The Bum's 2017 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News Thru Playoffs !

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s 6-pack

Odds to win one of the last three golf majors this year:

3-1— Dustin Johnson

5-1—- Jason Day, Rickie Fowler

8-1— Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood

10-1— Paul Casey

12-1— Brooks Koepka

15-1— Tyrrell Hatton, Branden Grace, Matt Kuchar

Quote of the Day
“You are the damn dumbest smart kid I know.”
Jon Voight, in Varsity Blues

Saturday’s quiz
What was the named of the domed stadium where the Seahawks/Mariners used to play their home games?

Friday’s quiz
Hall of Famer Kurt Warner holds the record for most consecutive regular season games where his team was favored, 55 games in a row. Tom Brady (50) is second on the list.

Thursday’s quiz
Pablo Sandoval is the last major leaguer to hit three homers in a World Series game, in 2012.

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Saturday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind…….

13) James Harden has missed his last 20 shots behind the arc; during that time, Houston has still outscored the Warriors by 12 points. Go figure.

12) Rockets’ star Chris Paul (hamstring) is out for Saturday’s Game 6 at Golden State.

11) Sunday afternoon was supposed to be Tanaka vs Ohtani in the Bronx, but the Angels scratched Ohtani from the start, saying “they are just managing his workload.”

Ohtani has thrown 40.1 innings in seven starts this year, not really that big a workload. Am guessing the TV people in Japan are upset; Tanaka-Ohtani would be big ratings in Japan.

10) Milwaukee Brewers are 32-20, in first place in NL Central, but they’ve been shut out in nine of their 20 losses, which means they’re 32-11 when they score at least one run.

9) Eli Manning has a contract with memorabilia dealer Steiner Sports to sell some of his game-worn stuff — he was accused of defrauding collectors by selling equipment that he never actually wore, but he recently settled the suit out of court. In other words, Eli is a greedy creep.

While Manning bought his way out of the suit, the Giants fired three employees who worked on the team’s equipment staff. It is good to be rich- they only fire the worker bees.

8) Back when the Giants had training camp here in Albany, a friend of mine’s son asked Eli to sign a mini-helmet for him. Eli said yes, but he wouldn’t sign with a silver Sharpie, he insisted on signing with a black Sharpie, which doesn’t show up as well on the dark blue helmet.

Apparently the only time he uses a silver Sharpie is if he is getting paid to sign stuff for Steiner Sports.

7) Giants’ Gorkys Hernández had the most plate appearances without a home run last season (348); he already has five homers this season.

6) Red Sox activated Dustin Pedroia from the DL, DFA’d Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez was 302 PA away from his $22M option kicking in for 2019, so they told him to…..take a hike.

5) Mariners traded for Tampa Bay closer Alex Colome and CF Denard Span. giving up pitchers Andrew Moore, Tommy Romero. Moore is 1-5, 5.34 in 11 MLB games (9 starts), none this year.

Span will play CF with Dee Gordon likely moving back to 2B until Robinson Cabo’s 80-game suspension is over. Mariners add $9M in salary with this movie, but they saved $12M when Cano got suspended.

4) Going into Friday’s games, Mets were on pace to have the lowest OPS from the cleanup spot in the history of baseball, which obviously isn’t good. OPS is on-base %age plus slugging percentage.

3) Going into Friday’s games, major league home teams are winning only 49% of the time this season; there has never been a season where home teams lost more games than they won.

2) Before the playoff game Friday night. a gambler at SouthPoint Casino in Las Vegas bet $100K on the Cavaliers to win their series vs Boston at +$165. Same bettor also put $25K on Cleveland to win NBA title at 18-1, and another $25K at 15/1.

1) Last time both NBA conference finals went seven games was 1979; Sonics-Bullets was the NBA Finals, the year before Bird-Magic. Could happen again this year.

[StarDust Bum]

Game 6 - Rockets at Warriors
May 25, 2018

Western Conference Finals – Game 6 (Rockets lead 3-2)
Houston at Golden State (TNT, 9:05 p.m. ET)

The Houston Rockets are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals and the offseason acquisition of Chris Paul has certainly attributed to that goal but unfortunately an injury to the veteran guard has cast concerns for the club moving forward.

For the second straight game in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets stifled the Warriors and captured a 98-94 win in Game 5 on Thursday. While Houston wanted to celebrate the win and its 3-2 lead over Golden State in the series, the late-game hamstring injury to Paul has many concerned as he limped off the court and didn’t play the final 23 seconds.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni addressed the media after the game. He said, “He’ll be evaluated tomorrow. But obviously you saw him limp off, and he’s a tough guy. So they’ll do whatever they can do. If he’s there, great, good for him. If he isn’t, we have enough guys and it’s time for somebody else to step up. We’ve got plenty of guys over there that will have some fresh legs, that’s for sure. So we’ll be all right.”

D’Antonio’s presser after the game was a positive spin but the bad news became official for the Rockets nearly a half-day later and Paul was ruled ‘out’ for Game 6.

Tony Mejia, NBA Expert on VegasInsider.com, weighed in on the CP3 injury quickly after Thursday’s outcome.

“Oddsmakers supplied no wiggle room to get in cheap, apparently projecting that Chris Paul will miss Game 6 and installing Golden State as a double-digit favorite as a result. Don’t be bluffed off by the large number,” said Mejia.

“I’m of the belief Paul won’t play again in the series and would be a defensive liability if he’s cleared to participate due to a lack of mobility. If he’s ruled out, Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni has already said he’d utilize Eric Gordon in more of a playmaker role, which probably means we’ll be in for another grinder and the Warriors would really have to shoot poorly at home to put themselves in danger of not returning to Houston.”

