Announcement

**Udog** · 05-26-2016, 08:10 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Giants 4, Padres 3 (10)-- Giants are 9-0 against San Diego this season.

-- Vin Scully turned down a chance to call the All-Star Game in his final season as a broadcaster.

-- Jackie Bradley Jr's hitting streak is now at 29 games.

-- Indians 4, White Sox 3-- Chicago is now 4-11 in its last 15 games, leads Indians by only a half-game in AL Central.

-- Sharks 5, Blues 2-- St Louis made Stanley Cup finals in their first three years of existence (1967-70); they haven't been back since.

-- Cavaliers 116, Raptors 78-- Another uninteresting game. The average margin of victory in these five games has been 21.8 points.

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

13) Wednesday was the deadline for NBA prospects to drop out of the draft and go back to school-- at least 45 players have done that. Dillon Brooks, Tyler Dorsey both went back to school, making Oregon a national title contender next winter.

12) Purdue gets big man Caleb Swanigan back for next year: "I'm going back to school. I feel I'm only a 2nd round pick and I can do better than that. I love Purdue.'' Boilermakers still need better guard play, but Swanigan's return is important.

11) Clemson also got very good news that Jaron Blossonggame will return to school; Littlejohn Coliseum was re-done last winter, so Brad Brownell will be on the hot seat to make the NCAAs next year. When boosters kick in a lot of money to refurbish an arena, they expect results. With Blossingame, Clemson can make the NCAAs.

10) USC appears to be the big loser Wednesday; they lost two starters, their point guard and center, despite thought that neither one will get drafted. Trojans were going to be a top 15 team if both kids came back. Now they're out of the top 25. .

9) Similar bad news at Seton Hall, after Isaiah Whitehead stayed in the draft- had he stayed in school, he would've been a preseason All-American, and Kevin Willard is a much smarter coach. Whitehead may or may not get picked in the first round.

8) Los Angeles Rams will travel 32,072 miles this coming season, most of any team; even without their London trip, Rams would travel 5th-most miles in league.

7) There are six teams who will travel less than 10,000 miles this year, all from the two north divisions-- Lions-Packers-Bears-Ravens-Browns-Steelers.

6) Memphis Grizzlies offered their coaching job to Miami assistant David Fizdale, who has been an NBA assistant for 14 years. Grizzlies are tough team to work for; in last four years, they've fired a coach who went 56-26, then a coach who went 42-40 despite using 28 players, the most players an NBA team has ever had in one season.

5) Odubel Herrera, Yasiel Puig were both benched this week for not running balls out. Herrera returned to the lineup and homered Wednesday afternoon.

4) Rougned Odor punched an opponent in the face 11 days ago; when does he get suspended? Baseball does this so badly; by the time he gets suspended, we'll forget what he got suspended for. For that fight, the suspension should've been immediate.

3) Giancarlo Stanton is hitting .214 this year and is hurt again; this is his 7th year in the major leagues- he's played more than 123 games twice. I look at the guy and I see a WWE wrestler; he is too damn bulked-up to play baseball. Yes I'm bitter because he has been on my fantasy team since he was an 18-year old in the Florida State League, but how can a guy like this have only one season with 90+ RBI?

2) Imagine how bitter you would be if you were paying Stanton's salary? The meat of his big-money deal doesn't start for two more years-- starting in 2018, Stanton will make an average of $31M a year for 11 years, from age 28 to 38. Oy.

1) Matt Harvey is 3-7, 6.08 this season; he's allowed 73 hits in 53.1 IP. No bueno.

**Udog** · 05-26-2016, 08:13 AM

NBA

Thursday, May 26

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Thursday's NBA Conference Finals betting preview and odds: Thunder at Warriors
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Oklahoma City is the first team to post 72 points in the first half of back-to-back playoff games since the 1987 Los Angeles Lakers.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors (-7.5, 220)

Thunder lead series 3-1

The Oklahoma City Thunder have made the defending champion Golden State Warriors look like a lottery team in the last two games and are on the verge of advancing to the NBA Finals. The Warriors will try to stave off elimination and pull within 3-2 in the series when they host Game 5 on Thursday.

