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

[StarDust Bum]

B]531Toronto -532 Milwaukee[/B]
TORONTO is 108-147 ATS (-53.7 Units) in road games versus teams who make 6 or more 3 point shots/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.


NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, May 15

Toronto @ Milwaukee

Game 531-532
May 15, 2019 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
122.059
Milwaukee
131.145
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 9
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 6 1/2
218
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-6 1/2); Under


NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, May 15

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TORONTO (66 - 28) at MILWAUKEE (68 - 23) - 5/15/2019, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in road games after allowing 90 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 211-267 ATS (-82.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 55-33 ATS (+18.7 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
MILWAUKEE is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all playoff games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
MILWAUKEE is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 45-28 ATS (+14.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 68-112 ATS (-55.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 9-8 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 10-7 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, May 15

Toronto won a dramatic Game 7 Sunday; Milwaukee hasn’t played since Wednesday. Road side won seven of last ten Toronto-Milwaukee games; Raptors won/covered four of last five visits to Wisconsin. Five of last seven series games went over. Toronto won three of last five road games; under is 7-3 in their last ten games overall. Milwaukee won its last four games in last round, scoring 118.8 ppg; they covered four of their last five home games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games.


NBA

Wednesday, May 15

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Trend Report
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Toronto is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Toronto's last 13 games
Toronto is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Milwaukee's last 16 games
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at MIL 08:30 PM

MIL -6.5

U 217.5

[StarDust Bum]

Bucks finish with a flourish, rally to top Raptors 108-100
May 15, 2019
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MILWAUKEE (AP) Down for most of the game, clearly rusty at times after nearly a full week off, the Milwaukee Bucks looked very much like a team in trouble.

Until the fourth quarter.

The team with the NBA's best record this season found its stride at the perfect time.

Brook Lopez scored 13 of his career playoff-high 29 points in the fourth quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 24 points and the Bucks closed the game on a 10-0 run to beat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

Milwaukee forced Toronto to miss its final eight shots and outscored the Raptors 32-17 in the fourth.

''I think it speaks a little bit to the character of the group,'' Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. ''They just stick with it. I think it's become a little bit of a theme in the playoffs: I think eventually, hopefully, we feel like if we stick with what we're doing good things will happen for us.''

Lopez had a dunk with 2:20 left to put the Bucks ahead for good, added a 3-pointer on the next Milwaukee possession to push the lead to four and the Bucks - after trailing for the overwhelming majority of the game - did just enough in the final minutes to grab the series lead.

''I think this game definitely made us better,'' Antetokounmpo said.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 15 and Nikola Mirotic had 13 for Milwaukee, which closed the game on a 10-0 run.

''We just did a great job of sticking with what we've been doing all postseason long,'' Lopez said.

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and Kyle Lowry added 30 for the Raptors, who led by as many as 13 early and took an 83-76 lead into the final quarter. Lowry was 5 for 7 in the fourth - and his teammates were 0 for 15.

''Fourth quarter killed us, 32-17,'' Lowry said. ''They outplayed us in that fourth quarter. They got a little bit more aggressive. They made some big shots, made some big plays. It sucks when you lose like that. But we had our chance and we've got to learn from it.''

Lopez added 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who had three players post double-doubles. Antetokounmpo had 14 rebounds and Khris Middleton finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee, which is now 9-1 in this postseason.

The Bucks trailed for 37 of the game's 48 minutes.

Didn't matter. They stayed just close enough until they could finish with a serious kick.

''The way guys competed and just got after it ... stands out to me,'' Budenholzer said.

Pascal Siakam scored 15 for Toronto, including a 3-pointer over Antetokounmpo to end the third quarter and give the Raptors a seven-point lead with 12 minutes left.

It unraveled quickly from there. And now the Raptors, who came in on the high of winning a second-round Game 7 on a buzzer-beater by Leonard, have two days to regroup.

''The game is over,'' Toronto's Marc Gasol said. ''We got to look back at it and learn but we can't think too much about it. You come out Game 2 and try to win. You can't replay this one.''

With the chants of Milwaukee's motto - ''Fear the deer! Fear the deer!'' - bouncing throughout the building, the Bucks predictably came out flying.

The flurry was brief.

The Bucks missed seven consecutive shots, the Raptors made four 3-pointers in a span of three minutes, and that all helped become a 16-0 run by Toronto that turned an early 8-3 deficit into a 19-8 edge. The lead got as big as 13 later in the quarter on a fadeaway jumper by Leonard, and the Raptors held the lead the rest of the half.

Milwaukee had a chance to take its first lead since the opening minutes when Antetokounmpo went to the line for a pair of free throws with 8:17 left in the third and the Bucks down by one. He missed both and the Raptors peeled off the next nine points to rebuild a 10-point lead again.

But Toronto shot 5 for 22 in the fourth, the Bucks finally reclaimed the lead, and the Raptors' chance to steal home-court went awry.

''We gave ourselves a chance to win on the road in an Eastern Conference final,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. ''And it didn't turn out.''