As Mejia noted, the Paul injury factor can’t be taken lightly especially when you look at the records. In the regular season, he missed 24 games and the Rockets went 15-9 without him. With him in the lineup, Houston was 40-8.

BookMaker.eu was the first major offshore shop to open Game 6 on Thursday night and they sent Golden State out as a 10 ½-point home favorite. As of Friday the number moved to 11 and after Houston officially announced that Paul was ‘out’ for later in the afternoon, the majority of books are holding the Warriors as low as -11 ½ and as high as -12.

Mejia believes Game 7 will happen on Monday between the pair and the value is on the Warriors for the series and in the futures market.

He explained his position, “The Warriors are heavily favored to win Game 6 and would likely be in a favorite’s role on the road in Houston if Paul is unavailable for the series finale, so there’s really no time like the present to get behind them to win a championship for value’s sake. There’s no question they’ve looked lost down the stretch in consecutive games but I agree with Kerr that they’re in a good spot, no longer underestimating their opponents and sufficiently motivated to battle back and make good on a golden opportunity to win a third title in four years from slipping away.”

“After winning a game by 41 points, Golden State has now fumbled away a pair of opportunities to essentially put the series away. Down to their final strike, it’s time to put up or shut up for both team and bettors alike. Believe this group is an all-time team? Back them to rally in the series and ultimately, to win a title. All is most certainly not lost,” added Mejia.

As Golden State attempts to win its third championship in the last four seasons, some pundits will point to the “Battle of Attrition” that the Warriors seem to always win. Going against a short-handed squad in the playoffs is nothing new for the Warriors, who can now add CP3 to the list of stars (Kyrie, Kawhi, Love) that they've avoided in key games of key series over the last few years.

Despite facing a 3-2 deficit, Golden State remains the favorite (-165) to win the series while the takeback on Houston to win is plus-140. The Warriors are also 5/7 (Bet $100 to win $71) favorites to win the NBA Finals and that’s as cheap a price as you can get on them to capture the title.

Back to Game 6, bettors could be and should be hesitant to back the Warriors as double-digit favorites.

While it’s fair to say Golden State played well below its standards in the back-to-back losses and the two setbacks only came by a combined seven points, you can’t dismiss the fact that Houston played just as poorly yet they earned the ‘ugly’ wins.

When you look at the Game 5 numbers for James Harden, 19 points on 5-of-21 attempts, you’re still scratching your head how Houston won. The league’s likely Most Valuable Player this season has been anything but in this series, shooting 41 percent from the field and an abysmal 24 percent from 3-point land, which includes a streak of 20 misses in a row heading into Game 6.

Houston shot 37 percent as a team on Thursday, compared to 44 percent from Golden State but the Warriors doomed themselves with turnovers, coughing up the ball 16 times in each of the last two losses.

The eye-opener for me in this series has been Houston’s defense, which has held Golden State to 107.2 points per game and 47 percent shooting.

Prior to this series, Golden State had won 15 of the previous 20 encounters against Houston and the Rockets only notched five wins because of their offense, which averaged 119 PPG in the victories. To see them capture not one but two wins in this series while scoring less than 100 points is very impressive.

Backing the Warriors with a full squad off a loss was a good investment (13-2 SU) prior to the loss in Game 5 and the offensive production (124.7 PPG) in those games was off the charts.

Should bettors go back to that angle again? At the end of March, Golden State did drop three straight games and that was the only time they did so in the regular season. Outside of that minor skid, the Warriors went 3-0 both SU and ATS this year off back-to-back setbacks while outscoring opponents by an average of 16 PPG (118-102).

Houston hasn’t been listed as a double-digit underdog since the 2016 regular season and coincidentally they defeated Golden State 132-127 as an 11 ½-point pup on the road. As underdogs this season, the Rockets have gone 4-6 both SU and ATS and all four wins have come against the Warriors. Make a note that Houston didn’t cover in any of the six losses but the lines were much shorter than this spread (-12).

VI NBA expert Kevin Rogers checked out the VegasInsider.com playoff betting archives and dug up situations that apply to Game 6 tomorrow.

“Golden State is definitely in a rare point-spread position as this heavy of a favorite in a game that can end its season. In 2017, the team listed as the highest favorite with their backs against the wall was coincidentally the Rockets, who laid nine points to the Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. San Antonio crushed Houston at the Toyota Center, 114-75 to advance, while cashing at +425 (Bet $100 to win $425) on the money-line,” said Rogers.

“Rewinding back to 2016’s Western Conference Finals, the Warriors won and covered in their two home games facing elimination against the Thunder by barely covering as 7 to 7 ½ point favorites in Games 5 and 7, respectively.”

As a double-digit home favorite in the playoffs, Golden State has gone 16-1 SU since 2015. However, the Warriors have burned bettors with a 5-12 ATS mark and that includes three non-covers in matchups against the Spurs (0-1) and Pelicans (0-2) in this postseason.

Based on our closing numbers, the ‘under’ has gone 4-1 in this series and the last three results have been ‘never in doubt’ to the low side. Including those results, the ‘under’ is 17-8 in the last 25 encounters between the pair and that includes a 12-3 (80%) in playoff matchups. The total for Game 6 opened 213 ½ and is sitting at 212 as of Friday evening.

While the Paul injury is huge, bettors should keep an eye on the status of Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (knee) for Game 6. He’s sat out the last two games in this series and also missed two regular season games against the Rockets. Golden State has gone 3-1 with him in the lineup against Houston and 1-4 without him.

If necessary, Game 7 will take place on Monday at the Toyota Center from Houston.

