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

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Top Wager
May 23, 2019
By Bookmaker
by Kyle Markus

NBA Game 5 Preview - Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks

The Toronto Raptors were left for dead by a portion of NBA analysts after their two early losses in the Eastern Conference Finals, but this team is clearly not going down without a fight. Toronto rallied back with a pair of home wins to even their series at 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Next up is a critical Game 5, and if Toronto can sneak out with the win, suddenly it will be in the catbird seat in the race to the NBA Finals. It certainly won’t be easy, as the Bucks are the superior team and get this game at home.

Most people are hoping for a Bucks-Warriors matchup in the NBA Finals and Milwaukee needs to take care of business in this one to pull to within one game of that reality in NBA gambling.

This NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks will be held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 23rd, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on TNT.

We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA season.

Odds Analysis

The Bucks come in as the seven-point favorites in Game 5. They are the -290 favorites on the moneyline while the Raptors are the +237 underdogs to pull the upset. The scoring total is listed at 218 points. There has not been any movement since these lines were originally set so it seems like they are pretty well-marked.

The Raptors were slight underdogs in Game 4 despite being at home and cruised to the win to easily cover the spread and pay off nicely on the moneyline. The “over” hit on the total in NBA odds.

Last Time Out

The Raptors took control in the second quarter to head into halftime with a double-digit lead and never let up in the 120-102 Game 4 victory. Kyle Lowry was impressive, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. Everyone knows Kawhi Leonard is the team’s star, but this series could come down to the supporting cast. If Lowry can score like that consistently the rest of the way, Toronto will have a great shot at pulling the upset.

Leonard finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Khris Middleton had 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead Milwaukee and shot a super efficient 11-of-15 from the floor. Giannis Antetokounmpo bounced back from a poor Game 3 with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, but they were the only two Milwaukee players who made a significant difference. They will need more help in Game 5.

Player To Watch

Serge Ibaka -- The Raptors have made some adjustments as this series has moved along, one of which has been a bigger role for the athletic big man. Ibaka was great in Game 4, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. He shot 7-of-12 from the field and Toronto outscored Milwaukee by 24 points when he was on the court.

Ibaka figures to play a prominent role once again in Game 5, and if he can significantly affect the game again, Toronto should be able to at least cover and possibly pull the upset.

Free NBA ATS Picks

There are plenty of reasons why the Raptors should be feeling good right now, but the Bucks are going back home and it seems like they are too good to play poorly again. Milwaukee is a solid favorite, but even so, this line is too low.

Toronto generally goes as its supporting cast goes, and in this one Leonard is not going to get enough help. The Bucks are the pick to cover, with the “under” the choice as the Raptors are not going to score efficiently in NBA odds.

NBA ATS Pick: Milwaukee Bucks 113, Toronto Raptors 104

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, MAY 23
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at MIL 08:30 PM

TOR +7.0

U 215.5

[StarDust Bum]

Leonard scores 35, Raptors beat Bucks 105-99 for 3-2 lead
May 23, 2019
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MILWAUKEE (AP) Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-99 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Leonard showed no obvious signs of the leg soreness that bothered him in Toronto's victories in the previous two games, hitting the 30-point mark for the fourth time in the series. He made five 3-pointers and had seven rebounds and nine assists.

Fred VanVleet scored 21 points, hitting seven 3s. Kyle Lowry added 17 as the Raptors put themselves in position to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time. A victory at home Saturday would set up a matchup with two-time defending champion Golden State.

''This was a super-hard win tonight,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

The Raptors battled out of an early 14-point hole, then got 15 points from Leonard in the fourth quarter to send the top-seeded Bucks to their first three-game losing streak of the season.

''We weathered the storm early,'' Leonard said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points for Milwaukee hours after being announced as a unanimous first-team, All-NBA selection. Eric Bledsoe scored 20 and Malcolm Brogdon added 18 points and 11 rebounds in his return to the starting lineup.

''It's first to four. We've got to go to Toronto, get a game. I think the group will be ready,'' Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.

The Raptors were clinging to a two-point lead in the closing minute after Khris Middleton drove around Leonard on the baseline for a layup.

Toronto was initially called for a shot-clock violation when Leonard missed a fadeaway jumper with 35 seconds left. That got overturned by a replay review, and Brook Lopez was called for a foul, instead, for bumping Marc Gasol after he retrieved the loose ball.

Gasol hit both free throws to make it 100-97. Another replay review went in Toronto's favor when officials determined a ball went out of bounds off Brogdon with 26.8 seconds left. Brogdon pulled his hand away, thinking his dribble had gone off Pascal Siakam's foot.