TIP-INS

Raptors: Toronto is now 3-15 in Game 1s. ... The Raptors fell to 8-1 in these playoffs when leading at halftime. ... Lowry's seven 3-pointers were a season high, a playoff career high and one off his career high. ... Leonard, who made the already-immortal four-bounce-off-the-rim jumper to win Game 7 of the second round against Philadelphia, got a friendly bounce in the third quarter - when a jumper hit the iron three times before falling.

Bucks: Oscar Robertson, part of Milwaukee's lone NBA title team, was recognized in the first quarter and held the 1971 championship trophy - a large silver bowl atop a wooden base, not the golden Larry O'Brien Trophy of now - for the fans to see. ... Antetokounmpo started super-fast with two baskets, a steal, a rebound and a blocked shot, all in the first 85 seconds. ... Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament was courtside.

EXPERIENCE

With Pau Gasol injured, George Hill is the only Milwaukee player who had appeared in a conference finals game before Wednesday. The Raptors have seven players who had been in at least one previously: Leonard, Danny Green and Serge Ibaka are all in this round for the fifth time, while Lowry, Marc Gasol, Norman Powell and Patrick McCaw have also been in this round before.

MR. 400

Leonard became the 14th player in NBA history to score 400 points in his team's first 13 games of a postseason run. He now has 413 so far in these playoffs.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is Friday in Milwaukee.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MAY 16, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:05 PM Portland Trail Blazers Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena

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

NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

05/15/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/14/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/12/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/10/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/09/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/08/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/07/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/06/2019 1-2-1 33.33% -6.00
05/05/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/04/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/03/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.00
05/02/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Totals..............18-21-1 46.15% -26.00


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


BEST BETS:

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


05/15/2019.............1 - 0...................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/14/2019.............1 - 0...................+5.00....................0 - 1..................-5.50..............-0.50
05/12/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50.............-1.00
05/10/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50....................0 - 1...................-5.50.............-11.00
05/09/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50............-11.50
05/08/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-1.00
05/07/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-11.50
05/06/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 0..................+5.00.............-6.00
05/05/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-1.00
05/04/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/03/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-11.50
05/02/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................1 - 0.................+5.00..............-0.50


Totals...................7 - 13.....................-36.50..................11 - 8.................+11.00...........-25.50


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APRILS NBA BEST BETS


Totals....................23 - 21..................-0.50.................25 - 27................-19.50..............-20.00

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday’s 6-pack

XFL head coaches; league starts play in 2020:

— Dallas- Bob Stoops

— Houston- June Jones

— Los Angeles- Winston Moss

— New York- Kevin Gilbride

— St Louis- Jonathan Hayes

— Seattle- Jim Zorn

— Tampa Bay- Marc Trestman

— Washington- Pep Hamilton

Quote of the Day
“This was a learning process for me, too. I’m going to get some things right and I’m going to get some things wrong, but I think I’m getting this right.”
Jets’ President Christopher Johnson, on firing their GM Wednesday

Thursday’s quiz
Who did the Jets beat in their only Super Bowl appearance?

Wednesday’s quiz
Peyton Manning holds the Denver Broncos’ single season record for most TD passes in a season, with 55 in 2013.

Tuesday’s quiz
Milwaukee Brewers started play in 1970, after they had played in 1969 as an expansion team in Seattle, the Seattle Pilots.

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Thursday’s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud…….

13) New Jersey Jets fired GM Mike Maccagnan Wednesday; first-year coach Adam Gase will serve as interim general manager. Jets are 24-40 the last four years, but…….

…….it is May 16, three weeks AFTER the draft.

If you were going to fire the GM, shouldn’t this have happened BEFORE the draft?

12) Not sure why the NBA paraded prospective draftees out to the draft lottery Tuesday; they had egg on their face when New Orleans won the lottery and Zion Williamson was ushered out of camera’s view pretty quickly. It was apparent that being a Pelican isn’t his goal in life.

All winter we had it shoved down our throats by ESPN how great a kid Zion is, blah, blah, blah. Well, if he is such a great kid, he goes to New Orleans and helps the Pelicans win games, while he is paid very handsomely, and increases his bankroll with a huge sneaker contract.

Steph Curry has played in Oakland the last 10 years and makes $500,000 a game, because he worked his butt off and is a great player. He does a ton of commercials. You can get rich anywhere in the NBA; doesn’t have to be New York or Los Angeles.

11) Bucks 108, Raptors 100— Milwaukee outscored Raptors 32-17 in 4th quarter; Brook Lopez scored 29 points, 13 in fourth quarter. Bucks lead this series, 1-0.

Milwaukee’s bench played 79:00, Toronto’s played 40:00.

10) Giants 4, Blue Jays 3— Edwin Jackson started on the mound for Toronto, his 14th MLB team, which is a new major league record.

