Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 01:21 PM

NBA

Wednesday, April 12

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NEW YORK
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Philadelphia is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing New York
New York is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

8:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Brooklyn's last 13 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. MEMPHIS
Dallas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Memphis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Minnesota's last 16 games
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Houston's last 12 games when playing Minnesota
Houston is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Minnesota

8:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
Boston is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Boston is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. CLEVELAND
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. ORLANDO
Detroit is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Orlando's last 22 games at home

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. MIAMI
Washington is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Washington's last 22 games
Miami is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games on the road
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Indiana is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
Indiana is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Atlanta

8:00 PM
DENVER vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Denver is 2-9-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Denver's last 8 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games

9:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. UTAH
San Antonio is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games when playing San Antonio
Utah is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Antonio

10:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PORTLAND
New Orleans is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
New Orleans is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Portland's last 12 games

10:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. LA CLIPPERS
Sacramento is 4-18 SU in their last 22 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 10 games
LA Clippers are 18-4 SU in their last 22 games when playing Sacramento
LA Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Sacramento

10:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 11 of the LA Lakers last 16 games when playing on the road against Golden State
LA Lakers are 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Golden State's last 16 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Golden State is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 01:22 PM

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, April 12

New Orleans @ Portland

Game 723-724
April 12, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
113.147
Portland
131.676
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 18 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 12 1/2
211
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-12 1/2); Under

San Antonio @ Utah

Game 721-722
April 12, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
119.668
Utah
125.713
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 6
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 4
189 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(-4); Over

Washington @ Miami

Game 717-718
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
118.750
Miami
123.796
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 5
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 9 1/2
206
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+9 1/2); Under

Toronto @ Cleveland

Game 707-708
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
124.135
Cleveland
117.366
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 7
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 4 1/2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-4 1/2); Under

Denver @ Oklahoma City

Game 705-706
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
121.995
Oklahoma City
122.142
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
Even
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 4
220
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+4); Under

Sacramento @ LA Clippers

Game 727-728
April 12, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
111.782
LA Clippers
134.356
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 22 1/2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 15
211 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-15); Over

LA Lakers @ Golden State

Game 725-726
April 12, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
120.121
Golden State
129.640
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 14
222 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+14); Under

Brooklyn @ Chicago

Game 719-720
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
110.251
Chicago
129.651
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 19 1/2
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 13 1/2
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-13 1/2); Over

Philadelphia @ New York

Game 715-716
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
115.213
New York
110.781
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 4 1/2
200
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 2
203
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-2); Under

Detroit @ Orlando

Game 713-714
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
116.933
Orlando
116.028
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
by 2
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+2); Under

Milwaukee @ Boston

Game 711-712
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
108.749
Boston
125.231
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 16 1/2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 13 1/2
207
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-13 1/2); Over

Atlanta @ Indiana

Game 709-710
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
118.194
Indiana
124.558
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 6 1/2
197
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 13
202 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+13); Under

Dallas @ Memphis

Game 703-704
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
117.157
Memphis
117.773
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 1
188
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 8
194
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(+8); Under

Minnesota @ Houston

Game 701-702
April 12, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
114.694
Houston
125.224
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 10 1/2
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 8
227
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-8); Under

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 01:23 PM

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, April 12

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MINNESOTA (31 - 50) at HOUSTON (54 - 27) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 36-45 ATS (-13.5 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 359-420 ATS (-103.0 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
HOUSTON is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 44-31 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 7-3 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 9-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (32 - 49) at MEMPHIS (43 - 38) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 48-33 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 378-311 ATS (+35.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 481-405 ATS (+35.5 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 127-94 ATS (+23.6 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 193-154 ATS (+23.6 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
DALLAS is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 264-216 ATS (+26.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 6-5 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (39 - 42) at OKLAHOMA CITY (47 - 34) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-1 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (50 - 31) at CLEVELAND (51 - 30) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 9-7 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 11-5 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (43 - 38) at INDIANA (41 - 40) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in April games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games after scoring 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 46-32 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) against Central division opponents this season.
ATLANTA is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) after allowing 90 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 78-55 ATS (+17.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 5-4 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 6-3 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MILWAUKEE (42 - 39) at BOSTON (52 - 29) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 36-45 ATS (-13.5 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 360-432 ATS (-115.2 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 127-93 ATS (+24.7 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 5-4 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 5-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (37 - 44) at ORLANDO (28 - 53) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) in road games this season.
DETROIT is 14-32 ATS (-21.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game since 1996.
ORLANDO is 32-48 ATS (-20.8 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
ORLANDO is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in home games this season.
ORLANDO is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in the second half of the season this season.
ORLANDO is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after allowing 115 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-3 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 7-3 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (28 - 53) at NEW YORK (30 - 51) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 48-32 ATS (+12.8 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 8-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (49 - 32) at MIAMI (40 - 41) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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BROOKLYN (20 - 61) at CHICAGO (40 - 41) - 4/12/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) in road games after a division game since 1996.
CHICAGO is 31-45 ATS (-18.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 0-11 ATS (-12.1 Units) in home games after allowing 90 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 51-72 ATS (-28.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 6-4 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-3 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (61 - 20) at UTAH (50 - 31) - 4/12/2017, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 6-4 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 7-3 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (33 - 48) at PORTLAND (41 - 40) - 4/12/2017, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 7-3 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 7-3 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA LAKERS (26 - 55) at GOLDEN STATE (66 - 15) - 4/12/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 73-87 ATS (-22.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 154-126 ATS (+15.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 142-116 ATS (+14.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 82-60 ATS (+16.0 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 123-90 ATS (+24.0 Units) in April games since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 6-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 8-3 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (32 - 49) at LA CLIPPERS (50 - 31) - 4/12/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) after scoring 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 16-27 ATS (-13.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 6-5 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 01:25 PM

Wednesday's NBA Essentials
April 12, 2017

Game of the Night - Eastern Conference Clashes, 8:05 PM

By beating the Hornets on Tuesday in a game that was never in doubt, the Hawks sapped a lot of the drama out of tonight's festivities. Atlanta will be the No. 5 seed, which means they're likely to rest regulars on the second night of a back-to-back in Indiana.

The problem with that is Chicago and Miami would both really appreciate a Pacers loss. In a three-way tie breaker, between those teams, Indiana would be eliminated. The Bulls could be the No. 7 seed if they end up even with the Pacers, while the Heat need either of those teams to lose and a home victory over Washington to get in at 41-41.

Paul Millsap has played only four games since missing eight with a knee injury that nearly sabotaged the team's season, helping the Hawks to a 3-1 record. He sat on the second night of the only back-to-back since his return and figures to be inactive. Center Dwight Howard and point guard Dennis Schroder sat that night too, so it wouldn't be suprising to see Mike Budenholzer give his three most important players the night off. Kent Bazemore has been dealing with a knee bone bruise, so sitting him would be worth looking at too. Thabo Sefolosha just returned from an eight-game absence due to a groin strain against Charlotte and is hoping to play to work out the rust, so he could be in the mix. Still, it's likely that the Pacers will have a backup-filled opponent to vanquish as they look to end the regular season with their fifth straight win, earning them the No. 7 seed.

