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

[Cnotes53]

Tuesday?s 6-pack

Updated odds for US Open golf tournament:

6-1- Brooks Koepka

7-1- Dustin Johnson

12-1- Eldrick Woods

14-1- Rory McIlroy

16-1- Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth

20-1- Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler

Tweet of the Day
?It would be nice to have another starter that we can run out there. Not to say that [Steven] Brault and Rookie [Davis] ? I heard [Mitch] Keller?s coming up ? can?t do it. But if you look at the staffs around the league and the division we?re in, it?s tough. We have to be running out the best thing we have every night. That?s what we?re trying to do right now.?
Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove

Tuesday?s quiz
Jacob deGrom is a really good pitcher; what is the Mets? record in his last 40 starts?

Monday?s quiz
Steve Kerr played his college basketball at Arizona.

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

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Tuesday?s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but??

13) General observation from watching hours and hours of baseball; older umpires call more strikes than younger umps. No data to support this, but just get the feeling from watching so many games than older guys give more corners.

12) It still baffles me why major league baseball blacks out games; do they want the game to get more exposure, so younger people will like it the way we do?

Dodger games are blacked out in Las Vegas, which is three hours from Los Angeles. To paraphrase my high school chemistry teacher, ???this is nonsensical.?

You could have hundreds of people in casinos all over Las Vegas watching baseball, rooting for baseball players, talking/caring about baseball, but they black out the games. Why?!?!?!?!?

11) Baseball is hard; long season, 162 games in 182 days.
? Sunday, Trevor Story was 0-5 with five strikeouts.
? Monday, Javier Baez was 0-5 with five strikeouts.

Both these guys are really good players. Thats why you hear people say that you have to keep an even keel over the course of a long season. There will be bad days.

10) Rays 8, Blue Jays 3? Tampa Bay starter Yonny Chirinos didn?t allow a hit for five innings, but was taken out after throwing 69 pitches, with a 4-0 lead. Interesting decision.

9) Brewers 5, Twins 4? Twins scored first in 36 of their 53 games; they?re 30-6 in the games where they scored first. Minnesota still leads the AL Central by 10.5 games.

8) WHIP is a pitcher?s stat; walks and hits allowed divided by innings pitched- it measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows. Seems strange to me that if a pitcher hits a batter with a pitch, it doesn?t count against his WHIP. Shouldn?t it count the same as a walk?

7) Baseball stuff:
? Colorado put OF Charlie Blackmon (calf) on IL.
? Astros put 2B Aledmys Diaz (hamstring) on IL.
? Arizona put P Luke Weaver (forearm) on IL.

6) David Price will start Tuesday?s game vs Cleveland; he left his last start in Houston after 15 pitches because of flu-like symptoms.

5) World Series of Poker starts this week in Las Vegas; this is the 50th WSOP. Would be nice if they made online poker legal again, so ESPN would show more of the WSOP replays and less of their hideous talkshows that pollute the airways on weekdays.

I enjoyed watching poker re-runs; seeing the hole card cam and watching how people reacted to bad beats. Was unscripted and fun to watch, unless the horrendous talk TV they have on now.

4) College basketball transfer portal:
? TCU poaches George Mason grad transfer Jaire Grayer
? Arkansas poaches SMU grad transfer Jimmy Whitt.

3) A?s 8, Angels 5? Oakland won its 10th game in a row, their longest win streak in 13 years.

2) Monday?s game between the White Sox and Royals was suspended with two outs in the bottom of the 5th inning, tied 1-1. The game will be resumed before tomorrow?s regularly-scheduled game.

1) RIP to Bill Buckner, who passed away at age 69; he hit .289 over a 22-year career that saw him get 2,715 hits. Twice led the league in doubles; won NL batting title in 1980.

 

[Cnotes53]

Finals will decide a champ, and much more
May 27, 2019
By The Associated Press

It all comes down to this.

No, really.

It ALL comes down to this.

The next four, five, six or seven games of the NBA Finals between Golden State and Toronto will not only decide the 2019 championship, but how this series plays out is inevitably going to affect how free agency unfolds starting in a month or so.

It'll affect Warriors star Kevin Durant and his annual stay-or-go decision. It'll affect Raptors star Kawhi Leonard as he ponders his next move, or if he'll be moving at all. Klay Thompson will be a free agent this summer. DeMarcus Cousins will be free this summer. Their thinking will inevitably be moved one way or another by this series; the decisions they'll all make in the coming weeks will have a ripple effect on the rest of the NBA.

Durant made clear over the weekend that he's tired of the incessant talk about his future.

''I know what I bring to the team,'' Durant said, ''but I also know that a lot of people on the outside don't like to see us together.''

New York will be paying intense attention to everything that gets said, tweeted, Instagrammed and intimated. Brooklyn will be in the same boat. So will the Los Angeles Clippers, who think they're on the cusp of building something really good, and the Los Angeles Lakers, who made the biggest signing of last summer by getting LeBron James and have done very little right since.

They will all be waiting to hear what Durant, Thompson, Leonard and Cousins decide.

And those are just the biggest fish - the whales, to use a term Miami President Pat Riley likes.

After that, there's an additional 60 or so players who could be free agents this summer - some have opt-ins and might not be relocating - and who are coming off seasons when they averaged at least 10 points per game. Their teams next season will be affected on some level by who gets whom in the draft. How some teams pick in the draft will be influenced by what they're hearing about free agency. And that hinges on this series.

So it's not just a ripple effect.

The finals may create a tsunami.

''The latest I've heard from our basketball operations group is that, I believe, 40% of our players are going to be free agents this summer,'' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at All-Star weekend in February. ''So it's two sides of the coin. Some people could say, `Oh my God, look at all that player movement.' On the other hand, that player movement could be very positive for a lot of teams.''

Maybe, maybe not.

If the Warriors win this series, as the oddsmakers in Las Vegas expect, it'll be a third consecutive championship for Golden State - and some history. The Celtics, Lakers and Bulls are the only franchises to win three or more in a row. And out of that group, only the Celtics have won four in a row (eight, actually). Michael Jordan never did. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant never did.

That would be the obvious recruiting pitch the Warriors would make to Durant and Thompson: ''Come back and try to win No. 4. Come back and try to do something that very few players have done and something no one has done in a half-century.'' That lure would undoubtedly be strong. But if they lose this series, it would seem much easier for either player to say it's been a great run and it's time to go play somewhere else.

If Durant stays, then the Knicks, Nets and Clippers would have to move on to Plan B for free agency.

Therefore, they probably should be rooting for the Raptors.

Durant is difficult to read because he uses social media to give cryptic hints that usually aren't hints at all. Leonard is impossible to read. For all anyone knows, he already has decided to stay in Toronto or sign elsewhere. Or maybe he hasn't even thought about the summer. Maybe he is as robotic as he tries to convey.

But the same theory applies: If Toronto wins this series, it'll be harder for Leonard to leave. So for the teams that want him, they might want to root for the Warriors.

Let's use the Knicks solely for example purposes. If they don't get Durant or Leonard, then maybe Kyrie Irving crosses them off his list. Maybe that would mean Kemba Walker climbs up their charts. Maybe that means Jordan decides to offer Walker the super-max of $221 million or so to stay in Charlotte.

And the ripples go on and on.

They won't be little waves gently rolling onto the shores, either.

This will be a summer of change and a summer of major spending in the NBA. This series is going to decide much more than who gets rings. This series will likely decide who plays where for many years to come.

 

[Cnotes53]

Warriors embrace new Finals challenge
May 27, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) After four straight years of facing LeBron James and Cleveland in the NBA Finals, this feels refreshing for the two-time defending champion Warriors.

''For sure,'' Shaun Livingston said with a smile of taking on the upstart Raptors, ''for sure, we'll leave it right there.''

Off to Toronto, finally a fresh team that's tops from the East. Golden State is embracing every part of this new-look - well, the other half of it, at least - finals.

''I love it,'' Stephen Curry said Monday following Golden State's first game-planning practice ahead of the series opener Thursday night in Toronto.

The Warriors coaches gathered Sunday to prep once they had an opponent, with the players taking a day off. Golden State is well-rested after wrapping up its Western Conference finals sweep of Portland on May 20 - giving the Warriors nine full days off between games.

Toronto won the Eastern Conference finals with a Game 6 victory against Milwaukee on Saturday.

This certainly isn't the familiar Cavaliers.

''That was the exception. This is more the rule,'' coach Steve Kerr said. ''You're not supposed to play the same team every year. So that was a special era, a special rivalry and we're thrilled to be back. Cleveland has moved on and their team has broken up and with LeBron leaving the East, things were wide open.

''It was a hell of a ride through that East playoffs for Philly, Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto, all great teams, quality of play was something to watch. Toronto obviously emerged as the best team of the East and well deserved. The scene the other night was amazing to watch, too. The fans in Toronto have been amazing over the years. I've compared that arena to Oracle many times. When I was in broadcasting both the Raptors and the Warriors were really bad and yet every time I went to either arena there was this organic energy that felt so much alike, so similar. And there's just a genuine love for the game in both regions.''

No chance of Golden State getting complacent preparing for the same opponent again in its quest for a three-peat.

This is the last hurrah for Oracle Arena, too, before the Warriors move across the bay to new Chase Center for next season.

''Everybody talks about it's hard to find that edge and get up for, (you) find some sort of monotony - I don't know if you find that in the finals - that's part of human nature that you fight,'' Curry said.

''So us getting on a plane tomorrow to go to Toronto, different energy, different city, different views, everything, should prepare us to lock understanding we have a prime opportunity to start off this finals series on the road and get a win and set the tone for how it's going to be.

''So I like the challenge and the unfamiliarity of this kind of schedule and flow. We've been there before, we've experienced a lot and this is I think something we're capable of doing.''

The Warriors are motivated by everything that will be new for these finals.

''You get to go to a different city,'' Livingston said. ''It was similar to what we did last year with Houston, starting on the road, just that sense of urgency, it's something different we haven't done in the last four or five years being the top seed. Now starting the finals it's something new for us. It's a challenge that we haven't had to face yet, so this is good for us.''

While center DeMarcus Cousins scrimmaged Monday for the second time since going down with a torn left quadriceps muscle in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers, he is listed as questionable for the series opener. Cousins had returned Jan. 18 from a nearly yearlong absence following surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon only to get hurt again - a tough blow in his first career playoffs.

Now, jumping right back in on the finals stage will be tough.

''It's a lot to ask,'' Kerr said, without completely ruling out the chance Cousins could be cleared to return by Thursday. Two-time reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant won't play Game 1 as he continues to recover from a strained right calf.

Curry has a special affinity for Toronto, where he spent two years in middle school when his dad, Dell, played for the Raptors from 2000-02. Curry's wife, Ayesha, grew up outside Toronto.

''I still don't think it's sunk in this is for the finals, so pretty special,'' Curry said.

He will be focused on bringing home Golden State's third straight title and fourth in five years - an NBA Finals MVP would mean so much - yet can still appreciate what Toronto is experiencing at last.

''In what 24 years of their existence and for them to finally get over the hump, you could tell how much it meant. The city was going crazy,'' Curry said.

''It looked like they had won the championship already the way that they were celebrating. It's the first time there, so the fans really got into it. It looked like a crazy atmosphere. In that short 24 years there's a lot of history and there were some great teams. I think it was 2002 the team my dad was on with Vince (Carter), Antonio Davis, Alvin Williams. ... They've gotten close and obviously the last couple years they've been struggling with Cleveland. There's a lot of passion up there for the game of basketball, for the Raptors. You could tell how much it meant.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Giannis: 'successful' despite falling short
May 27, 2019
By The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) Giannis Antetokounmpo said on Monday that he hadn't slept in the two days since the Milwaukee Bucks' season came to an end.

But the NBA MVP finalist said his team still had a successful season despite falling short of its goal of winning the second NBA championship in franchise history.

''It's just fun to walk out in Milwaukee and see people in Bucks stuff,'' Antetokounmpo said. ''We were able to bring people out of their houses to come and enjoy games and just be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks, be happy about something in this city, be excited about something. It was an amazing, amazing season, and hopefully we can carry on from where we left off and come back and be better.''

The Bucks had the best record in the NBA during the regular season and were two wins shy of reaching the NBA Finals. Now, the franchise and its fans must face the reality that the roster - outside of Eric Bledsoe and Antetokounmpo - could look a lot different next season.

Teams can officially begin negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. EDT on June 30. Bucks General Manager Jon Horst's top priorities at that point will be unrestricted free agent Khris Middleton and restricted free agent Malcolm Brogdon.

Middleton averaged 18.3 points, six assists and 4.3 rebounds this season en route to earning his first career All-Star selection. Middleton has a $13 million player option next season, but will likely opt out and test free agency. Middleton said he first will consider what's best for himself and his family and then consider which team he fits with best.

''It's going to be fun and a new position,'' Middleton said of being an unrestricted free agent. ''I'm excited about the opportunity.''

Brogdon, who missed eight weeks over the course of the end of the regular season and the beginning of the postseason with a right foot injury, averaged 13.5 points on 44% shooting, 3.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds in the Eastern Conference finals. Brogdon said he learned more about himself than anything else during his time recovering.

''I showed myself I could really come back and play at a high level right back off of injury,'' he said. ''Because it's challenging, playing against the caliber of teams you're playing in the playoffs.''

The Bucks became just the sixth team in NBA history to win the first two games in either the conference finals or NBA Finals and then drop four straight to lose the series. But Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, who led Milwaukee to a league-best 60-22 record during the regular season, made quite an impression in his first season.

Budenholzer is a finalist for NBA coach of the year. Budenholzer said he's ''disappointed and frustrated'' by the loss in the Eastern Conference finals, but wants to channel that energy in a positive way.

''I'm going to get better as a coach,'' he said. ''Or at least I certainly hope to and plan to and need to work to, and have that as my mindset. We're going to be going into our second year together. How can I get better? How can they get better? It gives you a lot of optimism about the future.''

NBA MVP FINALIST

The NBA will unveil its award winners for the 2018-19 season, including the league's Most Valuable Player, on June 24.

Antetokounmpo is a finalist for the league's top individual honor, along with reining MVP, Houston Rockets guard James Harden, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George.

''Obviously I'm happy to be one of the three finalists,'' he said. ''Hopefully I get it. If not, I have many more years to be able to help my teammates be successful and put me in a situation that we can get it. But to be honest, I'm not even thinking about it. I didn't think about it the whole year, I'm not going to think about it now. The only thing I'm thinking about is that we're not going to be playing (on Thursday).''

KAREEM ON THE BUCKS

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time scoring leader and the top scorer in Bucks franchise history, said he was proud of the team's accomplishments this season.

''The Bucks were easily the best defensive team in the league this year,'' he said. ''Over and over again they demonstrated a relentless ability to shut teams down. This is why they had so few back-to-back losses. Coach Budenholzer figured out to use Giannis Antetokounmpo to not only elevate his individual play but to raise the whole team's level of play.''

Abdul-Jabbar led Milwaukee to the NBA championship in 1971, the franchise's only title.

DOWN THE ROAD

Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign the largest contract in NBA history in the summer of 2020 after earning All-NBA honors for the second consecutive season. A five-year extension with the Bucks starting in 2021-22 would be worth $247.3 million.

 

[Cnotes53]

Klay Thompson adds meditation to his mental preparation
May 28, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Klay Thompson craved a little calm.

The Golden State guard needed something more to balance out his basketball routine, so he added meditation to help him get centered before games and better deal with the pressures of NBA life. Flip on some classical music or nature sounds and he's ready to relax his mind.

It takes consistent practice, just like that pretty jumper.

''I try to go 30 minutes,'' said Thompson, who is joined for some sessions by bulldog bestie, Rocco. ''It's hard. It's very hard. An hour would be nice, but you've got to work up to that.''

Thompson is in a good place right now, going to a fifth straight NBA Finals and chasing a three-peat with the Golden State Warriors.

Two-time reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant sat out injured for the entire Western Conference finals, leaving Thompson and Splash Brother Stephen Curry to take on an even greater load on both ends.

