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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, May 7


San Antonio @ Houston

Game 515-516
May 7, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
121.422
Houston
122.580
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 1
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 6
212
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(+6); Under

Boston @ Washington

Game 513-514
May 7, 2017 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
121.503
Washington
128.010
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 6 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 4 1/2
216
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-4 1/2); Over

Cleveland @ Toronto

Game 511-512
May 7, 2017 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
128.414
Toronto
116.076
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 12 1/2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 7
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-7); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, May 7

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CLEVELAND (58 - 31) at TORONTO (55 - 36) - 5/7/2017, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) in all playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 188-233 ATS (-68.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 12-8 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 14-6 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
11 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (59 - 32) at WASHINGTON (54 - 37) - 5/7/2017, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 42-27 ATS (+12.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 10-4 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (67 - 24) at HOUSTON (60 - 30) - 5/7/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1002-874 ATS (+40.6 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 37-51 ATS (-19.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
HOUSTON is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 9-6 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 11-4 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, May 7

Main thing here is this: do Raptors even want to keep playing? Win here and they have to go back to Ohio. Cleveland won first three series games by 11-22-21 points, can end things here; Cavaliers won their last four games in Toronto. Over is 4-2 in last six series games. Cleveland is 7-0 in playoffs, covering its last five games; they’ll get a long rest if they win here, with Celtic-Wizard series looking like a long one. NBA teams are 0-123 in series when down 3-0 in games. Raptors split their last four home games. Over is 7-3 in last ten Cleveland games. Cavs’ bench outscored Toronto’s 30-9 in Game 3.

Washington held Thomas to 13 points in Game 3 win, after he torched them for 53 in Game 2. Home side won all three Celtic-Wizard games in this series and last seven meetings overall; Boston lost its last three games in this arena, by 25-15-27 points. Four of last six series games went over- favorites are 8-2 vs spread in last ten meetings. Wizards’ Game 3 win ended Boston’s 6-game win streak, both SU/ATS. Wizards won last four home games (3-1 vs spread); three of their last four games went over. Celtics shot 35.1% from floor last game.

Houston went 22-50 on arc in Game 1 upset in San Antonio; they’re 20-63 on arc in two games since, as Spurs’ defense has improved. Spurs won Game 3 without injured PG Parker (out for year); they’re 8-2 in last 10 games with the Rockets, winning last four games in Houston, by 10-6-2-11 points. Over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Game 3 loss snapped a 4-game home win streak for the Rockets. Harden scored 43 points in Game 3; other four Rocket starters scored 39- obviously they need more balance. Mills played 30:00 off bench to offset Parker’s absence.

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

Cleveland-Toronto
Clev 116-105, -7, O211
Clev 125-103, -7, O214.5
Clev 115-94, -3, U215

San Antonio-Houston
Hst 126-99, +6, O215.5
SA 121-96, -5.5, O215
SA 103-92, +5.5, U215

Golden State-Utah
GState 106-94, -13, U206.5
GState 115-104, -13.5, O206
GState 102-91, -7, U209

Favorites 8-4 (28-26-1)
Over 7-5 (29-26)




NBA

Sunday, May 7

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Trend Report
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3:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. TORONTO
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Cleveland is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Toronto's last 25 games when playing at home against Cleveland

6:30 PM
BOSTON vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games on the road
Boston is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Boston

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

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s NBA Playoffs Betting Preview and Odds

Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors (+6, 214.5)

Cavs lead series 3-0

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (58-31 SU, 41-45-3 ATS, 52-36-1 O/U): LeBron James has operated at will against the Raptors by averaging 36.3 points and shooting 60.4 percent from the field in the three victories. He has been superb overall in seven games this postseason with averages of 34.3 points, nine rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.4 steals. "We just want to try to get better every game," James said after the victory. "We did that once again. We knew we were coming into a hostile environment. We knew they were going to give us everything they had no matter who was in the lineup and we just had to weather the storm."

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (55-36 SU, 48-42-1 ATS, 48-43-0 O/U): Kyle Lowry averaged 20 points and eight assists in the first two games but injured his ankle in Game 2 and his Saturday comments paint him as highly unlikely to see the court on Sunday. Not having Lowry would be a burden under any circumstance but was magnified even more when backup Cory Joseph was unable to step up and had just four points (on 2-of-12 shooting) and six assists in 33 minutes. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan registered a career playoff-best 37 points in Game 3 after he tallied just five points on 2-of-11 shooting in Game 2.

LINE HISTORY: The Raptors opened as 6-point home pups for Game 4 and the number has been bumped up to 6.5 with Kyle Lowry calling himself ‘doubtful’. The total hit the betting board at 214 and came down a full point to 213 Saturday afternoon.

INJURY REPORT:

Cavaliers - PG Kay Felder (Out Indefinitely, leg).

Raptors - PG Kyle Lowry (Questionable, ankle).

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Raptors are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.
* Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Toronto.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.




Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards (-4.5, 216)

Celtics lead series 2-1

ABOUT THE CELTICS (59-32 SU, 46-43-2 ATS, 44-43-4 O/U): Boston start point guard Isaiah Thomas went off for 53 points in Game 2 but was limited to 13 in 29 minutes in Game 3 and did not start the second half while staying in the locker room undergoing dental work. Thomas, who lost a tooth and suffered damage to others after running into Otto Porter's elbow in Game 1, is dealing with temporary teeth and bridge work that won't be made permanent until after the season ends but is fighting through the issue and looking for ways to attack the Washington defense. "We'll make the adjustments as a team, I'll watch film, I'll make the adjustments myself and see where I can pick them apart," Thomas told reporters after the loss. "They did a really good job (Thursday), though. On both ends of the floor they set the tone."

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (54-37 SU, 46-44-1 ATS, 56-34-1 O/U): The tension between the teams goes back to the regular season, and shooting guard Bradley Beal is trying to keep his Washington teammates under control. “We know that they’re going to be chippy," Beal told reporters. "We know they want to talk trash, get us out of our game a little bit, be physical with it. We did a good job just keeping our poise." Beal is trying to find his own game while shooting 37 percent from the floor in the series and slumping to a playoff-low 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting in Game 3.

