The Bum's 2016 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News-Stats !

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds for the Players Championship this weekend in Florida:
7-1—Dustin Johnson
10-1—Rory McIlroy
12-1—Jordan Spieth
15-1—Sergio Garcia
20-1—Day-Rahm-Rose-Fowler-Matsuyama
30-1—Scott-Stenson-Thomas-Koepka-Casey

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings……..

13) Reds’ rookie pitcher Amir Garrett is 3-2, 4.25 in his first six major league starts, but was sent back to AAA by the Reds this week, to “manage his innings” according to the Reds. Teams don’t like younger pitchers to throw 20%+ more innings than they did the year before, they say it leads to injuries.

Here is what it really is: Cincinnati wants to manage Garrett’s service time, so they can keep him an extra year before he becomes arbitration-eligible. They’re pretty sure now that Garrett is a keeper, so they’re going to keep him in AAA for a few weeks, again to control his big league service time.

But here’s the thing; the Reds are in first place- you’d think that would matter to them, and they’d try to drum up some enthusiasm in the community, instead of sending a promising young pitcher down to save a few bucks down the road.

12) At one point last year, the Chicago Cubs were 40-16; as I type this, they’re 17-16 this year, so it isn’t inconceivable that the NL Central could be wide open this season.

11) Miami Marlins are having a hard time with Joe West’s umpiring crew this week; Don Mattingly got tossed the last two nights- last nite, he was told to take a hike in the bottom of the 1st inning, after Adam Wainwright had thrown 11 pitches. Christian Yelich got called out on an awful pitch and he got tossed, too. Marlins have injury issues; which makes Yelich getting tossed early even more damaging.

10) Orioles will be without closer Zach Britton (forearm) until the All-Star break, very bad news for them.

9) I wasn’t aware that starting pitchers work out after they come out of games; Kendall Graveman did his workout Monday night after his seven innings, then took a shower and put uniform gear back on to watch the 11th inning in the dugout as the A’s beat the Angels 3-2.

8) Astros 8, Braves 3—Houston scored five runs before they made an out in this game. Bartolo Colon is struggling badly this season- his ERA is 7.22. Tuesday was 15th anniversary of a game in 2002 when AJ Hinch homered off of Colon—Hinch is the Astros’ manager now.

7) Orioles 5, Nationals 4 (12)– This was 10th time since joining Washington that Max Scherzer carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, the most in the major leagues during that time.

Whatever Buck Showalter makes managing the Orioles, it ain’t enough. He is the best manager in baseball. Look at his pitching staff and explain to me how they’re 22-10.

6) Brewers 11, Red Sox 7—Eric Thames hit his 13th homer here; someone who is playing in Korea this year is going to get a major league look next year, based in part on Thames’ success in Milwaukee this season. Whatever he worked on in his three years in Korea, it sure as hell has worked for him.

5) Senators 4, Rangers 2—Couple of Canadian teams are still alive in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Ottawa advances to play the Pittsburgh-Washington survivor.

4) Spurs 110, Rockets 107 OT—Hard-fought game between two really good teams; Kawhi Leonard got hurt, which is huge going forward. Houston was only 16-48 on the arc.

3) Rangers-Sabres will freeze their butts off outdoors in Queens next winter on New Years’ Day, as the NHL Winter Classic comes to New York City. These events have been popular; I personally can’t think of a worse way to spend a winter afternoon than being outdoors.

2) Jonathan Simmons once paid $150 to try out for a D-League team; now he’s a key contributor for the Spurs. Is this a great country or what?

1) Former President Jimmy Carter came out this week and said he voted for Bernie Sanders for President; yikes. These are certainly strange times we’re living in.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s NBA Playoffs Conference Semifinals betting preview: Wizards at Celtics

Boston All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas scored 53 points in Game 2's overtime win but found points harder to come by in Washington while averaging 16 points in Games 3 and 4.

Washington Wizards at Boston Celtics (-4.5, 215)

Series tied 2-2

The momentum has clearly shifted in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and the Washington Wizards now look like the team to beat after a pair of convincing home wins evened the series. The fourth-seeded Wizards still need to earn a win on the road to have a chance of taking the series and will try to keep the thrust in their favor when they visit the top-seeded Boston Celtics for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Washington took Games 3 and 4 by a combined 46 points and used a 26-0 run in the third quarter of Sunday's Game 4 to go from trailing to blowing out Boston for the second straight game. "We played inspired basketball for each other," Wizards coach Scott Brooks, who called the run his team's best stretch of the season, told reporters. "Defensively we were in the right position. ... We didn't make silly mistakes that we made early in the game, and it pays off." The Celtics made plenty of silly mistakes and watched Washington convert 20 turnovers in 34 points in Sunday's romp. "If you turn the ball over against these guys, you'd prefer to drop-kick it into the stands so that at least you could set your defense," Boston coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "Their attack in transition killed us."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Celtics opened as four-point home favorites for this critical Game 5 and they were bumped up slightly to -4.5 on Tuesday evening. The total hit the betting board at 215 and has yet to move.

INJURY REPORT:

Wizards - No injuries to report.

Celtics - SG A. Bradley (Probable, hip).