9) College basketball transfer portal:
— Virginia Tech grad transfer Chris Clarke transferred to Texas Tech.
— Stephen F. Austin grad transfer T.J. Holyfield also transferred to Texas Tech.
— Minnesota transfer Isaiah Washington committed to Iona.

8) Central Florida basketball alum Tacko Fall has a 8’ 2 1/4” wingspan, 10’ 2 1/2” standing reach, which means he can grab the rim without jumping. Will be curious where he gets taken in the NBA Draft in June.

7) Baseball injuries:
— Twins put C Mitch Garver (ankle) on IL.
— Rangers put SS Elvis Andrus (hamstring) on IL.
— New York 3B Miguel Andujar (labrum surgery) is out for the year.

6) Eldrick Woods didn’t practice at Bethpage Wednesday, a day before the PGA Championship.

Not sure if this is connected, but Woods is being sued because back in December, a bartender at his restaurant in Florida died in a drunk driving accident, with a .256 BAC, which is really high.

5) It has been 100 years since an English golfer won the PGA Championship. Just thought you’d like to know.

4) Seahawks signed QB Geno Smith to help back up Russell Wilson.

3) Rays 1, Marlins 0— Miami hasn’t scored a run since the third inning on Saturday, thats 24 innings ago. They’ve lost seven games in a row, are 10-31.

2) Vanderbilt PG Darius Garland, who played four games in college before getting hurt and missing the rest of the season, left the NBA Draft Combine, making people think that Garland “got a promise” from one or more teams that he will get taken in the lottery.

1) Cubs’ 2B Ben Zobrist took a leave of absence from the team; he is getting divorced from his wife of 14 years. They have three kids, so this is a sad thing for the kids.

You always think pro athletes have this perfect life; they make a ton of money, they’re famous, but they’re also on the road for 100-120 days a year. Stuff happens. Nothing is perfect.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors look to build off strong, well-balanced Game 1
May 15, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The Golden State Warriors displayed that familiar swagger, celebrated in front of the home crowd as they so love to do and got contributions on both ends of the floor from up and down the roster.

They were playing with the kind of joy coach Steve Kerr talks about when things just click.

''You see like the morale, like everybody's shoulders are up and smiles, and just aggressiveness all over the floor,'' Stephen Curry said. ''Whether that's setting a screen, swing or cutting hard, all that type of stuff. When you create good shots that way, it's fun for everybody.''

And he means everybody.

Before the Western Conference finals began, Kerr told his team this series against Portland might allow for more guys to play key minutes and have opportunities for the two-time defending champs.

Golden State's bench players provided the perfect complement to Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Game 1 as the Warriors withstood the absence of Kevin Durant for another impressive win. The Warriors lead the best-of-seven series 1-0 after beating the Trail Blazers 116-94 on Tuesday night.

''Strength in numbers has been the motto for this team, and it's been proven over the last couple of years,'' reserve guard Quinn Cook said Wednesday after contributing eight points and a pair of 3-pointers in the win. ''Obviously, we have the star power. But I think what makes this team so special is the guys who don't get the recognition who come in off the bench and who put the work in daily.''

Kerr reiterated that the Warriors expect to know more ahead of Game 2 at Oracle Arena on Thursday about whether Durant can return during this series once he is re-evaluated.

He has noted that until Durant can do significant on-court work to test the leg he will not be ready.

''It makes everything tougher for sure, when you lose a guy like Kevin,'' Green said. ''He's important to things we do on both sides of the ball. But we also know one guy is not going to step in and make up for what Kevin brings up to the team, so it's up to everybody to step their game up a couple notches, and for the last two games, we've done that.''

The Warriors certainly looked more like themselves with the crisp ball movement - leading to 30 assists - with almost everyone finding a way to contribute to the victory.

Curry had seven of those assists, Green and Andre Iguodala each had five while Thompson and reserve Jordan Bell dished out three apiece.

''It's when we're at our best in terms of everybody feeling like they are a threat on the floor,'' Curry said. ''I mean, honestly, even when K's (Durant) out there, he's our safety valve in terms of we can end a possession that way, but we try to get to those looks and those patterns as much as we can. It just puts so much pressure on the defense.''

The Trail Blazers studied the film and saw everything that went wrong: 21 turnovers that led to 31 Warriors points, the breakdowns on pick-and-rolls that allowed Curry to go off for 36 points and nine 3-pointers, the defense against Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum that made it so difficult to find an offensive flow.

The wide-open looks by Curry and Thompson much of the night might have hurt most.

''That's the last thing we need if we want to have any chance to beat this team,'' Lillard said of what he called ''practice shots.'' ''... I think we'll be addressing a lot of things on both ends.''

Curry's nine 3-pointers matched his most in the postseason, also accomplished in Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals against Cleveland.

Portland coach Terry Stotts said the Blazers would ''have to re-think'' defending the Warriors on the perimeter.

''It was too easy for them, so we've got to make it more difficult,'' McCollum said.

For Portland, shooting 36.1% isn't going to cut it, either. Lillard and McCollum combined to go 11 for 31 from the floor - and none of the Blazers wanted to offer any excuses, though they had just been pushed to Game 7 in the last round. They finished up at Denver on Sunday before flying straight to the Bay Area. The Warriors had the weekend off and were well-rested ahead of the series opener.

Green and the Warriors expect much more from the Blazers.

''As the series goes on, it's going to get tougher and tougher and that's our understanding moving forward,'' Green said. ''We'll need guys to continue stepping up when Kevin's out, and also when he comes back, continue to play with that same aggressiveness.''

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Trail Blazers (53-29) at Warriors (57-25)
Date: May 16, 2019 9:00 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors once again plan to take their resurrected "Strength in Numbers" approach up against a team that prides itself in its depth when the defending champs host the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night.

Playing without injured Kevin Durant, the top-seeded Warriors got key contributions from several backups, including Quinn Cook, in a 116-94 victory over the Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series Tuesday night.

The Warriors ranked 28th out of 30 teams in points off the bench during the regular season, and they were outscored by an average of 55.7-29.7 by Los Angeles Clippers backups in the first round. But they responded to Durant's calf injury in the Western semifinals with a greater commitment to the reserves in Game 6 at Houston.

Kevon Looney had 14 points and Shaun Livingston 11 as the Warriors dominated the Rockets 33-17 off the bench in a 118-113, series-clinching win.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr took the same approach in Game 1 against Portland, which prevailed over Denver in its Western semifinal in large part because of a 34.1-25.1 average advantage in bench points.

That confidence paid dividends in the series opener, with all eight Warriors backups who participated recording a positive plus/minus as Golden State's reserves outscored their Portland counterparts 36-28.

"This series feels like it's a series where we can play more people," Kerr explained after the win. "It's a different matchup, and I think that what you saw (Tuesday) is what we'd like to get to every night if we can, in terms of playing 10, 11 guys."

Kerr said he thought Game 1 was won in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, after Portland had closed within 79-73.

That's when a unit of Klay Thompson and four reserves -- Cook, Livingston, Jonas Jerebko and Jordan Bell -- opened a double-digit advantage over a group of mostly Trail Blazers backups, with Thompson and Cook each contributing a pair of 3-pointers to the run.

While the Warriors, who will again be without Durant in Game 2, hope for more of the same, Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts walked away from Game 1 shaking his head over his team's performance.

Just two days removed from a tense Game 7 win at Denver, the Trail Blazers shot poorly (36.1 percent), committed an inordinate number of turnovers (21) and struggled to defend Stephen Curry on the perimeter (9-for-15 on 3-pointers).

While Stotts is confident his club can remedy all three of those issues, standout guard Damian Lillard noted a fourth shortcoming -- the combined 36 points he (19) and backcourt sidekick CJ McCollum (17) contributed on 11-for-31 shooting, including 3-for-10 on 3-pointers.

Lillard also had seven of his team's 21 turnovers.

"You can't allow that," he said of the turnovers, which the Warriors converted into 31 points. "If you allow that against this team, especially on the road, you're going to have a slim chance to win.

"We turn the ball over as much as we did, as much as I did, with how much I had the ball in my hands, you know, not valuing it enough, it's going to hurt you."

--By Dave Del Grande, Field Level Media


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Trail Blazers at Warriors
Tue, May 14 Final 94 to 116
Recaps

GAME 2
Trail Blazers at Warriors
Thu, May 16 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 3
Warriors at Trail Blazers
Sat, May 18 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 4
Warriors at Trail Blazers
Mon, May 20 - 9:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

G2 - Blazers at Warriors
May 16, 2019
By Kevin Rogers

Western Conference Finals – Game 2
No. 3 Portland at No. 1 Golden State (ESPN, 9:05 p.m. ET)

2018-19 Regular Season (Tied 2-2, Over 2-2)
Nov. 23 - Warriors (-1.5) 125 vs. Blazers 97 (Over 218.5)
Dec. 27 – Blazers (+8.5) 110 at Warriors 109 - OT (Under 227)
Dec. 29 – Warriors (-5) 115 at Blazers 105 (Under 226)
Feb. 13 – Blazers (+2) 129 vs. Warriors 107 (Over 235)

Some (or most) may argue that we’ve already witnessed the Western Conference Finals as the Warriors eliminated the Rockets in six games. Golden State is now three wins away from a fifth straight Western Conference title as the Warriors took care of the Trail Blazers in Game 1 on Tuesday, 116-94. The Warriors easily cashed as 7 ½-point favorites and did so without the services of Kevin Durant.

Golden State closed out Houston without Durant and jumped out to 1-0 lead over Portland with KD sidelined as he continues to nurse a calf injury. Durant will likely miss Game 2, but the Warriors’ squad that went to a pair of NBA Finals without the former Thunder star showed they just were fine in Game 1. Golden State led by seven heading into the fourth quarter, but outscored Portland, 39-23 in the final 12 minutes to improve to 17-1 in playoff series openers under Steve Kerr.

