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

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

Thompson set to return for Game 4
June 6, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Everyone knows about Klay Thompson's ability to get dangerously hot in a hurry on offense.

His stingy defense might just be the thing that matters most when he returns for the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night with his team trailing Toronto 2-1.

''We can't fall into the trap of thinking offense alone is going to win us another championship or letting that end of the floor affect our defense,'' Stephen Curry said on the heels of a postseason career-best 47-point performance in the Warriors' Game 3 defeat.

Thompson is scheduled to play Friday barring any further issues with his strained left hamstring after he sat out the 123-109 loss Wednesday, while Kevin Durant remains sidelined as he attempts to work back from a strained right calf.

With the way Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Danny Green delivered time and again for the Raptors to answer every big shot by Curry, Thompson's defense will be a key part of the two-time defending champions' adjustment as they try to even the series at home before another trip to Toronto.

''People fall in love with his shooting and how hot he can get on the offensive end, but the way that our team plays defensively and the chemistry that we have and the experience, he's right at the forefront of that,'' Curry said. ''And it's a tough adjustment when guys who haven't been in that position consistently and in these type of moments are thrown into his minutes. So you would love to have him out there on that end of the floor as well, especially with a team like Toronto.''

Thompson, who was injured late in Golden State's Game 2 win at Toronto, even surprised the Raptors when he didn't take the court for tipoff.

The Raptors still had him on the board to play when the team left the locker room just before game time.

Not facing Thompson became a key advantage and all five Toronto starters scored in double figures - and Curry was forced to take on a greater load.

''He's a great defender. I think he's one of the best, right up there at the top of the best wing defenders in the league,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Thompson. ''He's probably underrated in that department. He really puts in some awesome defensive performances for them, especially when they really need them.''

Here are some things to watch for Friday night:

WARRIORS INVESTOR SUSPENDED

Warriors investor Mark Stevens was banned by the NBA for a year and fined $500,000 for shoving Lowry and directing obscene language toward him early in the fourth quarter Wednesday.

''He shouldn't be a part of our league. There's just no place for that,'' said Lowry, who confirmed Thursday that there were obscenities directed at him.

Support poured in for Lowry's handling of the incident, including a text message from LeBron James.

''I was furious, I'm not going to lie,'' Lowry said.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr personally apologized to Lowry and the Raptors, calling Stevens' behavior ''unacceptable.''

Draymond Green applauded Lowry's calm response.

''You have to give Kyle a lot of credit in the way he handled it,'' Green said. ''You're playing in the NBA Finals, so your emotions are running high. For him to handle it the way he did says a lot about his character, a lot about him as a man and the way he handles himself. That was great to see.''

THEY'VE SEEN IT ALL

Last season, the Warriors had to win Game 7 of the Western Conference finals on the road in Houston. They triumphed with an ailing Kerr sidelined for much of the 16-1 title run in 2017.

This fifth straight NBA Finals has brought on its own challenges, most notably all the injuries.

''Our best basketball is usually played when our backs are against the wall,'' Green said.

DURANT'S STATUS

Durant wasn't going to get on the court in a scrimmage situation Thursday as the Warriors had initially thought, but might do so as soon as Friday or Saturday with the hope he still could return before the finals are done.

''There was no setback. I was hoping that today would be the day when he could get out on the floor,'' Kerr said. ''It's not going to be today.''

Durant, the two-time reigning Finals MVP who was averaging 34.2 points this postseason before the injury, was hurt in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Rockets on May 8. He has missed the eight games since.

FAREWELL TO ORACLE

Oracle Arena really is on its last hurrah. Friday night's Game 4 is the only remaining guaranteed contest at the arena before Golden State moves to the new Chase Center in San Francisco next season.

The Warriors might need an even more deafening response from the loyal home fan base.

''We're going to miss it here for sure,'' Kerr said. ''We're looking forward to the new arena. It's going to be amazing, but we'll always miss Oracle.''

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

Danny Green excels again on Finals stage
June 6, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Toronto's Danny Green couldn't make a shot for about two weeks going into these NBA Finals.

Seems like forever ago now.

The finals are a happy stage for Green, who has been in the title-deciding series three times now and has put up big numbers in each of those trips. The trend has continued in this series against Golden State, and Green's six 3-pointers were a huge factor in the Raptors' Game 3 win that put them up 2-1 in the series.

Game 4 is on Friday, and Green can expect to see a lot more defensive attention from the Warriors.

''Our defense was poor last night and in particular several times leaving Danny when we didn't need to,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Thursday. ''He's a shooter who commands attention and respect. And there were at least three of his shots where we just drifted away from him, and we have got to stay connected to him.''

Green was 6 for 10 from long range in the Raptors' win Wednesday. He was just 6 for 32 from 3-point land in the six games it took Toronto to oust Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference finals.

''I don't think it's the stage,'' Green said. ''I think it's just the life of a shooter. Sometimes you have ups and downs and I think luckily, during this time, I've had some ups.''

He's had a lot of them in the finals.

There are 46 players in NBA history to have made at least 15 3-pointers in the finals. Of those 46, only two have done so while shooting at least 50% from beyond the arc.

No. 1 is former Miami standout Mike Miller, who went 26 for 49 - 53%.

The other is Green, who is 47 for 91 - 52%. And that percentage climbed in Game 3.

''Danny's buckets, I think, boosted our whole team's confidence,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. ''We're kind of used to most of the year relying on those.''

Ray Allen shot 43% from 3-point range in finals games. Golden State's Kevin Durant is also at 43%. Larry Bird, 42%. Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, 41%. Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry, who has made more 3s than anyone in finals history, is just under 40% in those games from deep. Warriors guard Klay Thompson, 38%.

Even Kerr, who was as good a shooter as one could find in the NBA when he played, was a 28% guy from beyond the arc in his finals career.

But for Green, the big number in Game 3 was 100%.

That's where he was at following his first attempt. And when a shooter sees the first shot of a game go down, the rim tends to get bigger.

''It helps,'' Green said. ''It helps a ton.''

Curry blamed himself for some of Green's Game 3 success, saying that first shot was one he should have contested better.

''Early in the first quarter I gave up a 3 to him, or I let him get open for a 3 in the corner without really making him feel my presence at all,'' Curry said. ''And shots like that for a great shooter just build confidence, and he fed off of that the rest of the game.''

The Warriors know their defense has to get better, and with an elite defender like Thompson - who missed Wednesday with a strained hamstring - expected to be back on the floor for Game 4, they should be better on that end.

Thompson's presence alone won't be enough. If the Warriors pay too much attention to Green, he's perfectly fine giving up the ball.

''I'm sure they're going to do a better job, trying to make us feel them,'' Green said. ''But you do that, you've got to pick your poison. You've got to guard me or double-team Kawhi. Stay stuck to me, it's going to leave open lanes ... they'll have to pick and choose. If we use our pace and move the ball like we know we can, we'll have open lanes for everybody.''

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

Preview: Raptors (58-24) at Warriors (57-25)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Toronto Raptors can move within one game of their first championship Friday night, but likely they will see a different-looking opponent than two days earlier when they take the floor for Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena.

The Golden State Warriors, who trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, hope to get All-Star guard Klay Thompson back in action.

The hot-shooting Raptors easily brushed aside Golden State's one-man assault in Game 3 when the visitors got double-figure scoring from all five starters to overcome Stephen Curry's 47-point explosion in a 123-109 victory Wednesday.

With or without Thompson, who strained his left hamstring late in Golden State's Game 2 win at Toronto and sat out Wednesday, the Warriors have scored exactly 109 points in all three games of the series.

The game outcomes have hinged on Toronto's shooting accuracy.

The Raptors were held to 37.2 percent from the field and 28.9 percent on 3-pointers while putting up just 104 points in their Game 2 loss.

They have sandwiched that performance by hitting better than 50 percent from the field (50.6 percent in Game 1, 52.4 percent in Game 3) in their two wins, brilliant shooting nights that have included 39.4 percent and 44.7 percent accuracy from beyond the arc.

That shooting has produced nine- and 14-point wins and put the Eastern Conference champs right where they want to be -- with a lead in the series on the eve of Game 4, where they have been unbeaten, including twice on the road, in their previous three series.

"We haven't really had a good team shooting night, and I knew eventually at some point we were due for one," Toronto guard Danny Green said after going 6-for-10 on 3-point attempts in Game 3. "We still have to do a better job defensively on that end of the floor to limit those guys better so we don't have to rely on our offense or our shooting to win games for us."

In a remarkable display of consistency, all seven Raptors who took a shot in Game 4 made at least half of their attempts. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 30 points, the 13th time this postseason that he's reached that mark.

Only six others in NBA history -- Michael Jordan (four times), Kobe Bryant (two times), LeBron James (two times), Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson -- have had 13 or more 30-point games in a single postseason.

Just three of those guys (Jordan, Iverson and James) have ever scored 47 or more in a Finals game. In Game 3, Curry became the eighth player to put or 47 or more in the Finals, producing a career postseason high while shooting 14-for-31 overall and 6-for-14 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Without Thompson and Kevin Durant (strained right calf), he did that without getting much help. Only Draymond Green (17 points) and Andre Iguodala (11) also scored in double figures for the Warriors. The other eight members of the two-time defending champs who took at least one shot combined to go 12-for-38 (31.6 percent).