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (55-37 SU, 47-44-1 ATS, 57-34-1 O/U): Power forward Markieff Morris overcame an ankle injury and collected 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Sunday's 121-102 win and is not lacking confidence in his team. "For sure it's going to be hard," Morris told reporters, according to the Washington Post, of the prospect of winning in Boston. "They're still a good team. It's Boston, know what I mean? But we feel like we are the better team, even to start the series. This is what we wanted during the regular season when we was chippy and going at it. We wanted Boston in the playoffs. So you go out there and act like that. I think we did the last couple of games." The Wizards go where point guard John Wall takes them, and the All-Star is averaging 27.8 points, 12.3 assists and 2.8 steals in the series.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (59-33 SU, 46-44-2 ATS, 45-43-4 O/U): Boston All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas scored 53 points in Game 2's overtime win but found points harder to come by in Washington while averaging 16 points in Games 3 and 4. Thomas suggested after Game 4 that he wasn't getting the benefit of foul calls while going without a free-throw attempt in the loss. "The refs were allowing them to hold and grab and do all those things," Thomas told reporters. "I think, especially in the third quarter, I might have hit the ground five or six straight times, and I'm not the one that likes hitting the ground. ... I can't be allowed to be held and grabbed every pin-down, every screen."

TRENDS:

* Wizards are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Over is 6-0 in Wizards last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
* Over is 5-0-1 in Celtics last 6 home games.
* Home team is 8-0 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, May 10

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WASHINGTON (55 - 37) at BOSTON (59 - 33) - 5/10/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 10-5 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-6 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, May 10

Washington held Thomas to 32 points in Games 3-4 wins, after he torched them for 53 in Game 2. Home side won all four Celtic-Wizard games in this series and last eight meetings overall; Wizards lost their last four games in this arena (0-4 vs spread), by 9-8-12-10 points. Five of last seven series games went over- favorites are 9-2 vs spread in last eleven meetings. Wizards are 1-4 on road in playoffs, with only win in Game 6 clincher in Atlanta- the road losses were by 18-10-12-10 points. Celtics won last three home games, by 11-12-10 points, after losing two at home to Chicago. Over is 4-1 in last five Washington games.

Second round playoff series:
Boston-Washington
Bos 123-111, -4.5, O216
Bos 129-119 O, -5, O218.5
Wash 116-89, -5.5, U218
Wash 121-102, -5, O214.5

Cleveland-Toronto
Clev 116-105, -7, O211
Clev 125-103, -7, O214.5
Clev 115-94, -3, U215
Clev 109-102, -7, O210.5
Cavaliers win series, 4-0

San Antonio-Houston
Hst 126-99, +6, O215.5
SA 121-96, -5.5, O215
SA 103-92, +5.5, U215
Hst 125-104, -5, O213.5
SA 110-107 OT, -5.5, O216

Golden State-Utah
GState 106-94, -13, U206.5
GState 115-104, -13.5, O206
GState 102-91, -7, U209
GState 121-95, -9, O207
Warriors win series 4-0

Favorites 11-5-1 (31-27-2)
Over 11-6 (33-27)




NBA

Wednesday, May 10

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. BOSTON
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Washington

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, May 10


Washington @ Boston

Game 519-520
May 10, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
124.969
Boston
123.343
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 4 1/2
215
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+4 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's NBA Essentials
May 10, 2017

Eastern Conference First Round
No. 4 Washington at No. 1 Boston (TNT, 8:00 p.m. ET)

After letting leads slip away in each of the first two games of the series, the Wizards showed some mental toughness in holding serve at home to even things back up. Although that keeps this from being a must-win situation, Washington wants no part of falling behind and putting itself in a situation where one more loss would deliver its demise.

The Wizards won Game 5 in the first round against Atlanta with the series tied at 2-2, but that contest was played in D.C.'s Verizon Center, where they're a perfect 5-0 this postseason. This one will come inside Boston's TD Garden, where the Celtics have won four straight after losing to Chicago twice there to open the playoffs. Washington is just 1-4 SU/ATS and is the only team that remains alive despite a losing record on the road during the regular season.

It failed to win in Boston during the regular season too and hasn't done so since the final day of the 2014 season, allowing them to earn the No. 5 seed that year as the Celtics missed the playoffs. Washington is looking to put itself one win from its first conference finals appearance since 1979.

Defeating the Hawks 115-99 to advance out of the first round was viewed as a major step forward for first-year Wizards coach Scott Brooks and his team. They carried over that momentum by surging to a 16-0 start in Game 1 against Boston before a 3-point barrage that ended up shattering the storied franchise's all-time record for most makes beyond the arc in a single game at 19 fueled an impressive comeback.

As was the case in the Hawks series, where Markieff Morris called Paul Millsap a "crybaby" and Washington players got into it with the likes of Dwight Howard and Dennis Schroder, this has been contentious too. The teams have a history of dislike for one another that dates back years and has only intensified in a playoff atmosphere. Key backup Kelly Oubre, Jr. will return to the mix after serving a one-game suspension for his role in escalating a Game 3 skirimish after his running shove of Kelly Olynyk in retaliation for what he felt was a dirty elbow thrown at his face.

The Wizards survived his absense and took all the mystery out of Sunday's contest with a Game 4-clinching 26-0 third-quarter run, their third such onslaught of 16 or more consecutive points in the series. Brooks called it Washington's "best stretch of basketball" this season. After averaging 43 points in the Celtics' home wins, Thomas was held to a scoring average of 16 in D.C. and comes off a game where he failed to shoot a single free-throw despite feeling like he was often manhandled on the perimter.

The posturing for Game 5 calls came immediately after Sunday's 121-102 loss, so look for the Celtics to be aggressive in trying to attack so that they can land a few Washington regulars in foul trouble on the road tonight. Wizards starters are a plus-148 in the series, dominating the action when their first five are on the floor and struggling whenever even one of them sits.