LINE HISTORY: The Wizards opened as 4.5-point home chalk for Game 4 and hasn’t moved off that opening number. As for the total, it hit the board at 215 and was quickly bet up to 216.

INJURY REPORT:

Celtics - Isaiah Thomas (Probable, mouth).

Wizards - SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (Questionable, possible suspension).

TRENDS:

* Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
* Wizards are 1-4 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 13-3-2 in Celtics last 18 road games.
* Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Home team is 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings.




San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets (-5.5, 212)

Spurs lead series 2-1

ABOUT THE SPURS (67-24 SU, 47-42-2 ATS, 50-39-2 O/U): Small forward Kawhi Leonard was solid in Game 3 with 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists but the bigger development was power forward LaMarcus Aldridge emerging from his two-game funk. Aldridge scored 26 points on 12-of-20 shooting in Game 3 after averaging just 9.5 points on 8-of-22 shooting over the first two games of the series. "This was his best game, obviously," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters of Aldridge. "He felt good. He was loose as far as his physical nature, his legs and everything. He wasn't too stiff, and it showed. He moved up and down the court well, he was able to push off on the block, he felt good shooting the ball."

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (60-30 SU, 46-44-0 ATS, 45-44-1 O/U): James Harden broke loose for the first time in the series with a 43-point effort in Game 3 after averaging 16.5 on 9-of-30 shooting over the first two games. Even with his big effort, the Houston offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders as only forward Trevor Ariza (17 points) and center Clint Capela (12 points, 16 rebounds) joined Harden in double figures. "We've got to drive it," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters, referencing the Spurs keeping the Rockets off the 3-point line. "We've got to make an extra pass. We've got to get it to the next guy. We've got to move the ball a little bit better. It's been easy all year. The first shot's there - now it might be like the third pass, and we've got to do a better job moving it."


LINE HISTORY: The Rockets opened 5.5-point home favorites in a must-win Game 4 and that number has yet to move. The total hit the betting board at 211.5 and was bet up slightly to an even 212.

INJURY REPORT:

Spurs - Tony Parker (Out For Season, Quadricep).

Rockets - No injuries to report.

TRENDS:

* Spurs are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Rockets are 1-7 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Over is 6-1 in Spurs last seven overall.
* Spurs are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings in Houston.
* Road team is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron shines for bettors in close-out games
By: Andrew Caley

Sorry Raptors fans, but this isn't going to be your year. It was going to take Toronto playing almost perfect basketball to beat the Cavaliers in this series, but that hasn't happened and now they're down three games to none. To make matters worse, LeBron James has run through the Raps like a freight train and unfortunately, when LeBron smells blood, he attacks.

More specifically, when LeBron gets the chance to end a playoff series, he usually does. Plus he usually puts cash in his backers pockets at the same time.

James has won 10 consecutive close-out games (games in which teams have three wins and can end a series with a victory) straight up, going 7-3 against the spread. Over the course of his entire career James is 30-9 SU (76.9 percent) and a very profitable 25-13-1 ATS (64.1 percent).

It may be stating the obvious, but James certainly leads by example in these games, averaging 27.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game and the truth is he has been even more dominant in these games since returning to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are a perfect 9-0 SU and 7-2 ATS in close-out playoffs since James came home to Cleveland and while his points may be down at 25.8 points per game, he has been much more efficient and is almost averaging a triple double, with 9.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.

Just to make it a little tougher on the Raptors, James also likes to finish a series quick when he has the chance.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's NBA Essentials
May 7, 2017

Eastern Conference First Round
No. 2 Cleveland at No. 3 Toronto (ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET)

LeBron James was extremely confident his Cavs would figure things out in the playoffs. Remember when everyone was worried about their non-existent defense and turnover woes, looking for another team in the Eastern Conference potentially ready to take advantage?

Toronto was on that short list. Barring a home upset on Sunday afternoon, the Raptors will be the second consecutive victim of a Cavs sweep en route to the Eastern Conference finals. After being handled by a combined 33 points in Cleveland, Toronto hung around at home and actually entered Friday night's fourth quarter down just 79-77 before the Cavs opened it with a 20-3 run that essentially put this series away.

As head coach Dwane Casey even said, now the Raps are playing for pride, which can only get you so far against the defending champs. Making matters worse, All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry considers himself "doubtful" to play following an ankle injury suffered in Game 2. Although he suited up and hoped to play on Friday, he left the court in the pre-game and couldn't go. Lowry averaged 20 points and 8 assists per game in the first two, shooting a team-best 56 percent from the field.

Cory Joseph started as he did for most of the regular season's final few weeks and did a nice job helping contain Kyrie Irving, who shot just 7-for-21. Joseph, however, went 2-for-12 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. For the game, the Raptors shot 2-for-18 from beyond the arc, a puzzling development in their own building when you consider that the Cavs haven't exactly set the world on fire with their perimeter defense.

Toronto did some positive things in Game 3, including getting DeMar DeRozan going after he was non-existent in the first two games, averaging just 12 points and shooting just over 30 percent from the field. He went 12-for-23 and made all 13 of his free throws in scoring a game-high 37 points.

Jonas Valanciunas was again effective despite finding himself back in the starting lineup. Casey has started three different lineups and could unveil a fourth variation if Lowry returns since Norman Powell and Valanciunas are likely to stay in the mix. More than anything, the head coach would love to see his team rediscover their accuracy from beyond the arc.

"It's something we've done, knocking down 3s all year, and for whatever reason, it's escaping us right now," Casey said. "At one point, we were one of the better offensive team s in the league, depending on the 3s, knocking down the 3, and now we have to transfer it from regular-season basketball to playoff basketball."

It's disappointing for Toronto that he's saying that entering Game 4, especially since James has elevated his level in the manner he has, averaging 36.3 points and shooting over 60 percent from the field.