Golden State coach Steve Kerr announced Thursday that Durant, who hasn't played since the Western Conference semifinals, also would miss Game 4.

Re-enter Thompson, who was given a thumbs-up after a workout and examination on Thursday. He was the Warriors' leading scorer in the Game 2 win with 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting, which, Curry noted, only tells half the story.

"People fall in love with his shooting," Curry said Thursday, "but the way that our team plays defensively and the chemistry that we have and the experience, he's right at the forefront of that. So you would love to have him out there on that end of the floor as well, especially with a team like Toronto who is versatile and can space the floor. He can guard a lot of different guys."

The winner of Game 3 in a 1-1 Finals has gone on to claim the championship on 31 of 38 occasions. But Draymond Green had different numbers bouncing around in his head after the Warriors' Wednesday loss.

"We just got to continue to battle," he said, "and win the next game, go back to Toronto, win Game 5, come back to Oracle (Arena), win Game 6 and then celebrate. Fun times ahead."

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

527Toronto -528 Golden State
GOLDEN STATE is 35-54 ATS (-24.4 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game in the last 3 seasons.

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, June 7

Toronto @ Golden State

Game 527-528
June 7, 2019 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
125.152
Golden State
134.230
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 9
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 4 1/2
216
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-4 1/2); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, June 7

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TORONTO (72 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (70 - 31) - 6/7/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) on Friday nights this season.
TORONTO is 217-270 ATS (-80.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-56 ATS (-18.6 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-50 ATS (-19.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-30 ATS (-14.0 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-51 ATS (-21.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-30 ATS (-13.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-45 ATS (-13.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 5-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, June 7

Toronto?s other four starters were 28-53 from floor in Game 3 win- all five starters scored 17+ points- when they get that kind of balance, very tough to beat, especially for team missing two starters and Looney. Raptors are 4-1 vs Golden State this year, winning both meetings here. Curry had 47 in Game 3; other four starters combined to go 12-33 from floor. Nine of last 11 series games went over the total. Extra time between games allows Toronto to play their best guys more; three Raptors played 38:00+ Wednesday. Klay Thompson?s leg is the obvious variable here; doubtful that Durant will return in this spot.

NBA

Friday, June 7

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Trend Report
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Toronto is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games on the road
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Toronto is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Toronto is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Golden State is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games
Golden State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Golden State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Golden State is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Golden State's last 11 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games when playing at home against Toronto
Golden State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Golden State is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Golden State's last 11 games when playing at home against Toronto

Cnotes53 · Jun 7, 2019

Finals G4 - Raptors at Warriors
Tony Mejia

NBA Finals ? Game 4

Toronto at Golden State (-4.5/215.5), ABC, 9:07 p.m. ET

May 30 ? Raptors (-2) 118 vs. Warriors 109 (Over 212.5)
June 2 ? Warriors (+2) 109 at Raptors 104 (Under 213.5)
June 5 ? Raptors (+3) 123 at Warriors 109 (Over 210.5)

There will be some who won?t believe Kevin Durant is sitting out Game 4 until he?s listed as inactive prior to the contest.

After not being cleared to even scrimmage on Thursday, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr ruled him out of Friday night?s crucial contest, but the star forward wanted to see how he felt in the morning before officially pulling the plug on his availability for a must-win since his Warriors can?t afford to go down 3-1 in the series.

It?s not out of the realm of possibility that this could all be gamesmanship by the two-time defending champs, but it?s doubtful they would be that sneaky, especially since Nick Nurse and the Raptors are going to prepare as if he?s playing anyway.

The Warriors have already made no secret of the fact Klay Thompson is returning after missing his first career playoff. Even though he wanted to play in a Game 3 loss that Golden State discouraged him from suiting up for, the gamble to give him a few more days to rest his hamstring strain may still pay off if he?s able to pick up where he left off. Shaun Livingston, Quinn Cook and Alfonzo McKinnie weren?t able to adequately replace his production, failing to support Stephen Curry despite his virtuoso 47-point scoring outburst.

Andre Iguodala started for Durant and couldn?t build upon his huge shot to seal Game 2 in Toronto, finishing with 11 points, six boards and three assists in over 30 minutes. Both he and DeMarcus Cousins started and clearly weren?t their usual selves, a troublesome issue for the champs since they won?t have much time to heal up their ailments with just one day in between games. Thompson won?t be anywhere near 100 percent either, but the Warriors missed him on both sides of the floor, particularly since he?s able to switch and defend multiple Raptors.

It?s probably no coincidence that Danny Green got off the way he did, finishing 6-for-10 from 3-point range in becoming one of six double-digit scorers who made themselves right at home at Oracle on Wednesday. Serge Ibaka finished with just six points but helped change the game with six blocks, so all seven Raptors who played major minutes will have confidence entering Game 4 after coming through with big performances in stealing homecourt advantage back.

Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 30 points, Kyle Lowry was terrific with 23 points and nine assists and Pascal Siakam stuffed the stat-sheet with 18 points, a team-high nine boards and six assists. Marc Gasol and Green set the tone early with excellent first quarters, joining Leonard in getting the Raptors off to a fast start to allow them to play from ahead and keep Oracle from swallowing them whole. If anyone was worried about the moment being too big for the first-time Finals participants, their experienced veterans sent a clear message that they?re able to lead the younger guys.

We?ll see if Thompson?s return can help the Warriors produce some game pressure that will help trip up the visitors after losing all four quarters on Wednesday night, ultimately leading to Toronto running away for a 123-109 win in what has been the highest-scoring game of the series. The Raptors won the third quarter that had been a rallying point for Golden State all postseason 36-31, bouncing back from surrendering the first 18 second-half points of Game 2 in losing at home on Sunday night. They similarly excelled in the Eastern Conference finals, getting the better of a Bucks team that had dominated coming out of the locker room in the first few rounds.

Toronto controlled the paint against the smaller Warriors, taking advantage of Cousins being a step slow and thriving despite Andrew Bogut again putting together a solid performance. The Raptors scored 36 points in the first quarter, putting together the most efficient opening first 12 minutes of the series thus far for either team in immediately setting the tone despite taking the floor in Oakland for the first time since December. They?ve been effective on the road this postseason, following up a regular-season that saw them go 26-15 outside Canada by winning five or their first nine outside Scotiabank Arena in these playoffs.

If the Warriors lose on Friday, they may not make it back for a Game 6, which means this could be the final game ever at Oracle Arena since the team is moving to San Francisco?s new Chase Center this fall. NBA expert Kevin Rogers feels they?ll have a much better chance of holding serve with at least one All-Star returning to the mix.

?The Warriors were put in a difficult position heading into Game 3 with Thompson not able to suit up. Curry can only do so much by himself as evidenced by his 47-point effort, but just two other Warriors scored in double-figures,? Rogers said. ?Toronto improved to 6-1 SU/ATS in the last seven games following the Game 3 win as the Raptors are one bad stretch in Game 2 away from maybe leading Golden State, 3-0. It has been a very long time since the Warriors dropped successive home games in the playoffs, which came all the way back in the second round in 1991 against the Lakers (yes it was the famous ?Run TMC? squad).?

Curry will look to follow up his brilliant contest that featured 6-for-14 3-point shooting with another big scoring game, but needs teammates to fare better than the combined 6-for-22 clip they managed from beyond the arc in Game 3. Getting Thompson back should help matters, but the likes of McKinnie and Cook, who shot 1-for-5 as a tandem off the bench, must be more aggressive and effective.

Toronto hit 17 3-pointers and shot 20-for-21 from the free-throw line, so it really stepped up when it needed to and got wherever it wanted against a defense that looked incredibly shaky. It may help matters to get Kevon Looney back after he was initially ruled out for the remainder of the series since he?s looking to get back from a collarbone injury and a fractured rib in order to help add some quality depth to a team badly in need of it with so many players hobbled and Durant likely sidelined until at least Monday?s Game 5.

After the injury status for Thompson was announced on Wednesday night prior to Game 4, the total dropped from 213 ? points to a closing number of 210 at most books. Sure enough, Toronto scored a playoff-high 123 points and the ?over? cashed in Game 3 with plenty of time remaining in the fourth quarter. Oddsmakers sent out an opener of 216 for Game 4 and that number was pushed up to 216 ? at a handful of betting shops before being bet back down to the 215 range. VegasInsider.com totals effort Chris David offered up his thoughts for Friday?s number.

?The ?over? was a clear-cut winner on Wednesday and that ticket was helped with a barrage of 3-pointers from Toronto, who finished with 17 triples from distance. I often relied on pace as a key factor for handicapping totals but it?s become apparent now that it comes down to 3-point shooting. If the Raptors continue to ring it up from the outside, this series could be over in five games,? David said. ?The ?if? is a certainly a big one and you could be reluctant to back the Raptors offense again knowing that they were averaging 101.3 PPG on the road in this year?s playoffs prior to the Game 3 effort. Thompson is expected to return on Friday and not only will that help Golden State?s offense but it?s defense as well. Steve Kerr?s team has shown incredible defensive form after a loss.?

The Warriors have only lost multiple home games in a playoff series twice since their remarkable run began back in 2014. They dropped a pair in losing the 2016 Finals to Cleveland and fell twice in Oakland against the Clippers in the first round this postseason. They?re simply not used to slumping in front of the paying customers.