Siakam then drove for a dunk, making it 102-97, and the Raptors hung on from there.

Milwaukee was leading 81-79 with about 8 1/2 minutes left when Leonard nailed back-to-back 3-pointers. He hit two free throws before Siakam threw down a put-back dunk to make it 89-81.

The Bucks tied it at 93-all with 2:44 left on a 3-pointer by Lopez. VanVleet answered with one of his own before Antetokounmpo threw down an alley-oop dunk to cut it to 96-95 with just over two minutes remaining.

The Bucks set a fast pace early on and led by 10 after the first quarter, delighting the towel-waving fans chanting ''Fear The Deer! Fear the Deer!'' They withstood a 16-2 run by Toronto to start the second, with Antetokounmpo nailing a 3 to stop it.

The Bucks also went on a 14-2 run early in the third, with the Greek Freak throwing down a hard dunk off a feed by Middleton for a 63-51 lead. But the Raptors got right back into it.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Lowry now has 1,126 points in 66 playoff games for Toronto, surpassing DeMar DeRozan (1,117) as the franchise's postseason scoring leader.

Bucks: Brogdon started all 64 games he played in during the regular season, before missing basically all of the first two rounds because of a heel injury. With Brogdon back in the lineup, Nikola Mirotic came off the bench.

UP NEXT

Game 6 is at Toronto on Saturday.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY MAY 27, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Toronto Raptors Milwaukee Bucks Fiserv Forum


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NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

05/23/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/21/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/20/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/19/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/18/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/17/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
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..............24-29-1 45.28% -40.00


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BEST BETS:

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


05/23/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
05/21/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
05/20/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-11.00
05/19/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-11.00
05/18/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............-0.50
05/17/2019............,0 - 1....................-5.50.....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............-0.50
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...................9 - 18.....................-54.00..................15- 11.................+14.50...........-39.50


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APRILS NBA BEST BETS


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

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s 6-pack

Updated Week 1 odds for the NFL:

— Falcons @ Vikings (-4, 47.5)

— Redskins @ Eagles (-9, 46.5)

— Bills @ Jets (-3.5, 38.5)

— Ravens (-4.5, 37) @ Dolphins

— 49ers @ Buccaneers (-1, 49)

— Chiefs (-3.5, 51.5) @ Jaguars

Quote of the Day
“I’m not hesitating on that. I am a Hall of Famer. My numbers speak for itself. My numbers are better than Troy Aikman, but he has Super Bowl rings.”
Donovan McNabb

Saturday’s quiz
How many teams are in the Canadian Football League?

Friday’s quiz
WNBA teams play 34 regular season games each season.

Thursday’s quiz
Bill Laimbeer is the head coach/GM of the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.

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

13) George Springer leads the American League in homers and RBIs; he bats leadoff. No leadoff hitter has ever led their league in homers or RBI for a full season.

Springer hurt his left leg in Friday night’s game and appears headed to the IL.

12) Fran Fraschilla posted a note on Twitter this week that college basketball coaches spend 30% of their time on actual basketball. NBA coaches spend 99% of their time on basketball, and that is the appeal of the NBA to guys like Brad Stevens, Billy Donovan, John Beilein.

11) From 2011-18, when Max Scherzer started a game, his teams went 176-85 in those games.

This season, Washington is 2-9 when Scherzer starts. Go figure.

10) Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, which has won three National High School Invitational basketball championships, isn’t expected to field a team next season. Findlay had a run of 11 consecutive appearances in the national tournament stopped this year- the school is going to look for a new campus and could resume play for the 2020-21 season.

Since starting the program in the 2006-07 season, Findlay is 378-43; they could have three alums taken in the NBA Draft in June.

9) Raiders-Packers might play a preseason game in Winnipeg this summer. Seriously.

8) There are four NFL head coaches who played QB in either the Arena League or the Indoor Football League:
— Jay Gruden: Tampa Bay Storm, Orlando Predators, Nashville Kats
— Matt LaFleur, Omaha Beef, Billings Outlaws

— Matt Nagy: New York Dragons, Carolina Cobras, Georgia Force, Columbus Destroyers
— Sean Payton: Chicago Bruisers, Pittsburgh Gladiators

7) Baseball stuff:
— A’s put DH Khris Davis (oblique) on IL.
— Marlins put C Chad Wallach (concussion) on IL.
— Arizona put OF David Peralta (AC joint) on IL.
— Mets signed Ervin Santana, Matt Kemp to contracts.

6) This week in 1935 in Cincinnati, the first-ever night baseball game was played; there were 20,422 fans there to see the Reds beat the Phillies, 2-1.

5) Kansas Jayhawks get Silvio DeSousa eligible to play this coming basketball season, which is very good news for them.

4) Former Baylor football coach Art Briles is the new coach at Mount Vernon HS in Texas.

3) In case you were wondering, the 2011 Mets went 77-85; they left 1,257 men on base that year, the most of any team in this decade. Six of the top nine teams on this list won 91+ games.

#8 on the list are the 2016 Cubs, who won the World Series that year.

2) Tres Tinkle dropped out of the NBA Draft and will return to Oregon State for his senior year; he is a very good player, but his dad is also the OSU head coach. Beavers finished 10-8 in Pac-12 games last year, their first winning season in conference play this century.

1) Chicago Bears are -4 over Green Bay in Week 1 this season; Bears are getting 59% of the money so far, in wagering at William Hill sportsbooks nationwide; of the 16 Week 1 games, that is the game where the money is most evenly divided.

[StarDust Bum]

G6 - Bucks at Raptors
May 24, 2019
By Kevin Rogers

Golden State is waiting in the wings to see where it is traveling for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. We were destined for a Warriors/Bucks NBA Finals after Milwaukee grabbed the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Toronto. However, the Raptors have rebounded to not only climb back into the series, but sit one victory away from their first ever Eastern Conference championship.

After the Bucks captured the first two games at Fiserv Forum, the Raptors needed to stave off Milwaukee in double-overtime of Game 3 just to avoid a 3-0 hole. Following an 18-point rout in Game 4 to even up the series, all of the sudden the Eastern Conference Finals turned into a best-of-three series for the right to end Golden State’s championship run.

Entering Thursday’s contest back in Milwaukee, the last 10 teams tied at 2-2 in the playoffs heading home won 10 consecutive Game 5’s, including a 5-0 mark in 2019. Milwaukee jumped out to a commanding 18-4 advantage in Game 5, as the Bucks have not lost three straight games all season. However, the Raptors rallied back to grab a 38-34 lead in the second quarter before Milwaukee settled for a 49-46 halftime edge.

Milwaukee built a 10-point third quarter lead, but Toronto sliced the deficit to 75-72 heading into the final 12 minutes. The Raptors ripped off 10 consecutive points after trailing 81-79, including eight points from star forward Kawhi Leonard, who finished with 35 points. Toronto held off Milwaukee, 105-99 to hold the Bucks below 100 points for the first time in the series, while the Raptors cashed as 7 ½-point underdogs.

The question after Game 2 was can Leonard’s teammates step up and help carry the scoring load. In Game 4, guard Kyle Lowry responded with 25 points, while Norman Powell (18) and Serge Ibaka (17) each contributed solid numbers off the bench. Another efficient game was put up by Fred VanVleet, who knocked down a trio of three-pointers for 13 points in Game 4, but the former Wichita State standout outdid himself with a 21-point performance in Game 5, including hitting seven shots from downtown.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has put a rough Game 3 (12 points on 5-of-16 shooting) behind him with 24 points in Game 4 and 25 points in Game 5. But, Antetokounmpo failed to reach double-digit rebounds for the first time in the series by grabbing only eight boards in Game 5. Khris Middleton struggled from the floor for the Bucks with only six points on 2-of-9 shooting after posting 30 points in Game 4.

Milwaukee hoisted plenty of three-point attempts in the first two wins (44 in Game 1, 41 in Game 2), but those numbers have dropped recently. The Bucks put up 44 attempts in the Game 3 double-overtime loss, as 40 of those shots came in regulation, while Mike Budenholzer’s team tried 35 three-pointers in Game 4 and 31 in Game 5. The 10 makes in Game 5 were the fewest in the series for Milwaukee, who hit at least 15 three-pointers in three of the four wins in the Boston series.

After watching the ‘over’ cash in three of the first four games in this series, the ‘under’ connected easily in Game 5 as the pair combined for 204 points, which was the lowest production between them through five contests. The total for Game 6 opened as high as 214 on Thursday and the number has dropped to as low as 211 ½ as of Friday.

Chris David of VegasInsider.com offered up his thoughts on Saturday’s total.

He explained, “The ‘total’ pendulum continues to swing back and forth in this series and bettors have already shown their hand for Saturday with a barrage of ‘under’ wagers. Based on what we’ve seen recently from Milwaukee’s offense in this series, you can certainly see why bettors are buying the low side. The Bucks are shooting 42.8 percent from the field and only 30.3 percent from the 3-point land against the Raptors, both well below their season averages (47.3%, 35%). Another factor that played into Game 5’s loss was the free throw battle. Toronto took 31 attempts and made 25, while Milwaukee only earned 18 trips to the stripe and it connected on 13. The Bucks have feasted at the free throw line this season, averaging 23.9 attempts and the number was a tad higher on the road (24.2). If Milwaukee isn’t connecting from distance and it’s not earning freebies, then another Toronto-Under ticket seems likely.”

