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Damian Lillard gets tested by Warriors
            May 5, 2016


            PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) First it was a chest cold, then it was a fourth-quarter dry spell. The start of Damian Lillard's playoff series against the Golden State Warriors has been rough.

            And as Lillard goes, often the rest of the Trail Blazers follow.

            Portland is down 2-0 in its Western Conference semifinal series against the defending NBA champions. And it certainly won't get much easier when the series shifts north Saturday - even though presumptive league MVP Stephen Curry is unlikely to return from a knee injury.

            But Lillard and his team have a history of stepping up after getting knocked down. In fact, that's been the theme of their whole season.

            ''I know the kind of guys I'm running with. Besides that, we've answered the call all season long. We've been in bad positions time and time again, and we've never shied away. We've never not answered the call. I don't see why this time it would be any different,'' he said.

            Lillard, who averaged 25.1 points and 6.8 assists during the regular season, scored 25 points in the Blazers' 110-99 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday night, including 17 points in the third quarter. But the Warriors held him scoreless (0-for-3 from the field) in the crucial final period when they came from behind to win, outscoring Portland 34-12. Portland only scored six points over the last 5:21.

            With a day off on Wednesday, Lillard let the loss ******.

            ''After the game I was pretty frustrated by not being able to finish that game. Yesterday I didn't even want to see a basketball,'' he said. ''I wasn't even gonna watch the playoff game until I heard Cleveland was hitting a bunch of 3s. So I wanted to see for myself, but I didn't even want to have nothing to do with basketball after that game.''

            In the series opener, Lillard started cold but eventually scored 30 points in a 118-106 loss. The Oakland native admitted later to battling a cold afterward. On Thursday, he said he was healthy.

            Lillard made a playoff splash in 2014 when his buzzer-beating 3-pointer against the Rockets sent the Blazers into the second round for the first time in 14 years.

            But he was the lone starter left with the Blazers this season after the departures of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews. Some expected the Blazers to only win about two dozen games.

            Lillard tends to rise when he's the underdog, however. Led by Lillard and backcourt teammate CJ McCollum, a first-year starter, the Blazers overcame a 2-10 stretch in November to wind up the fifth seed in the West.

            A two-time All-Star, Lillard was snubbed this year. How did he respond? By dropping 51 points, including nine 3-pointers, in a 137-105 victory over - wait for it - the Golden State Warriors. Lillard shot over Curry at will in that Feb. 19 victory, one of just nine losses for the Warriors in a record-setting 73-win season.

            Knowing the Blazers are capable will be key Saturday night.

            ''We'll have bounce. We came back after 0-2 against the Clippers (in the opening round) and came with a lot of energy in Game 3. We know how important Game 3 is,'' Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. ''Having energy, having bounce, at the Moda Center, with our crowd? That's the least of our concerns.''

            Lillard also struggled in the opening two games against the Clippers in the first round. Portland came back to win the next four to win the series, but the Clippers were hurt when their top two scorers, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, were knocked out with injuries.

            The Warriors also get credit for Lillard's struggles after making defensive adjustments on both Lillard and McCollum, particularly the play of Festus Ezeli.

            ''They are so explosive and they run really good stuff, I mean, it's hard to guard. You have to cover a lot of floor against Portland, and I thought between Festus and Draymond (Green), those guys did a great job of protecting the feed and moving and handling the pick-and-roll on top,'' said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

            Lillard said the Blazers would learn from it.

            ''It hurts to go back in the locker room after you play so well for so long and you come back in there with the L. But it is a part of growth,'' he said. ''The entire season has been growth for us.''
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Will the real Hawks please stand up?
              May 5, 2016

              The Oklahoma City Thunder responded to their Game 1 thumping. The Atlanta Hawks? Not so much.

              How each team shows up for Game 3 of their respective series on Friday night will likely go a long way toward defining just how long these matchups will last. The Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs four days after they evened the series with a tense 98-97 win in San Antonio in Game 2.

              The Hawks head home looking to find themselves after back-to-back losses in Cleveland to the Cavaliers.

              The Thunder lost Game 1 by 32 points and were thoroughly embarrassed. But Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant got things going for Game 2 and head home looking to mimic that effort.

              The Thunder's 32 wins at home in the regular season were tied for fourth-most in the NBA.