[StarDust Bum]

Houston's Chris Paul out for Game 6
May 25, 2018

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets will be without star guard Chris Paul for Game 6 because of a strained hamstring, a huge blow for a team trying to close out the Golden State Warriors.

Paul was injured in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's victory that gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals.

''I hate it for him, above all,'' coach Mike D'Antoni said. ''He's practically won us the last two games. But great opportunity for other guys and we have plenty to choose from and we'll be ready.''

Eric Gordon, the star of Game 5, will start in Paul's place Saturday night. He started 30 games this season while Paul and James Harden dealt with injuries.

''It will not change anything that we do or how we do it,'' D'Antoni said.

Paul's right leg will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston following Game 6. On Friday, he was with the team, laughing and joking with teammates as they walked on the court for practice.

Harden said the Rockets don't have time to dwell on the absence of their nine-time All-Star.

''We don't want to come and be pouting around,'' he said. ''We want to keep our same swagger, our same positive energy. We try to feed that off to him as well: `Be happy, be ready; get this thing right, get this thing going and be back in no time.'''

Paul is in the conference finals for the first time after failing to advance past the second round in nine previous postseason trips. In his first season in Houston after a summer trade from the Clippers, Paul has paired with Harden to move the Rockets within one victory of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since Houston won titles in 1994 and 1995.

He has totaled 47 points in the last two games - both Houston wins - to allow the Rockets to come back from a 2-1 deficit.

Gordon has played a big role. On Thursday night, he came off the bench to score 24 points and made a steal in the final seconds to secure the victory.

''Whoever is out, it's almost like the next guy up, and everybody finds a way,'' Gordon said. ''We just collectively find a way to win. It's definitely going to be tough. But I still think at the end of the day, we're a tough team and we can still find ways to win.''

D'Antoni wouldn't speculate on Paul's availability if the Warriors force Game 7 on Monday night in Houston. But he said Paul will travel with the team to Oakland for Saturday's game.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors facing elimination but undaunted
May 25, 2018

HOUSTON (AP) If the Golden State Warriors are worried as they head into Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on the brink of elimination, they aren't showing it.

''We have a chance to tie the series at home. That's a pretty good position to be in,'' coach Steve Kerr said. ''We've got to win two basketball games and we've done that an awful lot, so we're very confident.''

The defending champions trail Houston 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after consecutive wins by the Rockets, capped by Thursday night's 98-94 victory . Now the series shifts to Oracle Arena, a place where the Warriors have lost just one time in their last 17 playoff games.

Stephen Curry said the Warriors are encouraged despite falling behind in the series because they believe both games could have gone their way and that a few simple corrections will get them back on track.

''We have an opportunity to re-establish ourselves at home, get a big win, keep ourselves alive, and then roll the dice into Game 7,'' Curry said. ''Not all is lost.''

Houston's big win in Game 5 was tempered by a hamstring injury to star Chris Paul which will keep him out of Saturday's game. It's a major blow for a team which is looking to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in more than two decades.

The Rockets believe they can absorb this loss and don't seem daunted by the setback, noting that they found ways to win in the regular season in many games where Paul sat out with injuries.

''I don't have a doubt,'' D'Antoni said. ''They see the challenge ... whether CP's there or not, it's a heck of a challenge, and they're up to it. They're looking forward to it.''

James Harden, who has struggled offensively in the last two games and went 0 for 11 on 3s in Game 5, rolled his eyes when asked if Paul's injury puts more pressure on him.

''Pressure for what? It's Game 6 of the Western Conference finals,'' he said. ''There is pressure on everybody.''

While that may be true, the onus is on Harden to step up and deliver an MVP-caliber performance if the Rockets hope to close out this series. Harden has had plenty of playoff disappointments in the last few years and embraces the chance to get Houston back into the finals.

''It's an opportunity that a lot of people never had and probably won't ever have,'' he said. ''It's our job to go out there and have fun with it and do the same thing we've been doing. We want to take advantage of it.''

While the Rockets will be down a starter, the Warriors could get one back if Andre Iguodala can return on Saturday. The Warriors have missed the defensive presence of Iguodala who has missed the last two games with a bruised left knee.

Iguodala is listed on the injury report as questionable for Game 6 and Kerr said he didn't have an update on his condition on Friday. But he did address what it would mean to Golden State if he's healthy enough to go on Saturday.

''He's a great player,'' Kerr said. ''He's one of our keys, and we've missed him the last two games. But we can't count on it. Injuries happen, and you've just got to play with whoever's out there. So we're hoping he's back, and we'll see what happens.''

Iguodala's absence has been magnified in this series that has morphed into a defensive slugfest instead of the high-scoring shootout that most expected when it began. The Rockets take great pride in the fact that they've limited Golden State to less than 100 points in the last two games and think continuing to play great defense is the only way they'll advance.

''It's something we talked about building up all year,'' Houston's P.J. Tucker said. ''To see our defense now be as good as it is, we still think it could be a lot better. We watched film, and honestly ... we didn't play great defense last night. Everybody will talk about how good a defense we played, but we really don't feel like that. So just keep working and trying to get better.''

Kerr said the experience of his team, which is trying to reach the finals for the fourth straight year, will be valuable as the Warriors try and climb out of this hole and force Game 7. He referenced the conference finals in 2016 when they fell behind Oklahoma City 3-1 before winning the next three to take the series.

''We've been here before,'' Kerr said. ''We've faced elimination on the road before - this team has - a few years ago. We faced series deficits before. We've won all of those series. Our guys have the ultimate confidence that we can get it done this time, too.''

[StarDust Bum]

Injuries taketh away, and injuries giveth
May 25, 2018

The NBA playoffs never go according to plan. The Golden State Warriors are proof of that.

Again.