Since evening up last year's Eastern Conference finals at 2-2, Toronto has lost eight of its last nine games against the Cavs, winning only a meaningless regular-season game late last month. It has gone 0-4 at the Air Canada Centre in that span. Cleveland is favored on the road for the fourth time in as many road playoff games and is 2-0-1 against the number thus far, beating Indiana twice. Toronto is 0-4 straight up as a home underdog (0-3-1 ATS).

The Cavs won 10 consecutive games to open last year's postseason and are looking to move to 8-0 here, buying themselves additional rest and practice time. The 'under' hit for the first time in this series on Friday but is just 2-5 over Cleveland's last seven contests.

Eastern Conference First Round
No. 1 Boston at No. 4 Washington (TNT, 6:30 p.m. ET)

You'll get little resistance saying that this has been the liveliest second-round playoff series to date. Not only did a fight almost break out in Game 3, but the first two games were among the most exciting we've seen in these entire playoffs.

Considering the teams have a history dating back a few seasons, making no secret of their dislike for one another, we've got a budding rivalry developing as the Wizards look to utilize their homecourt advantage to even things up 2-2.

The Celtics won't have to deal with Washington backup wing Kelly Oubre, arguably its top on-ball defender, following his one-game suspension for his running shove of Kelly Olynyk in retaliation for what he felt was a dirty elbow thrown at his face. Oubre was ejected for Game 3 and disciplined again here, likely pushing Bojan Bogdanovic into the sixth man role.

"We've had a next-man-up mentality all year," head coach Scott Brooks said Saturday. "We've got options. We can move some people around. But not having (Oubre), it's not ideal, but it is what it is."

Oubre came off the bench and helped frustrate Isaiah Thomas and Boston's wings with his length, so there's no question that is sure to affect Washington's defense. Thomas scored just 13 points after exploding for 53 in the overtime win in Game 2. More than anything, the team did a better job on the pick-and-roll and didn't give Thomas room to get comfortable. They were up in his personal space, which is a work of diligence more than anything else since he's so small and slippery.

As things stand, the Celtics are undeniably fortunate to be up 2-1 in the series. Washington scored the first 16 points in Game 1 and were up when Markieff Morris severely sprained his ankle by landing on Al Horford's foot, missing the rest of the contest. The Wizards let countless opportunities to win Game 2 slip out of their hands, having led by six points with 2:43 to go in regulation. John Wall and Beal each missed great looks before the final buzzer, and the Celtics dominated the extra five minutes after that.

Brad Stevens consistently repeated the phrase "Washington played well" like a revenge-seeking robot after Thursday's 116-89 win. Maybe he was frustrated his team was involved in a game featuring eight technical fouls and three ejections, but anyone who watches that team regularly during the regular season will tell you that's as animated and frustrated as he's ever been during a game. Stevens normally has the look of a fantastic poker player, so something rattled him in that Game 3. His team struggled through a 22-0 run, so maybe Boston no-showed because they had little left to give. We'll find out today.

Avery Bradley scored just seven points after suffering through a hip issue, so the extra day of rest could be vital for him. Because the Celtics essentially stole a game at home, they've got a free roll in this one. The Wizards have been fantastic at home all season, but face a must-win where all the pressure is on them given how difficult it would be to take three in a row when two of the games would be played in Boston. The Celtics can let it fly, which is how they managed to rally in Game 1 with their 19-for-39 3-point shooting. They outscored the Wizards 71-42 in the second and third quarters of that game, putting together the only significant run they've had over a lengthy stretch in the series.

In contrast, the Wizards have dominated first quarters, winning all three by a margin of 119-70, an average of nearly 40-23. John Wall hasn't been bothered by anything the Celtics have thrown at him, while Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat have set excellent screens to help Washington dominate against the Boston starting five. It will be interesting to see whether Stevens makes an adjustment to try to mix it up.

"We'll make adjustments as a team," Thomas said. "I'll watch film and see where I can pick them apart."

Fouls could be a major part of this one since the team have been at odds so often this season and come in off a volatile Game 3. We could see physical play curbed early, which could lead to game-altering foul trouble and would likely favor the deeper Celtics. Of course, landing in the bonus quickly could also be beneficial to Wall given how unstoppable he can be in pushing pace and getting out in transition.

Game 3 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 115.7 points thus far.

Western Conference First Round
No. 2 San Antonio at No. 3 Houston (TNT, 9:05 p.m. ET)

It was puzzling to watch a team that is so intent on pushing tempo consistently walking the ball up the floor in playing right into San Antonio's hands, but that is what most stood out in the Spurs 103-92 upset win in Game 3.

James Harden scored 43 points as the Spurs switched things up and kept the ball in his hands as opposed to sagging off teammates and shading their defense. Nobody else got off. Only Clint Capela, who hit 6-of-9 shots at the rim, shot better than 40 percent as Harden was held to just five assists after averaging 12 over the first two games. Mike D'Antoni opined that "nothing they did should have bothered us. We just didn't play well."

Popovich started rookie Dejounte Murray insted of Patty Mills in Tony Parker's spot at the point, so we'll see if he uses that wrinkle again since it didn't backfire. Still, it is a gamble to throw him out there against a cagey defender like Patrick Beverley and not risk disrupting the rhythm of the other starters, so perhaps Manu Ginobili could get the nod.

Harden's 43-point night featured 5-for-13 3-point shooting, but his teammates were just 7-for-26 around him from beyond the arc and each of Trevor Ariza's makes came in the first half, helping lift an offense that was otherwise held to 39 points. It's obvious that the strategy for San Antonio is to dare Harden, MVP frontrunner, to be efficient enough scoring the ball in one-on-one situations because they're not going to let him get teammates going. Since he was held to just 13 points and had scored 20 or fewer in three of the four games prior to Friday, the assumption is that wrist and ankle injuries, nagging issues he's been playing through, can keep him from dominating as he otherwise would. After opening the postseason by averaging 38.7 points over the first three games against Oklahoma City, he'd shot under 40 percent in three of the last four contests, entering Game 3 in a 22-for-81 shooting slump. He went 14-for-28 on Friday, which marked only the second time he'd shot 50 percent or better this postseason. His best game of the season against San Antonio, a 39-point, 12-assist night where he shot 65 percent, resulted in a 112-110 loss.

