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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Chicago at Miami
The Heat look to follow up their 88-65 win in Game 4 and build on their 8-2 ATS record in their last 10 games following a SU win of more than 10 points. Miami is the pick (-14) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by 15 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Miami (-14). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

Game 735-736: Chicago at Miami (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 115.048; Miami 130.726
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 15 1/2; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 14; 182
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-14); Over

Game 737-738: Memphis at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 122.503; Oklahoma City 128.652
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6; 182
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4; 185
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-4); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, May 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Miami -14 500 POD # 3


Miami - Over 181 500 POD # 2



Memphis - 9:30 PM ET Oklahoma City -4.5 500 POD # 4


Oklahoma City - Over 185 500 POD v# 1

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Indiana at New York
The Knicks look to stay alive in the series and build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 home games versus the Pacers. New York is the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Knicks favored by 9 1/2. Dunkel Pick: New York (-4 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Game 739-740: Indiana at New York (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 115.885; New York 125.530
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 9 1/2; 174
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 4 1/2; 179
Dunkel Pick: New York (-4 1/2); Under

Game 741-742: San Antonio at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 122.329; Golden State 128.928
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 6 1/2; 200
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 1 1/2; 195
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+1 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 16

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

INDIANA (56 - 35) at NEW YORK (59 - 33) - 5/16/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NEW YORK is 51-40 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 48-32 ATS (+12.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-7 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 8-7 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SAN ANTONIO (65 - 26) at GOLDEN STATE (53 - 40) - 5/16/2013, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-41 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 57-42 ATS (+10.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 95-71 ATS (+16.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 78-57 ATS (+15.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games against Pacific division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 62-41 ATS (+16.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 53-40 ATS (+9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 9-7 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 12-4 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 16

Take away the 30-2 run at end of Game 2 and Pacers might already have swept this series; Anthony is 25-67 (37.3%) in three Indy win in series, 13-26 in one Knick win. JR Smith is 26-85 in five losses vs Pacers, 15-36 in three New York Ws- in six games since his suspension in Boston series, Smith is shooting 27% from floor. Ten of last 14 Knick games stayed under the total; 12 of last 18 Indy games went over. Prigioni has to play more for Knicks to thrive; this series isn't over- they need pair of home wins and only one road upset, but they need to solve tough Pacer defense, and 19-foot fadeaways ain't the answer.

Warriors are 12-2 against spread in last 14 games overall; under is 6-5 in Golden State's playoff games. Spurs are 7-2 in playoffs, with six wins by double digits; home side is 7-2 in series games this year. Three of last four series games stayed under. Leads haven't been safe in Warrior-Spur series; SA came back from huge deficit to win Game 1, blew 80-72 lead with 4:40 left in Game 4, now its win or go home for gritty Golden State group. Under is 11-10 league-wide in this round of playoffs. Spurs have four NBA titles; they can handle hostile environments, are 3-1 on road in playoffs, with only loss here in overtime. Golden State will need Curry and Thompson to force Game 7; they were 6-22 in Game 5.




NBA

Thursday, May 16

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

8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Indiana is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 7 games at home

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. GOLDEN STATE
San Antonio is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of San Antonio's last 13 games on the road
Golden State is 8-14-2 ATS in its last 24 games when playing San Antonio
Golden State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home


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




NBA

Thursday, May 16

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday's NBA playoff action: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (-4.5 179)

Indiana leads series 3-1.

The New York Knicks have not been able to get anything done against the Indiana Pacers’ defense. The Pacers will be looking to ride that defense to a series victory when they attempt to close out the host Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday. New York has only had one stretch of strong offense and used it to secure its only win in Game 2. The Knicks have been held to an average of 76.5 points in the last two games.

Indiana has chased New York off the 3-point line and has controlled the glass to gain second-chance points and keep the Knicks from getting out on the break. New York stars Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were a combined 15-for-45 from the field Tuesday and have struggled throughout the series. Knicks coach Mike Woodson is still looking at things optimistically. “It takes four games to get out of this series,” he said. “We go home, we handle our business at home and we get back (to Indiana) on Friday and see if we can force Game 7. That’s what I’m thinking. That’s the only way I’m thinking.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE PACERS: Paul George has not been shooting well in the series but has been able to make an impact in several other places. The All-Star forward has played tight defense on Anthony and has been a force on the glass along with the rest of the Indiana frontcourt. George Hill shouldered more of the scoring load in Game 4, including 14 of the Pacers’ 19 points in the third quarter that kept the team in control. “(Hill) was spectacular, maybe the best game I’ve ever seen him play,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “He was just making all the winning plays. He not only executed our offense, he bailed us out a few times when things broke down late in the shot clock.” Hill finished with a Game 4-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

ABOUT THE KNICKS: Anthony has shot under 40 percent from the field in six of the last seven games but Smith has been even worse, connecting at 28.6 percent in six games since serving a one-game suspension during Game 4 of the first round. “I take the blame for this whole series,” Smith told reporters after Game 4. “It started off with Game 4 in Boston or Game 5. I haven’t been playing myself. I haven’t been playing my part. I’ve been letting my teammates down. I’ve been letting my coaches down.” New York attempted to counter Indiana’s size advantage by starting Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin together in the frontcourt. That may have played a part in poor shooting nights from Roy Hibbert and David West in the Pacers frontcourt, but the Knicks were still outrebounded 54-36.

TRENDS:

* Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Under is 8-2-1 in Knicks last 11 overall.
* Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks F Amar’e Stoudemire (knee) played 11 minutes in Game 4 off the bench and had as many fouls as points (four).

2. Indiana is 7-0 in the postseason when Hill scores more than 12 points.

3. New York G Jason Kidd has not scored in any of the last eight games despite playing at least 15 minutes in each.



San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors (+1.5, 195.5)

San Antonio leads series 3-2.

The experience and execution of the San Antonio Spurs has allowed them to grab control of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors. The Spurs will have a chance to close out the series when they visit the Warriors for Game 6 Thursday. Golden State star Stephen Curry was held to nine points in Game 5 and has shot under 50 percent in each of the last four games while struggling through an ankle sprain.

