Cnotes53 2017 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News Thru Playoffs !

[Cnotes53]

Warriors seek 3-1 advantage
May 22, 2018

Game 4 - Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry showed up in a big way for the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 and the Western Conference Finals has titled heavily in favor of the Warriors. The Warriors are solid favorites to win Game 4 on Tuesday night, as they host the Houston Rockets on TNT.

If the Rockets are going to win this series they have to win a game in Oakland and after what happened in Game 3 that seems unlikely. Let?s look at Game 4 and NBA picks.

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors
Date and Time: Tuesday, May 22, 2018, 9:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
NBA Odds: Warriors -8.5, O/U 224
TV Coverage: TNT

The Warriors got a 35-point performance from Curry on Sunday, as the Warriors routed Houston 126-85. Curry was unstoppable in the third quarter, as he went 7-for-7 for 18 points. Golden State won by 41-points, the largest playoff win in team history. Kevin Durant added 25 points and Draymond Green pulled down 17 rebounds. Golden State has now won 16 straight home playoff games, the most in NBA history.

The Rockets got only 20 points from James Harden and just 13 points from Chris Paul and the Rockets were completely overmatched in Oakland. Harden and Paul started off going a combined 3-for-14. Nothing went right for Houston, as they were outhustled and completely outplayed. They committed 19 turnovers and they were outrebounded 49-41.

Houston head coach Mike D?Antoni said that Paul is healthy and that his team needs Paul to play well. "We're not going to win without him," D'Antoni said. "So if he's got to limp and drag his leg to the finish line, so be it. And he's ready to do that."

Key Player

The key player I focused on in Game 3 was Curry and he was the difference as the Warriors rolled. Curry, Durant and Harden are always going to be important players, but one player that oftentimes gets overlooked is Andre Iguodala. He is the best defender for the Warriors and he is a key cog on offense.

?When we?re playing how we are supposed to play, Andre?s right in the middle of it,? head coach Steve Kerr said recently, ?His defense and being smart, making good decisions. Andre is one of the guys who seems to set the tone for us, and I thought he did a great job of that tonight.? Iguodala held Harden to 20 points in Game 3 and if Harden doesn?t score 30 points or more, the Rockets have no real chance to be competitive in this series.

Key Stats

The Rockets are 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings at Golden State. The Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing with one day of rest. The Warriors are 4-15 ATS in their last 19 games playing with one day of rest.

Looking at the total, the Under is 6-2 in the Rockets last 8 road games. The Under is 21-10 in the Rockets last 31 games playing with one day of rest. The Under is 13-6 in the Warriors last 19 games playing with one day of rest. The Under is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.

Free Picks

The value in Game 3 was on the Rockets and on the Under and we split those two picks, as Houston didn?t show up but the game easily went under. The value has not changed heading into Game 4, as the value is definitely on Houston.

The problem with backing the Rockets is that I don?t think they will win straight up and it is never easy backing a team that you don?t think is going to win the game outright. I have been all over the total in this series, as I still think the number is too high. I will make the same two plays for Game 4 and go with the Rockets and the game under the total.

Rockets vs. Warriors ATS Pick: Rockets and Under the total
Rockets vs. Warriors Score Prediction: Warriors 112, Rockets 108

 

[Cnotes53]

Warriors' Iguodala doubtful for Game 4
May 21, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Warriors forward Andre Iguodala is listed as doubtful for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night against Houston because of a sore left knee.

There was a chance Iguodala's status could be upgraded later Monday, the team said.

The 2015 NBA Finals MVP has been starting regularly this postseason, including the first three games of the West finals with the defending champion Warriors leading the Rockets 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. The Warriors won Sunday's game 126-85, with the 41-point victory margin the largest in franchise history in a postseason game.

Without Iguodala, the Warriors would lose one of their top defenders and playmakers. He banged his knee during the fourth quarter Sunday.

''I think it was like a knee-on-knee type of thing,'' coach Steve Kerr said after the game. ''He said he would be all right. But when we're right, when we're playing how we are supposed to play, Andre's right in the middle of it. His defense and being smart, making good decisions. Andre is one of the guys who seems to set the tone for that for us, and I thought he did a great job of that tonight.''

Since 2014-15, Golden State is 14-4 in postseason games started by Iguodala. Kerr could go with much-improved big man Kevon Looney - he blocked two shots in the first quarter alone Sunday - to keep a couple of key wing players available off the bench in Nick Young and Shaun Livingston.

Also Monday, Kerr said the team plans to speak to the league regarding Draymond Green's double-technical with Trevor Ariza issued at the 6:49 mark of the fourth quarter when Ariza shoved Green as they traded words.

''I thought it was unfair but we'll take it up with the league,'' Kerr said after Monday's practice. ''He committed a hard foul but he held Ariza up and didn't allow him to get hurt, and then Ariza shoved him. It didn't seem like a double-technical to me, so we'll take it up with the league and we'll see what happens.''

With Green involved and the stakes so high at this stage, it probably won't be the last time this series turns testy, either.

''Two guys are fiery and want to win. Two guys like Trevor and Draymond are just the ultimate competitors,'' Kevin Durant said. ''Stuff happens out there. They've both got enough money to pay for it.''

 

[Cnotes53]

TUESDAY, MAY 22
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

HOU at GS 09:00 PM

GS -8.5

O 223.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Rockets rally past Warriors, even series
May 22, 2018

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) James Harden scored 30 points, Chris Paul had 27 and the Houston Rockets sustained the latest second-half flurry by Stephen Curry, evening the Western Conference finals at two games apiece with a 95-92 victory Tuesday night.

Curry scored 28 points and Kevin Durant added 27 points and 12 rebounds but the defending champions missed their final six shots from the floor and their NBA-record postseason winning streak at home ended at 16 games.

