Cnotes National Basketball League Apri's Picks/Trends/News Thru the Playoffs !!

[CNOTES]

Preview: Celtics (48-34) at Hawks (48-34)
Date: April 26, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics have a different look since their last visit to Atlanta, and so does their playoff series with the Hawks.


Let down by their usually dependable defense in the past two matchups, the Hawks may have to rely on home-court advantage to regain their lost momentum when the series shifts back to Philips Arena for Tuesday night's pivotal Game 5.


Done in by poor starts and inefficient shooting in losing the first two in Atlanta, Boston has been harder to defend since Brad Stevens inserted Jonas Jerebko and Evan Turner into starting roles prior to Friday's Game 3. The Celtics have shot 44.3 percent since the switch after being held to 34.2 percent in Games 1 and 2.


Jerebko, who averaged 4.4 points and 15.1 minutes during the regular season, has emerged as the unlikely X-factor to Boston's resurgence. The stretch forward totaled 27 points and 22 rebounds in the two home wins, and his ability to create space has allowed Isaiah Thomas to be more productive in attacking the basket.


Thomas' career-high 42 points helped Boston turn the tide with a 111-103 win in Game 3, and the All-Star guard scored 18 of his 28 during the second half and overtime as the Celtics rallied for a 104-95 victory in Sunday's Game 4.


Down 62-46 early in the third quarter, Boston shot 56.4 percent the rest of the way to even the series. Jerebko contributed 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting after halftime and Marcus Smart had 13 of his 20 points following the break.


"I think one of our most redeeming qualities as a team is the guys are really â?? they're fighters," Stevens said. "They never give up. They play to the end, even in games where we didn't really have it they've done that."


Smart also neutralized Paul Millsap down the stretch, limiting the versatile forward to four points over the final 14 minutes and none in overtime after Stevens changed the defensive assignments in the fourth quarter.


Millsap amassed 26 first-half points and finished with a playoff career-high 45 along with 13 rebounds.


"They got us out of whack," Hawks guard Kyle Korver said. "They put Marcus Smart on Paul and we just tried to force it to him and at times took us out of what we had been doing. Give them credit. They played really well and made some plays down the stretch."


Stevens' next task will be improving his team's play in Atlanta, where the Celtics are 0-4 this season and have lost in six straight visits. They were a woeful 3 of 23 from the field during a seven-point first quarter in Game 2 and shot 26.9 percent to trail by 11 through one period of a 102-101 loss in Game 1.


"The most important thing for us, we got to start the games better, especially on the road," Thomas said. "If we start just halfway decent on the road we'll be alright."


Boston was able to overcome a 14-0 Hawks' run to begin the second half of Game 4.


For Mike Budenholzer, the goal will be finding consistent scoring to complement Millsap. Al Horford has 13 points over the last two games after scoring 41 in the two wins, Jeff Teague finished 4 of 18 in Game 4 and top bench options Dennis Schroder and Thabo Sefolosha were a combined 3 for 17.


"I just think we needed a little bit more with him, collectively from all of us, a little more to help Paul," Budenholzer said. "They responded to being down 2-0 and now we've got to go home and respond."


Stevens said he doesn't expect Avery Bradley to return Tuesday from his Game 1 hamstring injury.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pacers (45-37) at Raptors (56-26)
Date: April 26, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

A lineup change revitalized the Indiana Pacers and helped them tie up their first-round series with the Toronto Raptors.


The change the Raptors would like to see is for DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to wake up from some series-long woes.


These teams were also involved in a scuffle toward the end of the last matchup, and the tension only figures to be raised Tuesday night in a pivotal Game 5 in Toronto.


Indiana moved forward Myles Turner into the lineup in place of Lavoy Allen in Saturday's 100-83 rout. The Pacers held a rebounding edge for the first time in this series at 43-40, limiting Jonas Valanciunas to six after he totaled 48 in the first three games.


"I think our just general team awareness of the ways Jonas is hurting us is why we did better in Game 4 and it's gonna be a battle the entire series," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said.


While Valanciunas was bottled up on the glass, the production by DeRozan and Lowry remained consistent for Toronto - and it's not nearly good enough. The two All-Star guards were a combined 8 of 27 from the field and 0 for 7 on 3s for a total of 20 points.


Lowry is averaging 15.5 points on 32.2 percent shooting while DeRozan is at 13.3 points and 29.6 percent in the series.


"Give Indiana credit, they've done a good job on DeMar and Kyle," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "But we haven't seen their best, they know that and it may not be by scoring points, it may be by moving the basketball, it may be by helping defensively."


The Pacers are using Paul George to defend DeRozan and George Hill to slow down Lowry. They are wary that the Raptors duo, which averaged a combined 44.7 points during the regular season, may be due to break out.


"The efficiency has not been great for those guys but we're not comfortable in any way as good as those guys are," Vogel said. "We're going to continue to fine tune what we're doing with those guys, with the plan, George and Paul are doing a good job on them, but it's more than that, it's gotta be a team effort."


Hill and Ian Mahinmi, who is listed as questionable but expected to play through a back injury, each scored 22 points Saturday in a series that is getting nastier as it is progresses.


A scuffle developed with 5:03 left after Valanciunas gave George a small shove underneath the basket. George responded with words and then DeMarre Carroll ran into the gathering crowd. All three players drew technical fouls, including George's second in two games.


Toronto's Patrick Patterson also was assessed a technical in Game 4. Game 3 featured three technicals on Indiana after the first two games in Toronto saw neither team get one.


"I'm looking at flagrant fouls, Jonas Valanciunas gets cracked across the head and again, I've got to get an understanding, and the officials didn't review it but they were hitting us going through the lane and DeMar DeRozan shoots zero free throws with the same drive," Casey said.


DeRozan has failed to reach the line twice in this series after ranking third in the league in free-throw attempts.


Casey refused to acknowledge that the Pacers lineup change with Turner was a factor. Instead, the coach claimed that Monta Ellis had a huge impact despite a second straight seven-point effort; Ellis scored 15 in each of the first two games.


"I thought the guy who had the most effect on the game and didn't score a lot of points was Monta Ellis," Casey said. "His speed of pushing the ball down the floor, getting down the floor impacted the game as much as anything else. We have to look at that."


George has been the star of the series with 26.3 points per game and 36 free-throw attempts compared to 15 for DeRozan. He totaled 61 points on 54.1 percent shooting in the first two games in Toronto before averaging 22.0 points on 34.3 percent shooting in two at home.


"Toronto's a very hostile environment, hostile crowd," George said. "Game 5 is going to be about taking their crowd out of the equation."

 

[CNOTES]

Tuesday's Tip Sheet
April 26, 2016


**Indiana at Toronto**


-- As of early this morning, most betting shops had Toronto (58-28 straight up, 47-39 against the spread) listed as a seven-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 192. Gamblers can take the Pacers to win outright for a +250 payout (risk $100 to win $250). For first-half bets, the Raptors were favored by four points with a total of 96.


-- Indiana (47-39 SU, 43-42-1 ATS) squared up the series at 2-2 by winning a 100-83 decision over Toronto in Saturday’s Game 4 as a one-point home underdog. Ian Mahinmi led the way with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one blocked shot. George Hill also finished with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Paul George scored 19 points and is averaging 26.3 points per game during the series.


-- In the Game 4 loss, Jonas Valanciunas scored a team-best 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry and DeMarre Carroll had 12 points apiece. DeMar DeRozan, who averaged 23.5 PPG during 81 regular-season games, saw his 24-game streak of scoring in double figures snapped. DeRozan had eight points on 4-of-15 shooting and had more turnovers (six) than assists (four). Norman Powell scored 10 points off the bench in only 13-plus minutes of playing time.