Oubre's return takes some pressure off other key reserves Bojan Bogdanovic and Jason Smith, but there's no question that Brooks wants to maximize opportunities where his starters can remain on the floor, limiting Boston's ability to go small. Making matters worse, the Celtics are clearly operating with starting guard Avery Bradley's hip pointer issues contributing to their last two losses. After scored just seven points on 3-for-8 shooting in Game 3, Bradley shot 2-for-9 on Sunday and had nearly as many turnovers (4) as he did points (5).

"I got tight. It's really my fault," Bradley told reporters in Boston on Tuesday. "I have to make sure I'm staying loose throughout the game, and I guess you learn through your experiences. I'll make sure I'm prepared for the next game."

The Celtics have to hope that an extra day between games will help him recover since he hadn't had hip pointer issues until this series, but two days off can also be viewed as an advantage for Washington, which is blessed with significantly less depth. Bradley said Tuesday that he felt a lot better, but we won't really know until the first few possessions whether it remains an issue.

Beyond an ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc, Bradley is the Celtics' top on-ball defender and frankly, one of the best in the league. He helped frustrate Wall into an 0-for-9 start in Game 4, but Washington's All-Star point guard rebounded with 27 points, 12 assists and five steals to help offset his seven turnovers. He averaged 30 points and 14.5 assists in the two losses in Boston, so he's clearly not been bothered by anything the opposition has done at TD Garden. The 10 3-pointers he put up in Game 2 can be viewed as an example of him settling for a shot that he isn't overly comfortable with, so look for a concerted effort to try and get to the free-throw line as opposed to taking shots he typically avoids. Wall has set an NBA playoff record with 11 consecutive games of at least 20 points and seven assists.

Bradley Beal comes off his best game of the series, shooting 11-for-16 from the field i putting up 29 points. When last he took the floor at TD Garden, his inability to hit key shots cost his Wizards Game 2 as he ended up 4-for-15, including 1-for-9 from 3-point range. He missed a game-winner at the end of regulation and followed it up with a 4-for-12 stinker in Game 3, so rebounding like he did on Sunday was a sight for sore eyes for Wizards fans. Washingon is 4-2 during these playoffs when Wall and Beal combine for 50 or more points.

Boston won the first quarter for the first time in Game 4, 24-20, as Brad Stevens went big and again started Amir Johnson in place of Gerald Green. The Wizards had dominated the opening 12 minutes in the first three games, winning each period by a combined margin of 119-70, an average of nearly 40-23.

If the Celtics can continue to reverse that trend, they'll not only go a long way in making sure their homecourt edge holds up deep into Wednesday night, they'll also avoid digging themselves a hole like they have for most of the series. At this point, coming off a pair of lopsided wins following missed opportunities in Boston, the lower-seeded Wizards enter Game 5 extremely confident.

"We're the better team and we feel like we've been the better team," Morris said.

Game 3 has produced the first 'under' of the series, but Boston won the last four games against Chicago in lower-scoring games and would prefer to slow down a Wizards offense averaging 116.8 points thus far in the series. The Wizards are just 2-8 straight up as an underdog over their last 10 games. The Celtics have won and covered in their last six games as a favorite. The opening line (4.5) and total (215) are in line with what we've seen through the first four contests in this series.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA notebook: Raptors president says team needs "culture reset"
May 9, 2017

The Toronto Raptors are about to head in a different direction after a disappointing playoff showing.

Team president Masai Ujiri made it clear an overhaul is coming when he said "we need a culture reset here," while speaking to reporters in his season-ending news conference on Tuesday.

Toronto was dispatched in the second round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers, one year after advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

"We need to figure out how we can win in the playoffs," Ujiri said. "That's the goal."

The Raptors have participated in the playoffs in four consecutive seasons under coach Dwane Casey and behind the stellar backcourt of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. But this season, Toronto struggled to get past the upstart Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the first round and then were swept by Cleveland, placing the whole operation under the microscope.

--It appears the frayed relationship between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook may not be irreparable after all.

Kendrick Perkins, a former teammate of Durant and Westbrook with the Oklahoma City Thunder, said he played peacemaker leading to a phone call between the two former co-stars after Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson's triple-double record.

"I think the night that Russ actually broke the record, I had texted (Durant). The next day, he was talking about something and he sent me a text and was like, 'Me and Russ had a nice conversation.' The media don't even know nothing about it, but I just let it be known that they're back on talking terms, the differences are aside," Perkins said on TNT's "Area 21" show hosted by Kevin Garnett on Monday night.

Durant spent eight seasons alongside Westbrook with the Thunder before leaving to join the Golden State Warriors on a two-year deal worth over $54 million. Durant can opt out after this season.

--Atlanta Hawks star Dwight Howard was pulled over for speeding and ticketed for driving without insurance hours before his team was eliminated by the Washington Wizards in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.

Howard, a 31-year-old Atlanta native, was stopped by police on I-285 in Dunwoody, Ga., at 2:06 a.m. ET on April 28 after he was clocked going 95 mph in a 65 mph zone, per a police report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The 6-foot-11 center received a verbal warning for speeding and for driving with a suspended registration, but was fined for the insurance infraction. Police also had Howard's vehicle -- a 2016 Audi Rs7 -- towed.

When told of the infractions, Howard appeared confused and told the officer that he had insurance, but could not present proof of insurance, according to the Journal-Constitution. Howard's car was being followed by a black SUV, which police later determined was his personal security detail.

--George Irvine, who played six seasons in the ABA and went on to coach the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons for five seasons in the NBA, passed away at the age of 69, the Pacers announced.