The Spurs may be on to something with daring him to beat them.

He's made just 12 of his last 50 3-pointers.

Popovich and his staff have had a history of slowing Harden and forcing him out of his comfort zone with the likes of Leonard and Danny Green as primary defenders.

The Spurs closed out the Grizzlies in Memphis and are looking for their third straight playoff road win. They won Game 3 outright in an underdog role for the first time all postseason. They did sweep both regular-season meetings in Houston and would put themselves in position to go 4-0 and not return to the Toyota Center if they can pull off another upset. Including this series, Houston is just 2-11 against their Southwest Division, in-state rival since Dec. 2014.

The under is 3-2 over Houston's last five games, but just 2-9 over San Antonio's last 11. The under went 3-0-1 during the four regular-season meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Raps PG Lowry doubtful for Game 4
May 6, 2017

Point guard Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors, still dealing with a sprained left ankle, said he is doubtful to play Sunday in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I'm probably doubtful, honestly," Lowry told reporters on Saturday. "I don't think I'll be able to play. ... It's not looking great, but I'm not giving up on it."

Lowry, a three-time All-Star, did not play on Friday night as the Cavs beat Raptors 115-94 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Lowry, who sustained the ankle injury in the second half of Game 2, was listed as questionable for Friday's game. He participated in the warmup and was listed as active for the game, but Cory Joseph started in his place. Lowry remained on the bench for the entire game

He said trying to play on Friday night might have made the ankle worse.

Lowry did not practice Saturday and received more treatment, adding he is not "giving up hope" of being able to attempt to play in Sunday's 3:30 p.m. ET game in Toronto.

LeBron James scored 35 points on Friday night as the Cavs moved within one game of a series sweep.

"They've got LeBron James," Lowry told The Vertical late Friday night. "Nobody's closing the gap on him. I mean, that's it right there: They've got LeBron James and nobody's closing the gap on him.

"I don't know when his prime is going to stop. I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon. I think he'll be able to continue what he's doing for a long time. But that's basketball. You've got to find a way to beat the best."

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Wizards F Oubre suspeneded one game
May 6, 2017

Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Washington Wizards has been suspended for Sunday's Game 4 against the Boston Celtics after being ejected for knocking a player to the floor, the NBA announced on Saturday.

Oubre was suspended one game without pay for charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact with Celtics center Kelly Olynyk in Game 3 on Thursday night.

The incident, for which Oubre was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected from the game, occurred with 9:12 remaining in the second quarter of the Wizards' 116-89 blowout victory over the Celtics at Verizon Center in Washington.

Oubre, 21, apparently became angry after being floored by an illegal screen from Olynyk. Oubre charged Olynyk and knocked him to the floor with a forearm to the chest.

The Wizards trail, 2-1, in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Sunday in Washington.

Oubre, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, averaged 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game during the regular season. He is averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game in the postseason.

Oubre said Friday that he retaliated against Olynyk because of repeated hits by the Celtics center.

"I've been hit in the head multiple times by the same person," Oubre told reporters. "I've confronted (Olynyk) about it. The last time it happened, I fell, I felt pain in my head and my jaw, and I got up and I ran to him and I bumped him."

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Warriors coach Kerr undergoes spinal cord leak procedure
May 7, 2017

The Golden State Warriors are one win from advancing to the Western Conference finals and if they finish off the Utah Jazz, coach Steve Kerr might not be on the sidelines.

According to team owner Joe Lacob, Kerr underwent a spinal cord leak procedure on his back and will continue to be sidelined indefinitely.

In an interview with Bloomberg Radio on Friday, Lacob said Kerr had his spine drained in an effort to hopefully stop the health issues that have forced him to be sidelined since Game 3 of the first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers.

"Hopefully the leak was solved, he had another procedure," Lacob told Bloomberg Radio. "It's gone on for nearly two years. Very unusual. I believe.

"We feel really bad for him, the players. Everybody understands it. We just have to be in his court here and support whatever it takes for him to get back and I'm sure they will eventually solve it. Hopefully sooner rather than later, and hopefully we'll have him coaching on the court sooner rather than later."

Kerr did not travel to Salt Lake City for Golden State's 102-91 victory over the Utah Jazz. The win gave the Warriors a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Kerr underwent back surgery about two years ago and missed the first 43 games of Golden State's 73-win campaign in 2015-16. Since the surgery, Kerr has dealt with complications.

Assistant Mike Brown has been serving as acting coach in Kerr's absence. Brown is in his first season with the Warriors and was an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs when Kerr played for that franchise.

[StarDust Bum]

Another Cavs' sweep is within reach
May 6, 2017

LeBron James doesn't prolong the inevitable.

The last seven times that James' teams have had a 3-0 lead in a playoff series, the matchup has ended in the most humane fashion - a sweep. He gets a chance at another Sunday, when Cleveland can oust Toronto and advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

That's one of three Game 4s on Sunday's NBA playoff slate: Boston and Washington continue their bruising series with the Celtics leading that East semifinal matchup 2-1, and San Antonio - which proved on Friday that it won't buckle easily after losing Tony Parker for the season - will look to go up 3-1 in its West semifinal series against Houston.

Those Celtics-Wizards and Spurs-Rockets matchups look like they might last a while.

The Cavaliers-Raptors one, not so much.

History says it's over: No NBA team has wasted a 3-0 series lead, James has never coughed up as much as a 2-0 series lead, and even if the Raptors get injured point guard Kyle Lowry (ankle) back for Sunday he surely won't be anywhere near his best. Going back to last season's rally in the NBA Finals the Cavs have won 10 consecutive playoff games, three shy of the NBA's record set by the Los Angeles Lakers over the 1988 and 1989 postseasons.

And James is making it look easy - 34.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game so far in these playoffs, on 57 percent shooting. Such a stat line has never been done by anyone over the course of an entire postseason.

Here's some of what to know going into Sunday:

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Cavaliers at Raptors, Cleveland leads 3-0. Game 4, 3:30 p.m., ABC.