San Antonio guard Tony Parker has been battling a calf injury but showed no signs that he was slowed while collecting 25 points and 10 assists in Game 5. The All-Star slashed through the Warriors perimeter defense and made Curry work hard at both ends of the floor. “Our energy was good,” Parker said after the game. “We got the 50-50 ball. That was huge for us tonight. … Tonight we played for 48 minutes.” The Spurs even outrebounded the Warriors for the first time in the series 38-36 as Tim Duncan got the better of Andrew Bogut down low.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT THE SPURS: San Antonio used a 15-0 run in the first quarter of Game 5 to seize control and did not trail the rest of the way. After shooting poorly in the fourth quarter and overtime during the Game 4 loss, the Spurs hit 51.9 percent from the field back at home for Game 5. Two of the biggest contributors were Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, who each came up with big shots to help slow Golden State runs. Coach Gregg Popovich was quick to credit the effort on defense and on the glass. “The series for us is all about the defense,” he told reporters. “…We got a lot of mismatches. They love those mismatches, so we have to play intelligently. I thought we did that tonight. But we followed up the defense with a board. There is no stop until the board is secured.” Duncan secured 11 boards and is averaging 11.2 in the series.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Golden State got this far with a lot of energy and some incredible shooting performances from Curry and Klay Thompson. The Warriors did not have either one of those things in San Antonio Tuesday. Curry and Thompson combined for 13 points on 6-of-22 shooting, and Thompson, whose 8-of-9 performance from beyond the arc helped Golden State even the series in Game 2, did not even attempt a 3-pointer. “I was terrible, plain and simple,” Curry told reporters. “They outplayed us as a team. Individually, I didn’t have anything on either end. (I was) a step slow, my shot wasn’t falling and I was trying to make plays but defensively I lost a little focus.” Coach Mark Jackson pulled Curry and Thompson with over four minutes left to give Curry all the time he could to rest up his ankle for Game 6. The Warriors pulled off an overtime home win in Game 4 and have gone 4-1 in their own arena this postseason, with the lone setback coming to the Spurs in Game 3, 102-92.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
* Under is 12-3-1 in Spurs last 16 road games.
* Spurs are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Duncan (143) needs one more double-double to snap a tie with Wilt Chamberlain and move into sole possession of second place on the all-time playoff list. Magic Johnson leads with 157.

2. Barnes is the first player in history to record 25 or more points in back-to-back playoff games after never reaching that mark in the regular season.

3. Golden State F David Lee played 12 minutes Tuesday - his longest stretch since suffering a torn hip flexor in Game 1 of the first round.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday Playoff Tips

May 15, 2013


The two road teams taking the court on Thursday night need just one victory to advance to the conference finals. The Pacers' defense stifled the Knicks in two home blowouts, while the Spurs are slowly getting their act together against the upstart Warriors. We'll start in the Big Apple with New York trying to shake things up and save its season.

Pacers at Knicks - 8:05 PM EST - TNT

It seemed like Miami and New York were on a collision course to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat will be there for a third straight postseason, but the Knicks are pulling up lame at the moment, sitting one loss away from elimination. New York should be thrilled to be heading back to Madison Square Garden, as the Atlantic Division need to find its scoring touch after two subpar performances in the Hoosier State.

Following a 71-point output in Saturday's Game 3 setback, Mike Woodson's team fell short again in Monday's Game 4 defeat at Indiana, 93-82 as five-point underdogs. The game finished 'under' the total of 179 ½ in spite of a 52-point barrage in the fourth quarter. Both the Pacers and Knicks each converted 31 shots from the floor, but New York managed to attempt 11 more shots, while hitting just 35%. The volume shooters known as Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith combined to shoot 16-of-45 from the field, as the Knicks never led once in the loss.

The Pacers pretty much held a double-digit advantage in the second half, led by George Hill's game-high 26 points on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting. Paul George, David West, and Roy Hibbert each pulled down double-digit rebounds, as George continued to shine in the postseason with 18 points. Indiana improved to 5-0 SU/ATS in the playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, as all five victories have come by at least 11 points.

The series shifts back to MSG as the Knicks own a 1-2 SU/ATS record the last three home games after a 12-game winning streak from early March through Game 2 of the first round. Indiana has covered five of its last six following consecutive losses at Atlanta in the opening round, as the Pacers have limited their opponents to 95 points or less in seven of 10 postseason contests.

Spurs at Warriors - 10:35 PM EST - TNT

Through the first two games of this series, Golden State sat in the driver's seat after grabbing a split in Texas. However, the Spurs managed to win one of two games at tough Oracle Arena to flip the home-court advantage back in San Antonio's favor. Following Monday's decisive home victory, the Spurs are back on track to return to the conference finals for the second straight season.

Stephen Curry helped lead Golden State's rally to capture Game 4 in overtime, but the sharpshooting guard was limited to nine points on 4-of-14 shooting in a 109-91 setback in Game 5. The Spurs easily cashed as seven-point favorites, while nailing the 'over' for the first time since back in the Game 1 double-overtime thriller. The only three Warriors that finished in double-figures was the unlikely trio of Harrison Barnes, Jarrett Jack, and Carl Landry, who combined for 61 points.

The Spurs found their groove offensively by shooting 51% from the floor, including a smooth 7-of-8 from Kawhi Leonard for 17 points. Tony Parker proved to be the best guard on the floor by scoring a team-high 25 points, while San Antonio drilled 10 three-pointers in the win. San Antonio now needs to find some consistency, as neither team has won consecutive games in this series.

After covering each of its first eight playoff games, Mark Jackson's club owns a 1-2 SU/ATS record the last three contests. The Warriors have compiled a 4-1 ATS mark at Oracle Arena in the playoffs, with the lone defeat coming to the Spurs in Game 3. San Antonio has put together a 3-8 SU and 4-7 ATS mark the previous 11 away contests, but the Spurs have limited the Lakers and Warriors to 92 points or less in regulation in four road playoff games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pacers (49-32) at Knicks (54-28)

Date: May 16, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) - Pablo Prigioni could return to the starting lineup. Jason Kidd will remain in the rotation.

Whichever players are on the court for the New York Knicks when they try to save their season Thursday night, coach Mike Woodson just wants them to shoot with confidence.

``All you can do is continue to shoot and you shoot the next one, you've got to feel good about that it's going to go in,' Woodson said Wednesday at practice while players took some jumpers that, indeed, did go in. ``Right now we're kind of looking over our shoulders.'

And right at a daunting situation.

The Indiana Pacers can eliminate the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday. Only eight NBA teams have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series, and it's doubtful any of them looked as hopeless offensively as these Knicks.

Averaging 88.3 points on 41.2 percent shooting in the series, the Knicks believe things can be different back on their home floor, though the Pacers looked perfectly comfortable at Madison Square Garden while winning Game 1.

``Every game is huge, it doesn't matter whether it's 0-0, 3-1. It doesn't matter,' Indiana coach Frank Vogel said following the Pacers' 93-82 victory in Game 4.

``Every game is huge and we had one closeout game at Atlanta earlier this season in the first round and we were able to come out and give a great effort and we've got to follow the blueprint we shared tonight: great defensive effort, great rebounding effort and selfless passing offensively.'

The Knicks managed only 76.5 points per game in two losses in Indianapolis and were outrebounded by huge margins in both games. A change to a bigger lineup was futile Tuesday, so Woodson said he might return to his normal first five Thursday.

New York went 16-2 after moving Prigioni into the starting lineup late in the regular season. Yet not only did he not start for the first time in the series Tuesday, but the Argentine point guard played only 3 1/2 minutes off the bench. Woodson said he is ``contemplating' another change.

``I don't know what I'm going to do yet. That lineup has been great for us for two, three months and I went away from it last night to go big and a lot of that was based on guys not being in practice and not too sure about Iman (Shumpert) in terms of his knee,' Woodson said.

``I mean there were a lot of things playing into why I did what I did but that lineup has been good and there's a strong chance we could go right back to that lineup.'

More Prigioni would likely mean less of Kidd or J.R. Smith, the two Knicks in the deepest slumps. Kidd is 0 for 7 and scoreless in the series, part of a 0-for-16 skid that began with Game 3 against Boston in the first round. The 40-year-old point guard, surely headed for the Hall of Fame, is 3 of 24 in the postseason and hasn't scored since hitting a 3-pointer against the Celtics in Game 2 on April 23. Yet he will get another chance Thursday.

``I'll never kick J-Kidd to the curb, man,' Woodson said. ``I mean, Kidd has been a positive for our club, our franchise, and these players that play around him. And we all still believe in Kidd. My thing is, I think he still does some of the intangibles - they might not show up in terms of scoring the ball - to help you win.'

Smith is 18 of 64 (28 percent) in the series and after Game 4 said he was to blame for the Knicks' problems. Woodson disagreed - ``I'm the head coach of the team, blame it on me,' he said - and Smith was alternately hard on himself and confident Wednesday.

``You're going to have those spurts during the regular season, but during the playoffs is when the good players become great,' Smith said. ``Right now, me myself, I'm playing just as average as can be, but my confidence is still up there and my teammates still have the confidence in me, and a lot of guys talked to me today and told me to keep my head up and keep playing. That not only goes for me, it goes for the whole team.'

Shumpert said his 0-for-6 performance in Game 4 wasn't caused by any problems with his left knee after he was forced to sit out practice between games because of soreness.

The problems are almost all caused by the Pacers, perhaps the NBA's best defensive team in the regular season and completely locked in again now. All-Star Paul George is containing Carmelo Anthony, Roy Hibbert is protecting the paint and the Knicks just don't know where else to look.

The Pacers haven't been to the conference finals since 2004. Game 6 would be Saturday in Indiana, where the Pacers are 4-0 against the Knicks this season, but say they want to wrap it up in New York.

``I feel like we have to go into New York like we're on our elimination game, like we're about to get eliminated, like we're down 1-3,' guard George Hill said after scoring 26 points Tuesday. ``So I think if we do that and play with the same type of energy and effort and passion that we played with tonight, we can come away with a win, but it's not going to be easy.'

The Knicks' first appearance in the second round since 2000 has been ugly, unable to make shots or grab nearly enough of the ones that miss. But Woodson believes the confident shot-making team that won 54 games can still show up in this series.

``If we can win tomorrow - and I think we'll put ourselves in position to win - then the series has got to go back and then we've got to see what they're made of back there in Game 6,' he said. ``But tomorrow's a must game.'

-----------------------------------------------------------
SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pacers at Knicks
Sun, May 5 Final 102 to 95
Recaps

GAME 2
Pacers at Knicks
Tue, May 7 Final 79 to 105
Recaps

GAME 3
Knicks at Pacers
Sat, May 11 Final 71 to 82
Recaps

GAME 4
Knicks at Pacers
Tue, May 14 Final 82 to 93
Recaps

GAME 5
Pacers at Knicks
Thu, May 16 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Knicks at Pacers
Sat, May 18 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Pacers at Knicks
Mon, May 20 - 8:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Spurs (58-24) at Warriors (47-35)

Date: May 16, 2013 10:30 PM EDT


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Forgive the San Antonio Spurs if they aren't that excited about holding a 3-2 series lead over the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals.

After all, they've been ahead twice before.

If the Spurs want to close out the Warriors in Game 6 on Thursday night at rowdy Oracle Arena, they'll have to do what neither team has in this series: win consecutive games. Golden State also is 4-0 after a loss in the playoffs.

``Nobody talks about getting this over with like you've got a rash,' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ``Like you can take a pill or put some cream on it, it's going to be gone. This is a war. They're a class team. They bust their (butts) at both ends of the floor. It's not about getting rid of anything. It's about going and playing and that's about it.'

San Antonio has increasingly shown its veteran savvy the last three games, and Golden State has looked like it's finally wearing down from all its injuries.

Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and the rest of the Spurs overwhelmed the Warriors in Tuesday night's 109-91 win in San Antonio. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson - described by Coach Mark Jackson as the ``greatest shooting backcourt in NBA history' - combined to score just 13 points on 6-of-22 shooting.

Curry has refused to use the left ankle he sprained late in Game 3 as an excuse, but anybody who has watched can clearly see he has been slowed by the injury. Thompson, who failed to even attempt a 3-pointer for the first time all season Tuesday, has been shut down by San Antonio since scoring 34 points in Game 2.

Neither Curry nor Thompson was made available to speak to reporters during the team's light shootaround Wednesday in Oakland. The rest of the Warriors insist they're not worried about the ``Splash Brothers' or the team's ability to respond.

``We're never going to quit. We're never going to die. We've got a lot of fight left. This isn't the end,' Warriors forward Carl Landry said. ``Actually, we're excited about having the opportunity to play in a Game 6. Everybody in that locker room is excited and ready.'

The odds are not in Golden State's favor.

Teams that have won Game 5 of a best-of-seven series that was tied have gone on to win the series 88 out of 99 times. However, those teams are 50-49 in Game 6.

The Spurs have won 11 of 12 best-of-seven series when leading 3-2. The last time the Warriors came back from a 3-2 deficit was against the Chicago Bulls in the 1975 Western Conference finals, when the franchise went on to win its only NBA title.

Despite all the doubt, Golden State has overcome every obstacle it has faced this season - from forward Brandon Rush's season-ending left knee injury in the home opener to center Andrew Bogut's sore left ankle throughout the year to All-Star forward David Lee's hip injury in the first round against Denver.

``We are our habits and we have a tight-knit group that is able to make adjustments, own it when they don't play well and bounce back,' Jackson said. ``I have no doubt that will take place again.'

The Spurs are getting production from others besides Parker and Duncan, and that might be the biggest turnaround in a series that has been full of them.

The length of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green has bothered Curry and Thompson. Duncan and Tiago Splitter have put Bogut in foul trouble in two straight games, and San Antonio's team defense has displayed the ``maniacal' effort that Popovich has preached in leading the franchise to four NBA titles.

``That's how it's supposed to be,' said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who is starting to find success as a facilitator with his shot not falling. ``We are not a team that's going to have somebody scoring 40 every game that we can rely on. We need everybody to contribute because we are not the most talented team in the league, so we need a contribution from everybody.'

Standing in the way of a second straight Western Conference finals appearance for San Antonio is a gritty Golden State team that has nothing to lose.

Jackson is relying on a phrase he has repeated since the playoffs started: few people expected the Warriors to be a serious contender in the preseason, so there's no pressure on his players, who echoed those sentiments.

For a franchise that has made the playoffs just twice since 1994, the Warriors are relishing the opportunity to push the conference semifinals to a decisive Game 7, which would be in San Antonio on Sunday.

``It's almost like an NCAA tournament game,' Landry said. ``We just have to go out there and never take any possessions off. After the game, we shouldn't have anything left. We shouldn't even be able to walk to our cars. Everything should be left out on the floor.'

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Warriors at Spurs
Mon, May 6 Final 127 to 129
Recaps

GAME 2
Warriors at Spurs
Wed, May 8 Final 100 to 91
Recaps

GAME 3
Spurs at Warriors
Fri, May 10 Final 102 to 92
Recaps

GAME 4
Spurs at Warriors
Sun, May 12 Final 87 to 97
Recaps

GAME 5
Warriors at Spurs
Tue, May 14 Final 91 to 109
Recaps

GAME 6
Spurs at Warriors
Thu, May 16 - 10:30PM EDT

GAME 7
Warriors at Spurs
Sun, May 19 - 3:30PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Playoff Results - 2nd Round

May 15, 2013


Series Results

Miami (-2500) over Chicago (4-1)

Memphis (-115) over Oklahoma City (4-1)

Overall Game Results:

-- Home teams are 11-7
-- Favorites are 11-7 straight up
-- Favorites are 9-9 against the spread
-- The Under is 9-8-1

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result


Sunday May 5, 2013

Memphis Oklahoma City (-3.5) 93-91 Underdog Under (186.5)

Indiana (+5, +200) New York 102-95 Underdog Over (182)


Monday May 6, 2013

Chicago (+13, +900) Miami 93-86 Underdog Under (188)

Golden State San Antonio (-9) 129-127 (2OT) Underdog Over (203)


Tuesday May 7, 2013

Memphis (+3, +125) Oklahoma City 99-93 Underdog Over (189)

Indiana New York (-6) 105-79 Favorite Push (184)


Wednesday May 8, 2013

Chicago Miami (-13) 115-78 Favorite Over (186)

Golden State (+7.5, +270) San Antonio 100-91 Underdog Under (205)


Friday May 10, 2013

Miami (-8.5) Chicago 104-94 Favorite Over (186)

San Antonio (+2.5, +125) Golden State 102-92 Underdog Under (203)


Saturday May 11, 2013

New York Indiana (-5) 82-71 Favorite Under (183)

Oklahoma City Memphis (-5) 87-81 Favorite Under (186.5)


Sunday May 12, 2013

San Antonio Golden State (+2, +110) 97-87 (OT) Underdog Under (198.5)


Monday May 13, 2013

Miami (-8) Chicago 88-65 Favorite Under (185)

Oklahoma City Memphis (-4.5) 103-97 (OT) Favorite Over (185)


Tuesday May 14, 2013

New York Indiana (-5) 93-82 Favorite Under (180)

Golden State San Antonio (-6.5) 109-91 Favorite Over (195)



Wednesday May 15, 2013

Chicago Miami (-14) 94-91 Underdog Over (181.5)

Memphis (+4.5, +175) Oklahoma City 88-84 Underdog Under (185.5)


Thursday May 16, 2013
San Antonio Golden State - - -
Indiana New York - - -

Saturday May 18, 2013
* New York Indiana - - -

Sunday May 19, 2013
* Golden State San Antonio - - -

Monday May 20, 2013
* Indiana New York - - -

*If Neccessary

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, May 16

Conference Semifinals, Game Five (Indiana Leads, 3-1)
Indiana at New York, 8:05 ET TNT
Indiana: 1-9 ATS away off BB Unders
New York: 10-1 ATS at home after playing as an underdog

Conference Semifinals, Game Six (San Antonio Leads, 3-2)
San Antonio at Golden State, 10:35 ET ESPN
San Antonio: 23-11 ATS after scoring 105+ points
Golden State: 17-8 Over off a road loss

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/15/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
05/14/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/13/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/12/13 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail
05/11/13 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2200 Detail
05/10/13 0-*4-*0 0.00% -*2200 Detail
05/08/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/07/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
05/06/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/05/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/04/13 0-*2-*0 0.00% -*1100 Detail
05/03/13 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*850 Detail
05/02/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*100 Detail
05/01/13 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*900 Detail

Totals 25-*33-*0 43.10% -*5650


Thursday, May 16

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Indiana - 8:00 PM ET New York -5 500 POD # 4


New York - Under 181 500 POD # 2




San Antonio - 10:30 PM ET Golden State +2 500 POD # 1


Golden State - Over 194.5 500 POD # 3

[StarDust Bum]

Playoff Results - 2nd Round

May 17, 2013


Series Results

Miami (-2500) over Chicago (4-1)

Memphis (-115) over Oklahoma City (4-1)
San Antonio (-525) over Golden State (4-2)

Overall Game Results:

-- Home teams are 12-8
-- Favorites are 13-7 straight up
-- Favorites are 11-9 against the spread
-- The Under is 11-8-1

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Sunday May 5, 2013

Memphis Oklahoma City (-3.5) 93-91 Underdog Under (186.5)

Indiana (+5, +200) New York 102-95 Underdog Over (182)


Monday May 6, 2013

Chicago (+13, +900) Miami 93-86 Underdog Under (188)

Golden State San Antonio (-9) 129-127 (2OT) Underdog Over (203)


Tuesday May 7, 2013

Memphis (+3, +125) Oklahoma City 99-93 Underdog Over (189)

Indiana New York (-6) 105-79 Favorite Push (184)


Wednesday May 8, 2013

Chicago Miami (-13) 115-78 Favorite Over (186)

Golden State (+7.5, +270) San Antonio 100-91 Underdog Under (205)


Friday May 10, 2013

Miami (-8.5) Chicago 104-94 Favorite Over (186)

San Antonio (+2.5, +125) Golden State 102-92 Underdog Under (203)


Saturday May 11, 2013

New York Indiana (-5) 82-71 Favorite Under (183)

Oklahoma City Memphis (-5) 87-81 Favorite Under (186.5)


Sunday May 12, 2013

San Antonio Golden State (+2, +110) 97-87 (OT) Underdog Under (198.5)


Monday May 13, 2013

Miami (-8) Chicago 88-65 Favorite Under (185)

Oklahoma City Memphis (-4.5) 103-97 (OT) Favorite Over (185)


Tuesday May 14, 2013

New York Indiana (-5) 93-82 Favorite Under (180)

Golden State San Antonio (-6.5) 109-91 Favorite Over (195)


Wednesday May 15, 2013

Chicago Miami (-14) 94-91 Underdog Over (181.5)

Memphis (+4.5, +175) Oklahoma City 88-84 Underdog Under (185.5)


Thursday May 16, 2013

San Antonio (-2.5) Golden State 94-82 Favorite Under (194.5)

Indiana New York (-5) 85-75 Favorite Under (181.5)


Saturday May 18, 2013
New York Indiana - - -


Monday May 20, 2013
* Indiana New York - - -

*If Neccessary

[StarDust Bum]

Unlikely Big 3 has Memphis in 1st Western finals

May 17, 2013



MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The Miami Heat have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Spurs have dominated for years with the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Now the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded their leading scorer in January, have surged into their first Western Conference finals behind an unlikely Big Three of their own.

Marc Gasol still is Pau's little brother to some. Memphis thought about trading guard Mike Conley, the son of a track star, early in his career. And Memphis is Zach Randolph's fourth NBA team.

``Me, Marc and Zach, we all tried to take the team and put them on our back and say, `Hey, this is what we're going to do. This is what we've got to do to be great and get to where we want to go,''' Conley said Friday. ``We knew we had to step up, and we all did that.''

That they have.

The Grizzlies never won a playoff series with Gay on the court. When they beat the Spurs in the first round in 2011, it came with Gay sidelined by an injury.

Even though Memphis traded Gay on Jan. 30 to Toronto in salary-cutting move, he wound up as the Grizzlies' leading scorer with 17.2 points in the regular season. But the shots Gay took largely have been split among Conley, Gasol and Randolph, and they have helped Memphis win eight of nine playoff games to finish off first the Clippers, then the Thunder.

And Memphis is the only team in the NBA this postseason with three scorers in the top 20. Not the Spurs. Not the Heat.

Now Conley and Randolph can agree that the trade wound up helping the Grizzlies.

``At first, it was some different thoughts, even myself and some of my teammates,'' Randolph said. ``But after a while, it was, `OK, this is our identity. We got an identity. Guys are going to stay in their roles.' ... It ended up being good.''

The Grizzlies settled into their inside-out game with Randolph down low on the block and Gasol out near the free throw line throwing in hooks and his flat-footed jumpers. Conley darts in and around handing off the ball, picking off steals and scoring when needed.

Randolph is averaging 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds this postseason, and Gasol is close behind at 18.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.18 blocks. Conley ranks fourth in the playoffs averaging 7.6 assists a game, and he's scoring 17.6 points a game - the best of his career.

``It has helped me out a lot, just the responsibility in itself has been big for me, and I've just tried to use this opportunity to get better and make my teammates better,'' Conley said.

The Grizzlies play the Spurs in Game 1 on Sunday in San Antonio. But only the most optimistic Memphis fan along with coach Lionel Hollins and general manager Chris Wallace even thought this combination could work so well.

Gasol was the throw-in when Wallace traded Pau, the Grizzlies' all-time leading scorer, to the Lakers on Feb. 1, 2008, in a deal heavily criticized as a gift to Los Angeles. But the Grizzlies got the draft rights to Marc, who had played two years of high school ball in Memphis.

Now the 7-foot-1 Marc is the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year who played his first All Star game last season.

Conley, son of Olympic track star Mike Conley Sr., helped lead Ohio State to the national championship game as a freshman at Ohio State playing with Greg Oden. Memphis drafted him fourth overall in 2007 but was unhappy enough with the guard in 2009 that they were trying to trade him before Hollins argued to put him on the floor.

Conley led the NBA in steals this season and easily held his own against All-Star guard Chris Paul in the first series. His play has been so good this postseason that teammate Tony Allen keeps arguing Conley is among the top five in the NBA.

``With all those other point guards finishing up being hurt, Mike Conley's name is in there,'' Allen said. ``Top five now I believe.''

Conley and Gasol had been together a season when Randolph joined Memphis in a trade that where the Clippers cleared a roster spot for Blake Griffin on July 17, 2009. Randolph fit right in both on the Grizzlies and in Memphis where his scrappy play with a vertical leap that barely goes past his outstretched toes has made him a fan favorite and a two-time All Star.

If Gasol or Conley have the hot hand shooting, Randolph said he can be a decoy as he was most of the semifinal series against Oklahoma. He broke out with 28 points and 14 rebounds in the series clincher Wednesday night, and Randolph knows he'll get more space to operate under the basket when Gasol and Conley score away.

``Our chemistry is great,'' Randolph said. ``We've been doing this for five ... years. We feed off each other and play off each other.''

Now the Memphis Three have their sights set on a championship knowing they have to find a way to beat Duncan, Parker and Ginobili to have a chance.

``Their big three done won championships and did a lot more than our big three,'' Randolph said. ``We're just trying to get to where they're at.''

[StarDust Bum]

Knicks at Pacers, Game 6

May 18, 2013



With its back against the wall going back home to Madison Square Garden for Thursday’s Game 5, New York (60-33 straight up, 51-40-2 against the spread) caught a break a few hours before it took the court against Indiana.

George Hill, who had led the Pacers to a 3-1 series advantage by scoring a game-high 26 points in an 82-71 Game 4 win, was declared ‘out’ due to a concussion suffered on Tuesday.

Suddenly the storyline of J.R. Smith’s horrendous shooting slump and late-night partying with Rihanna was put on the backburner. With Hill out of the lineup, the Knicks had a much better chance at staving off elimination.

And that’s exactly what they did, capturing an 85-75 win as five-point home favorites. New York took the cash, while the 160 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 181.5-point total.

Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 28 points to force a Game 6 back in Indianapolis with his team trailing 3-2 in the series. Chris Copeland finally got some playing time and responded by draining 3-of-4 attempts from 3-point land en route to scoring 13 points in 19 minutes of action.

Smith didn’t exactly explode from out of his shooting woes, making only 4-of-11 from the field, but he played decent with 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists. Raymond Felton was also in double figures with 12 points and dished out four assists without committing a turnover.

In the losing effort, Paul George finished with 23 points, six rebounds and six assists. David West scored 17 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made three steals.

D.J. Augustine saw increased minutes (38) with Hill ‘out.’ The Texas product knocked down three treys but failed to record an assist. As a team, Indiana had an atrocious 12/19 assists-to-turnovers ratio.

For Game 6 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indiana (56-36 SU, 49-43 ATS) has been installed as a five-point home ‘chalk.’ As of early this morning, there were a few books at 4.5. The total was 178 and the Knicks were +175 on the money line (risk $100 to win $175).

The Pacers are a perfect 5-0 both SU and ATS in its five home playoff games, winning by at least 11 points in each contest. But Hill played in those five home wins and he remained ‘questionable’ as of early this morning.

Mike Woodson’s club is 2-3 both SU and ATS in five postseason road assignments.

The ‘under’ is 6-2-1 in nine head-to-head meetings between these squads this year, 3-0-1 in the last four encounters. The lowest previous total was 179.5 in Game 4 at Indiana.

The ‘under’ is 49-41-3 overall for the Knicks, 24-20-2 in their road games. The ‘under’ is 47-43-2 overall for the Pacers, 23-22-1 overall in their home outings.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--J.R. Smith hasn’t been the same player since his suspension during the Boston series. Since then, Smith has made only 27-of-102 shots for an abysmal 26.5 percent in the last

--Amar’e Stoudemire hasn’t been much of a factor in his three games since returning from injury. He logged just 6:34 of playing time in Game 5, finishing with two points and two rebounds. In nearly 27 minutes of PT in three games, Stoudemire has 13 points and nine boards.

--The updated series price is Pacers -330, Knicks +270.

--San Antonio has been installed as a four-point home favorite for Sunday’s Game 1 vs. Memphis. The total is 183.5 and the Grizzlies are +160 on the money line.

--The series price at most spots is San Antonio -140, Memphis +110.

--Sportsbook.ag’s updated futures: Heat -350, Grizzlies 7/1, Spurs 7/1, Pacers 15/1 and Knicks 50/1.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

New York at Indiana
The Pacers look to close out the series and build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 home games. Indiana is the pick (-5) according to Dunkel, which has the Pacers favored by 7. Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-5). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Game 747-748: New York at Indiana (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 117.683; Indiana 124.731
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 7; 174
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 5; 179 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-5); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 18

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

NEW YORK (60 - 33) at INDIANA (56 - 36) - 5/18/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
NEW YORK is 52-40 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 59-38 ATS (+17.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-8 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 8-8 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Short Sheet

Saturday, May 18

Conference Semifinals, Game Six (Indiana Leads, 3-2)
New York at Indiana, 8:05 ET ESPN
New York: 22-12 ATS off a win by 10+ points
Indiana: 1-9 ATS off 3+ games allowing 90 points or less




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 18

Knicks beat Boston in 1st round, which was playing without PG Rondo, now Indiana PG Hill has concussion, may not play here. Pacers' starting guards hit dismal 4-16 in Game 5 loss without Hill. Anthony is 25-67 (37.3%) in three Indy win in series, 25-54 in two Knick wins. JR Smith is 26-85 in five losses vs Pacers, 19-47 in four New York Ws- in seven games since a suspension in Boston series, Smith is shooting 28.2% from floor. 11 of last 15 Knick games stayed under the total; 12 of last 19 Indy games went over (0 of last 3). Immense pressure on Indiana to end series on home court and avoid going back to Manhattan for a decisive Game 7.




NBA

Saturday, May 18

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

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 7 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games when playing at home against New York


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




NBA

Saturday, May 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA Western Conference finals preview: Spurs vs. Grizzlies
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies duke it out in the Western Conference championship with a ticket to the NBA Finals on the line.

Here’s a look at how these teams stack up and their odds to win the series heading into Game 1 this Sunday.

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies

Season series: Tied 2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS, 1-3 O/U
Series prices: San Antonio -120, Memphis +100

Why bet the Spurs: San Antonio has the ability and experience to switch gears, going from an up-tempo style versus the Warriors to a slowed-down grinder with the Grizzlies. The Spurs aren’t intimidated on the road, with their only loss away from the Alamo coming in OT.

Tim Duncan is the most skilled big man Memphis has met this postseason and he stepped up versus the Grizzlies this season, averaging 19.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and three blocks in three games. San Antonio has better shooters and more depth – ranked No. 5 in bench production to Memphis’ No. 27-ranked reserves.

The Grizzlies have caught some lucky breaks this postseason. The Clippers’ stars were falling apart in the first round and they took advantage of a Thunder squad missing its All-Star point guard. San Antonio is relatively healthy despite the age of its superstars.

Why bet the Grizzlies: Memphis is on pace to become one of the best bets in recent NBA playoff history. Since dropping Game 1 against the Clippers, the Grizzlies have covered in 10 straight games. Memphis holds the mental edge over the Spurs, having eliminated them from the first round of the 2011 playoffs in six games, going 5-0-1 ATS in that series.

Memphis is a tough team to slow offensively, with a different scorer stepping up each night. Four players are averaging double figures in the playoffs, including PG Mike Conley Jr. who is averaging 17.6 points per game. The Grizzlies average the fewest amount of turnovers this postseason.

Defensively, the Grizzlies are a physical squad that wears down opponents over the course of a series. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph plug up the middle and won’t give Tony Parker free range in the paint while Tayshaun Prince and Tony Allen get a hand up on the Spurs’ shooters.


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




NBA

Saturday, May 18

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Knicks at Pacers: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers (-5, 177.5)

Pacers lead best-of-seven series 3-2.

For all the love that Paul George has gotten during the postseason, it is becoming apparent that George Hill might actually be the most important player for the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers hope to have their point guard back when they host the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday. Hill sat out Game 5 with a concussion and the Indiana offense noticeably suffered without its director.

Hill spent Game 5 in a darkened training room after taking an elbow from Knicks center Tyson Chandler in the previous game. He will need to pass the NBA’s concussion protocol in order to return to the lineup, and that could take some time. Meanwhile New York will try to keep the magic it found at home going in Indiana, where the Pacers have yet to lose in the postseason. The Knicks have been in a shooting slump during the entire series but came through on the defensive end by limiting Indiana to 36.2 percent shooting and holding their own on the boards.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT THE KNICKS: Carmelo Anthony failed to record a field goal in the fourth quarter during Game 3 or 4 at Indiana but came through late in Game 5 with four straight points that helped put the game away. The star forward went 10-for-28 from the field in Game 5 and is shooting 41.3 percent in the series. “We wasn’t ready to go home yet,” Anthony said. “We wanted to protect our homecourt. We let one slip away here on our homecourt (in Game 1) that put us in the position we’re in right now. But we’re just taking it one day at a time. We have faith, we believe, and we feel confident about this one.” Anthony got some much-needed scoring help from the bench, where both Chris Copeland and J.R. Smith scored 13 points. Smith struggled again to 4-for-11 from the field but Copeland hit a trio of 3-pointers in 19 minutes - his most playing time of the series.

ABOUT THE PACERS: Indiana is 7-0 in the postseason when Hill scores 14 or more points and 0-4 when he scores fewer. The 27-year-old guard reportedly suffered the concussion in the first half of Game 4 but still went on to score 14 points in the third quarter of that game en route to a game-high 26. But symptoms began to crop up the next day, and the Pacers and the NBA won’t take any chances. “He’s gotta pass the NBA protocol concussion test,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. D.J. Augustin started in Hill’s place in Game 5 and scored 12 points but did not have an assist in 39 minutes. George absorbed more of the ball handling responsibilities, in addition to being counted on for scoring production and taking the main defensive assignment on Anthony. “We gotta approach Game 6 as a desperation game,” George said. The All-Star forward scored a team-high 23 points in Game 5 but went 10-for-36 in Games 3 and 4 in Indiana.

TRENDS:

* Knicks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following an ATS win.
* Pacers are 5-0 ATS in their last five home games.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 11-2 in Pacers’ last 13 games following a loss.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pop star Rihanna suggested on Instagram that Smith has struggled because he’s hung over from partying. “I don’t follow that,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson told reporters. “It has no bearing on this game tonight.”

2. Indiana went 19-for-33 from the free throw line in Game 5.

3. New York G Jason Kidd was limited to five minutes in Game 5 and went 0-for-1 from the field. He is 0-for-17 in the last nine games.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, May 18

Game Score Status Pick Amount

New York - 8:00 PM ET Indiana -5 500 POD # 1

Indiana - Under 179.5 500 POD # 2

[StarDust Bum]

Game 1 - Grizzlies at Spurs

May 17, 2013


MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES at SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Game 1 Line & Total: San Antonio -4.5 & 183.5

Series Price: San Antonio -140, Memphis +120

Series Format: San Antonio, 2-2-1-1-1

Game 1 - Sunday, May 19
Game 2 - Tuesday, May 21
Game 3 - Saturday, May 25
Game 4 - Monday, May 27
Game 5* - Wednesday, May 29
Game 6* - Friday, May 31
Game 7* - Sunday, June 2

The Western Conference Finals tip off Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET when the red-hot Grizzlies face the favored Spurs from the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Current Form

Memphis carries a four-game SU win streak with 10 straight ATS victories when it heads to AT&T Center for Game 1. Since losing the first two games of the postseason to the Clippers, the Grizzlies are 8-1 SU with the lone loss coming by two points in Game 1 at Oklahoma City.

San Antonio's offense was wildly inconsistent in the six-game series win over Golden State, but after collapsing in a Game 4 loss, the club finished the series with two straight double-digit victories over the Warriors.

Head-to-Head Betting Notes

2012-13 Head to Head Meetings

Date Results Total

4/11/13 Memphis (-6.5) 92 vs. San Antonio 90 UNDER 189.5

1/16/13 San Antonio (-5.5) 103 vs. Memphis 82 UNDER 187

1/11/13 Memphis (-2) 101 vs. San Antonio 98 (OT) OVER 188

12/1/12 San Antonio (-6) 99 vs. Memphis 95 (OT) UNDER 196.5

These teams split the four games they played in the regular season, with each winning twice at home and each going 1-1 ATS in both venues. Three of the four games were decided by four points or less and two of the contests went to overtime as well. Although the Spurs have beaten the Grizzlies six straight times at home as part of a 17-2 SU home record in this series since 2006, Memphis is actually 10-8-1 ATS during this period at AT&T Center, including 6-3-1 ATS in the past 10 trips to San Antonio. The UNDER went 3-1 in the regular season and has gone 6-2 in the previous eight encounters.

Home & Away

The Grizzlies have been a great road team all season at 27-20 SU and 29-17-1 ATS (63%), while the Spurs are an excellent 39-7 SU (85%) at home, but a mediocre 22-22-2 ATS in front of their passionate fans.

Inside the Numbers - Memphis

The Grizzlies' four-game win streak has occurred despite a subpar offense scoring just 94.3 PPG on 40% FG and 28% threes during this surge. However, they have done an excellent job handling the basketball with 18.5 APG and only 10.0 TOPG during this stretch. For the entire postseason, Memphis has 19.5 APG and 10.4 TOPG. Defensively this team has been outstanding throughout the playoffs, allowing just 92.4 PPG on 43.5% FG and 31.8% threes, while producing 7.2 SPG and 4.1 BPG. The Grizzlies held Oklahoma City's potent offense to mere 89.6 PPG on 39.9% FG in the five-game series win.

Center Marc Gasol (18.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.2 BPG in playoffs) has been the team's most consistent performer in the postseason, but his numbers against the Spurs this season weren’t that special with 14.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 1.3 BPG.

Point guard Mike Conley (17.6 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.8 RPG in playoffs) has shot horribly this postseason (38.5% FG, 28.6% threes), including 31% FG in the past three contests. But he's done a great job running the offense with 84 assists and just 21 turnovers (4.0 Ast/TO ratio), and had an outstanding regular-season performance against San Antonio with 18.0 PPG (46% FG), 5.5 APG and 2.0 SPG in the four meetings.

But the key to this Grizzlies team will be which power forawrd Zach Randolph (18.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.2 BPG in playoffs) will show up. After scoring just 13.7 PPG in the first three games of the West semifinals, he helped finished off the Thunder with 25.5 PPG and 13.0 RPG in the final two games. Although he averaged a double-double of 14.3 PPG and 10.0 RPG against the Spurs in the regular season, Randolph shot an anemic 36% from the floor.

Shooting guard SG Tony Allen (11.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG in playoffs) has ripped off four straight double-figure scoring games, averaging 11.8 PPG on 45% FG, while racking up 3.0 SPG on the defensive end. He scored 9.0 PPG (53% FG) with 5.3 RPG in three games versus San Antonio this season.

Small forward Tayshaun Prince (7.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG in playoffs) has been in a shooting funk in his past four games, making just 9-of-34 shots (26.5%) during this slump. But in his lone meeting with San Antonio this season, Prince had a solid stat line of 11 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Inside the Numbers - San Antonio

The Spurs offense was extremely erratic in the past five games versus Golden State, shooting 39% FG in Game 2, 51% FG in Game 3, 36% FG in Game 4, 52% FG in Game 5, and 45% in Thursday's clincher. However, the defense has really stepped up in the past four games, holding a potent Warriors offense to 90.5 PPG on 40.5% FG and 33.3% threes.

PG Tony Parker (22.4 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.1 RPG in series) has had a great postseason, but is coming off a dreadful shooting night on Thursday, making just 3-of-16 shots. But in his past four home games, Parker has 25.3 PPG on 46% FG with 7.0 APG, and he completely dominated the Grizzlies in the regular season with 25.5 PPG (51% FG) and 6.5 APG.

PF Tim Duncan (18.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG in series) also played extremely well versus Memphis with 19.7 PPG, 12.7 RPG and 4.0 APG in three games against them. He scored a team-high 19 points in Thursday's series clincher.

SF Kawhi Leonard (13.7 PPG, 8.4 RPG in playoffs) was the team's best player in that Game 6 win though, pumping in 16 points (6-of-13 FG), 10 rebounds (4 offensive) and two steals. Leonard tallied a pedestrian 9.5 PPG (58% FG) and 3.0 RPG in two games facing the Grizzlies this season.

SG Manu Ginobili (12.1 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.2 RPG in playoffs) is a 45% career shooter, but he has made just 37.7% of his shots in the postseason. He was also off the mark versus Memphis this season with 12.0 PPG on 34.6% FG, but did contribute 5.5 APG and 5.5 RPG in those two meetings. In similar fashion, Ginobili has 8.0 APG and 5.5 RPG during his team's current two-game win streak, but has made just 26.7% of his shots (4-of-15).

SG Danny Green (10.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG in playoffs) was even colder facing the Grizzlies this season with a paltry 5.0 PPG on 28% FG, but he does have 13.5 PPG on 9-of-15 shooting (5-of-9 threes) in his past two contests.