The Bum's National Basketball League Apri's Picks/Trends/News Thru the Playoffs !!

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THURSDAY, JUNE 16

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at CLE 09:00 PM

CLE -2.0

U 207.0

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Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

-- James Shields has now allowed 31 runs in 11 IP in his last four starts.

-- 10 Cincinnati Reds have made their major league debut this year.

-- Patricia Ford was named Miss Georgia; she is a former Weather Channel intern.

-- Mets are 5-17 this season when they do not hit a home run.

-- Stuart Appleby's golf bag weighed in at 36.35 pounds; caddying is tough.

-- Miami Marlins have had five no-hitters, but never had a guy hit for the cycle.

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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there

13) First of all, Happy Father's Day to all the dads reading this; I was lucky to have a great dad. He passed away last year and I miss him very much, so if your dad is still alive, give him a hug and tell him you love him.

12) Get well soon to Michael Lee Aday, aka Meat Loaf; the 68-year old singer collapsed during a show in Edmonton this week. He was released from the hospital and is said to be in good condition now, which is very good news.

11) I'm watching NFL Network the other day and a guy is trying to make a big deal out of the fact that the Rams haven't named Jared Goff the #1 QB yet. Oy. It is really hard to be an NFL quarterback; rushing someone into starting can be very stupid.

10) Here are the Rams' first four games:
@ 49ers, Seahawks, @ Buccaneers, @ Cardinals.

Three road games, three division games. I'm a big fan of easing a guy into being the QB of the future, especially with the Cal offense being lot different than an NFL offense.

9) Kurt Warner started nine games for '04 Giants, before prize rookie Eli Manning took over. Giants went 1-7 in Manning starts, scoring 37 points in his first four starts; he was 6-21 in one start, 4-18 in another. Eli has turned out pretty well, but make no mistake about it, he was terrible in his rookie season.

Steve McNair started six games his first two years with Tennessee; he turned out to be a pretty good QB, too. Goff will be fine, but it will take time.

8) Brewers-Dodgers game last night was only second game in majors this year where both teams scored in each of the first three innings of the game. Red Sox-Orioles game on June 1 was the first game like that this season.

7) Wally Szczerbiak, who is a pretty good basketball analyst these days, predicted that there might not be anyone in this draft class who becomes an NBA All-Star.

6) Then there are mock drafts, which are fine if you do one; but once you start having new ones every other day, then you're just screwing around trying to get page views. Anyone can shuffle the top 15 names around; lets stick to one mock per analyst.

5) There was something on Twitter about the Warriors flying home after Game 6 and three of their guys are doing homework from online classes, trying to earn their college degrees. Pretty cool that really rich guys still want their degree.

4) One of the highlights this weekend was in San Diego, wehre they showed a guy playing ping pong outdoors, while wearing stilts. Don't see that every day.

3) If you owned one of the top five picks in the NBA Draft, would you trade it to the Lakers for D'Angelo Russell, after Russell's display of immaturity last year? I'd have to say no; you can't make mistakes when you have a top five pick.

2) Clipper coach Doc Rivers has quietly dumped two of his assistant coaches already; when you spend a ton of money on a team and it underachieves, heads will roll.

1) A person paid $99,000 for two tickets to tonight's Game 7 in Oakland. Wow.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, June 19

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NBA Finals Game 7 betting preview and odds: Cavaliers at Warriors
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LeBron and the Cavs opened as 5-point dogs for Game 7. If they can win SU they'll be the first team in history to come back down 3-1.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors (-5, 207)

Series tied 3-3

The Cleveland Cavaliers are one victory away from ending the city's 52-year sports championship drought when they visit the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Sunday's Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Cleveland is also looking to become the first team in NBA Finals history to recover from a 3-1 series deficit while Golden State strives to bounce back from two disappointing closeout failures, including an embarrassing performance in Game 6 in which two-time MVP Stephen Curry was ejected after throwing his mouthpiece and hitting a fan.