              ''They played great,'' Spurs point guard Tony Parker said. ''It's a great win for them and now it's our job to react. Everybody understands to win a championship you have to win on the road. That's our job now.''

              The Hawks were buried by a record-setting shooting performance from the Cavaliers in Game 2. Cleveland hit 25 3-pointers in the game, led by 36 at halftime and breezed to the win. They were 27-14 at home in the regular season, and need to find some serious magic to make this a series.

              ''If they shoot the ball like that, I don't know if anyone can beat them, to be honest,'' Hawks shooter Kyle Korver said.

              A look at the two games on the schedule for Friday night:

              ---

              Cavaliers at Hawks, Cleveland leads 2-0, 7 p.m., ESPN

              There was some grumbling from Hawks players after Game 2 about Cleveland continuing to shoot 3-pointers in the fourth quarter when the outcome was no longer in doubt.

              Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue didn't fault his players for taking a shot at history, especially when the Golden State Warriors set the postseason mark with 21 3s made earlier in these playoffs.

              ''That's something that the players felt like it was within their grasp, they wanted to go for it,'' Lue said on Thursday. ''I mean, records are made to be broken, I don't see anything wrong with it. We didn't do anything malicious.''

              There may come a time for the Cavaliers when the 3s just aren't falling with the accuracy that they have in the first two games of this series, and Lue is bracing for that.

              ''Some nights you might not have it,'' he said. ''We're playing great basketball and there will be some nights where we don't play as well and hopefully we can still have game where we'll be fine.''

              ---

              Spurs at Thunder, Tied 1-1. 9:30 p.m., ESPN

              Oklahoma City might be in trouble going forward if it doesn't figure out how to deal with LaMarcus Aldridge. The 6-foot-11 post player exploded for 38 points on 18-for-23 shooting in San Antonio's 124-92 win in Game 1. He followed it up with 41 points on 15 for 21 shooting in OKC's win in Game 2.

              The Thunder do not plan to make big changes to their defensive game plan for Game 3.

              ''The biggest thing is we've got to make it as hard as we can,'' Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. ''Double-team in the right situations, and maybe try and keep him off balance a little bit.''

              Aldridge's efficiency so far has not surprised Thunder forward Kevin Durant.

              ''He's an All-Star player,'' Durant said. ''He's one of the best players in the league. There's a few times where we could have stopped him from scoring and a few times where you've just got to tell him, `Hey, that's a good shot, that's a tough shot.'''

              In Game 1, Aldridge's teammates made 33 of 61 shots (.541). In Game 2, the rest of the Spurs made just 25 of 73 shots (.342). The Thunder don't want to overcommit to Aldridge and let the other guys get going.

              ''You can run down there and start taking them away, and all of a sudden, it's opened up 3s, drives and a lot of other things,'' Donovan said. ''So you've really got to make good decisions of where your help's coming from and when it's coming.''
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • NBA MONEYLINE

                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
                The record is 41 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.4 units)

                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in Road games when leading in a playoff series
                The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the since 1992 (+16.2 units)

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

                NBA FIRST HALF

                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play AGAINST ATLANTA ?>in the first halfin All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
                The record is 5 Wins and 18 Losses for the this season (-14.8 units)

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

                NBA TOTALS


                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
                The record is 16 Overs and 49 Unders for the this season (+31.4 units)

                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
                The record is 9 Overs and 32 Unders for the this season (+22.1 units)

                NBA > (517) CLEVELAND@ (518) ATLANTA | 2016-05-06 19:05:00 - 2016-05-06 19:05:00
                Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin Home games in all playoff games
                The record is 12 Overs and 41 Unders for the since 1992 (+27.8 units)

                NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO@ (520) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-06 21:35:00 - 2016-05-06 21:35:00
                Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
                The record is 28 Overs and 69 Unders for the last three seasons (+38.2 units)

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

                TOP POWER LINES

                Users of our matchup reports are familiar with our Power Line ratings, calculated using both teams' ratings and home field advantage. The Top Power Lines tool offers a way to view and compare current Power Lines in one simple report, as well as the Power Line Edge, where the Power Line differs significantly from the current line.


                NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO @ (520) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-06 21:35:00 - 2016-05-06 21:35:00
                Line: OKLAHOMA CITY2 BTB PowerLine: OKLAHOMA CITY-1
                Edge On: OKLAHOMA CITY (3)
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Preview: Cavaliers (57-25) at Hawks (48-34)
                  Date: May 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

                  The Cleveland Cavaliers attempted the most 3-pointers in the Eastern Conference in the regular season and have simply upped that number to lead all teams in average attempts in the playoffs.