Irvine died after a battle with cancer, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Irvine coached the Pacers from the 1984-85 season until 1988-89, failing to make the playoffs while going 54-130. He coached the Pistons for two seasons from 1999-2001, making one first-round playoff appearance while guiding the team to a 46-60 record.

In his six ABA seasons from 1970-76, Irvine averaged 9.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 325 games for the Virginia Squires and Denver Nuggets. He averaged a career-high 13.1 points with the Squires in 1974-75.

[StarDust Bum]

Pivotal Game 5 awaits Boston as it returns home vs. Wizards
May 9, 2017

BOSTON (AP) After four games, the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the Celtics and Wizards is exactly back where it began.

Following back-to-back comeback wins by the East's top seed in the first two games in Boston, Washington returned the favor with a pair of dominant wins on its home court. The series now shifts back to the Garden for a pivotal Game 5 matchup on Wednesday night.

The winner of Game 5 in an NBA best-of-7 series tied at 2-2 has gone on to win the series 83% of the time (162-34), according to ESPN Stats & Info.

While happy to return to friendlier confines, the Celtics say they aren't feeling any added pressure despite being unable to recover from game-changing runs by the Wizards in Games 3 and 4.

''That's the playoffs for you,'' Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas said. ''We said it before the playoffs started, you lose a couple and you might get swept. I mean, that's what the world is gonna say. `You're not good enough to be here,' or you win a couple and everybody loves you.''

Meanwhile, Washington may have found the anecdote to containing Boston's leading scorer - making the game as physical as possible.

Thomas has managed just 13 and 19 points, respectively, over the last two games, while being held to 22 field goal attempts. That comes after his 53-point night in Game 2's overtime win.

Despite having to win at least one game at the Garden over the next three games to advance, Wizards point guard John Wall said their confidence is higher than it was at the start of the series.

''We have a lot of confidence, understanding that we had a chance to win all four games,'' said Wall, who is coming off a 27-point, 12-assist effort in Game 4. ''Even though we only won two, and they won two at their place, we had an opportunity to win those games even though we didn't shoot the ball well or we didn't play great defense.''

Here are some things to know about Wednesday night's Game 5:

---

NEED TO KNOW: Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. can expect to get a cold reception from Boston's fans. Oubre returns to action after serving a one-game suspension for charging over Celtics center Kelly Olynyk in Game 3. Washington coach Scott Brooks was asked Tuesday about what advice he had for Oubre. ''Bring some ear plugs,'' he said after a long pause. ''They're definitely going to let him have it. But you just go out there and play, play hard.''

KEEP AN EYE ON: Isaiah Thomas' free-throw attempts. The All-Star said he felt the Wizards were able to get away with holding and grabbing him at times during a Game 4 loss in which he didn't once visit the foul line. But he said he hadn't been contacted by the league office about a fine for criticizing the officiating. ''I felt like things should be called different. But I didn't say that's the reason why we lost,'' Thomas said. ''So I don't feel like I should get anything.''

INJURY UPDATE: Celtics guard Avery Bradley suffered a left hip-pointer in Game 4 after being slowed by a right hip-pointer in Game 2. But Stevens said he is set to go for Game 5.

PRESSURE IS ON: The Wizards. Though Boston is the higher seed, the Celtics will get all kinds of energy returning home, and Washington can set itself up with a closeout opportunity at home for Game 6 with a win.

[StarDust Bum]

May's Best Bets:
Date W-L-T % Units Record

05/09/2017.......... 1-1-0......... 50.00%........... -0.50
05/08/2017.......... 0-2-0 ..........0.00%.......... -11.00
05/07/2017.......... 2-4-0......... 33.33%.......... -12.00
05/06/2017.......... 0-2-0........... 0.00%.......... -11.00
05/05/2017.......... 2-2-0......... 50.00%........... -1.00
05/04/2017.......... 0-4-0........... 0.00%.......... -22.00
05/03/2017.......... 3-1-0.......... 75.00%......... + 9.50
05/02/2017.......... 4-0-0......... 100.00%........ +20.00
05/01/2017.......... 3-1-0.......... 75.00%........... +9.50

Totals................15 - 17...........46.87%%..........- 17.50

Best Bets Daily:
Sides / Totals

05/09/2017............0 - 1 .........00.00%............-1.10.............1 - 0......100.00....+1.00
05/08/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%............-1.10.............0 - 1 ......0.00%....-1.10
05/07/2017............2 - 1..........66.66%............+0.90............0 - 3.......0.00%...-3.30
5/06/2017.............0 - 1...........00.00%............-1.10.............0 - 1.......0.00%...-1.10
5/05/2017.............1 - 1...........50.00%............-0.10.............1 - 1......50.00%...-0.10
05/04/2017............0 - 2...........00.00%............-2.20.............0 - 2......0.00%.....- 2.20
05/03/2017............1 - 1...........50.00%...........- 0.10.............2 - 0......100%....+ 2.00
05/02/2017............2 - 0..........100.00%.........+ 2.00.............2 - 0.......100%....+ 2.00
05/01/2017............2 - 0..........100.00 %........+ 2.00.............1 - 1.......50%.......- 0.10

Totals...................8 - 8............50.00%.........-0.80..............7 - 9........43.75%...-2.90


WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at BOS 08:00 PM

BOS -4.5

O 216.0

[StarDust Bum]

Celtics power past Wizards, 123-101
May 10, 2017

BOSTON (AP) Playing in the Garden has brought out the Boston Celtics' best basketball this postseason.

Wednesday night it was home to one of the best nights of Avery Bradley's career.

