The Bum's 2018 NBA Trends/Stats/Best Bets Thru The Playoffs !

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs force Game 7 with rout of Nuggets
April 25, 2019
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan helped San Antonio overcome a huge effort by Nikola Jokic and force a Game 7 against Denver.

Aldridge scored 26 points and DeRozan added 25 to help the Spurs beat the Nuggets 120-103 on Thursday night.

''They've been great at throwing a punch at us and running away with it,'' DeRozan said. ''We tried to sustain that and understand whatever they do we have to match it, be more aggressive, understand we have to keep our rhythm, being aggressive on both ends and we did that.''

Jokic scored 27 of his 43 points in the second half to post the third highest point total this postseason behind the 50 by Portland's Damian Lillard and 45 from Golden State's Kevin Durant. Jokic also finished with 12 rebounds and nine assists to fall an assist shy of his second triple double of the series.

Game 7 is Saturday in Denver, where the Nuggets had the league's best home record during the regular season. The winner will face Portland.

''I don't know, it's my first Game 7,'' Jokic said when asked what he expected in the finale. ''It's probably going to be even tougher than this one.''

The young Nuggets have to ponder that after a strong effort wasn't enough in Game 6.

Denver dominated the paint, outscoring San Antonio 72 to 36, but the Nuggets were 8 for 31 outside the paint. The Spurs were 4 for 9 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help overcome Jokic's output.

''He played great tonight, he did his thing, that's for sure,'' San Antonio center Jakob Poeltl said. ''But I think we answered that with a team effort we had a lot of guys coming in and putting up big points and contributing in different ways.''

The Spurs had five players score in double figures, including a series-high 19 points from Rudy Gay. Every San Antonio starter shot 50 percent from the field and, for the first time in the series, the Spurs' bench outscored the Nuggets', 36-13.

''We had a lot of people participate tonight,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ''Lot of people came and had good games. I think the Nuggets have had that pretty regularly and we had that tonight, so, that was great to see.''

The Spurs needed the win to continue the series after a listless performance in a 108-90 loss in Denver on Tuesday in which the Nuggets led by as many as 30 points.

San Antonio surged to a 34-24 lead by shooting 67 percent from the field in the first quarter while Denver missed all seven of its 3-point attempts.

Jokic kept the Nuggets in the game in the third quarter, scoring 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting.

San Antonio went on a 22-4 run to open the fourth quarter to take command.

Jamal Murray added 16 points and Gary Harris had 14 points for the Nuggets.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: The Nuggets have advanced beyond the first round in eight of 16 previous postseason appearances. Their previous advancement was 2009 when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. ... Denver has used a nine-player rotation during the series. Juancho Hernangomez, Trey Lyles and Jarred Vanderbilt have played a combined 18 minutes in the series. Isaiah Thomas is active but has not played. ...

Spurs: San Antonio is 23-9 against Denver in seven postseason matchups. The Nuggets' lone series win over the Spurs came in the opening round of the 1985 playoffs. ... It was Popovich's 283rd postseason game, moving him past Pat Riley for second-most playoff games coached. Former Bulls and Lakers coach Phil Jackson tops the list with 333 career postseason games coached. ... San Antonio surpassed 40,000 postseason points in franchise history, joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers as the only franchises to surpass that figure.

ILLEGAL?

Malone is curious to see how Murray was injured on a screen by Poeltl in the third quarter.

Murray stayed in the game after remaining on the court for about 15 seconds after taking a knee to the left thigh on a screen by Poeltl. Murray jumped up after the Nuggets called time, grabbed his left thigh and worked to stretch it out. He returned after the timeout and promptly drained a jumper.

Malone said the Spurs have set illegal screens during the series, video of which he has sent to the league.

''The response from the league has been that we're right, but for some reason they don't catch them during the game,'' Malone said. ''I'll have to watch that play, obviously. Jamal got taken out on that play. I don't know if it was dirty or not. I don't think Jakob Poeltl is a dirty player, I really don't, but I have to watch the film to see how that happened and how Jamal went down with that injury.''

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Houston Rockets Utah Jazz Vivint Smart Home Arena
10:05 PM Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center


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NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD


04/25/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
04/24/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
04/23/2019 2-6-0 25.00% -23.00
04/22/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
04/21/2019 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
04/20/2019 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
04/19/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
04/18/2019 2-4-0 33.33% -12.00
04/17/2019 6-0-0 100.00% +30.00
04/16/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
04/15/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
04/14/2019 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
04/13/2019 7-1-0 87.50% +29.50

Totals..............37-38-0 49.33% -28.50


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BEST BETS:

DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS

04/25/2019.............1 - 0.....................+5.00...................0 - 1................-5.50................-0.50
04/24/2019.............0 - 2.....................-11.00...................1 - 1................-0.50...............-11.50
04/23/2019.............2 - 2.....................-1.00....................4 - 8.................-22.00.............-23.00
04/22/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................0 - 2.................-11.00.............-11.50
04/21/2019.............2 - 2 .....................-1.00...................1 - 3.................-11.50..............-12.50
04/20/2019.............1 - 3.....................-11.50..................3 - 0................+15.00.............+3.50
04/19/2019.............1 - 2.....................-6.00....................2 - 1................+4.50...............-1.50
04/18/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................1 - 2................-6.00................-6.50
04/17/2019.............3 - 0....................+15.00..................3 - 0................+15.00.............+30.00
04/16/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................1 - 1.................-0.50...............-1.00
04/15/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................0 - 1.................-5.50...............-11.00
04/14/2019.............2 - 2.....................-1.00....................2 - 2.................-1.00...............-2.00
04/13/2019.............3 - 0.....................+15.00.................3 - 0.................+15.00............+30.00

Totals....................18 - 17..................-3.50.................21 - 22................-14.00................-17.50

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s 6-pack

Odds to win the two North Divisions in the NFL this year:

NFC North:
8-5: Chicago Bears
2-1: Minnesota Vikings
2-1: Green Bay Packers
14-1: Detroit Lions

AFC North:
5-4: Cleveland Browns
8-5: Pittsburgh Steelers
3-1: Baltimore Ravens
25-1: Cincinnati Bengals

Quote of the Day
“It’s not the shots you block, it’s the shots they think you’re going to block.”
Bill Russell

Friday’s quiz
What city is Texas Tech University located in?

Thursday’s quiz
1995 was the last time a QB from the Big 14 (Michigan, Ohio St, etc…) was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft……Kerry Collins from Penn State.

Wednesday’s quiz
USC is the only college football program in country that has had the #1 pick in NFL Draft two years in a row; Ron Yary/OJ Simpson, back in the late 60’s.

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Friday’s List of 13: Notes from watching the NFL Draft

13) Washington Redskins stayed at pick #15 and got QB Dwayne Haskins without trading up; Haskins is from Maryland, but grew up in New Jersey and was a Giant fan. Most people didn’t think Haskins would drop to the 15th pick; the Giants-Redskins games for the next decade should be pretty interesting.

This pretty much clinches fact that Case Keenum won’t be a Redskin in 2020; Washington will be his 4th team in four years this season, and 2020 figures to make it five teams in five years.

12) Bruce Snyder bought the Redskins in 1999. Here is how many head coaches each NFC East team has had since then:
— Washington 7
— Dallas 4
— NJ Giants 4
— Philadelphia 3

When I think of a team with a coach on the hot seat taking a rookie QB, I think of Jeff Fisher getting canned during Jared Goff’s rookie year. Keenum was the Rams’ starting QB before Goff took over in Game 10. You wonder if this is good news for Jay Gruden.


11) New Jersey Giants took Duke QB Daniel Jones with the 6th pick in the draft. Here is what the Giants have done with drafting QB’s the last three years:

2017: Davis Webb, California, 3rd round
2018: Kyle Lauletta, Richmond, 4th round
2019: Daniel Jones, Duke, 1st round

Meanwhile, they keep starting 38-year old Eli Manning, who had the same college coach as Jones (David Cutcliffe). Most draft pundits liked Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins better than Jones.

Last six years, Giants are 38-59, 0-1 in playoff games. Hard to get better when you waste 3rd and 4th round draft picks on guys you never use.

10) Pittsburgh Steelers traded with Denver to move up ten spots, from #20 to #10 in the first round; this is something the Steelers rarely do. Pittsburgh took LB Devin Bush from Michigan.

Steelers switched 1st round picks with Denver, and also gave the Broncos a 2nd-round and a 3rd-round pick, so it was expensive- they really wanted/needed a linebacker.

9) Last three years, the draft averaged six first-round trades per year; there were seven trades during Thursday’s first round.

— Green Bay traded with Seattle to move up seven spots, from #28 to #21.
— Eagles traded a 4th and 6th-round pick to Baltimore to move up from 25th to 22nd.
— Washington traded to the Colts to move up to the 26th pick.
— Chiefs acquired DE Frank Clark from Seattle, send the Seahawks the 29th pick, plus a couple of other picks.
— Giants acquired the 30th pick in the draft from Seattle so they could take CB Deandre Baker from Georgia.
— Rams traded the 31st pick to Atlanta so the Falcons could take T Kaleb McGary from Washington.

8) Only six of 22 Seahawks starters remain from when Seattle lost the Super Bowl to New England four years ago.

7) Only twice in the common draft era (1990, 2008) had the first round ended with no WR’s taken. This was the third time. Iowa had two tight ends taken in the first round. Baltimore finally took Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown with the 25th pick.

This is the longest any NFL Draft has gone with neither a WR or a RB being taken. Oakland took RB Josh Jacobs from Alabama with the 24th pick.

6) Seven of the top ten players taken were defensive players.

5) As of 1:00 Thursday afternoon, 18 of 32 teams had already traded their 7th-round pick in this draft. Three picks were traded twice; one was dealt three times. 7th-round picks are throw-ins in lot of trades.

Then again, Marques Colston, Adam Timmerman, Shannon Sharpe and Gary Anderson (the kicker) were all 7th-round picks.

4) Bengals still have 37 of their own draft picks on their roster, most in NFL, six more than any other team; Buffalo has only 12 of its draft picks, least in the league.

3) People gamble on the NFL Draft, which makes me a little queasy, but thats their business. Haskins was a -$155 favorite to get drafted before Missouri QB Drew Lock.

Speaking of gambling, a guy on ESPN’s Daily Wager Thursday picked Starlin Castro to homer at 8-1 odds in the Marlins’ game in Philly, and sure enough, Castro homered in the 10th inning. Damn good call.

2) Not sure why ESPN and NFL Network both broadcast the draft, but they do. Mel Kiper Jr is worth listening to, and Louis Riddick is very good on ESPN. My man Kurt Warner is on NFL Network, but I prefer Trey Wingo to Rich Eisen as a host, so spent most of my time on ESPN.

The player interviews are generally all terrible, so if one is happening, automatically change to the other station or to a baseball game.

1) Looked like it might’ve been a good night to be a pickpocket in the streets of Nashville; thousands and thousands of people packed in the streets, lot of jostling. I’m just sayin’……..

[StarDust Bum]

Celtics great John Havlicek dies at 79
April 25, 2019
By The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) John Havlicek's legacy was built over 16 years with the Boston Celtics, eight of them as NBA champions, making him among the best to ever play the game.

One play immortalized him forever.

''Havlicek stole the ball! ''Havlicek stole the ball!'' Celtics radio announcer Johnny Most screamed, a moment that remains among the famous plays in NBA history.

The Celtics said Havlicek died Thursday in Jupiter, Florida. He was 79. The cause of death wasn't immediately available. The Boston Globe said he had Parkinson's disease.

Voted one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, Havlicek's steal of Hal Greer's inbounds pass helped the Celtics hold off Philadelphia in the 1965 Eastern Conference final.

''John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise's signature moments,'' the Celtics said in a statement. ''He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us.''

Nicknamed ''Hondo'' for his resemblance to John Wayne, Havlicek was drafted ninth in the first round in 1962 out of Ohio State by a Celtics team stocked with stars Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Sanders, Tom Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey. Boston won championships in six of his first seven years.

''It is getting difficult each time I hear about another contemporary that passes!'' Russell tweeted. ''What is harder is when we lose guys like John Havlicek, he was not just a teammate & a great guy, but he was family. That is how our Celtics teams were.''

As Russell and others gradually moved on, Havlicek became the elder statesman and moved up to become a starter. The team won championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76 with Havlicek leading squads that included Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White.

''John Havlicek was a wonderful friend who represented the best of the NBA,'' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. ''He described himself as a man of routine and discipline - a humble approach that produced extraordinary results.''

Havlicek was the MVP of the 1974 Finals, and set Celtics career records for points and games. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History and enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. At Ohio State, he helped lead the Buckeyes to the 1960 national championship.

As much as his deadly jump shot or his play in Boston's triple-overtime NBA Finals victory over Phoenix in 1976, Havlicek was known for his durability.

In his NBA career he scored 26,395 points in 1,270 games and played in 13 All-Star Games.

''The Boston Celtics are not a team, they are a way of life,'' Hall of Fame coach and executive Red Auerbach once said. And no one personified the Celtic way more than Havlicek.

His No.17 was raised to the rafters in old Boston Garden and now resides in TD Garden, retired soon after he retired in 1978. He averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists in the regular season, and 22.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 172 playoff games.

Born April 8, 1940, in Martins Ferry, Ohio, Havlicek became a standout athlete at Bridgeport High School in the small coal-mining town of 2,500 near Wheeling, West Virginia.

The 6-foot-5 Havlicek was also an outstanding football and baseball player in high school and was given a tryout by the Cleveland Browns after graduating from college.

As a sophomore at Ohio State, he scored 12.2 points a game as the Buckeyes won the national championship, beating California 75-55 in the final. His junior and senior years, Ohio State again won the Big Ten titles and made it to the NCAA title game but lost to Cincinnati each time. During Havlicek's three years at Ohio State, the Buckeyes went 78-6, dominating most games unlike any team up to that time.

All five starters from Ohio State's title team in 1960 - which included Jerry Lucas and future Celtics teammate Larry Siegfried - played in the NBA. Backup Bob Knight went on to a Hall of Fame coaching career.

Havlicek remained in Boston after his retirement, managing investments. He later split time between New England and Florida. He occasionally returned to Ohio State for reunions of the championship team and Celtics events. His Ohio State number was retired during ceremonies in the 2004-2005 season.

[StarDust Bum]

[StarDust Bum]

551Boston -552 Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE is 42-25 ATS (14.5 Units) versus up-tempo teams averaging 88 or more shots/game in the last 3 seasons.

553Philadelphia -554 Toronto
PHILADELPHIA is 16-4 ATS (11.6 Units) after a division game in the current season.




NBA
Dunkel

Friday, April 26

Golden State @ LA Clippers

Game 533-534
April 26, 2019 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
126.307
LA Clippers
113.647
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 12 1/2
225
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 10
233
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-10); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, April 26

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GOLDEN STATE (60 - 27) at LA CLIPPERS (50 - 37) - 4/26/2019, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 37-49 ATS (-16.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-41 ATS (-12.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-62 ATS (-21.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-44 ATS (-19.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 14-23 ATS (-11.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 48-38 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 41-33 ATS (+4.7 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 63-46 ATS (+12.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 138-103 ATS (+24.7 Units) in April games since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 70-47 ATS (+18.3 Units) in all playoff games since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 88-61 ATS (+20.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 177-221 ATS (-66.1 Units) in home games in the second half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 232-292 ATS (-89.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 9-8 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 13-4 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, April 26

Road team is 4-1 in this series; Clippers shot 56%/54% from floor in their two series wins, 42.5% or less in their three losses. Average total of first half in these games: 124.8. Golden State won nine of its last 12 games overall; they won 11 of last 15 games with the Clippers, but LA is 7-4 vs spread in last 11 series games. Warriors’ bench was just 7-23 from floor in Game 5; they were -10 in the 7:00 Durant was off floor. Clippers lost six of last nine games overall; over is 13-4-1 in their last 18 games. Golden State was +40 on boards in first four series games, but LA was +3 in Game 5, winning boards for first time in series.




NBA

Friday, April 26

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Trend Report
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Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Golden State is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Golden State's last 25 games
Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Golden State's last 13 games on the road
Golden State is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Golden State's last 16 games when playing LA Clippers
Golden State is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Golden State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
LA Clippers is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
LA Clippers is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games
LA Clippers is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of LA Clippers's last 18 games
LA Clippers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
LA Clippers is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home
LA Clippers is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games at home
LA Clippers is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 12 of LA Clippers's last 16 games when playing Golden State
LA Clippers is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State
LA Clippers is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Playoff Essentials
Tony Mejia

Western Conference First Round – Game 6

No. 1 Golden State at No. 8 L.A. Clippers (ESPN, 10:05 p.m. ET) -- Warriors lead 3-2

Apr. 13 - Warriors (-13.5) 121 vs. Clippers 104 (Under 233)
Apr. 15 - Clippers (+13.5) 135 at Warriors 131 (Over 234)
Apr. 18 - Warriors (-9.5) 132 at Clippers 105 (Over 234)
Apr. 21 - Warriors (-9.5) 113 at Clippers 105 (Under 236)
Apr. 24 - Clippers (+14.5) 129 at Warriors 121 (Over 232.5)

Watching Game 5 of the first-round series between the Warriors and Clippers bordered on surreal. Even if you don’t watch over a thousand games a year like some of us around these parts, you’ve seen enough basketball to know that the best teams always make a run late. It’s what makes engineering an upset so special.

What we saw on Wednesday at Oracle Arena brought back memories of Duke-Louisville this season. If you’re not as up on the college game, a Blue Devils team that featured three players who will be selected in the top half of the lottery found themselves down 23 points with less than 10 minutes to play against a Cardinals team no one really expected much from in 2018-19. Like the Clippers, brighter days are ahead for the ‘Ville, but they were just out there for the participant ribbon over the past season. Zion Williamson and Co. forced a meltdown, finishing up the largest comeback of Mike Krzyzewski’s career with a 71-69 win.

The hunters, when great, typically chase down the hunted in this sport.

The Warriors, at home, were expected to rally past the Clippers on Wednesday night, which is undoubtedly what many were counting on in what had to be an unfortunately memorable night for those backing the champs’ comeback efforts via in-game betting.

We’ve seen Golden State come back on better teams than these heart-and-hustle Clippers, so even though they were down double-digits for most of the third quarter, it’s no surprise many felt compelled to get in on the Warriors as a pick’em or even getting points as the game progressed deeper into the night. The Warriors pulled within 97-94 with 1:23 left in the third quarter before L.A. scored the final seven points to space the lead out to 10 entering the fourth.

Another uphill climb saw the Warriors catch the Clippers at 117 on a Kevin Durant dunk with 3:29 left. Even those who don’t care for the polarizing superstar had to cheer him then. By the time winning time rolled around in Game 5, only Golden State in-game bettors wanted to see them complete the comeback, but my understanding is that there were a lot of you watching the final minutes with covers over your eyes and an account balance on the brain.

Those who had taken a side pre-game already had the outcome decided. The ‘over’ was coming in. The Clippers weren’t going to lose by 15 points. They weren’t going out like that. The better question ended up being whether they would be going out at all.

A Durant dunk with 2:40 left put the Warriors up 118-117, getting them back the lead for the first time since early second-quarter.

The Clippers’ melt had been completed. What happened next was most unexpected.

Lou Williams outscored Golden State 8-0 over the next two minutes, getting half of them on a four-point play that gave L.A. the lead back for the final time just seconds after falling behind. Durant fouled him. He couldn’t help it. The Warriors turned the ball over twice and struggled to get off quality looks. Ironically, every member of their “Hamptons Five” lineup besides Draymond Green missed a shot or committed an error. Four All-Stars and Andre Iguodala couldn’t manage to score a basket when it mattered most until Stephen Curry hit a long 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left to trim a deficit that had grown to nine points down in size.

It was too late. There would be no last-gasp miracle. A lot of in-game bets fell victim to an incredible upset in what has been the biggest treat the first round of the NBA playoffs has had to offer. Is it an indictment of Golden State, proof that this group lacks the special formula that delivered consecutive titles?

I’m going to pass on being overly dramatic, though I wouldn’t blame those who dropped a chunk on a monumental letdown from feeling that way.

The Warriors look more vulnerable than they did when the postseason began, having lost DeMarcus Cousins to a quad injury that will likely sideline him for the remainder of the playoffs. You best believe he would’ve been an asset to keep Montrezl Harrell from getting as comfortable as he’s looked in the paint throughout the series. Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney are getting used to playing the increased minutes they’ll be tasked with over the next few weeks in teaming to replace Cousins, so maybe this time against the Clippers will prove beneficial.

Spoiler alert, the Warriors aren’t going to lose this series. No matter how much of your investment they lost on Wednesday night, they’re still the best bet to yield a return on winning it all. The issue is that like the Clippers, other teams have now seen enough of what they can do that the element of fear is no longer present.

Pat Beverley has gone from overlooked pest to primary antagonist, somehow finishing with 14 rebounds while shooting 5-for-11 from 3-point range when that’s never been a strength. He’s proven he’s willing to do whatever it takes and is testing Golden State’s will. Lou Williams is one of the silkiest scorers we’ve ever seen, gifted beyond belief and in the conversation as one of the top sixth-man in league history. Harrell has raised his level to unprecedented heights in terms of consistency. Rookies Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Landry Shamet and Jerome Robinson haven’t blinked.

Take your hat off to the Clippers for what they’ve done. They’ve dented the Warriors enough that their championship odds have come all the way down from -200 to -150 at Westgate Superbook. They were -350 to win the West when the series began and are now -300. That will be part of the legacy for L.A.’s group of overachievers, at least until we see whether their exploits have gotten the attention of a Durant, Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler enough to want to come play for Steve Ballmer. All that remains to be seen.

NBA expert Chris David didn’t expect this series to reach Game 5 yet alone Game 6 and he certainly doesn’t believe Game 7 will happen. He’s fading the Clippers on Friday night due to their inconsistent offense.

“Los Angeles has been a fun team to watch all season and seeing them explode on Wednesday wasn’t surprising considering the offensive firepower they have. Unfortunately for Doc Rivers, his troops haven’t been able to duplicate the production on a night-to-night basis,” David said. “Including the result in Game 5, the Clippers have scored 129 points or more 10 times this season. In the first nine contests following those hot-shooting nights, Los Angeles has averaged 113.4 PPG and while the drop-off doesn’t seem alarming, it’s translated into a 3-6 record. Delving into those numbers further, the three wins came against non-playoff teams and five of the six losses were against playoff teams and they came by average of 17 PPG. That includes the Game 3 loss at home to the Warriors by 27 points in this series.”

Green is dealing with a wrist injury and missed both of his 3-pointers in Game 5, but he had punished the Clips for playing entirely off him earlier in the series. Curry has had issues getting off but shot for 4-for-5 from beyond the arc on Wednesday, which makes you wonder why he wasn’t more aggressive. Durant scored 45 points as the offense ran through him after he was criticized for being too passive earlier in the series, so it’s clear that the Warriors haven’t found the right balance in this series. Credit Rivers and the Clippers for a little of that.

Golden State has struggled mightily on the defensive end to add to its helping of blame pie for why they had to make a return trip to Staples after going up 3-1 on Sunday. The Clippers have scored 105 points twice and 104 once in their three losses but have averaged 132 points in their victories. The pick-and-roll combination of Williams and Harrell has proven unstoppable in those games, so it’s on Kerr to have a counter that makes life more difficult for that elite bench tandem. The Warriors have averaged 123.6 points per game in the series, so keep that in mind when considering the total (233), especially since Rivers is going small at the onset of games with JaMychal Green having replaced Ivica Zubac in the starting five. L.A. is more perimeter oriented as a result and is employing a faster pace.

Expect Golden State to finally get out of the series and on to their highly anticipated matchup with the Rockets tonight. Even though L.A. is going off at over +400 on the money line, resist that temptation. The question thus becomes whether you have enough faith in the Warriors to lay double-digits. Have you seen enough to believe that these Clippers have too much heart to go quietly?

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Playoffs - Game 7 Facts
April 26, 2019
By VI News

Game 7 Quick Facts

-- The NBA has had 132 Game 7’s in playoff history

-- The home team is 104-28 (79%) in those games

-- The 2018 NBA playoffs has had four Game 7's and road teams captured two wins.

Eastern Conference First Round - Cleveland 105 vs. Indiana 101
Eastern Conference First Round - Boston 112 vs. Milwaukee 96
Eastern Conference Finals - Cleveland 87 at Boston 79
Western Conference Finals - Golden State 101 at Houston 92

-- The 2017 NBA playoffs only had two Game 7's and the results were split with the Jazz capturing a rare road victory.

Western Conference First Round - Utah 104 at L.A. Clippers 91
Eastern Conference Semifinals - Boston 115 vs. Washington 105

-- The 2016 NBA playoffs had five Game 7's played and the home team won four games (3-2 ATS), two of the victories coming by double digits.

Eastern Conference First Round - Miami 106 vs. Charlotte 73
Eastern Conference First Round - Toronto 89 vs. Indiana 84
Eastern Conference Semifinals - Toronto 116 vs. Miami 89
Western Conference Finals - Golden State 96 vs. Oklahoma City 88
NBA Finals - Cleveland 93 at Golden State 89

-- The 2015 postseason featured two Game 7's. The home team went 2-0 with the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets capturing victories.

-- The 2014 postseason featured five Game 7's. The home team went 4-1 in those games and the lone visitor to win was Brooklyn, who defeated Toronto 104-103 in overtime.

San Antonio Game 7 Recent History

The Spurs have played in 10 Game 7's in franchise history. They've gone 4-6 in those contests, losing their last encounter in the 2015 playoffs on the road.

2015 First Round
San Antonio 109 at L.A. Clippers 111

2014 First Round
San Antonio 119 vs. Dallas 96

2013 Finals
San Antonio 88 at Miami 95

Denver Game 7 Recent History

The Nuggets have only played in three Game 7's in franchise history. They've gone 1-2 in those games with the last matchup coming in 2012.

The Rockets have appeared in 10 Game 7's in franchise history. They've posted a 6-4 record, but have dropped three of their last four Game 7's dating back to 2005.

2012 First Round
Denver 87 at L.A. Lakers 96

ALL-TIME GAME 7 ROAD WINNERS
Year Road Team Home Team Round
2018 Golden State 101 Houston 92 Conference finals
2018 Cleveland 87 Boston 79 Conference finals
2017 Utah 104 L.A. Clippers 91 First round
2016 Cleveland 93 Golden State 89 NBA Finals
2014 Brooklyn 104 Toronto 103 First round
2013 Chicago 99 Brooklyn 93 First round
2012 L.A. Clippers 82 Memphis 72 First round
2009 Orlando 101 Boston 82 Conference semifinals
2007 San Antonio 91 New Orleans 82 Conference semifinals
2007 Utah 103 Houston 99 First round
2006 *Dallas 119 San Antonio 111 Conference semifinals
2005 Detroit 88 Miami 82 Conference finals
2005 Indiana 97 Boston 70 First round
2002 *L.A. Lakers 112 Sacramento 106 Conference finals
2000 New York 83 Miami 82 Conference semifinals
1995 Indiana 97 New York 95 Conference semifinals
1995 Houston 115 Phoenix 114 Conference semifinals
1982 Philadelphia 120 Boston 106 Conference finals
1981 Kansas City 95 Phoenix 88 Conference semifinals
1981 Houston 105 San Antonio 100 Conference semifinals
1978 Washington 105 Seattle 99 NBA Finals
1976 Phoenix 94 Golden State 86 Conference finals
1974 Boston 102 Milwaukee 87 NBA Finals
1973 New York 94 Boston 78 Conference finals
1971 Baltimore 93 New York 91 Conference finals
1969 Boston 108 L.A. Lakers 106 NBA Finals
1968 Boston 100 Philadelphia 96 Division finals
1948 Philadelphia 85 St Louis 46 Semifinals
(*) Asterisk denotes overtime

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, APRIL 26
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at LAC 10:00 PM

LAC +9.5

O 232.5

[StarDust Bum]

Durant drops 50, Warriors eliminate Clips
April 26, 2019
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LOS ANGELES (AP) Kevin Durant scored 38 of his playoff career-high 50 points in the first half, Draymond Green had a triple-double, and the Golden State Warriors dominated in closing out the Los Angeles Clippers 129-110 Friday night to win their first-round series 4-2.

The Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals and will face the Houston Rockets beginning Sunday in a rematch of last year's conference finals. That's when Houston let a 3-2 lead slip away and the Warriors went on to win their second straight NBA championship.

Golden State found itself in the unfamiliar position of trying to win a third road game in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. Durant set the tone with his 38 points that tied for the second-most points in a half in a playoff game.

He was 12 of 17 from the floor, made all 10 of his free throws and sank four 3-pointers in leading the Warriors to a 72-53 advantage.

Durant had a vicious block of Danilo Gallinari in the fourth that left both of them on the floor. On the Warriors' next possession, Durant converted a three-point play.

The Clippers fought off elimination with a 129-121 win on the Warriors' home floor in Game 5, but aside from a game-opening burst and another to start the second half they couldn't make a stand in front of their crowd.

Durant's 45 points on Wednesday were his previous career playoff high.

Stephen Curry added 24 points and Green had 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth career playoff triple-double, despite five fouls. Klay Thompson was limited to nine points with three fouls. Durant got his fourth foul in the fourth.