                  The Cavaliers turned in an astounding long-range effort their last time out and try to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their conference semifinal series Friday night on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.

                  Cleveland averaged 29.6 attempts from beyond the arc during the season and are hoisting up a league-best 35.7 during the playoffs. The strategy is working - the Cavaliers are the only unbeaten team left in the postseason and shooting an NBA-best 45.3 percent from long range.

                  Game 2 of this series featured an amazing display of marksmanship as Cleveland set a record with 25 3-pointers in Wednesday's 123-98 rout. J.R. Smith made seven and LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each sank four.

                  'Tonight was a special night for all of us who played,' James said. 'This league has seen so many great teams, so many great players and great shooters and for us to set an all-time record is truly special.'

                  The Cavaliers surpassed the previous postseason high of 21 set by the Warriors in 2015 and the regular-season mark of 23, accomplished by two teams. Cleveland attempted 45 3-pointers - one shy of the playoff record set by Golden State last season.

                  'I don't think we searched out 3s until we heard on the Jumbotron that we tied the record,' said James, who scored 27 points. 'And then we felt like we came this far so we might as well try and break it.'

                  The Hawks are second in the postseason with 31.6 3-point attempts per game. They have made 22 in this series compared to 40 for the Cavaliers.

                  'When they put those shots down, I don't know if anyone can beat them, to be honest,' Atlanta's Kyle Korver said. 'We were hoping that they'd start missing at some point.'

                  Atlanta has lost 10 straight playoff games to Cleveland, and this series is looking alarmingly familiar to the Cavaliers' sweep in last year's conference finals.

                  Smith has made 11 of 20 attempts from long range, Irving has drained 7 of 10 and James is 6 for 10.

                  The Cavs led by as many as 18 while shooting 44.6 percent and making 15 of 31 3-pointers in a 104-93 victory in the series opener. Two days later, they shot 47.1 percent overall and led by as many as 41.

                  'That was overwhelming,' Hawks guard Kent Bazemore said. 'I thought they shot (really well) in Game 1, but that was amazing.'

                  The defeat was so thorough that seldom-used backup center Mike Muscala, who scored 10 points in 14 minutes, appeared at the postgame news conference with NBA teams required to send at least one player. The Hawks know they are in trouble if Muscala continues to see action in this series.

                  "We need to get better in a lot of areas, probably starting with our transition defense and all the way through, and execute better offensively to take some pressure off our defense," coach Mike Budenholzer said.

                  Paul Millsap has totaled a team-high 33 points and 24 rebounds in the series for Atlanta, with Dennis Schroder scoring 32. Jeff Teague has been ineffective, making 5 of 19 shots for 22 points and 10 assists.

                  The Hawks have a 68-56 advantage in points in the paint in this series. That has been a meaningless statistic given the Cavaliers have scored 54 more points via 3-pointers.


                  SERIES AT A GLANCE

                  GAME 1
                  Hawks at Celtics
                  Fri, Apr 22 Final 103 to 111
                  Recaps

                  GAME 2
                  Hawks at Celtics
                  Sun, Apr 24 Final 95 to 104
                  Recaps

                  GAME 3
                  Celtics at Hawks
                  Tue, Apr 26 Final 83 to 110
                  Recaps

                  GAME 4
                  Hawks at Celtics
                  Thu, Apr 28 Final 104 to 92
                  Recaps

                  GAME 5
                  Hawks at Cavaliers
                  Mon, May 2 Final 93 to 104
                  Recaps

                  GAME 6
                  Hawks at Cavaliers
                  Wed, May 4 Final 98 to 123
                  Recaps

                  GAME 7
                  Cavaliers at Hawks
                  Fri, May 6 - 7:00PM EDT
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Preview: Spurs (67-15) at Thunder (55-27)
                    Date: May 06, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

                    The Oklahoma City Thunder survived a frenzied and controversial finish in Game 2 to seize home-court advantage from the San Antonio Spurs.

                    The Spurs can regain it by earning a rare playoff win in Oklahoma City when the well-rested teams square off again Friday night.

                    The Thunder nearly blew a four-point lead in the final 15 seconds before holding on for a 98-97 victory Monday, and the NBA ruled the next day that there were five incorrect non-calls in that closing stretch. Oklahoma City's Dion Waiters was part of perhaps the most high-profile one, pushing Manu Ginobili away with his elbow on an inbounds play with 13.5 seconds to go.

                    The league also stated that Ginobili should have been charged with a delay-of-game violation for stepping on the sideline as he was defending Waiters. Potential fouls from the Spurs' Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills affected Oklahoma City's inbounds pass, which was stolen away from Kevin Durant by Danny Green.

                    LaMarcus Aldridge would have received two foul shots if referees had correctly called a foul on Serge Ibaka for grabbing his jersey when Aldridge was trying to rebound Mills' missed 3-pointer.

                    Aldridge was 10 of 10 from the line Monday and finished with 41 points in San Antonio's first loss in six games this postseason.

                    "Now it's our job to react," Spurs point guard Tony Parker said. "Everybody on this team understands that to win a championship, you have to win on the road. So that's our job now."

                    That could prove to be a challenging one as Oklahoma City has won eight of nine at home, the lone loss coming in Game 2 of its opening-round series against Dallas.

                    The Thunder have won in 11 of 13 at home against San Antonio, including playoffs, and are 5-1 there against the Spurs in two postseason series since relocating from Seattle.

                    "We have to come into the game like we're down 0-2," Waiters said. "We know that's how they're going to approach the game. We know they're going to come in and do what they do. We have to match their intensity.

                    "We know it's important to take care of home-court advantage. We have to come in with the mindset of coming in to win and compete, play hard as possible and play smart."

                    Oklahoma City averaged 111.5 points and 50.3 percent shooting in two home victories over San Antonio this season, but the Spurs' top players sat out a 111-92 defeat March 26.

                    Kawhi Leonard was dealing with a bruised right quad while Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Ginobili and Parker were given the night off.

                    Those five will try to get San Antonio off to a better start than in Monday's defeat, when Oklahoma City scored 17 of the first 21 points. San Antonio missed 12 of its first 13 shots and finished at 42.6 percent after connecting at 60.7 in a 124-92 rout in Game 1 on Saturday.

                    "We have got to be sharp. We have got to be better, have a better start," said Aldridge, who scored 38 points in the series opener. "We have to focus offensively and defensively, just be locked in and all the way around better."

                    Aldridge, making his first postseason visit to Oklahoma City, was held to 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting in his only game there this season, a 112-106 defeat Oct. 28.

                    Leonard has totaled 58 points and shot 62.2 percent in his last two road games against the Thunder. His 32 points Oct. 28 tied his career high at the time.

                    Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, who scored a team-best 29 on Monday, averaged 31 and 53.7 percent shooting in the two home games against San Antonio this season.


                    SERIES AT A GLANCE

                    GAME 1
                    Thunder at Spurs
                    Sat, Apr 30 Final 92 to 124
                    Recaps

                    GAME 2
                    Thunder at Spurs
                    Mon, May 2 Final 98 to 97
                    Recaps

                    GAME 3
                    Spurs at Thunder
                    Fri, May 6 - 9:30PM EDT

                    GAME 4
                    Spurs at Thunder
                    Sun, May 8 - 8:00PM EDT
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • 5/5 - Results: 0 - 1 - 1
                      Overall : 46 - 55


                      FRIDAY, MAY 6

                      GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

                      CLE at ATL 07:00 PM

                      CLE -2.5

                      U 197.0



                      SA at OKC 09:30 PM

                      OKC +2.5

                      U 200.5
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

                        -- Spurs 100, Thunder 96-- Spurs are 16-4 in series if they have a 2-1 lead.

                        -- Cavaliers 121, Hawks 108-- Do they really have to play anymore?

                        -- Thunder 2, Islanders 1 OT-- Tampa Bay wins both games in Brooklyn in OT.

                        -- Golfer Zac Blair was DQ'd after he used a putter that he bent when he smacked himself in the head with it. No bueno.

                        -- Marlins 6, Phillies 4-- Miami has won 11 of its last 12 games.

                        -- KLWheat likes Mohaymen in the Kentucky Derby.

                        **********

                        Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: DD Lohaus handicaps the Kentucky Derby....

                        First Saturday in May; must be Kentucky Derby Day!

                        Snuck up on me this year which again proves that the older you get, the faster time flies.