?Including their win in Game 2 at Toronto in this series, the Warriors have now gone 12-2 after a loss since the All-Star break,? David said. ?The ?under? cashed luckily in that contest and the low side is now 10-4 during this span. One of the reasons behind those ?under? tickets is based on Golden State?s defense, which has allowed 106 PPG. There?s no doubt that the Raptors are a legit team and when the shots fall, they?re more than dangerous. While I could be underestimating them again, it?s hard for me to back a team that hasn?t shown much consistency away from home. Toronto?s Team Total is hovering between 105 and 106 points for Game 4 and I would lean low to the Raptors in this spot.?

Despite the ?over? result from Wednesday, Toronto has watched the ?under? go 6-3 on the road in the playoffs. Going back to the 2016 postseason, the Raptors have watched the ?under? go 18-8-2 as visitors in the playoffs. Golden State is 5-4 to the ?over? at home in this year?s postseason. The ?over? is on a 5-0 run in the last five NBA Finals games played at Oracle Arena.

Draymond Green, who scored 17 points but had series-lows in rebounds and assists in Game 3, will look to bounce back from committing a team-high four turnovers and must be sharper in facilitating offense, which should also be easier with Thompson back in the fold. Most sportsbooks now have the series as a pick?em despite Golden State being down 2-1, so if you still believe the champs will three-peat, now is the time to strike. Dropping Wednesday?s game led to the Warriors being demoted from the role of NBA title favorite for the first time all season, odds-wise.

Toronto has looked like the better team in the series and are currently one second-half lull from a 3-0 lead over the depleted champs. Given the impending free agency of Durant, Thompson and Green and all the injuries, the NBA?s top dynasty since the 1990?s Chicago Bulls is on the ropes. We?ll see if the Warriors can keep themselves off life support by responding at home to ensure at least one more game in Oakland regardless of what happens in Monday?s Game 5.

Cnotes53 · Jun 8, 2019

In big trouble: Warriors trail Raptors 3-1 in NBA Finals
June 7, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Golden State coach Steve Kerr is fond of saying that the Warriors have seen everything in their five-year run as the best team in the NBA.

They are now looking at something they haven't faced before.

They've successfully overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs before - but never in the NBA Finals, and never when they needed to win two road games to win the series.

Such is their predicament. Oracle Arena might have seen the Warriors for the last time. The Larry O'Brien Trophy might be hoisted in Canada on Monday night. The Toronto Raptors are in full control of these NBA Finals, their 105-92 win on Friday night giving them a 3-1 lead and putting them on the brink of winning their first title.

Golden State's hopes of a third straight title are hanging by a most precarious thread. The Warriors will be quick to say that even a 3-1 deficit in the finals isn't insurmountable.

They know.

The Warriors learned that the hard way.

They blew such a lead in 2016, falling twice at home to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the Warriors' collapse that year was largely due to Andrew Bogut getting hurt in Game 5 and Draymond Green losing his cool and earning a one-game suspension. The Raptors have no such injury concerns, no such behavioral matters to deal with right now.

The Raptors are as poised as can be.

They were in trouble in each of the first three rounds of these playoffs - down 1-0 to Orlando, down 2-1 to Philadelphia, down 2-0 to Milwaukee. It steeled them. Toronto got better every step of the way.

Golden State looked the exact opposite on Friday night. The Warriors are still without Kevin Durant, endured a night where Stephen Curry struggled, and where their biggest boosts came from Klay Thompson returning from a balky hamstring and Kevon Looney playing through the pain of a cartilage injury in his upper body.

The Warriors made a run. Curry's 3-pointer with 3 minutes left pulled Golden State within eight and gave the Warriors a chance.

And then they scored three points the rest of the way, before making the long, slow walk off the court and to the locker room.

It's very possible they made that walk at Oracle for the last time.

When Golden State was down 3-1 in the West finals to Oklahoma City - and Durant - in 2016, it needed to win just one road game in order to escape that mess.

They need to win in Toronto twice now, after not being able to win at home even once.

Now, the biggest challenge of the Warriors' five-year run is officially here.

Cnotes53 · Jun 8, 2019

Saturday?s 6-pack

College football spreads for games on Nov 2:

? Miami @ Florida State (-1.5)

? Houston @ Central Florida (-14)

? Georgia (-3.5) vs Florida (@ Jacksonville)

? Virginia Tech @ Notre Dame (-16)

? Oregon (-1) @ USC

? Utah @ Washington (-8)

Quotes of the Day
?When you get used to coming up in the minor leagues, sometimes you don?t know who?s playing until an hour before the game, or sometimes 10 minutes.?
Toronto Raptors? coach Nick Nurse

Saturday?s quiz
How many current NBA head coaches have a won a championship as a head coach?

Friday?s quiz
In this century, two horses have won the Triple Crown:
American Pharoah (2015)
Justify (2018)

Thursday?s quiz
Klay Thompson played his college basketball at Washington State.

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

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

13) Raptors 105, Warriors 92? Golden State led this game 46-42 at the half, lowest scoring first half in a finals game in four years, but Toronto outscored them 63-46 in second half, and is now one win away from its first NBA title.

From sound of things, Kevin Durant won?t be playing in this series. Game 5 is Monday night in Toronto, where there could be a very big celebration.

12) McDonald?s locations in Eastern Canada give away free medium orders of french fries whenever the Toronto Raptors hit at least 12 3-pointers in a game.

According to The Financial Post, McDonald?s estimated 700,000 orders, but with the team playing so well, that number has ballooned to nearly three times the original estimate, resulting in approximately $5.4M (just over $4M US$) worth of fries.

11) Must admit, I don?t get the whole ?opener? trend in baseball, unless you have one guy who could be a closer who you prefer to start a game with (Ryan Stanek in Tampa Bay).

Putting a minor leaguer in to pitch the first inning of a game just seems bleeping stupid, like you want to start off at a disadvantage. First inning is the only inning where you?re guaranteed to face the top of the other team?s order- you need a good pitcher there, not some stiff.

10) Batting the pitcher 8th is kind of the same thing, though at least I can see some logic there, but fewer teams are doing that now. Pretty soon this will be a moot point, because everyone will have the DH in the next couple years.

9) Houston Texans fired GM Brian Gaine, only 18 months after hiring him, meaning that coach Bill O?Brien is 42-38 in regular season games, 1-3 in playoffs, but has already seen two Texans GM?s fired.

From Ian Rappaport:
?My understanding is there was no one incident that created the opening. Houston did an evaluation of its football operations and believes ? right or wrong ? GM Brian Gaine was not good enough. Good, but not good enough.?

In other NFL GM news, the Jets hired Joe Douglas as their GM; he interviewed for the GM job in Houston when they hired Gaine.

8) ESPN?s Doug Kezirian pointed out that there is a gambler in Las Vegas who is having a very bad week; he lost $49,500 on Golden State?s money line in Game 3, then lost $75,000 on the Boston Bruins Thursday.

This person is chasing losses??..Friday he bet $182,000 on the Warriors $-190 to win $95,789 in Game 4.

Another tough night for that gambler. Minus $306,000 in three nights; hope he got free drink tickets, at least.

7) Baseball stuff:
? Mariners put OF Mitch Haniger (ruptured testicle) on the IL. Ouch
? In 2012 there were 2,020 pitchouts in major leagues; last year, there were 350.
? Relief pitchers have thrown 40.5% of innings this year, with a 4.42 ERA; five years ago, relief pitchers threw 33.5% of IP. with a 3.57 ERA.

Next analytics wave in baseball will find starting pitchers being stretched out longer in starts.

6) Boston Celtics are in favor of having free agency happen before the draft, which would be interesting. Right now, there are only roughly 10-14 days between the end of the Finals and the draft, so the draft would get pushed back, which would push back the summer league.

5) Kentucky and UCLA have assistant coaches in Brazil at the FIBA u16 Americas tourney. The quarter-finals of the event started Friday.

4) Alex, I?d like bad baseball for $400 please:
? Top of 6th inning, Cardinals down 3-0 at Wrigley, man on first with one out, and Dexter Fowler gets picked off. Why? How? He wasn?t going to steal. Terrible.

3) Jurors in the Kellen Winslow Jr rape trial sent this message to the judge:

?The jurors could benefit from an explanation as to what being under oath means.

Additionally, how we should follow the law and not what we think the law should mean.?

Sounds like those 12 people aren?t getting along too well.

2) RB Frank Gore Jr signed with Florida Atlantic and Lane Kiffin.

RB Frank Gore Sr is still playing in the NFL, with Buffalo.

1) Phillies 4, Reds 2? Jay Bruce is the first player ever to homer in each of his first three starts with the Phillies.

Cnotes53 · Jun 8, 2019

Analysis: Warriors' hopes hinge on Durant coming back
June 8, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) When Game 4 was over, while Toronto fans were waving Canadian flags in celebration inside an otherwise-stunned Oracle Arena, a glum-faced Kevin Durant was outside the Golden State locker room to greet equally glum teammates as they sauntered off the floor.

That's been his only visible role on game nights in the NBA Finals.

If that doesn't change Monday, this series is probably going to end.

With it, in that case, so would Golden State's reign as NBA champions. And then it's possible that Durant, a free-agent-in-waiting, has played for the Warriors for the last time.