The Warriors repeatedly burned the Clippers with dunks off alley-oop passes.

Los Angeles opened the game on an 18-8 run. Durant and Curry combined to score the Warriors' next nine points as part of a 21-5 burst that put them ahead for good.

Gallinari led the Clippers with 29 points and rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 22.

Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, the NBA's highest-scoring bench combo, were never a factor. Williams shot 3 of 21 for eight points and Harrell was 4 of 7 for 10 points and five fouls. The two reserves scored a combined 57 points on 23-for-33 shooting in Game 5.

Gallinari and Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Clippers' 17-10 spurt that opened the third and pulled them to 82-71.

But Golden State held the Clippers to seven points the rest of the quarter and took a 102-78 lead into the fourth. The Clippers cut their 24-point deficit nearly in half, but got no closer.

WAITING ROCKETS

Houston arrived in the Bay Area on Friday and planned to watch the Warriors-Clippers game there, anticipating that Golden State would win and there would be an early start time for Game 1 of the conference semifinals on Sunday.

REMEMBERING HAVLICEK

There was a moment of silence for Boston Celtics star and Hall of Famer John Havlicek, who died Thursday at 79.

''He was such a good human being,'' said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who guided the Celtics to their most recent NBA championship in 2008. ''Really, if you could model our players and how we wanted them to be - he was a fierce competitor, amazing humility, and he was a gentleman - if we could model all of us like that, we would be in a great place as a league.''

When Rivers took over as Celtics coach in 2004, he noticed that the franchise's legendary players didn't come around or spend time with the team. He wanted to change that so he had the team extend invitations to every former player.

''The next day, John Havlicek walks into the gym and, in a typical John Havlicek way, walks up to me and introduced himself,'' Rivers said. ''He said, `Hi. I'm John Havlicek.' Like I didn't know. But that's just who he was, and after that he was always around.''

TIP-INS

Warriors: Durant tied Phoenix's Charles Barkley, who scored 38 in a half against Golden State on May 4, 1994, in a first-round series. ... They improved to 17-8 in Game 6 of a playoff series. ... The Warriors went 4-1 against the Clippers at Staples Center this season. ... Former Clipper Shaun Livingston started in place of Andrew Bogut.

Clippers: Patrick Beverley had 14 rebounds for the second straight game, tying his career high. ... They were 0-4 at home in a playoff series for the first time, having also lost Games 3 and 4 at Staples Center. ... It was the last game of Hall of Fame announcer Ralph Lawler's career. He retires after 40 years with the team and 60 years in the business.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY APRIL 27, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:35 PM Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena
10:05 PM San Antonio Spurs Denver Nuggets Pepsi Center


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



NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

04/26/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
04/25/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
04/24/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
04/23/2019 2-6-0 25.00% -23.00
04/22/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
04/21/2019 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
04/20/2019 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
04/19/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
04/18/2019 2-4-0 33.33% -12.00
04/17/2019 6-0-0 100.00% +30.00
04/16/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
04/15/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
04/14/2019 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
04/13/2019 7-1-0 87.50% +29.50

Totals..............38-39-0 49.35% -29.00


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


BEST BETS:

DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS

04/26/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................1 - 0................+5.00..............-0.50
04/25/2019.............1 - 0.....................+5.00...................0 - 1................-5.50................-0.50
04/24/2019.............0 - 2.....................-11.00...................1 - 1................-0.50...............-11.50
04/23/2019.............2 - 2.....................-1.00....................4 - 8.................-22.00.............-23.00
04/22/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................0 - 2.................-11.00.............-11.50
04/21/2019.............2 - 2 .....................-1.00...................1 - 3.................-11.50..............-12.50
04/20/2019.............1 - 3.....................-11.50..................3 - 0................+15.00.............+3.50
04/19/2019.............1 - 2.....................-6.00....................2 - 1................+4.50...............-1.50
04/18/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................1 - 2................-6.00................-6.50
04/17/2019.............3 - 0....................+15.00..................3 - 0................+15.00.............+30.00
04/16/2019.............1 - 1.....................-0.50....................1 - 1.................-0.50...............-1.00
04/15/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................0 - 1.................-5.50...............-11.00
04/14/2019.............2 - 2.....................-1.00....................2 - 2.................-1.00...............-2.00
04/13/2019.............3 - 0.....................+15.00.................3 - 0.................+15.00............+30.00

Totals....................18 - 18..................-9.00.................22 - 22................-9.00................-18.00

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

— Arizona traded QB Josh Rosen to Miami for a 2nd round draft pick.

— Warriors 129, Clippers 110— Durant had 38 points at halftime.

— Bronx 7, Giants 3— SF scored its first 1st-inning run this season.

— There were 18 trades made at the NFL Draft Friday.

— 12 of 14 SEC teams had a player taken in rounds 1-3 of the draft; only Arkansas/Tennessee didn’t- Baylor WR Jalen Hurd started his career as a RB at Tennessee.

— Virginia’s national championship basketball team declined an invitation to visit the White House.


**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….

13) Last winter, Texas Tech fired its football coach; just a few weeks ago, Arkansas fired its basketball coach. How did both of these guys wind up with better jobs?

Kliff Kingsbury is now head coach of the Arizona Cardinals; Mike Anderson jumps from the Razorbacks of the SEC to St John’s in the Big East.

Life can be strange.

12) This week, the governors of Indiana, Iowa, Montana all had sports betting bills on their desks; New Jersey has a thriving sports betting business going. Meanwhile, here in the state I live in, the state of New York (some say I live in a state of confusion, but they mean something else) is dragging its feet on sports betting. God forbid some of us have fun here.

11) Tuesday night, Damian Lillard hit a 30-footer to send Oklahoma City home for the summer; Paul George called it “…..a bad shot.” But was it?

Research shows that this season, Lillard is 20-54 (37%) from that distance, which is an unusually high %age for such a long shot (30-40 feet). I’m guessing Billy Donovan was happy enough with his defense when Lillard launched the shot, but then it went in and it was game over for the Thunder.

If you double-team Lillard and force him to pass, he’ll find the open man, but would you rather have that open (lesser shooter) person take the shot?

10) Portland’s Enes Kanter after the Trailblazers beat Oklahoma City: “First I would like to definitely thank the Knicks for waiving me.” Wow.

9) There is NOTHING in sports as dramatic as overtime in Game 7 of an NHL playoff series, and it really isn’t very close.

8) Eight teams left in NHL playoffs, but once again, no Canadian franchise will win the Stanley Cup. Last time a Canadian franchise won the Cup? Montreal in 1993.

7) From Howard Balzer: “Word is that small hands (9 inches) behind absence of QB Drew Lock from first round of the draft. Used smaller ball at Missouri. Hand size of Kyler Murray, 9 1/2; Dwayne Haskins 9 5/8; Daniel Jones 9 3/4.”

Jared Goff also has 9” hands, and he’s doing pretty well in the NFL.

6) Tampa Bay Rays’ utility guy Joey Wendle hit .300 LY with 61 RBI; he was a valuable guy. He had already missed 17 games this year with a hamstring injury, then he got hit with a pitch and broke his wrist Wednesday. Tough start to this season for him.

5) Blake Griffin played 28:00 in Game 4 of the Pistons’ playoff loss to Milwaukee Monday nite; less than 48 hours later, he had his knee scoped in Los Angeles.

4) Former Houston Texans’ QB David Carr was on NFL Network the other night, ranking the QB’s from this year’s draft AND last year’s draft. He ranked Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson 8th out of the nine QB’s ranked, which seems ridiculous to me.

Jackson started seven NFL games last year and was 6-1 as a starter; he may not be a great passer, but he started seven games and won six for a team that was 4-5 with Joe Flacco starting; Jackson ran for 95+ yards in three games. His talent is unique to the league; there is no bleeping way a college kid is better than he is right now.

3) Blue Jays’ 1B Justin Smoak was in the lineup last night when Vladimir Guerrero Jr made his MLB debut. When Smoak made his MLB debut for Texas in 2010, the Rangers’ DH that night was Vladimir Guerrero Sr.

2) Missouri, Oklahoma, Wichita State all offered QB Drew Lock basketball scholarships; he went to Missouri and played football, and last night Denver picked him in the second round.

1) Happy birthday to the great Al Pacino, who turned 79 this week. My three favorite Pacino movies: 1) Any Given Sunday 2) Heat 3) Frankie and Johnnie

[StarDust Bum]

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Tip Sheet
Kevin Rogers

Eastern Conference Second Round – Game 1

No. 3 Philadelphia at No. 2 Toronto (TNT, 7:35 p.m. ET)

2018-19 Regular Season (Raptors 3-1, Over 2-2)
Oct. 30 - Raptors (-6) 129 vs. 76ers 112 (Over 227.5)
Dec. 5 – Raptors (-6.5) 113 vs. 76ers 102 (Under 229)
Dec. 22 – 76ers (-7) 126 vs. Raptors 101 (Over 221)
Feb. 5 – Raptors (+2) 119 at 76ers 107 (Under 230)

Both the Raptors and 76ers were expected to make the second round of the playoffs, but nobody predicted each of these Atlantic division squads would lose their postseason opener. Toronto and Philadelphia each overcame early upsets to win four consecutive games and advance to the conference semifinals for the second straight season.

The Raptors were tripped up by the Magic on a last-second three-pointer in Game 1, but Toronto roared back with four wins in a row, including three by double-digits. Toronto’s defense clamped down after allowing 104 points in the series opener as the Raptors yielded 82, 93, 85, and 96 points to move onto the second round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Kawhi Leonard stepped up in his first postseason in a Raptors’ uniform by averaging 27.8 points per game, including a 37-point performance in a Game 2 blowout of Orlando. Forward Pascal Siakam averaged 16.9 ppg in the regular season, but was a force in the opening round by scoring 22.6 ppg, including racking up a pair of double-doubles.

The 76ers fell behind early in Game 1 against the Nets and couldn’t recover in a 111-102 defeat as 7 ½-point home favorites. Philadelphia rebounded nicely in Game 2 by dropping 145 points on Brooklyn, including a monster 51-point output in the third quarter of a 145-123 blowout. Six 76ers scored at least 15 points and that group didn’t include Jimmy Butler, who was limited to seven points.

The Sixers traveled to Barclays Center for Game 3 and played without star center Joel Embiid, but Philadelphia rolled to a 131-115 victory behind 31 points from Ben Simmons on 11-of-13 shooting from the floor. Embiid showed no signs of rust in Game 4 as the Sixers rallied past the Nets, 112-108 as Philadelphia improved to 4-0 on the road in the first round the last two postseasons. The Sixers finished off the series in Game 5 after jumping out to a 23-2 lead in a 122-100 blowout as nine-point favorites.

Toronto captured three of four regular season meetings, including both matchups at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors rolled past the Sixers in late October, 129-112 to cash as six-point favorites, led by Leonard’s 31 points. Toronto beat Philadelphia again at home in early December, 113-102 as Leonard and Butler went back and forth scoring. Leonard finished with 36 points, while Butler posted 38 points in his first matchup with Toronto after getting dealt by Minnesota.

Philadelphia broke through against Toronto in the third matchup, 126-101 at Wells Fargo Center as the Sixers outscored the Raptors by 19 points in the second half. Leonard didn’t suit up for Toronto, while Embiid posted a double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds. The Raptors won the final meeting in Philadelphia, 119-107 as Toronto went into halftime owning a 17-point halftime edge. Leonard was limited to 3-of-11 shooting from the floor, but hit 16 free throws to lead Toronto with 24 points.

After losing to the Magic in their first-round opener at home, the Raptors dropped to 2-14 all-time in postseason Game 1s. Chris David of VegasInsider.com believes that record is factored into the opening number of this series, which is the Raptors -5.

He explained, “As a bettor, it’s tough to trust Toronto as a home favorite in the playoffs. Since the 2014 postseason, the club has gone 15-10 SU and 9-15-1 ATS. However, The Raptors did trounce the Magic by double digits in Game 2 and 5 behind an offense that averaged 113 PPG. In three wins and covers in last year’s playoffs versus the Wizards, the attack posted 117.3 PPG.”

David feels that the poor ATS playoff records for Toronto at home could be overlooked by its recent domination of Philadelphia. He added, “This Philadelphia squad is certainly more talented than Orlando and Washington but it’s had plenty of trouble against Toronto. Ignoring the fact that the Raptors have gone 6-2 both SU and ATS in their last eight encounters with the 76ers would be foolish. Toronto has big advantages in three key categories – defense, 3-point shooting and depth. Knowing Philadelphia hasn’t won in Canada since 2012 makes it tough to trust the ‘dog come Saturday but the oddsmakers have me scratching my head. Since Philly became competitive again, it was getting 6 to 9 points in its last four trips to Toronto. Now the line is five?”


Game 7 – Spurs at Nuggets – 10:05 PM EST – TNT

Series tied at 3-3

The lone Game 7 to take place in this season’s chalk-heavy playoffs is between a #2 and #7 seed. Denver and San Antonio were separated by six games in the regular season, so the Spurs forcing a seventh game shouldn’t be a huge shocker. However, the last four contests in this series have been decided by double-digits, while San Antonio has lost two games after squandering leads of 19 in Game 2 and 12 in Game 4.

The Spurs gave up another double-digit advantage in Game 6 after leading 34-24 following one quarter. Denver rallied to go in front in the second quarter, but the Spurs closed out strong to lead by four at halftime. San Antonio pulled away in the fourth quarter to grab a crucial 120-103 victory and reach a seventh game for the first time since the 2015 first round against the Clippers.

The key to San Antonio’s success in Game 6 was shooting extremely well as the Spurs knocked down 57% of their shots from the floor, including an efficient 12-of-16 performance from DeMar DeRozan. The Spurs’ guard scored 25 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge paced San Antonio with 26 points and veteran Rudy Gay dropped in 19 points off the bench. The Nuggets’ bench produced only 13 points, while Nikola Jokic carried the load for Denver with a career-high 43 points.

The OVER has hit in four of six games in this series as the two UNDERS have come at Pepsi Center in Games 1 and 5. In four of five meetings in Denver this season, the Spurs and Nuggets have seen the UNDER cash as the totals in this series have fluctuated between 208 and 210 ½ (Saturday’s total sits at 209).

Last season, four series reached a Game 7 as the home team went 2-2 in those contests. In the conference finals, both road teams (Cleveland and Golden State) captured victories on their way to the NBA Finals. San Antonio last picked up a Game 7 win in the opening round of the 2014 playoffs against Dallas as that Spurs’ squad eventually won the NBA title. Denver hasn’t won a Game 7 in the postseason since the 1978 semifinals against Milwaukee, while falling to the Lakers in its previous Game 7 appearance in the 2012 opening round.

[StarDust Bum]

541San Antonio -542 Denver
SAN ANTONIO is 33-15 ATS (16.5 Units) when tied in a playoff series since 1996.

553Philadelphia -554 Toronto
PHILADELPHIA is 16-4 ATS (11.6 Units) after a division game in the current season.




NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, April 27


Philadelphia @ Toronto

Game 553-554
April 27, 2019 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
120.889
Toronto
130.328
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 9 1/2
231
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 6 1/2
222 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-6 1/2); Over

San Antonio @ Denver

Game 541-542
April 27, 2019 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
115.838
Denver
123.341
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
by 7 1/2
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 6
209 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(-6); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, April 27

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

SAN ANTONIO (51 - 37) at DENVER (57 - 31) - 4/27/2019, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) after scoring 115 points or more this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) in home games this season.
DENVER is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 1093-959 ATS (+38.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 33-15 ATS (+16.5 Units) when tied in a playoff series since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 10-7 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 10-7 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (55 - 32) at TORONTO (62 - 25) - 4/27/2019, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-28 ATS (-12.8 Units) after scoring 115 points or more this season.
TORONTO is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in home games in April games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 14-2 ATS (+11.8 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 144-116 ATS (+16.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 64-46 ATS (+13.4 Units) in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) after a division game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 39-19 ATS (+18.1 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 79-57 ATS (+16.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 46-29 ATS (+14.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 79-56 ATS (+17.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 46-25 ATS (+18.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 208-263 ATS (-81.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 8-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 9-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 27

76ers/Raptors both won first round series in five games; both should be well-rested. Philly lost three of four games with Toronto this season, losing by 17-11 points in their two visits to Canada. Three of four series games stayed under the total. Raptors won 11 of last 13 games overall; they covered four of last five home games. Under is 6-2-1 in their last nine games. 76ers won six of their last eight games; they covered three of their last four road games. 13 of their last 19 games went over the total.

Home side won 14 of last 16 San Antonio-Denver games. Spurs outscored Denver 30-18 in 4th quarter Thursday, shot 57% from floor and won by 17 to even series 3-3. Home team is 4-2 in this series, with two of three games in this building staying under total. Nuggets were 6-24 on arc in Game 6, after going 44-93 in Games 3-5. SA was +18 in 20:00 with Belinelli on floor in Game 6; Gay scored 19 points in 28:00, as Spurs’ bench played big role in win. Seven of last ten series games stayed under the total.




NBA

Saturday, April 27

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

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Philadelphia's last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Toronto
Philadelphia is 3-21 SU in its last 24 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Philadelphia's last 14 games when playing Toronto
Philadelphia is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Philadelphia
Toronto is 21-3 SU in its last 24 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Toronto's last 14 games when playing Philadelphia
Toronto is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of San Antonio's last 12 games on the road
San Antonio is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Denver
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Denver
San Antonio is 16-7 ATS in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Denver
San Antonio is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver Nuggets
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games
Denver is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Denver's last 10 games at home
Denver is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Denver is 7-16 ATS in its last 23 games when playing at home against San Antonio
Denver is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio