The Bum's NBA Regular and Playoff Season's Best Bets !!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

San Antonio at Memphis
The Spurs look to wrap up the series and build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 games at Memphis. San Antonio is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, MAY 27

Game 513-514: San Antonio at Memphis (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 130.115; Memphis 127.810
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 2 1/2; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 2 1/2; 180 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+2 1/2); Over




NBA

Monday, May 27

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. MEMPHIS
San Antonio is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio


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NBA

Monday, May 27

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Spurs at Grizzlies: What bettors need to know
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San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies (-2.5, 180.5)

Spurs lead best-of-seven series 3-0.

The Memphis Grizzlies are in the deepest hole imaginable as they host the San Antonio Spurs in Monday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. No team in NBA history has won a playoff series after losing the first three games so it will take a monumental occurrence for San Antonio to not reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. The Spurs have won the past two games in overtime.

San Antonio blew a 2-0 lead in last season’s West finals when losing to Oklahoma City and the players repeatedly expressed they were highly intent on not giving the Grizzlies any life. But Game 3 features the Spurs falling behind by 18 points in the opening quarter and never leading until the fourth quarter before dominating overtime in the 104-93 win. Memphis hadn’t lost at home in the postseason and will attempt to avoid back-to-back FedExForum defeats to keep the series alive. “It’s more than just basketball here,” point guard Mike Conley told reporters on Sunday. “We owe it to ourselves, owe it to the fans not to get swept and get embarrassed on our home court.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT THE SPURS: Veteran power forward Tim Duncan denies he feels an urgency about returning to the NBA Finals due to his age but the 37-year-old sent out different signals with his stellar play in Game 3. Duncan scored seven of his 24 points in overtime and also had 10 rebounds and five assists in a tremendous performance that represented his 144th postseason double-double, second all-time behind Magic Johnson (157). “I’m not worried about how old I am or whatever, whatever it may be,” Duncan said. “I’m very focused on having another opportunity to make it to a championship (round) and try to win. That’s all.”

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Memphis was sharp early in Game 3 and seemed fresher than the veteran Spurs after a three-day break. The role was reversed late in the game and in the overtime dominated by San Antonio. “I think in overtime we were just worn down,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins told reporters on Sunday. “Not that they’re not, it’s just we’re more worn down. We have to play hard … We leave it all on the court.” Memphis could have avoided overtime but Conley took a poor angle on a last-second driving shot in regulation and missed badly. Power forward Zach Randolph had 14 points and 15 rebounds after being a combined 7-of-26 shooting over the first two games.

TRENDS:

* Spurs are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games.
* Grizzlies are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an ATS loss.
* Over is 6-0 in Spurs’ last six Conference Finals games.
* Over is 4-1 in Grizzlies’ last five overall.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. San Antonio went 8-for-10 from the field in overtime in Game 3 while outscoring Memphis 18-7.

2. This is the 108th time a team has possessed a 3-0 lead in an NBA postseason series.

3. After having 18 assists in Game 2, Spurs PG Tony Parker had more turnovers (seven) than assists (five) in Game 3.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, May 27

Game Score Status Pick Amount

San Antonio - 9:00 PM ET San Antonio +3 500 POD # 1


Memphis - Over 180.5 500 POD # 2

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Heat (66-16) at Pacers (49-32)

Date: May 28, 2013 8:30 PM EDT


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Pacers coach Frank Vogel walked into Monday's practice with a simple message for players as they adapt to Miami's new wrinkle - using LeBron James in the post.

He's not going to overhaul the team's philosophy for Game 4. They just need to execute better.

Less than 24 hours after blowing a chance to take control of the series at home against the defending NBA champs, the Pacers walked back into Bankers Life Fieldhouse trying to figure out what went wrong in Game 3. It didn't take Vogel long to come up with a few answers.

``We've got to do a better job on the ball, we've got to be more active on our helps and we've got to double (LeBron James) more,' Vogel said before players watched the ugly reminders on tape. ``We're not going to double him every time he touches the ball, but we'll look at some things and try to break his rhythm.'

Anything would be helpful at this point with Indiana in desperate need of a win, now trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

They were hoping home-court advantage would help them take command of the series after stealing one in Miami.

Instead, James and his teammates refused to give in against a Pacers team that has repeatedly shown it will not back down from challenges.

After scoring 36 points in a Game 2 loss, the NBA's four-time MVP promised to make up for the two turnovers in the final 30 seconds of that game. Did he ever.

James scored 22 points in Game 3 and seized control of the offense by working from the post. The surprise move allowed the Heat to beat the Pacers at their own game, outscoring Indiana 52-36 in the paint and opening up mid-range jumpers for James' teammates. The Heat wound up shooting 54.5 percent from the field, setting a franchise playoff record with 70 points in the first half and committing just five turnovers - a performance that even had the Heat calling it their best game of this year's playoffs.

If Indiana intends to stick around a while longer in the Eastern Conference finals, they can't fool around with James in the middle.

``I'm much better than I was two or three years ago,' James said Monday when asked about playing the post. ``I've still got a lot of things to improve, but I could work down there all game now. That's something I probably couldn't have done two years ago.'

Indiana has the more difficult job - making James less efficient.

The Pacers know what it will take.

Pacers center Roy Hibbert credited All-Star swingman Paul George for making things tough on James throughout the first three games of the series but acknowledged George needs more help from teammates to protect the middle. Vogel, who has relied almost exclusively on man-to-man defense, is now talking about double-teaming the Heat's most versatile player.

George, a second-team all-NBA defender, has another solution.

``I've just got to battle and push him out a little further,' George said. ``He's tough. He's obviously gifted physically and he's strong, so it's tough but it's something I've got to learn.'

The bigger issue for Indiana may simply be staying the course.

Indiana looked nothing like it did in Miami, when it pushed the Heat to brink in Game 1 and thwarted every challenge Miami threw at them to hold on in Game 2.

On Sunday night, Miami started fast, took control in the second quarter and never allowed Indiana to get closer than seven. It was the first time the Pacers lost at home in the playoffs and the 18-point deficit matched their worst home loss all season.

For the Heat, this is nothing new. They've won 23 of their last 24 on the road and have now set an NBA record with five straight double-digit road wins in the playoffs.

Perhaps better focus.

``Coming on the road is tougher,' Wade said. ``At home you can make mistakes and get away with it, but on the road you can't make as many mistakes and you have to give yourself a chance. That's all you can do.'

The Pacers didn't get away with their mistakes Sunday, and that has put them in the unenviable position of needing a win Tuesday just to avoid facing an elimination game in Miami on Thursday.

But to an Indiana team that has relied on grit and determination all season, they know there is no margin for error now. They must play their best game of the season Tuesday night.

``It sucks playing with our backs against the wall, but that's the situation,' George said. ``We knew that's how the champions would respond. But every game is going to get tougher and tougher. It's going to get tougher to score and we have to learn to adjust on the floor.'

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NBA HEAD TO HEAD

May 26, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIA « 114 Cover: 16
IND 96 Over: 210
Tools: Recaps

May 24, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND « 97 Cover: 11.5
MIA 93 Over: 190
Tools: Recaps

May 22, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND 102 Cover: 7
MIA « 103 Over: 205
Tools: Recaps

Mar 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
IND 91 Over: 196
MIA « 105 Cover: 7.5
Tools: Recaps

Feb 1, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIA 89 Over: 191
IND « 102 Cover: 15
Tools: Recaps

Jan 8, 2013 Score ATS Results
MIA 77 Under: 164
IND « 87 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps

May 24, 2012 Score ATS Results
MIA « 105 Cover: 9.5
IND 93 Over: 198
Tools: Recaps

May 22, 2012 Score ATS Results
IND 83 Over: 198
MIA « 115 Cover: 25
Tools: Recaps

May 20, 2012 Score ATS Results
MIA « 101 Cover: 6
IND 93 Over: 194
Tools: Recaps

May 17, 2012 Score ATS Results
MIA 75 Under: 169
IND « 94 Cover: 21.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, May 28

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MIAMI (76 - 18) at INDIANA (58 - 38) - 5/28/2013, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 52-44 ATS (+3.6 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
MIAMI is 53-41 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
MIAMI is 91-76 ATS (+7.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games this season.
MIAMI is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs this season.
MIAMI is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 10-9 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 12-7 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
12 of 19 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, May 28

Miami had 70 points at halftime in Game 3, with only one turnover, as adjustments Spoelstra made after Game 2 loss (namely posting Lebron) were unstoppable. Fully expect Pacers to come out in zone of some kind to make James give up the ball. If Haslem goes 8-9 from floor, Heat ain't losing, but Indiana has to make him take more shots, they can't let James destroy their defense inside. Over is 6-1 in this round of playoffs so far; six of last seven Miami games went over total, as did last five Heat-Pacer games. Indiana covered six of its last seven home games, but will need its best effort to even series here.




NBA

Tuesday, May 28

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Trend Report
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8:30 PM
MIAMI vs. INDIANA
Miami is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games


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NBA

Tuesday, May 28

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Heat at Pacers: What bettors need to know
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Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers (2, 184.5)

Heat lead best-of-seven series 2-1.

The Indiana Pacers have had their invincibility at home pierced and will now have to work to avoid heading back out onto the road down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers will try to even things up at 2-2 when they host the Miami Heat in Game 4 on Tuesday. The Heat found a way to match Indiana’s intensity on the inside en route to a dominating Game 3 performance, and LeBron James got help from the supporting cast.

James made an effort to post up Paul George early and often in Game 3, which opened up baseline jumpers for Udonis Haslem and cleared the perimeter for other shooters. “I made a conscious effort to get down in the post tonight, to put pressure on their defense” James said. “The coaching staff wanted me to be down there tonight, and my teammates allowed me to do that.” The Heat ended up outscoring the Pacers 56-32 in the paint, an area Indiana had controlled in the first two games. The Pacers, who led the NBA in field goal percentage defense in the regular season, allowed Miami to shoot 62.8 percent in the first half to fall into a big hole.

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

ABOUT THE HEAT: James displayed an ability to spin toward the baseline in the post and throw left-handed bank shots off the glass, a move Indiana’s George had no chance of stopping. Haslem had totaled three points in the first two games of the series but got confident early and ended up with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting. “He’s the heartbeat of this team,” James said of Haslem, who serves as co-captain of the squad along with Dwyane Wade. Miami also did a much better job of hanging onto the ball in Game 3. The Heat committed only one turnover while piling up a franchise playoff-record 70 points in the first half, and finished the game with only five miscues to set another franchise postseason record.

ABOUT THE PACERS: The 114-96 setback matched the largest home defeat of the season for Indiana, which had won its six previous home playoff games. The Pacers were able to match the Heat’s scoring pace early but began to fall off in the second quarter without stops and turnovers to get them extra possessions. Indiana generally does not use double teams on defense but Roy Hibbert suggested James’ play might inspire them to switch tactics. “(James) was in the post doing a lot of work, and I think we have to do a better job of helping (George) out,” Hibbert said. “LeBron can’t get five or six dribbles to make a post move.” The lack of a defensive effort was what Pacers coach Frank Vogel dwelled on after the game. “If you’re not perfect guarding them,” Vogel said, “they’ll do what they did to us tonight.”

TRENDS:

* Pacers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Heat are 21-5 ATS in their last 26 road games.
* Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a loss.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat F Chris Andersen is 15-for-15 from the field over the last four games.

2. Indiana G Lance Stephenson had a series-high 20 rebounds through the first two games but pulled down only one in Game 3.

3. Miami is 5-0 on the road in the postseason and has not fallen away from home since March 27 at Chicago.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, May 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 8:30 PM ET Indiana +2.5 500 POD # 1


Indiana - Under 184.5 500 POD # 2

[StarDust Bum]

Heat at Pacers, Game 6

June 1, 2013


For the first time in these playoffs, Indiana (59-39 straight up, 53-45 against the spread) will face elimination when it hosts Miami on Saturday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Most betting shops have installed Miami (77-19 SU, 54-42 ATS) as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 182. Gamblers can take the Pacers to win outright for a +120 return (risk $100 to win $120).

For first-half wagers, the Heat is favored by one with a total of 90.5.

For the first 24 minutes of Thursday’s crucial Game 5, Indiana was in control. The Pacers were continuing to beat Miami on the boards and get scoring production from their ‘bigs,’ who have had their way in the lane for most of the series.

In a guest appearance on sports radio in Louisville earlier Thursday, I explained that Miami’s only hope was for LeBron James to absolutely dominate. I further noted that the Pacers were the better team, but the Heat had the best player.

With Miami trailing by six in the opening minute of the third quarter, James took over and showed why he’s the best player in the world today. Following a pair of free throws from Dwyane Wade, James scored on a layup. After a bucket by Udonis Haslem, James made a sweet dish to Haslem in transition for an easy dunk.

And just like that, the Heat were in the lead. Haslem would stay hot for the rest of the third quarter, while James added a dunk and a pair of jumpers. Miami was up 70-57 going into the final stanza.

When Indiana momentarily sliced the deficit to eight at 72-64 with 9:46 remaining, Miami responded with a 9-2 run that included a trey from Ray Allen. The Heat wouldn’t let the Pacers get closer than 11 the rest of the way in a 90-79 win as a 7.5-point home favorite.

The 169 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 185-point total. The ‘over’ had previously hit in every game of the series and nine of the 10 previous head-to-head meetings between these clubs.

James finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one blocked shot. He was efficient as usual, making 13-of-26 shots from the field. Haslem erupted for 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. Mario Chalmers added 12 points and six assists, while Wade tallied 10 points, six boards and four dimes.

Paul George had another stellar performance for the Pacers, producing 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists while draining 11-of-19 attempts from the field. Roy Hibbert had 22 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots, while David West finished with 17 points and eight boards.

These teams have met at Indiana four times this year. The Pacers are 3-1 both SU and ATS in those four encounters, with last Sunday’s 114-96 loss in Game 3 serving as the lone defeat.

Chris Bosh’s disappearing act in the series continued in Thursday’s Game 5. Although Bosh did collect a series-high five rebounds, he scored only seven points. He is averaging just 3.6 rebounds per game in the East finals.

The ‘over’ is 49-44-3 overall for the Heat, 25-21-1 in its road assignments. Meanwhile, the Pacers have watched their totals produce an overall wash (48-48-2). However, they have seen the ‘over’ go 5-1 in their last six games. The ‘over’ is 26-22-1 in Indiana’s home games this season.

Bettors should keep an eye on the news over the next 24 hours because there is a possibility that Miami Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen could be facing a suspension. He went after Tyler Hansbrough in Game 5, shoving him from the blind side when he mistakenly thought ‘Psycho T’ had given him a bump moments earlier.

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag is Miami -950, Indiana +675 (risk $100 to win $675). The website's updated future odds have the Heat as the -240 'chalk,' while the Spurs and Pacers have +180 and 20/1 odds, respectively.

Sportsbook also has proposition bets galore for Saturday's Game 6 in Indianapolis. For instance, gamblers can wager on the player to score the first points of the game. James is the +350 'chalk,' with the next-shortest odds belonging to Hibbert (6/1), George (6/1), West (7/1) and Wade (7/1).

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

[StarDust Bum]

Heat F Anderson suspended for Game 6

May 31, 2013


NEW YORK (AP) - Chris Andersen was suspended Friday by the NBA for his altercation with Tyler Hansbrough, leaving the Miami Heat without one of their best big men as they try to finish off the Indiana Pacers in Game 6.

The league also upgraded Andersen's foul to a Flagrant 2, which would have meant an automatic ejection had it been called at the time.

Andersen knocked Hansbrough to the floor from behind with 9:02 left in the second quarter Thursday, then shoved him backward after Hansbrough got up. Andersen still wouldn't back away when a referee stepped in, and the league said in a statement that he ``resisted efforts to bring the altercation to an end.''

Andersen has made all 15 shots from the field in the series, and the Heat could miss the Birdman's size Saturday against the bigger Indiana front line.

Though referees reviewed the play and upgraded it from a common foul to a flagrant, they chose not to make it a Flagrant 2 and throw Andersen out of the game.

But NBA Commissioner David Stern, speaking Friday in taped interview with NBC Sports Radio, said he thought Andersen should have been ejected.

``I don't know what he was doing,'' Stern said, according to a transcript provided by the network. ``A serious review of his activities is called for.''

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Heat (66-16) at Pacers (49-32)

Date: June 01, 2013 8:30 PM EDT

For the first time in these playoffs, Indiana (59-39 straight up, 53-45 against the spread) will face elimination when it hosts Miami on Saturday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Most betting shops have installed Miami (77-19 SU, 54-42 ATS) as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 182. Gamblers can take the Pacers to win outright for a +120 return (risk $100 to win $120).

For first-half wagers, the Heat is favored by one with a total of 90.5.

For the first 24 minutes of Thursday’s crucial Game 5, Indiana was in control. The Pacers were continuing to beat Miami on the boards and get scoring production from their ‘bigs,’ who have had their way in the lane for most of the series.

In a guest appearance on sports radio in Louisville earlier Thursday, I explained that Miami’s only hope was for LeBron James to absolutely dominate. I further noted that the Pacers were the better team, but the Heat had the best player.

With Miami trailing by six in the opening minute of the third quarter, James took over and showed why he’s the best player in the world today. Following a pair of free throws from Dwyane Wade, James scored on a layup. After a bucket by Udonis Haslem, James made a sweet dish to Haslem in transition for an easy dunk.

And just like that, the Heat were in the lead. Haslem would stay hot for the rest of the third quarter, while James added a dunk and a pair of jumpers. Miami was up 70-57 going into the final stanza.

When Indiana momentarily sliced the deficit to eight at 72-64 with 9:46 remaining, Miami responded with a 9-2 run that included a trey from Ray Allen. The Heat wouldn’t let the Pacers get closer than 11 the rest of the way in a 90-79 win as a 7.5-point home favorite.

The 169 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 185-point total. The ‘over’ had previously hit in every game of the series and nine of the 10 previous head-to-head meetings between these clubs.

James finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one blocked shot. He was efficient as usual, making 13-of-26 shots from the field. Haslem erupted for 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. Mario Chalmers added 12 points and six assists, while Wade tallied 10 points, six boards and four dimes.

Paul George had another stellar performance for the Pacers, producing 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists while draining 11-of-19 attempts from the field. Roy Hibbert had 22 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots, while David West finished with 17 points and eight boards.

These teams have met at Indiana four times this year. The Pacers are 3-1 both SU and ATS in those four encounters, with last Sunday’s 114-96 loss in Game 3 serving as the lone defeat.

Chris Bosh’s disappearing act in the series continued in Thursday’s Game 5. Although Bosh did collect a series-high five rebounds, he scored only seven points. He is averaging just 3.6 rebounds per game in the East finals.

The ‘over’ is 49-44-3 overall for the Heat, 25-21-1 in its road assignments. Meanwhile, the Pacers have watched their totals produce an overall wash (48-48-2). However, they have seen the ‘over’ go 5-1 in their last six games. The ‘over’ is 26-22-1 in Indiana’s home games this season.

Bettors should keep an eye on the news over the next 24 hours because there is a possibility that Miami Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen could be facing a suspension. He went after Tyler Hansbrough in Game 5, shoving him from the blind side when he mistakenly thought ‘Psycho T’ had given him a bump moments earlier.

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag is Miami -950, Indiana +675 (risk $100 to win $675). The website's updated future odds have the Heat as the -240 'chalk,' while the Spurs and Pacers have +180 and 20/1 odds, respectively.

Sportsbook also has proposition bets galore for Saturday's Game 6 in Indianapolis. For instance, gamblers can wager on the player to score the first points of the game. James is the +350 'chalk,' with the next-shortest odds belonging to Hibbert (6/1), George (6/1), West (7/1) and Wade (7/1).

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pacers at Heat
Wed, May 22 Final 102 to 103
Recaps

GAME 2
Pacers at Heat
Fri, May 24 Final 97 to 93
Recaps

GAME 3
Heat at Pacers
Sun, May 26 Final 114 to 96
Recaps

GAME 4
Heat at Pacers
Tue, May 28 Final 92 to 99
Recaps

GAME 5
Pacers at Heat
Thu, May 30 Final 79 to 90
Recaps

GAME 6
Heat at Pacers
Sat, Jun 1 - 8:30PM EDT

GAME 7
Pacers at Heat
Mon, Jun 3 - 8:30PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, June 1

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Miami - 8:30 PM ET Indiana +2.5 500 POD # 2



Indiana - Over 183 500 POD # 1

[StarDust Bum]

NBA Playoffs - Game 7 Facts

June 2, 2013

Game 7 Quick Facts

-- The NBA has had 112 Game 7’s in playoff history

-- The home team is 89-23 (79%) in those games

-- Nine of the last 12 Game 7 outcomes have been decided by double digits

-- Last postseason, home teams went 3-1 in Game 7's, while going 1-1 in opening round.

-- Five of the last six seven winners in Game 7 were from the Western Conference

-- The 2013 postseason has only featured one Game 7, which occured in the first round between the Bulls and Nets. Chicago defeated Brooklyn 99-93 on the road.

Game 7 Notes - Miami vs. Indiana

-- Indiana has played in five Game 7's, going 2-3. The two wins both came on the road and two of the three losses were by five points or less.

-- The last Game 7 occured in 2005 for the Pacers when they beat the Celtics 97-70 in the first round on the road.

-- Miami has gone 3-3 in Game 7's, the last instance coming in last year's Eastern Conference Finals when the Heat beat the Celtics 101-88 at home.

-- Two of the three losses for the Heat in Game 7 have come at American Airlines Arena. In the 2005 conference finals to the Pistons (88-82) and in the 2001 conference semifinals to the Knicks (83-82).


All-Time Game 7 Road Winners

Year Road Team Home Team Round

2013 Chicago 99 Brooklyn 93 First round

2012 L.A. Clippers 82 Memphis 72 First round

2008 Orlando 101 Boston 82 Conference semifinals

2007 San Antonio 91 New Orleans 82 Conference semifinals

2007 Utah 103 Houston 99 First round

2006 *Dallas 119 San Antonio 111 Conference semifinals

2005 Detroit 88 Miami 82 Conference finals

2005 Indiana 97 Boston 70 First round

2002 *L.A. Lakers 112 Sacramento 106 Conference finals

2000 New York 83 Miami 82 Conference semifinals

1995 Indiana 97 New York 95 Conference semifinals

1995 Houston 115 Phoenix 114 Conference semifinals

1982 Philadelphia 120 Boston 106 Conference finals

1981 Kansas City 95 Phoenix 88 Conference semifinals

1981 Houston 105 San Antonio 100 Conference semifinals

1978 Washington 105 Seattle 99 NBA Finals

1976 Phoenix 94 Golden State 86 Conference finals

1974 Boston 102 Milwaukee 87 NBA Finals

1973 New York 94 Boston 78 Conference finals

1971 Baltimore 93 New York 91 Conference finals

1969 Boston 108 L.A. Lakers 106 NBA Finals

1968 Boston 100 Philadelphia 96 Division finals

1948 Philadelphia 85 St Louis 46 Semifinals

(*) Asterisk denotes overtime

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Indiana at Miami
The Heat look to bounce back from their 91-77 loss in Game 6 and build on their 10-1 ATS record in their last 11 games following a SU defeat. Miami is the pick (-7) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by 10. Dunkel Pick: Miami (-7). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JUNE 3

Game 523-524: Indiana at Miami (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 119.526; Miami 129.393
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 10; 177
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 7; 181 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-7); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, June 3

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INDIANA (60 - 39) at MIAMI (77 - 20) - 6/3/2013, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 12-10 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 13-9 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
13 of 22 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, June 3

Conference Finals, Game Seven (Series Tied, 3-3)
Indiana at Miami, 8:35 ET TNT
Indiana: 1-10 ATS away off BB Unders
Miami: 20-9 ATS after losing 2 of their last 3 games




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, June 3

Miami (other than James) was 16-51 in Game 6; Haslem was scoreless after going 8-9 from floor in Game 5. Huge question is this: who will be the Heat player to give Lebron some scoring support? Andersen comes back from suspension for Miami, which is 9-0 vs spread in game after its last nine losses, but Andersen isn't a scorer. Over is 7-3 in this round of playoffs, but last two games in this series stayed under. Stephenson is 14-31 from floor in three Indiana wins, 6-27 in its losses, but most of that damage was done in one game. Question: if Indiana is up a point in last 0:10 and Miami has ball, will Hibbert be on the floor? Ya think?




NBA

Monday, June 3

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Trend Report
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8:30 PM
INDIANA vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
Miami is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games


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NBA

Monday, June 3

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Pacers at Heat: What bettors need to know
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Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat (-7, 181)

Best-of-seven series tied 3-3.

The Indiana Pacers are one win away from making a surprise trip to the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat, who host the Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday, are one loss away from an offseason filled with tough questions. LeBron James has been his usual dominant self at times in the series but has gotten little help from his supporting cast. Indiana has controlled the inside in its three wins and will attempt to do so again.

Miami won Game 5 by evening thing up on the interior but fell off the pace again in Game 6, when the Pacers opened up a 53-33 advantage on the glass and a 44-22 edge in points in the paint. Some of that falls on Chris Bosh, who is 5-for-21 with 12 rebounds in the last three games combined and has yet to grab more than five boards in a game during the series. “I believe in my teammates,” James said. “They’re struggling right now, but we’ve got another chance on Monday.” Indiana is the only team to hold the Heat below 80 points this season and it has done it twice, including limiting Miami to a season-low 36.1 percent shooting in Saturday’s 91-77 triumph.

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

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana got superb play from Paul George and Roy Hibbert once again in Game 6. George led the way with 28 points and nailed a back-breaking 3-pointer in the fourth quarter when the Heat were making their final run. Hibbert followed that up by drawing an offensive foul on James as the Pacers turned the momentum. The Indiana big man has increased his visibility around the league with his play in the series and responded harshly when asked after the game why he had finished so low in the Defensive Player of the year voting. “Y’all (expletive) don’t watch us play throughout the year to tell you the truth,” he said. “So that’s fine. I’m going to be real with you and I don’t care if I get fined.” Hibbert also used a gay slur in answer to a question earlier in his postgame press conference and issued an apology on Sunday. That mini-controversy briefly overshadowed the great performance on the court from the Pacers, who are trying to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.

ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami has tried to spread the Indiana defense out by bringing Bosh out to the perimeter and spreading the floor around James with 3-pointer shooters, which has left the team vulnerable on the glass. Dwyane Wade’s slashing drives to the basket have been unsuccessful as well, and the star guard refused to blame a nagging knee injury for his lack of explosiveness after Game 6. In fact, Wade is lobbying for a bigger role in the offense. “We’ve got to do a good job of making sure me and (Bosh) have our opportunities to succeed throughout the game,” Wade told reporters. “That’s something we’re going to have to look at as a team.” Wade was productive in the first three games of the series but has shot 32 percent over the last three.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a loss.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Miami.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Heat’s last seven games following an ATS loss.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. James has averaged 34.3 points in three career Game 7s.

2. The Pacers will be playing their first conference finals Game 7 since 1998 while the Heat will be enduring a Game 7 for the second straight season after knocking off the Boston Celtics en route to the championship in 2012.

3. Miami will have F Chris Andersen, who served a one-game suspension in Game 6, available for the finale. He is 15-for-15 from the floor in the series.

[StarDust Bum]

Game 7, Pacers at Heat

June 2, 2013



All eyes will be on American Airlines Arena on Monday as the Heat and Pacers meet in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The winner will earn the chance to meet San Antonio in the NBA Finals this Thursday.

Miami was listed as an overwhelming favorite to win the best-of-seven battle, a handful of betting shops listing Miami as high as a 1/7 price (Bet $700 to win $100). The take-back on Indiana could’ve been purchased at 5/1 (Bet $100 to win $500) before the series began and that price soared to 7/1 (Bet $100 to win $700) after the Heat opened a 2-1 series lead.

The Heat put forth their best effort in Game 3, outclassing Indiana 114-96 and securing a wire-to-wire road victory. We mention that game because as good as Miami looked in the win, they looked just as bad in Saturday’s 91-77 loss to the Pacers in Game 6.

Miami actually led 40-38 at halftime before Indiana came out of the break with a 29-15 third quarter. The Pacers led by as many as 17 points and they withstood many runs from the Heat’s “B” squad. Roy Hibbert finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Paul George posted 28 points, eight re bounds and five assist for the Pacers. LeBron James did his part once again for Miami, scoring 29 points, but nobody else on the team finished with more than 10 points and that’s been the hot topic in South Florida lately.

The production from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh has been pathetic and that’s probably being nice. In the first six games of this series, LeBron has outscored the pair by 16 points (171-155), put up the same amount of assists (33) and has grabbed only six less rebounds (43-49).

Similar to past performances, Bosh took his fair share of the blame. “I didn't show up for my teammates tonight," he said, "and it will not happen again."

Wade however, quickly pointed the finger at others. "We've got to do a better job, all of us, helping get each other involved in the game. We've got to do a better job of making sure me and Chris can have opportunities to succeed.

Both Bosh and Wade are dealing with nagging injuries and you have to wonder what they have left in the tank for Game 7. Should you bet your hard earned money on the Heat knowing that the two-thirds of the so-called “Big Three” is shot?

Along with that question, there are plenty of others and we leaned on VegasInsider.com handicapper Kevin Rogers to answer them for you.

Looking at this series, Miami has responded with two wins both straight up and against the spread off a loss and this team hasn’t dropped back-to-back games since early January. Will the Heat rebound on Monday?

Rogers answered, “It's too easy to say that the Heat will automatically bounce back because they are back at home. However, past James, Miami isn't receiving the necessary support from Wade, Bosh, and the supporting cast to be successful against an Indiana squad getting consistent efforts. The Pacers haven't won back-to-back games either in this series, but they have pulled off the home win/road win in consecutive contests back in the first round against the Hawks.”

This series has been Indiana’s triple-headed monster of Hibbert, George and David West vs. the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, LeBron. Assuming both sides show up Monday, the game could come down to who gets better play from their backcourt. As a gambler, who do you have more faith in – the Pacers’ backcourt of Lance Stephenson and George Hill or the threesome of Wade, Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole?

“Indiana's backcourt has been up and down in the scoring department, but at least they have healthy bodies to throw out. Wade's shooting is off and his athleticism has dropped off due to his injured knee. I would count on Indiana's tandem of Hill and Stephenson since they have ability to hit shots and disturb Miami's backcourt,” answered Rogers.

Even though the series is knotted at 3-3, the Heat are still listed as seven-point home favorites over the Pacers and the money-line is as high as minus-400 (Bet $400 to win $100), which is definitely inflated.

History is on the Heat’s side here, with the home team winning close to 80% of Game 7’s in the NBA playoffs. Should bettors take that into consideration?

Rogers answered, “It's something to keep an eye on, but every series has unfolded differently with varying factors so that can't exactly be the path to follow when handicapping this game. Also, the Heat has been involved in only one Game 7 since the Big Three has come together, so they are also new in this spot.”

In last year’s championship run, Miami beat Boston 101-88 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and they also covered the number as well. During this year’s NBA playoffs, there has only been one Game 7 and Chicago surprised some folks by beating Brooklyn 99-93 on the road.

Total players have watched the 'under' cash in two straight games and Game 7 has the lowest opening number (181) posted in this series. Should we expect another grind-it-out affair?

“It's not crazy to take the 'under' again simply because the Heat has to rely on James to carry them offensively. Indiana does not want to get into a back- and-forth affair, but another thing to consider is George's shooting, which has been streaky in the series. The 'under' is definitely worth a look with both teams putting up horrible quarters in each of the last two games,” said Rogers.

Another factor to watch is the free throw attempts. In Game 6, we saw a combined 37, which was up from 27 combined in Game 5. Outside of the insane shooting in Game 3, which was the only true ‘over’ winner, the other three games in this series were aided by free throws. Will the officials let them play Monday or should we expect a lot of whistles. Unfortunately, you can’t handicap the refs, regardless of what you conspiracy theorists believe.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, June 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Indiana - 8:30 PM ET Miami -7 500 POD # 1


Miami - Under 180 500 POD # 2

I think Miami shuts the Pacers down and blow them out by 15+

96-81 HEAT

[StarDust Bum]

Wowwwwwwwwww almost nailed that final.........

Daily Pick record for 06/03/2013

Sport Game Score Pick Amount
Result Units

NBA Indiana 76 Miami -7 500 WON +500

Miami 99 Under 180 500 WON +500

[StarDust Bum]

Heat, Spurs to play for NBA title

June 3, 2013


MIAMI (AP) - No more sitting out stars, and for the San Antonio Spurs, no more sitting around.

Finally, the NBA Finals matchup is set, and the Miami Heat will either win a second straight championship or the Spurs will go a perfect 5 for 5 in the title round while denying LeBron James a ring for the second time.

The Heat earned their third consecutive Eastern Conference title on Monday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 99-76 in Game 7 of their series. So it's Heat vs. Spurs for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, a series that will begin Thursday in Miami, on the same floor where the Heat and James finished off Oklahoma City to win last season's title.

Miami is looking for its third championship, San Antonio its fifth. And for James, it's a chance to erase a memory that has stung him for six years.

His first trip to the finals came when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007, and it was ugly - the Spurs winning in a four-game sweep for what was their fourth title. San Antonio has not won the West since, so maybe it's fitting that its return comes against James, albeit with the now four-time MVP in a different uniform.

``Obviously, I needed more,'' James said. ``Our team, we were really good, but we weren't great. And that was a great team. We lost to a better team. So I understand that we needed more. We continued to get better over the years, but we never got to that level.''

When that series was over, Spurs forward Tim Duncan approached James in a quiet moment and offered some words of encouragement about his budding superstardom.

Four MVPs, two more finals trips and one ring - and counting - later, James' star level is now meteoric. He'll have a chance to not only win consecutive championships, but consecutive regular-season and finals MVPs as well.

``The best player in the world,'' is how Indiana coach Frank Vogel described James.

When the Heat and Spurs play on Thursday night, it will mark their third meeting of the season. It may as well be the first.

Miami won both games this season, though it's doubtful much of anything worthwhile could be gleaned for the scouting reports from those contests. The Spurs sat four regulars in the first meeting, and drew a $250,000 fine from the NBA after coach Gregg Popovich's decision to send Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Tony Parker home before the game and at the end of a long road trip.

Predictably, Popovich's decision was immediately subject to scrutiny, and he even joked in his pregame media availability that night that the crowd of journalists around him resembled what he'd see in an NBA Finals setting.

Which, come Wednesday when both teams will practice in Miami, is exactly what Popovich will see. It'll be a finals that have a clash of on-court, off-court and even cultural styles. The Heat play a flashier brand of basketball, have stars who are some of the world's best-known - and best-paid - endorsers of products, and have had no choice but to embrace a constant spotlight.

The Spurs, meanwhile, seem to revel in shunning any sort of extra attention.

``I wouldn't say we avoid the attention, but I don't think we're out seeking it,'' Spurs forward Matt Bonner said. ``Our team culture starts with our leadership, guys like Timmy and Coach Pop, that we focus on ourselves and what we need to do to complete the task, get the job done. Whatever attention we get outside of that, I don't think we run from it, but we're not out seeking it. At least, I think so. I hope so.''

When the teams met in San Antonio in late March, Miami's 27-game winning streak - the second-best run in NBA history - had just ended, so the Heat kept James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers out while dealing with injuries. And Miami prevailed anyway behind Chris Bosh, who hit a late 3-pointer to seal an 88-86 victory.

Nobody will be resting anybody on Thursday night. The Spurs, who will have been idle for more than a week by the time Game 1 starts, finally know who stands in their way.

``I think the latter part of these days are kind of getting kind of long,'' Duncan said Monday. ``But good preparation, good recovery time, all that stuff. Just anxious to know our opponent and start preparing for them.''

The Spurs have been going live in practice, trying their best to stay sharp.

``It's just long. It's long,'' Parker said of the layoff. ``Wish we could play like right now.''

Soon enough, he'll get his wish.