Only three Warriors posted double-figure scoring numbers in Game 1, led by Stephen Curry’s 36 points, which included nine three-pointers. After being held scoreless in the first half of the series clinching win at Houston, Curry has scored 69 points in past six quarters, while Golden State actually converted more three-pointers (17) in Game 1 than free throws (15).

Five Blazers scored at least 10 points in the opener, but Portland will not beat Golden State if the backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum continue to combine for 36 points. McCollum put up 17 points after a pair of terrific performances in the last two wins against Denver in the second round (67 points), but Lillard continued to struggle from the floor. The Oakland native did lead Portland with 19 points, but nine of those points came at the foul line, while Lillard shot 4-of-12 and is 7-of-29 in the past two games.

Total bettors were expecting fireworks in Game 1 as the number closed as high as 221 after an opener of 218. The lean was incorrect and Portland’s inability to connect from the field helped the ‘under’ connect easily. For Game 2, the oddsmakers sent out an opener of 218 and the betting public hasn’t shown a lean one way or another as of Wednesday evening.

Chris David of VegasInsider.com offered up his total thoughts on the second installment from Oracle Arena. He said, “Playing in the Bay Area in the playoffs has proven to be much more difficult than a regular season game and Portland felt that wrath on Tuesday. The result wasn’t surprising, considering we just watched a more offensively skilled Houston team crumble three times in the conference semifinals after winning there twice during the regular season.”

“Including the 94 points scored in Game 1, Portland has been held to 101.7 PPG in their last seven trips to Oracle. It’s safe to say that they’ll need to eclipse that average to steal a road win in this series or put on a phenomenal defensive effort. Is it possible? In their three playoff road wins, the Trail Blazers gave up 96, 90 and 98. In the four losses, 120.5 PPG and that includes the 116 allowed on Tuesday.”

The one positive from the opener for the Blazers is that they got to the free throw stripe 31 times in the loss and they made 27. Another positive for Portland is that it’s bounced back strong off poor shooting nights. Since the All-Star break, the Blazers have been held under 100 points five times which includes Game 1. In the following contest, the club has scored 117, 132, 140 and 119 points. The shots are going to be there, just a matter of making them and I believe Portland will in Game 2. My lean would be to the Blazers Team Total Over (105),” David added.

The Blazers have lost 14 of their past 15 trips to Oracle Arena since January 2014 as NBA expert Tony Mejia checks in with his take on Game 2, “The Blazers are likely to change things up from a personnel standpoint, so keep that in mind when betting Game 2. Enes Kanter was productive on the boards and the low block, but the Blazers still had to compensate for his lack of defense with how they defended the perimeter. With Rodney Hood moving around better than expected after Sunday’s knee injury, get used to see him in three-guard lineups and don’t be surprised to see Moe Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu out there as the Blazers go small. The more mobile Zach Collins should continue to see major minutes, so we could see a faster pace with more ball handlers and shooters out on the floor.”

Since failing to cover all four Game 2’s of the playoffs in Kerr’s first season in 2015, the Warriors own a 10-4 ATS mark in Game 2’s dating back to 2016. Granted, one of those non-covers came in an outright defeat to the Clippers in the first round as 13 ½-point favorites, 135-131. Portland has put together a 1-6 record in its last seven Game 2’s after losing the series opener, but the lone victory came in the second round at Denver.

[StarDust Bum]

543Portland -544 Golden State
PORTLAND is 8-0 ATS (8 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent of 10 points or more in the current season.


NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 16

Portland @ Golden State

Game 533-534
May 16, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
122.811
Golden State
126.814
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 4
227
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 8
218
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(+8); Over


NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 16

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PORTLAND (61 - 34) at GOLDEN STATE (66 - 29) - 5/16/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 92-65 ATS (+20.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
PORTLAND is 96-78 ATS (+10.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 50-33 ATS (+13.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 41-53 ATS (-17.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-48 ATS (-16.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-48 ATS (-19.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 22-35 ATS (-16.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-66 ATS (-21.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-48 ATS (-19.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 34-42 ATS (-12.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 8-8 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 12-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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


NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 16

Golden State won Game 1 by 22 without Durant/Cousins; Lillard/McCollum combined to go 11-31 Tuesday- they have to be tired after the 7-game Denver series. Portland won four of last seven games with the Warriors; Blazers are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Oakland. Portland is 3-4 in its last seven road games (3-4 vs spread); over is 6-3 in their last nine games. Six of last ten series games went over. Warriors played six subs 11:00+ Tuesday; Portland’s bench was 7-28 from the floor. Golden State covered two of its last five home games. Over is 5-3-1 in their last nine games.


NBA

Thursday, May 16

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

Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Portland is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games
Portland is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games on the road
Portland is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Portland's last 25 games when playing Golden State
Portland is 8-17 ATS in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Portland is 1-14 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games
Golden State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Golden State is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Golden State's last 18 games at home
Golden State is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Golden State's last 25 games when playing Portland
Golden State is 17-8 ATS in its last 25 games when playing at home against Portland
Golden State is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing at home against Portland

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, MAY 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

POR at GS 09:00 PM

GS -7.5

U 219.0

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors rally from 15 down at halftime, hold off Blazers
May 16, 2019
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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) These Golden State Warriors have long been able to score in fabulous, jaw-dropping flurries. Down by eight to the Portland Trail Blazers at home with 4 1/2 minutes to go, they needed every last burst, perfect pass, driving layup and dunk.

''Our experience really paid off for us tonight having a bunch of guys who just won't quit,'' said Draymond Green, who was right smack in the middle of it all.

Stephen Curry scored 37 points, and the Warriors rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit before holding off Portland on the final possession for a 114-111 win Thursday night and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr insisted his team stole this game with a sensational final few minutes and another, familiar third-quarter outburst.

Counterpart Terry Stotts of the Trail Blazers considered it a ''lost opportunity'' on the road.

CJ McCollum missed a driving jumper with 32 seconds left and Green scored on the other end for the Warriors, giving Portland one final chance with 12.3 seconds to go. Andre Iguodala then blocked a 3-point attempt by Damian Lillard on the left wing.

''They stole it, but they earned it down the stretch,'' McCollum said.

Seth Curry, Steph's little brother, scored 16 points and put Portland ahead on a 3-pointer with 1:03 left before Kevon Looney's dunk on the other end put Golden State back on top at 112-111.

Stephen Curry shot 11 for 22 and made all 11 of his free throws - three with 2:01 left - to post his third straight 30-point performance while Splash Brother Klay Thompson needed a half to heat up, scoring 13 of his 24 points in the Warriors' 39-point third period. It was reminiscent of those old third-quarter runs that have defined this group.

McCollum scored 22 points for Portland and Lillard overcame a slow start to add 23 points and 10 assists as the Blazers looked far more in sync than in a 116-94 defeat two days earlier.

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday night at Portland.

''We did play a much better game at both ends of the floor tonight. We've got to take that into Game 3,'' Stotts said. ''It is a lost opportunity, no question. We had a chance to get one here on the road.''

Green made a pretty bounce pass through the paint to a cutting Iguodala for a dunk with 3:06 left to make it 108-105, then Green assisted on a layup by Looney the next possession.

''Draymond's been special all playoffs,'' Thompson said. ''... When he goes, we go. He was tremendous tonight.''

Green had 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots playing with foul trouble. His seven straight playoff games with at least 10 rebounds are a career high.

''We've been here before,'' Green said. ''When you're on a run like we're currently in, you've seen everything. Down eight points with what, four minutes to go, or whatever it was, just got to keep going, because we know we can erase eight points.''

The Warriors missed Kevin Durant for a third straight game because of a strained right calf and he isn't likely to return at all this round.

Curry scored Golden State's first eight points of the third to get his team back within 69-58 then Thompson hit two straight 3s.

The Blazers had built a 65-50 halftime lead, capitalizing on 10 Warriors turnovers for 18 points.

Then two of the top backcourts in the Western Conference went at it in an entertaining final two quarters. The game was tied at 89 to start the fourth.

The Warriors already got past James Harden and Chris Paul in the last round - now it's McCollum and Lillard standing in the way of a fifth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

Portland showed it made adjustments from Game 1 and brought it on both ends from the opening tip after the Blazers had regularly left Curry wide open on the perimeter off the pick-and-roll and he scored 36 points while matching his postseason high with nine 3-pointers.

''We've got to bring that same energy at home,'' McCollum said, ''understand that this is the first time in 19 years we've been in the conference final.''

LILLARD AT HOME

Lillard isn't ready to ponder this might have been his final game at Oracle Arena, just a short walk from where he grew up in Oakland. The Warriors are moving to new Chase Center in San Francisco next season.

The Blazers want to return to the Bay Area for a Game 5 next week.

''I doubt this will be the last time. We plan on being back here,'' Lillard said.

DURANT UPDATE

Durant will miss at least Games 3 and 4, scheduled to be re-examined by doctors in another week. That means he wouldn't be expected to return until the NBA Finals if Golden State advances.

Durant was re-evaluated Thursday and is not yet ready for on-court work - a necessary step before the two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP can return to game action.

TIP-INS

Trail Blazers: Seth Curry stole the ball from big brother Steph in the second quarter. They are the first brothers to ever face each other in a conference final. ... The Blazers are 1-10 all-time against Golden State in the playoffs.