The Rockets shook off a 12-0 deficit to start the game and another big run by the Warriors in the third, then won it with defense down the stretch.

Paul rebounded Klay Thompson's miss just before the final buzzer sounded for the first time and pounded the ball down in delight. A replay review ensued and it was determined Shaun Livingston fouled Paul before the game ended, so Paul made a free throw with 0.5 seconds left.

Curry couldn't get off a final attempt before the buzzer.

''I thought this is the highest level we've ever played defensively, without a doubt,'' Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said, ''because we're talking about the best offensive team ever.''

Game 5 is Thursday night at Houston. Golden State will play its longest playoff round after closing out its first two series in five games.

Golden State got the ball with 1:27 to play down 94-91 and Thompson and Curry each missed contested 3-pointers.

The Warriors got another chance with 42.5 seconds left following Houston's shot-clock violation. Curry missed a driving layup and Draymond Green pulled down the offensive rebound and was fouled by Paul, but Green converted only one free throw.

The Rockets went ahead 85-84 with 6:03 remaining on Trevor Ariza's 3-pointer from the baseline after a beautiful bounce pass from the opposite corner by Paul.

Golden State trailed 91-86 with 3:30 left following a pair of free throws by Eric Gordon, then Curry converted a three-point play moments later.

Green wound up with 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists while going at it with Paul all night in Game 4 - the first nail-biter so far in a series that had featured only lopsided results.

Curry knocked down three straight 3-pointers during a key third-quarter sequence in which he scored 11 consecutive points before Thompson's 3.

Down 53-46 at halftime two days after a franchise playoff-record, 41-point victory in Sunday's 126-85 win, Curry shined in the second half once more. He scored 17 in all during the third-quarter flurry.

Curry came out and hit a 3 from the top and seemed on his way to another spectacular finish until the late misses on a night both Western Conference powers shot just 39 percent.

His 3-pointer from 29 feet out at the 5:43 mark of the third got Golden State back within 62-60 then he knocked down another moments later on the Warriors' next possession for the lead. Then, another from the baseline before a driving layup to the left.

Harden scored 15 points in the second quarter as Houston used a 25-7 run to take command.

Much-improved Warriors big man Kevon Looney, who shed 30 pounds last offseason, earned his first career postseason start in place of injured Andre Iguodala and had four points and six rebounds.

Iguodala, who banged his left knee during the fourth quarter of Sunday's win, was upgraded from doubtful to questionable after an MRI exam earlier Tuesday on the knee revealed no structural damage.

The Warriors got another scare when Thompson briefly went to the locker room in the second quarter with a left knee strain then returned and hit baseline 3-pointers from both sides and wound up with 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting.

The Rockets missed their first eight field-goal tries and committed two turnovers before Harden's layup with 6:42 left in the first. D'Antoni called timeout at the 7:06 mark of the first with his team trailing 12-0.

TIP-INS

Rockets: The Rockets were outrebounded 49-41. ... Houston scored just 19 first-quarter points, its fifth straight period failing to score more than 24 before scoring 34 in the second. ... After saying the pressure was on the Warriors, D'Antoni cracked pregame, ''That really worked out well, didn't it?''

Warriors: Curry picked up his third foul at the 5:06 mark of the second quarter and took a seat and Golden State was limited to 18 points in the period. He pumped his right arm so hard after a basket in the first he nearly hit official Mike Callahan. ... Curry made his signature pregame tunnel shot on the fourth try. ... Golden State dropped to 32-7 in the postseason since 2015 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 points. ... Looney started for just the ninth time in his three-year NBA career.

IGUODALA OUT

Without 2015 NBA Finals MVP Iguodala, the Warriors were down one of their top defenders and playmakers.

Iguodala's status for Game 5 was still unclear. Since 2014-15, Golden State is 14-4 in postseason games started by Iguodala.

''If it was close, he would play,'' coach Steve Kerr said. ''He's injured so he's not playing. So we'll see what happens in the next couple of days.''

D'Antoni knew the Warriors would respond.

''They only have four All-Stars instead of five. It really puts a crimp in their style,'' he said.

TECHNICAL STANDS

The Warriors spoke to the NBA about Green's double-technical in Game 3 with Trevor Ariza issued at the 6:49 mark of the fourth quarter when Ariza shoved Green as they traded words.

''They're not rescinding it,'' Kerr said. ''Those conversations are always private, so we respect their decision and move on.''

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Boston Celtics TD Garden

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Toyota Center


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


MAY'S NBA BEST BET RECORD: ( BASED ON 5 UNITS )

05/22/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/21/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/19/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/16/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/15/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0,50
05/03/2018 0-4-0 0.00% -22.00
05/02/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50

Totals.............7-17-0........29,16%.....-69.50


BEST BETS................ATS....................UNITS.. ................O/U..............UNITS..............TOTAL

05/22/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/21/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/20/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/19/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/16/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0- 1...............-5.50..............-11.00
05/15/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/14/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-0.50
05/13/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00..............-0.50
05/03/2018...............0 - 2..................-11.00..................0 - 2..............-11.00............-22.00
05/02/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2018...............1 - 1..................- 0.50...................0 - 2.............-11.00.............-11.50

Totals........................3 - 10................-40.00..................4 - 9...............-29.50............-69.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds on some interesting NFL games this season:

Week 2: Vikings @ Green Bay (-2.5)

Week 3: Cowboys @ Seattle (-1.5)

Week 4: Eagles (-2.5) @ Tennessee

Week 5: Redskins @ New Orleans (-7.5)

Week 6: Chiefs @ New England (-7)

Week 7: Broncos (-1.5) @ Arizona


**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings??.

13) Rockets 95, Warriors 92? Houston held Golden State to 12 4th-quarter points as they evened Wester finals 2-2.