Cleveland's last sports title was won by the 1964 Browns - before the NFL's Super Bowl era - and forward LeBron James is doing his part to back up his vow to bring a championship to the city with back-to-back 41-point performances. The Warriors opened the door for the Cavaliers in Game 5 when stellar defensive forward Draymond Green served a suspension and the Game 6 meltdown marked a frustrating night for the Curry family as wife Ayesha accused the NBA Finals of being "absolutely rigged for money" before sinking into full retreat mode and deleting her social-media comments. Stephen Curry said Saturday that "if we come up short, we'll all be very, very disappointed," in regards to two opportunities already having been squandered while Cavaliers forward LeBron James is feeling confidence now that his squad has turned the series into a one-game winner-take-all. "You don't put too much more added pressure on it because it's a Game 7," James said at Saturday's press conference. "One thing we all know is it's the last game of the season, so it's not like you're preserving any energy, be out there saying, 'OK, I've got to keep my body ready for the next game.' There's no next game."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5-point home favorites for this huge Game 7. They were bet down to -4.5 for a short period of time before being quickly bet back to -5. The total open at 206 and has bet up to 207. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: James is averaging 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the series and rose his play to even higher levels with Cleveland facing elimination. Point guard Kyrie Irving also has performed well in the series with three 30-point outings - a high of 41 - while averaging 27.3 points, and he is attempting to put the long-discussed Cleveland championship drought out of his mind. "After the game, we can worry about the rest of that stuff," Irving said at Saturday's press conference. "History will be made either way, regardless of both teams, win or lose. But we're just really focused on what we can control, and (Sunday's) game is just living in the moment."

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Golden State recorded an NBA-best 73-9 record in the regular season but things have been a bit different in the last two playoff series and the Warriors have dropped eight games overall in the postseason. "At the end of the day, we knew this wouldn't be a walk in the park," Green said at Saturday's press conference. "It's hard. It's hard to win a championship. But we've never really been a team to lack confidence. We feel like we can do anything. That's going to always be our mindset." Curry has recovered from a slow start in the series by averaging 31 points over the past three games but Golden State is getting practically nothing from small forward Harrison Barnes, who is averaging 2.5 points on 2-of-22 shooting over the past two games.

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games playing on two days rest.
* Warriors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0-2 in the last six meetings in Golden State.
* Under is 3-0-1 in Warriors last four home games.
* Under is 4-1-1 in Cavaliers last six games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.

CONSENSUS: It's close, but the public are giving the defending champs a very slight edge in Game 7, with 53 percent of wagers on the Warriors. When it comes to the total, bettors are hammering the Over, with 73 percent of bettors on it.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, June 19

Cleveland @ Golden State

Game 513-514
June 19, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
132.981
Golden State
129.457
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 3 1/2
213
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 5
206 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+5); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 19

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CLEVELAND (72 - 30) at GOLDEN STATE (88 - 17) - 6/19/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 58-44 ATS (+9.6 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-41 ATS (+7.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-22 ATS (+6.8 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in home games in all playoff games since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-46 ATS (+14.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-32 ATS (+11.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
CLEVELAND is 33-24 ATS (+6.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 9-9 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 11-7 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, June 19

Cleveland at Golden State, 8:00 ET
Cleveland: 19-8 ATS off a home win by 10 points or more
Golden State: 11-30 ATS at home after 3 games where they made 42% of shots or worse




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, June 19

Cleveland-Golden State (3-3)
Last road team to win Game 7 on road in Finals was 1978 (Bullets @ Seattle). All six games in NBA Finals were decided by 11+, with home side winning four of the six. Cleveland scored 115-112-120 in its Finals wins, 89-77-97 in its losses- over is 3-0 in its wins, 0-3 in Warrior wins. How healthy are Curry/Iguodala? Golden State is 10-3 at home in playoffs, but only 4-3 in last seven home games. Cavaliers lost four of last six on the road.

In the playoffs this spring, under is 50-33-1

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 13-8, over: 12-9
Conference final: Favorites: 7-6, over: 5-7-1
Final: Favorites: 4-2, Over: 3-3




NBA

Sunday, June 19

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games at home
Golden State is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Cleveland

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals Game 7 Preview
June 19, 2016


NBA Finals - Game 7 - Series tied 3-3
Cleveland at Golden State (-5/207), 8:00 p.m. ET - ABC

For the first time since 2013, the NBA Finals are going the distance.

Ray Allen’s heroic 3-pointer late in Game 6 spoiled the Spurs championship plans three years ago, forcing a Game 7 that the Heat captured 95-88 to win a second straight title. LeBron James tied Tommy Heinsohn’s NBA record for most points in a Game 7, pouring in 37 while grabbing 12 rebounds.

It’s going to take a similar effort to beat the Warriors in Oakland as the Cavs look to make history by becoming the first team ever to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win an NBA Finals.