Bradley scored a playoff career-high 29 points, and the Celtics beat the Washington Wizards 123-101 to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

After being thoroughly picked apart in losses at Washington in Games 3 and 4, Boston shared the ball in Game 5, and again resembled the team that entered the game having won seven straight and 11 of 13 in the Garden against Washington.

Al Horford added 19 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Isaiah Thomas scored 18 points and handed out nine assists.

''We're a team. And it's going to take a team effort to beat the Washington Wizards,'' Bradley said.

Game 6 is Friday night in Washington, where the Wizards easily won their two games. If the Celtics win, they would move on to host the Cleveland Cavaliers to open the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 7 would be in Boston on Monday.

Boston led by as many as 26 points, negating Washington's physicality by spreading the floor and knocking down 16 3-pointers.

John Wall had 21 for the Wizards, who haven't won a playoff game in Boston since 1982.

The Wizards scored the first four points of game, but that was followed by 16-0 run by the Celtics.

''The great start kind of got us going on both ends of the floor,'' Bradley said. ''Tonight we saw if we're able to start the right way, the game's in our control.''

It marked the fourth time in the series that one team has had a run of at least 16-0, including three times in the first quarter. Washington had a 16-0 spurt to start Game 1, a 22-0 run in Game 3 and 26-0 burst in Game 4.

During Boston's first-quarter spurt Wednesday, the Wizards missed eight straight shots before it was ended by Otto Porter's basket.

Boston did a good job of sharing the ball, getting assists on 12 of 13 baskets in the opening 12 minutes. Thomas had five assists, more than Washington's entire team (four) in the period.

The Celtics also outrebounded the Wizards 48-45, after being outrebounded by 26 boards through each of the previous two games (95-69).

''They were the more physical team today,'' Wall said. ''Throughout this whole series, whoever's the most physical team has won every game.''

The Wizards responded with more energy after halftime, but each of their mini-runs were quickly beaten back by Boston, which continued to share the ball and take advantage of their fast-break opportunities.

The Celtics' lead grew to 26 points in the fourth quarter.

Thomas said one thing that became apparent in watching film from the Celtics' losses in Games 3 and 4 was that he had to adjust his game with three or four defenders guarding him.

He said he's found maturity to step back and not force plays that he might not have had earlier in his career.

''Now I'm seeing the game differently,'' Thomas said. ''But at the same time, that's not going to stop me from being aggressive and trying to make plays, not just for myself but for my teammates as well.''

TIP-INS

Wizards: Fell to 2-9 all-time on the road in the playoffs vs. Celtics. ... Had 13 turnovers, leading to 23 Boston points. ... Shot just 24 percent from the 3-point line (7 of 29).

Celtics: Shot 53 percent (46 of 87) from the field for the game, their highest of the postseason. .. Wednesday marked only the third time Bradley has scored 20 or more points in a playoff game. The first two both came against Chicago in the first round. ... Shot 58 percent from the field (25 of 43) in the first half.

TROLLING OUBRE

Wizards coach Scott Brooks said he warned Kelly Oubre to wear earplugs for Game 5 after he served a one-game suspension for charging over Boston's Kelly Olynyk.

He was right.

Celtics fans chanted ''We want Oubre! We want Oubre!'' at times during the first quarter. Then, when Oubre started the second quarter for Wizards, it prompted fans in the Garden to chant again. Later they booed him loudly when he touched the ball.

TURNOVER WOES

If the Wizards are going to have a chance to prolong the series, Brooks said they would have to start by limiting turnovers and Boston's 3-pointers.

''They made shots,'' Brooks said. ''We helped them make shots by giving up a lot of transition points. ...They made 16 of 33 3s. I don't know that we contested any of them.''

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

— Celtics 123, Wizards 101—Home team is now 5-0 in this series.

— Penguins 2, Capitals 0—Pittsburgh-Ottawa is the Eastern Conference final.

— There will be 40 bowl games this fall; national title game is in Atlanta’s new stadium. Looks like the first bowls are slated for December 16.

— Dodgers’ OF Andrew Toles tore his ACL Tuesday, is out for the year.

— adidas sold its golf business for $425M; in 2016, their revenue was 30% of what it was five years ago.

— Rams, Browns aren’t favored right now in any of their games this coming season. New England is favored in all of its games.

**********

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

13) Serious question; what does this guy James Comey do now? I mean, he gets fired as FBI Director, does he collect unemployment? Write a book? Drink himself silly? Consult with his lawyer to make sure he isn’t in trouble? Hang out at home and watch NBA playoff games? Coach his kid’s Little League team?

I’m guessing he could write a very interesting book; doubt he has done anything horrible enough that would make coaching Little League a suitable punishment.

Seriously, I was a Little League coach for four years. Never again.

12) To get a lot of RBI, it helps to have a lot of men on base when you bat. Here are the guys who’ve come to bat with the most men on base this season:

Daniel Murphy 115, Rizzo/Cano 113, Maikel Franco 109.

11) Here are the players who’ve driven in the highest %age of runners who were on base when they hit (minimum 100 PA): Charlie Blackmon 25.3%, Nomar Mazara 25.0%, Chris Owings 24.6%.

10) A fairly tall guy went to the A’s game in Oakland Wednesday afternoon dressed as an elf; no idea why, but he got himself a decent amount of TV time and he seemed to be enjoying himself on a sunny day in the Bay Area.

9) A’s 2, Angels 1—Andrew Triggs has five wins and a 2.21 ERA, 9th-best in the AL. Muy bueno!!! .

Yonder Alonso is batting .444 with runners in scoring position; rest of the A’s are hitting .175 with RISP.