They have been the league's best team over the last four seasons, without question. But even the great teams need injury luck on their side, as has been evident in each of their playoff runs over that span.

Enter Chris Paul and Andre Iguodala this year.

In 2015, Golden State didn't have to face injured Cleveland stars Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love in the NBA Finals and won the title.

A year later, the Warriors blew a 3-1 finals lead against the Cavs because the series turned in Game 5 - not because Draymond Green was suspended (the often-offered and incorrect narrative), but because Andrew Bogut got clumsily taken out by J.R. Smith and the Warriors had no one left to defend the rim from LeBron James' constant onslaughts.

Last year, Kawhi Leonard came down on Zaza Pachulia's foot in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, San Antonio's big lead was gone in an instant and the Warriors steamrolled the rest of the way to another title.

Injuries taketh away. Injuries giveth.

The reigning NBA champions are on the brink of elimination, down 3-2 in the West finals in large part because Iguodala's knee has prevented him from playing in the last two games - both of them close losses to the Houston Rockets, outcomes that may have been different if he was on the floor.

But now those Rockets have lost Paul to a hamstring strain. Officially, Paul is out for Game 6 against the Warriors on Saturday. Realistically, the perennial All-Star is probably out for a lot longer.

Series lead, Houston.

Advantage, it sure seems like Golden State.

''Injuries happen,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday. ''And you've just got to play with whoever's out there.''

It's amazing to consider that the Warriors have four All-Stars - Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Green - and yet they're one loss from summer right now because a 34-year-old Iguodala hasn't been on the floor. Make no mistake, his absence has crushed the Warriors and especially so in late-game situations.

Golden State was awful offensively in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and lost. The Warriors then got ripped for Quinn Cook taking a wide-open 3-pointer and missing with about a minute left in the Game 5 loss at Houston. Green's many social-media critics reveled in how he dropped a pass and booted the ball off his leg in the final seconds for a turnover that cost Golden State a chance to tie or win the game.

If Iguodala was there, he'd have been involved in those plays.

''He's one of our keys, and we've missed him the last two games,'' Kerr said.

Iguodala might be able to get through it and play on Saturday night. Paul won't; in fact, it seems logical to fear that his season may be over regardless of how far the Rockets go.

Hamstrings don't heal in a day or two. Playing through an ankle sprain or broken finger, that's noble at this time of year. Hamstrings don't allow for such displays of toughness. Running, jumping, cutting, they're simply not possible. Paul could barely stand after getting hurt Thursday. Anyone envision him running by Monday?

Probably not.

This has been the NBA season of injuries. Gordon Hayward's season was over after five minutes on opening night and the Boston Celtics had to reinvent themselves. The Celtics had to do so again when they lost Irving to knee surgery late in the regular season. It took time; the Celtics nearly were knocked out in the first round before finding their stride again.

The Warriors, they're running out of time. The Rockets, they don't have time to waste either. Without Paul this season, they're an exceptional 61-12. Without him, they're 15-9 - still good, but hardly great.

Even with a 3-2 lead, the Rockets probably need one more great game to end Golden State's reign.

''We've been here before,'' Kerr said.

The Warriors aren't acting like worriers. They've learned how to roll with the punches at playoff time, no matter how much they hurt.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Top Wager
May 25, 2018

Game 6 - Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

The defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors are one loss away from elimination as they head home for Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night. The Houston Rockets have won each of the last two games to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Warriors had their chances to win each of the last two games but failed down the stretch. Oddsmakers don’t think Game 6 is going to come down to the last few minutes, as the Warriors are double-digit favorites.

Let’s look at the contest and NBA picks.

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors
Date and Time: Saturday, May 26, 2018, 9:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
NBA Odds : Warriors -11, O/U 213.5
Rockets vs. Warriors TV Coverage: TNT

The Warriors have found a way to lose each of the last two games down the stretch, yet they are supremely confident they will win the next two games of this series. "I feel great about where we are right now," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Game 5. "That may sound crazy, but I feel it. I know exactly what I'm seeing out there, and we defended them beautifully tonight. We got everything we needed. Just too many turnovers, too many reaches, and if we settle down a little bit, we're going to be in really good shape." Golden State had every opportunity to win Game 4 in Oakland and they had plenty of chances to win Game 5 in Houston. They held James Harden to 5-of-21 shooting and 0-of-11 from 3-point range and still lost.

Kerr said to the media that his players realize they should have already won this series. “I think they know that we could have won this game, could have won the last game. I think they're sitting in there and they're angry, as they should be. They're competitors."

The Warriors have not been the same team without Andre Iguodala in the lineup and his status for Game 6 is unclear. The Rockets have an even bigger problem, as Chris Paul injured his hamstring in Game 5 and he was ruled 'out' for Saturday's matchup. Paul said he was going to play, but it certainly makes more sense for Houston to hold him out for a potential Game 7 on Monday back in Houston.

Key Player

You can make a case for Harden, Paul, Durant or Curry being the key player, but the reality is that the Warriors have dominated this series when Iguodala has been in the lineup and they have struggled without him. Kerr said Iguodala has improved each day since his knee injury but he is still not sure if Iguodala will play on Saturday. Just how important is Iguodala to the Warriors? The Warriors are 3-1 against the Rockets this season with Iggy in the lineup and they are 0-4 against Houston without him.

Key Stats

The Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Saturday games. The Warriors are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games. The Warriors are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games.

Looking at the total, the Under is 4-0 in the Rockets last 4 road games. The Under is 7-1 in the Warriors last 8 overall. The Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.

Rockets vs. Warriors Free Picks

I said before Game 5 that it was a tough call and I split, taking Golden State and under. I think Iguodala will play on Saturday night and I also think the Warriors will win big. I know that it is hard to prove a conspiracy, but the NBA is now going to get what they want and that is a Game 7 in Houston on Monday night. Almost everyone thought this series was in fact the true NBA Finals, because no one believes either Boston or Cleveland has any chance to beat Golden State or Houston for the title. Now that a Game 7 is likely, look for the Warriors to play great and rout the Rockets in Game 6.

Rockets vs. Warriors ATS Pick: Warriors minus the points.
Rockets vs. Warriors Score Prediction: Warriors 120, Rockets 100

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (65-17) at Warriors (58-24)
Date: May 26, 2018 9:00 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Houston Rockets will attempt to close out the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night, but will have to go about it without star point guard Chris Paul.

Paul had 20 points, Eric Gordon 24 and James Harden 19 when the Rockets moved to within one win of their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995 with a 98-94 home victory over the Warriors on Thursday.

As it turned out, the key play of the game -- in more ways than one -- occurred when Paul suffered a strained right hamstring while attempting a missed floater in the key with 51.7 seconds remaining and the Rockets clinging to a 95-94 lead.

Paul was unable to return to the defensive end after the miss, giving the Warriors a five-on-four power play with a chance to go ahead.

But instead of placing their uncovered man, little used Quinn Cook, close to the basket, the Warriors spotted him up for a 3-pointer, which he missed after nervously fumbling a pass.

The Rockets went on to score the final three points on free throws to go ahead 3-2 in a playoff series for the first time since 2009.

"We don't want to just be down on it. We want to keep our same swag, our same positive energy," Harden said of the loss of his backcourt sidekick. "We're not here moping around and sad. We're good."

Paul is seeking to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in his career. Now it's possible the Rockets will make it, but he won't.

The club wouldn't speculate about his availability past anything more than Game 6. He will be re-evaluated when the Rockets return home Sunday, either for a Game 7 against the Warriors on Monday or for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

The Rockets went 15-9 without Paul in the starting lineup during the regular season, with Gordon replacing him on 21 of the 24 occasions.

Gordon has been a key contributor to the Rockets' success off the bench in the series. He has single-handedly outscored Golden State's reserves 38-16 in the last two games, both of which Houston has won to reverse what had been a 2-1 deficit in the series.

Of course, the Warriors have had health issues of their own in the series, with Andre Iguodala having missed Games 4 and 5 with a bruised left knee.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted Friday that he had "no idea" whether Iguodala would be available for Game 6, while at the same time noting that "he's gotten incrementally better each day."

With or without Iguodala, history says the Warriors will be tough to beat under the circumstances they'll be experiencing in Game 6.

Since Kerr took over as coach in 2015, the Warriors are 36-6 at home in the postseason, including an NBA-record 16-game winning streak that was snapped in their 95-92 loss in Game 4.

They've won 26 of their last 32 playoff games regardless of the site, and have a 3-1 record under Kerr in potential elimination games, with the lone loss coming in Game 6 of the 2016 Finals against Cleveland.

The Rockets, meanwhile, have wasted no time disposing of vulnerable opponents this postseason, eliminating Minnesota in the first round and Utah in the Western semifinals at first crack after going up 3-1 in each series.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Warriors at Rockets
Mon, May 14 Final 119 to 106
Recaps

GAME 2
Warriors at Rockets
Wed, May 16 Final 105 to 127
Recaps

GAME 3
Rockets at Warriors
Sun, May 20 Final 85 to 126
Recaps

GAME 4
Rockets at Warriors
Tue, May 22 Final 95 to 92
Recaps

GAME 5
Warriors at Rockets
Thu, May 24 Final 94 to 98
Recaps

GAME 6
Rockets at Warriors
Sat, May 26 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Warriors at Rockets
Mon, May 28 - 9:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Western Confernce Finals Game 6 betting preview: Rockets at Warriors

When Chris Paul was in the lineup for Games 3 and 4 in Oakland, the Rockets were 7.5-point underdogs. Without Paul, they're currently +12 for Game 6.

Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-12, 212)

Rockets lead series 3-2

The Houston Rockets are on the brink of the franchise's first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995 but will be without point guard Chris Paul when they try to knock off a proud defending champion. The Rockets, who took a 3-2 series lead with a home win in Game 5, will take the first of their two shots at earning one more win when they visit the Golden State Warriors for Game 6 on Saturday.

The only downside to the 98-94 Game 5 win for Houston was the sight of Paul leaving with a hamstring injury in the final minute, and he was ruled out of Game 6 on Friday. "It's obviously not something we wanted," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters before Friday's practice. "I hate it for him above all. He's practically won us the past two games. But it's a great opportunity for other guys, and we have plenty to choose from. We'll be ready." The Warriors, who represented the West in the last three NBA Finals, are not panicking about being one loss away from an early vacation. "I feel great about where we are right now," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Game 5. "That may sound crazy, but I feel it. I know exactly what I'm seeing out there, and we defended them beautifully (Thursday night). We got everything we needed. Just too many turnovers, too many reaches, and if we settle down a little bit, we're going to be in really good shape."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

SERIES PRICE (PER WESTGATE LV SUPERBOOK):

Golden State Warriors -130
Houston Rockets +110

LINE HISTORY: The Rockets opened Game 6 as big 10.5-point road dogs without Paul, three points more than they were listed for Games 3 and 4. And without Paul bettors are fading the Rockets as the line has jumped to Warriors -12.

CONSENSUS: It seems like that it's sharp money moving the number as 66 percent of public wagers are happy to be getting all those points with the Rockets. When it comes to the total 66 percent of wagers are on the Over.