Durant limped off the floor at Oracle Arena a month ago - Game 5 of the second round - with what the team called a mild calf strain. It's apparently the most severe ''mild'' calf strain in the history of injuries, because he hasn't played since and there's no way of knowing if that's going to change on Monday.

And the Warriors clearly need him if they're going to pull off a comeback against the Raptors in these NBA Finals.

''Nobody's going to feel sorry for us at all,'' Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. ''It's just a matter of can we get it done or not, and we're going to leave it all out there starting on Monday.''

That'll be the case, with Durant or not.

Here's reality: Any Durant is better than no Durant for the Warriors right now. His mere presence might throw the Raptors off just enough to create more chances for the rest of the Warriors. It's really the only card the Warriors have left to play at this point.

Toronto took full control of the series Friday night, winning 105-92 for a 3-1 finals lead. Durant wasn't on the bench for Game 4, and hasn't been since getting hurt. He'll be on the plane Saturday headed to Ontario, and his uniform will be packed inside the Warriors' equipment bags.

If it goes unworn again, the Warriors are in big trouble.

''There's been hope that he will come back the whole series,'' Warriors forward Draymond Green said. ''So that's not going to change now. Obviously we hope to have him, but we'll see what happens. We don't make that final call ... he don't really even make that final call. His body will tell him if he can get out there or not. And if he can, great. And if not, you still got to try to find a way.''

They've been trying, with limited success.

Even with Durant.

The Raptors are 5-1 against the Warriors this season, even going 2-0 in the regular season when Durant scored 51 in one game and 30 in another. The Warriors just looked tired on Friday night, weary against a Toronto team that has had every answer in this series. They haven't been able to muster the offense they need against Toronto.

With Durant, that story could be different.

But even if he plays on Monday, after not playing for a month, how good could he be anyway? Even someone as talented as Durant, who is in the conversation of ''best player in the world'' right now, can't fake rhythm. Throwing him into an elimination game in the NBA Finals, after not playing for a month, is an unbelievably daunting ask.

It might be what's required.

''We're hoping he can play Game 5 or 6,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''And everything in between I've decided I'm not sharing because it's just gone haywire. There's so much going on, and so it doesn't make sense to continue to talk about it. He's either going to play or he's not.''

The Warriors will practice on Sunday. With so much at stake, unless his calf muscle just won't allow it, Durant will probably try to do something that day. It's hard to believe that he doesn't want to play, and the fact that he hasn't been seen yet in this series just reiterates how not mild this ''mild'' strain was.

A shot at a third straight ring is slipping away. Maybe it was gone the second Durant got hurt. When the Warriors swept Portland in the Western Conference finals, there was silly talk about how the team might be better without Durant.

That talk is nonexistent now.

Any team is better - a lot better - with Durant. And if he finds a way back to the court, the Warriors might just get a lot better in a hurry.

Or else, this era could end Monday night.

''We've got to win one game,'' Green said. ''We win one, then we'll build on that.''

Without Durant, winning that one game on Monday might be too tough an ask, even for the Warriors.

Cnotes53 · Jun 9, 2019

Warriors' hopes hinge on Durant returning
June 8, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) When Game 4 was over, while Toronto fans were waving Canadian flags in celebration inside an otherwise-stunned Oracle Arena, a glum-faced Kevin Durant was outside the Golden State locker room to greet equally glum teammates as they sauntered off the floor.

That's been his only visible role on game nights in the NBA Finals.

If that doesn't change Monday, this series is probably going to end.

With it, in that case, so would Golden State's reign as NBA champions. And then it's possible that Durant, a free-agent-in-waiting, has played for the Warriors for the last time.

Durant limped off the floor at Oracle Arena a month ago - Game 5 of the second round - with what the team called a mild calf strain. It's apparently the most severe ''mild'' calf strain in the history of injuries, because he hasn't played since and there's no way of knowing if that's going to change on Monday.

And the Warriors clearly need him if they're going to pull off a comeback against the Raptors in these NBA Finals.

''Nobody's going to feel sorry for us at all,'' Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. ''It's just a matter of can we get it done or not, and we're going to leave it all out there starting on Monday.''

That'll be the case, with Durant or not.

Here's reality: Any Durant is better than no Durant for the Warriors right now. His mere presence might throw the Raptors off just enough to create more chances for the rest of the Warriors. It's really the only card the Warriors have left to play at this point.

Toronto took full control of the series Friday night, winning 105-92 for a 3-1 finals lead. Durant wasn't on the bench for Game 4, and hasn't been since getting hurt. He'll be on the plane Saturday headed to Ontario, and his uniform will be packed inside the Warriors' equipment bags.

If it goes unworn again, the Warriors are in big trouble.

''There's been hope that he will come back the whole series,'' Warriors forward Draymond Green said. ''So that's not going to change now. Obviously we hope to have him, but we'll see what happens. We don't make that final call ... he don't really even make that final call. His body will tell him if he can get out there or not. And if he can, great. And if not, you still got to try to find a way.''

They've been trying, with limited success.

Even with Durant.

The Raptors are 5-1 against the Warriors this season, even going 2-0 in the regular season when Durant scored 51 in one game and 30 in another. The Warriors just looked tired on Friday night, weary against a Toronto team that has had every answer in this series. They haven't been able to muster the offense they need against Toronto.

With Durant, that story could be different.

But even if he plays on Monday, after not playing for a month, how good could he be anyway? Even someone as talented as Durant, who is in the conversation of ''best player in the world'' right now, can't fake rhythm. Throwing him into an elimination game in the NBA Finals, after not playing for a month, is an unbelievably daunting ask.

It might be what's required.

''We're hoping he can play Game 5 or 6,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''And everything in between I've decided I'm not sharing because it's just gone haywire. There's so much going on, and so it doesn't make sense to continue to talk about it. He's either going to play or he's not.''

The Warriors will practice on Sunday. With so much at stake, unless his calf muscle just won't allow it, Durant will probably try to do something that day. It's hard to believe that he doesn't want to play, and the fact that he hasn't been seen yet in this series just reiterates how not mild this ''mild'' strain was.

A shot at a third straight ring is slipping away. Maybe it was gone the second Durant got hurt. When the Warriors swept Portland in the Western Conference finals, there was silly talk about how the team might be better without Durant.

That talk is nonexistent now.

Any team is better - a lot better - with Durant. And if he finds a way back to the court, the Warriors might just get a lot better in a hurry.

Or else, this era could end Monday night.

''We've got to win one game,'' Green said. ''We win one, then we'll build on that.''

Without Durant, winning that one game on Monday might be too tough an ask, even for the Warriors.

Cnotes53 · Jun 9, 2019

Kawhi has Raptors on cusp of 1st title
June 8, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) There was a moment, not long before the postseason started, when Toronto coach Nick Nurse learned all that he really needed to know about Kawhi Leonard and what makes the man of few words tick.

The conversation was about the 82-game regular season.

Leonard shrugged and described those games as ''just practice.''

''That's when I knew,'' Nurse said, ''that this guy has another gear that he was going to get to.''

Everyone knows that now - or at least, everyone should be reminded of that now. Leonard was the NBA Finals MVP in 2014 and looks very much like the soon-to-be NBA Finals MVP in 2019. He is at the top of his game and has shown that not only is he over the leg ailment that cost him basically all of last season but that he might just be better than ever.

They call Leonard ''the King of the North'' in Toronto now, and on Monday night that title might expand to cover the entire NBA as well. Leonard is on the cusp of a second championship and possibly ending a second era. The Raptors lead the Golden State Warriors 3-1 in the NBA Finals and Toronto plays host to a potentially championship-clinching Game 5 on Monday night.

''It's not over yet,'' Leonard said.

The way he's playing, it's hard to imagine this slipping away.

Leonard is averaging 30.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in the finals. For the entirety of the playoffs, the averages are 31.1 points and 9.1 rebounds. The elite club for shooters in the NBA is the one dubbed ''50-40-90'' - 50% from the field, 40% from 3-point range, 90% from the foul line. Leonard is at 49.8% shooting, 39% on 3s and 89% from the line in the postseason, with every team's plan geared to stop him.

''I don't think you're ever going to rattle Kawhi,'' conceded Golden State's Draymond Green.

There's no shame in that. The Warriors have some defenders of exceptional pedigree. Green is a former defensive player of the year. Klay Thompson was an all-defensive team player this year. Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut have earned their way onto that team in previous seasons.

Separately, together, it doesn't matter.

The Warriors haven't had an answer for Leonard.

''He's just been phenomenal,'' Nurse said. ''The energy that he brought on the defensive end translated to his offensive game. To me, talking about `where does he rank' and blah blah blah, he's like the best team player. He might not be the best player in the NBA - he's in the conversation of some sort of top five or top three or whatever you want to have - but he's the best team player.''

They're even noticing that outside of basketball.

Golf is about as individual a sport as there is. But the sixth-ranked golfer in the world Justin Thomas marveled after seeing Leonard in person during these playoffs.

''I'm a huge Kawhi fan,'' Thomas said. ''I think he's awesome to watch. I love his demeanor, his work ethic, how he goes about his own business and he's never blaming anybody. He never complains. He kind of just goes out, does his work and is always thanks his teammates. He's never putting anything on himself. It's pretty cool.''

