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

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NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, May 23


Boston @ Cleveland

Game 505-506
May 23, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
121.844
Cleveland
131.267
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 9 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 15
216
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+15); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, May 23

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BOSTON (62 - 36) at CLEVELAND (61 - 32) - 5/23/2017, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games against Central division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 9-8 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 13-5 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, May 23

Eastern Conference – Finals – Best of 7 – Game 4 – CLE Leads 2-1

Boston at Cleveland, 8:30 PM ET
Boston: 28-18 ATS in road games
Cleveland: 1-9 ATS off a home loss




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, May 23

Cavaliers were up 22-41 points at the half in first two series games, then led Game 3 by 21 points, but let it slip away and lost by 3. Cleveland is 10-1 in playoffs (7-1-1 vs spread in last nine games), 4-1 at home (2-3 vs spread); over is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Cavs are 9-3 in last 12 games vs Boston. Celtics lost three of last four games in this arena (2-1-1 vs spread). Boston lost five of last eight games overall, including three of last four on road. Over is 8-2 in Celtics’ last ten games. Isaiah Thomas (hip) is done for the year. Boston was 18-40 on arc in Game 3; they’ll need to repeat that here.

Conference finals:
San Antonio-Golden State
GState 113-111, -10, O209.5
GState 136-100, -13, O211
GState 120-108, -9.5, U215.5
GState 129-115, -11, O218.5
Warriors win series, 4-0

Cleveland-Boston
Clev 117-104, -4.5, O219
Clev 130-86, -5, U218.5
Boston 111-108, +16, O215.5




NBA

Tuesday, May 23

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Trend Report
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8:30 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston
Cleveland is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston

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Game 4 - Celtics at Cavaliers
May 23, 2017

Eastern Conference Finals - Game 4 (Cavaliers lead 2-1)
Boston at Cleveland (TNT, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals and trailing by 21 points in the third quarter of Game 3 on Sunday night at Quicken Loans Arena, Boston (62-36 straight up, 50-46-2 against the spread) reminded sports fans of why we play the games. Even with its best player Isaiah Thomas back in Beantown and ruled out for the rest of the playoffs with a hip injury, Brad Stevens’s squad pulled off one of the biggest stunners in recent NBA postseason history by rallying to capture a 111-108 win over Cleveland.

With the score knotted at 108-108 after Kyrie Irving pulled the Cavs even with a brilliant left-handed layup in traffic with 10.7 seconds remaining, Avery Bradley knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer after he was left wide open on the left wing. Al Horford set a great screen on Tristan Thompson, who tried to help after J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert got confused on a switch and both went with Jae Crowder as he sliced to the basket.

Bradley’s shot left his hand with 2.8 seconds remaining. If he gets nothing by nylon, Cleveland would’ve burned its timeout and had the ball at halfcourt with a chance to tie with one second and change remaining. However, Bradley’s game-winner gave true definition to Tim Brando’s signature phrase, “the iron was kind.” His shot hit the rim four different times, burning clock in the process, before falling in with 0.1 seconds left. In this scenario with less than 0.3 ticks remaining, you only have time for a tip so the Cavs didn’t even use their final timeout.

Boston won outright as a 16.5-point underdog, hooking up money-line supporters with a remarkable 18/1 payout (paid $1,800 on $100 wagers). The 219 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 215.5-point total on Irving’s late score.

Marcus Smart was the catalyst for the Celtics, scoring a career-high 27 points thanks to 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Smart added five rebounds, two steals, one block and seven assists compared to only two turnovers. Bradley contributed 20 points, three boards, two steals and four assists without a turnover, and Crowder had 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Al Horford finished with 16 points and six assists compared to merely one turnover, while Kelly Olynyk produced 15 points, three boards and two assists without a turnover. Jonas Jerebko took advantage of every second of his 12 minutes and 32 seconds spent on the floor. He had a team-high +22 plus-minus ranking, 10 points, five rebounds and one assist without a turnover. Jerebko hit all four of his shots, including both 3-point launches.

Smart’s 3-pointer with 5:43 remaining pulled Boston even at 95-95. Following a Cleveland timeout, J.R. Smith put the Cavs back up with a trey. But Olynyk put the Celtics into the lead with back-to-back buckets off of assists from Horford. Down 101-99, Smart kept a possession alive with consecutive offensive rebounds that resulted in Horford draining a 3-ball for a one-point advantage with 3:03 left.

After the lead changed hands twice, Horford’s drive for an easy bucket put Boston in front, 106-103, with 45 ticks remaining. Next, Smith responded with a trying triple at the 36-second mark. Then after great ball movement, Jerebko knocked down a 22-footer for a two-point lead with 30 seconds left.

Lebron James missed all four of his 3-pointers and made only 4-of-13 attempts from the field. He finished with 11 points, six assists, six rebounds and six turnovers. When James has been held to 15 points or fewer in his postseason career, his teams have lost 10 of 11 times.

Irving had a game-high 29 points and seven assists. He hit 10-of-15 FGAs and buried 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Kevin Love scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. Thompson finished with 18 points and 13 boards, while Smith contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.