INJURY REPORT:

Rockets - PG Chris Paul (Out, hamstring).
Warriors - SF Andre Iguodala (Questionable, knee), SG Patrick McCaw (Out, back), SF Chris Boucher (Out, ankle).

MATCHUP CHART:



ABOUT THE ROCKETS (76-21, 50-46-1 ATS, 39-57-1 O/U): Houston won the last two games despite a historic shooting slump from MVP candidate James Harden, who missed his last 20 3-point attempts after going 0-of-11 from beyond the arc on Thursday. "I'm just missing shots," Harden told reporters. "But we're winning, and I'm trying to compete on the defensive end and do other things to help my team win. But if we've got a guy like (reserve shooting guard) Eric Gordon making shots and being aggressive, who cares?" Harden scored a series-low 19 points on 5-of-21 shooting in Game 5 but is averaging 27.4 points against Golden State.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (68-29, 41-55-1 ATS, 44-52-1 O/U): Star forward Kevin Durant scored a team-high 29 points in Game 5 but was 8-of-22 from the floor and got caught in isolation several times instead of moving the ball. "Yeah, they're switching a lot when I get in the post now," Durant explained to reporters. "I can feel them bringing a guy over, so I just got to make the right play. But, yeah, (I need to) probably mix it up a bit and see where I can get different catches and touches because they're kind of figuring stuff out for us." Durant is averaging 31.2 points on 46.5 percent shooting in the series after shooting 51.6 percent during the regular season. Forward Andre Iguodala (knee) sat out the last two games and is questionable for Game 6.

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games playing on one days rest.
* Warriors are 4-17 ATS in their last 21 games playing on one days rest.
* Under is 4-0 in Rockets last four road games.
* Under is 7-1 in Warriors last eight overall.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, May 26

Houston @ Golden State

Game 509-510
May 26, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
120.923
Golden State
134.890
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 14
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 10 1/2
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-10 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 26

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

HOUSTON (76 - 21) at GOLDEN STATE (68 - 29) - 5/26/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-41 ATS (+19.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
HOUSTON is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-54 ATS (-19.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 38-48 ATS (-14.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 11-8 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 13-7 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
13 of 20 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 26

Houston (3-2) @ Golden State
Chris Paul hurt his hamstring near end of Game 5; check status. Rockets held Golden State to 92-94 points in last two games; Warriors’ sub played 53:00 in Game 5 and shot a combined 2-8 from floor. Golden State lost its last two games; Iguodala didn’t play in either game, which isn’t a coincidence. Houston plays better when they take more 3-pointers; in their three series wins, they took 123 treys, 122 2-pointers. In Golden State’s two wins, Rockets took 71 treys, 95 2-point shots. Under is 4-1 in this series, 8-2 overall in the conference finals this spring. Under is 11-4 in last 15 Rocket-Warrior games.

Conference finals
Cavaliers-Celtics
Bos 108-83, +1, U204.5
Bos 107-94, +1, U205.5
Clev 116-86, -6.5, U207
Clev 111-102, -7, O205
Bos 96-83, -1.5, U205
Clev 109-99, -7, o201.5

Warriors-Rockets
GState 119-106, -1.5, U225.5
Hst 127-105, -1.5, O225
GState 126-85, -7, U228
Hst 95-92, +8, U227
Hst 98-94, +1, U220




NBA

Saturday, May 26

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Houston Rockets
Houston is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Houston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
Houston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Golden State
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Golden State
Houston is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Golden State
Houston is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Golden State is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games
Golden State is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games at home
Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
Golden State is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, MAY 26
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

HOU at GS 09:00 PM

HOU +12.0

U 212.5

[StarDust Bum]

Klay Thompson score 35, Warriors force Game 7 in West finals
May 26, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Klay Thompson hit nine 3-pointers and scored 35 points, the Warriors held James Harden down in the second half, and Golden State rallied from an early 17-point deficit to stave off elimination with a 115-86 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night to force a deciding Game 7 in the Western Conference finals.

Stephen Curry added 29 points and five 3s on a night Harden dazzled for long stretches with 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds while backcourt mate Chris Paul sat out sidelined by a strained right hamstring.

Kevin Durant struggled with his stroke at 6 for 17 but still scored 23 points as the defending champions kept their repeat quest alive by thoroughly outplaying Houston in the second half. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 55-20 in the second half before both coaches subbed their key players with 4:28 left.

A dynamic, star-studded series projected to be as captivating and compelling as the actual NBA Finals is going the distance. Game 7 is Monday night back in Houston.

Golden State stymied Harden on consecutive possessions early in the fourth with smothering defense led by Nick Young and several helpers, then Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the left wing at 9:40 for an 89-77 lead. And roaring Oracle Arena went crazy with hopes of even more home games to come if Golden State can get to a fourth straight finals.

Thompson came through with his best performance of these playoffs with the season on the line, just as he did in a 2016 Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at Oklahoma City when he went off for 41 points against Durant and the Thunder to force Game 7.

He was a combined 20 of 32 from 3-point range in those two games.

''I don't want to go home,'' Thompson said. ''We worked too hard this season to go home. And this is what we play for.''

The Warriors used another of their signature third quarters to take an 84-77 advantage going into the final 12 minutes, then maintained that dominant level this time down the stretch, unlike their last home game at roaring Oracle Arena when they blew it in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Both teams let it fly from every corner of the court - Golden State hitting 16 3-pointers and Houston 15.

The Warriors outscored Houston 93-47 over the final three quarters.

Thompson's baseline 3 in transition with 3:35 left in the third put the Warriors up 76-74, then Curry hit from way back the next time down over Gerald Green. Curry did it again moments later from deep.