                        As I write this analysis and give my picks, the weather for Saturday looks gorgeous and should allow for all runners to give their best efforts. It is with that assumption that I make my analysis and selections.


                        The conversation begins with Nyquist. He has done nothing wrong and has been on quite a run since last year. He has beaten another top contender in this race (Exaggerator) three times! This team has won the Derby (and Preakness) before and Nyquist will likely be favored for the race. He is a logical favorite and his versatile running style makes him very dangerous.

                        Mohaymen came up short in the much anticipated race with Nyquist in the Florida Derby. Trainer calls it 'a throw out' and this guy looked fantastic in his last workout (46.8). May be a bit too fast to have enough left to handle this group but also could be peaking at the right time; maybe he didn't like losing his last (and first) in Florida and will be extra motivated to turn the tables on Nyquist. A lot to like if you're willing to throw out the last.

                        Gun Runner, for Steve Asmussen, is a the prototypical 'sharp-looker' from a high octane outfit. Has a steady race tab and been winning quite nicely. He will have to be on his toes for this one but may be ready to step forward. Like the 6F workout; not necessarily the time but the distance; tells me he has some bottom... I would not be surprised if this one makes some noise.

                        Exaggerator, as mentioned earlier is a top contender but hasn't figured out how to be Nyquist. A prime post position should give him lots of choices. Not sure I like to pick a horse that's been beaten three times by the expected race favorite. He is a hard knocker who gives an honest effort and maybe he just needed to figure things out. I think he's more likely to get a minor award.

                        Destin has had eight weeks off since his last race; a win in the Tampa Derby. This one has the looks of a runner flying under the radar for Todd Pletcher (if that's possible). Not thrilled with his latest workout, but I wouldn't be shocked if this one shows well on Saturday. This one will offer some value and worth playing underneath top ones.

                        The Bets:

                        $20WP Mohaymen: I think this guys turns the table and runs BIG on Saturday.

                        $10Ex Mohaymen/Nyquist, Gun Runner, Exaggerator, Destin

                        $5Ex Nyquist, Gun Runner, Exaggerator, Destin/Mohaymen

                        $1ExBx Nyquist/Gun Runner/Exaggerator/Destin

                        $2Tri Mohaymen/Nyquist/Gun Runner, Exaggerator, Destin

                        Total Bets: $118.00
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • NBA
                          Short Sheet

                          Saturday, May 7

                          Toronto at Miami, 5:05 ET

                          Toronto: 14-30 ATS after a game with 15 or less assists
                          Miami: 22-14 ATS after a loss by 6 points or less

                          Golden State at Portland, 8:35 ET

                          Golden State: 13-3 ATS off 2 consecutive home wins by 10 points or more
                          Portland: 42-64 ATS at home after failing to cover in 3 or + consecutive games




                          NBA
                          Armadillo's Write-Up

                          Saturday, May 7

                          Miami-Toronto (1-1)

                          Teams split pair of OT games in Ontario, now head south. Miami lost five of last seven games with Toronto, including two of last three played in Miami. Home side won eight of last 11 series games. Six of last seven Miami games stayed under total, as have eight of last ten Raptor games. Lowry is 10-35 from floor in series; Raptors are +27 with Valanciunas on floor, -29 with him on bench. Toronto was -19 with Powell in game in Game 2, which helps explain why he only played 9:00.

                          Portland-Golden State (GS 2-0)
                          In 14 quarters since Curry hurt his knee, Warriors are +83, covering all three games without him; they've won eight of last nine vs Portland, and covered 10 of last 12. Blazers are 7-5 in last 12 games, with seven of last ten staying under the total. Golden State won nine of its last 11 games, covered eight of last nine- under is 7-3 in their last ten games. Warriors won three of last four visits to Portland. Over is 7-1 in last eight games between these two teams. Teams haven't played since Tuesday.