-- George’s 33-point effort in the series opener helped Indiana score a 100-92 win as a seven-point underdog. Toronto countered with a 98-87 victory an eight-point home favorite in Game 2. Then in Game 3, the Raptors cruised to a 101-85 win as one-point road favorites. They raced out to a 17-point halftime lead and cruised to the finish line. Lowry and DeRozan scored 21 apiece for the winners, while Carroll finished with 17 points, his best scoring effort since returning from a 41-game injury absence on April 7. George tallied 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Game 3 loss. Myles Turner contributed 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.


-- Indiana veteran guard Monta Ellis scored 15 points in both Games 1 and 2 at Toronto, but he was limited to seven points in both Games 3 and 4. Ellis was 3-of-9 from the field in Game 3, 3-of-7 in Game 4.


-- When the Pacers have been listed as underdogs of six points or more this year, they have compiled a 7-2 spread record.


-- Toronto owns a 16-5 spread record in its last 21 games against Indiana, going 23-8 in its 31 at home versus the Pacers.


-- Chris David has noticed Toronto playing well when coming off losses recently, but the Raptors have been money burners at home in the playoffs. David explained, “Toronto captured a 98-87 victory in Game 2 after dropping the first game in this series to Indiana and that result shouldn’t come as a surprise. Since the All-Star break, the Raptors have gone 9-1 off a loss and that includes the win in this series. More importantly, Toronto’s offense has averaged 104.7 points per game in these situations and it’s hard not to expect a better effort here, especially after posting 83 points in Game 4 last Saturday.


“However, bettors watching the Raptors the last three seasons at home in the playoffs could be reluctant to back them here. Since Toronto made a return to the postseason, it’s gone 3-5 SU and 1-6-1 ATS at home.”


-- The ‘under’ is 4-0 in this series and 6-1 in the last seven head-to-head encounters between these squads this season. The combined point totals in Game 1-4 are as follows (in order): 190, 185, 186 and 183.


-- The ‘under’ has cashed in six consecutive games for the Pacers to improve to 49-37 overall. They have seen the ‘under’ go 23-20 in their road outings.


-- Toronto has seen five straight ‘unders’ for it go above .500 for the season (43-42-1). The ‘over’ is 23-20 for the Raptors in their home contests.


-- David had this take on the total: “The total for Game 5 is hovering around 192 points and even though the ‘under’ has cashed in all four games, I believe this game has a chance to see the high side. Along with the Raptors’ ability to rebound offensively off losses, the two-day break should help and the early start is something that the club is very familiar with. The team played eight home games at 6 or 6:30 p.m. ET during the regular season and the offense averaged 103.3 PPG. The winner in the first four games has scored 100, 98, 101 and 100. With the Raptors team total listed at 99 for Game 5, I’m buying the ‘over’ and I’d also lean to Indiana’s team total ‘over’ (93) as well.”


-- TNT will have the broadcast at 6:05 p.m. Eastern.


**Boston at Atlanta**


-- Boston (50-36 SU, 43-42-1 ATS) pulled even at 2-2 in this best-of-seven Easter Conference first-round series by holding serve at home in Game 3 and 4 this past weekend. Isaiah Thomas exploded for 42 points to spark the Celtics to a 111-103 win over Atlanta as a three-point home favorite Friday night. The Hawks overcame a 20-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but they were unable to score a field goal in the final 3:51 of the game. Brad Stevens, who had lost his first six playoff games since leaving Butler for the coveted Boston gig, shook up his starting lineup in Game 3 by inserting Evan Turner and Jonas Jerebko into the starting lineup. It worked. Turner responded with 17 points, seven assists and five steals, while Jerebko finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Amir Johnson added 15 points, seven boards and a pair of blocked shots, while Marcus Smart contributed 11 points five assists, three rebounds and two rejections.


-- In the Game 3 defeat, Jeff Teague paced the Hawks with 23 points and five assists. Teague’s back-up Dennis Schroder produced 20 points in just 22-plus minutes off the bench. Kent Bazemore had 20 points and eight rebounds, while Kyle Korver drained 5-of-9 from 3-point land en route to a 17-point effort. Atlanta leading scorer Paul Millsap was held under his scoring average for a third straight game and he didn’t get into double figures for a second consecutive time. Millsap went 3-of-9 from the field and had eight points and 10 rebounds. Al Horford finished with eight points, 13 rebounds, four blocked shots and six assists compared to only one turnover.


-- In Sunday’s Game 4, Atlanta (50-36 SU, 45-40-1 against the spread) allowed a 16-point third-quarter lead to get away in a 104-95 loss in overtime at TD Garden. The Celtics took the cash as one-point home favorites thanks to the efforts of Smart, who scored 20 points, grabbed eight rebound, dished out five assists and successfully defended a red-hot Millsap in the latter stages of the game. Millsap scored 45 points to fall just one point short of his career-high, but he was held to only two points in the final 5:33 of regulation and the extra session. Thomas was outstanding again, tallying 28 points, six assists, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Turner finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots, while Jerebko had 16 points and 10 boards. Jae Crowder added 12 points and five boards for the winners.


-- Boston center Kelly Olynyk, who missed Games 2 and 3 with a shoulder injury, returned to the court to log 3:35 of playing time. He had two rebounds. Olynyk averaged 10.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game during the regular season.


-- Trailing by four in the final minute of regulation, Teague hit a trey to slice the deficit to one. Following an Atlanta stop on the defensive end, the Wake Forest product buried another triple to put the Hawks ahead by two. However, Thomas would answer with a bucket in the paint with 15 ticks remaining. Teague attempt to make a play at the end of regulation but lost control of his dribble just before attempting a potential game winner. He finished just 4-of-18 from the field with 13 points and five assists. Millsap also had 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocked shots. He made 19-of-31 shots from the floor. Korver had 10 points and eight rebounds, but Bazemore and Horford were limited to five points apiece. Horford had nine rebounds, one steal, one blocked shot and five assists without committing a turnover. Bazemore hauled in eight boards, but he was an abysmal 2-of-10 from the field.


-- As of early this morning, most betting shops had the Hawks favored by seven points for Tuesday’s Game 5 at Philips Arena. The total was 199.5 or 200 points, while the Celtics were +260 on the money line (risk $100 to win $260). For first-half wagers, Atlanta was a 3.5-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 95.5 points.


-- VI’s David has taken note of Atlanta’s success when coming off of OT defeats this year. David said, “If you bet Atlanta on Sunday, you obviously weren’t happy with the final sequences during regulation and it’s never fun seeing your team get dominated in the extra session. Including Sunday’s loss, the Hawks are now 0-5 in overtime games this season and one handicapping rule I try to stick by is never backing a club off a rough loss but this team has shown some tenacity. In the first four overtime losses, the Hawks have gone 3-1 in the following matchup with the one setback coming to Golden State. In the victories, Atlanta posted 114, 113 and 106 points.”


-- Atlanta has won five in a row at home and 12 of its last 14. For the year, the Hawks are 29-14 SU and 23-20 at ‘The Highlight Factory.’ Meanwhile, Boston is mired in a 3-10 ATS slump in its last 13 road assignments. The Celtics have gone 19-24 SU and 19-23-1 ATS on the road this season.


-- The ‘under’ has cashed at a 3-1 clip in this series. The combined points totals have been (in order): 203, 161, 214 and 199. Despite overtime, Game 4 still saw the ‘under’ emerge when the 199 combined points fell short of the 203-point tally. The ‘over’ had gone 3-1 in the four head-to-head meetings between these clubs during the regular season.


-- The ‘under’ is 7-2 in Atlanta’s last nine games, 16-9 in its last 25 home outings. The ‘under’ is 47-39 overall for the Hawks, 24-19 in their home contests.


- -David leans to the ‘under’ on the total. He said, “The total for Game 5 opened 201 and that number was quickly steamed down to 199 ½ at a few major offshore shops. The numbers for the first two games in this series at Philips Arena were 205 and 206, which tells you that most have figured out how good the Hawks defense is at home, especially under head coach Mike Budenholzer. In their last 13 home playoff games, only two opponents have managed to bust the century mark on the Hawks and that effort has helped the ‘under’ go 11-2 and that includes a run of seven straight games.”


-- Tip-off is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

 

[CNOTES]

Warriors prepare for life without Curry
April 26, 2016


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) When Stephen Curry is on the court, the Golden State Warriors offense is nearly unstoppable.


Play Curry tight to take away his 3-point shot and he's apt to drive past and get to the basket. Take away the drive and he can shoot from almost anywhere inside the halfcourt line. Trap him on a pick and roll and he's perfectly content getting the ball to another playmaker like Draymond Green and allowing his teammates to exploit a four-on-three advantage.


Curry's unique skill set as a shooter with unlimited range, a ball handler who can create his own space and a passer who gets teammates open looks has been a driving force that led Golden State to an NBA title last year and a record 73 regular-season wins this season.


If the Warriors are going to cap this record-setting season with a repeat championship, they are going to have to do it without Curry for at least two weeks of the playoffs after an MRI on Monday determined he had a Grade 1 sprain of the MCL in his right knee.


While Curry will miss the rest of the first round and likely at least four games in the second round if Golden State advances, the Warriors have the ingredients to survive without the reigning MVP.


''It's a blow but I don't think it's anything that will significantly throw them off course,'' ESPN analyst Tim Legler said.


Legler said he still views the Warriors as the favorite to win the title despite Curry's injury, predicting they will finish off the first-round series against Houston that they lead 3-1 heading into Wednesday night's Game 5 and that they could beat either the Los Angeles Clippers or Portland in the second round even if Curry missed the entire series.


Then if Curry is healthy for the conference final, Golden State would be poised to repeat.


''That's how good their team is,'' Legler said. ''That's how hard they are to defend. I don't think the Clippers are a team that's a real juggernaut that can shut them down. They have issues defensively. I don't think they're a very tough team physically defensively.''


Legler said Golden State's bevy of playmakers will make dealing with Curry's absence bearable. Shaun Livingston will move into the starting lineup and he is able to use his size and passing to create for teammates.


Green and sixth man Andre Iguodala also are capable of running the offense and shooting guard Klay Thompson and forward Harrison Barnes can shoulder a bigger load.


''That's really been the secret to their success the last few years,'' Legler said. ''They have more players who can make plays with the basketball whether it be a shot, a drive, a kick, whatever it may be, than any other team in the league. They have five or six different guys you trust to initiate the offense and to put pressure on you.''


The Warriors have gone 3-2 this season without Curry playing, including a win against the Rockets on New Year's Eve and splitting games 2 and 3 of this series when Curry had a sprained right ankle. Golden State also lost at Dallas on Dec. 30 and beat Atlanta at home on March 3 when Curry had to sit out.


Replacing everything Curry does is almost impossible because no one has ever has had his collection of skills. Curry led the NBA this season by averaging 30.1 points per game, while averaging 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and a league-leading 2.1 steals as well. Curry made a record 402 3-pointers, eclipsing his own previous mark by 116.


''He's such a threat from so far out all over the floor,'' Legler said. ''Your defense is so fragile in trying to cover all the ground you have to. It's basically a much larger scoring area when you play the Warriors with Steph on the floor. That's really hard defensively to do that without making mistakes.''


In the five games Curry missed, the Warriors' score margin fell by 13.1 points per game and the offense suffered greatly. They scored 10.2 fewer points per game, had their 3-point percentage fall from 41.8 percent to 34.9 percent and shot 4.3 percentage points worse from the field.


But the Warriors already managed to win Game 4 after Curry injured his knee when he slipped on the final play of the first half. Golden State hit eight 3-pointers in the third quarter alone to turn a tie game into a 21-point lead on the way to the easy win.


''I believe in our team, I believe in our coaching staff. I won't count them out,'' general manager Bob Myers said. ''We're lucky to have the group we have. It's one of the best groups of players I've ever seen as far as people. They will come together and do whatever they can to reach that goal.''

 

[CNOTES]

CP3 leaves due to broken bone in hand
April 26, 2016


PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Chris Paul broke a bone in his right hand midway through the third quarter and left the Clippers' Game 4 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.


It was not clear exactly how Paul was injured, but it appeared he may have bent the wrist awkwardly when defending Portland's Gerald Henderson on a layup.


''He'll get evaluated but it obviously doesn't look very good,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after the Blazers' 98-84 victory evened the series at two games piece.


The Clippers were also hurt late in the game when Blake Griffin appeared to aggravate the left quad injury that he struggled with this season.


Paul retreated to the bench and was attended to by team trainers before leaving for the locker room. He angrily kicked at a seat cushion on the court as he left. The Clippers later reported Paul fractured the third metacarpal in his right hand.


Following the game, Paul left the Moda Center without speaking with reporters.


Paul was leading the Clippers with 16 points when he left the game. He averaged 26.3 points and 8.3 assists through the first three games of the series, after averaging 19.5 points and 10 assists in the regular season.


Griffin looked dejected when he went to the bench with a little more than 5 minutes left in the game.


Rivers said: ''It doesn't look great for him either.''


The coach gave Griffin a ''50-50'' chance of playing in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

 

[CNOTES]

Spurs ready to wait for semis after sweep
April 25, 2016


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The San Antonio Spurs know they didn't face a fair fight in the first-round of the playoffs, so they took what they could in sweeping an injury-depleted opponent.


A physical test they hope prepared them for the Western Conference semifinals.


The Spurs finished off their ninth postseason sweep in franchise history Sunday by routing the Memphis Grizzlies 116-95. Now they await either Oklahoma City or Dallas, which will offer a much tougher series than the Grizzlies, who reached the playoffs despite using an NBA-record 28 players this season.


''They fought very hard,'' Spurs guard Tony Parker said of the Grizzlies. ''Obviously, they had a lot of injuries, so it was not the same. I've had some great battles against the Grizzlies over the years in the playoffs. You just have to give a lot of credit because they tried, and it was just too hard and too many injuries.''


This was the third time the Spurs swept Memphis, including the 2004 first round and the 2013 Western Conference finals.


This series was a foregone conclusion before the first tipoff. But Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stopped on his way off the court to talk with Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph and give him a playful forearm to the chest. Popovich then complimented the Grizzlies' passion and drive for 48 minutes of each game.


''That physicality will help us I think in the next round,'' Popovich said.


Here are some things to know while the Spurs wait for their next opponent:


RESTED SPURS: With the Grizzlies so depleted by injuries, Popovich was able to take it easy on his starters. Even with Kawhi Leonard playing more than 42 minutes in Game 3, the Spurs starters still averaged fewer than 25 minutes played per game during this series. Tim Duncan, who turns 40 on Monday, played just 13:32 in Game 3 and 19 minutes in Game 4. In wrapping up the series, six reserves played at least 13 minutes, and Andre Miller was the only Spur who played who didn't score Sunday.


HITTING THE BOARDS: LaMarcus Aldridge finished the series by posting a double-double in each of the two victories in Memphis. He scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Game 3 and was only a point off matching those numbers Sunday. He helped the Spurs dominate Memphis in the paint, where they outrebounded the Grizzlies 41-36. Banging up against Randolph should only sharpen Aldridge for the semifinals.