That would likely set up a Paul George-LeBron James matchup we haven't seen since the 2014 Eastern Conference finals that wrapped up in Miami. Cleveland, barring a LeBron-less win over Toronto and a Celtics loss to a Bucks team that plans to rest All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, will be the No. 2 seed. It still hasn't been determined whether Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love will play since they've had knee issues over the last few issues, but James is citing a calf strain as the reason for his absence and preparing for the postseason. Tristan Thompson has missed four consecutive games due to a thumb sprain that ended his Ironman streak at 447 games, but he's been cleared to return and will play to build up a little rhythm before the weekend.

It remains to be seen whether Toronto will go all out effort-wise, having already set a franchise record for victories with 50. The plan is to dress everyone and get a win in Game No. 82 as they look to sustain a rhythm, but the game won't change anything from a seeding standpoint. Although beating the Cavs would help avoid a season sweep and tie them for the second-best record in the East, the Raptors would lose the tie-breaker since they've dropped the first three games in the series.

Although beating the visiting Raps without James is certainly possible, Cleveland also needs Milwaukee to pull off a short-handed upset over the Celtics in order to climb into the No. 1 spot. In addition to grounding the Greek Freak, the Bucks also excused Khris Middleton, Matthew Dellavedova and Tony Snell from flying into Boston. They'll all be in action at Toronto this weekend in the 3-6 pairing.

Stranger things have happened, but the Celtics are looking to improve to 30-11 at home, don't plan on resting anyone and value the top seed since they know they can use any edge they can get against a Cavs team that won three of four during the regular season.

Boston's likely first-round opponent looks to be Chicago, which only needs to defeat Brooklyn at home to guarantee itself a playoff berth after missing out last year for the first time in eight seasons. A Bulls win would also help avoid the first sub-.500 season since 2007-08 and everyone but point guard Rajon Rondo (wrist) is expected to play.

Brooklyn has made itself no friends in South Florida by announcing that it will sit six players in the season finale, including veterans Brook Lopez, Jeremy Lin, Trevor Booker and Quincy Acy. The Nets, one of the two largest underdogs (+15) on the regular season's final day, will ride young guards Spencer Dinwiddie, Isaiah Whitehead and Archie Goodwin in addition to forwards Caris LeVert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, K.J. McDaniels, Andrew Nicholson and Justin Hamilton. Dinwiddie, LeVert and Hollis-Jefferson combined for 54 points, 20 boards and eight assists in Saturday's 107-106 upset of the Bulls, shooting 18-for-28. It remains to be seen whether they can come close to duplicating those numbers without Lopez and Lin to command attention.

Miami will face a Wizards team that it beat in D.C. this weekend to help extend its season. Hassan Whiteside scored 30 points in the 106-103 win and has been on a tear, but Washington may opt not to rest players despite being locked into the No. 4 seed. Starters John Wall (quad) and Otto Porter (back) have already missed time and may want to get back in a rhythm, while Bradley Beal expressed an interest in playing because winning 50 games for the first time since 1979, having already become the winningest Wizards team since they stopped being the Bullets 20 years ago.

Nothing has come easy for the overachieving Heat all season, so writing them off would be a mistake given the obstacles they've already overcome. Miami can avoid its second losing season in the three years since James left town by improbably finishing at .500 following an 11-30 start. Unfortunately, the Heat have put themselves in position where they need help that isn't likely to come. Boston swept them 4-0 in the regular-season series, but the games were all competitive.

Season Win Totals Decided

The Celtics could make their fans and backers awfully happy by securing the No. 1 seed with a win over the Bucks since it would help them eclipse their projected season win total of 52.5. Those who faded can't be happy that the Bucks left so much talent behind in Milwaukee.

The Raptors won 50 games for the first time in their history, but still need one more to cash for their backers. It's good news for over-backers that head coach Dwane Casey is dressing everyone and the Cavs aren't, but winning in Cleveland is never easy. A victory at the Q would wrap up the NBA's second-best home record behind Golden State. A Toronto win would tie Boston for the East's top road mark.

Speaking of the Warriors, they'll be looking to cash tickets for believers who waited for the initial number following the Kevin Durant signing to come down from 68.5 to the number it settled at, 66.5. Golden State needs one more win to get to 67-15 and are expected to play Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson together for the first time since Feb. 28. Draymond Green and Andre Iguoldala will rest and there's no guarantee that Steve Kerr will play starters more than token minutes, but there should still be enough firepower in place to help end the Lakers' improbable five-game winning streak that they haven't really wanted any part of since it may cost them a lottery pick. L.A. chased its over with a rout over the Pelicans last night despite Metta World Peace leading the team with 18 points on 17 shots.

The Grizzlies are also favored to eclipse their projected win total with Dallas in town. The Mavericks lost at home to Denver on Tuesday and won't play Dirk Nowitzki or J.J. Barea after both started yesterday. Harrison Barnes and Wes Matthews rested in the loss, so they could be available here. Memphis may not rest players but has already begun preparations for its upcoming with the series with the Spurs, making a win no sure thing. The Griz have lost eight of 11, so not coming up with a win to notch the over would be a rough beat for backers.

Two more teams will either equal their expected win totals or come up one short. Atlanta would need to pull off its short-handed upset in Indianapolis to reach the 44-win mark that was expected of it.

Sacramento routed Phoenix on Tuesday to put itself in position to equal the 33 wins oddsmakers forecasted, avoiding 50 losses for the fouth straight season and seventh time in eight years. The only year they didn't lose 50 came in the strike-shortened '11-'12 season, so the Kings have already won more games than they've managed since going 38-44 in '08. Unfortunately, they're Wednesday's largest underdog, getting 16 at the Clippers. L.A. needs the game to guarantee its 4-5 series against the Jazz starts at Staples Center instead of Salt Lake City.

Utah needs to beat a full-strength Spurs squad and then have Sacramento upset the Clips in order to claim the No. 4 seed. Despite the long odds, the Jazz are playing Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Rodney Hood and George Hill, who have all been in and out of the fold the last few weeks. That should make their matchup with San Antonio perhaps the night's most watchable since a dress rehearsal feel could yield quality play.

Injury/Rest Concerns

We touched on this topics in the matchups above, but there are still a few more situations worth addressing.

There won't be many games like the Spurs-Jazz that will feature both teams playing their best guys, but Timberwolves-Rockets may be one of them. James Harden will make one last argument in his case for MVP and will be joined by anti-rest advocate Patrick Beverley (shoulder) in the backcourt. Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon and Nene have all been in and out of the mix down the stretch but look to be available as Mike D'Antoni seeks rhythm entering the Thunder series. Minnesota lost to OKC on Tuesday night but are unlikely to pull back for the finale. Tom Thibodeau is true to his nature.

Russell Westbrook isn't a lock to play for OKC against Denver, so check prior to tip-off for a determination. Doug McDermott (knee) sat against the Wolves and is unlikely to play, while Taj Gibson and Andre Roberson joined Westbrook in resting and may take another night off to ensure they're fresh. The Nuggets rolled in Dallas despite shelving Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried, Will Barton and Jameer Nelson the rest of the way. Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) may return tonight, but Michael Malone may just disperse minutes evenly as he did last night. Denver could earn a 40th win in a season for the first time since '13.

The Knicks won't have Carmelo Anthony or Kristaps Porzingis in the final home game of the season, which is why the 76ers have been installed as a road favorite at the Garden. Yes, the Phil Jackson era is going swell.