Even though we’ve seen some solid trends come to an end in this year’s playoffs, like the Bucks incredible record off losses, David believes there are two angles that could have you riding Milwaukee’s offense on Saturday and possibly the ‘over’ in Game 6 too.

“Thursday's 99-point effort in Game 5 was just the seventh time this season that Milwaukee was held under 100 points. Not surprisingly, they went 1-6 in those games and that includes their Game 1 loss (112-90) to Boston in the second round. In the seven games following the low production, the Bucks averaged 116.8 PPG but that number was assisted with a 140-point effort. Defensively, they were more impressive during this span as they only surrendered 104.2 PPG in the same seven games. This Bucks squad can drop crooked numbers on anybody and catching a Team Total of 105 ½ makes me want to go ‘over’ in this elimination spot,” he said.

David added, “As I mentioned before, trends aren’t always your friends but it should be noted that we’ve had five Game 6’s in this year’s playoffs. We saw an average combined score of 226.6 in those games, which helped the ‘over’ easily go 5-0.”

VegasInsider.com NBA expert Tony Mejia checks in on what has changed for Toronto, “The Raptors have seen their bench go from struggling as the weak link in the 76ers series through the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals to being the reason for their resurgence. With VanVleet and Powell finding the range and Ibaka providing steady play on both ends behind Marc Gasol, head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation has found the right balance and actually swung Game 5 after the starters got off to a slow start.”

“Although all looks lost after their first three-game losing streak of 2019, it’s worth pointing out that the Bucks matched the Warriors with the league’s top road record and dominated games in Detroit and Boston in previous rounds. I expect the team that showed up and fought until double-overtime in Game 3 to show up instead of the overwhelmed version that last took the floor there on Tuesday. Surviving the first quarter will be essential, but I think the Bucks will win the third quarter and would look into a wager on that, likely getting a half-point. I believe we’ll get a game that will come down to the final minutes,” Mejia notes.

The last time the Bucks posted four consecutive non-covers came in late November, as each ATS loss came in the favorite role. Milwaukee has compiled an 8-2 ATS record as a road underdog this season, including a 2-1 ATS mark in the postseason with the lone loss coming in Game 3 to Toronto. Saturday marks the first time in Raptors’ franchise history that they can close out a playoff series in Game 6 at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Stakes are high as Bucks, Raptors meet in Game 6
May 24, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) There's no escaping the reality of what's at stake when the Toronto Raptors host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.

The surging Raptors have won three straight, putting them on the brink of the first NBA Finals berth in team history.

The Bucks, who finished as the NBA's top team in the regular season and once led this series 2-0, have no more room for error after their first three-game losing streak all season.

These two teams have spent months trying to stay even-keeled, treating everything as just another game. That's starting to get a lot tougher.

''It's an elimination game,'' Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Friday. ''It's just a fact.''

Raptors coach Nick Nurse added to that, suggesting the outcome of the series could have franchise-altering implications.

''These are games that now have significance as far as one team's going one direction, and one going the other, possibly,'' Nurse said.

No doubt. Milwaukee starters Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malcolm Brogdon are all headed for free agency, although the Bucks can match offers for Brogdon. Nikola Mirotic is also a free agent this summer.

The Raptors, meanwhile, have no bigger free agent than two-way star Kawhi Leonard, who can opt out of the final year of his deal. An NBA Finals berth, or better, in Leonard's debut season north of the border would certainly be a boon to Toronto team President Masai Ujiri when free agency opens on June 30.

MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks need a win to prolong their hopes of reaching the finals for the first time since 1974. Then a Western Conference team, Milwaukee lost to Boston in seven games. One season later, star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left for the Lakers, and the Bucks haven't played for a ring since.

Toronto won twice in its previous Eastern Conference finals appearance, taking Games 3 and 4 at home against Cleveland in 2016. After that, LeBron James and the Cavs showed their class in Games 5 and 6, outscoring the Raptors by a combined 64 points.

Cleveland swept the Raptors out of the second round in each of the past two seasons, but LeBron's departure from the East and Leonard's arrival in Canada have helped put Toronto in its best position ever.

With his team heading home in need of one more win to set up a finals showdown with Golden State, Nurse knows the Raptors still face a daunting task in Game 6.

''As hard-fought as all these have been, and believe me, they have been, I expect this one to be the hardest fought of them all,'' Nurse said.

Here's what to know before Game 6:

NO LIMITS

Nurse won't be worrying about how much playing time his stars log on Saturday night.

''It's a whatever-it-takes game,'' he said. ''It's an unlimited-minutes night.''

BREATHER BENEFITS?

Budenholzer, on the other hand, said he sees value in keeping Antetokounmpo's minutes below 40.

''You need to be able to produce and perform, including in the fourth quarter, so I don't feel any different about how much we use him,'' Budenholzer said.

Antetokounmpo played 39 minutes in Game 5. He played 45 minutes before fouling out in Toronto's double-overtime win in Game 3, but hasn't topped 39 in any other game this postseason. His regular-season high was 42, in an overtime loss to the Knicks on Dec. 1.

TURNOVER TURNAROUND

Toronto trailed 16-4 after making its fourth turnover of the game with 7:55 left in the first quarter of Game 5. The Raptors had just two more turnovers the rest of the game, one each in the second and third quarters.

MORE MIDDLETON?

Middleton shot 2 for 9 in Game 5, the second time this series he has taken fewer than 10 shots. MIddleton has had 11 or more attempts in Milwaukee's other 12 postseason games. Budenholzer said he didn't mind the low shot total in Game 5, pointing to Middleton's 10 assists.

''The ball is in his hands, he's making great decisions, he's doing things that are really positive and really impactful,'' Budenholzer said.

Middleton had one 10-assist game in the regular season, against Miami on March 22.

[StarDust Bum]

[StarDust Bum]

511Milwaukee -512 Toronto
MILWAUKEE is 9-0 ATS (9 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite in the current season.


NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, May 25


Milwaukee @ Toronto

Game 511-512
May 25, 2019 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
130.466
Toronto
127.388
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 3
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 2 1/2
213
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(+2 1/2); Over


NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 25

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MILWAUKEE (70 - 26) at TORONTO (69 - 30) - 5/25/2019, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 159-201 ATS (-62.1 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 57-36 ATS (+17.4 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 144-106 ATS (+27.4 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
MILWAUKEE is 151-112 ATS (+27.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 29-20 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 46-29 ATS (+14.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
TORONTO is 214-269 ATS (-81.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 11-11 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 13-9 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
11 of 22 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 25

Toronto won/covered last three series games, after falling behind 2-0 in series; they can move on to NBA Finals for first time with win here. VanVleet scored 21 points in 37:00 off bench in last game; Raptors were +28 with VanVleet on the floor, -22 when he was off floor. Bucks had won six games in a row before losing last three games; they won/covered three of last five visits to Canada, but their bench was -54 in the Game 5 loss. Three of last four series games went over total. Toronto was 18-43 on arc in Game 5, only 13-41 inside the arc.


NBA

Saturday, May 25

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

Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
Milwaukee is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Milwaukee's last 21 games
Milwaukee is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 12 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Milwaukee is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Toronto's last 18 games
Toronto is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 12 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Toronto is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, MAY 25
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MIL at TOR 08:30 PM

TOR -2.0

O 212.0

[StarDust Bum]

Leonard scores 27, Raptors advance to first NBA Finals
May 25, 2019
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TORONTO (AP) Kawhi Leonard had 27 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Toronto Raptors into the NBA Finals for the first time with a 100-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

The Raptors overcame a 15-point deficit to win the series in six games and will host the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

Pascal Siakam scored 18 points, Kyle Lowry had 17 and Fred VanVleet 14 for the Raptors, who used a 26-3 run late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to turn the game in their favor.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but the NBA's top team in the regular season saw its bid for a first finals berth in 45 years come to a disappointing end with a fourth consecutive defeat.

Down 76-71 to start the fourth, the Raptors tied it with an 8-2 run while Leonard and Antetokounmpo were both on the bench. Ibaka's dunk with 10:32 to go tied it at 78.

Antetokounmpo returned after a timeout, but Leonard kept sitting. That didn't matter to Toronto, with Siakam's basket giving the Raptors an 80-78 lead, their first lead since it was 6-3.

Leonard's one-handed slam after Lowry's steal gave Toronto an 87-79 lead with 6:46 to go before the Bucks responded. George Hill answered with a layup, Brook Lopez converted a three-point play and Antetokounmpo scored to cut it to 87-86 with 5:19 to go.

Lowry and Lopez swapped baskets before Gasol's 3 put the Raptors up 92-88 with 3:50 left. After another basket by Lopez, Leonard made a 3 to push Toronto's lead to 95-90 with 3:04 to play. It was Leonard's first 3 after missing his first seven attempts of the game.