The series win also provided a nice bit of redemption for Aldridge, who was with Portland last season when Memphis ousted the Trail Blazers 4-1 in the first round. Aldridge said he wasn't thinking of that right now. ''Anybody that knows me knows that I don't like to look back on things until the end of the season,'' Aldridge said. ''But I'm in the moment, and I'm enjoying the ride.''


KAWHI LEADING THE WAY: Kawhi Leonard, the two-time defensive player of the year, led the Spurs in scoring three of the four games. He also tied his postseason career-high with 32 points in Game 3. He did lead them in minutes played each game.


STAYING SHARP: The Spurs didn't play with the precision they did most of the season in going 67-15. Yet they still finished this series shooting 50 percent in Game 4. Parker wasn't sure how many practices Popovich will schedule before the next series starts. After a physical series with Memphis, Manu Ginobili is hoping for some rest first.


''I think we're due a couple days off, and then we'll have a couple good practices to get the rhythm back,'' Ginobili said. ''I think it's very important. We need it.''


SWEEPING BY PHIL: Popovich now has nine postseason sweeps in best-of-seven series, the most all-time. He broke a tie with Phil Jackson in that category.

 

[CNOTES]

Celtics-Hawks, Pacers-Raptors all even going to Game 5
April 26, 2016


ATLANTA (AP) At this stage of an NBA playoff series, there's not much need for extra film work, no point in making any big adjustments.


When two teams are tied heading into their fifth meeting in less than two weeks, familiarity is not an issue.


''We know what they're trying to do and they know what we're trying to do,'' said Atlanta's Kyle Korver, looking ahead to Tuesday night's crucial Game 5 against Boston. ''There's nothing the other team has not seen before.''


While Cleveland and San Antonio breezed through the opening round with four-game sweeps, the Hawks-Celtics series is right back where it started, essentially a best-of-three heading into a potentially pivotal contest at Philips Arena.


It's the same scenario for the night's other game, which has the Toronto Raptors looking to regain the upper hand when they host the pesky Indiana Pacers.


After getting blown out in Game 2 in Atlanta, the Celtics bounced back with two nail-biting victories in Beantown, including an overtime triumph Sunday night that evened things up.


The Hawks were kicking themselves for squandering Paul Millsap's 45-point effort and a 16-point lead in the second half, pointing to a shaky transition defense that allowed Boston to rip off a quick run near the end of the third quarter.


Now, it's all about the little things.


''It's going to come down to the 50-50 balls, come down to the hustle plays, come down to that one or two runs that really separates you from the other team,'' Korver said.


Here's a look at the games Tuesday:


---


Pacers at Raptors, series tied 2-2 (6 p.m. EDT, TNT).


The second-seeded Raptors really need their dynamic backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to get going.


DeRozan is hitting just 29.6 percent (21 of 71) in the series, while Lowry isn't much better at 32 percent on 19-of-59 shooting. They combined to make just 8 of 27 in Game 4 as Indiana evened the series with a 100-83 romp.


''They're like your kids,'' Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. ''You get upset with your kids sometimes, you argue with your kids, you go back and forth. But at the end of the day, they're our guys. We're going to ride and die with DeMar and Kyle.''


Indiana already knocked off the Raptors in Game 1 in Toronto, and Pacers star Paul George hopes the Pacers can steal one more road victory to set up a potential series-clinching win in Indianapolis.


''We have to realize that if we lock this one up, we can close it out here without worrying about Game 7,'' he said. ''That's the motivation.''


Indiana center Ian Mahinmi is coming off the best game of his career in Game 4 - 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists - despite a lingering lower-back injury that forced him to sit out practice Monday.


Thought listed as questionable, he is expected to play in Game 5.


---


Celtics at Hawks, series tied 2-2 (8:30 p.m. EDT, TNT).


Boston must avoid the poor starts that plagued the team in each of its first two games in Atlanta, including a Game 2 debacle that left the Celtics trailing by 21 points midway through the first quarter.


''I wouldn't recommend 24-3 again. Just generally speaking, that would be a bad thing,'' coach Brad Stevens said sarcastically. ''I didn't think we lacked for effort in Game 2. We just didn't play well in the first 5 minutes. Then you're swimming uphill the rest of the game, and that's bad. They played at a different pace than we did in Game 2 at the start. That can't happen again.''


While the Celtics are focused on improving in the opening minutes, the Hawks must do a better job at finishing. They had a chance to win both games in Boston but couldn't pull out either one. More troubling, they are 0-6 in overtime games this season and have dropped nine straight going back to last season.


''We need to be better in those situations,'' coach Mike Budenholzer said.


With Avery Bradley still sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Celtics will again go with a bigger lineup that worked well in Boston. Jonas Jerebko, a 6-foot-10 Swede used sparingly during the regular season, is coming off a 16-point, 10-rebound performance in Game 4.


Stevens isn't concerned about Jerebko's defensive struggles when matched against Millsap.


''Millsap was scoring on everybody,'' Stevens said. ''Not just Jonas.''

 

[CNOTES]

NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (569) INDIANA@ (570) TORONTO | 2016-04-26 18:05:00 - 2016-04-26 18:05:00
Play ON TORONTO using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+13.55 units)


NBA > (579) HOUSTON@ (580) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-04-27 22:35:00 - 2016-04-27 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 59 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+35.1 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 12 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+12.05 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PORTLAND using money line in All games in April games
The record is 94 Wins and 127 Losses for the since 1992 (-91.45 units)


NBA > (569) INDIANA@ (570) TORONTO | 2016-04-26 18:05:00 - 2016-04-26 18:05:00
Play ON TORONTO using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 28 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (+14 units)


NBA > (567) BOSTON@ (568) ATLANTA | 2016-04-26 20:35:00 - 2016-04-26 20:35:00
Play AGAINST ATLANTA using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 16 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-20.15 units)


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


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (567) BOSTON@ (568) ATLANTA | 2016-04-26 20:35:00 - 2016-04-26 20:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 15 Overs and 46 Unders for the this season (+29.5 units)

NBA > (567) BOSTON@ (568) ATLANTA | 2016-04-26 20:35:00 - 2016-04-26 20:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 8 Overs and 29 Unders for the this season (+20.2 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Home games second half of the season
The record is 8 Overs and 27 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.2 units)


NBA > (567) BOSTON@ (568) ATLANTA | 2016-04-26 20:35:00 - 2016-04-26 20:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin Home games in all playoff games
The record is 12 Overs and 40 Unders for the since 1992 (+26.8 units)

NBA > (575) CHARLOTTE@ (576) MIAMI | 2016-04-27 20:05:00 - 2016-04-27 20:05:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Home games when tied in a playoff series
The record is 4 Overs and 20 Unders for the since 1992 (+15.6 units)


NBA > (567) BOSTON@ (568) ATLANTA | 2016-04-26 20:35:00 - 2016-04-26 20:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin Home games in the first round of the playoffs
The record is 8 Overs and 28 Unders for the since 1992 (+19.2 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games against Northwest division opponents
The record is 5 Overs and 17 Unders for the this season (+11.5 units)


NBA > (569) INDIANA@ (570) TORONTO | 2016-04-26 18:05:00 - 2016-04-26 18:05:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 47 Overs and 87 Unders for the last three seasons (+35.3 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Home games against Northwest division opponents
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+8.9 units)

 

[CNOTES]

4/25 - Results: 5 - 1


Overall: 33 - 35


TUESDAY, APRIL 26


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


IND at TOR 06:00 PM


IND +7.0


O 193.0




BOS at ATL 08:30 PM


BOS +7.0


U 198.0

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack


-- Toronto 102, Indiana 99-- Pacers led by 15 in the fourth quarter.


-- Atlanta 110, Boston 83-- Home side won all five series games.


-- New Mexico State promoted from within, tabbed Paul Weir as its head coach to replace Marvin Menzies. Weir has a recruiting connection in Canada.


-- That leaves Delaware, Northern Colorado as the only D-I head coaching jobs that have yet to be filled for next season.


-- Delaware's Kory Holden transferred to South Carolina- good player.


-- Pirates 9, Rockies 4-- Andrew McCutchen hit three homers for the Bucs.


**********


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


13) MSNBC's Hallie Jackson was in the gym where Hoosiers was filmed last night for a political rally, but admitted on air that she has never seen the iconic basketball movie. Ms Jackson will be 32 on Friday, two years before Hoosiers was made; she went to college at Johns Hopkins, an elite college, but so did Andy Enfield, the basketball coach at USC.


I've never seen Star Wars or The Godfather; I can't say anything.


12) Uh-oh. Prince didn't have a will or a trust, so his sister, six half-siblings are in line to divide his estate, estimated at $300M, which doesn't include the stash of hundreds of unpublished songs, which figure to be worth another small fortune. Hopefully they can divide everything up peacefully.


11) Over/under given by a doctor Tuesday on recovery time for Chris Paul's hand injury: four weeks. If Paul misses four weeks, his next game for the Clippers will be in October- they're not going far without him.


10) I like Steve Kerr, I'm a big fan of his, but how in God's name does a coach who missed 43 of 82 regular season games win Coach of the Year? No player who missed 43 games would ever win MVP-- it makes very little sense.


9) Dick Vermeil is only coach in NFL history who worked for three different teams, but was never fired by any of them.


8) Obscure trivia: Christian Yelich is an OF for the Miami Marlins; his great-grandfather is the guy who designed the LA Rams' football helmets back in the 40's, the first helmets with the team's logo on them.


7) Chicago White Sox are 6-0 in games where the winning run scored in the 7th inning or later; Toronto is 1-7 in such games.


6) Padres are only major league team that doesn't have a bobblehead giveaway night this year; they didn't have one LY, either.


5) Was surprised to hear that New Hampshire has produced 51 major league baseball players and four major league managers.


4) Kelly Ripa makes $26M a year? Seriously? And she blows off three days of work because no one told her a co-worker got another job? As a friend of mine likes to say and I'll clean it up here, "Grow the (bleep) up!!!"


3) What would happen if Bernie Sanders ran as a third party candidate in the Presidential election? Who would that help? Could he win?


2) These politicians must be tired; Bernie Sanders is 74, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are both pushing 70, but they've all been bouncing around the country like rock stars. Has to be exhausting.


1) Tonight Nashville-Anaheim play a Game 7 in NHL playoffs. Nashville has never had a Game 7 in its franchise history; Ducks lost their last four Game 7's, are 2-5 in Game 7's in their franchise history.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Long Sheet


Wednesday, April 27


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


CHARLOTTE (50 - 36) at MIAMI (50 - 36) - 4/27/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 31-22 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
MIAMI is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
MIAMI is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MIAMI is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MIAMI is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 12-8 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 14-6 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
12 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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

PORTLAND (46 - 40) at LA CLIPPERS (55 - 31) - 4/27/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PORTLAND is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) off an upset win as an underdog this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 84-117 ATS (-44.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 211-262 ATS (-77.2 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 192-252 ATS (-85.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 8-7 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 9-6 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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

HOUSTON (42 - 44) at GOLDEN STATE (76 - 10) - 4/27/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 38-48 ATS (-14.8 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-36 ATS (+7.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 61-47 ATS (+9.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 44-35 ATS (+5.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-38 ATS (+12.2 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 119-88 ATS (+22.2 Units) in April games since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) against Southwest division opponents this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 62-43 ATS (+14.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 128-90 ATS (+29.0 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
HOUSTON is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 12-7 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 15-4 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
Short Sheet


Wednesday, April 27


Charlotte at Miami, 8:05 ET
Charlotte: 0-9 ATS off 2 consecutive wins against division rivals
Miami: 9-1 ATS in home games after a loss by 6 points or less

Portland at LA CLippers, 10:05 ET
Portland: 6-1 ATS off an upset win as a home underdog
Los Angeles: 1-6 ATS off an upset loss as a road favorite


Houston at Golden State, 10:35 ET
Houston: 16-26 ATS after playing a home game
Golden State: 21-11 ATS off a road win








NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up


Wednesday, April 27


Charlotte-Miami (2-2)
Home side won all four series games; Walker/Lin combined for 55 points in Game 4 win- no other Hornet had more than 11. Hornets lost five of last nine games with Miami (over 6-2 in last eight). Hornets lost four of last five visits here; Heat scored 115-123 in Games 1-2 here, then 80-85 in Charlotte. Hornets won five of their last eight games (over 7-2); they lost four of their last six road games. Miami won its last five home tilts, all by 8+ points- their last three home games all went over.


Portland-LA Clippers (2-2)
Clippers are without Paul/Griffin for duration of this series; Portland is 0-4 in last four games played here, with three losses by 15+, but missing Paul is huge for LA- Game 4 was Monday, so Rivers had only had a day to retool offense, with less dynamic PG Prigioni getting more minutes. Home side won all four series games; last five games in series stayed under total. Trailblazers won nine of their last 13 games overall; eight of their last ten games stayed under the total.


Houston-Golden State (G 3-1)
Curry is out for series, but Warriors outscored Houston 41-20 in decisive third quarter Sunday, without Curry. Golden State won 12 of last 14 games (9-5 vs the spread) against Houston, covering three of last four played here (non-cover was by half-point). Last game, Iguodala scored 22 points in 24:00 to pick up slack created by Curry's injury. Not big fan of Houston's chemistry; they went in tank last game, they have interim coach- they're 1-3 vs spread in last four road games. .


Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 21-14, Over: 11-24








NBA


Wednesday, April 27


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


8:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. MIAMI
Charlotte is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games on the road
Miami is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games


10:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Portland's last 12 games on the road
LA Clippers are 10-1 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing at home against Portland


10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
Houston is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 12 games when playing Golden State
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Golden State's last 12 games when playing Houston

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Dunkel


Wednesday, April 27



Charlotte @ Miami


Game 575-576
April 27, 2016 @ 8:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
116.723
Miami
124.816
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 8
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 5 1/2
193
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-5 1/2); Under


Portland @ LA Clippers


Game 577-578
April 27, 2016 @ 10:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Portland
126.082
LA Clippers
120.513
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 5 1/2
191
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 2 1/2
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-2 1/2); Under


Houston @ Golden State


Game 579-580
April 27, 2016 @ 10:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Houston
120.227
Golden State
126.915
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 6 1/2
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
211
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(+9 1/2); Over

 

[CNOTES]

NBA


Wednesday, April 27


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Clippers are in big trouble against the Blazers without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.


The San Antonio Spurs will be sitting comfortably at home watching as their damaged Western Conference rivals go to work in the trenches for Game 5. No Steph Curry, no Chris Paul and no Blake Griffin - it's going to be interesting to see how the Warriors and Clippers react on the court.


Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat (-6, 193)


Series ties 2-2


The Heat have been two different teams in the playoffs depending on the venue and will hope for a return to form on offense when the series shifts back to Miami for Game 5 on Wednesday. The sixth-seeded Charlotte Hornets took Games 3 and 4 at home to even the series and hope the defensive improvements the team made can carry over to Game 5.


The Heat set a franchise postseason scoring record with 123 points in Game 1 and put up 72 in the first half of a 115-103 Game 2 win before failing to crack 90 points in either of the two road games. “The biggest thing I’d change is nothing,” Miami center Hassan Whiteside, who was careful not to directly criticize the referees, told reporters. “We just missed some shots. They’ve got to come to South Beach, and we’ve been playing well all year at home.” The Hornets attacked the Heat defense through the paint with guards Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin in the 89-85 Game 4 win, and the two combined for 55 points. Walker scored 11 straight Charlotte points in the last six minutes of the fourth quarter to help his team pull away.


TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Sun (Miami)


LINE HISTORY: The Heat opened as 5.5-point favorites for this pivotal Game 5 matchup against the Hornets and the line has moved up slightly to -6. The total opened at 193 and also has not moved. Check out the complete line history here.


ABOUT THE HORNETS (50-36, 44-41-1 ATS, 42-42-2 O/U): Walker slumped to 17 points on 4-of-19 shooting in Game 3 but found his groove again in Game 4, especially late. “Time and time again in these situations, my team, coaching staff, everybody tells me it’s time to win.” Walker told reporters. “Coach put me in position to make plays. I just want to be as aggressive as possible. I was able to get my shot off, and I just wanted to be confident.” Lin added the highlight of the game when he banked in a 3-pointer and shrugged on the way down the court.


ABOUT THE HEAT (50-36, 45-40-1 ATS, 36-49-1 O/U): Miami was whistled for 26 personal fouls in Game 4, with starting guards Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic combining for nine. “We’ve had some key guys in foul trouble,” Heat guard Joe Johnson, who did not commit a foul, told reporters. “For the most part, we were just trying to hold the fort until we can get those guys back out there. But it’s tough. We just kept fouling and kept putting them on the line. We have to make the game easier. The game has been so tough for us, especially in Charlotte. We have to make an adjustment.” Wade averaged 22 points on 19-of-38 in the first two games at home before slumping to 14.5 on 11-of-31 in Charlotte.


TRENDS:


* Hornets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Heat are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
* Over is 5-0 in Hornets last 5 road games.
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.






Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (+3, 197.5)


Series ties 2-2


The Los Angeles Clippers looked like things were finally breaking their way on the injury front, and then Chris Paul reached in for a steal. The fourth-seeded Clippers will be without their All-Star point guard and All-Star forward Blake Griffin when they host the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.


The MCL sprain suffered by Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry on Sunday seemed to make the path to the Western Conference finals much easier for Los Angeles, but the path out of the first round got much tougher the next night. Paul reached in for a steal in the lane in the third quarter on Monday and suffered a broken third metacarpal on his right hand which required surgery on Tuesday that will keep him out for the rest of the playoff. Griffin, who missed over three months in the regular season with his own broken hand and a quad injury, re-aggravated the quad in Monday’s Game 4 loss and will also sit out the rest of the way. The Trail Blazers took advantage of Paul’s absence in Game 4 and outscored the Clippers 32-20 in the fourth quarter, marking the second straight game they pulled away late.


TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, KGW (Portland)


LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as two-point favorites and the Blake Griffin injury news flipped the line on Tuesday afternoon. Overnight on Tuesday the line continued The total hit the board at 198.5 and came down a full point to 197.5 with no Griffin. Check out the complete line history here.


ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (46-40, 46-40 ATS, 44-42 O/U): Damian Lillard struggled from the floor in three of the four games in the series, including a 4-of-15 effort in Game 4, but Portland is picking up its star with big efforts from players like Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason Plumlee. Aminu scored a career-high 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, three blocks and three assists in Monday’s triumph after going 11-of-37 in the first three games. “It was just a matter of time,” Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts told reporters. “Obviously (Aminu) struggled shooting the ball the first three games, but that didn’t take away from what he was giving us defensively. It was good to see him break out. Everybody has been encouraging him and he’s put in the time and, like I said, it was just a matter of time before he had a game like that.”

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (55-31, 42-41-3 ATS, 34-52 O/U): Los Angeles is focusing on the near future and trying to figure out a way to win two more games in this series. "We don't have to be the best team,” coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “We just have to be the best team (Wednesday). And then we have to figure out how to do it one more time." Paul averaged 26.3 points in the first three games of the series and had 16 before going down in Game 4 while Griffin, who aggravated the quad sometime in the second half on Monday and tried to play through the injury until the middle of the fourth quarter, averaged 15 points and 8.8 rebounds.


TRENDS:


* Trail Blazers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Clippers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 home games.
* Under is 5-0 in Trail Blazers last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Under is 6-1 in Clippers last 7 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Los Angeles.






Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-9.5, 211.5)


Warriors lead series 3-1


The news wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but the Golden State Warriors will still be without MVP Stephen Curry when they attempt to close out the Houston Rockets at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Curry left Sunday’s Game 4 after slipping on the floor at the end of the half and was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his right knee.


Curry will sit for two weeks before being reevaluated, putting his availability for the next round in jeopardy should the Warriors, as expected, close out the eighth-seeded Rockets. The star guard was defending on the final play of the first half on Sunday when he slipped on a wet spot and had his right knee bend awkwardly on his way to the ground. "We said two weeks, but that's no guarantee that it will be in two weeks, might be after two weeks, might be before," Golden State general manager Bob Myers told reporters after an MRI exam on Monday. "But I think it will be somewhere in that range, hopefully." Houston had a chance to even the series with Curry limping around the locker room on Sunday at home and instead were outscored 65-38 in the second half of a 121-94 loss.


TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, ROOT Southwest (Houston), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)


LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 9.5-point favorites and, although the line wobbled a bit down to -9, it currently sits at the same number that it hit began. The total opened at 214 and dropped consistantly down to 211.5. Check out the complete line history here.


ABOUT THE ROCKETS (42-44, 38-48 ATS, 48-38 O/U): The difference in effort between the teams was noticeable in the second half on Sunday, and Houston interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff was not afraid to call out his players after the game. “When the moment calls for us to raise our intensity levels, we dropped our guard,” Bickerstaff told reporters. “You could see the difference in the way that (the Warriors) played in that third quarter and how they scrapped and how they got every loose ball. You could see the intent in their guys’ eyes.” The Rockets allowed 41 points in the third quarter and now need a miraculous comeback for the second straight postseason – they overcame a 3-1 deficit to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round last spring before falling to Golden State in the conference finals.


ABOUT THE WARRIORS (76-10, 48-36-2 ATS, 46-39-1 O/U): Golden State is already 1-1 in the series while playing without Curry, who sat out Games 2 and 3 with a sprained right ankle. The Warriors tend to lean on Curry’s epic scoring binges when the offense stalls, but All-Stars Draymond Green and Klay Thompson both stepped up in the second half on Sunday and are ready to carry more of the load. “It was the way we were moving the ball and trusting each other on both sides of the ball,” Thompson told reporters of the 41-point third quarter. “That’s what we’ve got to do to beat this team. We knew, as soon as Steph went down, we were going to have to do it by ourselves.”


TRENDS:


* Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Warriors are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.
* Over is 8-1 in Rockets last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
* Over is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 home games.
* Rockets are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday's Top Action
April 27, 2016




CHARLOTTE HORNETS (50-36) at MIAMI HEAT (50-36)


Eastern Conference – Round 1
Tip-off: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Miami -6.0, Total: 193.0


The Heat will be looking to get back on track with a home win in Game 5 over the Hornets on Wednesday.


The Heat looked like they were going to run away with this series heading into Game 3, but the Hornets were able to win-and-cover in each of their home games. Charlotte held Miami to less than 40% shooting from the field and the Heat have also coughed up the ball 15.5 times per game over the past two contests. The Hornets need to keep being aggressive defensively, as they are not going to win any high-scoring games with this Miami team.


One thing that does favor the Heat coming into this one is that they are 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS when hosting the Hornets over the past three seasons. All 10 of those games also happened to have gone OVER the total. As for trends in this game, things aren’t necessarily leaning in the Hornets’ favor. Charlotte is just 0-9 ATS off two consecutive wins against division rivals since 1996. The Hornets are also facing a Heat team that is 9-1 ATS in home games after a loss by six points or less over the past two seasons.


SF Nicolas Batum (Ankle) is listed as questionable for Charlotte, which is already without SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Shoulder) for the rest of the season. Miami, meanwhile, remains without PF Chris Bosh (Blood Clot) and SG Tyler Johnson (Shoulder) indefinitely.


The Hornets have shown a lot of heart in this series, as they could have rolled over and accepted defeat after double-digit losses in Games 1 and 2. Now this series is tied and Charlotte feels it has a great chance to advance to the next round. PG Kemba Walker (24.8 PPG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) really stepped it up for the Hornets in Game 4, finishing with 34 points on 13-for-28 shooting from the field. Walker is shooting just 39.3% from the field in the postseason, but his team needs him to continue to be aggressive. He is far too quick for any of Miami’s guards to handle and he must use that speed to get to the rim. He’ll also need to continue to do a solid job defensively.


PG Jeremy Lin (14.8 PPG in playoffs) also played well in Game 4, finishing the contest with 21 points, three assists and two steals in 34 minutes of action. Lin is averaging 19.5 PPG in Charlotte’s two victories in this series and just 10.0 PPG in the team’s two defeats. It’s clear that the Hornets need him to be aggressive moving forward. He is relentless when attacking the rim and puts a ton of pressure on his opponents.


It’d also be big for the Hornets if SF Nicolas Batum (16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG) made a return in Game 5. Charlotte may have won both games that he sat out, but he is very important to this team. Batum gives this team yet another guy that can handle the ball and make shots from the perimeter. He also has good length and can help defend guys like Wade the rest of the way.


The Heat have really struggled since winning the first two games in this series and they desperately need SG Dwyane Wade (18.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.0 BPG in playoffs) to show up in Game 5. Wade is averaging just 14.5 PPG over the past two contests and he needs to score a lot more than that moving forward. He is this team’s best player offensively and needs to be aggressive on Wednesday. If he can attack the basket early on then he might get himself to the line for some easy points. Wade needs some of those, as he could use a boost in confidence.


PG Goran Dragic (12.5 PPG, 5.3 APG in playoffs) must also play better in this series. Kemba Walker has exploited him early on and Dragic needs to start holding his own moving forward. The Heat acquired him because they felt that he could play with any point guard in the league and he’ll need to prove that he can on this stage. Two guys that have been showing up for Miami are PF Luol Deng (20.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG in playoffs) and C Hassan Whiteside (14.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.0 BPG in playoffs).


Deng has been stretching the floor with his ability to hit the outside shot and Whiteside has been a menace around the basket. They’ll need to continue to play well in this series if Miami is going to win.

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday's NBA Essentials
April 27, 2016

Eastern Conference - Game 5 - Series tied 2-2
Charlotte at Miami (-6/193), 8:05 p.m. ET - TNT


The Heat dominated the first two games in this series, setting a franchise-record by scoring 123 points in Game 1, then following it up with a 115-103 rout to go up 2-0. Center Hassan Whiteside made 17 of 19 shots as Miami shot over 57 percent in both victories. Then the series shifted to Charlotte, where everything changed.


Despite missing its best two-way player, Nicolas Batum, to a foot sprain that has cost him two games in this series, the Hornets gained their footing with a 96-80 Game 3 win where they locked in defensively and got a combined 33 points from sixth man Jeremy Lin and rookie Frank Kaminsky, who took Batum’s place in the lineup, offering a different look and shocking Miami with his assertiveness and versatility.


Game 4 was there for both teams. They each had terrific runs in what ended up being a one-possession game for the final 1:57, but rookie Josh Richardson missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer and Charlotte wound up with a pair of key last-minute offensive rebounds to help kill clock, holding off the Heat and evening the series. All-Star Kemba Walker scored a series-high 34 points, while Lin continued his exceptional play at home, adding 21. Miami defenders struggled to stay in front of the Hornets point guards, which makes for a major point of contention in this swing game.


In part, Whiteside dealing with a bruised thigh has had an impact, since he didn’t look like himself playing back in his home state, taking just 11 shots and averaging just 10.5 points after dominating in South Florida at a 19-points-per-game clip. Dwyane Wade shot the ball poorly in Charlotte, winding up 11-for-31 despite continuing to rebounds well. Wade has been a playmaker for Miami, averaging 6.5 assists and making sure everyone gets involved. One key x-factor in the series has been the Hornets strategy of leaving rookie Justise Winslow open for 3-point looks, taking their chances that he won’t be able to take advantage. Winslow went for 1-for-9 from beyond the arc at Time Warner Cable Arena after taking just two 3-pointers in Miami over the first two games. He’ll either have to start making his shots from here on out, or simply stop taking them. More than any other, that tweak from Steve Clifford has helped slow Miami, who averaged 82.5 points on the road after averaging 119 in going up 2-0.


Despite two straight ‘under’ winners in this series, VI NBA Expert Chris David expects a turnaround in South Florida. He explained, “I understand why the total continues to drop in this series but it’s hard for me to ignore the ‘over’ trends in the playoffs for Miami. The Heat scored at will in the first two games, which produced easy ‘over’ tickets. Including those winners, the ‘over’ has gone 10-2 in the last 12 playoff games at American Airlines Arena. Plus, the last 10 encounters in South Florida between the Heat and Hornets have all gone ‘over’ the number. I’m buying the high side on Wednesday.”


Including their regular-season meetings, the Heat and Hornets have split their eight contests. Each team has won on the other's home floor only once. Batum is expected to return for Charlotte but will come off the bench so as not to disrupt the team's rhythm.


Western Conference - Game 5 - Series tied 2-2
Portland (-3/196.5) at L.A. Clippers, 10:05 p.m. ET - NBATV


Everything we’ve seen in this series can now be flushed away and deemed irrelevant. The Clippers dominated both games at Staples Center to seemingly grab a stranglehold on the series that was expected to be the most competitive of the Western Conference’s first-round offerings, winning by a combined margin of 41 points. The Blazers won Game 3 96-88 behind Damian Lillard’s 32 points, pulling away in the final 2:36 after L.A. led 85-84. C.J. McCollum added 27 points, celebrating the night where he received his NBA Most Improved Player award in style. It was a nice night for a young team in front of their home fans, but most expected the Clippers would prevail in Game 4 to take control of the series and expedite the inevitable. Oddsmakers made L.A. a 3.5-road favorite. What happened next is so painful that long-suffering Clips fans are advised to avert their eyes for the rest of this preview.


By now, everyone knows what happened. Chris Paul broke his hand in the third quarter. Blake Griffin aggravated a quad injury in the fourth. Fearing the likelihood that Paul would be lost to the team the rest of the way, the Clips wilted without their leader, unable to overcome a hostile road atmosphere and a young team greedily pouncing on the opportunity in front of them. Paul had surgery on Tuesday and will miss 4-to-6 weeks, while Griffin has been ruled out the rest of the way. Now, it’s on the rest of the team to pick up the pieces. Everyone has already written them off regardless of whether they go out in this round or next. Oddsmakers have made the Trail Blazers a road favorite at Staples Center despite losing the first two games by 20 or more. This will be the first time in nine meetings this season where Portland is favored over the Clips.


