The Bum's 2017 NBA Finals - Picks, Trends, News !

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at CLE 09:00 PM

CLE +3.5

U 226.5

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Cavs' best effort not good enough to beat the Warriors
June 8, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James and Kyrie Irving couldn't be stopped. J.R. Smith finally got started.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were so much better than in the previous two games.

They're just not good enough to beat what may be one of the NBA's best teams ever.

The Cavaliers fell into a 3-0 hole in the NBA Finals after the Golden State Warriors pulled out a 118-113 victory on Wednesday night.

Blown off the court in the second halves of the first two games, the Cavaliers surged ahead with a big third quarter and were still ahead with less than 3 minutes to play.

But the Warriors finished with an 11-0 run to steal the victory and all but assure themselves of taking Cleveland's title. No team has blown a 3-0 lead in the NBA.

James had 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, but his attempt at a tying 3-pointer was blocked by Andre Iguodala and James stepped out of bounds after recovering it, slamming the ball to the court in frustration.

Irving bounced back from a rough Game 2 with 38 points, including a couple of dazzling layups where he juked around multiple Warriors.

Smith made five 3-pointers and scored 16 points, and Kevin Love gutted his way to nine points and 13 rebounds on a night he shot just 1 for 9.

The Cavaliers might have beaten anybody else the way they played, just as they did in Game 3 of last year's Finals and as they did while rolling into the Finals with a 12-1 record.

But Golden State with Durant is on another level than the teams Cleveland roughed up in the Eastern Conference, and the Cavs just couldn't hold them down long enough.

There was still time left on the clock when James walked off the court in frustration. He delivered another performance that reminded everyone he remains the NBA's best player.

He's just going up against a better team.

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Durant's dagger 3 lifts Warriors over Cavs
June 7, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) Kevin Durant drained the shot of his professional life - a 3-pointer with 45.3 seconds left - and scored 31 points as the Golden State Warriors moved within one win of postseason perfection and payback by rallying to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-113 on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

The Warriors trailed by six with three minutes left before Durant, who signed with Golden State last summer to win a championship, brought them back, scoring 14 in the fourth.

With their 15th straight win, the Warriors have the longest postseason streak for any team in the four major professional sports.

And with a victory in Game 4 on Friday night, Golden State can exorcise those haunting demons from last June when the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals to the Cavaliers. Not team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit.

Klay Thompson added 30 points and Stephen Curry had 26 for this California Dream Team now one win from its second title in three years.

LeBron James shook off a knee-buckling blow to the chin while scoring 39 and Kyrie Irving added 38 for the Cavs, who took a 113-107 lead with 3:09 left on J.R. Smith's 3-pointer.

Curry hit a layup and after both James and Irving missed for the Cavs, Durant dropped his 3 - a shot that could be the one most remembered in this magnificent run by the Warriors.

''All I was looking at was the bottom of the net,'' Durant said. ''I've been working on that shot my whole life. To see that go in, that was liberating, man. We've got one more to go.''

After the Warriors went up, Irving missed a 3 from his favorite spot on the right side and the Warriors closed it out with four free throws in the final 12.9 seconds before celebrating briefly on the floor and then charging down the hallway to their locker room.

After winning Games 1 and 2 by a combined 41 points at home, the Warriors had to scrap for all 48 minutes to take down the Cavs, who will need a similar effort to avoid being swept by a team with few weaknesses.

James and Irving were relentless in the second half and it appeared they had done enough to get Cleveland over the top and perhaps back in the series.

Durant, though, was not going to be denied. Not after getting this close, not after enduring so much criticism for leaving Oklahoma City and not with a chance to put the Cavaliers in an insurmountable hole.

The 7-footer finished 10 of 18 from the field with eight rebounds and four assists. Curry, who has benefited more than any other player by Durant's arrival and is healthy in these Finals, added 13 rebounds and six assists.

With coach Steve Kerr back on the bench for the second straight game after battling back pain, Golden State, which made a record 9 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished 16 of 33 behind the arc, also got just what it needed from its reserves as Andre Iguodala had several big plays, none bigger than stripping James of the ball on a potential tying 3-pointer with 12.6 seconds left.

Cleveland had collapsed in the third quarter of the first two games, letting the Warriors run away and hide.

Irving didn't let that happen in Game 3.

Showing off his ability to spin in shots high off the backboard, Irving scored 16 in the third quarter and the Cavs held the Warriors to 22 points in their lowest scoring output in any quarter in this postseason.

The Cavaliers, though, couldn't get far enough ahead in the fourth to get comfortable and the Warriors kept chipping into their lead before Durant's defining 3-pointer.

James was knocked flat in the first quarter, when he accidentally got blasted in the chin by teammate Tristan Thompson's shoulder. James dropped to the floor and a hush fell over Cleveland's crowd as the three-time champ laid in the foul lane like a boxer sprawled on the canvas after taking an upper cut. James shook it off, got up and slowly walked to the bench, and moments later drove for a layup.

Golden State landed the next blows, but the Cavs kept coming back.

Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue decided not to change his starting lineup for Game 3, sticking with the slumping Smith at shooting guard. He also insisted that his team was better off playing at a high tempo than trying to slow down the Warriors.

''We want to play fast; we don't want to play in a hurry,'' Lue said. ''We want to get good shots. We don't want to take the long 3s and things like that.''

Cleveland came out full throttle, matching the Warriors step for step and shot for shot in the opening minutes. But Curry hit back-to-back 3s on a 10-0 run to close the entertaining and exhausting quarter.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Golden State's nine 3-pointers in the first quarter broke the previous Finals mark held by five teams, most recently the Warriors in 2015. ... Curry and Kerr walked through security and were immediately greeted by retired pro wrestler Ric Flair, best known as ''The Nature Boy.'' ... Actor Michael Rapaport, a die-hard Warriors fan who was issued a media credential for the Finals, brought a broom and was heckled by some Cleveland fans.

Cavaliers: James (1,175) passed Sam Jones (1,143), Bill Russell (1,151) and Elgin Baylor (1,161) to move into fourth place on the Finals scoring list. Michael Jordan (1,176) is next. ... James became the first player to appear in 20 or more Finals games with two franchises. He played in 23 for Miami. ... G Deron Williams has missed each of his 11 shots in the series. ... Kyle Korver's dunk in the second quarter was just the 36-year-old's second all season. ... Golfers Bubba Watson, Jason Day and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer were among the courtside celebrities.

UP NEXT

Game 4 is Friday night.

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NBA Final Best Bets Record:

Date W-L-T % Units Record

06/07/2017................. 0-2-0..................... 0.00%.................... -11.00
06/04/2017................. 2-0-0.................. 100.00%................... +10.00
06/01/2017................. 2-0-0.................. 100.00%................... +10.00

Totals.........................4 - 2................................................. ...+ 9.00


ATS / O/U:

06/07/2017.................. 0-1-0...................0 - 1..................... -11.00
06/04/2017.................. 1-0-0.................. 1 - 0.................... +10.00
06/01/2017...................1 - 0 ...................1 - 0....................+ 10.00

Totals:.........................2 - 1....................2 - 1.....................+ 9.00

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Friday’s six-pack

What some professional athletes made in endorsements last year (not salary):

— Lebron James, $55M

— Steph Curry $35M

— Kevin Durant $34M

— Rory McIlroy $34M

— Clayton Kershaw $800,000

— Drew Brees $14M

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Friday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….

13) One of these summers, the NBA should run a 64-player 1-on-1 contest, with proceeds going to charities of the players’ choice. Imagine the TV ratings this would generate?

NBA had it for two years in the early 70’s; they showed clips of the games at halftime of real games months later. Imagine the hype these days if Durant played Westbrook, or if Lebron played Steph Curry? This would be very big.

12) My friend Bob sent me stuff from YouTube to watch this week, clips of a HORSE game with Pete Maravich and Bob McAdoo in mid-70’s and a 1-on-1 game with JoJo White and Jeff Mullins from 1972. Winner of the ’72 1-on-1 contest got $15,000— that is tip money for guys today, but I do think this would be a very popular event.

Keith Jackson and Bill Russell were announcers for the 1-on-1 tournament; Don Criqui was doing the HORSE game. Good stuff from back when I was a kid.

11) Speaking of which, I found Green Acres re-runs on TV on late night TV this week. This was a goofy, silly comedy based in rural Hooterville— no gag was too stupid to use.

I tormented my parents by watching Green Acres re-runs as a kid; my father would just shake his head and laugh at me, then leave the room. Was fun to watch it for a couple of hours the other night; laughter is good.

10) With Bob Stoops retiring at Oklahoma, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz is now the longest-tenured college football coach— Iowa hired him the day after Oklahoma hired Stoops.

9) The women’s softball coach at Oklahoma makes $495,000 a year. This surprised me.

8) There is a company in Switzerland that has a 4-hole miniature golf layout for workers to use when they need a break from their job. They say it helps stimulate creative thinking.

7) According to Catherine Willows on CSI, Keno has the worst odds of any casino game in Las Vegas. In CSI, her character’s father owned casinos, so I’m assuming that little tidbit is true.

6) FAU football coach Lane Kiffin offered a 6th grade QB a scholarship this week; kid’s dad is QB guru Steve Clarkson, who works with lot of high school kids trying to improve so they can get college scholarships.

What is the over/under on the the number of jobs Kiffin will have between now and when that 6th grader graduates high school?

5) Calgary 23, BC Lions 18— The CFL preseason is underway north of the border.

4) When Calvin Johnson retired from the Lions in March 2016, he repaid the club at least $1M of his signing bonus, which may help explain his negative comments about the team a few weeks ago. At that level, at the end of the day, it is all a very big business.

3) Quote of the Day, part 2:
“They will have to come over me to get him. As the saying goes, over my dead body.”
U of Arizona President Dr Robert Robbins, on the suggestion that Ohio State hire Arizona’s basketball coach, Sean Miller

2) Quote of the Day, part 3
“Learn baseball language. It’s pretty simple. You break it down pretty easy between pitching coach and pitcher after a long period of time.”
Red Sox TV analyst Jerry Remy, criticizing Masahiro Tanaka’s use of an interpreter when the pitching coach comes to mound

Red Sox were fairly quick in distancing themselves from Remy’s remarks.

1) How has Giants’ pitcher Hunter Strickland not had his hearing with MLB yet, over the Bryce Harper fracas? Damn fight was May 29; today is June 9. What takes so long???

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Warriors set to be NBA's best ever
June 8, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) One victory left for the Golden State Warriors to claim another title.

Not the one as NBA champions. The one as the best team ever.

Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors will be able to make that boast if they win Friday to complete the most impressive postseason run in major sports history.

They moved to the brink of that with a 118-113 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors are 15-0 and can finish off the NBA's first perfect postseason with a victory here in Game 4.

Combine that with last year's 73-win season, and a second title in three years - which could have easily been three consecutive championships - and foundation of the case has been made.

The Cavaliers are no match for these Warriors, not even with arguably the best player on the planet in LeBron James. Golden State's only competition is with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and the Bulls, and other great teams from the past.

None won as dominantly as this team, which has four versatile All-Stars - including two former league MVPs - in their prime. These aptly named Warriors spent the last two months building big leads, then Wednesday wiped out a late deficit.

Some people may argue their greatness, but James won't.

''It's probably the most, most firepower I've played in my career,'' James said. ''I played against some great teams, but I don't think no team has had this type of firepower. So even when you're playing well, you got to play like A-plus plus, because they're going to make runs and they're going to make shots and they got guys that's going to make plays.''

The NBA's best postseason run is the 15-1 mark of the 2001 Lakers, while the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers went 12-1. Jordan's first title team in 1991 is one of three squads that went 15-2.

The Warriors thought they were carving out their place in history when they set a record with 73 wins last season. But history turned to infamy when they blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers, the biggest collapse in NBA Finals history.

They spoke openly of their desire to beat Jordan's 72-win team in 1996, but this time have downplayed the importance of 16-0.

''We obviously know how hard it is to win a championship, what all goes into it and how important each game is. And now that you can look ahead to Friday, all our focus is on that,'' Curry said. ''And just we obviously - we want 16 wins; it doesn't matter how we get there. But now that we're in this situation, why not take care of business and finish the job?''

They were winning by 16.9 points per game through the previous 14, which would easily be another NBA record. And when they finally got a close one, they showed why their roster is the envy of just about every other team, with the long-range shooting of Durant, Curry and Klay Thompson, and the defensive wizardry of Draymond Green and 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala.

That roster would give these Warriors a chance against any great team from the past - and gives most of their opponents no chance against them.

''They're definitely a different team than they were last year that's definitely in full effect that we're all fully aware of,'' the Cavs' Kyrie Irving said.

That's mostly because of Durant, the former NBA MVP who signed with the Warriors in July. Curry, winner of the last two MVP awards, is fully healthy after struggling through last year's Finals.

Neither will turn 30 until next year, while Thompson and Green are only 27. Should the Warriors stay healthy and together - and it would cost them enormously in salaries and taxes - they should be a title threat every year.

They very easily could be playing for a third straight championship.

They look ready to play for many more.

''Just the combination of offense and defense, the talent that they've been able to amass, it puts them in position where this is a dynasty to me,'' ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said before the NBA Finals. ''They have their youth, they have their health. I see nothing preventing them from going to eight to 10 straight Finals. It will be a massive upset, I think, if they're not there each and every year.''

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Smith denies tweeting 'Cavs in 7'
June 8, 2017

Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith claimed his Twitter account was hacked after the phrase "Cavs in 7" was sent out over social media shortly after his team was pushed to the brink of elimination in the NBA Finals.

"I got out of the shower and my phone was buzzing. I did not tweet that," Smith told Cleveland.com after the Golden State Warriors secured a 3-0 edge in the series with a 118-113 victory on Wednesday.

"I'm smarter than that."

Smith, 31, admitted that he believed in the message that the Cavaliers could become the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. In fact, three NBA teams have only forced a Game 7 after losing the first three contests in a series -- with the last time occurring in 2003.

"But I didn't tweet that," Smith repeated after his 16-point performance in Game 3. "I would be much smarter than that to tweet that at literally 12:04 (a.m.), right after the game."

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LeBron not faulting super team
June 8, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James knew what might happen when Kevin Durant merged with the Warriors, a 73-win team out for revenge.

James understood the potential of this Golden State goliath with more firepower than perhaps anything the NBA has seen before.

And although he's on the cusp of being swept in the Finals - for the second time - by a team unequalled in today's game, James isn't envious of the Warriors for building a super power in sneakers.

He'd do it, too.

One day after Cleveland plunged into a 3-0 hole following a demoralizing 118-113 loss in Game 3, James said he didn't have a problem with Durant tilting the balance of power by joining forces with a star-studded that already had Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

''It's part of the rules,'' James said Thursday. ''Is it fair? I don't care. It's great for our league. Right now, look at our TV ratings, look at the money our league is pouring in. I mean, who am I to say if it's fair or not?''

James paved the way for Durant by leaving Cleveland as a free agent in 2010 to play with All-Stars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami, where the trio won back-to-back titles sandwiched between four straight Finals. James doesn't begrudge the Warriors, he even pointed out the NBA isn't the only league where dynasties have been built by owners throwing around money.

James, who has expressed a desire to own a team one day, cited the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s as examples of teams that spent for success.

''I'm not one to judge and say if it's fair or not if guys are adding players to their team,'' he said. ''It happens. It's sports. You have an opportunity to sign one of the best players, and you can do it, go ahead and do it.

''Why not? If I become an owner, I'm going to try to sign everybody.''

With that, James walked off the dais, ending a news conference in which he addressed the dawn of Golden State's dynasty, his future and criticism for a play late in Wednesday's loss.

It would have been understandable if James had been dour given that his hopes to win a fourth title and second straight with Cleveland evaporated in the closing minutes of Game 3. The Warriors outscored the Cavs 11-0 down the stretch to run their postseason record to 15-0, and there's no reason to believe they won't close out the series on Friday night.

But except for an exaggerated yawn before taking the first question, James was upbeat, satisfied that he has done everything within his power to slow the Warriors, who have toyed with the field for weeks.

James made his first Finals appearance 10 years ago, when he and the Cavs were swept by San Antonio, which captured its third Larry O'Brien Trophy in a five-year span. At that time, it felt like a title was far away for James. Now, a fourth one seems nearly as distant with the scary-good Warriors just getting started.

''I think it's just part of my calling to just go against teams in the midst of a dynasty,'' James said. ''This has been the best team in our league the last three years. They won a championship, and last year it was the greatest regular-season team we had played, probably one of the best postseason teams that everybody's ever seen as well, but we were just able to overcome that.

''And they're playing like one of the best teams once again, and obviously this team is built to be able to do that with the talent that they have. Obviously you never know what's going to happen, but as it stands right now, they look pretty good, as far as the future.''

As for his own future, James, who is averaging 32 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the Finals, said he hasn't decided how much longer he'll play.

''I definitely want to compete,'' he said. ''I want to compete for championships every year, and so we'll see what happens.''

And James has once again been criticized for not being more aggressive late in Game 3, when he made a pass to Kyle Korver. The sharpshooter missed a potential game-sealing 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. Durant then came down and made his go-ahead 3.

James broke down the play, highlighting every detail - Green with five fouls, Durant collapsing, Curry guarding Kevin Love and Korver being open in the short corner - before delivering his own counter punch.

''I would do the same exact thing,'' he said.

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NBA Finals Game 3 ratings up
June 8, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) Game 3 of the NBA Finals drew 20.5 million viewers on ABC, an increase of 22 percent from last season.

Golden State's 118-113 victory over Cleveland was the closest game of the series and the most-watched Game 3 ever on ABC, according to Nielsen numbers announced Thursday.

The overall ratings for the series, the first time the same two teams have played in three straight Finals, are the highest since 1998, when Michael Jordan won his last championship. It is averaging 20 million viewers, up 11 percent from 2016.

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No questioning Durant's decision
June 8, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) Kevin Durant never demanded he'd get to take the biggest shot of the NBA Finals.

The Golden State Warriors made no promises and he knew there were no guarantees. When they met last summer in New York to discuss the biggest decision of his career, neither side even focused on winning titles.

They talked about having fun, and now Durant is on the verge of having the time of his basketball life.

One win from his first championship and probably the NBA Finals MVP award along with it, Durant is the perfect player in the perfect place.

''I think I said it last night, it just looks like he understands this is his moment, this is his time,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Thursday. ''He's earned it. He's been in this league for a long time, and he's, I think, at the top of his game at the biggest time.''

Durant was widely criticized last year when he left Oklahoma City for Golden State, chided for trying to take the easiest route to a title by joining what was already a stacked team.

But that wasn't the way he looked at it. Durant wasn't thinking about lifting trophies or being fitted for championship rings. He loves to play basketball, and loved the way the Warriors play it.

''I didn't envision anything but just being around good people and getting better every single day. That's exactly what happened throughout the season,'' Durant said. ''I didn't talk to these guys when I made my decision and say we better make it to the Finals and be up in the series around this time, this exact date, or I'm not coming. I mean, it was just, `Let's just have some fun playing ball, let's just all get better and let's see what happens.'''

What's happened is probably beyond what either even imagined.

The Warriors had the league's best record even while losing Durant late in the season to a knee injury, and really turned it on in the playoffs. They are 15-0 and will trying to finish the NBA's first perfect postseason with a victory over Cleveland on Friday in Game 4.

Durant's 3-pointer over LeBron James with 45 seconds left in Game 3 gave the Warriors the lead for good in a 118-113 victory, providing him a lasting highlight that will be the signature play of this series and perhaps his career.

In his postgame interview, he used the word ''liberating'' to describe the shot, the moment.

James has changed teams twice and needed two seasons to win a title both times, so he knows how long it can take for everything to come together. Their situations are different - James never joined a team as strong as these Warriors - but he said he's proud of Durant's success and understands why moving to a team like the Warriors was so attractive.

''Their team was already kind of put together, and you just implement a guy that's ready to sacrifice, a great talent, a guy that's willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win,'' James said. ''But that team, they knew what they were about. He just had to come in and just do what he had to do. And that's what he's been doing.''

Durant is averaging 34 points, 10 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the Finals, joining Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players with at least 25 points in their first eight Finals games.

He fell well short in his first shot at the title, when James' Miami team beat Oklahoma City in five games in 2012. He never got back to the Finals with the Thunder, and when he was finally ready to consider looking elsewhere, the Warriors offered him exactly what he wanted to hear when they sat down in the Hamptons and talked about where the former scoring champion fit in a lineup with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

''I think the whole thing was how fun it would be, because of the style of play, because of the individual talents,'' Kerr said. ''None of these guys are ball-dominant players. They all love playing off the ball, cutting, moving, passing. And it fits. They fit like a hand in a glove.''

A hand that will soon have a championship ring. Even those who hated Durant's decision can't question how it has worked out for him when watching how well he and the Warriors have meshed.

''It took a while for it to kind of reveal itself consistently as the regular season went on, but once it clicked and the habits started to become second nature, it was kind of beautiful to watch and an amazing kind of style to play and watch unfold,'' Curry said. ''So it's been fun.''

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals Game 4 Preview
June 9, 2017

NBA Finals - Game 4
No. 1 Golden State at No. 2 Cleveland (ABC, 9 p.m. ET)

In less than three minutes of action, Golden State ended the NBA Finals.

There's still going to be a Game 4 -- you're reading the preview for it -- but the thrill is gone. All intrigue was wiped out over the final 2:19 as the Warriors turned a six-point deficit into a 118-113 win by scoring the game's last 11 points on Wednesday.

Instead of cashing for backers as an outright winner, the underdog Cavs even handed the Warriors a win against the spread, failing to cover the 3.5-4 points when Kevin Love misfired on a 3-pointer to cap a disappointing ending. Golden State leads the series 3-0 and is one win away from its second championship in three years.

Either Friday night or back home on Sunday, the Warriors will close out a fantastic run. They've already made history with 15 consecutive wins this postseason, but are looking for perfection. That's never been accomplished in NBA history. The 2000-01 Lakers (15-1) and 1982-83 76ers (12-1) came closest.

Golden State stole Game 3 as much as Cleveland gave it away with careless possessions and foolish decisions with the game on the line. Kevin Durant's go-ahead pull-up 3-pointer over LeBron James with 45.3 seconds remaining will go down as the defining moment of these Finals, sealing his series MVP award. He scored 14 of his 31 points in the final quarter, including seven in the the closing 1:15.

"You can tell he knows this is his moment," head coach Steve Kerr said. "He's been an amazing player in this league for a long time, and he senses this is his time, his moment, his team."

Durant hasn't dominated James, but he's gotten the better of him in every game, particularly in key situations. He's averaging 34 points, 10 boards and six assists.

James is averaging a triple-double (32.0 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 10.3 apg), so it's not like he's pulling a disappearing act. Criticism over his decision to hit Kyle Korver for a corner 3-pointer instead of hunting a basket in the final minute or deferring to Kyrie Irving with Cleveland down only a point are incredibly lame. He made what he thought was the right decision at the time, like he always does.

Irving was isolated against Klay Thompson and settled for a difficult jumper instead of driving to the rim with the Cavs down 114-113. Korver also missed a shot he's plenty capable of making. James was blocked by Andre Iguodala with over 10 seconds left, stepped out of bounds upon recovering the ball and saw a great chance to win slip away.

The Cavs have proven they can play with the Warriors, this juggernaut being compared to the best teams that have ever been put together. In Oakland, they hung around for a half each time. Back home, they managed to do the same despite playing into Golden State's hands by operating at an acclerated tempo throughout the first half. Cleveland's third quarter was its best in this series as it won it 33-22, setting the stage for it to take a seven-point lead in the fourth.

That they seemingly had this game won when J.R. Smith hit his fifth 3-pointer with 3:09 left after surviving Golden State's Finals-record nine first-quarter 3-pointers tells you this is no mismatch. Irving scored 38 points and the Cavs managed to score enough points to win until it mattered most and they were bottled up. Tristan Thompson was again a no-show, going scoreless and grabbing just three boards over 23 minutes. Love missed eight of his nine shots. Deron Williams is 0-for-11 in the series. Cleveland can definitely play better and avoid a sweep.

The question now becomes whether it has enough fortitude to continue to fight when its situation looks so bleak. NBA teams that fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven are 0-126.

"Trying to erase a 3-0 deficit in any series is nearly impossible, but the chances in this series for Cleveland to come back against Golden State are basically nil," said VI NBA expert Kevin Rogers. "There have been only two sweeps in the last 20 NBA Finals (one with LeBron James losing to the Spurs in 2007), while eight of the last nine teams to take a 3-0 series lead in the Finals dating back to 1959 have pulled off the sweep. The only team to avoid a sweep down 3-0 (and actually win two games) was the 1996 Sonics, who lost in six games to Michael Jordan’s Bulls."

The air of resignation was evident following Game 3 with James commenting that while he's played against some great teams, he's never faced one that "had this type of firepower."

"I think it's just part of my calling to just go against teams in the midst of a dynasty," James elaborated on Thursday, an off day for the Cavs outside of media obligations since they chose not to practice. "This has been the best team in our league the last three years. They won a championship, and last year it was the greatest regular-season team we had played, probably one of the best postseason teams that everybody's ever seen as well, but we were just able to overome that."

This year, they won't. James was even commenting on future meetings, allowing himself to look ahead as a realist despite the fact that there's at least one more game to play. It will be interesting to see whether the Cavs can overcome a defeated mind set to give themselves a chance. Given how it lost, seeing the rug slip out from under it, doesn't bode well for Cleveland with just one day in between games. A hangover is possible, especially if the arena isn't buzzing like it was for tip-off of Game 3. Can the Cavs generate hope?

Even though Game 3 slowed down in the fourth quarter, both teams managed to make enough key shots late and the ‘over’ (227) connected.

The ‘over’ is now 2-1 in this series and the oddsmakers are leaning to another shootout on Friday as they sent out an opener of 228 ½ for Game 4.

VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David provides his thoughts on Wednesday’s game and what we could expect for Friday.

“As expected, the Cavaliers stayed with the same style of up-tempo play and it almost worked too. They couldn’t miss a shot in the third quarter and had 94 points headed into the fourth. Cleveland ran out of gas and only mustered up 19 points in the fourth quarter and they were held scoreless in the final three minutes of the game. Once again, the Cavs took more attempts than the Warriors from the field (90-83) and 3-point land (44-33). Of those attempts, Cleveland only managed 20 in the last quarter but 10 of them were from distance and that has to be questioned especially since they had the lead,” explained David.

He added, “Tyronn Lue was fortunate to be put into this position as Cavaliers coach and he did lead them to the title last season while catching plenty of breaks along the way. In this series, he’s been outclassed by both Steve Kerr and Mike Brown. I’m not sure if Lue will swallow his pride and try to slow the game down, like so many pundits have suggested. The only way Cleveland can win a game is by shooting a high percentage and hoping Golden State doesn’t show up offensively and I don’t see that happening. The Warriors are averaging 121 PPG in this series and nothing makes me believe they won’t get close to that number again on Friday. Golden State has a team total of 117 and that would be my lean on Friday.”

Golden State has now watched the ‘over’ go 11-4 in the playoffs and that includes a 6-1 mark to the ‘over’ on the road. Cleveland has seen the ‘over’ go 6-1 at home in the postseason and it’s only been able to hold one team under 100 and that came against the Celtics, who scored 99.

Savvy total bettors playing the gimmick wagers have watched the ‘over’ go 3-0 in the first quarter of this series and the first-half is 2-1 to the high side. The ‘under’ has gone 2-1 in the second-half.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's NBA Finals Game 4 Betting Preview: Warriors at Cavaliers

"It's probably the most, most firepower I've played in my career. I played against some great teams, but I don't think no team has had this type of firepower." - LeBron James.

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (+6, 228.5)

Warriors lead series 3-0

The Cleveland Cavaliers took their best shot and still fell short in Game 3 and now stand on the brink of elimination in the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers will try to begin a historic comeback from a 3-0 deficit and avoid starting the summer early when they host the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Friday.

"I said it after we won the Eastern Conference finals that we're getting ready for a juggernaut," Cleveland star LeBron James told reporters of the Warriors. "It's probably the most, most firepower I've played in my career. I played against some great teams, but I don't think no team has had this type of firepower." That firepower allowed Golden State to overcome a six-point deficit in the final minutes of Wednesday's 118-113 triumph, capped by Kevin Durant's deep 3-pointer over James with 45 seconds to play. The Warriors improved to 15-0 in the postseason with the win and can become the first team in NBA history to sweep the postseason with a win on Friday. "I don't want to relax," Durant told reporters. "It's not over. This is a crazy game, anything can happen. I'm just trying to enjoy this moment, try not to look in the future or the past."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors quickly opened as 6.5-point road favorites following their thrilling comeback victory in Game 3, but that line was quickly adjusted to 6 late Wednesday night. The total opened at 227 and was bet up to 228.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

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

Cavaliers - C E. Tavares (Out For Season, hand).

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (82-15 SU, 51-43-3 ATS, 43-54 O/U): Durant scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter on Wednesday and is averaging 34 points on 56.1 percent shooting - 52.4 percent from beyond the arc - in the series. "He took over," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters of Durant's Game 3 performance. "You can tell he knows this is his moment. He's been an amazing player in this league for a long time. He senses this is his time, his moment, his team." Durant isn't the only Warriors player enjoying a strong series as Stephen Curry continues to put the pain of last year's Finals loss in the rearview mirror by averaging 28.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and nine assists in the series.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (63-35 SU, 44-50-4 ATS, 58-39-1 O/U): Cleveland overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Warriors in the Finals last spring but is aware that a tougher challenge exists this time around. "From a mental standpoint, there is no other option, other than to prepare for Game 4 as best you can. That's it," point guard Kyrie Irving told reporters. "This is as do or die as possible as I've ever faced in my career. So we understand what's at stake, our whole entire season. There's really no other decision, other than to leave it all out there." James is averaging 32 points on 55.4 percent shooting, 12.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the series and Irving adds an average of 27 points, but the rest of the team is struggling to find a scoring rhythm.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 12-0 ATS in their last 12 road games.
* Cavaliers are 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. Western Conference.
* Over is 7-1 in Warriors last 8 overall.
* Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Warriors are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 58 percent of users are siding with the home underdog Cleveland Cavaliers and 59 percent are on the Over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals Game 4 betting notes: Warriors on the brink of history

On Friday night in a northern Ohio city with a population of approximately 400,000 people known as Cleveland, the Golden State Warriors will attempt to become just the ninth team in National Basketball Association history to sweep their way through the NBA Finals and the first and only franchise to record a picture perfect 16-0 record during the postseason.

Between the hot-take Thursday media cycle and the fact that the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook opened the Warriors as 6-point road favorites for Game 4, few are giving LeBron James and the Cavaliers any chance of forcing this year’s iteration of the NBA Finals back to the Bay Area.

Nor should they. This is the 127th time in NBA history that one franchise has jumped out to a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series over another. And in the previous 126 instances in which this situation has played out before, only 35 teams have forced a Game 5, with just 10 clubs making it to a Game 6 and only three teams advancing all the way to a Game 7.

Between Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, a deep bench and the motivating factor to end all motivating factors in revenge on their side, it’s hard to see the Golden State Warriors, who have lost just one game since March 12, coming up short in Cleveland on Friday night. The real question we should be asking is whether or not the Cavaliers are capable of covering the 6-point spread.

Since 1990, only three teams have been swept right out of the NBA Finals. In 1995, the Orlando Magic lost by 12 points in Houston in Game 4 as 3.5-point underdogs. In 2002, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Nets on the road by six points to close out the series despite entering the matchup as 4.5-point underdogs. And in 2007, LeBron James and the Cavaliers fell 83-82 at home to San Antonio as 2.5-point underdogs.

Perhaps the King and his band of exhausted, beaten-down men will find a way to force a Game 5 back in Oakland. Perhaps the Cavs get annihilated on their home court and depart quickly thereafter for a tropical vacation. Either way, for those of you who are interested in finding an edge outside of the Game 4 side and total, here are six factoids you should highly consider in the build-up to Friday night’s showdown:

1. Lay the points with the Warriors in the first quarter: Golden State has finished each of the last two regular seasons ranked first in the NBA in both first quarter scoring average and first quarter scoring differential. And through three games so far this series, the Dubs have outscored the Cavaliers 35-30, 40-34 and 39-32 during the first quarter of the NBA Finals, respectively. If you’re looking for a quarter to bet, bet the Warriors in the opening 12 minutes.

2. While you’re at it, lay the points with the Warriors in the fourth quarter: Whether they’re ahead by a mile or trailing on the road, Golden State has dominated the fourth quarter against Cleveland in this series, winning 20-19 in Game 1, 30-25 in Game 2 and 29-19 in Game 3. Keep this in mind as either a pregame wager or a live bet just before the commencement of the final 12-minute stanza.

3. Look for another big effort from Kyrie Irving: In two road blowout defeats, the Cleveland point guard was held in check by Klay Thompson’s stifling defense to the tune of just 43 total points through 96 minutes. That may not seem like a bad effort, but when you’re shooting only 40.0 percent from the field and your scoring total for each game is a lofty 25.5 points, that’s a far cry from effective. But Irving found his stroke at Quicken Loans Arena in Game 3 en route to a 38-point performance thanks, in large part, to the fact that the close nature of the game kept him on the floor in the fourth quarter unlike during the Oakland blowouts. If you had to lean in one direction as it pertains to Irving in Game 4, lean to an offensive explosion.

4. Keep an close eye on the first half over: The Warriors and Cavaliers combined for 112 points in the first half of Game 1, 131 points in the first half of Game 2 and 128 points in the first half of Game 3. Needless to say, defense has been somewhat optional during the first 24 minutes of the NBA Finals.

5. Fade Tristan Thompson in every way imaginable: To date, Thompson’s 2017 NBA Finals run can be summed up with the following statistical information: Through three games, the Cleveland power forward has recorded 11 total rebounds. In Game 3 alone, Golden State point guard Steph Curry, who stands seven inches shorter than Thompson, notched 13 rebounds. The curse of the Kardashian Family strikes again.

6. Bombs away: Combined, the Warriors and Cavaliers are averaging 25.6 converted three pointers during the NBA Finals. Game by game, here’s what it looks like:

Game 1: 23

Game 2: 26

Game 3: 28

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, June 9


Golden State @ Cleveland

Game 707-708
June 9, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
139.709
Cleveland
131.870
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 8
236
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 6
228
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-6); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 9

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GOLDEN STATE (82 - 15) at CLEVELAND (63 - 35) - 6/9/2017, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) on Friday nights this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-43 ATS (+3.7 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 102-84 ATS (+9.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games in all playoff games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) when leading in a playoff series this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-22 ATS (+7.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
CLEVELAND is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
CLEVELAND is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CLEVELAND is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 13-9 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 14-8 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
13 of 20 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, June 9

Warriors outscored Cleveland 11-0 over final 3:10 to win Game 3 on road, after winning first two Finals games by 22-19 points; Golden State is 15-0 in playoffs, 7-0 on road, also covering all seven road games— they won their last four games with Cleveland, by 35-22-19-5 points. Four of last six series games stayed under the total; under is 7-3-1 in last 11 series tilts. Warriors lost three of last five games in Cleveland, but can clinch second NBA title in three years here. Over is 6-1 in Warriors’ last seven games. Cavaliers are 5-2 at home in playoffs (2-5 vs spread)- six of those seven games went over.

NBA Finals
Cleveland-Golden State
GState 113-91, U225
GState 132-113, O222
GState 118-113, -3.5, O227




NBA

Friday, June 9

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Golden State
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at CLE 09:00 PM

GS -6.0

O 227.5

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron, Cavs end Warriors perfect playoffs
June 9, 2017

CLEVELAND (AP) The Cavaliers stopped Golden State's perfect postseason and maybe started another comeback.

Just like last year, the NBA Finals are at 3-1 after four games.

LeBron James recorded a triple-double, Kyrie Irving scored 40 points and Cleveland outperformed the NBA's most electrifying offense in a testy Game 4 filled with technical fouls on Friday night, beating the Warriors 137-116 and snapping their 15-game playoff winning streak.

''We just kept our composure,'' James said. ''We shared the ball, we moved the ball and defensively we were physical.''

A series that appeared to be headed for a quick conclusion is California bound for Game 5 on Monday night.

The Cavs set scoring records in the first half and then held on during a wild third and fourth quarter that included technical fouls, James jawing with fellow superstar Kevin Durant and Cleveland's crowd roaring like a jet engine.

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs.

But until the Cavs did it last year, no team had ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the Finals. Cleveland took Game 3 at home, lost Game 4 and then won the final three games - Game 7 in Oakland - to capture the city's first sports championship since 1964.

As the final seconds ticked off, Cleveland fans chanted ''Cavs in 7.''

The Warriors had swept their first three series and were 48 minutes away from a party they've been planning for a year. But it's on hold and Golden State fans are holding their breath.

Durant, still one win from the coveted championship he left Oklahoma City to get, scored 35 but got little help from Stephen Curry, who scored 14 on 4-of-13 shooting.

James finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth career triple-double in the Finals, breaking the record of eight held by Magic Johnson.

Kevin Love added 23 points for Cleveland, which made 24 3-pointers and finished the first half with a jaw-dropping 86 points.

If not for Cleveland's Kyle Korver missing a 3-pointer in the final minute of Game 3, the series would be 2-2.

In any event, the Cavs are still breathing and it's now the Warriors who may be feeling the pressure after blowing a 3-1 lead last June.

The third quarter featured a confusing sequence and a scramble on the floor that resulted in two technical, a friend of James being escorted from the arena and back and forth flurries worthy of a heavyweight boxing match.

At one point, it was announced that Golden State's Draymond Green had been given his second technical foul and security came onto the floor to usher the volatile forward to the locker room. However, a technical assessed to him in the first half was actually called on Warriors coach Steve Kerr, leading to the confusion.

Later, Warriors center Zaza Pachulia was involved in a pileup of players in the foul lane and he delivered two swipes to Iman Shumpert's groin area as the referees tried to get control. Pachulia could have been tossed, but was only given a technical as was Shumpert. As this was being sorted out, Todd Leebow, a friend of James who was sitting with the three-time champion's business partners, got involved in an argument with Golden State's bench and was asked to leave.

The Cavs were determined not to let the Warriors celebrate on their floor for the second time in three years, and it was Cleveland, not Golden State, which busted Finals scoring records in the first half. Cleveland scored 49 in the first quarter and 86 during a dizzying opening 24 minutes that left players and fans gasping for air.

And beyond their firepower, the Cavs did it on defense, holding the up-and-down Warriors without a single fast-break point.

With their crowd hanging on every dribble, pass and shot, the Cavaliers came out flying.