Toronto made 12 of 27 3-point attempts, including four of eight in the fourth quarter.

Siakam, who missed a pair of free throws late in the fourth quarter of Toronto's double-overtime win in Game 3, hit one to make it 98-94. Leonard grabbed the rebound on the second and was fouled. He made both, putting the Raptors up 100-94 with 3.9 seconds to go.

Brogdon and Middleton each made a pair from long range as the Bucks shot 6 for 9 from 3-point range in the first and closed the quarter with 10 unanswered points to lead 31-18. Toronto shot 6 for 19 in the opening quarter, missing six straight twice in the first 12 minutes.

The Bucks extended their lead to 38-23 on a 3 by Ersan Ilyasova with 7:46 left until half. Toronto cut the gap to 46-43 on a 3 by VanVleet with 1:07 left in the second, but Eric Bledsoe answered with a 3 and Antetokounmpo split a pair at the line, giving the Bucks a 50-43 advantage at the intermission.

The lead went back to 15 in the third before Leonard finished the period with a flourish. He had eight points in the final 2:01 and Toronto closed with a 10-0 run, cutting a 15-point deficit to 76-71.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Milwaukee shot 4 for 16 in the second but three of its made baskets were 3-pointers. ... The Bucks had six points in the paint in the first half. ... Coach Mike Budenholzer was called for a technical foul on Milwaukee's first possession of the second half. Leonard missed the free throw. ... Antetokounmpo shot 5 for 10 at the free throw line.

Raptors: Danny Green, who missed all three of his field goal attempts in 16 minutes in Game 5, had another rough night. Green shot 0 for 4 in 14 minutes. ... Leonard's 17 rebounds were his most in any game this postseason. ... Lowry had eight assists.

DRAKE WATCH

Raptors fan and `global ambassador' Drake sat in his regular seat adjacent to the Toronto bench. The rapper wore a black hoodie with `KAWHI ME A RIVER' printed on the back.

UP NEXT

The NBA Finals comes to Canada for the first time when the Raptors host the Warriors on Thursday night. Toronto swept Golden State in the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MAY 30, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:07 PM Golden State Warriors Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena


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NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

05/25/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/23/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/21/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/20/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/19/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/18/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/17/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
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..............25-30-1 45.45% -40.50


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BEST BETS:

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

05/25/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-0.50
05/23/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
05/21/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00............+10.00
05/20/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-11.00
05/19/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1.................-5.50..............-11.00
05/18/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............-0.50
05/17/2019............,0 - 1....................-5.50.....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............-0.50
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..................10 - 18.....................-49.00..................15- 12.................+9.00...........-40.00


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APRILS NBA BEST BETS


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

[StarDust Bum]

Howard lifts Storm to win over Mercury
May 25, 2019
By The Associated Press

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) Natasha Howard had 21 points and 16 rebounds, Jewell Loyd added 17 points and the Seattle Storm opened defensive of their WNBA title with a 77-68 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday.

Beginning a season where they will play without reigning league MVP Breanna Stewart for the entire season and 11-time All-Star Sue Bird for a significant portion, the Storm rallied from an 11-point first half deficit to make sure celebrating last year's title was capped with a victory.

With Bird sitting on the bench and Stewart a few feet away in a protective boot, Seattle's two biggest stars were forced to be spectators and watched their teammates outscore Phoenix 40-25 in the middle two quarters and hold off the best efforts of DeWanna Bonner to rally the Mercury. Bonner scored 15 straight points for Phoenix late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to pull the Mercury within 58-57. That's as close as they would get as Seattle outscored Phoenix 19-11 over the final seven minutes.

Bonner finished with 31 points, as the Mercury started a season where they will be without Diana Tarausi for a significant chunk after undergoing back surgery in late April.

SUN 84, MYSTICS 69

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) - Alyssa Thomas scored 23 points, Jonquel Jones had 10 points and 14 rebounds and the Sun beat the short-handed Mystics.

Washington was missing Elena Delle Donne, who sat out the opener with left knee soreness.

Even without their star, the Mystics kept it close until Connecticut went on a 13-2 run in the middle of the third quarter to take control. Jasmine Thomas hit a jumper to make it 48-45 at the 7:34 mark. That started the game-changing run.

The Suns led 67-53 after three quarters and by double figures throughout the fourth quarter.

Emma Meesseman, who has returned to the Mystics after playing in Belgium last season, scored 14 points.

LYNX 89, SKY 71

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Napheesa Collier scored 27 points, the second most in WNBA history by a rookie in her debut, and the new-look Lynx pulled away from the Sky in the second half.