Leonard's moment of entering the realm of NBA superstardom probably came in the 2014 finals when San Antonio faced Miami for the second consecutive year.

Leonard scored nine points in a Game 1 win, nine points again in a Game 2 loss. He was struggling, almost deferring too much to Spurs leaders like Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. That's when San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich gave Leonard now-infamous advice: ''The hell with Tony, the hell with Timmy, the hell with Manu, you play the game. You are the man.''

The words resonated.

Leonard's point totals in finals games since that night: 29, 20, 22, 23, 34, 30, 36. The Spurs won the 2014 title to end LeBron James' time in Miami and the Heat ''Big Three'' era. The Raptors are a win away from ending Golden State's two-year run as NBA champs and potentially ushering in major roster changes for the Warriors this summer as well, with Kevin Durant among the team's free agents.

''We've got a lot of talent and we've got a lot of pride and these guys have been to the finals five straight years for a reason,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''They're unbelievably competitive. And they're together, and they're going to fight. They're going to fight the whole way. So we'll go try to get one win and, if we can do that, come back (home) and see what happens.''

Leonard has scored 684 points in this postseason, which is already the eighth-most by any player in any playoff run. If he scores 14 more on Monday, he passes No. 7 Kobe Bryant (2009) and No. 6 James (2012) on that list. If he scores 24, he then passes No. 5 Shaquille O'Neal (2000) as well.

Michael Jordan scored 759 in 1992. James scored 748 last year. Hakeem Olajuwon scored 725 in 1995. Allen Iverson scored 723 in 2001. Leonard is now in their club, their level of elite. And if a second finals MVP trophy comes, Leonard would join only James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as players to claim one of those with multiple franchises.

''It doesn't matter,'' Leonard said, ''until you get that fourth win.''

That's the one he'll aim to get on Monday.

Cnotes53 · Jun 9, 2019

Warriors' dynasty on the brink of collapse
June 8, 2019
By The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Draymond Green has said it often: This run by the Golden State Warriors won't last forever.

And forever could be coming up fast.

From Day One the entire team was determined to enjoy the ride for as long as possible. Coach Steve Kerr preached as much at the start of training camp: Cherish this time because it all could change in a hurry once free agency arrives come summer.

The roster might look much different in a matter of months, perhaps a dynasty dismantled. Even if general manager Bob Myers does his best to keep the core together.

The two-time defending champions trail the Raptors 3-1 in the NBA Finals, with Game 5 on Monday night in Toronto. It will now take an improbable upset.

It's ''important to have that pride, to have the faith in what we're capable of,'' Green said.

If the Warriors stave off elimination at Scotiabank Arena, they return to Oracle Arena. Clearly, they don't want the past two defeats to be a lasting memory in Oakland after 47 seasons. The curtain is closing at Oracle, with the Warriors moving to the new Chase Center in San Francisco next season.

Golden State understands the stakes, with the season on the brink following startling back-to-back losses at home.

The Warriors have been in such a postseason predicament before. They rallied from down 3-1 to beat Oklahoma City in the 2016 Western Conference finals when Kevin Durant was still with the Thunder only to squander a 3-1 advantage in the finals to Cleveland, watching LeBron James and the Cavaliers celebrate a Game 7 victory at Oracle.

''We've been on the wrong side of history,'' Golden State guard Shaun Livingston said. ''We look to be on the right side of it now.''

Stephen Curry believes his Warriors have the mindset to make this happen.

''You don't succeed the way we have over the course of these years without that mentality,'' he said. ''So as the second half unfolds and things aren't going our way, we're still fighting and trying to get over the hump. But until the final buzzer sounds and somebody gets the four wins, we still have life and have an opportunity to win.''

The Raptors, for their part, realize there's still much to be done.

''It's not over yet, so I can't say that we're better,'' Kawhi Leonard said after a 36-point, 12-rebound performance in Friday night's 105-92 Game 4 win.

Kerr has seen many remarkable rallies and triumphs in his five years coaching the Warriors. And he is ready for another comeback, this time on basketball's biggest stage.

''You just try to win one game. That's what we did a few years ago against OKC. Win one game, and then you move forward,'' Kerr said. ''So that's our focus now. We'll fly to Toronto tomorrow and take a look at the film, see what we can do better and try to win a game. We have won a lot of games over the years, so we'll try to win another one.''

Throughout the highs and lows of this season, Kerr has emphasized how hard it is to be on top and stay there - game after game, year after year. Everybody wants what you have, and you get the opponent's best shot each time you take the floor.

Durant may depart as a free agent next month, while Klay Thompson is expected to re-sign once his contract expires. Both Thompson and Green have indicated their desires to stay with the Warriors for the long haul. DeMarcus Cousins joined Golden State for what was expected to be just one season.

For now, the Warriors must focus all their energy on fighting back. That three-peat is in jeopardy.

''I've been on the wrong side of 3-1 before,'' Green said. ''Why not make our own history?''

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

? Prayers to David Ortiz, who was wounded in a shooting in the Dominican Republic Sunday.

? Happy 80th birthday to Dick Vitale, who has more energy than most people half his age.

? Bruins 5, Blues 1? Winner-take-all Game 7 is Wednesday in Boston.

? Mariners 9, Angels 3? Edwin Encarnacion hit his 400th home run.

? Nationals 5, Padres 2? San Diego is 8-12 in its last 20 games.

? If the baseball playoffs started today:
NL: Phils-Cubs-Dodgers. Wild Card: Braves @ Brewers
AL: Bronx-Twins-Astros. Wild Card: Rangers @ Rays

**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend??.

13) Big question for NBA commish Adam Silver this summer: Could Kawhi Leonard?s success this postseason lead to more regular season resting for NBA stars?

People pay a lot of money to go to games and obviously, they want to see the stars play; Leonard sat out 22 games this season. Same goes for TV ratings; people like to watch great players play.

12) Michigan G Charles Matthews tore his ACL as he prepared for the NBA Draft, is now out until at least January, and thats the risk of bolting school early. He still intends to leave Michigan; his agent still thinks he?ll be taken in the second round of the draft. We?ll see about that; the agent doesn?t get paid if Matthews goes back to Michigan.

11) Nationals 5, Padres 1? Game was tied in 8th inning, then Kendrick, Turner, Eaton, Rendon hit four consecutive bombs off of reliever Craig Stammen to settle things.

10) El Paso Chihuahuas? pitcher Kyle McGrath threw seven perfect innings Sunday before giving up a hit in the 8th inning; it was only his 4th professional start, in his 184th minor league game. El Paso is the AAA farm club of the San Diego Padres.

9) Brewers 5, Pirates 2? Closer Josh Hader pitched on back/back days for only third time this year; by way of comparison, San Diego?s Kirby Yates has pitched on back/back days seven times this season.

8) Twins 13, Tigers 2? Jake Odorizzi (9-2) is the first Twins? pitcher to win nine straight decisions since Johan Santana during his 2006 Cy Young season.

7) Baseball stuff:
? Mets put 2B Robinson Cano back on the IL.
? White Sox put P Dylan Covey (shoulder) on the IL.
? Bronx put P Domingo German (hip flexor) on 10-Day IL.

6) Rockies-Mets pitching matchup Sunday was Hoffman-Syndergaard, both of whom were 1st round draft picks of the Toronto Blue Jays, Hoffman in ?14, Syndergaard in ?10.

5) Bronx OF Brett Gardner threw a batting helmet in the dugout the other night; it bounced back, hit him in the lip and cut him? he needed six stitches.

4) Kevin Durant practiced with the Warriors Sunday, who haven?t announced yet if he will play Monday night in Toronto- they officially listed him as questionable.

3) Rory McIlroy shot a 61 Sunday and won the Canadian Open by seven shots.

McIlroy is the last golfer to win a major the week after he won another tournament; he won the Bridgestone and then the PGA in 2014.

2) Graeme McDowell drained a 30-foot putt on the last hole Sunday to qualify for the British Open, which is being played in McDowell?s hometown this summer.

1) University of Alabama is returning a $21.5M gift from its largest donor and taking his name off the law school after he called for Alabama to be boycotted over the state?s new abortion law.

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, June 10

Golden State @ Toronto

Game 529-530
June 10, 2019 @

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
126.467
Toronto
132.621
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 6
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 3
212
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-3); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, June 10

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

GOLDEN STATE (70 - 32) at TORONTO (73 - 31) - 6/10/2019, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-57 ATS (-19.7 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-70 ATS (-24.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-52 ATS (-22.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-31 ATS (-14.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-46 ATS (-14.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 218-270 ATS (-79.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-5 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, June 10

Golden State?s three starters other than Curry/Thompson shot combined 7-18 from floor last game; with Durant likely out here, Warriors need more than that, or else. Raptors can win their first NBA title with a home win here; Ibaka scored 20 off bench in Game 4 win, when Toronto outscored Warriors 63-46 in second half to assume a 3-1 series lead. Raptors are 5-1 vs Golden State this year, going 3-0 in Oakland; Raptors covered six of last eight series games. Durant practiced Sunday, isn?t expected to be much help, if any, here. VanVleet chipped a tooth and got 7 stitches after Game 4. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games.

NBA

Monday, June 10

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

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Golden State is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games on the road
Golden State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Golden State's last 12 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 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 12 games when playing Golden State
Toronto is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Finals Game 5 - Warriors at Raptors
Tony Mejia

NBA Finals ? Game 5

Golden State at Toronto (-1.5/214.5), ABC, 9:07 p.m. ET

Dec. 12 ? Raptors (-2) 118 vs. Warriors 109 (Over 212.5)
Nov. 29 ? Warriors (+2) 109 at Raptors 104 (Under 213.5)
Nov. 29 ? Raptors (+3) 123 at Warriors 109 (Over 210.5)
Nov. 29 ? Raptors (+5) 105 at Warriors 92 (Under 215)

Kevin Durant practiced with his Golden State teammates on Sunday. Reporters who saw him exit Scotiabank Arena didn?t see him limping as he exited the premises. Although listed as ?questionable,? if would be stunning if the reigning two-time Finals MVP didn?t wear a Warriors uniform at least one last time in order to try and prevent his team from coming up short of their season-long goal of a threepeat.

The foolish ones among you who thought the Warriors were a better team without him have now been quieted. Golden State is down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, having dropped both home games of its fifth straight championship series despite being favored with Durant ruled out. Toronto won each of the contests in Oakland convincingly and now stands one win away from its first title since entering the league in 1995.

Durant may as well throw on a cape in addition to his Nikes and uniform tonight. He?ll be asked to play savior even if he ends up being more decoy than focal point as the Warriors look to become the second team in league history to battle back from a 3-1 deficit and win a ring.

Ironically, Golden State was the lone victim, losing to Cleveland back in 2016 in order to help facilitate Durant?s defection from Oklahoma City, a move still skewered by many as one that helped ruin the competitive balance in the NBA. The Warriors haven?t finished with the league?s top record, but did take down LeBron James? Cavaliers in both Finals, doing so rather easily in order to exact revenge. They had one brush with their mortality in last year?s Western Conference finals, but took advantage of Chris Paul?s absence due to an injured hamstring in order to win consecutive games and erase a 3-2 deficit against Houston.

Entering last year?s Game 6, the series price on the Warriors against the Rockets saw them as a -130 favorite at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook. Even down, they were expected to win due to Paul?s demise. Prior to Game 4 on Saturday night, Golden State was demoted to even money to win the title and the Raptors became the first team other than the defending champs to be made the favorite to win the title (-120). As things stand now, you can get a return of +400 or a little higher throughout the strip and offshore if you invest in the Warriors making history. Toronto is currently in the -500/-550 range to win one more time and crown itself a winner.

Kawhi Leonard is looking like a shoo-in for Finals MVP so long as the Raptors hold on, averaging 30.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in leading the way for a Raptors squad that has seen veterans Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Danny Green and Serge Ibaka excel. Pascal Siakam was the hero of Game 1 and has changed games with his length and energy on defense in addition to his ability to create shots when Leonard is being doubled. Fred VanVleet has been the ultimate x-factor, playing tremendous defense on Stephen Curry while burying buckets from beyond the arc, helping stretch the floor by being a threat to shoot it whenever the ball comes his way.

Toronto head coach Nick Nurse, a veteran tactician sitting in the head seat in the NBA for the first time, has proven every bit the worthy opponent for Steve Kerr, excelling through both his game planning and lineup adjustments. He?s certainly had fewer injury concerns to deal with, but has to be given credit for pressing the right buttons and not dragging his team down with bad decisions due to a lack of experience. If anything, he?s been an asset. Starting VanVleet over Danny Green at the start of the second half in Oakland helped contribute to a pair of wins since it allowed him to effectively play box-and-one, taking advantage of the lack of scoring punch out there for the Warriors.

Klay Thompson returned from a Game 3 absence due to a hamstring injury and shot the ball well, finishing with a team-high 28 points, but he couldn?t prevent Golden State from its lowest-scoring output of the postseason in a 105-92 Saturday night loss. It hadn?t been held under the century mark since a March 23 home loss to Dallas and was outscored 37-21 coming out of the break. After turning around Game 2 with an 18-0 run to open the third quarter, it was a startling contrast to see the Warriors squander a four-point halftime edge by being thoroughly dominated in what?s supposed to be their quarter to gain separation in.

NBA expert Kevin Rogers says that Golden State can?t count on experience to bail them out of this hole since it isn?t accustomed to having to dig out of those due to its dominance throughout its run.

The Warriors are in very unfamiliar territory by sitting one game away from elimination in the Steve Kerr era. Discounting the Game 7?s against Cleveland in the 2016 NBA Finals and against Houston in the 2018 Western Finals in which both teams were facing elimination, Golden State has been on the verge of getting knocked out twice in the last five postseasons,? Rogers said. ?Both times came in the conference finals with the Warriors blasting the Rockets at home last season and stunning Oklahoma City in 2016. The victory over the Thunder was the only road win in this stretch when staring elimination in the face as the Warriors outscored OKC, 33-18 in the fourth quarter to force a Game 7 back at home, which they eventually won.?

Durant was on the losing side of that collapse with the Thunder but has since emerged as arguably the NBA?s top player. Leonard got healthy this season and has come for the throne vacated by LeBron James, but Durant?s back-to-back Finals MVP awards and his body of work before being injured in the third quarter of Game 5 of May?s conference semifinals against the Rockets had him on the top perch. It now remains to be seen exactly what he can bring to the table.

Siakam and Leonard will likely draw the majority of assignments against him, which means he?ll be thrown back in the mix against a pair of agile, willing defenders who won?t make it easy for him to find a rhythm. His presence alone should be able to get Curry and Thompson cleaner looks and give Draymond Green another option to work with to facilitate offense through, but the rust factor and his likely lack of stamina are challenges that must be dealt with. He?s one of the most special players ever, but it?s hard to imagine Durant will be able to pick right up where he left off, which means his likely return will see him offer up whatever he can for as long as he can, even if it?s as a decoy to get teammates more room to work with.

Kerr has the unenviable task of working with three frontcourt players who wouldn?t be playing if this were still the regular season and now has no room for error. DeMarcus Cousins? unexpected brilliance in Game 2 helped contribute to Golden State?s lone series win, but he?s been a liability since, picked on defensively and blitzed often on the offensive end, leading to countless turnovers. Kevon Looney is playing through a collarbone fracture that was expected to sideline him the rest of the way, but he returned to lend a hand on Friday night and finished with 10 points and six boards in 20 minutes. Andre Iguodala is currently being held together by Elmer?s glue and paper clips, but played 38 minutes in the Game 4 loss, so Durant returning should lighten his load.

Oddsmakers reacted to Durant?s likely return by downgrading the Raptors from three-point home favorites to laying just 1.5 points entering game-day betting. Considering how little Shaun Livingston and Alfonzo McKinnie gave the Warriors in trying to help fill Durant?s shoes of late, it?s hard to argue that they won?t be better here. What remains to be seen is whether there?s enough chemistry, on the road no less, to overcome weeks of inactivity. With another key figure who is operating at less than a 100 percent giving it a go, Golden State is all-in with a weak hand entering the flop. The Warriors will need for it to be friendly and then will likely need to go runner-runner on the turn and river in order to win three straight and not see their dynasty die off with a defeat that would then be scrutinized to no end entering free agency.

In attempting to win it all in its first Finals appearance, Toronto will need to show off its killer instinct. It must take advantage of Durant getting back in the flow early to keep the visiting Warriors from gaining confidence and getting juiced up. The Raptors must ride their raucous crowd to make communication difficult for a team that won?t be able to rely on carrying a positive rhythm into a road atmosphere simply because they haven?t all played together in over a month.

?Since suffering through an 0-4 ATS run in the final two games of the Philadelphia series and the first two contests against Milwaukee, the Raptors have rolled off a 7-1 SU/ATS mark over their last eight,? Rogers said. ?Toronto has wrapped up each of its previous three series at Scotiabank Arena, while holding its three opponents to 96, 90, and 94 points.?

The Warriors haven?t been held under 100 points in consecutive games since Nov. 18-21, having suffered blowout losses against the Spurs and Thunder. They?ll need Curry to bounce back from a Game 4 disappearing act in which he followed up a 47-point effort by finishing just 2-for-9 from 3-point range, shooting 9-for-22 from the field. An extra day of treatment should serve guys like Thompson, Iguodala and Cousins well. Green has averaged nearly 41 minutes per game in the series and is contributing 13.5 points, 9 rebounds and 8.8 assists but must be better and more efficient, so having one more rest day should prove invaluable for him too.

From this point forward, the NBA Finals will be played with two days of rest in between every remaining game. That?s to Golden State?s advantage, but it must get the series back to Oakland for a Game 6, which would then place pressure on them to avoid being eliminated in the final contest ever played at Oracle Arena. As things stand now, Friday night?s loss would be the last result there. The Warriors have put themselves in position where they can add to their legacy by doing something special or leave themselves open to criticism for the rest of time, especially with the group likely to disband in some capacity.

Oddsmakers sent out an opening total of 212 for Game 5 but the number was nudged up to 214 at most betting shops after the status of Durant was upgraded to ?questionable? on Sunday afternoon.

?You can handicap this total a variety of ways but the possible addition of KD back in the lineup for Golden State has to be the starting point for Monday,? said NBA totals expert Chris David.