Anthony Davis (knee) and DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles) sat out Tuesday's loss against the Lakers and aren't likely to participate in the finale against the Blazers. E'Twaun Moore also sat with an ankle issue, so the same team that head coach Alvin Gentry chastised for lacking concentration may be out there together again. Veteran Jrue Holiday might escape playing a back-to-back, but the Pels will want to look for more production from Cheikh Diallo, who delivered 19 points and 11 rebounds at L.A. Damian Lillard has already announced his intention to play, and while you shouldn't expect Terry Stotts to play his starters normal minutes, it looks like Portland will have most of its guys out there against New Orleans.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 01:29 PM

What's at stake for winners - and losers - in NBA finale
April 12, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) For some teams, it's win and they're in.

For others, winning is the worst thing they can do Wednesday.

The last night of the NBA regular season isn't just about playoff spots. It's also about lottery seeds, the final chance to lock up the best odds possible for landing a high pick in what's considered a deep draft.

The Boston Celtics, with a victory over Milwaukee, will clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they've already got the top spot for next month's lottery. The Brooklyn Nets will finish with the league's worst record, and their 25 percent chance of winning the lottery goes to Boston as part of the ongoing payment of the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett trade three years ago.

But other teams have been doing their best - or worst, rather - to fall down the standings with curious lineups and questionable strategies. Commissioner Adam Silver has noticed the tanking going on and said last week it's a serious issue for the league.

''Sometimes there are opportunities to give other players on the roster additional minutes,'' he said. ''But there's no question there's also a certain amount of jockeying that's going on there as teams look to go into the draft.''

One of them is Phoenix (24-58), which wrapped up the second-worst record in the league Tuesday having already shut down starters Eric Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler a while ago. Charlotte is also finished, but the other 28 teams will be in action one more time.

And with respect to the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, who would clinch the final two playoff spots with victories, in some other games there might be more at stake for the team that loses.

A look at some games that matter:

ATLANTA AT INDIANA

BROOKLYN AT CHICAGO

The Pacers and Bulls are playoff-bound with victories and they should get some help from their opponents. The Hawks have nothing to play for after being locked into the No. 5 seed when they beat Charlotte on Tuesday, and the Nets have already announced they'll rest Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin along with some injured players.

Miami is still alive and needs a victory over Washington along with help.

TORONTO AT CLEVELAND

The Raptors are locked into the third seed, while the Cavaliers can still be No. 1 with a victory and a Boston loss.

It that happened, Toronto could avoid the champs until the conference finals. Beat them Wednesday, and the Raptors are guaranteed to see them one round sooner.

PHILADELPHIA AT NEW YORK

One of the only things Phil Jackson has gotten right while running the Knicks is drafting Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4 two years ago. New York has its first-round pick for the first time since then and currently has the sixth-worst record, but a victory and the Knicks risk drafting around No. 10 if they were to fall backward the maximum three spots in the lottery.

The 76ers are tied with Orlando for the fourth-worst record.

DETROIT AT ORLANDO

Nobody celebrates their lottery luck like the Magic, who have pingpong balls in their trophy case in recognition of wins in 1992, '93 and 2004. But it's easier to be lucky from No. 4 than No. 5, so another loss couldn't hurt. Orlando looks capable of one after losing by a franchise-record 47 points to Chicago on Monday.

SAN ANTONIO AT UTAH

SACRAMENTO AT THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

A Clippers win or a Jazz loss and their first-round series starts in Los Angeles. Utah needs to win and have the Clippers lose to seize the No. 4 seed.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-12-2017, 06:40 PM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at MIA 08:00 PM

WAS +11.0

ATL at IND 08:00 PM

ATL +14.5

DEN at OKC 08:00 PM

DEN +4.5

BK at CHI 08:00 PM

O 211.5

MIN at HOU 08:00 PM

HOU -8.0

DAL at MEM 08:00 PM

U 190.0

DET at ORL 08:00 PM

DET +2.0

MIL at BOS 08:00 PM

U 205.0

TOR at CLE 08:00 PM

TOR -1.5

PHI at NY 08:00 PM

U 205.0

SA at UTA 09:00 PM

SA +4.0

U 192.0

SAC at LAC 10:30 PM

SAC +16.0

NO at POR 10:30 PM

POR -7.5

LAL at GS 10:30 PM

LAL +13.5

O 221.5

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:20 PM

NBA Capsules
April 12, 2017

BOSTON (AP) Gerald Green scored 18 points, 10 of them in a 25-2 fourth-quarter run, and the Boston Celtics beat the resting Milwaukee Bucks 112-94 in the regular-season finale on Wednesday night to claim the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Celtics were assured of home-court advantage through the conference finals when Cleveland lost to Toronto minutes before the game ended.

Despite playing without star Giannis Antetokounmpo and two other starters, the Bucks led by as many as 13 points before Boston ran off 14 of the last 16 points in the first half. Isaiah Thomas, who was scoreless until then, had 10 of them, including eight straight.

Thomas finished with 13 points and eight assists, but he went to the bench with late in the third quarter and sat out the fourth as the Celtics backups pulled away.

RAPTORS 98, CAVALIERS 83

CLEVELAND (AP) - Jonas Valanciunas made his first career 3-pointer and the Toronto Raptors closed the regular season with a win over the Cavaliers, who didn't play their ''Big 3'' All-Stars so they're playoff ready.

Norman Powell scored 25 points as the Raptors beat the Cavs for the first time in four tries this season and gave the defending champions something to think about if they meet in the postseason. Cleveland took Toronto down in six games in last year's Eastern Conference finals.

Although there was still a chance to secure the No. 1 seed in the East, the Cavs put more value on rest and sat LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Cleveland fell to 0-4 in games this season without the trio and 0-8 minus James.

The Cavs did get forward Tristan Thompson back after he missed four games with a sprained right thumb. Wearing a brace that he'll sport in the playoffs, Thompson scored 10 points in 18 minutes.

BULLS 112, NETS 73

CHICAGO (AP) - Jimmy Butler scored 25 points, and the Bulls beat the depleted Nets in the regular-season finale to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Paul Zipser added a career-high 21 points off the bench as Chicago took advantage of a short-handed Brooklyn lineup to secure its first playoff appearance under coach Fred Hoiberg.

On Tuesday, the Nets, owners of the worst record in the league, announced Trevor Booker, Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez would be out due to rest, while Quincy Acy (ankle), Joe Harris (shoulder) and Sean Kilpatrick (hamstring) because of injuries.

HEAT 110, WIZARDS 102

MIAMI (AP) - Goran Dragic scored 28 points, Hassan Whiteside added 24 points and 18 rebounds, and the Heat defeated the Wizards while being eliminated from the NBA playoffs.

Miami needed a win, and either a loss by Indiana or Chicago, to reach the postseason. But Indiana downed Atlanta to clinch the No. 7 seed, and Chicago topped Brooklyn to grab the No. 8 spot.

Willie Reed scored 16, Josh Richardson had 15 and James Johnson scored 12 for Miami.

Trey Burke scored 27 for Washington, while Sheldon McClellan had 18, Marcin Gortat added 16 and Otto Porter Jr. finished with 11.

The Wizards played without starters John Wall, Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris, all resting up for Game 1 of their first-round series against Atlanta this weekend.

Washington started the season 2-8, and ended up with the No. 4 seed in the East.

PACERS 104, HAWKS 86

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Paul George finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds, Jeff Teague added 19 points and the Pacers clinched a playoff spot, beating Atlanta.

The Pacers completed the regular season on a five-game winning streak to earn the Eastern Conference's No. 7 seed. They will face Cleveland in the opening round.

Ersan Ilyasova scored 15 points and Jose Calderon had 12 on a night the Hawks rested five of their top six players. Thabo Sefolosha played 23 minutes but didn't score as Atlanta to keep four-game winning streak ended.

Indiana took advantage of the backups by pulling out to a 22-15 lead after one quarter and starting the third quarter on a 9-2 run to turn a seven-point into a 59-45 cushion. The Hawks never seriously challenged again.

KNICKS 114, 76ERS 113

NEW YORK (AP) - Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points after deciding to play in what could be his final game with the Knicks, and New York beat the 76ers.

Anthony had missed the previous two games with a sore left knee and wasn't expected to play Wednesday, but told Jeff Hornacek he wanted to go. He played 23 minutes, sitting out the final quarter while a couple of ''We want Melo! We want Melo!'' chants broke out.

The Knicks finished 31-51 in another dysfunctional and disappointing season that started with promise, but became a sideshow after a disconnect between team president Phil Jackson and Anthony led to trade rumors that engulfed the team.

ROCKETS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 118

HOUSTON (AP) - James Harden had his 22nd triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Rockets wrap up the regular season with a victory over the Timberwolves.

The MVP contender became the first player in NBA history to finish the regular season with at least 2,000 points (2,356), 900 assists (907) and 600 rebounds (659).

The Rockets had a 12-point lead after a 3-point play by Patrick Beverley with about nine minutes left. Minnesota cut into the lead with a 6-2 spurt before Houston got consecutive 3-pointers from Harden and Eric Gordon to extend the lead to 113-99 midway through the quarter.

Harden, who also had four steals and a block, found Clint Capela on an alley-oop dunk after that, before hitting another 3-pointer to make it 118-99 and spur Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau to call a timeout.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 28 points and 21 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who end the season with a six-game losing streak. Towns also made NBA history by becoming the only player to have at least 2,000 points (2,061), 1,000 rebounds (1,007) and 100 3-pointers (101) in a season.

MAVERICKS 100, GRIZZLIES 93

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Nicolas Brussino and Devin Harris each scored 15 points and the Mavericks snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over the Grizzlies.

The Mavericks won despite leaving starters Dirk Nowitzki, Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews at home. Reserve guard J.J. Barea, averaging 10.9 points, also remained in Dallas as coach Rick Carlisle opted to use his younger players in the regular-season finale.

Memphis, the seventh seed in the Western Conference, was led by Mike Conley and Zach Randolph, who scored 15 points each. Marc Gasol added 13 points.

NUGGETS 111, THUNDER 105

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook got an MVP endorsement from Oscar Robertson before the game. The Thunder guard only played the first half of Oklahoma City's loss to Denver.

Westbrook broke Robertson's single-season record for triple-doubles by getting his 42nd on Sunday against Denver. Robertson endorsed Westbrook for the Most Valuable Player award during a pregame ceremony on Wednesday.

He was on pace for another triple-double at halftime with eight assists, five points and five rebounds in 18 minutes before coach Billy Donovan decided to rest him for the second half.

Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets, who beat the Thunder for the first time in four tries this season.

Jerami Grant and Taj Gibson each scored 13 points for the Thunder, who will play the Houston Rockets in the playoffs.

MAGIC 113, PISTONS 109.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Aaron Gordon had 32 points and 12 rebounds, Elfrid Payton scored 21 points and the Magic overcame a late-run by Detroit to win their season-finale.

The Magic, who led by as many as 21 points in the first quarter, allowed the Pistons to surge ahead in the fourth quarter in a game matching two non-playoff teams. But Orlando made enough plays behind Payton and Gordon to avoid yet another disheartening loss as the season closed.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith both scored 20 points each to lead Detroit.

In game in which both teams played many of their reserves major minutes, the Pistons outscored Orlando in the second, third and fourth quarters but their 21-point first-quarter deficit proved difficult to overcome.

JAZZ 101, SPURS 97

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Gordon Hayward scored 14 and the Utah Jazz held on for a 101-97 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

Utah will face the Clippers in the opening round of the playoffs. Los Angeles earned the four-seed and has homecourt.

The win was a season-best ninth straight at home, the longest streak for the Jazz since 2012.

Hayward was an efficient 7 for 9 from the field while Rudy Gobert, George Hill and Shelvin Mack all finished with 13 for the Jazz.

LaMarcus Aldridge paced the Spurs with 18 points and Kawhi Leonard added 14. San Antonio faces Memphis in the playoffs.

CLIPPERS 115, KINGS 95

LOS ANGELES (AP) - DeAndre Jordan had 18 points and 17 rebounds, and the Clippers defeated the Kings to clinch the No. 4 seed in the West and home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Clippers and Utah Jazz will meet in the first round starting this weekend. The teams finished with similar 51-31 records, but the Clippers held the tiebreaker, having won the season series 3-1.

Los Angeles heads into the playoffs with momentum, having won seven in a row for the NBA's longest active streak.

J.J. Redick added 18 points for the Clippers, who needed a victory to gain home court after the Jazz beat San Antonio earlier in the evening. All five starters scored in double figures for Los Angeles.

WARRIORS 109, LAKERS 94

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Kevin Durant had 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists in his final playoff tuneup, and the Warriors beat the Lakers in both teams' final regular-season game.

Stephen Curry added 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the playoff-bound, top-seeded Warriors (67-15), ready for what they're counting on being another deep postseason run.

Klay Thompson scored 12 points as coach Steve Kerr rested Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green.

Jordan Clarkson led all five Lakers starters in double figures with 17 points.

A day after a fierce and fun 3-point shootout following practice, Durant said before the game he hoped to have found his shooting touch after recently missing 19 games with a left knee injury. KD shot 11 for 16 and made 5 of 7 3s, while Curry also hit five from deep.

PELICANS 103, TRAIL BLAZERS 100

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Jordan Crawford had 15 points and the Pelicans snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over the playoff-bound Trail Blazers.

Cheick Diallo had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Pelicans, who finished 34-48 and out of the playoffs for the second straight season.

Shabazz Napier had 25 points for Portland in the loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak. The Blazers, who will face Golden State in the opening round of the playoffs, rested starters Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

The Pelicans pulled ahead 94-93 on Diallo's layup with 4:01 left, then stretched the lead on Crawford's jumper and a 3-pointer.

Meyers Leonard closed the gap to 99-95 for the Blazers with a long jumper. Following free throws, Noah Vonleh's hook shot got the Blazers within 101-100.

Quinn Cook made a pair of free throws for New Orleans before Tim Quarterman missed a pair for Portland on the other end to end it.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:23 PM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Odds to win the US Open in June in Wisconsin

8-1— Dustin Johnson

9-1— Rory McIlroy

10-1— Jordan Spieth

12-1— Jason Day

15-1— Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose

20-1— Jon Rahm

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Some of my favorite movie quotes……

13) “Who’s the u-boat commander?” From Risky Business, when the kid’s father’s Porsche winds up in Lake Michigan, and then in a repair shop to be cleaned up.

12) “I believe in the Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I’ve worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn’t work out between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me. I prefer metaphysics to theology. You see, there’s no guilt in baseball, and it’s never boring.”
Susan Sarandon, from Bull Durham

11) “He’s a great player, but I don’t think we can get him in academically.”
Jerry Tarkanian, playing himself in Blue Chips

10) “In ‘Confessions of a Winning Poker Player,’ Jack King said, ‘Few players recall big pots they have won, strange as it seems, but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career.’ It seems true to me, ‘cause walking in here, I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can’t stop thinking of how I lost it.”
Matt Damon in Rounders

9) “I guess it comes down to a simple choice; get busy living, or get busy dying.”
Tim Robbins from Shawshank Redemption

8) “……Who cares? I’ll tell you. Me. I’m not your best friend. I’m your only friend. I don’t make anything? I’m making you money. And lest we forget, that’s the only reason any of you became stockholders in the first place. You want to make money! You don’t care if they manufacture wire and cable, fried chicken, or grow tangerines!

You want to make money! I’m the only friend you’ve got. I’m making you money. Take the money. Invest it somewhere else. Maybe, maybe you’ll get lucky and it’ll be used productively. And if it is, you’ll create new jobs and provide a service for the economy and, God forbid, even make a few bucks for yourselves.

And if anybody asks, tell ’em ya gave at the plant. And by the way, it pleases me that I am called “Larry the Liquidator.” You know why, fellow stockholders? Because at my funeral, you’ll leave with a smile on your face and a few bucks in your pocket. Now that’s a funeral worth having!”
Danny DeVito, in Other People’s Money

7) “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great.” Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own

6) “You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.” Jack Nicholson, from A Few Good Men

5) “Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship with yourself, your family and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could’ve done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman – you’re perfect!”
Billy Bob Thornton in Friday Night Lights

4) “And you know Steve you get the feeling that Billy Chapel isn’t pitching against left handers, he isn’t pitching against pinch hitters, he isn’t pitching against the Yankees. He’s pitching against time. He’s pitching against the future, against age, and even when you think about his career, against ending. And tonight I think he might be able to use that aching old arm one more time to push the sun back up in the sky and give us one more day of summer.”
The great Vin Scully, from For Love of the Game

3) “GOD LIKES ME! HE REALLY, REALLY, LIKES ME! WHAT A DAY! WHAT A FABULOUS DAY!”
Richard Dreyfuss in Let It Ride

2) “You’re a goddamn quarterback! You know what that means? It’s the top spot, kid. It’s the guy who takes the fall. It’s the guy everybody’s looking at first – the leader of a team – who will support you when they understand you. Who will break their ribs and their noses and their necks for you, because they believe. ‘Cause you make them believe. That’s a quarterback.”
Al Pacino, from Any Given Sunday

1) “Do whats in your heart, son. You’ll be fine.”
Robin Williams, from Good Will Hunting

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:24 PM

First Round Playoff Trends
April 13, 2017

With help from our trusted well-oiled database, let’s examine a handful of time-tested proven theories that have lined our pockets during the opening round of playoffs since 1991. Here is what the machine has to say.

No. 8 Seeds Are Behind The 8-Ball

For the most part, No. 8 seeds in the NBA playoffs (the Chicago Bulls and the Portland Trail Blazers this season) are teams that likely scratched and clawed their way into the post-season. Not good enough to be seriously considered threats against top-seeded opponents but just barely better than the dregs of the league.

Rest assured, their life expectancy is not long at all, as they’ve lost over 71% of time (56-146 SU) in games against No. 1 seeds since 1996. In fact, only the 1996 New York Knicks, the 2007 Golden State Warriors and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers were good enough to pull the rug on top seeded foes and advance to Round Two of the playoff.

And you can virtually write them off in games against No. 1 seeds that are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins. These guys scratch out of the match with alarming regularity, going 4-27 SU and 10-21 ATS, including 0-17 SU and 3-14 ATS whenever the 8-ballers are off a spread loss of 4 or more points in their last game. Be aware.

Upset Losers Are Winners

Yes, you read that right... it’s not an oxymoron. Instead, it’s a powerful handicapping edge. It occurs whenever a team was upset as a favorite in an opening round game and is at home in the game immediately thereafter.

That’s confirmed by the fact that they are 94-25 SU and 71-44-4 ATS, a rock solid number 61.7 winning spread angle. And if these upset victims happen to be a No. 1, 2, or 3 seed they are a jaw-dropping 50-6 SU and 37-17-2 ATS in these follow-up affairs.

Don’t be afraid of these chalkbusters. That’s because they don’t lose their composure. Instead they almost always dig down deep and respond with aplomb in games after being embarrassed.

Double-Digit Dogma

Surprisingly, in the right role, double-digit underdogs do well in opening round contests, especially when playing off a playoff loss. These overweight puppies are 35-20-2 ATS in this role.

And if these same guys lost as a double-digit dog in their last game they zoom to 26-12-1 ATS, including 18-5 ATS against non-division foes.

Granted, these dogs are not exactly pedigree puppies but the fact of the matter is they tend to come up big against disinterested favorites not capable of chopping heavy lumber.

And Down Goes Frazier

The psyche of teams that are not playing well comes immediately to the surface during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. That’s evidenced by the fact that teams riding a three game-exact loss skein are wobbly and oftentimes one punch away from being counted out.

With glass-like jaws, these swirling teams are just 47-65 SU and 47-61-4 ATS away from home this round, including 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS in lid-lifters.

Worst of all, road dogs of more than six points on a three game exact losing skid are 3-29 SU and 10-22 ATS on their way to the canvas.

And just an FYI: teams that lose the first three games in an opening round series are just 12-23 SU and 13-19-3 ATS in Game Fours, including 6-15-2 ATS as dogs of four or more points.

Trending

Defending champions (the Cleveland Cavaliers in this case) are 78-34 SU and 62-46-4 ATS overall in opening round games the next season, including 17-8 SU and 16-8-1 ATS in Game One of Round One the following season.

Furthermore, they are 13-3-1 ATS following a double-digit loss during opening round games, and also a spotless 8-0 ATS when taking more than five points in this round.

Enjoy the opening round of the 2017 NBA playoffs.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:26 PM

NBA playoff primer: Everyone chasing Warriors
April 13, 2017

Among the certainties of life these days: Death, taxes and the Golden State Warriors as favorites to win the NBA championship.

At least that's the way it seems to the 15 teams that join the Warriors in the playoffs, which begin Saturday with four first-round games.

Over the past three years, Golden State averaged 69 regular-season victories, won an NBA championship (2015) and lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers after taking a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals (2016).

For the third consecutive year, the Warriors will enter the postseason as the team to beat.

"Right now, Golden State is the best team on the planet," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "OK, fine. Let's all go try to beat them. Let's see if somebody can beat them. Portland has the first crack, and (the Blazers) will give it everything they have."

A look at the eight first-round matchups:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls

Boston comes into the playoffs as the surprise top seed in the East, and the Celtics are brimming with confidence. "These are the playoffs that I've looked forward to the most since I've been in this league," said center Al Horford, a 10-year veteran who was in the playoffs eight times with Atlanta. "I feel very strongly about this group. I can't wait for us to get started."

Chicago split four regular-season meetings with Boston and climbed into the playoffs by winning seven of its last nine games. The Bulls' point guard, Rajon Rondo, is laboring with a sprained wrist, but backup Jerian Grant has been "terrific," in the opinion of coach Fred Hoiberg, as the replacement down the stretch of the season.

The Celtics finished the season hot, too, going 9-3 in their final 12 games. Now they look to get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Our pick: Celtics in six.

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Indiana Pacers

Even as Cleveland stumbled down the stretch, losing its last four and finishing 4-7 over the final 11 games, there is little reason to believe the defending NBA champions are in trouble.

The Big Three -- LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love -- are healthy and ready to go. Center Tristan Thompson, who missed four late-season games due to a sore thumb, is back. The bench goes 11-deep, with midseason acquisitions Deron Williams, Derrick Williams and Kyle Korver adding punch to the reserve corps.

The Cavaliers took three of four regular-season meetings with Indiana, which has been the streakiest team in the league this season. The Pacers finished the season 5-0 after losing four straight before that.

Paul George has been sensational of late, averaging 33 points in April to help Indiana secure a postseason berth. Even with George at his best, the Pacers are in over their heads against the Cavs.

Our pick: Cavaliers in five.

(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

Toronto is hot at the right time, having won 12 of its final 14 games. Guard DeMar DeRozan is on fire, having scored at least 35 points six times in his past dozen games.

The Raptors won two of three against the Bucks this season, and Toronto has prevailed in 12 of the past 13 meetings. The Raptors' playoff experience a year ago -- reaching the Eastern Conference finals, where they fell to Cleveland in six games -- should be valuable for this postseason.

Milwaukee played well the last six weeks, going 16-7. The Bucks' hopes rest largely on the shoulders of 6-foot-11 point forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, at 22 already one of the premier players in the league. The "Greek Freak" averages 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists. He must produce a big series for Milwaukee to advance.

Our pick: Raptors in six.

(4) Washington Wizards vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

Washington was up and down over the past month, closing the season 8-9. However, the Wizards have proved to be one of the top teams in the East, rivaling Toronto for the best backcourt in the conference with John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Washington guard duo combine to average nearly 44 points a game, and Wall is among the top assists men in the league.

The Wizards took three of four games from the Hawks during the season.

Atlanta survived a seven-game losing streak in March and goes into the playoffs with wins in four of the past five. The Hawks are perhaps the most balanced offensive team in the postseason, with six players averaging double-figure scoring -- led by power forward Paul Millsap's 18.1 points per game.

Our pick: Wizards in five.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers

The teams have played often over the past two seasons, including last year's Western Conference semifinals, which Golden State won in five games. The Warriors have ruled in 11 of the 13 matchups, sweeping all four games this season.

First-year Warrior Kevin Durant feasted against Portland this season, shooting 60 percent while averaging 29.3 points and 7.8 rebounds. Durant missed 19 games from late February to early April with a knee injury, returning for the Warriors' final three games.

The Blazers finished the season with a flourish, winning 17 of their last 23 games. Portland hopes to regain the services of center Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the final seven games with a non-displaced fracture of his right leg. After coming over in a trade from Denver, Nurkic helped the Blazers to 14 wins in 20 games. The Blazers must get plenty of production from guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who average 50 points between them.

Our pick: Warriors in six.

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Memphis Grizzlies

Neither team enters the playoffs on a roll. San Antonio lost four of its last five games. Memphis has lost nine of the last 12, including setbacks to New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers.

San Antonio and Memphis split four regular-season meetings.

The Spurs have regained the services of starting shooting guard Danny Green, who missed five late-season games with a quad injury.

Memphis is in the playoffs for the seventh straight season. These Grizzlies are a veteran group, with a nucleus -- center Marc Gasol, guards Michael Conley and Tony Allen and reserve power forward Zach Randolph -- that has played together for several seasons.

Our pick: Spurs in five.

(3) Houston Rockets vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder

The series features the two leading candidates to claim this year's Most Valuable Player Award: Houston's James Harden and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.

The Rockets enjoyed a renaissance under first-year coach Mike D'Antoni, who has injected energy into the offense and connected well with Harden. Houston was hit with some injuries through the latter part of the season, but the Rockets will have their full rotation available to open the playoffs.

This series will feature a battle of "bigs," with Houston's rising Clint Capela and Nene taking on Oklahoma City's formidable pair of Steven Adams and Enes Kanter. Adams is the tough guy and defender, and Kanter the rebounder and scorer off the bench. Harden and Westbrook both will have their big moments, but it may be the supporting casts that decide this series.

Our pick: Rockets in six.

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Utah Jazz

The Clippers enter the playoffs on a roll, having won seven in a row and 11 of their last 13 regular-season outings. They may be without key reserve Austin Rivers, however. The backup shooting guard, the son of coach Doc Rivers, missed the past six games with a hamstring injury.

The Clippers have a veteran and versatile starting five, with three All-Stars -- point guard Chris Paul, power forward Blake Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan. They beat Utah in three of their four regular-season meetings.

This series features a matchup between perhaps the two premier defensive bigs in the game -- Jordan and Utah center Rudy Gobert.

The Jazz have been dealing with injuries down the stretch to several rotation players, including point guard George Hill, shooting guard Rodney Hood and power forward Derrick Favors. All are expected to be available for the playoffs, and they will be needed.

Our pick: Clippers in seven.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:27 PM

Bulls, Pacers grab last 2 playoff spots
April 12, 2017

Dwyane Wade is going back to the playoffs. The Miami Heat aren't going with him.

The field for the NBA postseason is set, with Wade and the Chicago Bulls claiming one of the last two available spots on the final night of the regular season. The other went to the Indiana Pacers, who downed the Atlanta Hawks.

The Bulls and Pacers winning eliminated the Heat, who finished 41-41 after beating Washington. Miami was 11-30 in the first half of the season, then 30-11 in the second half of the season.

And Wade, in his first season with the Bulls, is going to the playoffs for the 12th time.

''Now the fun begins,'' Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said.

So now the matchups are set.

Boston wrapped up the No. 1 seed with a win over Milwaukee. The Celtics are the sixth different franchise to grab the No. 1 seed in the East in the past six seasons - Chicago did in 2012, followed by Miami, Indiana, Atlanta, Cleveland and now Boston.

The Celtics will meet the Bulls in Round 1.

Defending NBA champion Cleveland gets Indiana in the East first round, and they'll play the first game of the postseason Saturday afternoon. Cavaliers star LeBron James has played in 51 first-round games in his career - and his teams in Cleveland and Miami are 44-7 in those contests.

Only two of the eight first-round matchups were undecided going into Wednesday.

In the Western Conference, No. 1 Golden State will open against No. 8 Portland, No. 2 San Antonio faces No. 7 Memphis, No. 3 Houston gets No. 6 Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz will meet in the last quarterfinal.

Home-court for the Clippers-Jazz series was the last remaining unknown part of the playoff schedule - and it went to the Clippers, who pulled away in the second half to beat Sacramento and lock up No. 4.

In the East, two series were determined before the final night. No. 3 Toronto will play No. 6 Milwaukee, and No. 4 Washington will meet No. 5 Atlanta.

The Indiana-Cleveland, Milwaukee-Toronto, Memphis-San Antonio and Utah-Clippers series will start Saturday. The Atlanta-Washington, Portland-Golden State, Chicago-Boston and Oklahoma City-Houston matchups begin Sunday.

MVP ballots are due to the league office on Friday, so the winner of the projected battle between Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Houston's James Harden for that trophy will be decided before the Thunder-Rockets series starts.

However, the vote count won't be known until the NBA hosts its inaugural awards show in New York on June 26.

The Spurs are in the playoffs for the 20th consecutive year, by far the longest active streak in the NBA. Atlanta is postseason-bound for the 10th straight season, followed by Memphis (7), the Clippers (6) and the Warriors and Rockets (5 each).

There's only one rematch from last year's opening round - that being the Spurs-Grizzlies series, which was also a 2 vs. 7 matchup a year ago. Both teams changed a bit since, with the Spurs no longer having the retired Tim Duncan and the Grizzlies being coached by former Miami assistant David Fizdale.

Detroit, Miami, Charlotte and Dallas made the playoffs last season, and didn't qualify this season.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-13-2017, 02:28 PM

Celtics clinch No. 1 seed in East
April 12, 2017

BOSTON (AP) Isaiah Thomas was able to watch from the bench while the Celtics finished off the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular-season finale.

The Boston star got a little bit of rest - and the No. 1 seed he wanted, too.

''It's very special. For me it is,'' Thomas said after scoring 13 points with eight assists in a 112-94 victory over the resting Bucks on Wednesday night. ''I've never been a No. 1 seed. I'm excited now. But once you get the playoffs, the seedings go out the window.''

Gerald Green scored 18 points, 10 of them in a 25-2 fourth-quarter run that put the game away. A few minutes earlier, Cleveland lost its finale against Toronto to guarantee Boston home-court advantage through the Eastern Conference finals.

The Bulls victory over Brooklyn gave them the eighth seed and a first-round matchup against the Celtics. Game 1 is Sunday night.

The Bucks were already locked into the sixth seed and a first-round matchup with Toronto, allowing them to rest Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tony Snell and Matthew Dellavedova. Spencer Hawes had 15 points in 17 minutes, and Michael Beasley also scored 15 for Milwaukee.

''For three quarters, it was a ballgame. Fatigue got us a little bit,'' said Bucks coach Jason Kidd, who was pleased to come out of the game without any injuries. ''Now we have to turn the page and get ready for Toronto.''

The Celtics, who haven't won a playoff series since 2012, finished the season with a three-game winning streak while Cleveland lost its last four. The defending NBA champions opted not to push for the top seed, resting LeBron James for the last two games.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he noticed the Cleveland score at halftime and decided he would try to get his starters some rest.

''And then I just said, basically, `Let me know if it gets close,''' he said. ''But that wasn't the deciding factor in any moves.''

RUNS

The Bucks led by as many as 13 before Boston ran off 14 of the last 16 points in the first half. Thomas, who was scoreless until then, had 10 of them, including eight straight.

But Thomas was on the bench with eight minutes left in the fourth, with the Celtics trailing 88-87. Green and Avery Bradley had back-to-back dunks, then Kelly Olynyk made a 3-pointer. After a basket by Gary Payton II, the Celtics ran off the next 18 points.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Malcom Brogdon scored 11 points in 24 minutes in his return from a five-game absence due to back soreness. Afterward, he said he was ''100 percent.''

''I think it's going to help me during the playoffs,'' he said. ''I was able to get my rhythm back tonight.''

TRAINER'S ROOM II

Bradley came off the floor shaking his hand in the third quarter, but he was cleared to return.

''I'm just knocking on wood and praying I'm healthy so I can have good playoff series,'' he said.

Stevens said the sight gave him a bit of a scare.

''I would be lying if I didn't say that when he came out with his hands kind of shaking that I didn't start to think about getting some other guys out,'' the coach said.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Antetokounmpo is the first player in NBA history to finish in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in a single season, according to STATS. The NBA didn't start keeping track of blocks or steals until the 1973-74 season.

Celtics: Thomas finished third in the league in total points this season and with the highest per game scoring average in franchise history behind Larry Bird' 29.9 in 1987-88. ... The Celtics finished with the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2008, when they won their NBA-record 17th championship.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-14-2017, 01:17 PM

Handicapping the Playoffs
April 13, 2017

NBA Champions need to be efficient

Efficiency rating and rankings have become the standard measurement of NBA teams and players and if you are not familiar with those numbers, and you’re a sports bettor, you might want to do a little research and get to know what they mean.

Very simply put, Offensive Efficiency (OEFF = points scored per 100 possessions) and Defensive Efficiency (DEFF = points allowed per 100 possessions) are great ways to evaluate teams and players, and measure how good they truly are.

The league average for OEFF/DEFF this season was 108.8. It's no surprise the Golden State Warriors was the most efficient offense in the NBA at 115.6 points per 100 possessions while the San Antonio Spurs held the best defensive efficiency rating in the league of 103.6.

These numbers can be useful in predicting an NBA Champion if past history tells us anything which we’ll explain below.

Going back to the 2008-09 season, the Finals featured the LA Lakers and the Orlando Magic, which the Lakers won 4 games to 1. The Lakers finished the regular season ranked 3rd in OEFF and 6th in DEFF. Orlando wasn't as good statistically as the Lakers when it came to efficiency ratings as the Magic were 12th in OEFF and 1st in DEFF.

Below are the Finals Champions and their overall efficiency rankings for the past eight Championships.

NBA CHAMPIONS FROM 2008 on and OEFF/DEFF regular season rankings:
2008-09 LA Lakers (OEFF = 3rd, DEFF = 6th)
2009-10 LA Lakers (OEFF = 11th, DEFF = 4)
2010-11 Dallas Mavericks (OEFF = 8th, DEFF = 7th)
2011-12 Miami Heat (OEFF = 8th, DEFF = 4th)
2012-13 Miami Heat (OEFF = 1st, DEFF = 9th)
2013-14 San Antonio Spurs (OEFF = 7th, DEFF = 3rd)
2014-15 Golden State Warriors (OEFF = 2nd, DEFF = 1st)
2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers (OEFF = 3rd, DEFF = 10th)

So you can see for yourself the only team that won a Championship in the last eight years that had an OEFF or DEFF NOT in the top 10 of the NBA for that season was the 09-10 Lakers (11th in offensive efficiency). Every team that has won a Championship in the past eight Finals has had a Defensive Efficiency ranking in the top 10 at the end of the regular season. So using this model (top 11 OEFF and top 10 in DEFF) to predict this year’s Champion we can eliminate everyone but the following teams two teams: Golden State and San Antonio. Toronto, LA Clippers and Boston all ranked in the top 10 in OEFF but were just outside of the top 10 in DEFF.

2016-17 Regular Season Efficiency Rankings for the Math Model "Contenders"
Golden State Warriors: OEFF 1st, DEFF 2nd
San Antonio Spurs: OEFF 7th, DEFF 1st

Outside looking in:
LA Clippers: OEFF 5th, DEFF 12th
Toronto Raptors: OEFF 6th, DEFF 11th
Boston Celtics: OEFF 7th, DEFF 13th

The one 'big' contender that is missing from the above list is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the 3rd most efficient offense in the NBA (OEFF) but rank a horrendous 21st in DEFF. To put that in perspective the Cavs are barely ahead of teams like the Orlando, Brooklyn, Sacramento and New York!

But, we won't write the Cavs off entirely because they are in the East and have some of the best offensive weapons in the NBA on their roster. The Cavs have a better overall efficiency differential (OEFF minus DEFF) than Boston and Washington who would be the other contenders in the East, other than Toronto.

Cleveland has been awful defensively all season long and everyone is speculating on whether this can 'turn it on' come playoff time. Remember, the Cavs have spent a ton of money on LeBron's hand-picked roster and are millions over the salary cap with a roster full of offensive weapons. I can't even begin to imagine how bad this team would have been had they traded for Carmelo Anthony who isn't known as a defensive specialist.

LBJ has been quick to call out his teammates for their lack of defense but maybe he should look in the mirror as he hasn't made 1st team All-Defense for three straight seasons. Last season the Cavs DEFF rating was 104.5, which has ballooned to 110.4 this season and we doubt they can fix things fast enough to win another championship. Remember, this team is just 21-20 SU their last 41 games which is not a confidence boosting record for my money.

The Cavs were also just 5-7 SU this year when playing top 5 teams (Golden State 10-3). The big problem with fading the Cavs is that they aligned themselves perfectly in the East. They'll play Indiana and more than likely Toronto, who they've owned (6-2 SU combined record) and avoided Washington who they have matchup problems with. Cleveland may come out of the East but they aren't beating either Golden State or San Antonio from the West.

NBA Champions: Warriors but...

The eventual Champion comes from the West and will be either the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs. Golden State has flexed their muscle down the stretch of the season by winning 15 of their last sixteen games and six of those wins came against current playoff teams. Golden State will more than likely win it all in 2017 but as far as a futures bet they very little value at -$225.

If you are looking for a better return on your investment, the Spurs at +$800 are an intriguing proposition. Statistically, the Spurs are nearly as good as Golden State in both OEFF and DEFF but they lack the marquee Super Stars. San Antonio is deep, has veteran leadership, size, toughness, rebounding and the best coach in the NBA. Their efficiency differential was +7.6 which was slightly lower than Golden State's +11.6, but remember that is with Coach "Popp" resting players on a nightly basis all season long in preparation for the playoffs. We feel the Warriors will win it all this season but the Spurs might be worth a small investment at +$800.

Opening Round Series Best Bet: Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards (-$210) over Atlanta Hawks - We like the full body of work the Wizards have done this season and won't be fooled by the Hawks late season success. In our opinion, the Wizards have a shot at winning the East and could represent in the Finals. They are a top 10 team in overall efficiency differential (+1.8) and of course have a dynamic backcourt with John Wall and Bradley Beal. As far as the first series is concerned, the Hawks finished strong by winning 5 of their last six games, but their season stats tell the true story.

Despite being very good defensively, their overall EDIFF ranks in the bottom half of the NBA and their offense has been atrocious. They are 19th in eFG% shooting (Washington 6th), 27th in OEFF (WA 7th) and rank in the bottom ten of the league in points scored per game (Wiz 5th). Atlanta's backcourt of Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schroder will have their hands full with the Wizards guards as was the case in the regular season when Washington won 3 of four in the series with Wall and Beal +25 total points in scoring.

Take the Wizards in the opening round.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-14-2017, 01:19 PM

NBA notebook: Nowitzki returning for 20th season
April 13, 2017

Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki on Thursday confirmed his intention to return next season for a 20th year with the club.

The future Hall of Famer averaged 14.2 points in 54 games this season. The average was his lowest since his rookie season of 1998-99 when he contributed 8.2 per game.

Most of the 28 games Nowitzki missed were due to Achilles' tendon soreness, but he said he feels healthy upon completion of the 2016-17 campaign. He also said he could possibly play in 2018-19 as well.

Nowitzki, who turns 39 in June, became the sixth player in NBA history to reach the 30,000-point mark when he topped the barrier in March. The 7-foot power forward has scored 30,260 points and is a 13-time All-Star.

--The Orlando Magic fired general manager Rob Hennigan, one day after the team missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

Orlando also dismissed assistant general manager Scott Perry and made assistant general manager Matt Lloyd its interim GM. The team said Lloyd will be considered for the permanent job.

Hennigan, who was hired as the youngest GM in the NBA at age 30 in 2012, was under contract through next season. Orlando posted a 132-278 mark under his watch. The Magic finished 29-53 this season.

--The New York Knicks and team president Phil Jackson picked up their option on the remaining two years of his contract, ESPN reported.

New York has posted an 80-166 mark and missed the playoffs in each of the first three years under the watch of Jackson, who is making $12 million annually.

New York, which made the playoffs in 14 straight seasons from 1988 to 2001, has failed to qualify for the postseason in 12 of the last 16 campaigns. The Knicks also closed out their seventh season with at least 50 losses since 2001.

--Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is out indefinitely with a sprained right calf, the team announced.

Allen injured the calf during Wednesday's regular-season finale against the Dallas Mavericks.

Allen is expected to miss the entire first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. The series starts Saturday in San Antonio.

Allen, 35, averaged 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in the regular season.

**StarDust Bum** · 04-14-2017, 01:21 PM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Odds for some non-favorites to win the US Open in June in Wisconsin

60-1– Charl Schwartzel

80-1— Tyrell Hatton

100-1- Marc Leishman

125-1— Bill Haas

150-1— Billy Horschel

200-1— Charles Howell III

**********

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

13) Next Friday in this space we’ll be analyzing the 2017 NFL schedule, since apparently it is being released Thursday night on the NFL Network. The old coach Bud Grant used to say “It is not who you play, it is when you play them.” Next week the ’17 season begins to take shape.

12) I have an idea for an NFL Films reality show, kind of a Hard Knocks after the season.

Apparently teams do exit interviews after the season with players, to talk about what they need to work on in the offseason, or if they’ll be back next year— this is done to keep the lines of communication open. It would make great TV- there have to be some interesting discussions.

11) Last April, Trevor Story took baseball by storm, hitting .261 with 10 homers, 20 RBI just in April. This year? Not so much; Story is hitting .143 with one homer, two RBI- he hit his first HR last night, off Madison Bumgarner, so maybe he is turning things around.

10) Most Dodger games aren’t on TV in the Las Vegas sportsbooks, which is dumb, because of some blackout rule. It makes zero sense; Vegas is three hours from LA, baseball could use the exposure from Dodger fans in Las Vegas wanting to watch their team play. This should be fixed.

9) Arizona has a rookie manager this year in Torey Lovullo, his dad was a producer on the old Hee Haw TV show, the country music show with Roy Clark/Buck Owens.

8) Remember the old medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton? Her dad played basketball at West Virginia, with Jerry West. Mary Lou didn’t get her dad’s height.

7) Memphis Grizzlies’ PG Mike Conley has played in 756 NBA games, 24,854 minutes and he has never gotten a technical foul— not even one!!!

6) Sharp money on the Boston Bruins came in Tuesday, forcing the B’s Stanley Cup odds to drop from 28-1 to 16-1. Bruins are favored over Ottawa in this first round series, despite not having home ice advantage in the series.

5) When Hurricane Matthew ripped thru South Carolina last year, Harbourtown Country Club on Hilton Head lost over 500 trees.

4) Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville might run for governor of Alabama next year. No idea if he would be a good candidate, but they do take football seriously in Alabama.

3) Orlando Magic fired their GM, apparently want to hire Grant Hill to take his place, but Hill is already a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks and might not be interested.

2) Portland’s Moe Harkless has a clause in his contract that gives him a $500K bonus if he shot 35% from the arc this season.

Going into the season finale Wednesday, Harkless was at 35.1% on the arc; if he goes 0-1, he drops below 35%. So what did he do? He played 22 minutes but didn’t take a 3-pointer. Thats plus-$500K for Mr Harkless, Not exactly the competitive spirit of Ted Williams, but half a million bucks guaranteed is a sweet deal.

1— Got home very late from my trip; we got delayed taking off in Las Vegas. My thanks to the people at SouthPoint Casino, an underrated place for your next Vegas vacation.

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