NEED TO KNOW: James' teams are 79-20 vs. the East over the last seven postseasons, and he's now just 176 points shy of passing Michael Jordan for the NBA's all-time playoff scoring record. Cleveland has won every game in the series by double digits, and even though DeMar DeRozan was great in Game 3 (37 points), the Raptors just didn't have enough to keep close.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Cavaliers PG Kyrie Irving has the scoring numbers in these playoffs (23.3 per game), but his shooting is just under 40 percent. Confidence isn't exactly an issue for Uncle Drew, but the Cavs wouldn't mind seeing him improve on the 7-for-20 performance that he's averaged over the last five games.

INJURY UPDATE: Lowry is questionable.

PRESSURE IS ON: Nobody. Toronto is playing for pride. Cleveland is playing for a longer rest.

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Celtics at Wizards, Boston leads 2-1. Game 4, 6:30 p.m., TNT.

NEED TO KNOW: The NBA suspended the Wizards' Kelly Oubre Jr. for Sunday ''for charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact'' with the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk in Game 3. Celtics G Isaiah Thomas has been all over the scoring map in the first three games, with 33, 53 and 13 points, respectively. The Celtics averaged 126 points in the first two games, then managed only 89 in Game 3. John Wall has been super for Washington, averaging 28 points and 12.3 assists.

KEEP AN EYE ON: The physicality. There were eight technicals and three ejections in Game 3, both teams are proudly talking about how much they don't like the other side, and the Oubre-Olynyk dustup - while tame by past NBA playoff altercation standards - is surely going to have some carry over into Sunday, especially now with Oubre out.

INJURY UPDATE: Thomas (teeth issues) will play with a temporary bridge, one the Celtics are prepared to replace on the fly if necessary.

PRESSURE IS ON: The referees. Expect Sunday's crew to set the tone by not letting either side get away with too much extra-curricular activity in the first few minutes, perhaps sending a message that everyone would prefer to see a series decided by scoring instead of shoving.

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Spurs at Rockets, San Antonio leads 2-1. Game 4, 9 p.m., TNT.

NEED TO KNOW: The Spurs haven't lost in Houston since Christmas 2015, going 4-0 since that day. James Harden had 43 points in Game 3, but the Spurs clamped down on Houston's other shooters - Lou Williams, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Patrick Beverley shot a combined 6 for 31.

KEEP AN EYE ON: What Houston changes defensively, if anything. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 26 for San Antonio in Game 3, and Danny Green had his 3-point stroke working when the Spurs needed it most. The Spurs had the Rockets guessing all night, and by crunch time Houston clearly looked frustrated.

INJURY UPDATE: Parker (left leg) is out for the playoffs.

PRESSURE IS ON: A bit more on San Antonio. Houston has won twice in San Antonio this season, and going back to the Spurs' house in a 2-2 tie won't strike much fear in the Rockets. The Spurs can take complete control on Sunday.

[StarDust Bum]

Overall Picks of the Day:..........APRIL'S NBA PLAYOFF TOTALS
Date W-L-T % Units Record

Totals:.......43 -34..55.84%..+ 28.00

Best Bets Daily:
Sides / Totals

Totals................21 - 17 - 2....55.26%..+ 2.30................19 - 19...50.00%..- 3.00

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

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...................12 - 10...........54.54%..........+5.00

Best Bets Daily:
Sides / Totals

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...................6 - 5............54.54%.........+ 0.50..............6 -5.......54.54%......+0.50

*************************************

SUNDAY, MAY 7

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CLE at TOR 03:30 PM

CLE -6.5

O 212.0

BOS at WAS 06:30 PM

WAS -4.5

U 215.5

SA at HOU 09:00 PM

SA +5.5

U 213.0

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: Cavs sweep; Wizards pull even with Celtics
May 7, 2017

TORONTO -- LeBron James had 35 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers completed a four-game sweep of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 109-102 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Kyrie Irving added 27 points for the Cavaliers, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and contributed nine assists.

The Raptors led 93-92 with 6:38 left, but Irving put the Cavs back on top with a 3-pointer and James hit a 3 with just under three minutes left for an 11-point lead.

The Raptors played without Kyle Lowry, who sustained a sprained left ankle in Game 2. Serge Ibaka scored 23 points, DeMar DeRozan had 22 points and eight assists, and Cory Joseph had 20 points and 12 assists for Toronto.

Raptors 121, Celtics 102

WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored 29 points and Washington reeled off 26 straight points in the third quarter to beat Boston in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

John Wall finished with 27 points after missing his first nine shots and 12 assists for the Wizards, who evened the best-of-seven series 2-2 after Boston won the first two games at home.

Washington shot 52.4 percent from the field and outscored Boston 42-20 in the third quarter. Wall, Beal and Markieff Morris combined for 34 points in the period.

Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics with 19 points.

Rockets 125, Spurs 104

HOUSTON -- James Harden recorded a double-double, and Houston's bench was exceptional in a romp over San Antonio in Game 4 of a Western Conference semifinal series at Toyota Center.

The Rockets hit 19 of 43 3-point attempts to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2, with the Spurs set to host Game 5 on Tuesday at AT&T Center. Harden was superb throughout, recording game highs in points (28) and assists (12) to resuscitate an offensive attack that went silent as the Spurs rolled to victories in Games 2 and 3.

Guards Eric Gordon (22 points) and Lou Williams combined to score 35 off the bench for Houston, which did lose reserve center Nene to a left groin injury.

Spurs forwards Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 16 points apiece, while Jonathan Simmons tallied 17 points off the San Antonio bench.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday’s six-pack

Odds to win the Mountain West football title this coming fall:

3-2: Boise State

5-2: San Diego State

3-1: Colorado State

5-1: Wyoming

6-1: Utah State

8-1: Air Force

12-1: Hawai’i

15-1: New Mexico

25-1: Nevada

30-1: UNLV

50-1: Fresno State, San Jose State

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Monday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend

13) Rough times for the Mets; Matz/Syndergaard are injured pitchers, Cespedes is on the DL and now struggling pitcher Matt Harvey was suspended for three days, for what sounds like an accumulation of actions, dating back to last year.