Cleveland built an early 16-point lead and for the first extended time the series the defending champions looked and played like the superior team at both ends.

Golden State clawed within seven, but then the Warriors began fouling and Kerr got nailed with his technical - one of seven in the game. Fueled by the outburst, the Cavs went on a 12-2 run capped by a 3-pointer from Love and dunk by 36-year-old Richard Jefferson, who earlier in the day said he and his teammates would approach the 3-0 deficit like a marathon, ''one step at a time.''

They've taken the first.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Were trying to become the first team to complete a postseason unbeaten. There have been two one-loss champions: the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (15-1) and 1983 Philadelphia 76ers (12-1). ... Comedian Kevin Hart and NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. were among the courtside celebrities. ... Before the game, Kerr, who missed 11 playoff games because of back pain, said his decision to return to the bench for Game 2 in the Finals was easy. ''It's just fun,'' he said, ''and I felt better. And that was my barometer. If I felt better, I was going to do it.''

Cavaliers: James jumped Michael Jordan (1,176) on the Finals scoring list, and hopped over His Airness (1,463) for the most made free throws in pro basketball's showcase event. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,317) and Mr. Logo himself, Jerry West (1,679) have scored more points in the Finals. ... General manager David Griffin's contract expires after the season, and it's not clear if he will be re-signed by owner Dan Gilbert. Griffin took over after Chris Grant was fired in 2014 and has been responsible for overhauling a roster that is the highest paid in the league. ... Reserve guard Dahntay Jones was called for a technical in the first half for trash talking with Durant.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Well-known actors/actresses who were villains on Batman:

— Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether- Catwoman

— Vincent Price, Egghead

— Roddy McDowall, Bookworm

— Frank Gorshin, John Astin- Riddler

— Milton Berle, Louie the Lilac

— Joan Collins, Siren

**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend…….

13) The 2017 Golden State Warriors are competing against the 2017 Cavaliers, not the 1970 Knicks or the ’85 Lakers or Jordan’s Bulls or Russell’s Celtics. They’re trying to win this year’s championship, and thats it, no matter what bored people rant about on social media.

They’re trying to win THIS YEAR’s CHAMPIONSHIP, thats it. Fans always think when their team wins it is the greatest thing ever, because for them, it was. For me, Super Bowl XXXIV is the greatest football game ever played. Most people would disagree with that, but thats the beauty of sports/discussion, we all have our opinions.

12) The hotel in Oakland that the Warriors practice in is hosting the National Cannabis Business Summit & Expo, starting Monday. Insert your own joke here.

11) On the Marlins game Saturday, they were discussing whether or not it is a good idea for every team to be represented at the All-Star Game.

I rooted for the 1979 A’s, a truly dreadful (54-108) team that was just a bad team, other than a very young Rickey Henderson, Dwayne Murphy and a couple decent pitchers.

One of the few highlights that season was when Jeff Newman was introduced before the All-Star Game in Seattle, as the A’s only representative. It was like, “Yeah, we suck but we have nice uniforms.”

So I’m in favor of each team being represented.

10) Saturday, 17 people (11 adults, six kids) were pelted with goose droppings at Disneyland in Anaheim. Actual geese did the damage from up above. Thats the definition of a crappy day.

9) Texas Tech signed a 19-year old Italian guard as a recruit to join the Red Raiders this fall. Davide Moretti scored 14.8 pts/game for the Italian team in the U18 World Championships.

Recruiting is so damn competitive now, teams look for players wherever you can find them. I’m guessing it is a very long journey from Italy to Lubbock, TX.

8) 2020 Olympics will have 3-on-3 basketball, but sounds like it will be without NBA players.

7) Damien Jefferson is transferring from New Mexico’s basketball program, the sixth Lobo to transfer since last season ended.

6) Random update: Tim Tebow is hitting .223 in the Class A South Atlantic League.

5) Georgia Tech’s punter is giving up his last year of college football in order to study at a seminary— he is going to become a priest.

4) How small market teams try to do things (for better or worse, mostly worse):

November 5, 2009, the A’s got Matt Holliday from Colorado for Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith and Huston Street. Smith was a lefty pitcher, Street is obviously still a (oft-injured) closer and CarGo is a fine player for the Rockies.

Holliday played 93 games for Oakland, then on July 24, he was traded to St Louis, for Clayton Mortenson (P), Shane Peterson (OF) and Brett Wallace (DH-type). Not good.

Holliday was a free agent after 2010, which is why the deals were made in the first place. He re-signed with the Cardinals.

You can hire all the Ivy League geniuses you want in the front office, but that Ivy League degree looks a lot less glossy when you screw things up this badly. I’d go over the Cespedes and Josh Donaldson trades, but I don’t want to puke on my laptop.

Oakland’s record since the Cespedes trade on July 31, 2014: 186-255. I’ll stop now.

3) In the interest of fairness, A’s did same thing with Ben Zobrist, who was with Oakland for less than one season, before they dealt him to the Royals on July 28, for two minor league pitchers, one of which was Sean Manaea, who has great promise.

So if you replenish your young pitching, it can be worth it; if you don’t, its a freaking disaster.

2) Major league baseball amateur draft is Monday; think it is 40 rounds now over a couple days. Baseball is different than other sports in that these kids get drafted, then disappear into the minor leagues before some of them resurface in the majors a couple years from now

1) It never gets old when a kid makes his major league debut, and they show his family in the stands; the mom is usually crying, the dad is trying to act cool and everyone else in the group is going crazy rooting for the kid. It is the culmination of many years of effort; what a feeling that must be.

Minnesota Twins have the #1 pick; they’re in first place now. Last team to draft first while they were in first place? The 2001 Twins, when they drafted Joe Mauer.