It’s only the fourth time in 22 years that the title will come down to a single game and the first time in 50 years that a team has forced a deciding game after falling behind 3-1.

Golden State is hoping to repeat in order to validate its 73-win season, while the Cavs are looking to deliver Cleveland’s first championship of any kind since 1964.

This will be the 19th Game 7 in Finals history, and home teams have gotten the better of the matchups in 15 of 18, winning the last six times. A road team hasn’t won one of these since 1978, when the Washington Bullets beat the Seattle Supersonics, so yes, odds are certainly against the Cavs. Of course, that hasn’t stopped them from believing yet.

There’s not a lot we don’t know about the Cavs, a team that arrives as an underdog because the Eastern Conference is so much easier to navigate than the West. They’ve survived an in-season coaching change and Kevin Love’s obvious lack of cohesion with the rest of the group. They’re on the cusp of a championship.

In that sense, James has willed them like he said he would. Before last year, no player had ever averaged at least 30 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in a Finals series. He’s on pace to do it for the second consecutive season. Add in his 2.7 steals and 2.2 blocks during this series, and his Finals 2016 production in these five statistical categories is unprecedented, according to the NBA. James has scored 41 points in each of the last two games. Michael Jordan is the only player with as many as three straight 40-point Finals games (he had four in a row in 1993). The only 40-point performances in a Finals Game 7 are from Jerry West (42 in 1969) and Elgin Baylor (41 in 1962).

In a postseason where it was openly debated whether he’d been surpassed as the face of the league by Steph Curry or in terms of production by the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard, James has persevered and quieted all that talk. At 31 years old, he’s still the best player in basketball.

Unlike last year, he’s got the three highest-paid players on his roster, Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and yes, Love, healthy and contributing. And yet, even though Irving has opened eyes, it’s still all on James. He’s the driving force. He’s the key to it all. If the Cavs win, he’ll avoid a gross 2-5 record in NBA Finals and re-enter the conversation as the best to have ever done it, getting halfway to Michael Jordan’s haul of six rings.

LeBron has scored 41 points in consecutive games. Does he have enough in the tank to pull off the unexpected? To become the first team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win The Finals, Cleveland will have to hand Golden State a third consecutive loss – a streak the Warriors have never suffered in coach Steve Kerr’s two seasons.

The Warriors’ last three-game losing streak was Nov. 20-23, 2013, during the 2013-14 regular season. Golden State went through the entire 2015-16 regular season without losing back-to-back games before dropping Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Finals to the Thunder and Games 5 and 6 of The Finals to the Cavaliers. The Warriors are an all-time team. They’ve lost four games out of 53 at home. This next win, if they get it on Sunday, will be their 50th at Oracle Arena this season.

That’s why you can’t throw everything we’ve seen in the regular season out the window. Although we’ve seen throughout these Finals that the Cavs have been able to physically impose their will and ultimately knock a team that won 73 games down a few pegs, consistency is the key. It’s time to find out who is most strong-willed.

With that in mind, take a look at what Marreese Speights, who should play a role in Game 7 since Andrew Bogut is out, said about his MVP teammate.

“On Thursday night in Cleveland, during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, I saw something I’ve never seen before: Steph Curry … furious,” Speights wrote in the Players Tribune. “I mean, I’ve seen him get mad before. But when he got called for that sixth foul, that was, by far, the angriest I’ve ever seen him.

“You know what, though? I’m going to give you all some inside info. After the game, Steph wasn’t upset. He might have said one or two words, but then he got on his phone — he talks with his kids after the game, or his wife — and he moved on.

“And it was the same for the rest of us Steph’s gonna go off on Sunday. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out and scores 50. With all the things the media has been saying about him, and everything on Twitter, I know he’s going to respond. I know it. And then all the other guys are going to fall into place. That’s how it works for us. Anytime anything happens with Steph — be it emotionally, or him getting hurt in the Houston series, or him getting ejected on Thursday night — that motivates us to take it to another level. So look out on Sunday.”

The Warriors will be facing immense pressure, but have been in must-win games all season due to their run at 73, which could pay dividends here. Keep in mind, the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award will be presented after Game 7. The award’s namesake is the king of winner-take-all games in championship series: Russell went 5-0 in Finals Game 7s, averaging 20.4 points and 32.0 rebounds. Can Curry, in his own way, be that great?