Harvey was sent home Sunday after he didn’t show up Saturday; Mets started Adam Wilk, a non-roster pitcher who has a 5.69 ERA in AAA- he got pounded by Miami. Tough times for Terry Collins, in the final year of his contract as manager.

12) Watching Wilk pitch to Giancarlo Stanton, you wonder if Stanton would want to hire Wilk as his pitcher for Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game in July, in Miami.

11) ESPN had the Bronx Bombers on last nite, has them on again at home next week against Houston, their 3rd Sunday nite game in five weeks. Five of their first seven Sunday night telecasts will be from NYC or Boston. Awesome.

10) Wizards 121, Celtics 102- Washington had a 26-0 run in third quarter; why do they play so much better at home than on the road?

9) Seattle Mariners have already used 20 pitchers this season; that’s hard to believe. They lost two pitchers to injury in a 3-pitch stretch in extra innings Friday night.

8) Bad teams are also often unlucky teams; Brandon McCarthy tweaked his back or something lifting weights, so his start was changed from Saturday to Sunday and Clayton Kershaw was moved up to pitch Saturday against the Padres.

Just San Diego’s luck; they get rained out at home Sunday for only the third time in Petco Park history, meaning that they would’ve missed facing Kershaw had McCarthy not gotten hurt.

7) A’s 8, Tigers 6—Before Saturday, Oakland was only MLB team that hadn’t won a game where the GW run scored after the 6th inning- then they had walk-off wins both Saturday/Sunday, making my house a happier place.

Yonder Alonso has been a big leaguer for 8 years; his career high in homers is 9, in 2012 with San Diego. Alonso hit his 9th homer this year on Sunday- May 7. He’s been a very good player in his 1+ seasons in Oakland.

6) John Daly won on the Senior Tour Sunday, his first tournament win in 13 years. Someone should make a movie on his life—I’m guessing it would be entertaining. I’m also guessing his travelling party had a lot of fun last night.

5) I find this surprising: Leonardo DiCaprio’s character died in nine of his first 36 movies.

4) Edmonton led Anaheim 5-0 after the first period Sunday, coasted to an easy 7-1 Game 6 win. Not a stellar effort by the Ducks; very few NHL games are ever 5-0 in the first period.

3) Bryce Harper, Mike Trout both have minor leg injuries; Harper didn’t play all weekend. Trout missed three of the Angels’ last four games.

2) Rockets 125, Spurs 104—Not lot of fun games to watch in these playoffs. At least this series is 2-2, like Celtics-Wizards. Just no close games.

1) San Francisco Giants were outscored 31-5 in three games against the (first place) Reds this weekend, then their team bus broke down on the way to the airport Sunday. At 11-21, been a rough spring for Bruce Bochy’s ballclub.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, May 8


Golden State @ Utah

Game 701-702
May 8, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
138.224
Utah
125.041
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 13
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 8
206
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-8); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, May 8

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GOLDEN STATE (74 - 15) at UTAH (55 - 37) - 5/8/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 39-16 ATS (+21.4 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 76-50 ATS (+21.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 102-87 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 147-119 ATS (+16.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 90-66 ATS (+17.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 8-6 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 12-2 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, May 8

Warriors were only up a hoop after three quarters, but won Game 3 102-91 to go up 3-0 in series (3-0 ATS); they can mercifully end this series here. Klay Thompson was 1-9 from floor, had 6 points, but Golden State has lot more answers than Utah has questions. Jazz bench was 4-22 from floor in Game 3. Warriors won last four games in Utah, by 3-7-7-11 points (2-2 vs spread). Under is 6-1 in last seven series games. Utah lost three of its last four home games. Cavaliers are 8-0 in playoffs; you know Warriors want to match that here. Road team is 4-3 in last seven series 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

Golden State-Utah
GState 106-94, -13, U206.5
GState 115-104, -13.5, O206
GState 102-91, -7, U209

Favorites 10-4-1 (30-26-2)
Over 9-6 (31-27)




NBA

Monday, May 8

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. UTAH
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Utah's last 7 games when playing Golden State
Utah is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

Monday’s NBA Playoffs Conference Semifinals betting preview: Warriors at Jazz

Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz (+8, 206.5)

Warriors lead series 3-0

The Golden State Warriors are getting good news both on and off the court and can earn a four-game sweep of the Western Conference semifinals when they visit the Utah Jazz for Game 4 on Monday. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who has been out since the first round while dealing with complications from back surgery, reportedly underwent a procedure to address a spinal cord leak and could resume his coaching career as early as later this postseason.

Kerr did not travel with the team to Utah and is not expected back soon, but owner Joe Lacob gave a radio interview over the weekend and suggested that he may be getting closer to rejoining a Golden State squad that is 7-0 in the playoffs and on the verge of a second consecutive sweep after coming alive in the fourth quarter of a 102-91 triumph in Saturday's Game 3. "Hopefully the leak was solved; he had another procedure. It's gone on for nearly two years. Very unusual, I believe," Lacob said to Bloomberg Radio. "We feel really bad for him, the players. Everybody understands it. We just have to be in his court here and support whatever it takes for him to get back, and I'm sure they will eventually solve it. Hopefully sooner rather than later, and hopefully we'll have him coaching on the court sooner rather than later." The Jazz led by as much as nine points in the third quarter on Saturday and held Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to a combined 7-of-29 from the floor but still lost. "We played like we're capable of playing for the first time in the series," Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "But … that's why they are who they are."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as eight-point road favorites as they attempt to finish off the Utah Jazz and that point spread has yet to move. The total hit the betting board at 206.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Warriors - SF K. Looney (Out Indefinitely, hip).

Jazz - PG G. Hill (Questionable, toe), SG R. Hood (Questionable, undisclosed), SG A. Burks (Out Indefinitely, knee).

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (74-15 SU, 44-42-3 ATS, 36-53 O/U): With Curry and Thompson suffering through poor shooting nights in Game 3, Golden State let Kevin Durant take the lead and watched the former MVP collect 38 points on 15-of-26 shooting and 13 rebounds. "I want to try to say this as humbly as I can," Durant told reporters in the postgame press conference. "But I’ve been doing this for so long, and every time I roll out of the bed and we have a game that day, I feel like I can go out there and score." Forward Draymond Green heard loud boos from the crowd most of the game and had a little fun with the opposing fans early, holding up two fingers to represent the Warriors being up 2-0 in the series.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (55-37 SU, 43-45-4 ATS, 46-46 O/U): All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward had another strong game on Saturday with 29 points and six assists but Utah struggled to 39 percent shooting from the field. "I don't think we shot the ball as well as we wanted," Hayward told reporters. "There were times where we got some bad shots. I think that's going to happen because they're a good defensive team. But the ones we did get, that were open, it seemed like we didn't knock them down like we normally do." Utah has been without second-leading scorer George Hill (toe) the last two games and he remains questionable for Game 4.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 road games.
* Jazz are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
* Under is 20-5-1 in Warriors last 26 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 10-2 in Jazz last 12 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's NBA Essentials
May 8, 2017

Western Conference First Round
No. 1 Golden State at No. 5 Utah (TNT, 9:00 p.m. ET)

Even though they've been playing games on opposite sides of the country, the Warriors are well aware of what the Cavs have been doing. Heck, they've actually played games in different countries over the weekend, but that doesn't change the fact that Cleveland is currently where Golden State wants to be, back home relaxing, waiting on a series that is currently tied to play out and produce a conference finals opponent.

Although there were some struggles in play, LeBron James' Cavs utilized big fourth quarters to overcome the Kyle Lowry-less Raptors. Similarly, Golden State found themselves down 75-74 with the finish line within sight and compleltely turned things around, utilizing a 10-4 run to pull away. As if to flex muscles no other team has, former MVPs Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant put the game out of reach with back-to-back 3-pointers.

Durant wound up with 38 points and 13 rebounds to make up for a terrible shooting day from the Splash Brothers, who finished 7-for-29 and shot 3-for-15 from 3-point range. If the Jazz didn't take advantage of that, they're probably heading for a sweep. Utah led by as many as nine points in the second half, overcoming the absence of starting point guard George Hill, who missed his second straight game with a a big toe issue. He's listed as questionable to participate on Monday night and would again be replaced by Shelvin Mack if he can't go. Young backups Raul Neto and Dante Exum have also gotten minutes, which bodes well for their future if nothing else. Still, having Hill, one of the league's top defensive point guards, available, would make a major difference.

"It is really just a question of his effectiveness," head coach Quin Snyder said. "There are situations in the game where he lands on it and pushes off and just aggravates it. It aggravates it to a point where he's just not able to be effective."

Hill and Derrick Favors are free agents, so this could be Utah's final game with its current core as constituted. The team chose not to practice on Sunday and would welcome Hill back if he's ready to go. Mack was a plus-6 in his time on the floor, so Snyder has stated he's comfortable whether he gets his starter back or not.

Golden State would probably be worse off if Hill plays since it would offer a different look from the one it was forced to adjust to on Saturday night. Utah shot just 28 percent in the first quarter and has started off extremely slowly without Hill, who doesn't get enough credit for getting teammates going.

Despite those struggles and the fact they didn't take a lead in the series until Game 3, the Jazz did cover both games in Oakland and were in position to do so again in Salt Lake City before Golden State's late run. If Rudy Gobert were a better free-throw shooter, there's a good chance Utah would've secured another backdoor cover in the final minute, which they accomplished in the first two games of the series. Gordon Hayward and Gobert combined for 50 points, so there are reasons to be optimistic if you're the Jazz.

Utah's bench has been a strength all season due to the team's depth, but reserves shot just 4-for-22 and scored only 10 points in contributing to the Game 3 loss. If they had been more efficient, the Warriors likely would've been unable to make their fourth-quarter run hold up as the difference.

"I think the problem we had was we stopped moving the ball," said Gobert, who drew the ire of Durant in the final minutes, drawing a flagrant foul and a technical from the Warriors' star, who didn't take kindly to excessively physical play and retaliated with an emphatic push in the middle of play with the outcome already decided. "We started having some tougher shots, and they got going in transition. Steph got going and KD got going. They're very tough to guard."

This season has seen the Warriors and Cavs on a collision course towards a third consecutive NBA Finals meeting ever since Durant agreed to leave Oklahoma City for Oakland last July 4, so there's no doubt the teams are aware of what the other is doing. Cleveland started 10-0 in the 2016 postseason and has won all eight games to date, while Golden State's 7-0 run through series with Portland and Utah has set a franchise playoff record.

The Warriors have remained dominant despite the absence of head coach Steve Kerr, who has missed most of the postseason due to complications from back surgery that have often rendered him to move or enter a bright room. He didn't make the trip to Salt Lake City and there's no timetable for his return, which means Mike Brown could be the acting head coach for the duration of the playoffs. It was therefore a positive sign that the team responded to their first bout with adversity on the road as emphatically as they did on Saturday night.

"Give our guys credit. They stayed poised," Brown said. "They could've caved at any time, especially in the third when Utah went on a run, but they stayed with it. There was no panic involved or anything like that, especially during timeouts in the huddle."

Oddsmakers have apparently seen enough of this series and determined that the Warriors should be 8.5-point favorites for this close-out game after laying 6.5-to-7 in Game 3. The Jazz have covered four of the last six meetings between the teams, so be aware of that. The total has been set at 206-206.5, which is right were it resided for the first two games of the series before climbing to 209 in Game 3. The 'under' has connected twice in the series and is 7-1-1 over the last nine meetings between these teams.

[StarDust Bum]

Rockets C Nene out for rest of playoffs with groin injury
May 8, 2017

The Houston Rockets announced Monday that reserve center Nene will miss the remainder of the NBA playoffs with a torn left adductor.

Nene suffered the groin injury in the first quarter of Sunday's Game 4 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets won 125-104 to even the Western Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Nene played just two minutes before suffering the injury. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni opted to play forward Ryan Anderson as the team's backup center behind Clint Capela after Nene's departure.

The 6-foot-11, 250-pound Nene entered Sunday's game averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game during the playoffs. He averaged 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

Thomas lobbies for calls with Celtics-Wizards series tied
May 8, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) Isaiah Thomas feels as though he was shut down by the Washington Wizards and the referees in Game 4.

Thomas said after the Boston Celtics' 121-102 loss Sunday that the officiating needs to change as the second-round series continues after the Wizards played him hard in holding him to two points after the first 15 minutes.

''They were very physical. The refs were allowing them to hold and grab and do all those things,'' Thomas said. ''It's got to be called differently. ... I can't be allowed to be held and grabbed every pin-down, every screen and I don't even shoot one free throw. I play the same way each and every night. That has to change.''

Thomas acknowledged that the Wizards' 26-0 third-quarter run was the reason for the result, not the officiating. But with the series returning to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday, he began to lobby for more calls after not going to the free throw line once.

The 5-foot-9 All-Star guard had 53 points in the Celtics' Game 2 overtime victory and was bottled up with 13 and 19 in Washington. He started Game 4 shooting 5 for 5 from 3-point territory with 17 points and was held to two more on 1-of-7 shooting the rest of the way.

''They obviously were locked into him the whole game, but obviously more so after the barrage of 3s,'' Celtics coach Brad Stevens said, crediting the Wizards for switching and sticking on Thomas off pick-and-rolls. ''They were really up into him.''

Being physical was the plan with Thomas, Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. Coach Scott Brooks complimented his big men for keeping their hands up to avoid fouling Thomas, but Beal was more than willing to make contact when necessary.

''Our goal is just take him out of the game and just continue to be physical with him,'' Beal said. ''He runs around the floor all day, I've been chasing him all first half. I just wanted to come in and just be physical with him.''

Containing Thomas is no easy task. Games 3 and 4 marked the first time in his NBA career that he fell short of 20 points back to back. When he had five quick 3s Sunday, it looked like another opportunity for Thomas to take over and potentially put Boston on the verge of facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference final.

''We made quite a few mistakes early,'' Brooks said. ''We can't have that. If you do, it's what you see: a 3, a 3, a drive, a 3, a 3, a drive. You have to be able to execute our game plan, and with that even being said it's not a guarantee that he's going to miss shots. ... He had wide-open looks and they made an adjustment and I think we did a good job of figuring that out.''

The onus is now on Thomas and the Celtics to adjust back for Game 5 and beyond. He said it was up to his team to make the Wizards pay for giving him so much attention. But as they do that, he also wants a few whistles.

''I'm just going to keep fighting,'' Thomas said. ''If they're going to allow them to be aggressive on me and physical on me, they should allow me to do the same thing back and I felt like (Sunday) I wanted to be physical on the defensive end and I was called for some cheap ones. But there's no excuse. Just got to figure it out.''

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors' smothering defense overlooked
May 7, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Golden State Warriors' offense - led by former MVPs Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant - has overwhelmed the Utah Jazz for a 3-0 lead in the second-round Western Conference playoff series.

Lost in the highlights has been a smothering defense allowing just 99.3 points per game - second-best among teams still alive in the postseason.

With the exception of Gordon Hayward, and Rudy Gobert to a smaller degree, the Jazz have struggled offensively as open looks have been hard to come by in the series.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder said Golden State's combination of length and quickness makes things difficult.

Golden State's 97.4 defensive rating is a postseason-best and more than four points better than any other team.

''That allows them the opportunity to do some things that are effective in their ability to switch,'' Snyder said.

''Draymond Green, the fact that he's such a unique defender, he can guard five positions. He's that good on everyone. So, he's a linchpin there. The individual defenders that they have - KD's length is a factor.

''You think you're open and not only are you contested, but he blocks it. ... More importantly, they think so quickly. They cover for each other so well.

''Sometimes you think you're open because you've managed to shake free from one guy and they quickly switch out to cover for each other. They're able to do that, again, because their anticipation is so great.''

Green, Durant, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston are all versatile defenders and JaVale McGee brings a rim protector off the bench.

The Warriors were forced to rally from a nine-point deficit Saturday and Durant's 38 points got most of the attention.

But Golden State also forced the Jazz to shoot 32.4 percent in the second half, and Utah was just 5 for 17 in the fourth quarter.

Interim head coach Mike Brown also credited the communication between players, led by Green, for their defensive prowess.

''We have multiple defenders that can guard multiple positions,'' Durant said. ''That makes up for a lot, so we can throw a couple bodies on their best player. We can switch some stuff and guard big, so that helps us out as well.

''The other thing is rebounding. Once we rebound the basketball, we push and we like our chances in transition.''

The Warriors look to close out the series Monday.

Here's some things to know for Monday's game:

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Warriors at Jazz, Golden State leads 3-0. Game 4, 9 p.m., TNT

NEED TO KNOW: Golden State has won a franchise-record seven consecutive playoff games in a single postseason and only one victory was by fewer than 11 points. The Jazz played their best game of the series in Game 3 and still lost by 11. The trio of Curry, Durant and Green has been too much for the Jazz. Thompson has been in a bit of a slump and was 1 for 9 Saturday.

KEEP AN EYE ON: The Warriors' efficiency. Golden State trailed for the first time this series in Game 3 and was behind by nine in the third quarter. The Warriors rallied, in part, due to the fact they didn't have a single turnover in the second half. Seven total turnovers tied a postseason low. The 102 points scored were their lowest of the postseason, but Golden State rallied in the fourth quarter and shot 55.6 percent in the final 12 minutes.

INJURY UPDATE: Warriors coach Steve Kerr remains out indefinitely after having a spinal cord leak procedure to help alleviate complications from back surgery about two years ago. He didn't travel to Salt Lake City and has been out since Game 3 of the first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. Jazz guard George Hill missed his second consecutive game with a toe injury Saturday. Snyder said his status hasn't changed and he'll likely be a game-time decision for Game 4.

PRESSURE IS ON: All of the Jazz if they don't want to be swept. Hayward and Gobert have played well the past two games, but Joe Johnson and Joe Ingles have regressed from a strong first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Utah would love to get more offense from the banged-up Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors.