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

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors seek 2-0 lead
June 1, 2018

Game 2 – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors

The Cleveland Cavaliers had their chance to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Oakland and let it get away. The question now is whether or not Game 1 was an aberration or whether the series is going to be a lot more competitive than most people thought.

Oddsmakers still don’t give Cleveland much of a chance, as the Golden State Warriors are listed as 12-point favorites for Game 2 on Sunday night on ABC. Let’s look at Game 2 and NBA picks.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors
Date and Time: Sunday, June 3, 2018, 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
NBA Odds: Warriors -12, O/U 216
TV Coverage: ABC

The Cavaliers did a lot of things right on Thursday night, but a missed free throw by George Hill, a blunder by J.R. Smith and a disputed foul call gave the Warriors a chance and in overtime the Warriors blitzed Cleveland, winning 124-114. The Cavaliers got a brilliant game from LeBron James, as he had 51 points, but they still lost. Stephen Curry had 29 points to lead the Warriors.

Many people are talking about Smith inexplicably running out the clock at the end of regulation with the game tied or they are talking about the blocking foul on James that was changed from a charge on Kevin Durant. What most people are not talking about is the missed free throw by Hill that would have given Cleveland the lead with four seconds remaining.

The teams get two days off before Game 2 on Sunday night at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors have won 18 of their last 19 playoff games. You may not remember that when Golden State beat the Cavaliers in 2015, the first two games of the series went to overtime.

The question for Game 2 is how Cleveland recovers. "We've got to move on," James said to the media. "This game is over and done with. We had opportunities." The Cavaliers are hoping that none of their players are suspended for Game 2 after Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love were involved in an altercation with Draymond Green late in overtime. The Warriors are hoping that Andre Iguodala is ready to go. He has not played since suffering a bone bruise against Houston.

3-Point Shooting

The Cavaliers were just 10-of-37 from 3-point range in the Game 1 loss. Golden State let LeBron score at will, but no one else really hurt the Warriors to a great extent. Kevin Love scored 21 points but he was 1-for-8 from 3-point range. The Warriors were a little better from 3-point range, as they went 13-of-36. If both teams heat up a little from beyond the arc in Game 2 it should be a high scoring contest.

Key Stats

The Cavaliers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games playing with two days of rest. The Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing with two days of rest. The Over is 5-0 in the last 5 NBA Finals games.

Cavaliers vs. Warriors Free Picks

There is a good chance that Cleveland gave it their best shot in Game 1 and that they get routed in Game 2. LeBron said to the media after the game that his team played great. "We played as well as we have all postseason," James said, "We gave ourselves a chance possession after possession after possession. There were just some plays that were kind of taken away from us, simple as that."

It is very difficult to play two great games in a row, so I will lay the points and take Golden State in Game 2. I thought Game 1 would be high scoring and it was, although it did go into overtime. The game would have gone over the total even without overtime, but just barely. I still think the total is too low and I think the over is worth a play again. I’ll take Golden State and the over in Game 2.

Cavaliers vs. Warriors ATS Pick: Warriors and Over the total
Cavaliers vs. Warriors Score Prediction: Warriors 119, Cavaliers 100

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors got every break in Game 1
June 1, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The ending was weird.

The postgame was weird.

At least Game 1 of what was supposed to be a lopsided NBA Finals was anything but boring. It had a little of everything: A player stumbled and buckled Klay Thompson's knee to send the Warriors' sharp-shooter limping to the locker room in the opening minutes; let Stephen Curry get loose for a 30-footer at the halftime buzzer; grabbed a rebound in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied and inexplicably ran toward midcourt as if he thought the game was over.

And all that was just J.R. Smith.

The opener of this Cleveland-Golden State series should have been memorable for other reasons - LeBron James scoring a playoff career-high 51 points, the Warriors having three players score at least 24 and Draymond Green nearly getting a triple-double. Instead, this game's legacy is an overturned charge call late in regulation, Smith's gaffes, contradictory explanations from Cleveland and hot tempers in the final seconds.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr's assessment? ''Lucky.''

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue's assessment? ''Robbed.''

Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114, overtime. That's what the box score says and will forever say, and the defending champions are now one step closer to winning their third title in four years. Golden State left Oracle Arena relieved. Cleveland left angered. Those emotions will likely remain in place all the way until Game 2 tips off on Sunday night.

James wants the Cavs to put it behind them.

''We've got to move on,'' James said. ''This game is over and done with.''

Easier said than done, particularly with two full off days to now deal with, two full off days to replay everything over and over and over and over and over again.

Let's be clear: The Warriors aren't here because of luck. They have a coach who has won 80 percent of his career games. They have four All-Stars in the same lineup. They have two NBA MVPs.

But they got every break in Game 1. Every break.

Start in the beginning, when Smith slipped and stumbled into Thompson's knee. It had all the makings of some sort of knee structural disaster - the hit came from the side, Thompson twisted awkwardly, went down in a heap and was obviously in immediate, intense pain. Thompson limped away to the Warriors' locker room for evaluation.

He was back in a few minutes. Big break No. 1.

''I'm happy it's just a muscle that got strained,'' Thompson said.

Then came the final seconds of the first half, Cleveland having a foul to give. Smith would have been best served hugging Curry to make sure no shot got off. Instead, Smith went for a steal - he didn't get it - and Curry turned and coolly buried a 30-footer and sent the teams into intermission tied. Big break No. 2.

''The Finals, man, anything is liable to happen,'' Curry said.

From his perspective, good things.

From Cleveland's perspective, bad things.

Cleveland led by two in the final minute, poised to steal Game 1, when James stepped up and tried to take a charge against Kevin Durant. Referee Ken Mauer called an offensive foul, but it was overturned after replay review.

''We had doubt as to whether or not James was in the restricted area,'' Mauer said.

James was well outside the area, and the Cavs didn't buy the explanation.

''I read that play just as well as I've read any play in my career, maybe in my life,'' James said.

Durant tied the game with a couple of free throws awarded on the call reversal. Big break No. 3.

And with about 4 seconds left in the fourth, George Hill went to the line with Cleveland down by one for two shots. Made the first. Missed the second. Smith got the rebound, and ran away from the basket. Overtime. Big break No. 4.

''He thought we were up one,'' Lue said.

''I knew it was tied,'' Smith insisted.

The extra session was all Golden State. The home team left happy. The fans that packed Oracle Arena went home happy. James went back to his hotel to deal with blurred vision (courtesy of what appeared to be an unintentional first-half eye poke by Green), and the Cavaliers were further angered by Shaun Livingston following Golden State policy by taking a shot in the final seconds of a decided game instead of just getting charged with a shot-clock turnover.

''Tonight we played as well as we've played all postseason, and we gave ourselves a chance possession after possession after possession,'' James said. ''There were just some plays that were kind of taken away from us. Simple as that.''

Many onlookers thought this series would be a rout, a Golden State coronation.

If the Warriors keep getting every break, they'll certainly be right.

[StarDust Bum]

On Basketball: Golden State cannot relax now, or else
June 4, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Learn from your mistakes, Golden State.

Learn from how one got away in 2016. Learn from how sleepwalking through the third quarter on Sunday night made Game 2 of this series much more interesting than it ever should have been, at least until Stephen Curry went wild in the fourth quarter. Learn from Boston, both this year and six years ago. Learn from what cost San Antonio a title in 2013, too.

Don't give LeBron James hope.

Or else.

Golden State leads these NBA Finals 2-0, after a 122-103 win put the defending champions two wins away from what would be their third title in the last four seasons. Only four teams have ever wasted a 2-0 lead in the finals - and Golden State is one of them, letting a championship ring slip away against James and the Cavaliers two years ago.

The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Wednesday night. James looked exhausted when Game 2 was over, but he'll be somewhat rested by then. And he will most definitely be fueled by a boisterous home crowd that will want to both give him an immediate lift - and make one last series of impressions before he goes into free agency and considers leaving the Cavaliers again next month.

Game 3 is everything for the Cavs. If they go down 3-0, series over.

Game 3 has to be everything for the Warriors as well. They know it, too.

''I think because we've been here several times, I don't think I'll need to say much,'' Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. ''Guys in the locker room, they already know that.''

They better.

Boston had James in a 2-0 hole this year, then lost Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland and wound up falling in seven. The Celtics had him and the Heat down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals in 2012, and couldn't finish. The Spurs led 3-2 in the 2013 NBA Finals, had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 6, and came undone.

The Warriors led 2-0 and 3-1 in 2016. This is not the same Golden State team (Kevin Durant helps). This is not the same Cleveland team (Kyrie Irving would really help). But the Warriors would be foolish to not remember that series, not to remember the ultimate cautionary tale.

They're saying all the right things.

''It's nothing to feel happy about being up 2-0,'' Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. ''This (Cleveland) team plays great at home and we expect their other guys to play better at home too, not just LeBron. So we're not going to relax at all because this team's been down and out before and counted out by the media. We're not going to focus on that. We're just going to focus on what we can do to win Game 3.''

This series at times has been the Cavaliers versus the cavalier.

Golden State was fortunate to win Game 1, and realized as such. The Warriors should have been up much bigger than 13 at halftime of Game 2, and found themselves in a dogfight instead of a victory lap in the third quarter when the Cavs got within five on a number of occasions.

It took things like JaVale McGee going 6 for 6 and David West stepping up in a critical late-third-quarter moment to hit his first 3-pointer in seven months to help the Warriors keep the Cavs at bay Sunday, until Curry ran wild late on his way to a NBA Finals record nine 3s and turn the game into a rout. It took James, grotesque-looking eye and all, playing like his version of a mere mortal - 29 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, 10-for-20 shooting.

''It was too easy for them,'' Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said of the Warriors.

Give Golden State credit. They adjusted nicely against James after his 51-point barrage in Game 1. They took a page from the 2014 Spurs - who beat James in five games in the NBA Finals that year, the end of his Miami era - and routinely picked him up 30 to 40 feet away from the basket. Do that, and more often than not James will say that giving up the ball is the right play.

The Warriors welcome that. They want the other Cavs to have to beat them.

The formula worked Sunday. They just have to do it twice more to win another title. And just like the Warriors on the not-wanting-to-relax front, James said he hopes the Cavaliers continue feeling uncomfortable as well.

''Just because we're going home doesn't mean we can relax,'' James said. ''This is the last team in the world you want to relax against. They've proven they can win on someone else's floor, no matter if it's through adversity as people may call it like when they were going through the Rockets series or whatever the case may be.''

It's often been said, even by James himself, that a series doesn't really start until one team wins on the other's home floor. All Golden State has done so far has hold serve.

That's true.

But by the close of business Wednesday night, we'll know if this is a series or not.

[StarDust Bum]

Finals shifts to Cleveland, Cavs down
June 4, 2018

LeBron James is friends with Draymond Green, has worked out with Kevin Durant, speaks with great reverence for Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr.

They all do like each other.

And, to those watching the NBA Finals, that might be easy to forget at times.

Turns out, when the same franchises meet for the fourth consecutive year to decide the NBA championship, familiarity indeed does breed contempt. Tensions have been high at times in the first two games of this series, emotions have started to boil over on a couple of occasions, and that trend will likely be continuing until someone hoists the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

''Even with turnover from players, you have a continuity of management, continuity of culture in organizations,'' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. ''There's the institutional memory there of the wins and the losses. And so, I think it is very meaningful and when you have the same teams that are meeting for the fourth time, it's part of a larger storyline. It's not just a one-off game or a one-off series.''

Translated: Everyone should have seen this coming.

There was the dustup at the end of Game 1 when Cleveland's Tristan Thompson was angered by the Warriors' Shaun Livingston trying a jumper with the outcome already decided. There was Klay Thompson angered by the recklessness of J.R. Smith crashing into his leg early in the series opener. There was Kendrick Perkins jawing at Stephen Curry after the third quarter of Game 2.

The Warriors and the Cavaliers are certainly not lacking for intensity in these finals.

''Much ado about nothing,'' Curry said Sunday night, likely not the most completely honest statement of his career since it couldn't have been just a coincidence that he made all five of his 3-pointers in the next 8:33 to turn the game into a blowout.

Game 3 is in Cleveland on Wednesday night, with the Warriors up 2-0. Emotions will simmer until then.

''It's just basketball,'' Tristan Thompson said. ''It's just a competitive sport. Of course we're going to get irritated with each other, just because we're both competitors and we both want it all. But it never goes off the court. Maybe for some guys it does, but not for me.''

Rivalries are what make the sport great.

There was the Celtics-Lakers hatred of eras gone past. Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons otherwise known as the Bad Boys. Pat Riley, back in the day, used to forbid his Knicks and Heat teams from helping up opponents when they knocked them over and discouraged fraternizing with the enemy - ever, including the offseason.

Times have changed. Guys vacation together now. It's a new era.

''We're not holding hands and singing songs as friends,'' Curry said. ''We're enjoying the competitive environment. I think that's the consistent thing between our two teams. Obviously we see each other twice a year during the regular season and then you wait until June. ... It's just about winning a championship. You don't want to let anything distract us from that on the floor.''

Sometimes, the ribbing goes off the court.

James raised eyebrows when he showed up with a suit jacket and matching shorts for Game 1, then arrived at Game 2 with a similar look. Never missing a chance to get under someone's collar, Green showed up at Game 2 also in the jacket-shorts mode.

''Fun,'' Green said.

There's basketball beefs, and then there's real-world beefs. Someone tried to get Green to draw a parallel between the Warriors-Cavs animus and the recent musical rivalry between Pusha T and Drake.

He didn't bite.

''This is nothing like that, nothing at all like that,'' Green said.

Everything is fun for the Warriors right now, since they've won the first two games. Understandably, not much seems like fun to the Cavaliers. But no matter how this series ends, whenever it ends, there will be hugs and handshakes.

Until then, it's just all part of the game.

That's why things, while often heated, never seem to get overheated.

''They're a championship team, we're a championship team, and we both have experience,'' the Warriors' Kevon Looney said. ''So it's going to get a little chippy out there.''

The commissioner is fine with that, provided things stay within reason.

''The game ends, they take their proverbial cold shower and then they put it behind them,'' Silver said. ''Until the next game.''

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors chase third title in 4 years
June 4, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry and coach Steve Kerr's Golden State Warriors have repeatedly said they want to build something special for the long haul, to compete for championships year after year.

LeBron James considers his familiar NBA Finals opponent among the best teams ever.

Where the Warriors stack up if they win a third championship in four years will make for a dynasty debate. And their domination doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon, so if they keep winning Golden State will have its place in history.

''As a fan of the NBA, you could go down the list of the teams that won multiple years and just dominated the league for stretches of time,'' Curry said.

The Warriors are trying to join Bill Russell's Celtics, the Bulls led by Michael Jordan and the Lakers' trio of title runs fueled by George Mikan in the 1950s, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the `80s, and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant nearly 20 years ago as the only franchises in NBA history to capture three championships in four years.

The Warriors are halfway there, holding a 2-0 lead against the underdog Cavs as the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Wednesday.

''Listen, Golden State is one of the best teams I've ever played. It's one of the best teams that's ever been assembled,'' said James, who is playing in his eighth straight NBA Finals and fourth in a row against Golden State.

Curry, sharp-shooting Klay Thompson, fiery Draymond Green and 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala make up an All-Star-studded squad trying to repeat after James thwarted that quest two years ago when the Cavs stopped the defending champs. Kevin Durant bolted from Oklahoma City to join the cast last season.

''You look at it, they've got four Hall of Famers on their team in Klay, Dray, Steph and KD. They've got a Finals MVP that comes off their bench,'' James said in reference to Iguodala. ''... I don't know where they will fall in my book, but they will have a nice chapter.''

Not everybody is ready to crown the Warriors as a dynasty, not just yet anyway. Not even if they win the title this year.

''I don't like to go dynasty stuff, they've been the team of the decade,'' said Gary Payton, the longtime Seattle SuperSonics point guard who played 17 seasons through 2007. ''That's what it is. They've been doing their thing. When we get into a dynasty is Michael Jordan and them winning six, that's a dynasty. The Golden State Warriors (would have) won three out of four, that's great.

''It's coming to be a dynasty. If you win a couple more, then you're talking about a dynasty. So three of them is in the right stage and the right movement to becoming a dynasty, yes.''

The defending champions are playing in a fourth straight finals chasing a repeat they couldn't pull off in 2016 after capturing the franchise's first title in 40 years during 2014-15 with Kerr as a rookie head coach.

TNT analyst and former player Charles Barkley wants nothing to do with dynasty talk regarding the Warriors.

''We don't have any dynasties. It's been a long time since we've had a dynasty,'' Barkley said. ''The Bulls won six, the Spurs won five. We've had a lot of really good teams. I think the only dynasty is the Spurs. They've been great for 20 years. The Warriors are not going to win. Winning two in four years is not a dynasty.''

Golden State would love nothing more than to continue building momentum as the franchise approaches the opening of its new San Francisco arena, Chase Center , in summer 2019 if all remains on schedule. That leaves one last season at Oracle Arena.

B.J. Armstrong earned titles alongside Jordan with the Bulls from 1991-93. If the Warriors win another, they will join dynasty status in Armstrong's mind.

''They're right there,'' Armstrong said. ''For them to have a sustained level of excellence like they've had, I don't take that for granted and I think anyone who's played or observed this game knows how difficult that is for one, let alone to be able to get here four times and have an opportunity to win three speaks for itself. ...

''If they win this one, they're right up there with all of the teams for a dynasty-type caliber situation up here in Golden State.''

Curry was around for all the losing: 26 wins his rookie season of 2009-10, 23 two years later then gradually building to more victories each season thereafter.

He is proud to be part of a transformation - one the two-time MVP hopes they contend for titles for years to come.

''What we've been able to do here ... kind of taking a small step every year until 2015, winning our first championship, it is a sense of pride around that,'' Curry said. ''Being the elder statesman here and seeing what has all gone into being on this stage every single year - when it comes to the guys that I get to suit up with every single night, from Bob Myers down to the coaching staff to the ownership - it's just a transformation that I got to see firsthand and all the details that went into it.

''So at some point, when this is all said and done, I hope to kind of just sit back and really truly appreciate, from start to finish, all that went into it. But there is an awareness of where we were to where we are. And I appreciate it.''

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s 6-pack

More odds to win the US Open golf tournament next week:

22-1— Patrick Reed

28-1— Brooks Koepka

30-1— Matsuyama, Mickelson, Garcia

33-1— Henrik Stenson

40-1— Branden Grace

45-1— Watson, Kuchar, Casey

Quote of the Day
“Grit? What is it? I believe it’s driven by love. Inspired by vision and purpose. Fueled by optimism and belief. Powered by faith and hope. Revived by resilience. Kept alive by stubbornness. And if we’re honest includes some fear of failure and desire to prove oneself.”
Jon Gordon

Wednesday’s quiz
In the movie Draft Day, Kevin Costner played the GM of which NFL team?

Tuesday’s quiz
Montreal Expos once drafted Tom Brady as a catcher, in the 18th round of the ’95 draft. He was a left-handed hitter.

Monday’s quiz
Milwaukee Brewers played one year in Seattle before moving to Wisconsin; they were the Seattle Pilots in 1969.


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

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

13) Movie recommendation: I told you about the book last summer, but Molly’s Game the movie was even better. Very good.

Story deals with a young woman runs celebrity poker game in Los Angeles and New York City; she eventually gets in trouble with the law when she begins raking the pot, which is what makes it illegal. Having members of the Russian mob playing in her games complicates things.

Anyway, very good movie. Worth your time to watch it.

12) Jake Arrieta’s complaints with the Phillies’ defensive shifts over the weekend confirmed what I had suspected; when the shifting doesn’t work, it drives some pitchers nuts.

11) Sporting News ranked all 32 NFL starting QB’s; 19th for Cam Newton seems very low- 30th for Eli Manning seems ridiculously low.

10) Max Scherzer got three strikeouts on nine pitches in the 6th inning vs Tampa Bay Tuesday, just the 92nd time this has happened in major league history.

9) Good trivia, part 1; we talked yesterday about the A’s drafting Kyler Murray, the Oklahoma QB/CF. His dad and uncle were also outstanding athletes.

Turns out his uncle Calvin was the batter when Randy Johnson hit that bird with a pitched ball in a spring training game and the poor bird exploded in mid-air.

8) Good trivia, part 2: When Jesse Owens won the gold medal in the 200-meter sprint in the 1936 Olympics, Mack Robinson won the silver medal- they both broke the previous Olympic record.

Mack Robinson was Jackie Robinson’s older brother.

7) Vince McMahon’s XFL hired Oliver Luck (Andrew Luck’s dad) as Commissioner/CEO. The elder Luck was also once President of NFL Europe and AD at West Virginia- he was a backup QB for the Houston Oilers back in the day.

XFL starts in 2020; the AAF will also be a spring football league— it starts next year.

6) Nebraska Cornhuskers signed dual-threat QB Luke McCaffery, the youngest son of former NFL WR Ed McCaffery, and brother of Panthers’ RB Christian McCaffery.

5) A horse named Gronkowski is 12-1 to win the Belmont Stakes Saturday on Long Island.

4) When a team is rebuilding like the Kansas City Royals are, they tend to draft more college players, since they’re obviously older than high school kids and generally take less time to get to the major leagues. The Royals need help.

First 11 players the Royals drafted this week are college players.

3) A government contractor was taken into custody at a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House when he showed up for work. He was wanted for attempted murder. Yikes.

2) Get well soon to New Jersey Giants’ GM Dave Gettleman, who diagnosed with lymphoma this week. Hope he is feeling better soon.

1) RIP CM Newton, 88, former basketball coach at both Vanderbilt/Alabama, who was later the AD at Kentucky. He was the President of USA Basketball from 1992-96. RIP, sir.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals Game 3 betting preview and odds: Warriors at Cavaliers

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (+4.5, 216.5)

Warriors lead series 2-0.

The Cleveland Cavaliers badly need a victory if they plan on turning the NBA Finals into a true series. The Golden State Warriors won the first two games of the best-of-seven series and look to place Cleveland in a major hole when they visit the Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Cleveland forward LeBron James averaged 40 points in the first two games - including his epic 51-point outing in the opener - and it still wasn't enough to get his squad a victory. "I don't like the way I feel, the mood I'm in right now," James told reporters at his Tuesday media availability. "When you're down like this, a deficit like this against a team like this, there's no good feeling. I personally don't feel good today about the deficit we have. I feel great about (Wednesday), the opportunity we have." Warriors guard Stephen Curry made an NBA Finals-record nine 3-pointers in Game 2 and is averaging 31 points in the series but he said his team has a lot of work still to do. "We understand how hard it is to win in this building," Curry told reporters. "No matter what's gone on in the series, when you change venues, you've got to reassert your dominance and try to find that right momentum to start. We have a great opportunity (Wednesday) to do that."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ABC

SERIES PRICE (PER PINNACLE):



LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5-point road favorites for Game 3 and as of Tuesday afternoon the pointspread is down slightly to 4.5. The total hit betting boards at 217.5 and is down to 216.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Warriors - SF A. Iguodala (Questionable, Leg), SF C. Boucher (Out Indefinitely, Ankle).

Cavaliers - No injuries to report.