Rockets? PJ Tucker didn?t score a basket (0-4) but he grabbed 16 rebounds and was +7 in 44:08, which means Houston was outscored by 10 points in the 3:52 he sat out.

12) A gutty gambler dropped $50,000 on the Rockets to win the NBA title at 10-1 at the SouthPoint Casino Tuesday. Later on Tuesday, someone put $10,000 on the Rockets to win Game 4, at a +$400 money line.

11) Michigan Wolverines opened as a 7-point underdog at Notre Dame this coming football season; they?re now a 1-point favorite.

10) Tampa Bay Rays brought SS prospect Willie Adames up Tuesday; he got to the ballpark a half hour before the game, but still started and homered off of Chris Sale.

9) On May 22, 1990, the Reds lost 3-1 in 16 innings to the Cubs; Cincy walked Andre Dawson intentionally five times that day.

Who was batting behind Dawson? Former big league manager Lloyd McClendon was 0-6, then Dave Clark went 1-2

Cincinnati wound up winning the World Series that year.

8) Seattle Mariners put CF Dee Gordon (toe) on the DL. Tigers? P Matthew Boyd left with an oblique injury after allowing one hit in four IP at Minnesota.

7) Chargers? TE Hunter Henry tore his ACL, is done for 2018.

6) Reds 7, Pirates 2? Matt Harvey wins his home debut for the Reds, allowing one run in six IP. Devin Mesoraco is playing well for the Mets, so a good trade for both teams.

5) Jets traded QB Christian Hackenberg to Oakland for a 7th-round pick. Hackenberg suited up for five games with the Jets, but never took a snap.

4) Orioles? SS Manny Machado is married to the sister of Indians? 1B Yonder Alonso.

3) Someone didn?t vote for Jayson Tatum on the NBA?s all-rookie team; whoever that is should lose their right to vote.

2) Mets signed OF Jose Bautista not long after the Braves cut him; he batted 5th, and scored the Mets? only run in a 5-1 loss to the Marlins.

1) Super Bowl champ Eagles released starting LB Michael Kendricks Tuesday; he had been with the club the last six seasons.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Eastern Conference Final Game 5 betting preview and odds: Cavaliers at Celtics

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (+1, 206)

Series tied 2-2.

The Cleveland Cavaliers recovered to even the Eastern Conference Finals at two games apiece and now look to solve the homecourt mastery of the Boston Celtics. Second-seeded Boston is 9-0 at TD Garden this postseason and Cleveland can end the Celtics' unbeaten mark if it can win its third straight outing.

Boston coach Brad Stevens didn't get too wound up over Monday's 111-102 setback as he simplified the task staring at his team. "It's a best two of three to go to the NBA Finals. It doesn't get much better than that," Stevens said in Monday's postgame press conference. "In this deal, it's a blast to have to grit your teeth, get up off the mat and go after it again. That's part of what makes these guys on both sides special." LeBron James carried the fourth-seeded Cavaliers to Monday's win with a 44-point effort that marks his sixth 40-point performance, the most in a single postseason since Philadelphia's Allen Iverson also had six such outings in 2001. "We know it's going to be a hostile environment," James told reporters of Game 5. "We know their fans are going to be very energetic. But we have to just have our same mindset we had when we came home for two games. If our minds are there, we put ourselves in a position to be victorious."

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

SERIES PRICE (PER WESTGATE LV SUPERBOOK):

LINE HISTORY: This game opened as a Pick 'Em, however, what appears to be sharp betting action has come in on the Cavaliers pushing the pointspread to CLE -1 as of Tuesday night. The total hit betting boards at 206 and has yet to move

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "When the Eastern Conference Finals began, the Cavaliers had a 72 percent chance to win the series. However, after losing the first two games and trailing 0-2, the Cavaliers had only a 33% chance of winning the series. Now Cleveland has won back-to-back games and with the series tied 2-2, the Cavaliers now have a 63% chance of winning the Eastern Conference title." - Steve Merril.

INJURY REPORT:

Cavaliers - No injuries to report.

Celtics - PG S. Larkin (Questionable, Shoulder), PG K. Irving (Out For Season, Knee), PF D. Theis (Out For Season, Knee), SF G. Hayward (Out For Season, Ankle).

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (60-37 SU, 38-58-1 ATS, 45-50-2 O/U): James was 17-of-28 shooting in Game 4 as he topped 40 points for the second time in a three-game span. Veteran swingman Kyle Korver (14 points, three blocked shots) is 13-of-20 shooting with eight 3-pointers over the past three games, while center Tristan Thompson (13 points, 12 rebounds) enjoyed his best showing of the series and third double-double of the postseason. Power forward Kevin Love averaged just 11 points on 7-of-24 shooting in the two victories after averaging 19.5 points in the two losses in Boston and is shooting just 37.5 percent in the series.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (65-33 SU, 61-35-2 ATS, 52-45-1 O/U): Boston won its two home games by average of 19 points but things didn't go so smoothly in Cleveland as it lost by an average of 19.5 points. "We missed a bunch of easy opportunities," shooting guard Jaylen Brown said of the Game 4 loss. "We made some bad turnovers and things like that. But we still had opportunities to get into the game and to win." Brown is averaging 20.3 points in the series and his 25-point effort in Game 4 was his third 20-point outing in the East finals.

TRENDS:

* Cavaliers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Celtics are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 home games.
* Over is 6-2 in Cavaliers' last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Over is 7-1 in Celtics' last 8 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings in Boston.

CONSENSUS:

There are 63 percent of pointspread bets on the home Celtics while 56 percent of total bets are on the Over.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, May 23


Cleveland @ Boston

Game 707-708
May 23, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
120.078
Boston
123.502
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 3 1/2
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 1
206 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+1); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, May 23

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

CLEVELAND (60 - 37) at BOSTON (65 - 33) - 5/23/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 38-57 ATS (-24.7 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 59-35 ATS (+20.5 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 36-25 ATS (+8.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
BOSTON is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games this season.
BOSTON is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in home games in all playoff games this season.
BOSTON is 23-6 ATS (+16.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 35-19 ATS (+14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 38-20 ATS (+16.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 9-9 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 13-6 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
11 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, May 23

Cleveland @ Boston (2-2)
Home side won all four series games as Cavaliers were up 20 at halftime and cruised in Game 3, 15 at half in Game 4, which was closest (111-102) of he four games so far. Thompson-Hill-Smith were combined 25-53 from floor in Games 3-4, after going 5-18 in Game 2. Celtics were +3 in 39:00 Rozier played Monday, but were -12 in 9:00 he sat out. James had 44 and dominated Marcus Smart like Smart was a little kid. Under is 8-5 in last 13 series games- three of four games in this series stayed under total.

Conference finals
Cavaliers-Celtics
Bos 108-83, +1, U204.5
Bos 107-94, +1, U205.5
Clev 116-86, -6.5, U207
Clev 111-102, -7, O205

Warriors-Rockets
GState 119-106, -1.5, U225.5
Hst 127-105, -1.5, O225
GState 126-85, -7, U228
Hst 95-92, +8, U227




NBA

Wednesday, May 23

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

Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Boston
Cleveland is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
Cleveland is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Cleveland's last 13 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Celtics
Boston is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Boston's last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games
Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Boston's last 13 games at home
Boston is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Boston is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Boston is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Boston's last 13 games when playing at home against Cleveland


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

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, May 23


NBA playoffs betting stats:

Home Teams:
52-20 Straight Up
41-30-1 ATS (57.7%)

Favorites:
54-18 Straight Up
42-29-1 ATS (59.2%)

Over-Under: 34-38

 

[Cnotes53]

Game 5 - Cavs at Celtics
May 23, 2018

Eastern Conference Finals ? Game 5 (Series tied 2-2)

Cleveland at Boston (ESPN, 8:35 p.m. ET)

After dropping back-to-back games at TD Garden and facing a 0-2 deficit, Cleveland bounced back with a pair of victories over Boston at home and evened up the Eastern Conference Finals at 2-2.

Monday?s 111-102 victory in Game 4 was similar to the outcome in Game 3 and the Cavaliers jumped on the Celtics early and did just enough to capture the win and more importantly cover as seven-point home favorites.

Cleveland led 34-18 after the first 12 minutes and held a 15-point lead at the break (68-53), cashing first-half tickets (-4 ?). Unlike Game 3, the Celtics showed a lot of fight in the second-half and outscored Cleveland 49-43 in the final 24 minutes. Boston cut the margin to as low as seven points on two occasions (96-89, 100-93) in the fourth quarter but Cleveland responded in both instances.

Instead of playing facilitator, LeBron James dominated the Celtics with 44 points on 17-of-28 field goal attempts plus a respectable 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. Of the 44, only three of those points came from distance and he only produced five rebounds and three assists, both lows in this series.

Cleveland received great production from guards George Hill (13) and Kyle Korver (14), who combined for 27 points. Tristan Thompson also put forth a solid effort with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points in the losing effort and even though all five starters for Boston posted double figures, Boston only shot 41 percent from the floor and just 9-of-28 (32%) from 3-point land. While those percentages certainly aren?t great, they did improve from the Game 3 numbers (39%, 27%) when they were run by 30 points.

VegasInsider.com NBA expert Joe Nelson was impressed by Boston?s effort in the final three quarters on Monday and expects a turnaround in Game 5.

?If you take out the first quarter on Monday, Boston outscored the Cavaliers by seven points in the final three frames and lost by only nine points despite Cleveland shooting more than nine percent better from the floor. The Cavaliers were forced into 19 turnovers but won the rebounding battle and got a few close calls late to hold off a challenge by the Celtics. Foul trouble was costly for the Celtics and despite LeBron James and Kevin Love combining for 53 points the Celtics forced Cleveland?s stars into 13 turnovers and poor outside shooting. James was able to get to the paint with ease and Kyle Korver had his second straight big game off the bench. Korver hasn?t shot as well on the road and now the Celtics will have an opportunity to get back in front in this series,? said Nelson.

While LeBron gets all the headlines in Cleveland, the team?s play has been very dependent on the backcourt as Nelson mentioned. Korver and Hill combined for 10 points for Cleveland in Game 1 and 14 points in Game 2. Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has been bringing Korver off the bench the last three games and he?s responded with 11, 14 and 14 points.

Including Monday?s result, the home team is now 4-0 both straight up and against the spread in this series and the outcomes have been decided by an average of 19.3 points per game.

Should bettors continue to ride that angle and back the Celtics in Game 5?

After watching Golden State lose to Houston in Game 4 at Oracle Arena last night, Boston remains the only team in this year?s playoffs not to lose at home.

The Celtics have gone 9-0 both SU and ATS at TD Garden while winning by an average of 11.3 PPG.

Oddsmakers at BookMaker.eu opened this matchup at a pick ?em. However, as of Wednesday morning the Celtics received some overnight love and are listed as 1 ?-point favorites (-105) at the offshore shop. With the line being this short, it?s safe to say that the point-spread won?t factor into tonight?s decision.

If the number does swing to Cleveland, bettors should note that Boston has gone 10-1 SU and 11-0 ATS as a home underdog this season.

VegasInsider.com NBA expert Kevin Rogers took a closer look at this year?s playoffs and touched on what?s transpired in Game 5?s.

He explained, ?This is the fourth instance in the 2018 playoffs that a series is tied at 2-2. The home team has won each of the first three times, while covering twice. Boston entered Game 5 of the opening round with Milwaukee knotted up at 2-2 as the Celtics barely cashed as 4 ?-point favorites, 92-87. The only team that picked up a victory and failed to cover was Cleveland in the first round, edging Indiana on a James buzzer-beating three-pointer, 98-95.?

LeBron has played in plenty of playoff games but this particular scenario is uncommon for the All-Star.

?The last time James and the Cavaliers played a road game in a playoff series tied at 2-2 came in the 2015 Finals against the Warriors. Golden State pulled away from Cleveland, 104-91 as 9 ?-point favorites as the Warriors eventually won the title. James has not covered a Game 5 in a series locked up at 2-2 since the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals as a member of the Heat, beating the Pacers by 11 points,? added Rogers.

For those wondering, Nelson offered this betting stat to VI.

Going back to 1991 home teams are 31-14 straight up in conference finals Game 5 matchups and that includes a 6-1 against the spread record since 2013.

The total for Game 5 opened at 206 and has held steady. The ?over? (205) connected in Game 4 which was the first time the high side cashed in this series. The ?over? was the right side in Game 2 but the pair only combined for 40 points in the fourth quarter.

Savvy bettors playing halves should make a note that the ?under? has connected in the second-half of each of the first four games. The ?under? has gone 3-1 in the first-half.

Bettors leaning to the high side can?t fault Brad Stevens and the Celtics in this series. Boston has posted triple digits on the scoreboard in eight of nine home games in the postseason and that?s helped the ?over? go 6-3. Since the head coach took over, the ?over? is 15-9 at home for Boston in the playoffs.

Both clubs are looking at a team total in the neighborhood of 102 to 103 points for Game 5.

The Cavaliers have watched the ?under? go 4-3 on the road in this year?s playoffs and that?s a little surprising since they?ve only held one team under 100 points, which came in Game 3?s loss of the first round to Indiana (92-90). Plus Cleveland?s offense has been held in check for the most part as well. If you take away the two victories in their second-round sweep over Toronto where they scored 128 and 113 at the Air Canada Centre, the club has been held to 91.6 PPG in their five other away games this postseason.

In four games at TD Garden this season, Boston has kept Cleveland under triple digits three times with the one outlier coming in February when Cleveland posted a 121-99 regular season win. The Cavs hit 16-of-30 shots from 3-point land in that win and an effort similar to that one would certainly give them a 3-2 series lead tonight.

Prior to Game 1, the Cavaliers were minus-260 favorites to win this series and after facing a 2-0 deficit, they were pushed to +190 underdogs. Headed to Game 5, Cleveland is back to the series favorite (-185) over the Celtics (+160).

Game 6 will take place on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena from Cleveland.

 

[Cnotes53]

Celtics hope return home can slow LeBron, Cavs in Game 5
May 22, 2018

BOSTON (AP) The Celtics expected to see a different LeBron James in Cleveland after the Cavaliers fell into a 2-0 hole to open the Eastern Conference finals.

Two games and back-to-back wins later , James has reminded everyone exactly why he's been to seven straight NBA Finals.

Boston will be back in the embrace of its raucous fans at TD Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday. But a team that has thrived on youth this postseason suddenly looks disoriented without a go-to player and opposite a more veteran squad that has found a new attitude thanks to the fuel being provided by its biggest star.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said all you can do against James is ''make it as hard as you can.''

''LeBron is the best player of this generation and he's just maintained that because of his commitment to improvement,'' Stevens said. ''He's always been an unbelievable physical player. He's always been a savvy player. And he's always had, just like the natural instincts to make the right basketball play along with his tremendous skill set.''

While the Cavs are certainly feeling rejuvenated behind the play of James, coach Tyronn Lue said it hasn't changed their sense of urgency.

''We still gotta play,'' Lue said. ''We have veteran guys who have been there and know what it takes, but this is a young team, a good team that's playing at home so experience is not going to be a factor. We have to come in there and have the same mentality that we had in Game 3 and 4.''

Two games ago, the numbers seemed all on the Celtics' side.

They had moved to 9-0 at home during these playoffs and taken 2-0 series lead, which has been a magic number for a franchise yet to surrender such an advantage during its storied history (37-0). Over the last 96 minutes, Boston has been outscored by 39 points, has dropped to 1-6 on the road and is suddenly facing a must-win game to maintain home-court advantage.

Stevens said at the start of the playoffs that he believed there was value in the greenness of a young group that had several players getting their first taste of postseason basketball. He was proven right with Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum all thriving as first-time postseason starters.

Their success had the cumulative effect of masking the absences of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Now, the lack of an alpha like Irving capable of creating his own shot is sticking out with every 40-point game James produces.

Al Horford, Boston's only healthy All-Star, was never a dominant scorer, but more of a facilitator who worked well in a finely tuned system.

Horford started off the series strong but his scoring and assist numbers have declined over the last two games.

Lue's move to reinsert Tristan Thompson back into the starting lineup in Game 2 is a huge reason.

Thompson has not only helped things move better on the offensive end for Cleveland , he's combined with Larry Nance to make things difficult on Horford. Horford had just four shots and seven points in 30 minutes in Game 3. He scored 15 points in Game 4 but was just 5-of-13 from the field with one assist.

If the Celtics are going to get back to the by-committee style that got them here, it must begin with his leadership. To that end, Horford said they'll focus on correcting their issues, but also won't dwell on them.

''As a group, we're excited to be back, going back home,'' he said. ''Obviously we understand the challenge of it. We can't think about the past. We just have to worry about this opportunity. We have a Game 5 at home, and we have to make the most of it.''

Cleveland is hoping James' once quiet supporting cast continues its surge in Boston.

Kevin Love just missed his third straight double-double in Game 4 and sharpshooters JR Smith and Kyle Korver were 12 of 19 from the 3-point line in Games 3 and 4.

Korver's efforts have stood out.

At 37 years old he was all over the court scoring in Game 4, diving for loose balls and collecting three blocks. While he anticipated being sore from all the activity, Korver said playing ''fun basketball'' is still propelling a guy looking for his first ring after appearing in 124 playoff games for five different teams during his 15-year career.

''There's not many of us `03 class guys still around,'' James said of Korver. ''I feel like we're just cut from a different cloth because we've been around for so long. We have this work ethic and you see him every day putting in the work, putting his mind, his body into it. It's not about his age.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Cavs made East 'chalk'
May 22, 2018

The Cavaliers Are Series Favorites Again

When this series started, we stated that this series was going to go a six games and that?s at least where it?s going to end up. But after a whirlwind weekend that saw LeBron turn things around at home, the oddsmakers have installed Cleveland as favorites to come out of this now-best-of-three. It?s an uphill climb for the Boston Celtics according to the numbers, but that was always the case.

Revised Eastern Conference Finals Series Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers to win -175
Boston Celtics to win +155

In Game 4, Cleveland unleashed a spurt through the first quarter that created an un-crossable chasm for the Celtics. With a 34-18 lead coming out of the first, Cleveland did everything they had to in order to retain the advantage. Korver and Hill hit big shots when they needed, and LeBron submitted another marvelous line of 44-5-3. What a force of nature.

The three-point shooting of the Cavaliers came back to earth with 8-of-23 (34.8 percent) but their hot shooting overall continued from all over the floor. In a way, the Celtics? interior defence caved in, which is what inevitably happens against LeBron James. Tristan Thompson also appeared unstoppable at times.

Kyle Korver and George Hill took advantage of the perimeter collapsing to chip in 27 points as the Cavaliers shot 50.6 percent from the field. And now we see what we?ve always known about Cleveland ? they are a tremendous front running team that has learned how capsize comebacks after Toronto and Indiana both gave them serious scares.

Boston?s defence is always going to oscillate between ?opportunistic? and ?oh god they can?t stop LeBron? because that?s just the nature of the beast. But their offence needs more continuity. It?s almost as if everything hinges on those momentum shifting Marcus Smart threes. He had just 8 points in the Game 4 loss and couldn?t really turn the tide with his badger-like work rate despite a high output of effort.

The good news is that this series will swing back to Boston, and while the Celtics didn?t look great at all in Game 3, they won all the other quarters against Cleveland in Game 4 after getting whopped in the opening one. Jayson Tatum has been average, which is understandable for a rookie, but he needs to be great. In most circumstances, I wouldn?t say that he has what it takes given his experience but Brad Stevens is an insanely good mentor in this regard. Tatum notched a minus-14 against Cleveland in Game 4. That should and will hopefully get better.

The offence has been steadied by Jaylen Brown, who his having an absolute breakout party but there simply isn?t enough from the remainder of the squad. Where the Celtics have gained traction is by the sum of their parts being greater than the whole, but they became unraveled in stretches during Game 3 and 4. Getting back to what made them consistently great in the opening games of the series will help them find their footing.

You can bet on the Celtics to snatch Game 6 from the death clutch of the Cavaliers at even money. It?s a shame there isn?t a home point cushion for Boston, but considering that they?re an absurd 9-0 SU and ATS at home, I think you know why the spread is what it is. And yes, that means you should lean towards the Celtics yet again.

Game 5 (5/22/18) ? Cleveland -1 at Boston

 

[Cnotes53]

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CLE at BOS 08:30 PM

BOS +1.0

U 206.0

 

[Cnotes53]

Celtics move to 10-0 at home, top Cavs
May 23, 2018

BOSTON (AP) Rookie Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Al Horford had 15 points and 12 rebounds to help the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 96-83 on Wednesday night and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics remained perfect in Boston this postseason with their 10th straight victory at home and moved within one win of their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010.

Game 6 is in Cleveland on Friday night, with the decisive seventh game back in Boston on Sunday if necessary. The home team has won every game so far in the series, and none has been closer than nine points.

''To do what we want to do we still have to beat this team one more time,'' Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. ''And it's hard to do in the NBA.''

LeBron James had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Kevin Love scored 14 for the Cavaliers, who are trying to reach the finals for the fourth consecutive season. James has played to the end in seven straight seasons.

''Our focus, LeBron's focus is to win,'' Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said. ''That's the only thing that matters.''

The Celtics opened a double-digit lead in the first quarter and nursed it the rest of the way, holding on through a four-minute scoring drought that saw Cleveland score nine straight points to cut the deficit to 83-71. But Terry Rozier hit Horford with an alley-oop to snap the skid, and that was as close as the Cavs would get.

James seemed to tire in the fourth, scoring just two points on four shots. He finished 1-for-6 from 3-point range in the game; the Cavaliers made just 9 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc and shot just 42 percent overall.

''He did look a little tired to me,'' Lue said. ''No concerns. You've got to be ready to play now.''

Jaylen Brown scored 17, and Marcus Morris and Marcus Smart each scored 13 as reserves. Tatum added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals one day after finishing one vote shy of a unanimous selection to the NBA's All-Rookie team.

''Everybody's anxious after you get beat,'' Stevens said. ''But I think Jayson was especially anxious after Game 4.''

Boston went on a 15-3 run in the first quarter to turn a three-point deficit into a nine-point lead. The Celtics scored nine in a row at the end of the first quarter and into the second to take a 36-19 lead, their biggest of the game.

That's when the Cavaliers fought back.

After a hard defensive play by Morris sent Larry Nance Jr. into the first row of seats, Morris appeared to wander over and say something. Nance to jump up and body checked him; Morris responded with a one-handed shove to the face.

Aron Baynes and Brown came in to break it up, and Terry Rozier put a body on Nance. After a review, the referees called technicals on Rozier, Nance and Morris. Kyle Korver made the foul shot to make it 36-20 and Cleveland went on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to eight points, 36-28.

But Morris made a long 3-pointer to stop the scoring drought, and soon hit another to cap an 8-2 run that made it a double-digit lead.

TIP-INS

Teams that win Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven series win 83 percent of the time. ... James had 16 points, four rebounds and three assists at the half. Tatum had 13 points, and Horford had 10 points and seven boards at the break. ... Baynes made his first start of the series, subbing for Morris. ... It took until midway through the third quarter for a Cavs starter other than James or Love to make a basket. J.R. Smith sank a floater to make it 63-50, and George Hill followed with a jumper of his own. ... The Celtics were 10-0 in the playoffs at home in 1986.

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Toyota Center

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Boston Celtics Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MAY 26, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Houston Rockets Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena

SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY MAY 27, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Boston Celtics TD Garden

SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY MAY 28, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
9:00 PM Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Toyota Center

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


MAY'S NBA BEST BET RECORD: ( BASED ON 5 UNITS )

05/23/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/22/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/21/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/20/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/19/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/16/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/15/2018 0-2-0 0.00% -11.00
05/14/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50
05/13/2018 1-1-0 50.00% -0,50
05/03/2018 0-4-0 0.00% -22.00
05/02/2018 2-0-0 100.00% +10.00
05/01/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50

Totals.............9-17-0........34.61%.....-58.50


BEST BETS................ATS....................UNITS.. ................O/U..............UNITS..............TOTAL

05/23/2018...............1 - 0.................+5.00....................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+11.00
05/22/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/21/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/20/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/19/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00.............-0.50
05/16/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0- 1...............-5.50..............-11.00
05/15/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-11.00
05/14/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................0 - 1..............-5.50..............-0.50
05/13/2018...............0 - 1..................-5.50....................1 - 0..............+5.00..............-0.50
05/03/2018...............0 - 2..................-11.00..................0 - 2..............-11.00............-22.00
05/02/2018...............1 - 0..................+5.00...................1 - 0.............+5.00.............+10.00
05/01/2018...............1 - 1..................- 0.50...................0 - 2.............-11.00.............-11.50

Totals.......................4 - 10................-35.00..................5 - 9...............-24.50............-58.50

 

[Cnotes53]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Odds to win the PGA event in Fort Worth starting today:

8-1? Jordan Spieth

12-1? Jon Rahm

18-1? Ricky Fowler, Justin Rose

20-1? Webb Simpson

25-1? Scott, Koepka, Walker

30-1? Kuchar, Cantlay, Wise, Schwartzel, Dufner, ZJohnson, DeChambeau


**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud

13) When I was lucky enough to be an assistant high school basketball coach a long time ago, the time during the National Anthem was special to me; it allowed me to collect my thoughts about what was about to happen, and to appreciate the blessings I have. It was a good two or three minutes to get my mind organized.

12) My take on the National Anthem issue in the NFL and my opinion on this is pretty much my opinion on most things in this country:

Its a free bleepin? country. Let people do what they want, within reason.

Freedom of speech, freedom of expression is a vital part of our democracy. I would never kneel during the National Anthem, but I respect another person?s right to do so. But thats me.

11) In his last six starts, Jacob deGrom has allowed one run in 33.1 IP; he?s won two of the six games. Mets? bullpen did him in again last night, blowing a 9th inning lead in a 2-1 loss.

10) Paul Zimmerman was a really good football writer for Sports Illustrated; his advice to young football writers?

?Talk to the offensive linemen; there won?t be crowds around them, and they know why everything happens.?

9) The NHL commercial where the all-time stars of the game spell out their last names is a great one; the pride that comes with having your name etched on the Stanley Cup is special.

8) Albany Great Danes? basketball team is heading to Northern Ireland for an 8-team tournament in late November. I?d prefer Hawai?i or Las Vegas to Ireland, but no one asked me.

7) Aaron Judge went into a slump after the All-Star break last year, so he?ll be skipping the Home Run Derby in Washington in July.

6) My plan to re-align the major leagues, by geography:
Division A: both NYC teams, Red Sox, Phillies, Blue Jays
Division B: Rays, Marlins, Braves, Orioles, Nationals
Division C: Pirates, Indians, Tigers, Twins, Brewers

Division D: Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Royals, Reds
Division E: Rockies, Mariners, Rangers, Astros, Diamondbacks
Division F: A?s, Giants, Dodgers, Angels, Padres

5) Travel costs would go down a lot; now if MLB expands to 32 teams soon, and it sounds like they might, then it becomes eight 4-team divisions. Portland, OR and Montreal are listed as the frontrunners for expansion teams.

4) From SI.com: Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells and Hank Aaron both homered off former major league pitcher Al Downing, Parcells in an American Legion game in a high school game in New Jersey, Aaron with his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth?s record in 1974.

3) White Sox catcher Welington Castillo is done for 80 games after flunking a PED test; bad news for the Pale Hose and also my fantasy team, which doesn?t need any more bad news.

2) Washington 4, Tampa Bay 0? Congrats to Alex Ovechkin on making his first Stanley Cup final; he?s led the NHL in goals seven times. Good to see him get a shot on this great stage.

1) If you enjoy gambling, you should make a trip to Las Vegas and visit the SuperBook here. Great place to watch games. You can wager on just about anything you like. Baseball, NHL, NBA, golf, soccer and of course, football and college hoop. Very fun place to hang out.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Western Conference Final Game 5 betting preview and odds: Warriors at Rockets

Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (+1, 219)

Series tied 2-2.

Staring at a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter and a 3-1 series hole, the Houston Rockets came alive and reestablished homecourt advantage in the Western Conference finals. The Rockets will try to maintain that advantage and carry some momentum back when they host the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Thursday.

Houston allowed 126 points on 52.2 percent shooting in a 41-point loss in Game 3 but came out with a renewed passion on the defensive end in Game 4 and held the Warriors to 12 points in the fourth quarter to earn a 95-92 victory. "That was the last piece for us to get over the hump and becoming one of the best teams in the league," swingman Trevor Ariza told reporters after the win. "How we defend, how we pay attention to detail and how we go about playing defense. Tonight, in the fourth quarter when it mattered, we got stops. It let us get back in the game, it let us take the lead and it let us win." Golden State coach Steve Kerr blamed fatigue for his team's poor fourth-quarter performance but conceded that the Rockets were the better team down the stretch. "I felt like in the fourth quarter we just ran out of gas," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Scored 12 points. Tried to buy a little rest for our guys, but yeah, they just outplayed us in the fourth and they earned it."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT

SERIES PRICE (PER WESTGATE LV SUPERBOOK):

LINE HISTORY: The Rockets opened as 1-point home favorites for Game 5 and as of Wednesday night that number has jumped the fence to Warriors -1. The total hit betting boards at 220 and has been dropped slightly to 219.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "It?s rare to find a No. 1 seed taking the court as a home dog, yet the Rockets are doing just that Thursday night against the Warriors. For what it?s worth its happened only 9 times in conference finals since 1996, with the hosts going just 3-6 SU and 3-5-1 ATS. Meanwhile, Houston?s recent 7-2 SU and ATS mark as a playoff home dog says otherwise. Batten down the hatches." - Marc Lawrence.

INJURY REPORT:

Warriors - SG K. Thompson (Probable, Knee), SF A. Iguodala (Questionable, Knee), SG P. McCaw (Early June, Back), SF C. Boucher (Out Indefinitely, Ankle).

Rockets - No injuries to report.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (68-28 SU, 41-54-1 ATS, 44-51-1 O/U): Golden State held Houston to 39 percent shooting in Game 4 but surrendered 34 points in the second quarter and 25 in the fourth, and the inconsistency is a matter of concern. "I think we just stop trusting our defense at certain points in the game," power forward Draymond Green told reporters. "We've got to trust our defense, trust the game plan, and stick with it." The Warriors shot 39.3 percent from the floor in the loss and All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson was held to 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting, giving him an average of 10.3 points over the last three games after going off for 28 in Game 1.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (75-21 SU, 49-46-1 ATS, 39-56-1 O/U): Houston needs two wins over the next three games to knock the Warriors off their three-year reign as Western Conference champs and gets to play two of those three at home, though that might not matter. "We knew we needed it, but we said all along with both teams home court doesn't really matter," point guard Chris Paul told reporters after the Game 4 victory. "Both teams have the ability to win on the road. We had to prove that to ourselves. Weathering the storm, the runs that they made, and knowing that now we get a chance to go back home, we knew we had to get at least one win here. We got it, so now it's a three-game series." Paul battled a foot injury in Game 4 but turned in his best scoring effort of the series with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Conference Finals games.
* Rockets are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 vs. NBA Pacific.
* Under is 6-1 in Warriors' last 7 overall.
* Under is 13-3 in Rockets' last 16 vs. NBA Pacific.
* Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Houston.

CONSENSUS:

There are 54 percent of pointspread bets on the Houston Rockets while 65 percent of totals wagers are on the Over.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, May 24


Golden State @ Houston

Game 507-508
May 24, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
129.975
Houston
125.838
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 4
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 1
220 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(+1); Under




NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 24

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

GOLDEN STATE (68 - 28) at HOUSTON (75 - 21) - 5/24/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-53 ATS (-18.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-34 ATS (-16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-40 ATS (+21.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
HOUSTON is 41-54 ATS (-18.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 108-143 ATS (-49.3 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.
HOUSTON is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 11-7 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 13-6 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
12 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 24

Golden State @ Houston (2-2)
Rockets outscored Golden State 34-18 in 2nd quarter, 25-12 in 4th quarter; four Warriors subs who played were a combined -29 in 48:00 of play. In their two series wins, Houston has taken 80 treys, 87 2-point shots. In their two losses, they took 71 treys, 95 2-point shots. Under is 6-2 in this round so far, 3-1 in both series. Under is 6-1 in Golden State?s last seven games. Road team is 7-4 in last eleven games between these teams. Under is 10-4 in last 14 series games. Warriors other than Curry were 3-14 on arc in Game 4; he needs lot more help.




NBA

Thursday, May 24

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

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Houston
Golden State is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston Rockets
Houston is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games
Houston is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Houston's last 22 games at home
Houston is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Golden State
Houston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
Houston is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State

 

[Cnotes53]

Celtics win and cover again on home court - now 10-0 SU and ATS in this year's playoffs. NBA playoffs betting stats:

Home Teams:
53-20 Straight Up
42-30-1 ATS (58.3%)

Favorites:
55-18 Straight Up
43-29-1 ATS (59.7%)

Over-Under: 34-39

 

[Cnotes53]

THURSDAY, MAY 24
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

GS at HOU 09:00 PM

HOU -1.0

U 219.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Gordon leads Rockets over Warriors 98-94 to take series lead
May 24, 2018

HOUSTON (AP) Eric Gordon came off the bench to score 24 points and his steal on Golden State's last possession secured a 98-94 victory Thursday night that gave the Houston Rockets a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The Rockets head into Game 6 on Saturday night in Oakland, California one win away from knocking off the defending champions and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 1994-95.

Chris Paul scored 20 points and James Harden struggled for his 19, but Paul had to leave the game in the final minute with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Kevin Durant scored 29 points for the Warriors, who lost in Game 5 of a playoff series for just the second time since 2015.