The Thunder have been more aggressive, more athletic, faster and much better at executing on both ends of the floor in 3 1/2 of the first four games of the series and scored 72 first-half points in each of the last two contests while winning both by an average of 26 points. “You’re not always going to play a perfect game,” Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told reporters. “You have to have some resiliency and some toughness and some fight to you. I think our team has it.” The Warriors looking for some resiliency as they attempt to stay in the series and MVP Stephen Curry insisted that the team wasn’t done. "The series isn't over," Curry told reporters. "We've got to believe in ourselves. It's obviously frustration. It's a terrible feeling once again not stepping up and being ourselves and playing our game. But I think we're a special team. This isn't how we're going to go out."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 7.5-point favorites, with their backs against the wall for Game 5. The books dropped the line down to -7 on Wednesday morning and that is where it sits at the time of publication of this preview. The total opened at 221 and has dropped sharply down to 219.5 during the opening 12 hours on the board. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (66-31, 47-49-1 ATS, 46-51 O/U): Oklahoma City stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been strong in the series, and Westbrook filled up the boxscore with his first triple-double of the postseason with 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the 118-94 Game 4 triumph. “Russell plays with incredible passion,” Donovan told reporters. “He has such great force and great will. He’s a really high basketball IQ player. He sees a lot of things going on out there. His effort and his energy throughout the course of the entire game, with our team, was terrific.” Westbrook is averaging 27.3 points, 11.8 assists and 3.8 steals in the series.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (82-14, 53-41-2 ATS, 51-44-1 O/U): Curry had one burst in the third quarter of Game 2 that propelled Golden State to its lone win in the series but went 5-of-21 from 3-point range in the last two games and committed six turnovers in Game 4. The MVP could use more help from All-Star Draymond Green, who heard boos all night from Oklahoma City fans on Tuesday after avoiding a suspension for kicking Thunder center Steven Adams in the groin and matched Curry with six turnovers while going 1-of-7 from the floor. “I bring the energy to this team, and I have not been that," Green told reporters. “I think our energy goes as my energy goes, and I've been awful. ... At the end of the day, I know I've got to be better in Game 5.”

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Warriors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games.
* Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Home team is 10-1-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The early returns for the Consensus are 52 percent of the picks on the Thunder and 66 percent of the wagers on the Over.

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**Udog** · 05-26-2016, 08:16 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 26

Oklahoma City @ Golden State

Game 719-720
May 26, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma City
132.175
Golden State
130.558
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 1 1/2
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 7 1/2
220 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(+7 1/2); Under

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 26

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OKLAHOMA CITY (66 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (82 - 14) - 5/26/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 36-50 ATS (-19.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 29-39 ATS (-13.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 52-41 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-52 ATS (+8.8 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 49-40 ATS (+5.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 58-40 ATS (+14.0 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 59-43 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 41-29 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-48 ATS (+14.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-6 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 8-6 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 26

Oklahoma City-Golden State (OC 3-1)
Thunder led 72-47/72-53 at half of last two games; Warriors have to defend better or this series is over. Home side won/covered last three games in this series; three of four games in series stayed under the total. Golden State is 9-5 in playoffs after going 73-9 during year; they won five of last six home games (4-2 vs spread). Thunder won/covered once in last six visits here; they won three of last four road games.

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

NBA

Thursday, May 26

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. GOLDEN STATE
Oklahoma City is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City

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**Udog** · 05-26-2016, 09:46 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 26

Los Angeles @ Connecticut

Game 651-652
May 26, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
116.518
Connecticut
105.533
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 11
157
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
by 9
161 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles
(-9); Under

Washington @ Seattle

Game 653-654
May 26, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
103.285
Seattle
111.187
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 8
158
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
by 5 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(-5 1/2); Over

WNBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 26

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LOS ANGELES (15 - 22) at CONNECTICUT (15 - 19) - 5/26/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 82-110 ATS (-39.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1997.
LOS ANGELES is 124-162 ATS (-54.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CONNECTICUT is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CONNECTICUT is 2-2 against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 2-2 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (19 - 18) at SEATTLE (10 - 24) - 5/26/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 280-337 ATS (-90.7 Units) in all games since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 53-76 ATS (-30.6 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 167-214 ATS (-68.4 Units) after a division game since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 3-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Thursday, May 26

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CONNECTICUT
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against Connecticut
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Los Angeles's last 18 games when playing Connecticut
Connecticut is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Los Angeles
Connecticut is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

10:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. SEATTLE
Washington is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games

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**Udog** · 05-26-2016, 12:02 PM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, May 26

Oklahoma City at Golden State, 9:05 ET
Oklahoma City: 13-22 ATS after having won 4 of their last 5
Golden State: 22-10 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points

Announcement

Thursday's NBA and WNBA Trends and Indexes - 5/26

Thursday's NBA and WNBA Trends and Indexes - 5/26

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