Cleveland won the rebounding battle by a 46-38 margin and went to the free-throw line three times as often as Boston (36 FTAs compared to 12). Nevertheless, Boston pulled out the win thanks to 18-of-40 shooting from downtown (45.0%) and more steals than turnovers (10-9). The Cavs coughed up 15 turnovers.

Boston will attempt to repeat its same formula used in the Chicago series in Round 1 when it goes for a Game 4 win Tuesday night at Cleveland. This time around, however, Thomas won’t be around to help like he did when the C’s won four in a row over the Bulls after dropping the first two games of the best-of-seven set. Through 15 playoff games, Thomas averaged 23.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.

As of early Monday night, most betting shops had Cleveland (61-32 SU, 43-46-4 ATS) installed as a 15-point favorite with the total in the 215-216 range. Bettors could take the Celtics to win outright for a 14/1 return at The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas (risk $100 to win $1,400).

For first-quarter wagers, the Cavs were favored by seven points at most spots. The total was 53. They were 10.5-point home ‘chalk’ for first-half bets, while the total was 104.

VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David offered his thoughts on the total for Tuesday: “Along with everybody else, I was stunned that Cleveland lost Sunday but I wasn’t surprised that its offense cooled off after great performances in Boston. The Cavaliers have been clicking on all cylinders in this year’s playoffs but for whatever reason, Boston’s defense has been better on the road in the postseason and it made the necessary stops in the comeback,” said David.

He continued, “I also believe Cleveland helped the cause with its poor shot selection. Everybody has been chucking more in the playoffs but Sunday’s stat line was ridiculous as 55 percent of their field goal attempts (70) were from 3-point land (39). Even though the Cavaliers have plenty of shooters, they learned the hard way in Game 3 and tried to play keep-up with the Celtics, who were on fire from distance in the win. To put things in perspective, Cleveland was 2-of-17 from 3-point land in the second half after hitting 14-of-22 (63%) from downtown in the first 24 minutes.”

“From a betting perspective, I leaned to Cleveland’s team total ‘under’ (115) in Game 3 and Tuesday’snumber is in the same neighborhood. I would press that wager one more time and I would lean to the game total ‘under’ as well. The Celtics aren’t going to hit 18 triples again and I also don’t believe Cleveland will be screwing around with a double-digit lead. Once the Cavaliers get up, they’ll bleed the clock and prepare for Game 5 in Boston and end this series before they lose more valuable days of rest.”

The ‘over’ is 2-1 in this series so far. All three totals have been at stake on the last possessions of the final minute.

The ‘over’ is 10-6 overall for Boston in the postseason, but the ‘under’ is 5-2 in its seven road assignments. The Celtics have won four of seven road playoff games outright, going 5-2 versus the number.

The ‘over’ has cashed at an 8-3 overall clip for the Cavs in the playoffs, hitting in all five of their home games. They are 4-1 SU and 2-3 ATS at home in the postseason.

As VI’s Kevin Rogers points out here, Cleveland was in this same scenario (up 2-1) against Toronto during last season Eastern Conference finals: “The Celtics have been the epitome of inconsistency in the playoffs by losing the first two games to Chicago in the opening round before winning four straight. Boston failed to win a road game in the second round against Washington, but still advanced. Now, the Celtics erased a 21-point deficit in Game 3 without their best player to extend the series back to TD Garden.

“Since 2010, LeBron James-led teams are 16-4 prior to the NBA Finals off a loss, but there is one nugget to focus on heading into Game 4. In this stretch, James’ squads are 1-2 SU/ATS in Game 4 of a playoff series after losing Game 3 when jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Last season, the Cavaliers lost to the Raptors in both Games 3 and 4 in Toronto after blowouts the first two games. The only win in this situation actually came in overtime at Boston in the 2011 semifinals with Miami as a slight one-point favorite.”

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors ready for third straight Finals
May 23, 2017

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Kevin Durant does not need to be told that Golden State should have a muted celebration after winning the Western Conference Finals.

Durant is fully aware a tough challenge waits for them. It's why Durant signed with the Warriors and why Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green embraced him at the expense of their own stats.

''We have a bigger goal in mind,'' Durant said.

Golden State has a chance to earn their second championship in three years after sweeping the San Antonio Spurs with a 129-115 victory Monday night.

The Warriors became the first team in league history to open the playoffs 12-0, which provides them with a week of rest prior to their third straight finals appearance.

Golden State will host Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 1 against either Cleveland or Boston. The Cavaliers hold a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Curry alluded the Warriors are expecting a rematch with LeBron James and company.

''We all know, obviously, who we're going to play,'' Curry said. ''We'll be watching the Eastern Conference Finals to see how that unfolds. But it will be easy to start this new chapter and really just lock in on what's in front of us.''

Facing Cleveland will resurrect chatter of Golden State's collapse in last season's finals, which saw the Cavaliers rally from a 3-1 deficit to win the franchise's first championship.

''This year is a totally different year, different group, different journey,'' Curry said.

The biggest difference is the addition of Durant, who left Oklahoma City in the offseason to sign with Golden State.

His presence has given the Warriors a deep and talented roster headlined by four All-Stars in Durant, Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. But Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said to credit talent as the sole reason behind Golden State's current run is disrespectful.

''They're really talented, but that's not everything that describes them,'' Popovich said. ''This is maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. So, they don't just play with talent. They execute at the defensive end of the floor. On offense, no team is more unselfish finding the open man and that sort of thing.''

The Warriors have shown their strength by blasting through the playoffs in the normally rugged West.

Golden State is shooting 50 percent from the field while averaging 118.3 points in 12 playoff games. As good as the offense has been, it's been the Warriors' defense that has been key to their playoff dominance. Golden State held San Antonio, Utah and Portland to 102 points and averaged 9.2 steals per game.

''I think our defensive intensity has been amazing,'' Green said. ''Overall, I think we've done a great job locking in on the defensive side, scrambling around, trying to take away team's No. 1 option. That doesn't necessarily mean the player, just trying to make them go to a second or third option in the set and also trying to cover that. I think we've been doing a great job of that.''

The addition of David West and Matt Barnes has given the Warriors two more defensive-minded players off the bench to go along with Andre Iguodala and JaVale McGee.

Still, Golden State coach Mike Brown knows better execution is critical in the finals.

''We feel like we can play better,'' said Brown, who is filling in on the sideline for an injured Steve Kerr. ''To get to our ultimate goal of winning the whole thing, we've got to be better on both ends of the floor.''

As a 23-year-old playing with the Thunder. Durant learned a heightened effort is needed in the Finals. Oklahoma City celebrated advancing to the 2012 Finals only to be steamrolled by Miami in five games.

Experience has taught Durant that winning the West is no reason to relax or celebrate.

''Yea, it's a little different, definitely. I can't lie,'' Durant said. ''I went when I was 23-years-old, and it felt like the Western Conference Finals was almost like the championship. Just getting to that point, you know how hard it is and how much work you put in to start the season. So, it's a little different now, obviously.

''I feel like we could definitely be better.''

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors coach Kerr uncertain for NBA Finals return
May 23, 2017

Steve Kerr's status for the NBA Finals remains an uncertainty.

The third-year Golden State Warriors coach has missed his team's last 10 playoff games as he deals with complications from back surgery two years ago entering the team's third straight Finals appearance.

"Just day-by-day," Kerr told ESPN website The Undefeated of his status on Monday night after the Warriors completed a four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs with a 129-115 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Kerr, 51, traveled with the team for the final two games of the series in San Antonio for the first time since he took an indefinite leave on April 23. Sources told ESPN that Kerr continues to be in "a significant amount of pain and discomfort" and that he has not made significant progress.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob pledged his support to his friend and coach.

"He is a fantastic coach and a fantastic human being and a great friend," Lacob told ESPN. "I told him the other day, 'I don't even want to talk about or think about anything other than winning this championship. You can contribute in any way you can, and we'll worry about the future in the future.'"

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Kerr's health woes a "crap situation."

"He's done a phenomenal job and when you're going through that pain every day and that frustration of not being able to do what you want to do, it's hard to enjoy it at the fullest level," Popovich told reporters before Monday's game. "So I feel bad for him all the time. But I'm hopeful stuff will get figured out."

Golden State awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. The NBA Finals begins June 1 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, MAY 23

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BOS at CLE 08:30 PM

CLE -15.0

O 217.5

[StarDust Bum]

Irving, Cavaliers take care of Celtics
May 23, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) Kyrie Irving gritted his teeth, tightened up his left sneaker and hopped to his feet.

The pain couldn't stop him. The Celtics couldn't either.

Irving took over in the second half and finished with 42 points despite playing on a tender ankle, LeBron James added 34 and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved within one win of an almost inevitable third date in the NBA Finals with Golden State by rallying to beat Boston 112-99 on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

With James in foul trouble, Irving was forced to do more than ever and he delivered, scoring 19 in less than five minutes and 33 in a 19-minute stretch.

''The kid is special,'' James said. ''I was happy to sit back and watch him. He was born for these moments.''

The defending NBA champions, who shot 71 percent in the second half, opened a 3-1 lead in the series and can wrap up their third straight conference title - and a ''three-match'' against the Warriors - with a win in Game 5 on Thursday night in Boston.

But if Games 3 and 4 are any indication, it won't be easy.

Fighting to keep their season alive, the Celtics aren't giving an inch despite playing without All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, who may need surgery on a hip injury.

The Cavs, meanwhile, wouldn't be on the cusp of the Finals without Irving.

With Cleveland in jeopardy of dropping its second game in a row after James followed an 11-point Game 3 debacle by picking up four first-half fouls, Irving put on a breathtaking one-man show.

Freezing Boston defenders with his dribble and driving to the basket whenever he wanted, Irving made six layups, two 3-pointers and a free throw in a dizzying span of 4:48. He capped his blistering 19-point outburst with a 3 in the final second of the quarter and celebrated at mid-court by pretending to put two pistols back in his holster.