The Warriors opened the third with an 11-0 burst to go ahead 62-61 on Curry's 3 at 9:17, also getting a pair of 3s from Thompson and a dunk by Durant. Houston committed four quick turnovers.

Yellow-clad Oracle came alive, too.

Golden State did it playing again without forward Andre Iguodala, who missed his third straight game of the series with a bone bruise in his left knee sustained in Game 3.

TIP-INS

Rockets: The Rockets made 8 of 12 3-pointers in the first and topped the Warriors 19-4 in fast-break points. ... Houston committed 11 first-half turnovers, five early. ... Harden shot 4 for 12 on 3s.

Warriors: Golden State's 33-point third quarter was its first 30-point period since the third in Game 4. ... The Warriors shot 4 for 18 in the first half from long range. ... Golden State is 4-1 when facing elimination dating to the 2015 championship. ... The Warriors are 16-8 all-time in Game 6 of postseason series. ... Second-year G Patrick McCaw, who had been out since a scary back injury at Sacramento on March 31 when undercut by Vince Carter, received a roaring ovation when he entered the game late. He quickly grabbed a rebound. ... Kerr listed Iguodala as day to day because there's still pain in the knee when running.

PAUL'S PRESENCE

Paul is receiving treatment ''around the clock,'' according to coach Mike D'Antoni.

Having him on hand still meant so much.

''He's devastated. He has to be. We're all devastated for him. At the same time, we'll rally and do what's right,'' D'Antoni said. ''He's so integral in what we do and the spirit of the team. And him being here is a big deal, and him being on the bench is a big deal. He'll will us through, if he can.''

Warriors coach Steve Kerr felt terribly for Paul - and others who have gone down.

''More than anything, I feel bad for Chris. The guy is a phenomenal player and competitor, and pretty much willed his team the last two games. He's just been haunted by these types of injuries in his career, and it's a shame,'' Kerr said.

''I hate when anybody gets hurt. I hate when Andre got hurt. I hate to see Kevin Love last night, Kyrie (Irving). These guys train so hard and they're here and they're competing, and you want everybody to be healthy, but just the reality is it usually doesn't work out that way. So you've just got to keep playing with whoever's there and keep going.''

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY MAY 27, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Boston Celtics TD Garden

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY MAY 28, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Toyota Center


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


MAY'S NBA BEST BET RECORD: ( BASED ON 5 UNITS )

05/26/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/25/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/24/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/22/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/21/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/19/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/16/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/15/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0,50
05/03/2018 0-4-0 0.00% -22.00
05/02/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50

Totals.............12-22-0........35.28%.....-60.00


BEST BETS................ATS....................UNITS.. ................O/U..............UNITS..............TOTAL

05/26/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/25/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1...............-5.50.............-11.00
05/24/2018...............1 - 0.................+5.00....................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
05/23/2018...............1 - 0.................+5.00....................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
05/22/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/21/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/20/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/19/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/16/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0- 1...............-5.50..............-11.00
05/15/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/14/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-0.50
05/13/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00..............-0.50
05/03/2018...............0 - 2..................-11.00..................0 - 2..............-11.00............-22.00
05/02/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2018...............1 - 1..................- 0.50...................0 - 2.............-11.00.............-11.50

Totals.......................5 - 12................-41.00..................7 - 10...............-20.00............-61.00

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Odds to win one of the last three golf majors this year:

30-1— Bryson DeChambeau

40-1— Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson

50-1— JB Holmes

60-1— Billy Horschel

80-1— Beau Hossler

150-1— Russell Knox


**********

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday

13) Warriors 115, Rockets 86— Golden State outscored Houston 93-47 over the final three quarters, 64-25 in second half. Game 7 is Monday in Houston; the health of Chris Paul’s legs will obviously determine whether the Rockets have a chance or not.

12) This is first time since 1979 that both conference finals will go to a seventh game.

11) Houston’s PJ Tucker played 87 college games for Texas; he was 2-4 behind the arc in those 87 games, but he’s worked like hell on improving his game.

In the NBA, Tucker is 436 for 1,225 behind the arc (35.6%); he shot 37.1% on 3’s this season. He’s worked his butt off and now he makes $8M a year playing ball. Good for him.

10) Madison Bumgarner struck out eight of 12 hitters he faced in his first rehab game; he only threw 47 pitches, so he may have one more rehab game before the Giants activate him.

9) Mike Trout’s on-base %age the last three years: .441, .442, .461

8) Russell Martin played shortstop for Toronto Saturday, his first appearance at short in 1,555 major league games. He’s played third base in 33 games.

7) There are only three major leaguers this year who have 10+ homers and 10+ stolen bases: Mookie Betts, Mike Trout and White Sox SS Tim Anderson.

6) When Mets’ SS Amed Rosario walked in the 5th inning Saturday, it was his first walk in his last 92 plate appearances.

5) 45-year old Bartolo Colon throws fastballs 83% of the time, the highest %age of any starting pitcher in the big leagues.

4) Reds 6, Rockies 5— Colorado had bases loaded, none out in 9th inning, didn’t score- they hit into a line drive DP to end game, the 5th double play they hit into in the game.

3) Reds’ 2B Scooter Gennett had the second 5-hit game of his career Saturday; the first one included four homers and 10 RBI.

2) Greedy bastard update: Mobil station on corner of Wolf/Sand Creek in my town raised the price of gas 20 cents a gallon this week, because it is Memorial Day weekend. It is $3.05 there, it is $2.89 at the Mobil station a half-mile away at the corner of Central/Fuller.