Warriors: The Warriors are 31-4 in the postseason when Curry scores 30 or more points. ... Golden State shot 3 of 13 from deep in the first half and 9 for 29 overall on 3s. ... The Warriors are 15-4 in Game 2 of postseason series dating to the 2015 title run.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY MAY 17, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:35 PM Toronto Raptors Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Forum

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MAY 18, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:05 PM Golden State Warriors Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center at the Rose Quarter

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY MAY 19, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:05 PM Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY MAY 20, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:05 PM Golden State Warriors Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center at the Rose Quarter

SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY MAY 21, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 22, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Portland Trail Blazers Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MAY 23, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Toronto Raptors Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Forum


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


NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD


05/16/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/15/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/14/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/12/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/10/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/09/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/08/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/07/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/06/2019 1-2-1 33.33% -6.00
05/05/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/04/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/03/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.00
05/02/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Totals..............18-23-1 43.90% -37.00


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


BEST BETS:

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


05/16/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-11.00
05/15/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/14/2019.............1 - 0...................+5.00....................0 - 1..................-5.50..............-0.50
05/12/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50.............-1.00
05/10/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50....................0 - 1...................-5.50.............-11.00
05/09/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50............-11.50
05/08/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-1.00
05/07/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-11.50
05/06/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 0..................+5.00.............-6.00
05/05/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-1.00
05/04/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/03/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-11.50
05/02/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................1 - 0.................+5.00..............-0.50


Totals...................7 - 14.....................-42.00..................11 - 9.................+5.50...........-36.50


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

APRILS NBA BEST BETS


Totals....................23 - 21..................-0.50.................25 - 27................-19.50..............-20.00

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s 6-pack

Six fastest-working pitchers in major leagues:

6) Mike Foltynewicz, Braves 21.4 seconds between pitches

5) Brett Anderson A’s, 21.2

4) Luis Castillo Reds, 21.0

3) Erik Swanson Mariners, 20.6

2) Steven Matz Mets, 20.4

1) Wade Milieu Astros, 19.1

Quote of the Day
“Kenley obviously knows what he wants to do. He can be stubborn at times. He can be convicted at times. We’ve gotta work things out, as far as what we’re trying to do to get Kenley and the catchers on the same page.”
Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts, talking about closer Kenley Jansen

Friday’s quiz
Who was the Portland Trailblazers’ coach the last time they were in a Western Conference final?
(Hint: He was a Division I college coach last year)

Thursday’s quiz
Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in their only Super Bowl appearance, in Super Bowl III.

Wednesday’s quiz
Peyton Manning holds the Denver Broncos’ single season record for most TD passes in a season, with 55 in 2013.

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

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

13) Warriors 114, Trailblazers 111— It is getting to the point where you ask if Kevin Durant has played his last game for Golden State? Warriors lead this series 2-0; Durant isn’t close to getting back on floor, and in this series at least, they don’t even seem to need him

12) In 2020, ESPN is opening a studio at The Linq Hotel along the Las Vegas Strip; Caesars will serve as ESPN’s official odds data supplier across TV and digital programming and content.

11) Arizona Cardinals’ 8-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson is being suspended the first six games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

10) Scott Pioli resigned as assistant GM of the Atlanta Falcons this week; he said he wasn’t fired, isn’t sick and doesn’t have another job lined up, but there is speculation that he might be going to TV or is a candidate for the vacant Jets’ GM job.

9) Quote of the Day, part 2; Chris Sale talking about getting pulled with 17 strikeouts:

“I don’t think there’s any pitcher on the planet … you’ve got 17 punchouts, you definitely want to go out for [another] inning. I’d love to have gone back out there, but I respect him as much as anybody on the planet and I’ll never question anything he does, even in regard to that.”

8) Ian Anderson is the Braves’ #1 pitching prospect, drafted in the first round of the 2016 draft out of Shenendehowa HS here in the Albany area. So far this season, Anderson is 2-3, 4.04 in eight starts in the AA Southern League; he’s walked 28 hitters in 35.2 IP, which is alarming.

He is only 21, but he’s going to have to cut down on those walks to succeed in the majors.

7) Here is the difference in this year’s A’s and last year’s A’s (so far):
— 2018— A’s were 46-29 in games decided by one or two runs.
— 2019— A’s are 10-13 in games decided by one or two runs.

Beating a cruddy team like Detroit 17-3 doesn’t impress me; holding a one-run lead in the 9th inning is very impressive, especially on the road.

6) College basketball transfer portal:
— Texas Tech G Khavon Moore bolts to Clemson.
— Oregon big man Miles Norris bolts to UC Santa Barbara.

5) Bruins 4, Hurricanes 0— Boston sweeps Eastern Conference final 4-0, moves on to the Stanley Cup final against the San Jose-St Louis survivor.

4) Brown University offered 7th grade QB Ryan Downes, a 6’3 13 year-old who is at IMG and already generating some interest from recruiters.

Not sure what they actually “offered” him, since Ivy League schools do not give athletic scholarships, but no doubt they have their ways of paying for the right kid, if he expresses an interest in their school.

3) Yale did a smart thing and signed basketball coach James Jones to a contract extension thru 2026. Last five years, Yale is 52-18 in Ivy League games, making NCAA’s twice in last four years.

2) Gene Simmons of KISS gave a news conference in the Pentagon briefing room Thursday.

Seriously, he did. He was there to help promote military service and thank the service members who were there.