Thompson heads into Game 1 at Toronto on Thursday night averaging 19.1 points these playoffs, having scored 22.6 points per game in the five contests without Durant.

Mental preparation off the court is a major reason Thompson no longer lets things fester or bring him down, such as a tough loss or bad outing. He has said that earlier in his career it was hard to let go after games.

Now, he instead shrugs off a poor shooting performance with the simple notion of, ''That's the way the basketball gods can be.'' Then, it's back to work.

Left off the All-NBA team? ''Oh, I didn't?'' he replied when told he hadn't made the cut.

Thompson did allow himself a little eye roll in disbelief, before adding: ''It is what it is. I can't control it. Do I think there's that many guards better than me in the league? No, but that's the reason why we're still playing. So, I don't even want to get into it, honestly.''

The more media shy, under-the-radar of Golden State's sensational backcourt - Curry is a two-time MVP - a slumping Thompson once held his hand up near his face and uttered ''I missed you'' when he finally got on a roll again at Portland on Dec. 29.

He credits meditation in part for how far he has come in handling everything as he wraps up his eighth NBA season.

Thompson added meditation and visualization into his routine the last couple of years. This is the typically stoic guard who plunged into the Pacific Ocean in Southern California before Game 4 of the first round against the Clippers following a performance that wasn't up to his ''standards.'' He went out and scored 32 after that with six 3-pointers, hitting his first seven shots.

''The mind's so powerful. Just try to train the mind to deal with adversity in situations that are unpleasant but make you better in the long run, that's what I try to do,'' Thompson said when asked how he got involved meditation. ''Just a lot of reading on the internet and learning from coach (Steve) Kerr. Learned from Tony Robbins, too. It was cool talking to him last year. He had a great outlook on things. Just from veteran players. David West taught me a lot about that side of the game, the mental part.''

Teammate Shaun Livingston can picture Thompson in a moment of complete serenity and peace - ''100 percent, nothing would surprise me.''

Dr. Michael Gervais, a high-performance psychologist who has worked closely with the Seattle Seahawks, NBA players, USA Volleyball and other Olympic athletes, applauds Thompson taking up meditation on his own.

''So often we hold up world-leading athletes on a pedestal for their physical abilities, missing the deeper and extraordinary commitment they make toward pursuing their potential,'' Gervais said. ''There are only three things we can train as humans: our craft, our bodies, and our mind. World-class athletes don't leave any of those up to chance - why should the rest of us?''

When he had a couple of days off after the Warriors wrapped up the Western Conference finals, Thompson noted, ''I wish it was sunny'' before adding, ''A little overcast, but it's all good.''

Sure is.

Thompson found out in April he will have his college jersey retired by Washington State, too.

''Klay is always someone who everybody sort of marvels at his life, the simplicity of his life. He just needs a basketball and his dog, and that's it. And we all laugh about it,'' Kerr said. ''But Klay is a lot deeper than people realize, so it doesn't surprise me that he's meditating and he's found ways to calm himself before games and keep himself going during the season.''

The 29-year-old Thompson takes time the night before a game to think ahead. It doesn't matter if he's in the driveway or hanging out in his backyard with beloved Rocco - ''just random,'' he said.

Sometimes he envisions each shot from a given spot on the floor that could present itself over the course of a game.

''Andre Iguodala told me that Tiger Woods visualizes every single shot he shoots on 18 holes on the golf course, so if he can do that, that's incredible,'' Thompson said. ''That's so many golf swings. I try to do the same approach to basketball. I just try to visualize, get in my spots, what my opponent is going to do. Yeah, so when you come to the game, you've kind of seen it before.''

He might go with some Mozart or Beethoven.

''Try to put on classical Pandora or some nature sounds. Can't listen to rap or hip-hop when I do it because then I just get distracted. Something pleasant in the background, it's nice,'' Thompson explained. ''It's a challenge. It's much harder than working out. Especially for me, I've got like my mind racing. So it's a good practice for me.''

Kerr considers Thompson one of the most down-to-earth NBA superstars.

''He's a dream to coach. He's zero maintenance,'' Kerr said. ''But he'll surprise you with his depth. You may not think there's a whole lot there, but there's plenty there, he just sort of doesn't let you in on it very often.''

Thompson knows it's not a perfect science to get his shot back on track after a poor outing. The meditation provides a focus.

''I still will have bad days once in a while, but that's just being human,'' Thompson said. ''It's something I've incorporated in my routine for at least the past season, especially when I was going through that shooting slump. That really helped me. It's just nice to manifest things. Kind of like speak into existence, just kind of think it into existence.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday?s 6-pack

? Jose Altuve had a setback in his injury rehab, now has problems in both legs.

? Byron Buxton (knee) left the Twins? game after crashing into the OF fence.

? Nationals? OF Victor Robles has been hit by a pitch four games in a row.

? Legalized sports betting was voted down in Louisiana Tuesday.

? Reds 11, Pirates 6? Derek Dietrich hit three home runs.

? Crowd in Tampa Bay Tuesday: 5,786. Don?t bitch when they move to Montreal.

Tweet of the Day
?I get booed everywhere I go. Great players get booed.?
Manny Machado, always very modest

Wednesday?s quiz
What three QB?s won Super Bowls playing for Joe Gibbs?

Tuesday?s quiz
Jacob deGrom is a really good pitcher, but the Mets are 16-25 in his last 41 starts.

Monday?s quiz
Steve Kerr played his college basketball at Arizona.

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Wednesday?s List of 13: Mid-week musings??

13) 5-star Class of 2019 basketball recruit RJ Hampton announced Tuesday that he will skip college and will play professionally in Australia/New Zealand this season to prep for the 2020 NBA Draft. He reclassified from the ?20 class to 2019 earlier this spring with an eye on becoming eligible for the 2020 draft.

So this is a 6-5 guard who is supposed to be in a senior in high school, but who will travel all the way to Australia and play pro ball this season, then go to the NBA Draft when he could?ve been a freshman in college, in the 2020-21 season.

It is a free country, but sometimes you wish parents would let their kids be kids. It?ll be interesting to see how this works out, and if others follow his path.

12) Here are some guys who shunned college for playing overseas:

? Brandon Jennings has scored 7,801 points in nine seasons (14.1 ppg); he was a double-figure scorer and starter for the first six years of his career, and has earned around $41M total.

? Emmanuel Mudiay has scored 2,901 points in four NBA seasons, including 14.8 points per game for the Knicks; he?s earned around $14M so far.

? Three years ago, Terrance Ferguson skipped college to play pro ball in Australia; he?s played the last couple years for Oklahoma City, scoring 5.2 ppg in 20 mpg over 135 games, earning $3.9M for those two seasons.

? Jeremy Tyler played overseas in 2010, then scored 3.6 ppg in 9.9 mpg in 103 NBA games in three seasons. He still plays ball overseas; he made $2,396,488 in the NBA.

11) Yesterday, on the same day Bill Buckner passed away, the Twins called up a rookie pitcher named Devin Smeltzer, who then called one of his old coaches, former big league pitcher Woody Williams, to tell him the good news.

Back in 1993, when Williams got called up to the majors for the first time by Toronto. he was told by an instructor in the Blue Jays? organization. A guy named Bill Buckner.

10) Hitters who have come up with most men on base this season:
? Marcell Ozuna, StL- 173
? Xander Bogaerts, Bos- 171
? Rhys Hoskins, Phil- 161

9) Hitters who have knocked in highest %age of runners from 3rd base (minimum of 10 runners on 3rd base):
? Gio Urschela, NYY- 10-14 (71.4%)
? Eric Hosmer, SD? 8-12 (66.7%)
? Max Kepler, Minn- 10-16 (62.5%)

8) Hitters who have knocked in lowest %age of runners from 3rd base (minimum of 10 runners on 3rd base):
? John Hicks/Francisco Cervelli- 1-16 (6.25%)
? Martin Maldonado, KC- 1-14 (7.1%)
? Randal Grichuk, Tor- 2-19 (10.5%)

7) College basketball transfer portal:
? Joey Hauser jumps from Marquette to Michigan State.
? Sam Hauser jumps from Marquette to Virginia.

