Cnotes 2018 - 2019 NBA Thru The Playoffs-Picks/Trends/News !

[Cnotes53]

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

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NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

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

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


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BEST BETS:

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


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


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


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APRILS NBA BEST BETS


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

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s 6-pack

XFL head coaches; league starts play in 2020:

? Dallas- Bob Stoops

? Houston- June Jones

? Los Angeles- Winston Moss

? New York- Kevin Gilbride

? St Louis- Jonathan Hayes

? Seattle- Jim Zorn

? Tampa Bay- Marc Trestman

? Washington- Pep Hamilton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you were going to fire the GM, shouldn?t this have happened BEFORE the draft?

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

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

Steph Curry has played in Oakland the last 10 years and makes $500,000 a game, because he worked his butt off and is a great player. He does a ton of commercials. You can get rich anywhere in the NBA; doesn?t have to be New York or Los Angeles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

6) Eldrick Woods didn?t practice at Bethpage Wednesday, a day before the PGA Championship.

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

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

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

3) Rays 1, Marlins 0? Miami hasn?t scored a run since the third inning on Saturday, thats 24 innings ago. They?ve lost seven games in a row, are 10-31.

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

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

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

And he means everybody.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Green and the Warriors expect much more from the Blazers.

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--By Dave Del Grande, Field Level Media


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

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

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

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

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total bettors were expecting fireworks in Game 1 as the number closed as high as 221 after an opener of 218. The lean was incorrect and Portland?s inability to connect from the field helped the ?under? connect easily. For Game 2, the oddsmakers sent out an opener of 218 and the betting public hasn?t shown a lean one way or another as of Wednesday evening.

Chris David of VegasInsider.com offered up his total thoughts on the second installment from Oracle Arena. He said, ?Playing in the Bay Area in the playoffs has proven to be much more difficult than a regular season game and Portland felt that wrath on Tuesday. The result wasn?t surprising, considering we just watched a more offensively skilled Houston team crumble three times in the conference semifinals after winning there twice during the regular season.?

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

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

The Blazers have lost 14 of their past 15 trips to Oracle Arena since January 2014 as NBA expert Tony Mejia checks in with his take on Game 2, ?The Blazers are likely to change things up from a personnel standpoint, so keep that in mind when betting Game 2. Enes Kanter was productive on the boards and the low block, but the Blazers still had to compensate for his lack of defense with how they defended the perimeter. With Rodney Hood moving around better than expected after Sunday?s knee injury, get used to see him in three-guard lineups and don?t be surprised to see Moe Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu out there as the Blazers go small. The more mobile Zach Collins should continue to see major minutes, so we could see a faster pace with more ball handlers and shooters out on the floor.?

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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


NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 16

Portland @ Golden State

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

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


NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 16

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

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

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

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


NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 16

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


NBA

Thursday, May 16

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

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

 

[Cnotes53]

THURSDAY, MAY 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

POR at GS 09:00 PM

GS -7.5

U 219.0

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LILLARD AT HOME

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

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

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

DURANT UPDATE

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

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

TIP-INS

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

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD


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

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


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


BEST BETS:

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


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


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


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

APRILS NBA BEST BETS


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

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday?s 6-pack

Six fastest-working pitchers in major leagues:

6) Mike Foltynewicz, Braves 21.4 seconds between pitches

5) Brett Anderson A?s, 21.2

4) Luis Castillo Reds, 21.0

3) Erik Swanson Mariners, 20.6

2) Steven Matz Mets, 20.4

1) Wade Milieu Astros, 19.1

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

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

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

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

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

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

13) Warriors 114, Trailblazers 111? It is getting to the point where you ask if Kevin Durant has played his last game for Golden State? Warriors lead this series 2-0; Durant isn?t close to getting back on floor, and in this series at least, they don?t even seem to need him

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

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

10) Scott Pioli resigned as assistant GM of the Atlanta Falcons this week; he said he wasn?t fired, isn?t sick and doesn?t have another job lined up, but there is speculation that he might be going to TV or is a candidate for the vacant Jets? GM job.

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

?I don?t think there?s any pitcher on the planet ? you?ve got 17 punchouts, you definitely want to go out for [another] inning. I?d love to have gone back out there, but I respect him as much as anybody on the planet and I?ll never question anything he does, even in regard to that.?

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

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

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

Beating a cruddy team like Detroit 17-3 doesn?t impress me; holding a one-run lead in the 9th inning is very impressive, especially on the road.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RARE LOSS

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

RARE WIN

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

BROGDON'S IMPACT

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

DANGER TIME

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

ALMOST PERFECT

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

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday?s game

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

 

[Cnotes53]

 

[Cnotes53]

545Toronto -546 Milwaukee
TORONTO is 10-1 ATS (8.9 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games in the current season.


NBA
Dunkel

Friday, May 17

Toronto @ Milwaukee

Game 545-546
May 17, 2019 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
127.823
Milwaukee
130.031
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 7
215 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+7); Under

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, May 17

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

TORONTO (66 - 29) at MILWAUKEE (69 - 23) - 5/17/2019, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games on Friday nights this season.
TORONTO is 42-55 ATS (-18.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 56-33 ATS (+19.7 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 47-30 ATS (+14.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all playoff games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 46-28 ATS (+15.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 45-26 ATS (+16.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 69-112 ATS (-54.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 10-8 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 10-8 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NBA

Friday, May 17

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

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Toronto's last 14 games
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Toronto is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games
Milwaukee is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Milwaukee is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 10 games when playing at home against Toronto

 

[Cnotes53]

G2 - Raptors at Bucks
Tony Mejia

Eastern Conference Finals ? Game 2 -- Bucks lead 1-0

No. 2 Toronto at No. 1 Milwaukee (-6.5/216), TNT, 8:35 p.m. ET

May 14 ? Bucks (-6.5) 108 vs. Raptors 100 (Over 218)

Jan. 31 ? Bucks (+2.5) 105 at Raptors 92 (Under 232)
Jan. 5 ? Raptors (+5.5) 123 at Bucks 116 (Over 227)
Dec. 9 ? Bucks (+5) 104 at Raptors 99 (Under 229.5)
Oct. 29 ? Bucks (+2) 124 vs. Raptors 109 (Over 222.5)

The Raptors have a lot to be encouraged about considering how well they played in Wednesday?s series opener, leading most of the way before a fourth-quarter collapse ruined the night. The Bucks scored the game?s final 10 points to not only win but cover despite trailing for 37 of 48 minutes. As a result, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals become entirely about resolve.

Both for Toronto and for bettors.

Everyone expecting the Raptors to fold like tents because it?s what they?ve done in the past and what happened in Game 1 is overlooking the fact this is a relatively new group. Kyle Lowry is the biggest name left from the teams associated with all the past failures against LeBron James. If you believed in Toronto prior to seeing it cough up it appeared to have wrapped up for roughly 47 minutes, you probably shouldn?t bail.

What remains to be seen is whether the Raptors are equally as resilient. With a trip home on tap regardless of Friday night?s result, a team that has thrived in front of their fans all season will be favored in each of the next two contests in Canada. That makes Game 2 more of a building block than a must-win. It would be the equivalent of a free-roll had they held on to win the series opener, but Kawhi Leonard couldn?t find a fourth-quarter rhythm and Pascal Siakam continued a rough stretch since being injured early in the series against the 76ers as Milwaukee used a 32-17 edge over the final 12 minutes to rally.

The Bucks are now 9-1 this postseason. The Raptors looked very capable of taking them down as they look to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Both teams could have played much better but also had x-factors emerge with great games as Lowry finished with 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting and Milwaukee center Brook Lopez put together his best game of these playoffs, leading the way with 29 points on a team-high 21 field goal attempts. Lopez shot 28 percent from the field and averaged just 5.4 points in the series against the Celtics and scored 12.8 points over the course of the Round 1 sweep over the Pistons.

Lopez?s effort came out of nowhere but was clearly part of Mike Budenholzer?s gameplan since he fired up 11 3-pointers despite coming into the conference finals on a 6-for-28 run from beyond the arc over his last six games. He made four and took full advantage of the space Toronto?s defense afforded him, aggressively hunting shots whenever open.

Giannis Antetokounmpo got to the free-throw line 12 times and finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds as the Raptors largely sold out to ensure that he saw multiple bodies whenever he drove towards the rim. Toronto got back defensively and kept Lowry from being punished on switches as Marc Gasol put in strong work and the perimeter guys dropped off Eric Bledsoe to help, daring him to shoot. The Bucks point guard struggled to adjust and finished with just nine points, shooting 3-for-12 from the field while missing all six of his 3-point attempts.

Bledsoe?s inability to get going in the first half put the Bucks in a hole, while Lowry doing the heavy lifting after Leonard slowed down after a big performance through the first three quarters helped make up for Siakam?s struggles. The likely Most Improved Player award winner for this past season has tried to compensate for not having his usual explosiveness following a calf contusion in Game 3 of the conference finals.

Marc Gasol finished just 2-for-11 from the field in Game 1 and has averaged just 6.7 points over the last three games, shooting 29.6 percent. Both the 76ers and Bucks have taken their chances playing off him and daring him to shoot the 3-pointer. He?s on a 3-for-14 run from beyond the arc. Danny Green and Fred VanVleet have also been in prolonged slumps, making it difficult to get behind a Game 2 revival.

NBA expert Kevin Rogers points out that it?s also difficult to fade the Bucks due to how ruthless they?ve been in putting teams away, handling business for those who have laid the points with the East?s top seed in this postseason.

?It?s tough to go against Milwaukee simply due to its 9-0 ATS record in its nine playoff victories. The Bucks pulled one out in Game 1 they had no business covering, but did so with a late 10-0 run to improve to 4-1 this season against the Raptors,? said Rogers. ?Toronto has struggled on the road since the second round by losing three of the past four away from Scotiabank Arena, putting together a subpar 2-5 ATS record the last seven games overall.

?After a game in which Toronto and Milwaukee each had one 30-plus-point quarter, the expectation is these two Eastern powers will surpass the total of 216, which is nearly three points lower than the Game 1 closing total.?

After watching the ?under? cash, oddsmakers sent out an opener of 215 for Game 2 and saw it bet up a point. VegasInsider.com totals experts Chris David understands the adjustment but doesn?t agree with the move.

?Including Wednesday?s outcome, the Raptors have now watched the ?under? go 10-3 in this year?s playoffs, which includes a 5-1 mark on the road. You can?t dismiss those results but lowering the total three points from 218 to 215 is too much of a drop in my opinion,? David said. ?The opener had a nice pace and total bettors playing the ?over? in both the first quarter (53 ?) and the first-half (107) connected as Toronto built a 59-51 lead at the break. As we?ve seen many times, the game slowed down considerably in the second-half, more so on Toronto?s end as it was held to 41 points in the final two quarters and it was scoreless in the final 3:30 minutes of the game. The production from the Raptors crushed the ?over? for the game and it also helped the ?under? (112) connect in the second-half.?

Including Game 1, Milwaukee has now seen the ?under? go 4-2 at home in the playoffs and the total results for the Bucks are 5-5 overall. David agrees with Rogers and expects points from both clubs on Friday.

?The 108 points scored by the Bucks in Game 1 was the second-lowest effort of the postseason for the club. As good as Toronto?s defense has been in the playoffs, the results on Wednesday had everything to do with Milwaukee missing shots as it went 11-of-44 (25%) from 3-point land,? David said. ?Outside of Malcolm Brogdon (50%), none of the Bucks connected at a high rate from distance, including Lopez (36%), who finished with a team-high 29 points. Outside of Lowry (7-of-9), nobody on Toronto connected from the outside. Will that change?

?The Raptors haven?t been great offensively outside of Canada in this year?s playoffs but two of their better efforts came in their second road matchups (Game 4) at both Orlando and Philadelphia in the first two rounds. Along with playing the Game 2 ?over? (215), I would also lean towards Milwaukee?s Team Total Over (111 ?).?

Milwaukee ended up scoring its lowest total in a win this postseason and must now adjust to facing a team that finished fourth in defensive rating during the regular season. The Bucks were first and continue to lead in that category if you take into account solely postseason numbers. The Raptors rank second in defensive rating in these playoffs despite minimal production from their bench. VanVleet, Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell were the only Toronto reserves to see the floor, but shot just 5-for-15 from the field (2-for-8 from 3-point range) in getting outscored 22-12 by Bucks? backups. Brogdon outscored the Raptors? bench by himself with his 15 points. The 'under' is on an 11-3 run over Toronto's last 14 games and is 4-2 over the last six involving Milwaukee.

After largely dominating Detroit and Boston, the Bucks felt that battling through Wednesday's adversity made them better. They improved to 4-1 SU and ATS when falling behind by double-digits this postseason. Meanwhile, Toronto fell for the first time when building a halftime lead. The fourth quarter of Friday night?s game is going to be pivotal since it needs to see guys step up prior to taking the series back to Canada. Outside of Lowry, the Raptors shot 0-for-15 from the field in the fourth quarter, so a number of guys will have something to prove if Toronto reaches the final quarter with the outcome still in the balance.

Leonard went quiet in the fourth but still became the 14th player in NBA history to amass over 400 points over his team?s first 13 playoff games. He consciously let teammates get going early and wasn?t as aggressive as he was in Game 7 of the Philly series but still managed 31 points despite shooting just 1-for-5 from 3-point range. Look for a higher volume of shots to help produce an ?over? on his individual scoring prop as I?d expect him to score a minimum of 35 points in Friday?s Game 2.

Toronto will host the third installment of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night.

 

[Cnotes53]

Not every NBA player will put body on line to take a charge
May 17, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Toronto guard Kyle Lowry squarely planted his feet and braced for contact with Milwaukee Bucks athletic big man Giannis Antetokounmpo barreling down on him.

Lowry, one of the best in basketball at taking a charge, absorbed the punishment and drew a foul against the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo. These days, not everybody is willing to do what Lowry does in the fast-paced, open-floor NBA game.

''I think it's kind of a lost art,'' DeMarcus Cousins of the Golden State Warriors said of taking a charge.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich won't argue that sentiment.

''It seems so, doesn't it? You can count on one hand how many charges are taken over the course of five or 10 games, in some situations,'' Popovich said with a chuckle. ''You see it a lot more in college than you do in the NBA. Maybe they're protecting their contracts, don't want to get hurt, I don't know. There aren't very many, that's for sure.''

Successfully taking a charge is difficult and even those who are willing to try won't always do so. Yet it's a play that can change the momentum of a game during the pressure-packed postseason.

The 6-1 Lowry goes into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night with a league-best 11 charges during these playoffs, a stat the NBA keeps under ''hustle plays.'' The Raptors have drawn 16 charges and the Warriors were at 16 going into Thursday night's Game 2 win in the Western Conference finals against Portland.

There are several keys to it: Anticipate. Get in position. Solidly square your feet and prepare to be run over, knowing the foul call won't always go your way.

''You're going to have to stand in there. The one thing I'm super proud of our defense is we stand in there and we take hits, and we take charges,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. ''I don't have the numbers but we've got to be up there really close to leading the playoffs or leading the league.''

Golden State defensive leader Draymond Green thrives in the middle of the action, but he knows firsthand about calls not going his way.

Green failed to get the favorable whistle in the final minute of an overtime road loss against Houston in the last round. Green seemed to have position when James Harden drove the lane but no call was made. Replay showed what appeared to be a textbook charge , and the NBA Last-Two Minute Report ruled the next day a charge should have been issued.

The play came outside the restricted area, which is defined within the NBA rules as an arc of a 4-foot radius measured from the center of the basket and an area in which a defensive player cannot step in to take a charge.

''At the end of the day if that's something you like to do you've got to be all right with some of them not going your way because they are really subjective,'' said Golden State guard Stephen Curry. ''Whether you were slightly moving side to side or your feet were planted or the charge circle debate, you've just got to take the good with the bad. The ones who do it well get the benefit of the doubt more times than not for sure.''

There are players in the league who stand out for consistently doing it well and getting the call - Lowry, Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, Boston's Marcus Smart and Cousins.

''It's a big play. All of us can't be up there and be rim protectors and dunk the ball,'' Rockets star Chris Paul said. ''It can definitely ignite the crowd. Charges are huge and there's not a lot of guys in the league who do that.''

Not many teams have elite shot blockers anymore either, so taking a charge has become that much more important.

''It's funny, I took a lot of charges as a player, and I had guys who just would not take charges,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ''There are also guys who don't know how to take charges. Then every once in a while when we get a guy who never takes one and he takes one, we realize he didn't take one, he got charged. There's a big difference. I don't think it's a lost art, though, I think there's a lot of guys (doing it) ... what's lost is that a lot of the bigs don't do it anymore. There used to be this thing that if you don't block a shot you're not a rim protector but rim protection is protecting guys from getting to the rim and I think the charges are another part of that.''

Cousins enjoys using his 6-11, 270-pound frame to draw charge calls - despite the pain he knows is part of it.

''It's fun,'' he said. ''Not only does it help your guys, but it also puts the opponent in a tough position. It's a turnover and a foul for them. ... I don't feel a lot of guys want to sacrifice their body. It's not fun taking them, obviously. It hurts.''

Nuggets forward Torrey Craig simply chooses not to take a charge.

''You want to know my honest answer? I've never taken a charge before in my life. I'd rather block a shot,'' he said. ''I tried a couple of times overseas, to take charges, and ended up bumping knees with some guys.''

In the modern NBA, often there are fewer opportunities in games to take charges.

Teams don't drive as much in the half court - layups often come in transition, open space. Charges also are typically taken by the player who helps, not the primary defender.

''You've got to be smart to be a charge-taker because you have to be there early,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''You have to anticipate the play that's coming. DeMarcus is really smart, he's a great center fielder for our defense, so he plays behind the play and anticipates and a lot of times will step in outside that charge circle and take a charge. Ironically there have been several this year where he's taken a charge and the officials have immediately come over to me and said, `Ah, I might have missed that one.'''

Golden State's Klay Thompson, known for drawing a tough defensive assignment, believes the ability to take a charge is under appreciated.

''I think it's a stat that should be accounted for, charges taken, because that's just as good as a steal, it's just as good as a block,'' Thompson said. ''We have a lot of guys who are good at it - Andrew (Bogut) is good at it, Draymond - these guys lay their bodies on the line and it's kind of like a momentum shifter when you take a charge like that.''

But not every player is willing to do it.

 

[Cnotes53]

FRIDAY, MAY 17
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at MIL 08:30 PM

TOR +6.5

O 217.0

 

[Udog]

Raptors at Bucks NBA betting picks and predictions: Bucks boosted by bench
Monique V?g

Malcolm Brogdon and the Bucks are 6.5-point favorites against Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup.

The Raptors and Bucks both struggled to hit their shots in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup in a 108-100 Milwaukee victory.

The Bucks rode their bench to pull of a fourth quarter victory and will hope to put the Raptors on the ropes with a win in Game 2. We break down the odds and give our predictions and best bets for this grudge match.

TORONTO RAPTORS AT MILWAUKEE BUCKS (Milwaukee -6.5, 215.5)

Series Price: Bucks -455/Raptors +341

QUICK HITTER

The opening shot of the game was made in Game 1 of the series thanks to a jump shot by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Prior to that, in the most recent five games versus the Raptors, the first shot was either heavily contested or a miss from Toronto.

Both defenses have been solid in the opening part of games all season.

PREDICTION: Will the first attempted field goal be made? - No.

FIRST HALF BET

Toronto used the first quarter in Game 1 to build up an 11-point lead. Although Milwaukee struggled early on, the Bucks have the second-best offense in the first half averaging 60.5 points a game and surrendering only 54.8.

Milwaukee showed in Game 1 how dangerous their offense can be when it gets going, ending the game with 32 points in the final quarter. Look for that success to carry over.

PREDICTION: First half - Over 104.5

TEAM/PLAYER PROP

The Bucks average 119 points per game on their home court and were held to just 39.8 percent shooting from the floor and 25 percent from beyond the arc on Wednesday. Despite their poor shooting stats, they still managed to put up 108 points.

If Milwaukee average anywhere near the 48.7 percent shooting from the floor that they?ve averaged at home this season, they should comfortably surpass their team total tonight. Especially if the Bucks play at the same fast pace they did last game.

PREDICTION: Milwaukee Bucks team total Over 111.5 points

FULL GAME TOTAL

Game 1 was a very poor shooting performance from both sides with both teams shooting below 40 percent from the floor. The shot attempts were very high though, as both teams played with a much faster pace than they usually average with both teams taking more than 90 field goal attempts.

If the shot attempts are anywhere near what they were in the opening game, this total is too low.

PREDICTION: Over 215.5

FULL GAME SIDE

Toronto almost took the opening game on the road and blew a big lead in the fourth quarter. It was promising to see Kyle Lowry put up the best shooting performance of his career in the postseason going 10 of 15 from the floor and connecting on seven 3-pointers for 30 points in Game 1.

Despite that, the Raptors bench once again gave them no help, and that really could make all the difference in the series with the Bucks now getting back Malcolm Brogdon and getting big minutes from George Hill. Look for Milwaukee to cover again.

PREDICTION: Milwaukee Bucks -6.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Bucks rout Raptors by 22 for 2-0 lead
May 17, 2019
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MILWAUKEE (AP) Giannis Antetokounmpo started the game with an emphatic dunk. The next possession, a sprawling block to deny Marc Gasol. The next possession, another dunk.

The tone was set.

And it never changed.

The Eastern Conference doesn't belong to Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks - yet. But they're two wins away, after Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 17 rebounds, Ersan Ilyasova came off the bench to add 17 points and the Bucks never trailed on the way to a 125-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night and a 2-0 lead in the East finals.

''He plays so hard, he lays it all on the line, every time,'' Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. ''It was a great start for us. I think everybody fed off of Giannis and how he started the game.''

How he finished, too.

Antetokounmpo scored 11 points in the fourth for the Bucks, who wound up with six players in double figures - three of them reserves. Nikola Mirotic scored 15, Malcolm Brogdon had 14, George Hill 13 and Khris Middleton 12.

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points for Toronto, which gave up the game's first nine points, never led and trailed by double digits for the final 39 minutes. Kyle Lowry scored 15 and Norman Powell had 14 for the Raptors.

''We didn't do much well tonight, obviously,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

Game 3 is Sunday in Toronto.

Milwaukee, which led the NBA with a 60-22 record during the regular season, became the 16th team to start a playoff run with at least 10 victories in its first 11 games. Only three teams - the 1989 Los Angeles Lakers, the 2001 Lakers and the 2017 Golden State Warriors - started a postseason 11-0.

The Bucks led by as many as 28, before Toronto did just enough chipping away to keep some semblance of hope.

Eventually, Antetokounmpo decided enough was enough.

With 5:51 left to play Antetokounmpo backed Leonard down on the block, spun back toward the center of the lane, scored while getting hit and starting a three-point play.

He yelled to the crowd and punched the air.

The knockout blow was landed, and the Bucks are two wins from their first NBA Finals berth in 45 years.

Milwaukee had a big rebounding edge for the second straight game - 60-46 in Game 1, 53-40 in Game 2 - and finished with only seven turnovers.

''When the game started, we did a great job setting the tone,'' Antetokounmpo said.

Toronto was down 21 when Lowry got his third foul with 1:27 left until the break. The Raptors left Lowry in; he wound up getting his fourth foul while battling Mirotic for a rebound 24 seconds later and let the referees have an earful as he headed to the bench. Another roll of the dice didn't pay off, either: Raptors forward Pascal Siakam got his fourth shortly after halftime, then got his fifth with 9:26 left in the third.

They weren't happy.

They shouldn't have been, but this wasn't about calls.

It was just a rout.

Milwaukee's lead was 35-21 after the first, 64-39 at the half. It was the first time Toronto had been outscored by 10 or more points in each of a game's first two quarters since May 25, 2016, against Cleveland and the 25-point halftime hole was, by far, the Raptors' worst of the season. They trailed Houston 55-37 on March 5.

Antetokounmpo started the second half with a three-point play, pushing the lead to 28.

That's when Toronto found a bit of a groove.

The Raptors outscored Milwaukee 31-16 over the next nine minutes, getting within 83-70 on a 3-pointer by Fred VanVleet. But a quick flurry by the Bucks restored order - Brogdon rebounded his own miss and scored, then set up George Hill for a score in transition, and Hill scored again off a Raptors turnover a few seconds later.

Just like that, the lead was back up to 19, and it was 95-78 going into the fourth.

TIP-INS

Raptors: The 14-point deficit after one quarter was Toronto's second-largest of the season, with a 38-19 opening quarter at San Antonio -in Leonard's return there- on Jan. 3 the only one that saw them down more after 12 minutes. ... Lowry became the second player in these playoffs with four fouls by halftime. Detroit's Bruce Brown did it April 22, also against the Bucks. ... The Raptors are 0-63 all-time when trailing by 20 or more at the half.

Bucks: It was Milwaukee's 70th win of the season, tying the 1973-74 Bucks for the second-most in franchise history. The 1970-71 Bucks won 78. ... Robin Lopez, Brook's brother, was in the sellout crowd. ... Ilyasova's 15 first-half points matched a season high, and were part of a 31-11 bench scoring edge by the Bucks in the half. ... Milwaukee has won its last six playoff games, tying the franchise record for longest such streak. ... The Bucks are now 50-13 vs. the East this season.

HISTORY LESSON

The Bucks have never lost a series when leading 2-0; they've been in this spot 13 previous times. Toronto has never overcome a 2-0 series deficit in seven previous attempts.

AWARD FINALISTS

This series has plenty of representation on the list of finalists for the NBA's top individual awards, revealed Friday. Antetokounmpo is a finalist for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year; Budenholzer is a finalist for Coach of the Year and Siakam is a Most Improved Player finalist. Antetokounmpo is assured of being the Bucks' highest finisher in the MVP race since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award in 1974.

UP NEXT

Game 3 is Sunday in Toronto.

 

[Cnotes53]

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

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

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

SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY MAY 21, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:35 PM Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors Scotiabank Arena

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

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

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY MAY 24, 2019
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center at the Rose Quarter



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

NBA PLAYOFF RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

05/17/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/16/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/15/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/14/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/12/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/10/2019 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/09/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/08/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/07/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
05/06/2019 1-2-1 33.33% -6.00
05/05/2019 2-2-0 50.00% -1.00
05/04/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/03/2019 1-3-0 25.00% -11.00
05/02/2019 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2019 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Totals..............19-24-1 44.18% -37.50


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BEST BETS:

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

05/17/2019............,0 - 1....................-5.50.....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............-0.50
05/16/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50.....................0 - 1..................-5.50.............-11.00
05/15/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/14/2019.............1 - 0...................+5.00....................0 - 1..................-5.50..............-0.50
05/12/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50.............-1.00
05/10/2019.............0 - 1....................-5.50....................0 - 1...................-5.50.............-11.00
05/09/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50............-11.50
05/08/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-1.00
05/07/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1...................-0.50.............-11.50
05/06/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 0..................+5.00.............-6.00
05/05/2019.............1 - 1....................-0.50.....................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-1.00
05/04/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/03/2019.............0 - 2....................-11.00...................1 - 1..................-0.50..............-11.50
05/02/2019.............1 - 0....................+5.00....................1 - 0.................+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2019.............0 - 1.....................-5.50....................1 - 0.................+5.00..............-0.50


Totals...................7 - 15.....................-47.50..................12 - 9.................+10.50...........-37.00


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APRILS NBA BEST BETS


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