?Durant hasn?t played in over a month and if he?s practicing, then you have to believe he?s going to give it a go on Monday. In five road games through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Durant averaged 40.2 PPG against the Clippers and Rockets. Golden State did lose two of those five games, both at Houston, while the ?over? went 4-1,? David said. ?However, the Warriors averaged 122.4 PPG and even if Durant gives you less than half or a third of his average, that?s a big boost to a Golden State offense that?s been running on empty in this series. If KD plays and gets close to 30 minutes, I see no reason why the Warriors wouldn?t eclipse their Team Total of 105 ?.?

The total results for this series sit at 2-2 and the ?under? (215) in Game 4 last Friday was never in doubt with Golden State held to its playoff low. David touched on Golden State?s ability to rebound after poor shooting nights.

?Including Friday?s production, the Warriors have been held under 100 points nine times this season. In the following contests, Golden State has gone 6-2 and the offense has averaged 118.1 PPG,? said David. ?Sticking with trends, we?ve only seen the Warriors drop three straight games once this season and that occurred in the second month of the season when they lost four consecutive contests. The offense averaged 95.5 PPG during that losing skid.?

The Warriors must also overcome the excitement currently permeating throughout Toronto, which is on the cusp of its first championship in one of North America?s major leagues since MLB?s Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993. Jurassic Park, the area outside the arena, is going to be overflowing with fans looking to celebrate, while the atmosphere inside the arena promises to be intense. Golden State would love nothing more than to shut superfan Drake up again like they managed to on June 2, but the Raptors are 9-3 on their home floor in these playoffs, eliminating all three of their Eastern Conference conquests in the building to advance to this point. Their regular-season home record was tied for third-best in the NBA (32-9).

?In 12 playoff games at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto has held seven opponents under 100 points, which is an incredible feat in the offensive age of the NBA. If you?re leaning to the Raptors to close the series out on Monday, it?s hard not to lean to the ?under? in the game especially if you look at the production from the Warriors in finals losses. Going back to the 2015 installment, Golden State been held to 98.7 PPG in 10 setbacks of the NBA Finals,? David said. ?As good as Golden State has been over the last five postseasons, sometimes the matchup doesn?t suit you and credit has to be given to the other squad. That?s certainly been the case against Toronto and when you factor in the injuries, the flaws and depth issues for the Warriors have become more exposed. Despite only having one superstar, the Raptors team defense has been a nightmare for everybody in the postseason.?

If the Warriors are able to pull out a Game 5 upset, they would try to stave off elimination again on Thursday night. A potential Game 7 would take place on Sunday, making for an interesting Father?s Day.

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Durant's return looms large heading into potential clincher
Shaun Powell

* Tonight on ABC: Game 5, Warriors vs. Raptors (9 ET)

TORONTO -- Let us dismiss the tasty-yet-faulty comparison folks will try to make regarding Game 5 and Kevin Durant and the fate of the Golden State Warriors in these NBA Finals:

In 1970, New York Knicks center Willis Reed famously limped out of the tunnel at Madison Square Garden for Game 7 of The Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. He only hit two jumpers and was done, too gimpy to go any further. The Warriors, starved for points against a toothy Toronto Raptors defense, will require plenty more than that from Durant before he?s done.

Back then, it was winner-take-all, New York vs. L.A. Durant and the Warriors are trailing 3-1 and face elimination at Scotiabank Arena. They?re staring down a far deeper and darker tunnel.

This is the stark reality for a would-be savior and his recuperating calf and the desperate two-time defending champions. Durant was upgraded to questionable for Monday, which means it's likely he?ll at least be on the floor. Whether he stays long enough to break a sweat or plays well enough to make the Raptors perspire is the real issue.

Perhaps never before has an injury to a superstar of this magnitude been this mysterious -- and perhaps costly -- in the history of The Finals. Remember, with Reed, the Knicks won the series. Maybe there's more in common with Magic Johnson pulling a hamstring in 1989 during Game 1. In that instance, Magic was finished for the series and so were the Lakers (as they were swept by the Detroit Pistons).

Durant is trying to return and in the process squelch the innuendo swirling about his recovery and also trigger a historic comeback. Can he pull this off after not playing since May 8, and practicing for the first time only Sunday?

It was a practice, but only in the tamest sense. Durant joined his teammates and took part after the media was hustled off the court, leaving no outside witnesses or sneaky TMZ footage. The Warriors, this time of year, only conduct light drills. And it was over within an hour.

To recap: Durant is supposed to step into an intense basketball game after missing a month, and battle a Toronto defense led by Kawhi Leonard, and thwart a championship bid by a team and city bracing for a maddening celebration around midnight, and ? rescue the Warriors? OK, then.

?I think it?s pretty easy to realize we obviously miss him out there and he?s propelled us to two championships in two years,? said Warriors guard Klay Thompson. ?So it would be pretty storybook if he could come back and help us do the same.?

If it sounds like the Warriors are so stretched for answers and solutions that they?re banking on Durant being close to normal after a lengthy layoff, well ? maybe they are. When you?re facing elimination, there?s really no other choice. And the Warriors haven?t been able to solve the Raptors without him.

Yet Durant has set himself a high bar. Before his injury, which occurred in the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets, he was on a nearly galactic level. He averaged 34 points, five rebounds and five assists in 11 games and was a finalist for everyone?s ?best player in the playoffs" honors with the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo. Since then Leonard, the postseason leader in points, and rebounds, and minutes, has yanked that praise for himself. The Raptors, as a result, are heavy favorites to lift the trophy.

Durant may not be fully healthy, leaving what he can possibly do an open question: Will he be more of a decoy than a legitimate offensive threat? And on defense, how can the Warriors cover for him, since the Raptors will surely try to exploit the situation by running Durant through screens?

Without Durant, the scoring burden had to be carried by Thompson and Stephen Curry. While both have handled that fairly well, the Warriors have had little margin for error. Whenever Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala or DeMarcus Cousins failed to lend support for Thompson and Curry, the results have been disastrous.

Coach Steve Kerr feels Durant?s presence will be enough to cause a ripple effect that influences what both teams do when he?s on the floor.

?The game plan changes if Kevin is out there, or if he?s not,? Kerr said. ?So you adapt accordingly. It changes matchups, it changes rotations, all that stuff.?

It?ll be a surprise if Durant?s return causes issues within the Warriors and the system that was tweaked in his absence. Although they?ve been without him for nine games, he did play three seasons with them, which means there shouldn?t be any adjustment problems. Quite the contrary, says Curry.

?We?ll be able to adjust in transition pretty smoothly,? he said. ?He?s been in plenty of Finals and has played well. No matter what the percentage he?s at, I?m sure he?ll be impactful and effective.?

It?s always tricky to play doctor and determine how much time Durant should?ve missed, although that never deters anyone from doing so. Taking it a step further, while none of his teammates or coaches publicly questioned the depths of Durant?s injury, dealing with the daily dose of ?is he or isn?t he?? became tiring to some.

They all suspect that if Durant could?ve played, he would. What possible motive would encourage him to stay out longer than necessary? To show everyone how much the Warriors need him? That seems a stretch for someone who craves a championship. Possibly not his pending free agency either; if anything Durant would get bonus points for playing through pain and would have all summer to recover in the event of re-injuring the calf, which is not considered career-threatening.

Injured players have no obligation to speak to the media, and Durant hasn?t, with his silence only feeding speculation.

?I feel for Kevin,? Thompson said. ?I know what type of competitor he is and we obviously miss him dearly. But whether it?s tomorrow or Game 6, we just have to do everything in our power to help him get back. He will be very welcome, I?ll say that much. Kevin?s (injury) is serious and I know how badly he wants to be out there. He?s one of the best competitors I?ve been around.?

The stretchy shooting range, the high release of a shot that?s nearly impossible to block or discourage, the energy and determination and ability to make plays in tense moments -- those are the elements Durant brings and the Warriors have missed in The Finals. They?ll take whatever he can give, whatever that might be.

?I would like to think he would make a difference,? Warriors reserve Shaun Livingston said. ?Again, it?s just any time a player of that caliber comes back or goes out of the lineup, it?s going to be felt certain ways. We?ll see what happens.?

And if Durant is unable to play extended minutes or sputters around the floor, making mistakes and dogged by rust and fatigue and inefficiency? Then it?ll fall on his teammates, a group that couldn?t beat the Raptors in two games at Oracle Arena yet somehow must thrive in a Canadian madhouse that awaits Monday.

?You?re going to see a resilient Warriors team,? Thompson said. ?We?ve had our backs against the wall with this same group. Obviously, it?s a little more daunting being down 3-1 but usually when our backs are against the wall, we respond the best.?

Question is, will Durant have their back? Or will he and that wall crumble under pressure from these hungry Raptors and the long odds?

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

ESPN's Mark Jackson 'sees game like very few others'
June 10, 2019
By The Associated Press

Mark Jackson has always had a different way viewing sports. He didn't just listen and watch, he observed the action.

The three-dimensional approach has served him well.

''I listened as a fan, I watched as a wannabe coach and wannabe player. I would listen to the games in a weird way as a kid, and that's in every sport,'' Jackson said. ''Each time I learned, especially as an announcer, what to do and what not to do.''

Even some of Jackson's favorite sayings - including ''Mama, there goes that man'' and ''Hand down, man down'' - came from his youth and playing pickup games.

After his 17-year playing career in the NBA, Jackson spent three seasons coaching the Golden State Warriors and has had two stints with ESPN as an analyst.

This is Jackson's 11th finals working alongside Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, which is the most on television for any sport by a black game analyst. He is three behind Joe Morgan for most on TV and radio. Morgan called 14 World Series, with 11 on radio and three on television.

Game 5 is Monday night in Toronto with the Raptors one win away from knocking off Golden State and winning their first NBA title.

''As a kid, I dreamt of playing in the NBA, I dreamt of coaching in the NBA, and I dreamt of announcing in the NBA, and I've fulfilled each and every one of those roles, and I'm extremely blessed,'' Jackson said.

His name has been linked with coaching openings the past few seasons and he said he does look forward to possibly leading a franchise again one day. Jackson was fired just before Golden State started its championship run but said he has had no problems broadcasting the Warriors' five straight trips to the finals and three NBA titles without sounding bitter or jaded.

Van Gundy has said one of the things he has always admired about Warriors coach Steve Kerr is that he has been quick to share credit for Golden State's success with Jackson, who took the franchise to two straight playoff appearances before being fired.

''I have tremendous faith and trust that things happen for a reason. If I didn't I would have lost my mind a long time ago,'' Jackson said. ''I take pride in watching and knowing that our paths (his and Golden State's) crossed.''

The chemistry between Jackson, Van Gundy and Breen is evident.

The banter and comradery between them go back to their longtime friendship when all three were with the Knicks. Jackson was the 18th overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft, Van Gundy was hired as an assistant two years later before becoming the head coach in 1996 and Breen started as the Knicks' radio voice in 1991 before moving to television in 1998.

Because of their familiarity, the disagreements at times could sound heated. But as the 54-year old Brooklyn native is quick to point out, the same thing he would say at dinner he would say courtside.

''I think because Mark took me under his wing early on, taught me a lot about the NBA, this deep friendship developed, that we can be honest with each other, we can disagree without being disagreeable,'' Van Gundy said. ''We're real fortunate that we can talk honestly and not feel inhibited that we may be hurting each other's feelings.''

Breen said he was confident that Jackson would be successful in anything he decided to do once his playing career ended.

''He sees the game like very few others,'' Breen said. ''When he was a player, he had great court awareness. When he came back from coaching it gave him a different perspective and the ability to show what was going on with 10 players on the court.''

ESPN senior coordinating producer Tim Corrigan said that the traits that made Jackson successful as a player have carried over to the sideline.

''He sees, hears and recognizes things before they happen. He has an incredible belief in self and the unique ability to see things,'' Corrigan said.

Barring any major surprises, Jackson will be back with ESPN next season, which he is just fine with him.

Said Jackson: ''I'm cherishing being able to call another finals with friends like Jeff and Mike.''

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Raptors fever runs hot across Canada during NBA Finals
June 10, 2019
By The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) It was just past midnight Monday morning, and Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri decided it was time to go see the people.

So he headed outside - to the line of fans waiting to get into Jurassic Park, a group of die-hards who had been in line for hours and hours and hours already. And this was with Game 5 of the NBA Finals still 21 hours from tipping off.

They were ready for this moment.

All of Canada, it seems, is ready as well.

''Best fans in the world,'' Ujiri said as his new best friends cheered.

It is Raptors Fever, and it is running hot all across Canada as the country's lone NBA team is one victory away from its first championship. From Halifax on the east coast to Vancouver out west and all places in between, the excitement is beyond palpable. Hockey season is still going on, but in Canada, more people are watching the NBA than the NHL right now - and the viewership numbers on Monday night are expected to set another record.

The Raptors lead the series over the Golden State Warriors 3-1, with the clincher possible Monday.

''3 down, 1 to go,'' Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter. ''Bring it home, Raptors.''

Here's a far-from-complete list of places where ''Let's Go Raptors'' chants have broken out in the last couple of days:

At a Blue Jays baseball game in Toronto, the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, on an Air Canada flight heading into Toronto, and among spectators at the PGA's Canadian Open in nearby Hamilton, Ontario. After Rory McIlroy won that tournament, he drew cheers as he waved and wore a red Raptors jersey bearing Kyle Lowry's name and number 7.

''Raptors in five!'' McIlroy yelled.

The craze is crossing cultures, too. Before the National Ballet of Canada performed in Toronto Friday, the same night as Game 4 of the finals, the Raptors logo and ''We the North'' slogan were projected on the theatre curtain while the crowd took their seats. Performers in that show even taped a ''Let's Go Raptors'' message and sent it to the team as the finals were getting started.

After the Raptors won Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead, two of the fans who had been cheering in Jurassic Park - the place where Raptors fans gather near the arena in downtown Toronto to watch games on big screens - immediately started the line for Monday's Game 5.

Angie Taylor, 33, and Tyler Seaton, 31, were more than prepared. They told The Canadian Press they had a tent, a portable grill, and some groceries to get them through Game 5.

''I understand where they're coming from,'' Lowry said. ''We want them to be excited. We want them to be happy. We want them to be energetic. But we still got work to do.''

One more Raptors victory over Golden State would give Toronto its first major sports championship since baseball's Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. That second Blue Jays victory came a few months after the Montreal Canadiens lifted the 1993 Stanley Cup. No Canadian-based team has won a championship in baseball, basketball or hockey in the years since, although Toronto FC of Major League Soccer did win the MLS Cup at home in December 2017.

Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard said the team is very aware of the countrywide support.

''I think we have been embracing it this whole time,'' Leonard said. ''Just enjoying the support and the energy that they're bringing to the team.''

Cnotes53 · Jun 10, 2019

Game 5 Best Bet
June 10, 2019
By BetOnline.ag

TORONTO RAPTORS LOOK TO CAPTURE NBA TITLE WITH GAME 5 WIN

The Golden State Warriors faced a ?must win? situation at home in Game 4. It couldn?t have gone any worse for them. After a 14 point loss in Game 3, the Warriors lost their ?must win? Game 4 by 13 points. They did show some statistical improvement from Game 3 but that was no real consolation. In Game 3, the Warriors shot 39.6% from the field which saw a marginal gain in Game 4 to 44.9%.

Defensively, they showed more improvement from a statistical standpoint. In Game 3, Toronto ripped the nets to the tune of a 52.4% shooting effort. Golden State held the Raptors to a much more reasonable 41.9% from the field but the end result was nearly the same. A strong effort on the boards for Golden State (held a 54-47 rebound edge) was undone by 17 turnovers.

Game 4 was a ?must win? spot for Golden State as they simply couldn?t afford to head back to Toronto down 3-1. It?s a well known fact among sports fans that no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit. It?s a less well known fact that teams down 3-1 haven?t fared much better. In all sports, teams down 3-1 come back to win the series just 8.2% of the time.

NBA teams down 3-1 have come back to win the series only 11 times in 233 spots for a less encouraging 4.5%. Teams facing the 3-1 situation on the road have managed the comeback only 3 times in 165 spots for a downright discouraging 1.8%. In the NBA Finals, only one team has managed to reverse a 3-1 deficit and come back for the win.

The dire circumstances in which the Warriors find themselves is evident in the NBA series odds at BetOnline.ag where the Raptors are now a -530 favorite to claim the championship.

Klay Thompson has returned for Golden State but offensive superstar Kevin Durant remains ?questionable? with his calf injury. Toronto guard Fred VanVleet left Game 4 with what is being described as a ?facial injury? and is listed as ?questionable? as well. The really bad news for Golden State is that Kawhi Leonard is expected to play.

Should the Raptors complete their NBA Championship run it would be a massive upset if Leonard didn?t win his second Finals MVP Award (his first came in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs). Leonard has been downright monstrous throughout the playoffs averaging 31.1 points per game, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists. After a relatively quiet start to the NBA Finals with 23 points in Game 1 Leonard has put up 34, 30 and 36 while adding 14, 7 and 12 rebounds in those games.

There was always an expectation that at some point Golden State would ?flip the switch? and take over the NBA playoffs. That hasn?t happened. Instead, it was Toronto that has ?flipped the switch?. Following the 0-2 series start against Milwaukee, the Raptors have now won 7 of their last 8 both straight up and against the spread. In the process, they?ve added to Golden State?s miserable 2018-2019 performance against the spread.

The Warriors are 70-32 SU heading into Game 5 but just 43-57-2 against the spread. That 43% ATS percentage has cost bettors -19.7 units year to date which is the worst in the NBA and a full unit under the second worst pointspread team, the New York Knicks. Obviously, much of this is due to the Warriors? status as a ?public? team that is constantly overvalued relative to the betting line but that doesn?t negate that huge per unit loss this season.

BetOnline.ag has the Raptors installed as a -1.5 point home favorite in Game 5 with the total set at 214. Once again, you have to conclude that the Warriors are overpriced in this spot. Consider that they were +2 underdogs in the first two games of the series at Toronto and since then the Raptors have dominated play.

If Durant is announced as playing before gametime it could attract money toward Golden State and give Raptors backers an even better line. Just can?t make a case for the Warriors at this point so we?ll look to close out the NBA season by cashing another ticket on Toronto.

Best Bet: Toronto Raptors -1.5

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