MATCHUP CHART:



ABOUT THE WARRIORS (72-29 SU, 44-56-1 ATS, 46-54-1 O/U): Swingman Andre Iguodala (left knee) was termed questionable for Game 3 and it will be decided Wednesday whether or not he plays for the first since May 20. "He's doing better," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said at his Tuesday press conference. "He told me he's feeling better, so I would upgrade him to questionable. But I think he's getting closer, and I'm hopeful that he can play." Meanwhile, forward Kevin Durant is getting it done on the offensive end with back-to-back 26-point outings and he has topped 20 points in all 19 postseason games.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (62-40 SU, 41-60-1 ATS, 48-52-2 O/U): Playoff disappointment Rodney Hood will receive some minutes in Game 3 as Cleveland searches for anybody who can provide scoring punch to complement James and power forward Kevin Love. Hood was acquired from Utah Jazz in February and hasn't fit in and is averaging just 4.4 points in the postseason but coach Tyronn Lue said "we're going to give Rodney a chance" and Hood proclaims he is ready. "I don't know when it's going to come or what stage of the game, but just being ready," Hood, who has played just four minutes in the series, told reporters. "I've been preparing, I've been working hard, so if I get the opportunity, just go out there and play. Just have fun."

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 7-18 ATS in their last 25 games following a straight up win.
* Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.
* Under is 6-1 in Warriors' last 7 road games.
* Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

CONSENSUS:

56 percent of pointspread bets are on the underdog Cleveland Cavaliers while 55 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, June 6

Golden State @ Cleveland

Game 505-506
June 6, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
128.016
Cleveland
127.393
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 1
213
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 5
218
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+5); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, June 6

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

GOLDEN STATE (72 - 29) at CLEVELAND (62 - 40) - 6/6/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-55 ATS (-17.5 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 41-49 ATS (-12.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 24-36 ATS (-15.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-44 ATS (+17.6 Units) in all playoff games since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 68-42 ATS (+21.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 41-59 ATS (-23.9 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 17-32 ATS (-18.2 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 25-40 ATS (-19.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 25-41 ATS (-20.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
CLEVELAND is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 11-9 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 14-6 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
10 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, June 6

Game 3
Warriors won their last four games, by 29-9-10-21 points; they shot 57% from floor Sunday- Curry was 9-17 on arc, Durant/Thompson shot combined 18-27 from floor as Golden State jogged in Game 2. When Livingston/McGee shoot a combined 11-11, they ain’t losing. Cavs won their last eight home games, covered last four. Golden State won nine of last ten series games (7-3 vs spread), two of last three in Ohio. Over is 6-2 in last eight series games. Under is 9-3 in Warriors’ last 12 games, 5-2 in their last seven.

NBA Finals
GState 124-114 OT, -13, O217.5
GState 122-103, -11.5, O216.5




NBA

Wednesday, June 6

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

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Golden State's last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 7 games on the road
Golden State is 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Cleveland
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Cleveland's last 15 games at home
Cleveland is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 8 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing at home against Golden State

[StarDust Bum]

Game 3 - Warriors at Cavaliers
June 5, 2018

NBA Finals Game 3 - Warriors lead 2-0
Golden State at Cleveland (ABC, 9:05 p.m. ET)

The 2018 NBA Finals move to Cleveland for Wednesday’s Game 3 at Quicken Loans Arena. Golden State takes a 2-0 series lead on the road after getting fortunate in Game 1 and making a statement in Game 2.

Late Sunday night after Steve Kerr’s team put the finishing touches on a 19-point home triumph, the Westgate SuperBook opened the Warriors as 5.5-point favorites for Wednesday’s Game 3 at Cleveland. The total was 217.5 points on the send-out, while the Cavaliers were +200 on the money line (risk $100 to win $200).

As of Tuesday morning, most spots had Golden State (72-29 straight up, 44-56-1 against the spread) installed as a 4.5-point road ‘chalk’ with a total of 217. The Cavs were +170 to win outright. For first-half wagers, many books were going with pick ‘em and a total of 110.5 points. As for the first quarter, the Cavs were one-half point ‘chalk’ (or -130 on the money line) with an ‘over/under’ of 56 points.

Sportsbook.ag is offering a couple of adjusted lines. For bettors extremely bullish on Golden State dealing out woodshed treatment in Game 3, a +240 payout can be had for laying 12.5 points on the Warriors. On the flip side, gamblers can lay 3.5 points with the Cavs for a +210 payout (paid $210 on $100 bets).

Golden State’s team total at most shops is 111 points (-110 either way), while Cleveland’s is 106.5 points (-110 either way). In the first half, the Warriors have an ‘over/under’ of 56 points (-115 either way) and the Cavs are at 55.5 points (-115 both ways).

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag has the Warriors as -2500 ‘chalk,’ leaving the Cavs with 12/1 odds on the comeback (risk $100 to win $12,000). For gamblers bullish on Golden State to deal out broom treatment in four games, a +120 return can be had at the offshore book. The odds for the Warriors to win in five games are +130, six games +750 and seven games +1500 (or 15/1, risk $100 to win $1,500).

Cleveland (62-40 SU, 41-60-1 ATS) nearly took Game 1 at Oracle Arena this past Thursday night. LeBron James exploded for 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, draining 19-of-32 field-goal attempts, 3-of-7 treys and 10-of-11 free-throw attempts. His 51 points were a career-best in the postseason. Kevin Love added 21 points and 13 boards.

With the Cavs ahead by two after James converted a three-point play, Kevin Durant drove to the hole with 36.4 seconds remaining. He crashed into James, who took what was called a charge initially. The refs checked the replay to ensure that James wasn’t in the restricted area. He wasn’t. However, the refs can also reverse the call if they feel that replay shows the defender wasn’t in a legal guarding position when taking the charge. The officials opted to reverse the call in controversial fashion.

Nevertheless, after Durant tied the game by making a pair of FTs, James countered with a bucket and Cleveland was up by two. However, Steph Curry responded with a three-point play the hard way to put the Warriors up 107-106 with 23 ticks left. Cleveland’s George Hill was then fouled at the other end cutting to the basket with 4.7 seconds remaining.

Hill went to the FT line for two shots and made the first to knot the score. He missed the next FT but J.R. Smith grabbed the rebound. Then like a moron with absolutely zero idea of the clock-and-score situation, Smith dribbled the ball out toward halfcourt as if he thought his team was up by a point. The result was him eventually realizing his unfathomable mental gaffe and then passing to Hill on the wing, who had no time to get off a shot with any chance of going in.

In the extra session, Cleveland missed its first five shots and the Warriors went on a 9-0 run. They would win 124-114 but the Cavs covered the number as 12.5-point underdogs. The total was set to slip ‘under’ the 217.5-point total in regulation when there were 214 combined points, but the 24 extra points in OT allowed ‘over’ backers to cash tickets.

Curry scored a team-best 29 points in Game 1, hitting 11-of-23 FGAs and 5-of-11 launches from 3-point range. He also grabbed six rebounds and handed out nine helpers compared to merely two turnovers. Durant had 26 points, nine boards, three blocks, one steal and six assists with only one turnover. Klay Thompson had 24 points thanks to 5-of-10 shooting from long distance, while Draymond Green finished with 13 points, 11 boards, five steals, two blocked shots and nine assists compared to just two turnovers. Shaun Livingston had back-to-back buckets early in OT, making all four of his FGAs and both of his FTs. He had two boards, one steal and three assists without a turnover in only 18-plus minutes of action.

In Sunday’s Game 2, Golden State used big runs in the second and fourth quarters to pull away for a 122-103 victory as an 11.5-point home ‘chalk.’ The 225 combined points elevated ‘over’ the 216.5-point total. After trailing by 13 at intermission, Cleveland trimmed the deficit to 82-77 with 2:50 left in the third but the Warriors finished the stanza on an 8-3 run to lead by 10 going into the final stanza. The Cavs got no closer than seven the rest of the way, and that was in the first minute and change of the final stanza. Golden State went ahead of the number to stay with just under six minutes remaining.