8) Tampa Bay Rays are 17-19, but if games ended after the 5th inning, they’d be 23-8-5. Rays are 4-11 in games when winning run scores after the 6th inning- they’re 2-6 in one-run games.

7) Our fantasy league has 25-man rosters; you add a 26th guy if someone goes on the DL, then after the season, you cut a guy to get back to 25.

Last winter, it was an easy choice for me to get back to 25. Colorado signed Ian Desmond, had David Dahl and Manny Parra to play LF or 1B, so I sent Mark Reynolds packing, since it was unsure if he was even going to be on the 25-man roster. No bueno.

Dahl is hurt, Desmond was also hurt but is back now, while Reynolds is batting .333 and appears headed to the freakin’ All-Star Game. Wow. I can’t even call myself an idiot for this one; nobody saw it coming.

6) Cubs’ OF Kyle Schwarber played college baseball at Indiana; only two other colleges offered him a baseball scholarship: Miami OH and Cincinnati. Scouting really is an inexact science.

5) San Antonio Spurs drafted Manu Ginobili when James Harden was 10 years old.

4) Still wish they’d let kids jump right from high school to the NBA; if they don’t get drafted, then they can go to college, but for at least two years. Seems like a better idea.

3) Adam Wilk, who was an emergency starting pitcher for the Mets Sunday when Matt Harvey was suspended, was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins, so he is still in the major leagues and is having a very good week.

2) Our thoughts/prayers to Chris Berman, who lost his wife in a car accident this week. From reading Twitter, it is obvious that Berman is very well-liked by co-workers, past and present. Cathy Berman was a school teacher; she is survived by her husband and two children. RIP, ma’am.

1) Over the last three years at PLAYERS Championship, Freddie Jacobson has the best score on par 5’s: -24. Chappell, McIlroy and Garcia are all next at -23.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday’s NBA Playoffs Conference Semifinals betting preview: Spurs at Rockets

Kawhi Leonard departed Game 5 due to an ankle injury but quickly answered "Yeah, I'm going to be able to play" when quizzed during Wednesday's media availability.

San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets (-7, 214)

Spurs lead series 3-2

All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard vows to be the in the starting lineup on Thursday when the San Antonio Spurs attempt to close out their playoff series with the host Houston Rockets. Leonard departed Tuesday's Game 5 due to a left ankle injury but quickly answered "Yeah, I'm going to be able to play" when quizzed during Wednesday's off-day media availability.

The second-seeded Spurs took a 3-2 series lead by pulling out a 110-107 overtime win in Houston with Leonard (22 points, 15 rebounds) seated on the bench and know finishing off the Western Conference semifinal series will be an arduous task. "It's going to be tough. They're a great offensive team," Leonard told reporters. "They're a bunch of competitive guys. They play great at home. It's going to be tough. It's going to be about taking care of the ball, playing confident and trying to minimize our mistakes." Rockets guard James Harden had 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 5 but had his last-second 3-point attempt was blocked by San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili. "We couldn't get in a rhythm at the end of the game or in the overtime," Harden told reporters. "We had an opportunity to win this game and take a lead back home and we let it slip away. But we will be ready on Thursday."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: The Rockets opened as 6.5-point home favorites for Game 6 and that number was bumped up slightly to -7 on Wednesday. The total opened at 215 and came down to 214 with Leonard's status uncertain.

INJURY REPORT:

Spurs - SF K. Leonard (Questionable, ankle), PG T. Parker (Out For Season, quadricep).

Rockets - C Nene (Out For Season, groin).

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (68-25 SU, 47-44-2 ATS, 52-39-2 O/U): Harden is averaging 27.4 points and 10.2 assists for third-seeded Houston but was just 4-of-15 from 3-point range in Game 5 and is shooting just 32.1 percent from behind the arc in the series. "I'm all right. Just missed shots," Harden told reporters while asserting fatigue isn't an issue. "Missed shots and just didn't make enough plays to win. Obviously, other players stepped up and made big shots, and that was the game." With veteran center Nene (groin) done for the postseason, the Rockets only used seven players with 3-point bomber Ryan Anderson seeing action in the interior to help compensate for the loss.

ABOUT THE SPURS (61-31 SU, 48-44 ATS, 47-44-1 O/U): Ginobili had his best game of the series with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in addition to the game-saving rejection of Harden. "I don't feel like I had a huge game," Ginobili told reporters. "I felt better than the previous ones, for sure, but I guess the standards are a little lower." Patty Mills figures to draw the start at point guard for the second straight game after scoring 20 points and knocking down five 3-pointers during Game 5.

TRENDS:

* Spurs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 Conference Semifinals games.
* Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Over is 8-1 in Spurs last 9 overall.
* Over is 10-2 in Rockets last 12 Conference Semifinals games.
* Road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 11


San Antonio @ Houston

Game 523-524
May 11, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
117.243
Houston
126.759
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 9 1/2
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 7
213
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-7); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 11

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SAN ANTONIO (68 - 25) at HOUSTON (61 - 31) - 5/11/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1002-876 ATS (+38.4 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 38-51 ATS (-18.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 9-8 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 12-5 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 11

Health of Kawhi Leonard is big variable here; if he isn’t healthy, bad news for Spurs. San Antonio won four of its last five games in this arena- four of those five games stayed under total. Four of last five games in this series went over total. Spurs are 2-3 on road in playoffs; eight of their last nine games went over. Houston is 4-1 at home in playoffs (2-3 vs spread). Houston went 41-93 (44.1%) on arc in its two series wins, 36-111 (32.4%) in its losses; they used only seven guys in Game 5 loss- four starters 40:00+, with only three of them scoring more than 11 points.