                          Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
                          Second round: Favorites: 7-3, over: 5-5





                          NBA

                          Saturday, May 7


                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Trend Report
                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          5:00 PM
                          TORONTO vs. MIAMI
                          The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 10 games
                          Toronto is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
                          The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 9 games at home
                          Miami is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home

                          8:30 PM
                          GOLDEN STATE vs. PORTLAND
                          The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
                          The total has gone OVER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Portland
                          Portland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
                          Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • NBA
                            Dunkel

                            Saturday, May 7


                            Toronto @ Miami


                            Game 521-522
                            May 7, 2016 @ 5:00 pm

                            Dunkel Rating:
                            Toronto
                            119.939
                            Miami
                            127.477
                            Dunkel Team:
                            Dunkel Line:
                            Dunkel Total:
                            Miami
                            by 7 1/2
                            183
                            Vegas Team:
                            Vegas Line:
                            Vegas Total:
                            Miami
                            by 5
                            187 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick:
                            Miami
                            (-5); Under

                            Golden State @ Portland


                            Game 523-524
                            May 7, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

                            Dunkel Rating:
                            Golden State
                            132.748
                            Portland
                            127.287
                            Dunkel Team:
                            Dunkel Line:
                            Dunkel Total:
                            Golden State
                            by 5 1/2
                            218
                            Vegas Team:
                            Vegas Line:
                            Vegas Total:
                            Golden State
                            by 3
                            211 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick:
                            Golden State
                            (-3); Over





                            NBA
                            Long Sheet

                            Saturday, May 7


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

                            TORONTO (61 - 30) at MIAMI (53 - 38) - 5/7/2016, 5:05 PM

                            Top Trends for this game.
                            TORONTO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in all playoff games over the last 2 seasons.
                            TORONTO is 173-217 ATS (-65.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
                            TORONTO is 46-61 ATS (-21.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
                            MIAMI is 49-41 ATS (+3.9 Units) in all games this season.
                            MIAMI is 32-23 ATS (+6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
                            MIAMI is 40-29 ATS (+8.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
                            MIAMI is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

                            Head-to-Head Series History

                            MIAMI is 7-6 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
                            MIAMI is 7-6 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
                            7 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

                            GOLDEN STATE (79 - 10) at PORTLAND (48 - 42) - 5/7/2016, 8:35 PM

                            Top Trends for this game.
                            PORTLAND is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) in all games this season.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 39-29 ATS (+7.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 47-35 ATS (+8.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all playoff games since 1996.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 60-40 ATS (+16.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 74-59 ATS (+9.1 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 61-46 ATS (+10.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 57-38 ATS (+15.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 100-79 ATS (+13.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
                            GOLDEN STATE is 65-43 ATS (+17.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

                            Head-to-Head Series History
                            GOLDEN STATE is 10-3 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
                            GOLDEN STATE is 10-3 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
                            10 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • Saturday's Tip Sheet
                              May 6, 2016


                              Eastern Conference – Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
                              Raptors at Heat (-5 ½, 187) – 5:05 PM EST – ESPN


                              It’s not often that the first two games of an NBA playoff series go past regulation, but that was the case between Toronto and Miami. After the Heat overcame Kyle Lowry’s desperation half-court heave to win Game 1 in overtime, 102-96, the Raptors made another late rally in Game 2 to force overtime once again. But the second time around, Toronto wasn’t going to be denied and found a way to even the series at 1-1 heading down to Miami.

                              The Raptors erased a six-point deficit in the final four minutes of Game 2 with a 10-0 run, but a late Goran Dragic three-pointer sent things to an extra session once again tied at 86-86. ‘Under’ bettors from Game 1 were dealt a harsh blow as the Heat and Raptors concluded regulation all even at 90-90 on a 192 total thanks to the Lowry three-pointer at the buzzer. In Game 2, the total dropped to 189 and ‘under’ backers were ready to cash out but needed to sweat out overtime as Lowry missed a late free throw to keep the game ‘under’ as Toronto prevailed, 96-92.

                              Due to Lowry’s free throw that bounced in and out of the rim in the final seconds of overtime, Raptors’ backers who laid the five points were squeezed as Toronto failed to cover the number for the sixth straight game. In spite of the loss, the Heat shot 49% from the field, compared to Toronto knocking down 42% of its attempts from the floor. Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined to shoot 16-of-48 (33%) from the field, while DeRozan converted only 2-of-8 free throws in spite of shooting 85% from the charity stripe in the regular season.

                              Dragic carried over his strong performance from Game 7 of the opening round against Charlotte (25 points) to put up 26 points in the Game 1 victory over Toronto and 20 points in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat. Miami didn’t receive much help from its bench in Game 2, as the Heat reserves contributed just 13 points, while Joe Johnson scored 17 points in spite of not hitting a three-pointer in six attempts. Dwyane Wade pulled down six rebounds for the fourth straight game, while pouring in 17 points in the loss.