1) San Diego 3B Christian Villanueva hit two homers last night, is 2nd in the NL in homers, behind only Bryce Harper.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, May 27


Cleveland @ Boston

Game 711-712
May 27, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
117.926
Boston
125.853
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 8
195
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 2 1/2
199 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-2 1/2); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, May 27

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

CLEVELAND (61 - 38) at BOSTON (66 - 34) - 5/27/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 39-58 ATS (-24.8 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 60-36 ATS (+20.4 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) in home games this season.
BOSTON is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-0 ATS (+10.0 Units) in home games in all playoff games this season.
BOSTON is 24-6 ATS (+17.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 10-10 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 14-7 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
12 of 21 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, May 27

Cleveland @ Boston (3-3)
Home side won/covered all six series games; four of the six games stayed under the total- in last 15 games between these teams, under is 10-5. In Game 5, Hill-Smith-Thompson shot 2-14 from floor- they were 10-21 in Game 6. James/Love need that help in a road game. Rozier/Brown shot a combined 21-34 in Game 6 but Celtics were outscored 34-18 in 2nd quarter. In the three games in Cleveland, Cavaliers led by 20-15-11 points at halftime. All six series games were decided by 9+ points. Boston won/covered all ten of its home games in playoffs.

Conference finals
Cavaliers-Celtics
Bos 108-83, +1, U204.5
Bos 107-94, +1, U205.5
Clev 116-86, -6.5, U207
Clev 111-102, -7, O205
Bos 96-83, -1.5, U205
Clev 109-99, -7, O201.5

Warriors-Rockets
GState 119-106, -1.5, U225.5
Hst 127-105, -1.5, O225
GState 126-85, -7, U228
Hst 95-92, +8, U227
Hst 98-94, +1, U220
GState 115-86, -12.5, U214.5




NBA

Sunday, May 27

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Boston
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Celtics
Boston is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games
Boston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Boston's last 14 games at home
Boston is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Eastern Confernce Finals Game 7 betting preview: Cavaliers at Celtics

The Celtics are a perfect 10-0 SU and ATS this postseason, but trying to take out LeBron is a totally different beast.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (-2.5, 199.5)

Series tied 3-3

The Boston Celtics have yet to lose at home in the playoffs, but a Game 7 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers is different from every other test the young team has faced in the postseason. The Celtics will try to hold homecourt advantage and turn away James and company when they host the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday.

James stepped up with his team facing elimination in Game 6 on Friday, collecting 46 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in 46 minutes to push Cleveland to a 109-99 win and put himself one win away from an eighth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. "I have a drive. I have a love of the game. I have a passion for the game," James told reporters. "While I have the opportunity to lace my shoes up and put a uniform on, then I try to go out and do my job to the best of my ability. ... I haven't always played great in my career. But I just always want to try to maximize when I'm on the floor, and I've been able to." Boston is trying to maximize its own potential and is prepared for a fight in Game 7. "It's about just winning the game now," Celtics guard Marcus Smart told reporters. "It's not going to be pretty. You got to be able to get down and get dirty. You can't go out and try to look pretty. You have to be ready for a dogfight. We got to be ready to come up with our nose bloodied, we got to be ready to come out with our mouth bloodied, we have to come out ready to fight."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

LINE HISTORY: The Celtics opened Game 7 as 2.5-point home favorites and were briefly bet down to -2, but as of Saturday night they had returned to the opening number. The total hit the board at 201.5 and has been gradually bet down to the current number of 199.5.

CONSENSUS: Despite LeBron's elimination game dominance, bettors are still riding with the Celtics at home, with 54 percent of public wagers backing Boston. When it comes to the total, 60 percent of bettors are on the Over. So with the number coming down that could indicate sharp money on the Under.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The home/road dichotomy has been extreme for the Celtics this postseason. Boston is 10-0 SU at home, but just 1-7 SU on the road. In order to advance to the NBA Finals, they must beat a Cavaliers team that is now 6-2 SU in elimination games the past three years after their 10-point Game 6 win on Friday night. LeBron James dominated with 46 points on Friday and his teams are now 5-2 SU all-time in Game 7s." - Steve Merril.

INJURY REPORT:

Cavaliers - C Kevin Love (Out, head).
Celtics - PG Kyrie Irving (Out, knee), SF Gordon Hayward (Out, ankle), PG Shane Larkin (Out, shoulder), Daniel Theis (Out, knee).

MATCHUP CHART:



ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (61-38, 39-59-1 ATS, 46-51-2 O/U): Cleveland will spend the off day and the hours leading up to Game 7 monitoring the health of James, who was forced to play through a knee injury in the fourth quarter on Friday, and the team is expected to be without power forward Kevin Love in Game 7 after he was placed in the concussion protocol. The Cavaliers used a combination of players in the second half on Friday to fill the gap caused by the exit of Love, who has a history of concussions and did not play after the break. Jeff Green (14 points) and Larry Nance Jr. (10 points on 5-of-5 shooting) stepped up in Love's absence and will be counted on again in Game 7.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (66-34, 62-36-2 ATS, 53-46-1 O/U): Boston took the first three home games in the series by an average of 17 points and already has one Game 7 home win under its belt in the postseason after knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. "It's going to be a lot of fun, first and foremost," Celtics point guard Terry Rozier told reporters of playing Game 7 at home. "...We need the whole city of Boston to be behind us. We know LeBron is different than a lot of other guys, but we've got to get the job done. That's no excuse, so we're looking forward to it." Rozier scored a series-high 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting in Game 6 after slumping to eight points on 3-of-15 in Game 5.

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 vs. Atlantic Division opponents.
* Celtics are 11-0 ATS in their last 11 home games.
* Over is 7-3 in Cavaliers last 10 games playing on one days rest.
* Over is 15-6 in Celtics last 21 home games.
* Home team is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.