Second round playoff series:
Boston-Washington
Bos 123-111, -4.5, O216
Bos 129-119 O, -5, O218.5
Wash 116-89, -5.5, U218
Wash 121-102, -5, O214.5
Bos 123-101, -4, O218

Cleveland-Toronto
Clev 116-105, -7, O211
Clev 125-103, -7, O214.5
Clev 115-94, -3, U215
Clev 109-102, -7, O210.5
Cavaliers win series, 4-0

San Antonio-Houston
Hst 126-99, +6, O215.5
SA 121-96, -5.5, O215
SA 103-92, +5.5, U215
Hst 125-104, -5, O213.5
SA 110-107 OT, -5.5, O216

Golden State-Utah
GState 106-94, -13, U206.5
GState 115-104, -13.5, O206
GState 102-91, -7, U209
GState 121-95, -9, O207
Warriors win series 4-0

Favorites 12-5-1 (32-27-2)
Over 12-6 (34-27)




NBA

Thursday, May 11

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. HOUSTON
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
San Antonio is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Houston
Houston is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

Game 6 - Spurs at Rockets
May 10, 2017

The Golden State Warriors are waiting in the wings for its next opponent in the Western Conference playoffs as the Spurs look to close out the Rockets and advance to the conference finals.

San Antonio erased a nine-point deficit in the third quarter to eventually force overtime in Tuesday’s pivotal Game 5 as the Spurs edged the Rockets in overtime, 110-107. Houston cashed as 5 ½-point road underdogs, but was held to two points in the final 2:30 of regulation and not scoring in overtime until the 2:00 mark.

The Rockets fired away from three-point range (as usual), but connected on only 33% of those attempts by going 16-of-48 from downtown. Subtracting Patrick Beverley’s impressive 5-of-7 effort from three, James Harden, Lou Williams, and Eric Gordon struggled from behind the line by shooting a dreadful 5-of-26. Harden picked up a triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, but also turned the ball over a team-high nine times and was stripped by Manu Ginobili on the final play of the game.

Spurs’ star Kawhi Leonard didn’t see the floor in overtime as he was resting a sore ankle, but he is expected to suit up in Game 6. Leonard still managed 22 points and 15 rebounds in 38 minutes of action, even though three other starters played at least 40 minutes. San Antonio shot nearly 41% from the floor, including 7-of-21 from LaMarcus Aldridge, as the 21 attempts mark the most from the former Trail Blazers’ standout in the playoffs.

The OVER barely cashed in Game 5 on a 216 total as that result should have never been in doubt. Entering the fourth quarter, the Spurs led the Rockets, 86-85 as OVER players needed 46 points, as each of the first three periods easily went over 53 points apiece. However, the two state rivals combined for 31 points, but overtime was the savior. Or at least we thought so as they went scoreless for the opening three minutes of OT, while putting up a total of 15 points to sneak out the fourth OVER in the series.

The Spurs have fared well against the number in the underdog role in road close-out games in the playoffs. Gregg Popovich’s team owns a 4-1 ATS mark in this situation since 2013, including outright victories at Oklahoma City in 2014 and Memphis in 2013. Stretching it back to 2012, the Spurs have compiled a profitable 8-5 SU/ATS mark in close-out playoff contests on the highway, while already knocking out Memphis in the opening round.

How has Houston done with its back to the wall the last few postseasons? Since 2013, the Rockets have put up a fight on the verge of elimination by posting a 7-4 SU and 8-3 ATS record. However, in 10 of those situations the Rockets were listed as an underdog, but won and covered in their lone opportunity as a favorite against the Blazers in the opening round of 2014 as 4 ½-point chalk, 108-98.

The total of Game 6 opened at 215 and the number dropped to 214 even though the ‘over’ has gone 4-1 in the series.

VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David offered up his thoughts on Thursday’s matchup.

He said, “Bettors playing the ‘over’ in Game 5 looked like they were sitting on a clear-cut winner but the momentum slowed down in the fourth and even with overtime, a couple late free throws were needed to connect tickets. Including that result, San Antonio has now seen the ‘over’ go 9-2 in the playoffs and that’s certainly a surprise if you look at their recent playoff tendencies. In the last two postseasons, the Spurs went 9-8 to the ‘under’ which could make you believe that the results from this year could be defined as an anomaly.”

“Game 6 isn’t an easy handicap and while the Rockets are well known for their offensive ability to explode from 3-point land, a lot of bettors don’t realize that they score a ton of points from the free throw line. Unfortunately for Houston, the Spurs are one of the best defensive teams and they’re ranked second in free throw attempts allowed in the playoffs. If Houston connects from downtown, it will put up crooked numbers like it has in two wins (126, 125) in this series. Unfortunately, those numbers are down considerably when they lose in this year’s playoffs (102 PPG).”

As far as Leonard’s health goes, NBA expert Tony Mejia offers his thoughts, “Leonard was pretty adamant about the fact he'd play in Game 6 following Tuesday's victory, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll finish it. Because the Spurs bought themselves a Game 7 at home by surviving without him in OT, they've got the equivalent of a free-roll in Houston. If he suits up and isn't right, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Popovich go without him in an effort to give him more time to be ready for a potential deciding game.”

If Leonard sits out, it doesn’t spell doom for the Spurs. San Antonio put together a tremendous 7-1 record this season without the former San Diego State standout, while limiting opponents to 93.9 points per game. Leonard has never missed a playoff game in his six-year career, as the Spurs look to improve on a 6-2 ATS record as an underdog this season with or without the MVP candidate.