                              The Heat covered for the fourth consecutive game, while Erik Spoelstra’s squad improved to 6-3 ATS in the postseason. Miami cashed in three of four opportunities at American Airlines Arena in the first round against Charlotte, as all three victories came by double-digits. After eclipsing the ‘over’ in each of the first two victories against the Hornets, the Heat have gone ‘under’ the total in six of the past seven games with the lone ‘over’ coming in the Game 1 overtime triumph against Toronto.

                              Miami has seen plenty of success in the playoffs at the AAA, winning 32 of the past 40 postseason home games since 2012. The Raptors have lost six of their last eight road playoff games dating back to 2014, while busting the 100-point mark only once in this span, coming in the Game 3 blowout over the Pacers in the opening round.

                              Western Conference – Game 3 – Warriors lead 2-0
                              Warriors (-3 ½, 211 ½) at Blazers – 8:35 PM EST – ABC


                              Golden State keeps creating new challenges for itself in its title defense and has cleared those hurdles to take a 2-0 series advantage over Portland. Even though Stephen Curry missed his fourth game of the playoffs due to injury, the Warriors overcame a 17-point first half deficit to stun the Blazers in Game 2 with a 110-99 victory. Golden State covered as nine-point favorites thanks to a fourth quarter outburst, as Steve Kerr’s club outscored Portland, 34-12 in the final 12 minutes to improve to 44-2 at Oracle Arena this season.

                              The only way Portland can compete with Golden State is if the Blazers’ backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum perform well offensively. In Game 2, Lillard and McCollum combined to score 47 points on 17-of-39 shooting, including six three-pointers made by Lillard. Portland knocked down 13 treys, but shot 14-of-21 from the free throw line, which certainly irked Blazers’ backers to cash tickets in spite of their fourth quarter meltdown.

                              With Curry sidelined, his “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson stepped up once again following his 37-point effort in Game 1 to score 27 points in Game 2, while being responsible for hitting five of Golden State’s eight three-pointers. Last season’s NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala poured in 15 points off the bench, while Draymond Green put together another double-double with 17 points and 14 assists. Shaun Livingston may not compile Curry-like numbers, but the veteran shooting guard has scored at least 12 points in each of his four starts in the reigning MVP’s place, including 14 points in Tuesday’s victory.

                              Curry is unlikely to play in Game 3 due to the knee injury he suffered in the opening round against Houston. The Warriors split a pair of regular season meetings with the Blazers at the Moda Center, as Portland ripped Golden State on February 19 by a 137-105 count to cash as eight-point underdogs. The Blazers dropped 42 points in the first quarter, while Lillard torched Golden State for 51 points, including nine three-pointers.

                              Portland has thrived at home in the postseason by winning all three games in the opening round against the Clippers. The Blazers won each of the first home contests against Los Angeles in low-scoring affairs, while holding off the Clippers in the series clinching Game 6 as 9 ½-point favorites, 106-103. Terry Stotts’ squad has won seven of their last 10 home playoff games since 2014, including a 3-0 ATS record as a home ‘dog.

                              Golden State has won eight of its last 12 road playoff contests, but the Warriors own an 0-4 ATS record as a road favorite in Game 3’s. The only cover in this stretch in a Game 3 came in the Western Conference Finals against Houston last season, but as a 1 ½-point underdog in a 115-80 blowout of the Rockets. The Warriors have cashed the ‘under’ in eight of 12 away postseason games since the beginning of their championship run, while allowing 100 points or less 10 times.
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Curry back at practice, unlikely to play
                                May 6, 2016

                                OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Golden State superstar Stephen Curry zipped around the court bouncing from spot to spot during his typical extensive post-practice shooting routine, driving to the basket past his regular practice coach Bruce Fraser.

                                Curry looked much like his healthy self except for a brace covering his injured right knee.

                                He returned to practice Friday to test his sprained knee and was strong in his lateral movement though the team didn't scrimmage at all. And the Warriors still considered him doubtful to play in Saturday's Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Portland.

                                Coach Steve Kerr reiterated that Curry was unlikely to play despite going through part of practice. While ESPN reported from a Kerr radio interview earlier in the day that Curry had been formally ruled out, Kerr said he should have been clearer that he meant ''probably'' out.
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                                Comment

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