6) Baseball stuff:
? Tigers put 2B Josh Harrison (hamstring) on IL.
? Angels put 3B Zach Cosart (shoulder) on IL.
? Twins put P Michael Pineda (knee) on IL.

5) Phillies? OF Odubel Herrera was placed on administrative leave by MLB after he was arrested on a domestic violence charge in Atlantic City Monday.

Very unusual for teams not to play on Memorial Day; I?m guessing Herrera wishes the Phillies had a game yesterday. This will wind up as a very expensive visit to Atlantic City.

4) When major league teams come to New York City, they get to explore a little, whether it be at MLB Network, or the Topps baseball card HQ, or other media outlets.

Bob Scanlan, a Padres broadcaster, posted a baseball card of a young Tony Gwynn playing for San Diego, but wearing number 53, not number 19. Looked like a spring training game.

3) Joe Gibbs got elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame last week; he is already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so that puts him in a unique place in sports history.

Gibbs won three Super Bowl titles with the Redskins, with three different QB?s.

2) Two TV series I wish hadn?t ended:
? Without a Trace was a show about finding missing people; Anthony LaPaglia played Jack Malone, a sarcastic FBI agent who led the unit, but who also had problems of his own. Just an excellent show; it still re-runs late night on cable.

? In Plain Sight used to be on USA Network; this show was about people re-located in the Witness Protection Program. They had some really good stories, there was a good mix of drama with some humor added in, but the show?s star got a better offer to be in a show on network TV, so she quit and the show ended. Too bad.

1) Speaking of late night TV, I see those Peloton exercise bike commercials and I want to trade my exercise bike in for one of those, since everyone on their commercials looks like an Olympic athlete. No overweight, bald people ride a Peloton; you think it would help? Nah, me either.

 

[Cnotes53]

Referees picked for NBA Finals
May 28, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) Eric Lewis and Kane Fitzgerald are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time, as they were among the 12 referees picked to work the Toronto-Golden State title series.

Lewis and Fitzgerald are the two rookies on this year's finals officiating roster. Mike Callahan was picked to work the finals for the 16th time, and Scott Foster for the 12th time.

Other referees selected in the 12-man pool are Tony Brothers, James Capers, Marc Davis, John Goble, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, Jason Phillips and Zach Zarba.

Finals officials are chosen based on evaluations made of their performance during the first three rounds of the playoffs. All 12 referees are slated to work at least once in the series.

 

[Cnotes53]

Raptors reset, as NBA Finals loom
May 28, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) The parade that the Toronto Raptors enjoyed last week was an impromptu and quick one.

A chance at the real parade awaits.

There is a clear back-to-work vibe coming from the Raptors as they get ready for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors on Thursday night in Toronto. There was some reveling late last week for an hour or two after winning the Eastern Conference title, but that feeling is nowhere to be found anymore.

''We know that we accomplished some great things,'' Raptors guard Danny Green said. ''But the job's not done.''

When the Raptors won the East, after the on-court celebrations and a few moments back in the locker room, someone got the brilliant notion to take the silver conference-championship trophy to what's known as ''Jurassic Park'' - the outdoor area usually called Maple Leaf Square, unless the Raptors are playing.

So, with players flanked by security and Drake - of course - Kyle Lowry carried the trophy out through an arena concourse long after the game was over on Saturday night, past hundreds of lingering fans who tried to get hugs and photos, and the group eventually made their way toward the outdoor stage. Most fans were gone by then, and the party didn't last long.

By Sunday, Lowry had shifted his focus to the finals anyway.

''Pretty much,'' Lowry said. ''It's a big task at hand. We know we've got a good team, and we've got to be focused every single possession. They're all going to be massive in this series.''

Handling this moment is sure to be a challenge for the Raptors, since most of the players on Toronto's roster haven't been to the finals before.

If there is a silver lining there, it's that Toronto has already dealt with the mood-swing pendulum in these playoffs.

The most worried Raptors coach Nick Nurse has been about a game so far this postseason was Game 1 of the East finals at Milwaukee - a game that came a couple days after Kawhi Leonard's buzzer-beating jumper hit the rim four times before dropping in and giving Toronto a win in Game 7 of the East semifinals against Philadelphia.

''If there was ever a time I thought maybe a disastrous moment could happen, it was then,'' Nurse said. ''But man, we played great. Totally outplayed them. We played tough. We didn't win the game but I thought we outplayed them almost all the way through. We just didn't get the ball to bounce our way. We might have used a couple bounces a couple days earlier. But again, that just showed me our team was capable of kind of keeping their emotions in check.''

They'll need to be that way again Thursday night.

Fred VanVleet doesn't think it'll be a problem.

''None of us in October and July and June of last year were working out thinking about the conference finals,'' the Raptors' backup guard said Tuesday. ''Obviously, it's a great accomplishment, and we're happy to be taking that next step. But you want to win a championship. You want to win the whole thing. It's not about just making it to the finals.''

The arena will be electric for Game 1. Jurassic Park will be rocking yet again. But the quick little trophy parade through the halls and stairwells of Scotiabank Arena - one where Green revealed on his podcast earlier this week that reserve OG Anunoby was inadvertently decked in the eye by a celebrating fan, and where Leonard needed two security staffers to clear his path - will be long forgotten by the Raptors when Game 1 rolls around.

''I think everybody understands that,'' Raptors center Marc Gasol said. ''You get to kind of soak it in and enjoy that moment and after that night, the next morning, it's on to the next challenge.''

Everyone knows what that challenge is, too.

The Warriors are coming.

''I think along this little playoff run there's been some critical, critical games,'' Nurse said. ''There's been some ups and downs, and again, I know I keep (sounding like a) broken record, but we're just trying to take what's in front of us. And right now, it's Game 1.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Durant travels with Warriors to Toronto
May 28, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Kevin Durant is traveling with the Golden State Warriors to Toronto for the first two games of the NBA Finals, leaving open the chance he could be ready to return from a strained right calf in time for Game 2.

Durant, the two-time reigning Finals MVP who has missed the past five games since getting hurt in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Houston, has already been ruled out for Game 1 on Thursday night.

As of Tuesday, when Golden State held an optional practice before flying, he had yet to do any full-speed work on the court. He has done some shooting, coach Steve Kerr said.

''If he did anything on the court, it would have been pretty light,'' Kerr said.

Warriors spokesman Raymond Ridder confirmed Durant was on the two-time defending champions' team plane that took off early afternoon West Coast time and landed late in Canada.

There will be two full days off before Game 2 on Sunday, giving Durant time to get further on-court work done that the Warriors would need to see before he is medically cleared.

''We'll see where it goes from here,'' Kerr said Monday. ''This is where the fact that there's a lot of days in between games during the finals helps us, so we'll see.''

Durant didn't travel to Houston for Game 6 of that round or to Portland for the two road games against the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals. He remained in the Bay Area to rehab, and the Warriors are unbeaten without him.

An impending free agent this summer, he was hurt May 8 when he landed awkwardly on his right foot following a baseline jumper late in the third quarter of a 104-99 victory over the Rockets at Oracle Arena. Durant is averaging 34.2 points per game this postseason.

Kerr said Durant has been spending countless hours rehabbing to recover - hoping to get back soon to what he loves most.

''You get that fear of missing out on stuff, like practices and shootarounds and new game plans and stuff like that. That's what I miss the most, obviously, grinding on the court individually and with my team. But that's out of my hands. Out of my control,'' Durant said Friday.

''My task is to try to conquer this, and I think that's the journey (we're) on as basketball players. So I'm pretty much down for anything but I'm excited that I'm making progress.''

Center DeMarcus Cousins, out with a torn left quadriceps muscle he injured in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers, hadn't been ruled out for Game 1 though Kerr mentioned the magnitude of coming back on the finals stage after so much missed time.

Cousins - in his first career postseason - scrimmaged Saturday and again Monday, a sign of progress he is closer to being ready.

''I feel better each and every day. That's my whole goal, to make sure I get better with each day that comes,'' Cousins said last week. ''Hopefully, that opportunity comes, and I'm able to get on the floor and help my teammates and try to help them win a championship.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Game 1 Props - Best Bets
May 29, 2019
By VI News

Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals tips off Thursday and bettors will have plenty of opportunities to cash tickets on the best-of-seven series between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors.

Along with your basic side and total wagers, all sportsbooks are offering up ?Proposition Wagers? or ?Props? for each game of the series.

Similar to our predictions for each round, our trio of NBA experts will be offering up their Best Prop Bets for each game.

Based on a five-unit bankroll for each game, their top plays are listed below for the opener between Toronto and Golden State.

Odds & Props provided by Sportsbook.ag

Chris David

2 Units - Over Kyle Lowry Total Assists 6.5 (+100)

Lowry averaged 8.7 assists in the regular season and that number has dropped to 6.4 assists in the postseason, which isn?t surprising since the pace isn?t as fast. His assists average has been pushed up to 6.7 in 10 home playoff games as the point guard has become more of a distributor. I expect him to take on that role again in the opener and get his teammates going. Make a note that in the two games against Golden State in the regular season, Lowry averaged 12 assists in those wins as Toronto averaged 122 points per game.

2 Units - Under Klay Thompson Total 3 Point Field Goals 3.5 (-145)

Depite not earning a spot on any of this year's all-NBA team this season, you can certainly see Thompson's worth to the Warriors in the playoffs. In four postseason losses, he averaged 16.5 points per game and only connected on eight 3-pointers in those games. In the 12 wins, he put up 19.9 PPG and hit 38 bombs from distance for an average of 3.2 per game. While Klay has the ability to hit this ?over? within minutes, I?m leaning to Toronto in the opener and in losses this season, Thompson is only shooting 35 percent from 3-point land. For what it?s worth, in two games versus the Raptors, he was 3-of-14 (21%) from distance.

1 Units - Under Marc Gasol Total Points 9.5 (-130)

The former Memphis Grizzlies standout will get his first taste of the NBA Finals and unfortunately for the veteran, I don?t believe he?ll be a factor in this series because the Warriors tend to go small and he would be exposed defensively. He received plenty of minutes vs. the big men of the 76ers (Embiid) and Bucks (Lopez) but against an athletic Orlando team, he was limited and only scored double figures in one of five games versus the Magic. Barring a hot shooting night, I don?t see the veteran cracking double digits on Thursday.

Kevin Rogers

3 Units - Over Draymond Green Total Rebounds 9.5 (-165)

For nine consecutive games, Green has pulled down at least 10 rebounds, including a total of 27 rebounds in the final two wins of the Portland series. Green didn't grab double-digit rebounds for the first five games of the opening round against the Clippers, but has grabbed nine boards or more in 11 straight games. Green has amassed at least eight rebounds in six consecutive playoff series openers, so laying the juice here for him to compile at least 10 rebounds isn't far-fetched.

2 Units - Under Kawhi Leonard Total Points 30.5 (-115)

Leonard has carried the Raptors to their first ever NBA Finals appearance, but the Toronto forward has scored 19 and 27 points in his last two home games. Golden State's defense has been solid in series openers this postseason by allowing 104 points or less in each victory as the Warriors will try to limit Leonard's production. Leonard's road scoring numbers in the playoffs have been higher than at home so we'll take the opportunity to back the 'under' here.

Tony Mejia

3 Units - Over Draymond Green Points, Rebounds and assists 30.5 (-110)

With Kevin Durant still out and DeMarcus Cousins likely to be worked into the mix slowly, my NBA Finals MVP pick will have a heavy workload ahead of him if he's gong to help the Warriors pick up at least a split of the action in Toronto. He's not going to look to score much, but should do enough to pick up a triple-double in Game 1, eclipsing this number rather easily. My one concern is his landing in early foul trouble, but he's done a nice job of controlling his temper and stepping up and staying on the floor since Durant went down.

2 Units - Over Marc Gasol Total Assists 3.5 (+110)

Although the Bucks often wound up double-teaming Kawhi Leonard using his defender, the Warriors aren't likely to leave him wide open in this series opener. A willing passer, look for Gasol to try and get teammates off whenever possible in this Game 1, which will lead to him picking up at least four dimes by finding teammates at the rim or for open 3-pointers.

 

[Cnotes53]

Raptors' Anunoby hopes to return
May 29, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) Toronto Raptors reserve OG Anunoby hopes to return during the NBA Finals after missing almost seven weeks because of an emergency appendectomy.

Anunoby had surgery April 11, two days before the Raptors opened the first round of the playoffs against Orlando. Over the past few days, he has been taking shots and handling light contact, but he has not yet returned to full practice.

He's been upgraded to questionable for Thursday's series opener against Golden State. On Monday, Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Anunoby was approximately 10 days away from a return.

The forward played in 67 games this season, his second in the NBA. He averaged 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Anunoby said his appendix burst before his surgery, leading to complications because of an infection and slowing his recovery.

 

[Cnotes53]

Finals Game 1 - Warriors at Raptors
May 29, 2019
By Tony Mejia

NBA Finals ? Game 1
Golden State at Toronto (-1/213.5), ABC, 9:07 p.m. ET

2018-19 Head-to-Head Meetings
Dec. 12 ? Raptors (+8) 113 at Warriors 93 (Under 226.5)
Nov. 29 ? Raptors (-9.5) 131 vs. Warriors 128, OT (Over 223)

The Warriors are used to taking down the East?s best player in June, having done so three of the past four years against LeBron James.

They?ll now look to handle Kawhi Leonard, who has revenge on his mind and a solid defensive team behind him.

These NBA Finals are expected to wrap up with Golden State celebrating a threepeat and its fourth title in five years, but how we get there remains to be seen. There are variables everywhere, starting with when and if Kevin Durant will return from a calf injury to make a run at a third straight Finals MVP.

As of Wednesday afternoon, betting the Raptors to dethrone the Warriors would yield a return of +250 at the Westgate Superbook and William Hill shops, while Golden State is -300 practically everywhere, with the Golden Nugget still offering -280. The odds would certainly improve if the Raptors are able to hold serve on Thursday night, but if you see this series as a mismatch, those odds may be the best you?ll get the rest of the way if the Warriors are able to win another big playoff game without Durant.

With him officially ruled out of the series opener, the Warriors went from 1-point favorites to 1-points underdogs for a Game 1 that?s essentially a pick?em. On the road without Durant, Golden State appears vulnerable.

The Warriors will have fresher legs since they swept Portland and haven?t taken the court for a taxing game since May 20, but there?s certainly a chance that they?re rusty and struggle to adjust in a building they don?t often visit. The atmosphere is certain to be raucous, but Golden State is certainly accustomed to quieting excited crowds. They?re just not very experienced at having to do so in a series opener, which VegasInsider.com NBA expert Kevin Rogers points out.

?For only the second time since Steve Kerr took over as head coach of the Warriors in 2014, Golden State will begin a playoff series on the road. The Warriors traveled to Houston to open the Western Conference Finals in 2018 and not only won the opener by 13 points, but closed out the series with a road win in Game 7,? Rogers said. ?Golden State owns a perfect 4-0 record in NBA Finals openers the last four seasons, although two of those victories came in overtime. The Raptors have struggled in franchise history in home Game 1?s by compiling a dreadful 2-7 SU/ATS record since 2014, but one of those victories came in the second round this season against Philadelphia.?

The Warriors last played in Toronto back on November 29, losing 131-128 in overtime without Stephen Curry, who missed that game with a groin injury. Durant scored 51 points in the loss, which was one of those early-season games that set the stage for things to come. Curry was back for the blowout loss suffered 13 days later in Oakland but scored just 10 points, so he?s going to need to catch an early rhythm against pesky defenders in Kyle Lowry, Danny Green and Leonard.

Although Toronto swept the season series despite not having the services of Marc Gasol, it had lost 16 of the previous 18 meetings against the Warriors over the previous decade. Golden State hadn?t lost at ScotiaBank Arena (formerly the Air Canada Centre) since 2014 before this season?s meeting, and they?ll be looking to run their road playoff winning streak to four games here.

Without Durant available and DeMarcus Cousins unlikely to play a major role if he does return since he?s had such limited practice time, Draymond Green must stay out of foul trouble in Game 1 since he?ll be counted on to help defend Leonard while also rebounding and leading the break, serving as the point forward to help get Curry and Klay Thompson quality looks from the perimeter. One of the most crucial factors set to unfold in this opener is seeing how he controls his temper considering there are plenty of agitators available in Serge Ibaka, Gasol and Pascal Siakam who will be baiting him in a hostile atmosphere.

The Warriors are going to need the likes of Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell to continue helping Green out in the post, but he?s going to need to be the most productive guy out there. Green has been masterful against Houston and Portland with Durant sidelined, playing the role of conduit to make Golden State tick over thee past few years and must do so again, which makes him my pick for Finals MVP. He?s getting 10-to-1 odds at Sportsbook.ag. Curry is listed as the favorite considering how dominant he was in closing out the Rockets and Trail Blazers, but there?s just not much value in backing the favorite on this type of bet. I?d ride the other Splash Brother over Curry with Klay Thompson yielding a 20-to-1 payout.

If you?re all in on the Raptors, you?re banking on Leonard?s quad and knee holding up, not to mention Siakam?s health continuing to improve. Leonard has been brilliant despite playing through a quad injury that has limited his explosiveness, but avoiding a Game 7 and a return trip to Milwaukee has helped matters and he?s saying all the right things about feeling healthy entering this series. Siakam, Gasol, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Ibaka all stepped up significantly to help put away the Bucks and will be counted on to continue playing well at home in order to get off to a strong start and make this a competitive NBA Finals.

On paper, there?s no reason they shouldn?t hold up against a Durant-less Warriors team if everyone plays to their potential. The pick?em is fair and not a trap line. If Leonard is healthy, he?ll have Green exhausted by game?s end. There?s no question the Toronto frontcourt is deeper and more talented. Can the guards make enough shots and get enough stops against one of the most prolific backcourts the NBA has ever seen? How will the feeling-out process come into play?

The total for Game 1 opened at 215 and the number has dropped to 213 as of Wednesday. VegasInsider.com NBA expert Chris David offered up his thoughts on the series opener.

?Total bettors could be scratching their heads in Game 1 since we?ve seen conflicting trends for both clubs in the postseason,? said David. ?Golden State has watched the ?over? go 10-6 in the playoffs and that includes a 6-2 mark on the road. Meanwhile, the ?under? has gone 12-6 (67%) in 18 postseason games and ten of those contests were played at Scotiabank Arena where the low side went 6-4.

?In the two regular season encounters between the pair, the totals ranged from 223 to 226 ? and both games had key starters missing and that trend will continue on Thursday with KD out for Golden State. Durant?s absence is worth a few points to the total but it?s apparent that the oddsmakers are respecting the Raptors defense after watching the unit stifle Milwaukee in the East Finals. We?re going to find out very quickly if the inept production from the Bucks was based on the Raptors defense or just poor shooting.?

Pace will play a huge role since Curry and Thompson will let the 3-ball fly whenever they have clean looks to avoid bogging down against the Raptors? halfcourt defense, but they?re not likely to get away with coming down and consistently launch 30-footers. It will also be interesting to see who comes off utilizing a traditional center first since Andrew Bogut and Damian Jones are available for Steve Kerr to throw out there against Gasol, but both teams will likely employ small-ball looks throughout most of the series. Ibaka was incredibly productive off the bench and was an x-factor in beating the Bucks, while Green, Looney and Bell are all capable of holding down the five-spot to get more shooting on the floor.

?Golden State was ranked first in scoring offense (117.5) on the road this season and that average jumped to 118.8 PPG in eight playoff tilts away from home. In 15 road games versus the East this season, the Warriors averaged 114.8 PPG but they did lay some eggs against playoff teams in losses to the Magic (103-96) and Pistons (111-102),? said David. ?Scoring on the Raptors won?t be easy and they?ve been great defensively at home (95.8 PPG) in the postseason albeit against less explosive teams. I believe Toronto will strike first in this series and it?s going to do so with defense, which makes me lean to the ?under? in Game 1.?

The Raptors have won five consecutive home games and are 8-2 in Toronto this postseason after going 32-9 during the regular season, the third-best mark in the league. Golden State tied the Bucks for the regular-season?s top road mark and are 6-2 in opposing gyms in these playoffs, beating all of their foes at least once. That?s all it?s going to take to significantly alter this series since it would steal away homecourt advantage with Durant likely to join the party.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Finals road goes to Canada
May 29, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) Dynasty versus dinosaurs.

The Golden State Warriors' road to a fifth straight NBA Finals has detoured to a new destination - and this one requires a passport.

The Toronto Raptors, a team that arrived in the NBA 24 years ago as the dinosaur-logoed basketball franchise in a hockey-loving country, have finally made it to the championship round and will host Game 1 on Thursday night.

It's the first time the finals will be played outside the U.S., a refreshing change after a record four straight seasons of the same matchup.

''Different for us obviously, having been in Cleveland four straight years, but this is more the rule. That was the exception,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''You're not supposed to go to the finals four straight years and you're definitely not, if you're lucky enough to do that, you're not supposed to play the same team four straight years.

''This is more what the finals normally feel like, where you're going against a team you frankly don't know that well and that you haven't seen that often over the previous few years.''

Stephen Curry lived in Toronto when his father Dell played for the Raptors at the end of his career, but otherwise it's a new feeling even for these Warriors, who are one of the most championship-experienced teams in NBA history.

They joined the Boston Celtics from 1957-66 as the only teams to reach five straight NBA Finals, and are trying to become the first team to win three consecutive titles since the Los Angeles Lakers of 2000-02.

Besides facing a different opponent for the first time during their run, the Warriors won't have the luxury of starting the series at home for the first time. They also won't have Kevin Durant for at least one more game, though none of that rattles a team that has played in 22 finals games in the last four years.

''We have been here before,'' Curry said. ''We understand the hoopla and the pandemonium around the finals and how different things are when it comes to just the schedule and the vibe. So we have seen a lot and we'll be ready for it.''

The Raptors are new to this stage, but their players aren't. Kawhi Leonard was MVP of the 2014 NBA Finals, when he and Danny Green won a title with San Antonio. Serge Ibaka made it to the finals with Oklahoma City in 2012, and even players such as Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol have played in Olympic finals.

''It's just the same basketball game,'' Leonard said. ''It's 5-on-5. It's still two hoops. So you just go out there and play hard and live with the results.''

The Raptors had already moved away from their purple uniforms with the red dinosaur, and their reputation as a loser is extinct, too. They have won 50 games in four straight seasons and have the best record in the East over the last seven, but couldn't get over the hump until this year, thanks largely to the acquisition of Leonard last summer.

He hit the winning shot in Game 7 of the second round and then led Toronto's charge back from a 2-0 deficit against Milwaukee in the conference finals to win four straight against the team with the NBA's best record.

They made history just by bringing the finals to Canada and the doorstep of their rowdy fans in Jurassic Park . But Lowry has more in mind.

''For me it's all about winning, and when you get to the point where you make it to the NBA Finals, you won but you still got more to do,'' he said. ''So getting here doesn't do anything but getting here. We still want to try to win this.''

Some other things to know abou the NBA Finals:

WOUNDED WARRIORS

DeMarcus Cousins (torn left quadriceps) may be ready to return but it could be a little longer for Durant (strained right calf). Kerr said the two-time NBA Finals MVP, already ruled out for Game 1, hasn't practiced and would have to do so before returning.

STRONG STARTERS

Golden State has won 12 straight Game 1s, including all four in the NBA Finals since 2015, and Gasol was asked for Toronto's key to getting the series off to a good start.

''Every possession from the jump ball,'' he said, ''competing, communicating, solving issues as we face them. Do not overreact to whatever.''

ROOKIE RUNS

Kerr won a championship four years ago in his first season as an NBA head coach and now Nick Nurse can do the same. He was promoted last year after the Raptors fired Dwane Casey, and earlier in his career had been a head coach in both the NBA Development League and the British Basketball League.

THREE-PEAT FOR NO. 3?

Another title would be the Warriors' seventh and move them into third place in NBA history behind only the Celtics (17) and Lakers (16).

100 PERCENT

Curry, already the career leading in NBA Finals 3-pointers, needs two more to reach the century mark.

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s 6-pack

Matchups for the Gavitt Games this fall:

? Villanova at Ohio State

? Michigan State at Seton Hall

? Creighton at Michigan

? Purdue at Marquette

? Providence at Northwestern

? Penn State at Georgetown

? Minnesota at Butler

? DePaul at Iowa

Quote of the Day
?Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to act despite our fears.?
John McCain

Thursday?s quiz
Which state is known as the Granite State?

Wednesday?s quiz
Doug Williams, Mark Rypien, Joe Theismann won Super Bowls playing for Joe Gibbs.

Tuesday?s quiz
Jacob deGrom is a really good pitcher, but the Mets are 16-25 in his last 41 starts.

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

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

13) One important thing in baseball now is for your starting pitchers to go deeper into games, to take stress off your bullpen. Over the course of a 162-game schedule, you can wear out your bullpen if they get used too much? after all, the starting pitchers are the better pitchers.

So far this season, Angels have only had 10 games where their starter went 6+ innings, but they use the opener a decent amount. John Means lasted six innings Wednesday; it was only the 11th game that Baltimore?s starters lasted 6+ innings

12) Pirates 7, Reds 2? These teams don?t like each other; since 2014, 72 Pirates have been hit by Cincinnati pitchers, 64 Reds have been hit by Pittsburgh hurlers. Six players were hit in the 5-4 Pirates? win Wednesday.

Eugenio Suarez got drilled on the hand in 8th inning; x-rays came back negative, but Suarez had some words for pitcher Clay Holmes on his way to first base.

11) Cubs starting pitchers gave up 6+ runs four games in a row Saturday-Tuesday, first time they?ve done that since August of 2006.

10) Foul poles at Safeco Field in Seattle are 92 feet high. In case you were wondering.

9) Toronto will host a college basketball tripleheader Nov 16;
? Tennessee-Washington
? Buffalo-Harvard
? Rutgers-St Bonaventure

8) College basketball transfer portal:
? Coppin State transfer Justin Steers bolts to Rider.

7) Baseball stuff:
? Astros put SS Carlos Correa (broken rib) on IL.

6) Houston now has Altuve, Springer, Correa, Diaz all on the IL. Tough times for their training staff. Correa got hurt during a home massage; he broke a rib getting massaged.

5) Top five starting pitchers, if you bet on all their starts:
1. Lucas Giolito CWS (8-2) +$855
2. Clayton Kershaw LA (8-0) +$800
3. Jordan Lyles Pitt (8-2) +$777
4. Matt Shoemaker Tor (5-0) +$673
5. Jose Berrios Minn (9-2) +$671

4) Seven of Notre Dame?s football opponents this fall have a bye week the week before they play the Fighting Irish, first time that has happened to anyone in the last 30 years.

3) Former Bengals? coach Marvin Lewis has joined Arizona State?s football staff as a special advisor to head coach Herm Edwards. Too bad; Lewis was good on TV doing AAF games and would?ve been a solid TV analyst for NFL games.

2) Blue Jays? CF Jonathan Davis made one of the best catches you?ll ever see to end the first inning in Tampa Bay last night- it saved two runs, cost Avisail Garcia two RBI.

1) Random thing I learned today: singer Ariana Grande is allergic to tomatoes- she cancelled two shows after having an allergic reaction this week. No pizza for her.

 

[Cnotes53]

 

[Cnotes53]

Trends to Watch - Game 1

-- The home team has gone 19-3 straight up in Game 1 of the last 22 NBA Finals.

-- Twelve of the last 15 victories have come by double digits.

-- The ?under? has gone 10-4-1 in the last 15 openers and is 14-7-1 in the previous 22.

-- In the last 22 years, we've only seen both teams score triple digits three times in Game 1 and all of those games went to overtime.

-- Toronto has gone 1-2 both straight up and against the spread in Game 1 of this year's playoffs, with two of the games played at Scotiabank Arena.

-- The Raptors are 8-2 straight up and 7-3 against the spread at home in this year's playoffs.

-- Golden State is 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS in series openers, all decisions coming at home. In the first road game of a series in this year's playoffs, it has gone 2-1 both SU and ATS.

-- Overall, the Warriors have gone 6-2 SU and 4-4 ATS on the road in this year's postseason.

Listed below are the past 22 openers in the NBA Finals, with total results.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Finals: Warriors vs Raptors series preview, odds and best bets
Rohit Ponnaiya

Kawhi Leonard has led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA Finals appearance but they're +230 underdogs to win the title against the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors shoot for their third championship in a row as they head to Toronto to play the Raptors in Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals.

The Warriors will need to get through at least the first few games of the series without the Finals MVP of the last two years in Kevin Durant. The Raptors are making their first finals appearance, have an entire nation rooting for them and are led by 2014 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

We break down the series odds and give you in-depth trends and notes so you can make the best bets for this best-of-seven battle.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS TORONTO RAPTORS

Series Winner Odds: Golden State -304/Toronto +230

Regular Season Head to Head: Toronto 2-0

Game 1: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON - Thursday, May 30, 9:00 p.m. ET
Game 2: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON - Sunday, June 2, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 3: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA - Wednesday, June 5, 9:00 p.m. ET
Game 4: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA - Friday, June 7, 9:00 p.m. ET
*Game 5: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON - Mon, June 10, 9:00 p.m. ET
*Game 6: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA - Thur, June 13, 9:00 p.m. ET
*Game 7: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON Sun, June 16, 8:00 p.m. ET

* If Necessary

BACKGROUND

The Raptors won both games in the head-to-head during the regular season but don't expect that to count for much this series, the Warriors have been notoriously laid back during the regular season for the past few years before turning their intensity up for the playoffs. On top of that, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green missed the first game while Leonard sat out the second.

The Warriors are coming off a four game sweep of the Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, after being taken to six games by the Clippers and Rockets. They will be without Kevin Durant for at least the first game of the series and possibly longer than that. KD has been the Finals MVP for the last two years and was leading the Warriors in scoring with 34.2 ppg in the playoffs before a calf injury against the Rockets. However, in his absence Golden State has gone 6-0 while Curry and Green have dominated with the ball in their hands more often.

Many counted out the Raptors when they fell behind two games to nothing against the Bucks after getting clobbered by 22 points in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Raps came back to win four in a row and book their first trip to the finals. They also had a close call in the second round, winning a tight series against the 76ers with a last-second Leonard shot that will go down in history. Toronto finished one game ahead of Golden State in the regular season standings which will give them home-court advantage in this series.

ROAD WARRIORS

That home-court advantage could prove crucial for a Raptors squad that is 40-11 at Scotiabank Arena this season, including 8-2 during the playoffs. Toronto has outstanding scoring margin of plus-12.1 at home in the postseason.

However the Warriors have been excellent on the road with a league-best 33-16 record, including 6-2 in the playoffs. Their road playoff scoring margin of plus-7.9 is almost 11 points better than the Raptors scoring margin away from Toronto (minus-3).

DEFENSE VS OFFENSE

This could be a classic battle of two teams with different styles. Golden State has improved on their already potent offense from the regular season, scoring 116.4 points per 100 possessions while shooting 48.7 percent from the field during the playoffs. The Raptors have stepped up on the defensive end of the floor, holding postseason opponents to 102.4 points per 100 possessions.

However the Warriors have shown flaws on the defensive end of the court, allowing 110.2 points per 100 possessions. When the Raptors have scored at least 104 points per 100 possessions during this playoffs they are 10-0.

FALLING BEHIND EARLY

Both teams had a bad habit of falling behind early during their conference finals matchups. Although Golden State swept Portland they trailed at halftime in each of the last three games, while Toronto trailed Milwaukee after 24 minutes in three of their last five games.

Golden State looks to have the edge in the early going, leading the league in 1Q scoring margin with plus-3.1. Toronto is plus-1.6 in the first 12 minutes, including a terrible minus-7.3 in the first quarter of their last three games. Taking the Warriors on the 1Q spread could be a good option.

Falling behind early will be far more costly for Toronto in this series given how well Golden State has closed out games.

TIGHTENING UP IN THE FOURTH

Both the Raptors and Warriors step up their defensive intensity in the fourth quarter while slowing down their offenses. The Warriors allow just 26.1 ppg in the fourth quarter and that number has been an incredible 19.3 pgg over their last three games. While the Raptors give up 26.3 ppg in the fourth, improving to 21 ppg over their previous three contests.

On offense, Golden State puts up 26.5 ppg in the final quarter, while Toronto averages 26 ppg. Live bettors should keep those trends in mind when betting on the total late in game.

THE KING IN THE NORTH

Kawhi Leonard has carried the Raptors throughout the playoffs, averaging 31.2 ppg while shooting 51/39/88. The Raptors need Leonard on the floor if they want their offense to click, They average 111.7 points per 100 possessions with Kawhi on the court and just 85.1 points per 100 possessions with him on the bench. Expect him to log big minutes and take plenty of shots.

In his lone game against the Warriors during the regular season, Leonard scored 37 points on 14 of 24 shooting from the floor. The O/U for Leonard's ppg in the series is set at 30.5

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Finals Predictions

The 2019 NBA Finals begins on Thursday May 30 from Scotiabank Arena as Toronto and Golden State will square off for the championship. The Warriors have won three of the last four titles and the oddsmakers have installed them as series favorites over the Raptors despite not having homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven battle.

Toronto finished the regular season at 58-24 and was the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference while Golden State earned the top spot in the Western Conference with a 57-25 mark.

The best-of-seven series will be played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format with a possible Game 7 taking place on Sunday June 16 from Canada.

In this year's regular season, Toronto and Golden State played each other within a two-week span in late November and early December. The Raptors earned a 131-128 victory at home on Nov. 29 and completed the sweep with a 113-93 win at Oracle Arena on Dec. 12. In the wild shootout from Canada, Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry sat out due to a groin injury. He was available in the second encounter and the Raptors still earned the win and they did so without their best player Kawhi Leonard, who was nursing a hip injury.

Throughout the 2019 playoffs our trio of NBA experts listed below have offered up their fearless predictions on every series and their records are listed below (Exact Games).

Kevin Rogers: 10-4 (3)
Chris David: 10-4 (4)
Tony Mejia: 11-3 (3)

Below are each of their predictions for the 2019 NBA Finals between the Raptors and Warriors which includes their analysis as well.

Analysis - Kevin Rogers

In a strange twist, the Raptors go from not owning home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals to now possessing it in the NBA Finals against the Warriors. Golden State is in familiar territory by making its fifth consecutive NBA Finals, but two things are different this time around. The Warriors don?t have to worry about containing LeBron James and Golden State will be on the road for the first two games and a potential Game 7.

Two games into the Eastern Conference Finals, it looked like Milwaukee would be heading to the NBA Finals, but four straight victories by Toronto has the Raptors vying for their first ever championship. No LeBron this time around, but Kawhi Leonard has put together a fantastic postseason by averaging 31.2 ppg, which is nearly five points higher than his regular season average.

Kevin Durant?s status is up in the air for Golden State after missing the Western Conference Finals with a calf injury. The big question heading into this series for the Warriors (besides the availability of KD) is if all those holes Portland dug for Golden State to climb out of was a sign to things to come or just poor starts for the Warriors.

Toronto swept the season series, including a blowout win at Oracle Arena without Leonard. Stephen Curry didn?t suit up in an overtime loss at Toronto, as Durant lit up the Raptors for 51 points. If Durant doesn?t play and the Warriors owned home-court advantage, then Golden State should be alright. But with Durant out to start the series and the Warriors have to travel early, that could spell problems for the champs.

Analysis - Chris David

In the 2008 NBA Finals, the L.A. Lakers (-180) met the Celtics (+160) in the finals without homecourt advantage and that was the last time we saw a club with the venue disadvantage listed as favorites in the series. Boston won the matchup in six games and while the extra home matches played a factor in that series, it?s not always the telling factor. Since that best-of-seven battle, we?ve seen three teams in the Mavericks (2011), Heat (2012) and Cavaliers (2016) win the finals without homecourt advantage.

While I believe Toronto will be much more competitive than last year?s LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals, I can?t see the Raptors sustaining their defense against this well-tuned Warriors squad. Holding the Bucks to 102, 99 and 94 points in the last three games of the East Finals was very impressive but Milwaukee helped that cause by only hitting 31 percent from 3-point land in the series. Outside of the Game 4 win at home, every contest was tight and they?re now facing a group that is better than anybody in finishing games.

The Raptors have a slight edge in the frontcourt due to the uncertain status of Golden State forward Kevin Durant. If he was healthy, the Warriors would likely be -500 favorites knowing how much success he?s had against Toronto. He averaged 40.5 points per game in the two losses to the Raptors this season and his career numbers (27.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.2 APG) versus the Canadian club are off the charts as well. Without KD, the Warriors are 5-0 in the postseason and his absence has helped give minutes and confidence to Steve Kerr?s reserves. If Durant returns and possibly DeMarcus Cousins too, the added talent should only create more issues for the Raptors.

I expect Toronto to win at least one, possibly two games at home in this series and I wouldn?t be surprised to see a blowout as well since we?ve seen this Golden State team get run plenty of times this season. However, the Warriors have been very solid off losses and their playoff record at home is ridiculous. Golden State in six games (9/4) is the top choice for Exact Game Odds and that?s my lean in the finals.

Analysis - Tony Mejia

It's difficult to look ahead in this series since we don't know when Kevin Durant will return to alter the dynamic, but I'm of the belief we'll see him by the time the series returns to Oakland. The Warriors can theoretically win this series without him but will certainly be able to use his services to help make life more difficult for Kawhi Leonard. It's hard to imagine Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet staying as hot as they were late in the Eastern Conference finals, which means it's going to be tough to hang with the Splash Brothers, especially since Danny Green is mired in such an awful slump. Golden State will need Draymond Green to stay out of foul trouble and Andre Iguodala's calf to hold up but should win a third straight title, breaking Canadian hearts in spoiling Toronto's first Finals.

 

[Cnotes53]

521Golden State -522 Toronto
GOLDEN STATE is 8-1 ATS (6.9 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent in the current season.


NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 30

Golden State @ Toronto

Game 521-522
May 30, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
130.705
Toronto
128.382
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 2 1/2
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 1
215
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(+1); Over


NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 30

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

GOLDEN STATE (69 - 29) at TORONTO (70 - 30) - 5/30/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 42-54 ATS (-17.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-36 ATS (-16.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 52-67 ATS (-21.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 34-49 ATS (-19.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-43 ATS (-12.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 93-66 ATS (+20.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 215-269 ATS (-80.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 30

Warriors are in Finals for 5th year in row; Raptors are in Finals for first time. Toronto is 2-0 vs Golden State this season, winning in OT in Oakland in November, by 20 at home 13 days later, after Warriors had won previous eight meetings. Six of last eight series games went over the total. Golden State will be without Durant/Cousins; they won their last six games- their last losses were Games 2-3 in Houston. Over is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. Toronto won/covered its last four games; they won last five home games (4-1 vs spread). Over is 3-2 in last five Raptor home games.


NBA

Thursday, May 30

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

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games
Golden State is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games on the road
Golden State is 15-7-1 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Toronto's last 19 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Toronto is 7-15-1 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Golden State
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State

 

[Cnotes53]

Diamond Trends - Thursday
May 30, 2019
By Vince Akins

SU Play ON Trend of the Day:

-- The Dodgers are 23-0 SU in the history of the database in the last game of at least a three-game series as a 180-plus favorite after a one run win.

SU Play AGAINST Trend of the Day:

-- The Pirates are 0-12 SU in the first game of a series with no rest as a dog after a five-plus run win as a road dog and it is before the All-Star break.

Batter-Based Trend of the Day:

-- The Phillies are 10-0 SU in franchise history after a game in which JT Realmuto struck out at least twice.

Starter-Based Trend of the Day:

-- The Dodgers are 13-0 SU when Hyun Jin Ryu starts as a favorite and they scored more than six runs in his last start.