The Rockets need two wins to advance to the Western Conference Finals and another four victories to knock off the Warriors. If you have enough faith in Houston to reach the NBA Finals, Sportsbook.ag lists the Rockets currently at 15/1 odds to win the West. San Antonio has those same odds, only to win the NBA championship. The Spurs sit at 8/1 odds to reach their first NBA Finals since 2014, when they won it all against the Heat.

Houston is listed as a seven-point favorite at most sports books, while the total is set at 214. Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM EST at the Toyota Center and the game can be seen on ESPN.

[StarDust Bum]

Banged-up Spurs look to finish Rockets
May 10, 2017

HOUSTON (AP) The San Antonio Spurs are a victory away from eliminating the Houston Rockets and advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time since winning the NBA title in 2014.

But entering Thursday night's Game 6 in Houston there are questions about whether Kawhi Leonard will be at full strength after rolling his ankle in an overtime win on Tuesday night. The Spurs' MVP candidate was hurt when he stepped on James Harden's foot about midway through the third quarter. He played limited minutes for the rest of regulation and did not play in overtime.

San Antonio's All-Star said after the game that it was ''a little sore'' and he was limping. But he insisted that he's fine and will be ready to go on Thursday.

If Leonard is still hobbled for Game 6 it will be another blow to a team already without Tony Parker, after the veteran suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury in Game 2.

Leonard was pragmatic when asked if he thinks his team is in control of the series after escaping with a win on Tuesday night.

''No,'' he said. ''Not in control until we win Game 6.''

After getting blown out in their last trip the Houston, the Spurs know eliminating a team with its back against the wall will be a huge task.

''It's going to be tough,'' Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge said. ''They're a great offensive team. A bunch of competitive guys, they play way more confident at home ... it's going to be about taking care of the ball, playing confident, just trying to minimize our mistakes out there.''

The Rockets are left to ponder their missed opportunity after failing to take advantage of Leonard's absence in overtime of the 110-107 loss. Harden was brilliant through most of Tuesday's game, finishing with a triple-double - 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. But he seemed to run out of gas in an overtime where he was held scoreless, and had a 3-pointer which could have tied the game blocked by 39-year-old Manu Ginobili just before the buzzer.

''We let one slip away,'' Harden said. ''Execution and rebounding are probably the two primary things we let slip away in this game. We still have an opportunity in Game 6 to go home and protect home court and bring it back for Game 7.''

Harden wasn't the only Rocket who seemed spent late on a night when Houston used just seven players. Coach Mike D'Antoni has used an eight-man rotation throughout the playoffs, but didn't add anyone to the mix on Tuesday in the first game since backup center Nene suffered a torn thigh muscle.

D'Antoni wasn't sure after the game if he'd tweak the rotation in the next game.

''I don't know,'' he said. ''I didn't think about it too much on the way here, but I'll think about it and I'll let you know tomorrow or the next day or maybe not. I have no clue.''

---

Spurs at Rockets, Spurs lead series 3-2. Game 6, 8 p.m., ESPN.

NEED TO KNOW: As has been the case all series, the Spurs will try to limit Houston's 3-pointers. The Rockets, who set an NBA record by making 1,081 3s in the regular season, have averaged 20.5 3-pointers in their two wins and just 13 in the three losses.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Houston's rotation. Nene averaged 17.9 minutes a game in the team's first nine playoff games, and at 6-foot-11 and 250-pounds he was a strong inside presence to help deal with Pau Gasol and Aldridge. It will be interesting to see if D'Antoni employs the seven-man rotation on Thursday or if he gives second-year players Sam Dekker or Montrezl Harrell a chance to contribute. At 6-8 Harrell is undersized to play center, but his athleticism helped him excel when he was getting consistent playing time midway through the regular season.

INJURY UPDATE: Leonard (ankle) is listed as questionable after he did not play in overtime in Game 5.

PRESSURE IS ON: Both teams. The Spurs will have to win in Houston for the second time this series to avoid a Game 7 in San Antonio. Houston has to have a victory in Game 6 to keep alive their hopes of reaching the conference finals for the second time in three years.

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs' Leonard to play in Game 6
May 10, 2017

San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard said he expects to play in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night despite a left ankle injury.

However, on Wednesday, the Spurs officially listed him as questionable for the game.

Leonard rolled his ankle with 5:37 left in the third quarter on Tuesday night and played half of the fourth period but did not take the court for overtime of the Spurs' 110-107 home win to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

"Yeah, I'm going to be able to play," Leonard said after the game. "It was frustrating because I wanted to play. But I was happy seeing my teammates out there putting in a good effort and getting the win."

Leonard suffered the injury when he came down on the foot of Houston's James Harden while turning to run up the court. Leonard limped back to the bench during the next stoppage in play and re-entered the game but did not score after a layup with 1:59 to play in the third quarter.

The 25-year-old Leonard still led the Spurs with 22 points and 15 rebounds. He is averaging 27.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists during the postseason.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Leonard asked to stay in the game but the staff made the decision to pull him.

"He's had issues, and you could tell just before he took a couple of shots he jumped off one foot," Popovich said Tuesday night. "He didn't want to come out, obviously. We let him play a little while just to see what he was going to be like, but it was obvious that he couldn't go. So I think everybody else picked it up very well."

Game 6 is Thursday in Houston and the winner of the series will take on the Golden State Warriors in the West finals.

"It's going to be tough. They're a great offensive team," Leonard said of Game 6. "They're a bunch of competitive guys. They play great at home. It's going to be tough. It's going to be about taking care of the ball, playing confident and trying to minimize our mistakes."