Collier, who was the sixth pick in the draft this year, was short of Candace Parker's record 34-point effort in her first game with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. The Lynx hardly missed perennial MVP Maya Moore, who is sitting out this season, as Collier hit 8 of her 10 shots, including three 3-pointers. Minnesota is also adjusting to the retirement of long-time guard Lindsay Whalen, who will have her number retired later this season.

Collier overshadowed her former UConn teammates Katie Lou Samuelson, the fourth overall pick in the draft. Samuelson made her only shot and both her free throws to score four points off the bench for Chicago.

Gabby Williams and Kahleah Cooper had 11 points apiece for the Sky, who trailed 46-40 at the half but were outscored 24-10 in the third quarter.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday’s 6-pack

Updated Week 1 odds for the NFL:

— Tennessee @ Cleveland (-5.5, 45.5)

— LA Rams (-3, 51) @ Carolina

— Detroit (-1.5, 48.5) @ Arizona

— Cincinnati @ Seattle (-9, 43.5)

— Indianapolis @ LA Chargers (-3, 48)

— NY Giants @ Dallas (-7.5, 46.5)

Quote of the Day
“He has no idea how much milk costs. He’s like, ‘What is that, about 20 dollars?’ I’m like, ‘What kind of goat’s blood milk are you drinking?’ No! It’s… like what?”
Gabrielle Union, talking about her Dwyane Wade (her husband) doesn’t know much about the price of normal groceries

Sunday’s quiz
Michael Jordan was the 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA Draft; Hakeem Olajuwon was the first pick. Who was the second pick?

Saturday’s quiz
There are nine teams are in the Canadian Football League.

Friday’s quiz
WNBA teams play 34 regular season games each season.

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Sunday’s List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday…….

13) Was watching a ballgame the other day; Pittsburgh shifted against a lefty hitter, putting the 3B where the SS usually is, which confuses me.

Why not just leave the SS where he is supposed to be, and put the 3B behind 2B? Having the rangier fielder as the only guy on the left side seems smarter.

As it was, Colorado dunked a pop-up for a hit into short left-field, because 3B Colin Moran does not have great range, and Melky Cabrera was playing LF and he has virtually no range.

Different teams approach shifts differently, which makes it interesting.

12) Minnesota Twins hit 101 homers in their first 50 games, joining the ’99 Mariners as the only teams to homer 100+ times in their first 50 games of a season.

11) Major league baseball teams hit 59 homers in 14 games Friday, 2nd-most in a single day in baseball history, trailing only the 62 homers hit on July 2, 2002- there were 16 games played then, with a doubleheader in Boston that day.

10) Wrigley Field organist Gary Pressy worked his 2,633rd consecutive game Saturday; that means he hasn’t missed a home game since sometime in 1987- very impressive.

9) Went to an AAU tournament Saturday, first time I’ve done that in a couple years; the Gym Rat Challenge is a Memorial Day weekend tradition here in Albany– it is very well organized, spread out all over the Albany/Troy/Saratoga area.

They have three courts in the Times Union Center in downtown Albany, a 15,000-seat arena that is way too big for an event like this, but kids must enjoy playing there. Teams from all over the northeast come to the Gym Rat— good chance for kids to play against solid competition.

8) Astros 4, Red Sox 3— Boston starter David Price left this game after three batters with flu-like symptoms. Correa walked it off with a single in bottom of 9th.

7) College basketball transfer portal:
— Middle Tennessee State poaches Jalen Jordan from St Francis NY.

6) Diamondbacks 10, Giants 1— Arizona outscored San Francisco the last two days by combined score of 28-6. Going to be a rough summer for the Giants.

5) Mets 5 Tigers 4 (13)— Both teams ran out of position players, used a starting pitcher as a pinch-runner, graphic evidence that baseball is more interesting without the DH.

4) Phillies sent OF Nick Williams down to AAA earlier this week; he took the maximum amount of time to report, then played one game (went 2-5) and was given the weekend off by the Phillies to attend his girlfriend’s college graduation. I wish I was making this up.

Two years ago, Williams hit .288 with 12 homers in 83 games for the Phillies, but when the new regime took over last year, Williams’ star dimmed noticeably, and with Harper/McCutchen now in the Phils’ outfield, Williams is the odd man out.

I’m assuming he wants to be traded, but taking a weekend off to attend your girlfriend’s college graduation raises red flags about how much you care about playing, which makes it more difficult for you to be traded.

3) Baseball stuff:
— Angels put P Matt Harvey (back) on the IL.
— White Sox put C Welington Castillo on the 7-day concussion list.
— Pirates put P Chris Stratton on the IL.
— Astros put OF George Springer (hamstring) on IL.

2) Raptors 100, Bucks 94— Toronto advances to NBA Finals for first time, by sweeping last four games of series after losing Games 1-2 in Milwaukee.

1) Thoughts/prayers to Wisconsin assistant basketball coach Howard Moore, whose family was involved in a deadly car accident Saturday morning; coach Moore lost his wife and his daughter- he and his son are fighting for their lives. We wish them well.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Finals are set: reigning Warriors vs newcomer Raptors
May 25, 2019
By The Associated Press

The first NBA game was in Toronto.

And now, the NBA Finals are headed there.

Finally.

The NBA Finals are set after the Toronto Raptors won the Eastern Conference championship on Saturday night and earned the right to play the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. For the Raptors, it'll be the first time on this stage; for the Warriors, it'll be an 11th trip to the finals and fifth in a row, as they look for a fourth crown in the last five seasons.

Game 1 is Thursday night in Toronto, which will become the first city outside the U.S. to play host to a finals game - a milestone that comes just about 73 years after Toronto was the site of the first game in NBA history.

The Raptors weren't around then: Toronto's first NBA team was called the Huskies, a club that went 22-38 in its only season. The Raptors have been around since 1995, and in their 24th season they're finally going to play for a ring.

''They're the champions,'' Raptors star Kawhi Leonard said of the Warriors. ''We've got to go in, have the mental focus, enjoy the moment and take the challenge.''

While it is the first finals trip for the Raptors franchise, many Raptors players have been there. Leonard and Danny Green got there with San Antonio in both 2013 and 2014, with Leonard winning MVP of the series against Miami five years ago. Serge Ibaka was with Oklahoma City for its appearance in 2012 and Raptors reserve Patrick McCaw was part of the Warriors for their title runs in each of the past two seasons.

''We're not satisfied,'' Raptors President Masai Ujiri said. ''We want to win the championship.''

For the Warriors, this has almost become an annual rite.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston have been part of each of these five runs to the finals by Golden State. Kevin Durant is going to his third in a row and fourth overall; if he wins Finals MVP - that would seem unlikely at this point, since he isn't expected to play in Game 1 and it's unknown if he'll actually appear in the series at all because of a calf injury - he would join Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players to win that trophy in three consecutive seasons.

By the time Game 1 rolls around, the Warriors will have been off for 10 days. They scrimmaged Saturday to break up the monotony.

''I think we try and be smart with it,'' Iguodala said. ''We got a few guys just trying to get back from injury and it's given us some time to get that rest and take advantage of it.''

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has a chance at his ninth championship. He won five as a player, has three already as a coach and is going to the finals for the 10th time in his last 13 seasons in either of those roles.

''It's not like we've come to expect it, but we're veterans of this experience and this run and our guys know how to finish games,'' Kerr said. ''They know how to win playoff series, and so there's a sense of confidence going into every round. There's still a sense of joy and accomplishment getting to the finals. It's so hard to do.''

For Leonard, it'll be the first trip to the finals since he was MVP of the series in 2014.

And it only continues to prove that his first year in Toronto was a complete and total success.

Traded to the Raptors last summer by San Antonio - DeMar DeRozan was the big piece the Spurs got - one of the major storylines entering this season was Leonard's health and whether he'd fit in Toronto.

Asked and answered. Leonard has averaged 31.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in the playoffs, had a 27-point, 17-rebound, seven-assist effort in the win over Milwaukee that clinched the East on Saturday, and had perhaps the best moment of this postseason when his buzzer-beater hit the rim four times before dropping to beat Philadelphia in Game 7 of the second round.

''He's been great,'' Kerr said of Leonard. ''Not surprising, though. He's got his finals MVP a few years ago. One of the best players in the league, so he's been great.''

Game 2 is in Toronto on June 2, followed by Games 3 and 4 at Oracle Arena on June 5 and June 7.

Either Game 4 or Game 6 - on June 13, if it goes that far - will be the final time the Warriors call that building home. They're leaving Oakland after this season for the brand-new Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Raptors swept the season series, though there are plenty of reasons not to make too big a deal out of that. For starters, the teams haven't played since Dec. 12. And neither team was at full strength in either of those games - Durant scored 51 in a 131-128 loss at Toronto in a game where the Warriors didn't have Curry, Cousins or Green; the Raptors won by 20 at Oracle even without Leonard two weeks later.

Regardless, it can now be said: Toronto and the Bay lay claim to the NBA's two best teams this season.

All that's left to decide now is who'll be hosting the championship parade and hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.