''He saw Bron went out and he wanted to put the team on his shoulders,'' Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. ''He did that.''

Irving said he was driven by the thought of the Cavs seeing their series lead vanish.

''In the back of my mind, I thought, `They can't tie up the series,''' he said. ''We can't go back to Boston tied 2-2. We needed everything tonight.''

Irving put a scare into the Cavs and their fans when he stepped on Terry Rozier's foot and rolled his ankle. He stayed on the floor for a few moments before sitting up and re-tying his sneaker. Nothing was keeping him out.

''It was one of those games we had to fight through and we had to earn it,'' he said.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens was disappointed with his team's defense on Irving, who was able to spread the floor while surrounded by shooters.

''There's choices,'' Stevens said. ''I'm not sure there are good choices. When he gets going like that, he's tough to stop. The ones we gotta look at are the ones he got at the rim.''

Kevin Love added 17 points and 17 rebounds for the Cavs, now 11-1 in the postseason.

Avery Bradley scored 19 and Jae Crowder 18 for Boston.

ANKLE GRAB

Irving did not show any noticeable limp following the game as he walked down the hallway, stopping to hug and kiss friends and family following his performance.

Irving, who has had a history of injuries, said he's rolled his ankle enough times to know when it's serious.

''My adrenaline is still going,'' he said. ''I'm pretty sure I'll be sore when I get home.''

BOSTON BOUND

Crowder and the Celtics are looking forward to going home and redeeming themselves after the blowout losses in Games 1 and 2.

''I feel like we're humble enough to know we haven't played well at home,'' he said. ''We want to give our home crowd a better outing than we put out the past two games.''

FOUL TROUBLE

Lue paused for several seconds before responding to a question about the third and fourth fouls called on James, who was whistled for barely touching Marcus Smart on a jumper and then was called for a charge.

''They called them,'' he said of the officials. ''We had to do what we had to do.''

TIP-INS

Celtics: Thomas spoke to coach Brad Stevens and told him that he has visited one hip specialist and plans to see more before it's decided if he needs surgery. Thomas initially injured his hip in March and played the final two months of the regular season before aggravating it during the playoffs. ... Stevens started Kelly Olynyk, who had 15 points. ... Before the playoffs began, the Celtics were 22-5 at home since Jan. 1. They're 5-4 in the postseason so far.

Cavaliers: The 42 points were a career playoff-high for Irving, who scored 41 in Game 5 of last year's Finals. ... Cleveland improved to 35-5 against Eastern teams in the playoffs since 2015. ... J.R. Smith and his wife, Jewel, brought their daughter home after more than five months in the hospital following her premature birth. Smith posted photos on his Instagram account of the couple leaving Hillcrest Hospital with their baby in a stroller. ''We Walked In Together We Walked Out Together!!'' Smith wrote. ... Deron Williams played 18 minutes after sustaining a shoulder ''stinger'' in Game 3.

UP NEXT

The Celtics lost Game 2 at home by 44 and the first two games of the series by a combined 57.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

Some over/under win totals for college football this coming fall:

— Miami, 8.5, under -$120

— Louisville 9, over -$120

— Kentucky 6, over -$130

— TCU 7, over -$125

— Tennessee 7.5, under -$130

— Texas 7.5, under -$120

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

13) Washington Nationals are only current division leader in the major leagues who were in the playoffs last season. Lot of upheaval early this year.

12) Why would you catch a home run at a big league ballgame and throw it back on the field? That bothers me every time I see it; you catch a home run, keep the damn thing or give it to a little kid.

Speaking of home runs, Cincinnati’s Amir Garrett has allowed 10 homers in his last 25.1 IP, which is not good.

11) Nationals 10, Mariners 1— From Justin Havens on Twitter: Seattle’s Christian Bergman is the first big league pitcher since 1950 to allow 14+ hits, 10+ runs in a game, without striking anyone out. Much of the damage against Bergman came during a very steady rain, but still, hard to believe he isn’t on his way back to AAA as you read this.

10) Xavier got great news Tuesday; star guard Trevon Bluiett will be back with the Musketeers this winter; decisions like this turn teams from marginal contenders to top 25 teams, with an outside shot to make the Final Four.

9) Mets 9, Padres 3— For the third time in their last four games, San Diego’s starting pitcher allowed 5+ runs in the first inning. Hell of a job GM AJ Preller is doing— he went to Cornell, so of course he is qualified to run a major league baseball team.

Meanwhile the manager Preller fired in San Diego two years ago, Bud Black, has the Colorado Rockies in first place. Black went to San Diego State.

8) Baseball oddity last night: Michael Conforto is the first Met leadoff hitter EVER to drive in three runs in the first inning of a game.

Conforto homered to lead off the game, then when the Mets batted around, he knocked in two more runs in his next AB.

7) SLS Hotel/Casino was sold this week to the owners of the Grand Sierra in Reno. SLS has the smallest hotel room I’ve ever seen— I was laughing when I first checked in at how small it was, but SLS is a cool place with lot of good food choices. Not much of a sportsbook, though.

6) If you see the Progressive Insurance commercial where the guys are in a man cave watching football, the game on that TV is from the USFL around 30 years ago— Jm Kelly playing for the Houston Gamblers, against the Memphis Showboats (I think it is Memphis).

If companies use NFL highlights for commercials, they have to pay for them. Old USFL footage is apparently free, even though Donald Trump owned one of the teams (NJ Generals).

5) Over the last seven years, Oregon’s basketball team is 33-15 against the spread when getting points in a conference game— Vanderbilt is 27-13-1 over the last four years as an SEC underdog.

4) Since joining the WCC, BYU is 2-11 against the spread in WCC tournament games; 2-6 when a favorite, 0-5 when an underdog.

3) Odd fact of the day: 18% of the world’s milk comes from India, making India the largest supplier of milk/butter in the world. They said it on Pawn Stars; it must be true.

2) Cavaliers 112, Celtics 99— Cleveland leads this series 3-1.

1) Bad news for my right thumb; Odell Beckham Jr got a huge deal with Nike this week, meaning there will be a flood of commercials with the Giants’ WR this season and in coming years, which means increased use of the mute button on my remote and/or simply changing channels.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA knowledge

Wednesday’s game

No NBA games tonight

Conference finals:
San Antonio-Golden State
GState 113-111, -10, O209.5
GState 136-100, -13, O211
GState 120-108, -9.5, U215.5
GState 129-115, -11, O218.5
Warriors win series, 4-0

Cleveland-Boston
Clev 117-104, -4.5, O219
Clev 130-86, -5, U218.5
Boston 111-108, +16, O215.5
Clev 112-99, -15, U215

[StarDust Bum]

NBA notebook: Magic hire Weltman, Hammond to front-office positions
May 23, 2017

The Orlando Magic revamped their organization by hiring Jeff Weltman as president of basketball operations and John Hammond as general manager, the club announced Tuesday.

Weltman spent the past four seasons as the right-hand man to Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri. Hammond spent the past nine seasons as general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Weltman served as Milwaukee's assistant general manager under Hammond from 2008-13. The two also previously worked together in the Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons' organizations.

Orlando's interim general manager Matt Lloyd is expected to remain in the organization. He filled the role after Rob Hennigan was fired in April.

--Steve Kerr's status for the NBA Finals remains an uncertainty. The third-year Golden State Warriors coach has missed his team's last 10 playoff games as he deals with complications from back surgery two years ago entering the team's third straight Finals appearance.

"Just day-by-day," Kerr told ESPN website The Undefeated of his status on Monday night.

Kerr, 51, traveled with the team for the final two games of the series in San Antonio for the first time since he took an indefinite leave on April 23.

--Manu Ginobili's storied NBA career hangs in limbo after the San Antonio Spurs were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.

Ginobili, 39, left Monday night's Game 4 with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation from the San Antonio crowd and chants of "Manu! Manu!" and "One more year!"

Ginobili said he has not yet made up his mind about retirement.

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs' Ginobili mulls retirement
May 23, 2017

Manu Ginobili's storied NBA career hangs in limbo after the San Antonio Spurs were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.

Ginobili, 39, left Monday night's Game 4 with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation from the San Antonio crowd and chants of "Manu! Manu!" and "One more year!"

The four-time NBA champion and two-time All-Star thanked fans for the gesture on his Twitter account Tuesday morning.

"Very hard to find the words to describe my feelings after yesterday's game. Still overwhelmed. Thank you SO very much!," Ginobili tweeted.

Ginobili said he has not yet made up his mind about retirement.

"I'm getting closer and closer (to the end of my playing career)," Ginobili told reporters after the game. "There is no secret, for sure. It's getting harder and harder. But I always said that I wanted to let it sink in for three weeks, four weeks, whatever, and then I will sit with my wife and see how it feels.

The Argentinean has spent his entire 15-year career with the Spurs, averaging 13.6 points on 44.7 percent shooting along with 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 992 career regular-season games.

This season, Ginobili averaged a career-low 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 69 games.

"Whatever I decide to do, I'll be a happy camper," Ginobili said. "I have to choose between two wonderful and truly wonderful options. One is to keep playing in this league at this age, enjoying every day, playing the sport I still love. The other one is to stay at home, be a dad, travel more, enjoy my whole family."

Ginobili, who did not start a game during the regular season and has started only three times over the past five seasons, was in the starting lineup for Game 4 against the Warriors.

He finished with 15 points, seven assists and three steals in San Antonio's 129-115 loss.

"We started him tonight out of respect," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

That was the whole reason for starting him. Before the game you think it may or may not be his last game that he ever plays in, and I did not want to miss the opportunity to honor him in front of our home fans for his selflessness over the years.

Ginobili averaged 13.8 points and 2.8 assists during the four-game series with Golden State, but just 6.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 16 games this postseason.

[StarDust Bum]

Kerr uncertain for NBA Finals return
May 23, 2017

Steve Kerr's status for the NBA Finals remains an uncertainty.

The third-year Golden State Warriors coach has missed his team's last 10 playoff games as he deals with complications from back surgery two years ago entering the team's third straight Finals appearance.

"Just day-by-day," Kerr told ESPN website The Undefeated of his status on Monday night after the Warriors completed a four-game sweep of the San Antonio Spurs with a 129-115 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Kerr, 51, traveled with the team for the final two games of the series in San Antonio for the first time since he took an indefinite leave on April 23. Sources told ESPN that Kerr continues to be in "a significant amount of pain and discomfort" and that he has not made significant progress.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob pledged his support to his friend and coach.

"He is a fantastic coach and a fantastic human being and a great friend," Lacob told ESPN. "I told him the other day, 'I don't even want to talk about or think about anything other than winning this championship. You can contribute in any way you can, and we'll worry about the future in the future.'"

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Kerr's health woes a "crap situation."

"He's done a phenomenal job and when you're going through that pain every day and that frustration of not being able to do what you want to do, it's hard to enjoy it at the fullest level," Popovich told reporters before Monday's game. "So I feel bad for him all the time. But I'm hopeful stuff will get figured out."

Golden State awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. The NBA Finals begins June 1 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

[StarDust Bum]

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

05/23/2017.......... 0-2-0......... 0.00%.......... -11.00
05/22/2017.......... 1-1-0........ 50.00%........... -0.50
05/21/2017.......... 0-2-0.......... 0.00%......... -11.00
05/20/2017.......... 0-2-0.......... 0.00%......... -11.00
05/19/2017.......... 1-1-0......... 50.00%.......... -0.50
05/17/2017.......... 0-2-0........... 0.00%........ -11.00
05/16/2017.......... 1-1-0......... 50.00%.......... -0.50
05/12/2017.......... 1-1-0......... 50.00%.......... -0.50
05/11/2017.......... 2-0-0........ 100.00%....... +10.00
05/10/2017...........2-0-0.........100.00%.........+10.00
05/09/2017.......... 1-1-0......... 50.00%........... -0.50
05/08/2017.......... 0-2-0 ..........0.00%.......... -11.00
05/07/2017.......... 2-4-0......... 33.33%.......... -12.00
05/06/2017.......... 0-2-0........... 0.00%.......... -11.00
05/05/2017.......... 2-2-0......... 50.00%........... -1.00
05/04/2017.......... 0-4-0........... 0.00%.......... -22.00
05/03/2017.......... 3-1-0.......... 75.00%......... + 9.50
05/02/2017.......... 4-0-0......... 100.00%........ +20.00
05/01/2017.......... 3-1-0.......... 75.00%........... +9.50

Totals................23 - 29...........44.23%..........- 43.50

Best Bets Daily:
Sides / Totals

05/23/2017........... 0-1-0......... 0.00%.......... -1.10..............0 - 1......00.00...-1.10
05/22/2017........... 1-0-0........100.00%.........+1.00..............0 - 1......00.00...-1.10
05/21/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%...........-1.10..............0 - 1......00.00...-1.10
05/20/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%...........-1.10..............0 - 1......00.00...-1.10
05/19/2017............1 - 0............100%..........+1.00..............0 - 1.......00.00...-1.10
05/17/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%...........-1.10..............0 - 1.......00.00...-1.10
05/16/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%...........- 1.10.............1 - 0......100.00 +1.00
05/12/2017............1 - 0............100%...........+1.00.............0 - 1........0,00...-1.00
05/11/2017............1 - 0............100%...........+1.00.............1 - 0......100.00..+1.00
05/10/2017............1 - 0............100%...........+1.00.............1 - 0......100.00..+1.00
05/09/2017............0 - 1 .........00.00%............-1.10.............1 - 0......100.00....+1.00
05/08/2017............0 - 1..........00.00%............-1.10.............0 - 1 ......0.00%....-1.10
05/07/2017............2 - 1..........66.66%............+0.90............0 - 3.......0.00%...-3.30
5/06/2017.............0 - 1...........00.00%............-1.10.............0 - 1.......0.00%...-1.10
5/05/2017.............1 - 1...........50.00%............-0.10.............1 - 1......50.00%...-0.10
05/04/2017............0 - 2...........00.00%............-2.20.............0 - 2......0.00%.....- 2.20
05/03/2017............1 - 1...........50.00%...........- 0.10.............2 - 0......100%....+ 2.00
05/02/2017............2 - 0..........100.00%.........+ 2.00.............2 - 0.......100%....+ 2.00
05/01/2017............2 - 0..........100.00 %........+ 2.00.............1 - 1.......50%.......- 0.10

Totals...................13 - 13............50.00%.........-1.30..............10 - 16.......38.46%...-7.70

[StarDust Bum]

Game 5 - Cavaliers at Celtics
May 24, 2017

The Eastern Conference Finals seemed like a fait accompli (a done deal for you non-French speakers) after Cleveland rolled Boston in the first two games at TD Garden. The nail was in the coffin in Game 3 when the Cavaliers built a 21-point edge on the Celtics before Boston rallied to stun Cleveland with a late Avery Bradley three-pointer to win as 15 ½-point underdogs.

The tide seemed like it was turning Boston’s way as the Celtics jumped out to a 57-47 halftime edge in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland regrouped at halftime as the defending champions outscored Boston, 65-42 in the second half to knock off the Celtics, 112-99 to grab a commanding 3-1 series edge and come within one victory of setting up a third straight NBA Finals appearance against Golden State.

For the second straight game, the Celtics cashed as a heavy underdog (+15 ½), but the offense disappeared in the second half as Marcus Smart went from a 27-point effort in Game 3 to scoring only eight points in Game 4 on 1-of-9 shooting from the floor. Bradley led the Celtics with 19 points, but misfired on 6-of-7 attempts from three-point range, while Boston was outrebounded in the loss, 37-29.

Kyrie Irving took over for Cleveland in the third quarter by scoring 21 third quarter points and establishing a playoff-career high with 42 points. In spite of missing a wide-open dunk on a fast break, LeBron James bounced back from a brutal Game 3 performance to score 34 points on 15-of-27 shooting from the floor. Kevin Love posted a double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds, as the Cavaliers shot 71% from the floor in the second half and nearly 60% for the game.

The venue shifts back to TD Garden in Beantown on Thursday as the Celtics try to keep their season alive. Leading scorer Isaiah Thomas isn’t returning this postseason after suffering a hip injury in Game 2, as the Celtics just to fix their uneven mark at home. Boston lost the first two games at home to Chicago before winning the next four (only one win came at home) to advance, but Brad Stevens’ team won all four games at TD Garden in the second round against Washington before regressing in the first two losses to Cleveland.

The ‘under’ (215 ½) connected in Game 4 and the total has now gone 2-2 in this series but VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David could argue that the ‘over’ could easily be 4-0.

He explained, “Bettors riding the low side had to work for a full 48 minutes on Tuesday and anybody riding the ‘over’ has to be a little aggravated with what transpired in the final three minutes. Cleveland had built an 11-point lead (108-97) but the two teams only managed to combine for six points and Boston didn’t try to extend the game.” Oddsmakers sent out a total of 215 for Game 6 and the number was quickly pushed up to 216 at most betting shops.

David said, “I’m not surprised by the slight upward move and with Boston facing elimination, you have to believe that it will do everything to stay alive on Thursday. The Celtics have seen the ‘over’ go 7-2 at home in the playoffs and the defense (110.8 PPG) has been very suspect. Plus, Cleveland has shot better from distance (42.6%) on the road in the postseason, which has helped them average 116 PPG.”

“The Cavaliers have gone ‘under’ their team total in the last two games at home, but that number was hovering between 115 and 116 points. For this matchup, the Cavaliers are looking at 112 to cash and the ‘over’ has a good shot to connect based on what we’ve seen in the two games played at TD Garden. Cleveland posted 117 and 130 points in those victories and I believe they can get there again. I liked the way the Cavs played in Game 3 by only taking 22 attempts from 3-point land, compared to 39 in Game 3’s loss to Boston. The Celtics frontcourt is undermanned and that was evident with Cleveland scoring 58 points inside the paint in Game 4. If the Cavs get anywhere near that number again, they’ll easily drop triple digits and come very close to putting up totals close to their first two contests of this series.”

Cleveland doesn’t mess around in close-out games since James’ return to the Cavaliers in 2014. The Cavs are 9-0 in this stretch, which includes the Game 7 victory at Golden State to capture the franchise’s first championship. Eight of the nine wins came away from Quicken Loans Arena, including a pair of close calls in the first two rounds of this postseason against Indiana and Toronto by four and seven points, respectively. In five of the last six close-out contests, the Cavaliers have won by seven points or fewer.

Meanwhile, Boston struggled as a home underdog by compiling a 1-2 mark this season. If you go back to the 2015-16 season, the Celtics went 2-6 SU and 2-5-1 ATS. In the only two home elimination games under Stevens, Boston beat Washington in Game 7 in the previous round, while losing to Atlanta in the opening round in 2015.

VegasInsider.com NBA handicapper Tony Mejia provides his views heading into Game 5, “Irving's 42-point Game 4 explosion had many declaring that he's a better running mate than Scottie Pippen ever was in this LeBron James-Michael Jordan narrative people insist on harping on, which illustrates how bored we are with these Eastern Conference Finals. By rallying from a substantial second-quarter deficit with James on the bench with four fouls, Cleveland took all the remaining mystery out of the series now that it has three opportunities to get one last win, but it will be interesting to see what killer instinct they pack for this Game 5.”

“Boston is just 5-4 SU/ATS at home this postseason and was embarrassed by the Cavs in each of the first two games when both teams were at full strength to open the Eastern Conference finals, but it seems overly reactionary to see them open as a double-digit underdog at TD Garden for the first time all season in Game 5,” Mejia notes. “They're not the most talented group, but they've proven resilient. It wouldn't be overly surprising to see this extended one more game. Cleveland closed as a double-digit favorite on the road five times this season against the Lakers, Pelicans, Nets and 76ers, twice. They won four outright, but failed to cover in any of the games.”

The Cavaliers are currently at 2/1 odds to win the NBA title at Sportsbook.ag, while the Celtics are listed at a hefty 2500/1 to beat Cleveland in three straight games and then have enough in the tank to defeat Golden State four times. Game 5 from Boston tips off at 8:30 PM EST on Thursday and can be seen on TNT.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavs with chance to close in Game 5
May 24, 2017

BOSTON (AP) It took 10 games and halfway through the third round of the NBA playoffs before the Cleveland Cavaliers finally encountered their first true dose of resistance this postseason.

After cruising to a 2-0 Eastern Conference finals lead over Boston, the Cavs were humbled at home in a Game 3 loss, and needed a 42-point night from Kyrie Irving to battle back from a 16-point hole and win Game 4.

The chatter about an NBA Finals' matchup of two teams with unblemished playoff records is gone, but the challenge from the Celtics has sharpened the focus of the defending champs. Cleveland is expecting another unflinching effort in Game 5 from a Celtics team that isn't backing down despite facing a 3-1 deficit in the series.

''The closeout game is always the hardest.and Boston is going to make it even harder,'' said LeBron James, who rebounded from a playoff-low 11 points in Game 3 to score 34 in Game 4.

James had been saying that he felt like the Cavs needed to go through some adversity after a blistering 10-0 start to the postseason.

The way they responded Tuesday night - particularly on the defensive end - is a good sign for their prospects of wrapping up their third straight Eastern Conference crown on Thursday.

Boston shot 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line in the first half of Game 4 on their way to building as much as a 16-point lead.

While Irving's scoring ignited the Cavs' comeback, it was made possible thanks to Cleveland's defensive effort over the final 24 minutes. Cleveland limited the Celtics to 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc.

''We have to go in with a bunker mentality that we had in Game 1 and Game 2, to go out and do what we do, but we have to defend,'' James said. ''We have to execute offensively. We have to have low turnovers, and we have to try to make them miss because some of those guys play a lot better at home. That's just how the game be played.''

Everyone will have one eye on Irving's left ankle. He rolled it late in the third quarter of Game 4 when he stepped on Terry Rozier's foot. Irving stayed on the floor and finished the game, but with a day off between games there will be interest in how tender his ankle is at tipoff.

If the Celtics were playing with house money heading into the series, they are flush with it again as they return to the Garden.

They've given themselves a chance to erase the sting of their 44-point loss in Game 2. The Celtics are also guarding against ending their season by having to watch the Cavs celebrate a conference title on their home floor.

Boston lost All-Star Isaiah Thomas for the remainder of the postseason to a hip injury in Game 2, forcing coach Brad Stevens to shuffle his lineup and rotations in Games 3 and 4.

In addition, Jae Crowder suffered a strained left thigh in the third quarter of Game 4 as well, but returned to play the entire fourth quarter.

It's an indication that despite still being in a dire 3-1 hole, the resolve inside Boston's locker room remains strong.

''We owe our fans a better performance, and we know that, and we're going to play hard,'' Celtics guard Avery Bradley said. ''You're going to see a team playing hard, very hard, the entire game.''

It's also why Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said that his team must keep all thoughts of being on the cusp of a return to the NBA Finals at bay for now.

''You can't (think about it). As much as you want to, it's not over,'' he said.

If nothing else, Lue said their recent taste of adversity should help them remain humble heading into Game 5.

''I think it is making us better. And it's making us tougher. It's making us work,'' the Cavs coach said. ''Because they got a tough group over there. (Terry) Rozier is tough, Avery is tough, (Marcus) Smart's tough. Crowder. So, they got a lot of tough guys that are going to compete so they're making us compete, which is good for us.''

[StarDust Bum]

NBA knowledge
Thursday’s game

Cleveland lost Game 3 at home, then was down 10 at half in Game 4, but used a 40-23 third quarter to take Game 4 and a 3-1 series lead- they can end this series here. Cavaliers are 11-1 in playoffs (7-2-1 vs spread in last ten games), 6-0 on road (5-0-1 vs spread). Cleveland is 10-3 in its last 13 games with Boston, winning last three games in Beantown by 23-13-44 points. Celtics lost six of last nine games overall; over is 8-3 in their last 11 games- they were 18-40 on arc in Game 3, then 10-31 in Game 4. With Isaiah Thomas out, they need to make ton of 3’s to stay alive here.

Conference finals:

San Antonio-Golden State
GState 113-111, -10, O209.5
GState 136-100, -13, O211
GState 120-108, -9.5, U215.5
GState 129-115, -11, O218.5
Warriors win series, 4-0

Cleveland-Boston
Clev 117-104, -4.5, O219
Clev 130-86, -5, U218.5
Boston 111-108, +16, O215.5
Clev 112-99, -15, U215