Curry was the catalyst with 33 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, draining 9-of-17 attempts from downtown. Durant had 26 points, nine boards, seven assists and a pair of blocks, while Thompson finished with 20 points. Green had five points, eight boards and seven assists without a turnover. JaVale McGee went 6-of-6 from the field in a 12-point effort, and Livingston once again was perfect by making 5-of-5 FGAs in a 10-point, five-rebound performance.

James had 29 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and two steals, while Love tallied 22 points and 10 boards. Hill added 15 points and Tristan Thompson finished with 11 points and five boards.

The Cavs have got to get some offense out of Smith and Kyle Korver, one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history. Smith was 2-of-9 from the field and 1-of-4 from long distance in a 5-point Game 2 effort. Korver missed all three FGAs and his only launch from behind the line. In Game 1, Korver made just 1-of-3 treys and missed his only FTA.

In 20 postseason games this year, Korver is averaging 9.0 points per game while burying 45-of-102 launches from 3-point territory (44.1%) and 17-of-19 FTAs (89.5%). It’s mandatory for the Cavs to get him some clean looks back at home.

Tyronn Lue’s club is 37-13 SU but just 17-32-1 ATS at home this season. Cleveland is 2-2 both SU and ATS in four games as a home underdog. One of those instances came on Jan. 15 when the Warriors came to town and emerged with a 118-108 victory as 5.5-point road favorites. The 226 combined points dropped ‘under’ the 233.5-point tally.

Durant led the way with 32 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals, while Curry finished with 23 points and eight assists on 4-of-8 shooting from downtown. Thompson had 17 points and Green produced 11 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists and a pair of blocked shots. In the losing effort, James contributed 32 points, eight boards, six assists, four blocks and three steals. The Warriors trailed by seven at halftime but won the third quarter 36-27 and finished the final stanza on a 25-17 run.

Golden State is 33-16 SU and 22-27 ATS in its road assignments this year. The Warriors have covered the point-spread in each of their last 20 road playoff wins, which tells you that the odds haven't mattered and a lean on Cleveland on money-line might be the smarter play instead of taking the points.

You could make a strong case that James is playing the best basketball of his career in these playoffs. In 20 games so far, LBJ is averaging 34.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocked shots per game. James has knocked down 54.4 percent of his FGAs, 35.5 percent of his 3-balls and 73.8 percent of his FTs. He played Game 2 with an eye injury after being poked in the series opener. The redness was apparent throughout Game 2, but he was still plenty effective.

Golden State is optimistic that veteran guard/forward Andre Iguodala, who is the team’s best defender and would be tasked with tailing James on most possessions, might be able to return for Game 3. He was listed as ‘questionable’ as of Tuesday. Iguodala, who garnered 2015 NBA Finals MVP honors, has missed six straight game since sustaining a knee contusion on a collision with Houston’s James Harden in Game 3 of the West finals on May 20.

VegasInsider.com NBA handicapper Kevin Rogers points out that home teams have fared well this postseason when trailing in series. Rogers said, “The Warriors look to jump out to a 3-0 series advantage over the Cavaliers for the second straight season. However, home teams trailing in a playoff series have done well this postseason by compiling a 5-2 SU/ATS record. The Cavaliers are a part of that group by routing the Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Warriors are 1-1 in the postseason when leading a series 2-0 by beating the Spurs in Game 3 of the opening round, but they were blown out by the Pelicans in Game 3 of the conference semifinals.”

Chris David of VegasInsider.com weighed in on the total for Game 3.

“I’m surprised the number has dropped and I would expect the public to press the ‘over’ again come Wednesday night. The ‘over’ has gone 2-0 in this series and even though extra time was needed for most bettors in the opener, the high side was the right lean. Going back to last year’s finals matchups, the ‘over’ has cashed in six straight postseason meetings between the pair. The Warriors have certainly helped that cause, averaging 123.5 points per game over this span and while four of those games came at Oracle Arena they did score 116 and 118 in the finals at Quicken Loans Arena last summer,” David explained.

He added, “The team total for Golden State is set at 111 for Game 3 and it’s hard to imagine them being held below this number, especially against Cleveland’s defense. However, we have seen better defensive efforts from the Cavaliers at home in this year’s playoffs. Since losing Game 1 in the first round to the Pacers at home, Cleveland has ripped off eight straight wins and the defense has only allowed 97 PPG.”

As David mentioned, the ‘over’ has hit in the first two games of the Finals after the ‘under’ cashed in both regular-season encounters. Going back to Game 2 of last season’s Finals, the ‘over’ is on a 6-2 run in this rivalry. In those eight games, the lowest combined scores have been 225 and 191.

The ‘under’ is 54-46-1 overall for the Warriors, 28-21 in their road assignments. They’ve seen the ‘under’ go 6-1 in their past seven road outings.

The ‘under’ is 52-48-2 overall for Cleveland, 26-22-2 in its home games.

Tip-off on Wednesday is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- In previous playoff pieces, David talked about a popular playoff betting trend that focuses on the first-half and it's in play again on Wednesday. David said, "According to numbers from different sources and industry folks, teams down 0-2 in a playoff series while playing Game 3 at home have gone 31-4 ATS (88%) in first-half wagers over the last four postseasons. In this year's playoffs, the angle has gone 5-2 with Cavaliers, Wizards, Timberwolves, Bucks and Pelicans earning Game 3 winning tickets in the 'first-half' at home after being down 2-0. The two losses came by the Spurs in the first round and the 76ers in the second round. Cleveland's win within this system came in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals as they led Boston 61-41 after two quarters."

-- Golden State is 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games against Cleveland.

-- Sportsbook.ag has released the odds to win the 2019 NBA Finals. The Warriors are the +115 ‘chalk,’ followed by the Rockets (+450), 76ers (+450), Celtics (+800), Cavs (25/1), Lakers (25/1), Spurs (30/1), Heat (40/1), Raptors (60/1). Next, we have four clubs (Minnesota, Milwaukee, OKC and Utah) with 75/1 odds. The Hawks, Magic and Grizzlies are the biggest longshots with 100,000/1 odds.

-- Sportsbook’s updated odds to win Finals MVP honors in the current Cavs-Warriors IV showdown now has Curry as the enormous -400 ‘chalk.’ Next, Durant’s odds are at +250, followed by James (9/1), Thompson (50/1) and Draymond Green (75/1). The next-shortest (longest actually) are Love (50,000/1), Livingston (100,000/1), Hill (150,000/1) and Smith (250,000/1).

-- Former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams has joined Brett Brown’s staff in Philadelphia as the 76ers’ top assistant coach. Williams has been in the San Antonio front office the last two years. He was an assistant for Billy Donovan in OKC during Billy D’s first season, but Williams understandably left the team after his wife was tragically killed in a car accident.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavaliers facing critical Game 3 at home
June 6, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) For LeBron James, losing is no longer an option.

With Cleveland down 2-0 to Golden State in the NBA Finals, James knows better than anyone that he and the Cavaliers are facing a must-win situation in Game 3 on Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. James acknowledged the Cavs are facing a ''tall task'' as it is against the Warriors, who are seeking their second straight title and third in four years.

Stephen Curry made nine 3-pointers in Golden State's Game 2 win, and the Warriors, who live by a ''Strength In Numbers'' slogan, could get back forward Andre Iguodala for Game 3. Iguodala has missed the past six games with a knee injury but practiced Tuesday.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue plans to switch up his rotation and play forward Rodney Hood, whose role has been reduced since the start of the postseason.

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

Cavs turning to seldom-used Hood
June 6, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) Rodney Hood's most significant moment in these playoffs came while sitting on the bench.

Well, he's getting up and getting in the NBA Finals.

Looking for an offensive weapon to negate Golden State's size and ability to switch assignments on defense, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said he'll play Hood in Game 3 on Wednesday night in hopes of cutting into the Warriors' series lead.

Hood, who began this postseason in Cleveland's starting lineup, has been mostly a non-factor during the Cavs' spring run which included him refusing to check into the final minutes of a blowout win over Toronto in the second round.