There’s no question Golden State will need him to be at his best. The reigning two-time MVP has neglected blame so far, but Game 7 revolves around his ability to impose his will on the game and promote a faster pace.

Total bettors watched the ‘over’ connect in Game 6 of the finals on Thursday and that outcome was helped with the pair combining for 65 points in the fourth quarter.

For the finale, oddsmakers sent out an opener of 207 and most betting shops have dropped the number to 206 ½ as of Saturday.

VegasInsider.com NBA totals expert Chris David believes you can handicap Game 7 with two different approaches.

“If you’re leaning to trends both this season and historically, the ‘under’ is an easy look on Sunday. The last four Game 7’s of the NBA Finals have all leaned to the low side and all of the outcomes were extremely tight with teams putting an extra emphasis on possessions. The argument to that angles is this series hasn’t seen a competitive game and that has created a looser style of play which has produced a few ‘over’ tickets,” explained David.

Depending where and when you’ve placed your wagers on the first six games, you could have differing results but most bettors have seen the ‘over/under’ go 3-3 in this series.

Another trend that could have you leaning to the ‘under’ is based on the Warriors’ total tendencies at Oracle Arena. The last two years, Golden State has seen the ‘under’ go 16-5-3 (76%) in the playoffs which includes an 8-4-1 (67%) record this postseason.

“Using angles and systems that have been documented are a part of my handicapping by I’m fully aware that trends aren’t always your friends,” said David. “Current form is a key factor and nobody can ignore what Cleveland has done recently. The Cavaliers have scored 120, 112 and 115 points in their three wins against a club that is known for its great team defense. Including those results, Cleveland is now 15-0 in the playoffs when they score over a 100 points. With Bogut out and Andre Iguodala not playing at 100 percent, the Warriors certainly aren’t the same team defensively.”

“I believe Cleveland will be able to carry over its offensive momentum to the Bay Area and even though Golden State shot poorly (36%, 40%) in the last two games, it still put up 97 and 101 points in those losses. If the Warriors shoot in the forties on Sunday, they’ll easily eclipse 100-plus points and I expect them to do so. In this particular matchup, I’m going to shy away from the Game 7 angles and lean to the ‘over’ (206 ½) in the final.

Iguodala’s back issue is worrisome, but the Warriors anticipate him being effective enough to rely upon for his normal of minutes. How well he feels and plays should be Game 7’s chief x-factor.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors look to avoid collapse
June 18, 2016


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (72-30) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (88-17)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -5.0, Total: 207.5

The NBA title will be on the line when the Warriors host the Cavaliers in Game 7 on Sunday.

The Warriors looked like they were heading towards an easy repeat after defeating the Cavaliers in Cleveland in Game 4, but the team has been dominated since that victory. The Cavaliers have now won two straight games in this series and they have done so by a total of 29 points.

Cleveland has been outstanding on both ends of the floor, shooting 53.0% from the floor in Game 5 and 51.9% in Game 6. The Cavaliers also held the Warriors to just 36.4% shooting in Game 5 and 40.2% in Game 6. If Golden State does not find it’s touch offensively then it is almost a certainty that the team will be watching Cleveland celebrate a championship victory on the Oracle Arena hardwood.

One thing favoring the Cavaliers coming into this game is the fact that they are 21-9 ATS when playing only their second game in five days this season. That means that they respond well to rest and get the job done in the postseason.

The Warriors are, however, 12-4 ATS when revenging a loss this season and 23-9 ATS when revenging a loss where their opponent scored 100 or more points over the past two seasons.

The Cavaliers will be at full strength coming into this game, but the Warriors are not going to have C Andrew Bogut (Knee). SF Andre Iguodala (Back) is also questionable for Golden State and he will likely not be able to play his best basketball even if he does suit up on Sunday.

The Cavaliers could have rolled over and come to peace with the fact that the Warriors were going to hoist their second straight Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, but they turned things around and now head into Game 7 looking like the better team in this series.

SF LeBron James (26.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.2 BPG in playoffs) has been the reason this team has been able to get back into the series, averaging 41.0 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 9.0 APG, 3.5 SPG and 3.0 BPG over the past two contests. With Andrew Bogut out for Golden State, James knows that he can attack the rim at will and he has been doing that these past few games. James has also shot 7-for-14 from three over the past two contests. His ability to shoot has made him unguardable in this series and he’ll likely be winning his third NBA title if he can knock down more shots on Sunday.

It’d be huge for James and the Cavaliers for PG Kyrie Irving (25.2 PPG, 4.9 APG, 1.8 SPG in playoffs) to show up in Game 7. Irving scored 30 or more points in Games 2 through 5 and it’d be big if he can do that again on Sunday. His shooting and ability to get to the rim takes a lot of pressure off of his teammates, but he needs to show up in what will be the biggest game of his career.

The Warriors won 73 games in the regular season, but none of that will matter if they do not win on Sunday. If Golden State is going to do that then it’s important that PG Stephen Curry (25.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) keeps his cool and plays smart in this one. Curry fouled out of Game 6 and was also ejected from the arena after throwing his mouthguard into the crowd. The Warriors are not going to be able to win this game if Curry isn’t keeping himself out of foul trouble. He needs to be disciplined on the defensive end and he’ll also need to knock down a ton of shots in this one.

SG Klay Thompson (24.7 PPG, 1.1 SPG in playoffs) must also hit his shots in this game. Thompson’s struggles in the first half were one of the main reasons that Golden State fell so far behind in Game 6. He needs to get off to a good start on Sunday or the Warriors may dig themselves too deep of a hole.

The last piece of the Warriors’ puzzle will be PF Draymond Green (14.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 BPG, 1.6 SPG in playoffs). Green was a non-factor in Game 6, finishing with just eight points on 3-for-7 shooting. He also picked up five fouls and that can’t happen again on Sunday. He is the Warriors’ best defender and is now being counted on to protect the rim. Without Green on the floor, Golden State is not the same team that dominated the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

High stakes for Warriors, Cavs in Game 7
June 19, 2016

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry knows that the record-setting 73 wins, awards and memorable moments that highlighted Golden State's special season will only be footnotes if the Warriors can't quickly find their missing game.

The 3-pointers have stopped falling, the swagger has gone missing and the defense has had no answers for LeBron James. After two straight losses that have forced a winner-take-all Game 7 in the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, the Warriors are one game away from either capping the most successful season in NBA history or the greatest Finals collapse.

''You just don't see kind of that rhythm and that flow and just the energy that we play with the offensive end,'' Curry said Saturday. ''Obviously, we lost Game 5 and 6, not so much because we missed open shots, but also because of our defensive breakdowns. So it's kind of you can look at and nitpick both sides. But at the end of the day, I don't know why we haven't been ourselves. ... The only thing that matters is we have one game left to figure it out.''

The Warriors couldn't do it in Game 5 at home last Monday when do-everything forward Draymond Green was sidelined by a suspension. A second chance in Cleveland on Thursday night also ended in a loss with rim-protecting center Andrew Bogut out after suffering a season-ending knee injury the previous game and defensive stopper Andre Iguodala dealing with a balky back that limited his effectiveness. Iguodala received treatment Saturday while the Warriors held a light practice but is planning to play Game 7, and coach Steve Kerr expects him to be improved come game time.

Golden State's frustration boiled over with Curry's ejection for throwing his mouthpiece at a fan after fouling out and Kerr's $25,000 fine for criticizing officials. Even Curry's wife, Ayesha, got into it with a Tweet accusing the NBA of rigging the Finals, prompting Curry to quip, ''I might have to cut the Wi-Fi off at my house.''

But it will be no joking matter if the Warriors become the first team to lose the NBA Finals after taking a 3-1 series lead, which is one historical mark these players are looking to avoid in a season full of records led by the 73 wins after a record 24-0 start.

''When you go from up 3-1 to 3-3, it's disappointing,'' Kerr said. ''But you get a couple of days, you kind of take stock. You think about where we are. We like our positioning. We like our chances. And we're at home with a chance to win the championship. You can't ask for much more than that.''

But the Cavaliers come into the game with James. The player known as King James since he was a high-school megastar in Akron, Ohio, has almost single-handedly moved the Cavaliers to the brink of winning the first championship in success-starved Cleveland since the Browns won the NFL title in 1964.

James brought the Cavaliers to the verge of a title with back-to-back 41-point games to stave off elimination and force this decisive final game. He has 24 rebounds, 18 assists, seven 3-pointers, six blocks and just three turnovers in the past two games and leads the series in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.

''I start to learn from my mistakes and break into the film and seeing the ways that they're defending me, the ways they're defending our team, ways I can be a little more efficient,'' James said. ''I've gotten better as the series has gone on.''

After shooting 42 percent the first two games, James has shot 55 percent the past four as he has exploited the Warriors in transition and made the mid-range jumpers Golden State has ceded him.

''He'll continue to be aggressive,'' Warriors forward Harrison Barnes said. ''He's a great player, so he's going to score. We need to take away the easy ones, a lot of them in transition, easy dunks, defensive breakdowns, not let him just get to the rim easy.''

Some of those easy shots have come because of the way the Warriors have shot from long range. After setting a record with 1,077 3-pointers in the regular season, Golden State has shot just 36 percent from long range in the two potential clinchers.

Barnes has missed 10 of 11 3-pointers those games a part of a 2-of-22 shooting performance, while and Curry and fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson have been hot and cold from distance.

Curry knows that must change Sunday if the Warriors are going to repeat as champions.

''I need to play my best game of the year if not my career because of what the stakes are,'' Curry said. ''So that doesn't mean scoring 50 points, though. That means controlling the tempo of the game. When I need to be aggressive, well, I need to be aggressive. But when I need to push the envelope, do it, but do it under control.''

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors limping, hope home-court helps
June 17, 2016

CLEVELAND (AP) The level of tension is growing rapidly for the Golden State Warriors. Someone gets suspended, someone gets hurt, someone gets ejected, and lots of someones make no effort to hide their frustration. A comfortable two-game lead in the NBA Finals becomes a dicey one-game lead, then no lead at all.

The biggest moment awaits.

The biggest challenge does, too.

Shots aren't falling for the Warriors at the same rate they were in the regular season, stops aren't coming like they were a couple months ago either, the aches and pains are piling up and what looked like a sure-fire title not long ago is at best a shaky proposition now. Game 7 of the finals is on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Golden State is hoping being at home helps deliver a championship-saving elixir.

''Things haven't gone our way despite how the regular season went,'' Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. ''The playoffs haven't been easy. Hasn't been a breeze. Hasn't been anything perfect about it. So, yeah, it's frustrating, but the work we've put in and the opportunity we've given ourselves with a Game 7 to win the finals at home, you've got to be excited about that.''

The Warriors got questions for months - starting around December, believe it or not - about whether they were concerned that the strain of chasing Chicago's 72-win mark that stood as the NBA's gold standard for 20 years would leave them ailing or fatigued at playoff time.

Questions like those seem a bit more valid now.

To be clear, Andrew Bogut's left knee didn't become susceptible to season-ending bone bruises because of how difficult becoming the league's first 73-win regular-season team was; J.R. Smith crashing into him in Game 5 of this series took care of that. Curry's combination of fouling out, mouthpiece-throwing and getting ejected in Game 6 on Thursday night wasn't because the first 82 games left him tired and cranky. And the Warriors' inability to corral LeBron James in this series can be best explained by acknowledging again that when James is at his best he's the most unstoppable force in the game.

The grind of March and April has nothing to do with any of that.

But it can certainly be argued that even though the Warriors spent about half the season without head coach Steve Kerr while he recovered from back surgeries and got every opponent's best shot in every game - such is life for reigning champions - the playoffs have delivered more challenges in 20something games (including a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City) than the first 82 offered combined.

''I think if you start out every season and you say `We get a Game 7, we get one game at home to win the NBA championship,' I'll take it every time,'' Kerr said. ''So I can't wait for Sunday. I think we'll be fine. Obviously Cleveland has played well the last two games, and we've got to play better. But I'm confident we will. We're in a spot that 29 other teams would love to be in.''

Kerr got fined $25,000 on Friday for being critical of referees after Golden State's loss in Game 6, and Curry got fined another $25,000 for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands after fouling out of that game.

If the Warriors - who are still steamed that Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5 because he accrued one too many flagrant fouls in this postseason - find calls more to their liking in Game 7, that'll be money extremely well spent.

''We're going to need some emotion and some grit and toughness,'' said Curry, who noted the Warriors are already 3-0 in elimination games this season.

Their problems go deeper than officiating issues, though. The Warriors don't have a single starter shooting 50 percent in this series, are clearly a different defensive team with Bogut sidelined, have 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala playing with wince-inducing lower back soreness, have yielded two straight 41-point games to James and are in their first extended slide of the season - losing three times in a four-game span.

If shots fall at their usual clip on Sunday, the Warriors will probably win.

Otherwise, a team that looks like it's limping to the finish could see its reign end.

''We all realize if you told us at the beginning of the season it would be one game to win the championship in Oakland, we'll take that any day of the week,'' shooting guard Klay Thompson said. ''We've just got to come Sunday with the mindset of leave it all out there, every man on this team. No hero ball, just do it as a team like we've been doing it all year.''

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Playoffs - Game 7 Facts
June 17, 2016

Game 7 Quick Facts

-- The NBA has had 125 Game 7’s in playoff history

-- The home team is 101-24 (81%) in those games

-- There have been 18 Game 7's played in the NBA Finals, this meeting will be the 19th

-- The home team has gone 15-3 (83%) in those contests.

-- The last visitors to win a Game 7 of the NBA Finals was the Washington Bullets, who defeated the Seattle Supersonics 105-99 in 1978.

-- Since 1994, there have been four Game 7's played in the NBA Finals (listed below).

NBA FINALS RECENT GAME 7 BETTING HISTORY

Year Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1994 New York at Houston (-4.5) 90-84 Favorite Under (176)
2005 Detroit at San Antonio (-4) 81-74 Favorite Under (174)
2010 Boston at L.A. Lakers (-6.5) 83-79 Underdog Under (186.5)
2013 San Antonio at Miami (-5.5) 95-88 Favorite Under (197.5)

-- The favorite has gone 4-0 straight up and 3-1 against the spread during that span.

-- All four games were decided by single digits, the largest margin being seven points.

-- The 'under' has produced a 4-0 record with none of the teams scoring more than 100 points.

-- The 2016 NBA playoffs have had four Game 7's played and the home team has won all four games (3-1 ATS), two of the victories coming by double digits.

Eastern Conference First Round - Miami 106 vs. Charlotte 73
Eastern Conference First Round - Toronto 89 vs. Indiana 84
Eastern Conference Semifinals - Toronto 116 vs. Miami 89
Western Conference Finals - Golden State 96 Oklahoma City 88

-- The 2015 postseason featured two Game 7's. The home team went 2-0 with the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets capturing victories.

-- The 2014 postseason featured five Game 7's. The home team went 4-1 in those games and the lone visitor to win was Brooklyn, who defeated Toronto 104-103 in overtime.

Cleveland Game 7 Recent History
2006 Eastern Conference Finals
Cleveland 61 at Detroit 79

2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Cleveland 92 at Boston 97

LeBron James Game 7 Recent History
2012 Eastern Conference Finals
Miami 101 vs. Boston 88

2013 Eastern Conference Finals
Miami 99 vs. Indiana 76

2013 NBA Finals
Miami 95 vs. San Antonio 88

Golden State Game 7 Recent History
2016 Western Conference Finals
Golden State 96 vs. Oklahoma City 88

2014 Western Conference First Round
Golden State 121 at L.A. Clippers 126

ALL-TIME GAME 7 ROAD WINNERS

Year Road Team Home Team Round

2014 Brooklyn 104 Toronto 103 First round

2013 Chicago 99 Brooklyn 93 First round

2012 L.A. Clippers 82 Memphis 72 First round

2009 Orlando 101 Boston 82 Conference semifinals

2007 San Antonio 91 New Orleans 82 Conference semifinals

2007 Utah 103 Houston 99 First round

2006 *Dallas 119 San Antonio 111 Conference semifinals

2005 Detroit 88 Miami 82 Conference finals

2005 Indiana 97 Boston 70 First round

2002 *L.A. Lakers 112 Sacramento 106 Conference finals

2000 New York 83 Miami 82 Conference semifinals

1995 Indiana 97 New York 95 Conference semifinals

1995 Houston 115 Phoenix 114 Conference semifinals

1982 Philadelphia 120 Boston 106 Conference finals

1981 Kansas City 95 Phoenix 88 Conference semifinals

1981 Houston 105 San Antonio 100 Conference semifinals

1978 Washington 105 Seattle 99 NBA Finals

1976 Phoenix 94 Golden State 86 Conference finals

1974 Boston 102 Milwaukee 87 NBA Finals

1973 New York 94 Boston 78 Conference finals

1971 Baltimore 93 New York 91 Conference finals

1969 Boston 108 L.A. Lakers 106 NBA Finals

1968 Boston 100 Philadelphia 96 Division finals

1948 Philadelphia 85 St Louis 46 Semifinals


(*) Asterisk denotes overtime

[StarDust Bum]

Game 7 Props - Best Bets
June 18, 2016


Chris David: 9-5 (+1275)
Tony Mejia: 12-6 (+1265)
Kevin Rogers: 10-7 (+90)

Based on a five-unit bankroll, their top props are listed for Game 7 below.

Odds & Props provided by Sportsbook.ag

Chris David

2 Units – Over Stephen Curry Total Field Goal Attempts 21.5 (-110)

I played this prop in Game 5 and Curry came through albeit it was tight. If the league’s MVP is on the court, he’s going to chuck and that’s not changing in Game 7. The key is 40 minutes and if Steve Kerr leaves him out there, he’ll get the job done. Even if the game gets out of hand one way or another, it’s rare to see the starters pulled until the last minute and I expect Curry to be hoisting all night.

2 Units – Over Richard Jefferson Total Points+Rebounds 9.5 (+100)

This 14-year NBA veteran continues be a key factor in this series and certainly a bit of a surprise. After averaging 16 minutes per game in the conference finals, Jefferson is up to 24 MPG against the Warriors and that time has increased his production. Outside of Game 1 when finished with three points and two boards while playing 12 minutes, RJ has come back with a combined 17, 17, 9, 9 and 9 points & rebounds in the last five games. With Kevin Love still shaky, I expect Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue to press the veteran in the finale which should give him a great chance to eclipse this number (9.5).

1 Unit – Over Draymond Green Total Rebounds+Assists (+100)

Even though we saw Green score 28 in Game 2 of this series, he’s a better job as a facilitator and the coaching staff should stress that role on Sunday. I don’t expect him to take as many shots in Game 7 and he’ll likely do whatever is needed to get the shooters involved. In the 15 playoff wins for the Warriors, Green is averaging 10.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists. If Golden State comes through, this prop should connect accordingly.

Kevin Rogers

2 Units - Kevin Love Under 11.5 Points (-120)

Not to state the obvious, but Love has been non-existent since suffering a concussion in the Game 2 loss at Golden State. He played only 12 minutes in the Game 6 victory at home, scoring seven points, while putting up a total of 20 points in the past three games. It's hard to think he'll bust out with the Cavaliers likely leaning on James and Irving in Game 7.

2 Units - J.R. Smith Under 2.5 Total Made Three-Point Field Goals (Even)

Smith has not shot the ball well at Oracle Arena in this series, hitting one three-pointer in each of the three games played in Oakland. He had just two attempts from downtown in the Game 5 victory, while making an average of 2.3 treys a game during this series. He hasn't had many attempts at Oracle Arena, so 'under' is the way to go.

1 Unit - Draymond Green What will he do first - Made Free Throw (-300)

Yes, this is some heavy wood to lay, but Green has made his last eight free throw attempts at Oracle Arena since going 5-of-9 from the line in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Green got the kinks out in Game 6 following his short suspension, as he should be able to knock out this prop easily.

Tony Mejia

2 Units - LeBron James Over 49.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-115)

He's been operating at an elite level over the past couple of games, scoring 41 points in back-to-back contests. While it's unlikely he tops 40 again, look for him to put together another strong effort.

1.5 Units - Stephen Curry Over 11.5 Rebounds + Assists (-115)

The Warriors are counting on his energy, which means he'll have to make plays and stay active even if his shots aren't falling. He's helped the Warriors all series with his rebounding, sticking his nose in there with the big boys.

1.5 Units - Draymond Green Over 1.5 Made 3-pointers (+120)

Opportunities will be there for Green, who is most comfortable shooting it at Oracle. Look for him to come up with a couple of long-range bombs.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (513) CLEVELAND@ (514) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-06-19 20:00:00 - 2016-06-19 20:00:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 30 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+22.15 units)

NBA > (513) CLEVELAND@ (514) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-06-19 20:00:00 - 2016-06-19 20:00:00
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 50 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (+26.1 units)

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NBA TOTALS


NBA > (513) CLEVELAND@ (514) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-06-19 20:00:00 - 2016-06-19 20:00:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin All games on Sunday games
The record is 68 Overs and 131 Unders for the since 1992 (+56.2 units)


TOP POWERLINE

NBA > (513) CLEVELAND @ (514) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-06-19 20:00:00 - 2016-06-19 20:00:00
Line: CLEVELAND BTB PowerLine: CLEVELAND2
Edge On: CLEVELAND (7)

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, JUNE 19

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CLE at GS

CLE +4.5

O 206.0