Simmons’ mother survived a Nazi concentration camp when she was 14, and because of that he has always been a big supporter of our troops, so good for him for doing that.

1) Happy birthday to the great Joe Tait, the voice of Cleveland sports when I was a kid, who turned 82 this week. Loved listening to him call Cavalier games, and also Indian games on WWWE with Herb Score as his baseball analyst.

Before cable TV became a big thing (yes, I am that old), listening to games on the radio was fun for this teenager. WWWE was within range of upstate New York, so listened to Mr Tait a lot.

[StarDust Bum]

Bucks seeking 2-0 lead over Raptors in East
May 16, 2019
By The Associated Press

When the season started, everyone knew the Eastern Conference would have a new king.

LeBron James left Cleveland, having taken his talents to Los Angeles.

And even Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn't sure who would take his place.

''I didn't know we were going to be in the Eastern Conference finals or not,'' Antetokounmpo said. ''I just know that he's a top player that we always had problems against him and the Cavs. Now he's not playing for the Cavs, so it's going to be a little bit easier. I didn't see it as an opening. But when you look back and see how everything went, it's definitely an opening not having LeBron in the East.''

The Bucks are three wins away from taking full advantage of that opening, and becoming the team that replaces James after his eight consecutive seasons going to the NBA Finals as a representative of the Eastern Conference. Game 2 of the East final is Friday night in Milwaukee, where the Bucks will aim to take a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors.

''We're happy,'' Antetokounmpo said. ''But the job is not done. We've got to protect our home. We've got to be able to get Game 2.''

Toronto got swept out of the 2017 and 2018 playoffs by James and the Cavs. Now they're already facing a 1-0 deficit against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, after dropping Game 1 despite leading for 37 of the game's 48 minutes.

''Sometimes, we just missed some shots,'' Raptors guard Kyle Lowry shrugged.

The way the Raptors see it, the adjustment to make finals might not be an adjustment at all. They liked most everything but the outcome of Game 1 - a 108-100 Bucks win - and figure that if they play the same Friday, they'll have another chance at stealing away home-court advantage.

''This team has handled downs pretty well and ups pretty well, and that's been one of our focuses since day one of training camp,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. ''So let's hope we can keep that going a little bit.''

The Bucks won a game where they shot just under 40 percent and were 11 of 44 from 3-point range. They made up for that on the defensive end and on the backboards - they held every Raptor not named Lowry or Kawhi Leonard to 1 for 23 shooting after halftime, and outrebounded Toronto 60-46.

Still, Toronto insists it is not worried about the offense.

''Everything starts on the defensive end,'' Raptors forward Serge Ibaka said.

Here's some other things to know going into Game 2:

RARE LOSS

The last time Toronto had two 30-point scorers in the same game and lost - before it happened Wednesday - was Feb. 2, 2012. Game 1 was only the third time this season that the Bucks allowed two opponents to score 30 in the same game; Brandon Ingram and LeBron James did it for the Los Angeles Lakers in a Milwaukee win on March 1, and Leonard and Pascal Siakam did it in a Toronto victory on Jan. 5.

RARE WIN

Before Wednesday, Milwaukee had been 0-7 this season when not shooting better than 40 percent. The Bucks shot 39.8 percent in Game 1. The Raptors had been 9-1 this season when holding teams to such a low shooting percentage; the only other previous blip came in Game 2 of the second round against Philadelphia, when the 76ers shot 39.5 percent and won in Toronto.

BROGDON'S IMPACT

Much gets made of Milwaukee's bench mob, and rightly so, but having Malcolm Brogdon back after he was out for basically all of the first two playoff rounds with a heel injury is a huge plus for the Bucks. Brogdon played 27 minutes in Game 1; he scored 15 points and the Bucks outscored the Raptors 57-39 in those minutes. When Brogdon wasn't on the floor, Toronto held a 61-51 edge.

DANGER TIME

Friday isn't technically a must-win for the Raptors, but a loss might conjure up some unfriendly memories for the franchise. Toronto has dropped the first two games of a playoff series seven times; the Raptors are 0-7 in those series, and four of them ended in sweeps - one of them a 3-0 decision, the others by 4-0 counts.

ALMOST PERFECT

Milwaukee is off to a 9-1 start in these playoffs. It's the 24th time in NBA history that a team has opened a postseason with at least nine wins in 10 games; of the previous 23 to start at least 9-1, 15 went on to win the NBA championship. Only six teams have started 10-0.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s game

Milwaukee outscored Toronto 32-17 in 4th quarter Wednesday, winning Game 1 108-100; their bench played 79:00, Toronto’s played 40:00. Raptors played on Sunday, looked tired at end of Game 1. Road side won seven of last 11 Toronto-Milwaukee games; Raptors won/covered four of last six visits to Wisconsin. Five of last eight series games went over. Toronto split its last six road games; under is 8-3 in their last 11 games overall. Milwaukee won its last five games, scoring 116.6 ppg; they covered five of their last six home games. Over is 5-4 in their last nine games.