That's not an option now.

''We're going to give Rodney a chance,'' Lue said following practice at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday. ''He'll get a shot and see how he does. He's been working, staying ready. So we'll see.''

Lue did not specify if Hood will start, when he'll come in, how much he'll play or whose minutes will be affected.

Hood promised to be ready for anything.

''I don't know when it's going to come or what stage of the game,'' Hood said. ''I've been preparing. I've been working hard, so if I get the opportunity, just go out there and play. Just have fun.''

Trailing 2-0, the Cavs are searching for some kind of spark and could find it if the 6-foot-8 Hood can tap into some of the offensive skills that made him attractive to Cleveland at the trading deadline.

He was acquired on Feb. 8 from Utah, and there were more than a few basketball experts who viewed the lean lefty as the best new piece on a day when the Cavs also dealt for guards George Hill, Jordan Clarkson and big man Larry Nance Jr.

Lue didn't get nearly enough in Games 1 and 2 in Oakland from J.R. Smith (5 of 19) or Kyle Korver (4 points). Korver has been completely neutralized by the Warriors, who are not giving him any room to shoot.

''It's hard because they switch out on everything,'' Lue said. ''So all the actions you run for Kyle, they just switch out to deny and take him away. When they are helping on LeBron's penetration, the one guy they're staying at home on is Kyle. They're not leaving his body.''

Unlike the 37-year-old Korver, Hood is quick enough to beat the Warriors off the dribble, create open space to shoot and maybe get to the rim. Defensively, he's got length and mobility.

He's shown flashes. The Cavs now need him to shine steadily.

''He's very talented,'' said forward Kevin Love. ''He's a guy that can step in and fill up a scoreboard. Left-handed. A little bit unorthodox in the way that he plays. Just having that height on him and that wingspan, and the ability to not only make shots, but on the defensive end to switch out. Also play a guy like K.D. (Kevin Durant) at his size and just make it tough on both ends of the floor for their team. That gives all of us a lot of confidence that he can come in and make an impact.''

Hood's short stay in Cleveland has been nondescript.

He averaged 16.8 points for the Jazz, but the 25-year-old never truly found his rhythm while coming off the bench for the Cavs over the regular season's final 21 games. Still, he was in Lue's starting lineup for the series opener against Indiana before Cleveland got beat soundly.

Hood saw spot duty the remainder of that series, and was essentially ineffective in three games against the Raptors before Lue tried to send him into the closing minutes of the clinching win on May 7 as the Cavs completed a sweep of the Eastern Conference's top-seeded team.

When Hood declined, it upset a few teammates. Hood insisted he wasn't protesting his reduced role and explained that there had been a mix-up. He apologized to the Cavs, many of whom laughed off the incident as minimal in a season overflowing with juicier drama.

While waiting for another chance, Hood has received positive support from Cleveland's coaches and former teammates, including Joe Johnson who could relate to his plight after sitting in Houston.

Hood is confident he's ready.

''Just going out there and try to help the team, on offense be aggressive and on defense just be physical,'' he said.

Hood struggled during a playoff series with Utah against Golden State a year ago, making just 1 of 15 3-pointers and shooting 12 of 38 overall.

Those stats don't matter now.

The only number that counts is his and will soon be called.

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

Cavs home looking to turn around Finals
June 5, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James laughed as he came around the backstage partition after arriving fashionably late for his crowded, post-practice news conference.

As he stepped onto the podium, back among friendly faces and in the building where he has done some of his finest work, James seemed at ease, almost content. No signs of stress anywhere.

Moments later, his demeanor shifted.

A few reminders about his team's urgent predicament against Golden State, questions about President Donald Trump and another review of Cleveland's heartbreaking loss in Oakland swung his emotions.

''I know it feels like we're down 2-0, and I don't like the way I feel,'' James said. ''I don't like the mood that I'm in right now. There's no, like, `OK, you're down 2-0 and you feel better than when you're down 2-0 before.' When you're down like this, in a deficit like this - versus a team like this - there's no good feeling. So I don't feel good about it.''

The Cavaliers may be in a dark place.

For the third time in the past four Finals, James and his teammates enter Game 3 against the Warriors in a win-or-make-summer-vacation-plans situation. After they wasted a 51-point effort by James - with a reversed official's call, missed free throw by George Hill and bone-headed move from J.R. Smith - and let Game 1 slip away in overtime , and following Stephen Curry's 3-point barrage in Game 2 , the Cavs are faced with the reality that their season, strange as it has been to this point, is in serious jeopardy.

However, coach Tyronn Lue, who plans to give disappointing forward Rodney Hood playing time on Wednesday night, feels his team can change the complexion of this series.

''We're very confident we can do that,'' Lue said. ''The guys are engaged and locked in. Winning tomorrow is a step forward, but then going out with Game 4 also. We're locked into doing that, and we know we can.

''We believe.''

It's easy to understand Lue's confidence. After what the Cavaliers have experienced this season, a 2-0 deficit in the Finals against a star-studded Warriors squad on the cusp of being stamped as a modern-day dynasty seems manageable.

Cleveland has endured injuries, trades, tragedy and drama for months. The Cavs, who climbed from a 2-0 hole to beat Boston in the conference finals, have major roster holes and unfixable flaws. There's no denying their toughness.

''We've been very persistent and very resilient throughout this whole season, no matter what has been going on,'' James said. ''We have an opportunity to come home and protect home, as Golden State has done. It's a very tall task. A very tough challenge going against these guys, going against this team.''

Teams that have taken a 2-0 lead are 29-4 in the Finals, but the Warriors know better than to be overconfident. They've learned the hard way.

Golden State held a 3-1 lead in the 2016 Finals before the Cavs rallied to win three straight and dethrone the Dubs. And last year, the Warriors trailed by six with 3:09 left before storming back to win 118-113 in Game 3.

Cleveland has won eight straight playoff games at Quicken Loans Arena, which may be louder than ever with hometown fans still frothing from some calls that went against the Cavaliers in the Bay Area last week.

Just the sight of Warriors forward Draymond Green should be enough to push the decibel readings inside the building to unsafe levels.

''I don't really think about being up 2-0 because the series could turn so fast,'' Warriors star Kevin Durant said. ''It's a great position to be in. I don't want to take that for granted; don't get me wrong. But the job is not done, and you can't relax or be comfortable when you're still trying to win this thing. We know coming on the road is going to be tougher.''

The Warriors may have Andre Iguodala back for the first time in the series.

One of the team's best defenders, Iguodala has missed six straight games with a left knee injury suffered in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. Coach Steve Kerr said the 34-year-old has improved.

''He's getting closer, and I'm hopeful that he can play,'' Kerr said. ''If not tomorrow, then in Game 4.''

While Kerr looked forward, James was forced to take another glance back at Game 1.

On Sunday, uncut TV footage showed James uncomfortably sitting on Cleveland's bench next to Smith, who inexplicably dribbled out the final seconds of regulation. James was shown asking Lue if the team had any timeouts and then reacting as if he had been punched in the stomach when he learned the Cavs could have stopped the clock.

''Damn cameras,'' James joked when asked about the video. ''I finally got Game 1 out of my head. You're taking me back, huh?''

James, who is averaging 40 points, 10.5 assists and 8.5 rebounds in two games, abstains from social media during the postseason. He was unaware the video went viral or that he's being criticized for not inspiring his teammates.

''Me being criticized? I don't believe that,'' he said sarcastically. ''I don't care at all. I mean, we're in the NBA Finals. How much more picking up of teammates do you want me to do?''

[StarDust Bum]

Livingston, McGee giving Warriors big lift
June 5, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) Shaun Livingston and JaVale McGee have been giving the Golden State Warriors a huge lift in these NBA Finals by making every shot they take look easy.

Then again, they all have been easy.

Livingston is a perfect 9 for 9 from the field in this championship series. McGee is 8 for 9, and his lone miss came when he tried a dunk and stuffed the ball into the rim instead. The average distance of their made field goals is a staggeringly close 3 1/2 feet, which is basically gimme range in golf and darn close to gimme range in basketball as well - especially at this level.

For as spectacular as LeBron James has been in the first two games, his Cleveland Cavaliers are down 2-0 largely because the Warriors' supporting cast members like Livingston and McGee - journeymen of sorts - are soundly outplaying their Cavs' counterparts.

Stephen Curry is playing like an NBA Finals MVP, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson have been brilliant, and Draymond Green is quietly averaging a near triple-double. But the Warriors' motto is ''strength in numbers,'' and Livingston and McGee are personifying that.

''It's just being aggressive, being in the right spot too,'' Livingston said. ''It's nothing really magical about what I do or how I've been playing. I've been fortunate enough to, you know, shoot at a high clip. But a lot of those are dunks. Also, just being in the right spot on the court.''

Livingston has taken three jumpers, all of them mid-rangers of about 13 feet, in this series. Everything else has been at the rim. McGee made one shot from about 6 feet; his other eight attempts from the floor have basically been dunks.

McGee was moved into the starting lineup for Game 2. He said Tuesday that he doesn't know if he'll stay there for Game 3 in Cleveland on Wednesday night.

''These are some of the greatest teams in the world, ever,'' McGee said. ''It's a beautiful thing to be a part of it and to be a contributor in it.''

It's a difficult enough spot for the Cavaliers to deal with Curry, particularly when he is coming off an NBA Finals-record nine 3-pointers in Game 2. It's daunting to deal with Durant, one of the few guys in the league who can post up against James, turn and face the four-time MVP and shoot over him with relative ease. It's maddening to chase Thompson around and have him get shots off using his super-quick release, even when he's fairly well covered.

Golden State opponents expect that.

Livingston and McGee shooting 17 for 18, that just doesn't seem fair.

''I think when you're locked in and you're trying to take away K.D., you're trying to take away Steph and Klay, Livingston, McGee, they're going to get some shots,'' Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. ''We've just got to do a better job of taking away the easy dunks and layups around the basket. When you're focusing on those three guys, other guys are going to get shots. But we've got to do a good job of just taking away the easy ones.''

McGee got the Warriors off and running in Game 2 with two easy dunks to open the game. Golden State never trailed.

Livingston said that wound up being a huge energy boost for Golden State, and he knows that the Cavaliers will aim to take the easy ones at the rim away in Game 3. As such, the Warriors might already have a counter in mind for whatever anticipated adjustment Cleveland makes.

''Coaches, I think they have a good game plan moving forward, seeing maybe what kind of adjustments Cleveland can make,'' Livingston said. ''We just have to be ready. Steph, Kevin, Klay, our scorers, they take the majority of the load, right? So they get a lot of the attention and the pressure. I think we have to be ready, all us other guys, to relieve some of that pressure.''


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


Finals Outlook - Game 3
June 6, 2018


NBA Finals Game 3 Preview

He most certainly can’t do it all, but LeBron James is getting close to it. Even with an obscene output that has the King averaging an outrageous 40-10-8 line that seems out of this world, the Cavaliers aren’t anywhere close to competing with Golden State. That first game was right there, but a series of blown opportunities slipped right through the sweaty fingers of the Cavaliers.

J.R. Smith has received a rightful amount of criticism (amongst other things) for his gaffe at the end of regulation in Game 1, but we really have to look at this from multiple viewpoints. LeBron could’ve missed a shot that Kevin Durant was blitzing to block anyways. The Cavaliers are not a phenomenal team coming out of timeouts, so 4.5 seconds (or whatever it was) may not have been enough time to get a good shot off. There’s no telling if the chance that the Cavs hypothetically afforded themselves would’ve hypothetically mattered.

The point isn’t that J.R. Smith does J.R. Smith things, it’s that the Cavaliers simply haven’t had great luck this entire series. In Game 2 things didn’t get any better as the Warriors casually smacked them upside the head in a 122-103 blowout that felt much worse. Cleveland went 3-for-19 in terms of open shots and making even half of those would’ve given them the fight that they showed during Game 1. The truth is that there’s no such thing as an easy bucket against Golden State.

Cleveland doesn’t have a second weapon and that becomes painfully obvious the longer this series goes on. Smith himself is averaging just 7.5 points in this series through two games, which would send off alarm bells if he didn’t average 11.3 points per game in the three NBA Finals meetings with the Warriors prior to this one. Even worse? He’s only scored 20+ points twice.

Kevin Love is the obvious go-to guy in this regard, but his 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds this series so far are pretty much his ceiling. His best playoff series came last year against Boston where he averaged 22.6 and 12.4 in a 4-1 SU stomping during the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s not that his virtual 20-10 isn’t useful, it’s just that it’s not really going to get much better. Love has scored 30+ points just once in his entire playoff career (which isn’t that long to be fair).

Kyle Korver’s projections are worse. Larry Nance’s aren’t very good. Don’t get me started on Jordan Clarkson or Jeff Green. The point is that there just aren’t enough guys on Cleveland that can score enough points to keep up with a Golden State team that doesn’t seem capable of running out of gas.

To gain a glimpse in to where the 2018 NBA Finals is headed mathematically, you only really need to look at what the oddsmakers think in the NBA Series Props section. They’ve have two listings at the top of the charts for total games played – one is for 4.5 games where the OVER is favored at -160 and one for 5.0 games where the UNDER is favored at -220. This seems like a whacky way to build a “push” in to your bet, but the truth is that the guys who use computers and (hopefully) brains to put these odds together have essentially surmised that this series is headed towards a sweep.

You can flat out bet on Golden State to win Game 4 at +125 against Game 5 at +130 (or Game 6 at +800 and Game 7 at +1400) in the NBA Series props section. That was probably a cleaner way to show you just how probable a sweep was now that I think about it.

It’s not just that Golden State is a far better team, it’s that they know that they can just flick a switch and start bombarding a Cleveland team that is too shell shocked form its own mortality to fight back. The -4.5 points that the Warriors are getting feel like a gift from the oddsmakers. That -172 moneyline seems like the Lock of the Freaking Year.

What isn’t quite clear is why the books consider Cleveland to basically be +8.0 at home versus on the road. Forget the opponent. Even with a 35 point shellacking of the Raptors and a 30 point win over the Celtics in these playoffs, Cleveland is just +8.6 against their Eastern Conference playoff rivals when hosting. That positive point differential is paired with a relatively remarkable 8-1 SU record that is leveled out with a 4-5 ATS run.

For whatever it’s worth, Cleveland’s more promising home court advantage is leveraged against a -7.7 point differential when travelling in the post season that matches an awful 4-7 SU and 5-6 ATS record.

So I guess I can understand why the oddsmakers think Boston is worth +8.0 more points at home compared to when they visit Oracle. They have a near-15-point differential between home and away games this year. But it’s also clear that Indiana, Boston and Toronto are on an entire tier down from the Golden State Warriors.

As everyone else is, I’m excited to see if Cleveland can find an answer. But with Igoudala coming back to bolster an already incredibly fluid lineup, things will get harder for Cleveland. As if they weren’t hard enough.

Game 3 NBA Free Pick – Golden State -4.5 over Cleveland (UND 216.5)

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at CLE 09:00 PM

CLE +4.0

U 216.5

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors take 3-0 Finals lead over Cavs
June 6, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) Kevin Durant pushed the Golden State Warriors to dynasty's doorstep.

LeBron James may be at the door.

Durant scored 43 points, draining a long 3-pointer in the final minute to cap his magnificent performance, and the Warriors beat James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night to move within a victory of a sweep, their second straight title and third championship in four years.

No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs.

It might be time to order some champagne from Napa Valley.

With the Cavs down 103-100, Durant stood defiantly and almost motionless after dropping his 33-footer - almost from the same spot from where he hit one in Game 3 last year - and effectively ended the fourth straight finals matchup between two teams who have gotten to know each other well since 2015.

After Durant scored, Stephen Curry and Draymond surrounded Durant and screamed at their teammate, who calmly walked toward the bench.

''I tried to just stay in the zone,'' Durant said, acknowledging he was nervous the Cavs could still come back.

Durant said the similarity with last year's shot - a moment that helped define his first championship - didn't occur to him.

''No, not at all,'' he said of the comparison. ''I just took the shot.''

There was nothing the Cavs could do.

''It was like deja vu watching him hit that shot again,'' Cavs forward Kevin Love said.

Golden State will now have four chances to wrap up its title starting with Game 4 on Friday night. The Warriors are trying to join a select list of teams to win three championships in four years.

James scored 33 points and Kevin Love added 20 for the Cavs, who have fallen into a hole in which no team has ever emerged. Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Warriors in the 2016 finals, but that was when Durant was in Oklahoma City and James had a different supporting cast.

''We had our chances,'' James said. ''You can't make mistakes. They're not going to beat themselves.''

The Warriors won despite a 3-of-16 shooting performance from Curry, who did come up big down the stretch as the Cavs were trying to salvage their season.

Now Cleveland could be down to one final game with James, who recorded his 10th triple-double in the finals. The three-time champion can opt out of his $35.6 million contract and test free agency this summer, and it may be time for the 33-year-old to find a team capable of beating the Warriors.

These Cavs can't figure it out.

Durant, who tilted this rivalry toward the West Coast when he signed with the Warriors as a free agent before last season, was brilliant from the start. He helped offset a rough night for Curry, who made a finals-record nine 3-pointers in Game 2, but was just 1 of 10 from behind the arc and didn't score his second field goal until there were under three minutes left.

Curry's scoop shot put the Warriors up 98-97 and defensive specialist Andre Iguodala, who didn't play in Games 1 or 2 because of a knee injury, came up with a steal under the basket. Curry finally buried a 3 and after James matched him with a long shot, Iguodala drove the lane for a thundering dunk.

Moments later, Durant delivered his dagger to silence Cleveland's crowd.

''The shot clock was running down, I was pretty far out, I just wanted to get a look,'' Durant said. ''I didn't want to run there and shoot a bad shot, fall on the ground and they got numbers going the other way so I decided to pull up.''

James made a layup to pull the Cavs within four, it was too little too late as the Warriors closed it out and beat Cleveland for the fourth straight time in finals games.

With JaVale McGee getting three point-blank shots at the rim, the Warriors opened the third quarter with a 9-3 spurt and it wasn't long before they took their first lead on Curry's two free throws.

Durant scored 24 in the first half, when the Warriors attempted 13 free throws to zero for the Cavs, a disparity that induced further wrath on the officials from Cleveland fans still stinging from the now infamous reversed call in Game 1.

The Cavs needed a strong start, and they got it helped by a playground move from James.

Dribbling near the foul lane, he used a head fake on McGee before stepping past the Warriors center. James then threw the ball off the backboard to himself and crushed a two-handed dunk - he pulled off a similar stunt in last year's finals - that sent Cleveland's bench and fans into a frenzy.

As Lue had hoped, Cleveland was more physical and won several 50-50 balls while outrebounding and outworking the Warriors, who spent much of the first half barking about the officiating.

The problem, though, was that the Cavs couldn't stop Durant. He wouldn't allow Cleveland to pull too far ahead and the superstar made up for an ineffective Curry.

James arrived at 6 p.m. dressed more casually - camouflage pants, purple hoodie, ''Billionaire Boys Club'' baseball cap - than on the road where he and the Cavs have been wearing suits during the postseason.

Everything is more relaxed and familiar at home for James and his teammates, who were counting on a return to their own noisy building, where they play better and shoot better, to get them back into the series.

The Warriors had other plans.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Draymond Green passed Wilt Chamberlain (922) for the most rebounds in Warriors playoff history. ... Klay Thompson played in his NBA-high 390th game over the last four seasons. Green is second with 387, while James is third at 381. ... Green and Tristan Thompson, who have tangled all series, were both slapped with technical following an exchange in the first quarter. ...

Cavaliers: Kyle Korver continued to struggle. He missed all four shots and is now 8 of 29 dating to Game 1 of last year's Finals. ... James (238) broke a tie with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and moved into fourth place for the most playoff games. Only Derek Fisher (259), Tim Duncan (251) and Robert Horry (244) have made most postseason appearances. ... There was an awkward moment at the start of Lue's pregame news conference when he was asked by a foreign reporter who he expected to be the key player in Game 3. ''LeBron James, I guess,'' he said with a laugh.

HOOD HELPS

Lue gave Rodney Hood a chance and the seldom-used forward came through with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting with six rebounds. Hood only played four minutes in the first two games.

UP NEXT

Game 4 is Friday night.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavaliers let chances slip away
June 7, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) They had their chances.

All of these events were downright ideal for the Cleveland Cavaliers: Stephen Curry's shooting game was awful for most of the night, Klay Thompson's wasn't much better, the Cavs led by as many as 13 in the first half and some non-producers from the first two games of these NBA Finals were starting to finally give LeBron James the contributions he's craved.

And it still wasn't enough.

Another chance was wasted, and the season is now just about over.

Game 3 went down as a loss, and now the Cavaliers find themselves in the hole from which no NBA team has ever escaped. Golden State rallied to top Cleveland 110-102 on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the finals, with a chance to clinch their second straight championship Friday when this series resumes.

James was fantastic, again: 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. The Cavaliers rolled the dice and put Rodney Hood into the series, and got 15 points from him. Kevin Love had 20 points and 13 rebounds and J.R. Smith finished with 13 points, finally making some shots.

They just couldn't stop Kevin Durant.

With Curry and Thompson non-factors much of the game, combining for 21 points on 7 for 27 combined shooting, Durant finished with a playoff career-best 43 points.

Game 1 of this series will be remembered by how Cleveland let it get away; the botched rebound by Smith to be forever played as one of those quintessential wish-you-had-it-back moments. Game 3 of this series will probably be remembered by how the Cavaliers, even with Curry missing 13 of his first 14 shots, dominated stretches of the first half and went into the locker room only up by six.

They were asking for trouble.

They're now in trouble.

''I thought we played a good first half,'' Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. ''They're going to make runs. That's what this team does. To be up six at the half after being up 13 ... they're going to make runs. We understand that.''

So this series is just about finished, or at least, that's what the history books say. The 3-0 deficit has, until now, been insurmountable in NBA playoff annals. Not even the most optimistic Cleveland fan could expect that to change in the coming days.

The next two days will be angst-laden for Cleveland, though hardly anyone should be fretting the outcome of this series. The mystery is gone, and Golden State - which hasn't lost four consecutive games in the same season since 2013, back when Mark Jackson was coaching the Warriors instead of calling their games on ABC and ESPN - needs only to avoid an apocalyptic collapse to win their third title in four years.

No, the angst will be about James. Again.

Another ''Summer of LeBron'' could start as early as Friday night, and every basketball fan is very aware of that.

James can be a free agent, and there's a real sense around the NBA that this summer - just like in 2010, when he left for Miami - could be packing up and leaving his native northeast Ohio once again. He has taken Cleveland to the NBA Finals now five times, and this now looks certain to be his fourth loss in those. He was 2-2 in four trips to the NBA Finals with Miami.

A bounce here, a couple stops there, the Cavs could be leading.

Instead, Cleveland is only left to wonder if James is a game from leaving.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JUNE 8, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY JUNE 11, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena


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


NBA CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS

06/06/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/31/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00


TOTALS............3-1-0 100.00% +9.50


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

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

06/06/2018....................0 - 1.....................-5.50......................1- 0....................+5.00..........-0.50
05/31/2018....................1 - 0....................+5.00......................1 - 0...................+5.00..........+10.00


TOTALS...........................1- 1.....................-0.50......................2 - 0...................+10.00.........+9.50