Top sixth man Jamal Crawford is likely to stay in his role off the bench, but should play more minutes in helping Austin Rivers run the offense for the Clippers with Paul out. Veteran Pablo Prigioni will probably get a little more run, but he’s played just seven minutes over the first four games and hasn’t even taken a shot. Paul averaged 26.3 points and 8.3 assists over the first three games of the series and was having a solid Game 4 before swiping down trying to steal the ball on a Gerald Henderson drive. His production and leadership appear irreplaceable. The Clippers went 3-5 in the eight regular-season games Paul missed, so while playing without Griffin is something they certainly grew accustomed to, operating without their point guard is not something they’ve done well. Wesley Johnson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Jeff Green and Paul Pierce will help centers DeAndre Jordan and Cole Aldrich up front, while Rivers, Crawford and J.J. Redick will get the bulk of the backcourt responsibilities. It doesn’t help that Redick has been playing through a bruised heel.


Beyond their incredibly good fortune at the expense of a seemingly cursed opponent, the Trail Blazers have pulled their own weight thanks to a frontcourt that has really flourished and even picked up their highly-esteemed backcourt. Center Mason Plumlee has more than held his own with Jordan and has been utilized as a playmaker by Coach of the Year runner-up Terry Stotts, dishing out 26 assists over the last three games. After four points, five boards and no dimes in Game 1, Plumlee has become an invaluable x-factor, averaging 8.3 points, 15 rebounds and 8.7 assists over the last three contests. Al-Farouq Aminu comes off a ridiculous 30-point, 10-rebound game in which he tied a career-high with six 3-pointers made. He'd never scored 30 in the pros in a regular-season game, much less the playoffs. Mo Harkless and Ed Davis have been dependable off the bench up front, while shooter Allen Crabbe has been a weapon. Can their lack of experience in big games be overcome on the road as easily as it was at the Moda Center? That's a huge x-factor for the Blazers.


VI's David weighs in on the injury to Paul and the chances that the Clippers now have without the All-Star in the lineup, commenting that "replacing him won’t be an easy task, which was evident during the regular season. With Griffin out too that certainly spells even more trouble for Los Angeles but I wouldn’t run to the counter and back Portland, who has dropped nine straight playoff games on the road and is just 5-25 as a visitor in the postseason. Interestingly, the 'over' prevailed in seven of eight games the Clippers played without Paul."


Western Conference - Game 5 - Warriors lead 3-1
Houston at Golden State (-9/211.5), 10:35 p.m. ET - TNT


Stephen Curry's absence would normally be the biggest story in these playoffs, but the Clippers mishaps have overshadowed what will hopefully be a two-week hiatus for the league's top player. Even though the Warriors still have to get out of the first round with one more victory over the Rockets, there's no real drama in wondering whether they can considering he didn’t play at all in a second half they won 65-38 in Houston in Game 4.


Counting their two home wins to open this series, the Warriors are 41-2 at Oracle Arena this season, while the Rockets come in 18-25 in opposing venues. This will be their fourth game in Oakland, losing 123-110 in the regular season and by scores of 104-78 and 115-106 in this series.


James Harden scored 35 points, grabbed eight boards, dished out nine assists and actually played defense in a 97-96 Game 3 win, so he has to be at his best for the Rockets to even have a chance to beat the Warriors whether Curry is involved or not. He's shot 18-for-51 (36 pct) in the three losses and figures to see more of Andre Iguodala with Curry out of the mix here. Dwight Howard has actually been solid in the series, averaging 14.5 points and 12.3 rebounds, but he'll likely need more touches to significantly impact this one and teands to struggle to get position against Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli.


Besides Iguodala likely getting more minutes, Shaun Livingston will help the Warriors offer a different, longer look on defense to help offset the detriment of not having Curry around to strengthen the offense. Livingston is a terrific playmaker who you can post up and control pace through, so in the short-term, the Warriors shouldn't be troubled much. Shooter Ian Clark will also play an increased role.


While the Paul injury is expected to take a serious toll on the Clippers, David agrees with most pundits that the Warriors will get past the Rockets even without Curry.


“Even though the Curry is the league’s MVP, he’s only been on the floor for 39 minutes in this series, which would be over already if it wasn’t for a Harden jumper in Game 3. This matchup is still very much lopsided even without Curry and taking the Rockets on Wednesday isn’t a sound investment. Including the results in this series, Houston has gone 2-8 in its last 10 playoff games on the road and more importantly its 3-7 versus the number with six of the eight losses coming by nine or more points.”

 

[CNOTES]

Clips quickly go from blessed to cursed


Can you imagine being one of multiple bettors out there who jumped on the Clippers at 18-to-1 to win it all soon after the Stephen Curry injury news broke?


It was a shrewd play considering the potential payoff and the fact that the reigning MVP might not be available until it was too late to prevent Golden State from staving off elimination. A Grade I knee strain wasn’t the end of the world, but did loom as a major hurdle to the Warriors run at history. In the span of less than 10 hours, everything changed.


That smart gamble was suddenly cursed. Chris Paul broke his right hand trying to slap the ball out of Gerald Henderson’s hands on a drive midway through the third quarter. He knew immediately something had gone terribly wrong.


After undergoing surgery, it's likely Paul is done for the season and the Clippers are too. His recovery time is estimated at four-to-six weeks, which L.A. simply wouldn’t be able to survive without him.


The Westgate LV SuperBook has placed 60-to-1 odds on L.A. winning it all after Paul’s fracture.


Curry injury halts action, remains obstacle


Blake Griffin also hurt his left quad, ultimately sitting out the final 5:48 as the Trail Blazers coasted to a 98-84 series equalizer. He's done as well, so the Trail Blazers are now favored to get out of the West’s 4/5 series.


Consider that the Clippers actually went into Game 4 looking at it as a must-win. Curry’s injury created an incentive for the Clips to defeat Portland in five games since the payoff would potentially be an earlier start date for the Western Conference semifinals. Playing Golden State without Curry in Oakland would’ve mitigated a huge disadvantage, setting them up to have a commanding lead over the Warriors before the earliest time frame for a potential Curry return arrived.


Instead, Paul left injured. The Blazers dominated the fourth quarter 32-20. The series is a lock to go six games, which means the Western Conference semifinals wouldn’t start until May 1 at the earliest. Think the Warriors, already immense Trail Blazers fans for the evening, weren’t encouraged by what unfolded? No one wants to see anybody injured, especially other athletes, but there’s no question good fortune smiled on the defending champs. Clipper misery became Golden State’s rainbow after a rough day. If L.A. and Portland go seven games, Curry would be under no pressure to try and rush back. The Western Conference semifinals wouldn’t start until May 3, which would give him a chance at being cleared for a Game 3 without fear that he’s recklessly intruding on his recovery time.


Keep in mind, those dates are based on a best-case scenario provided there are no complications, but it appears the basketball gods are in favor of not having injuries sabotage Golden State’s run at a repeat. The Warriors have the task of finishing off the Rockets without Curry, something that seems to be a formality considering he didn’t play at all in the second half they won 65-38 in Game 4.


A wet spot on the floor at Houston’s Toyota Center took out the MVP, but it’s unlikely any of the Warriors return to the scene of the crime for a Game 6. Even without Curry, Golden State is favored by nearly double-digits over the Rockets and will have its formidable homecourt advantage in play.


How long Curry will ultimately winds up sitting out remains to be seen, but MRI results revealed a Grade I MCL sprain of his knee that will sideline him for at least two weeks until he’s re-evaluated.


Sportsbooks temporarily took all futures bets on projected Finals matchups, NBA championships and conference winners off the board as they awaited news on Curry, anticipating the Spurs and Cavs would pass the Warriors as favorites to win the title for the first time all season.


Once Curry’s MRI news came in, the Spurs were placed as 7-to-4 favorites at Westgate, while Golden State moved from 4-to-5 to 7/4 as well. Cleveland moved up to 3-to-1, OKC to 10-to-1.The Clips were at 18-to-1. Tuesday’s post-Paul injury update had the Warriors at 5-to-4, San Antonio at 9-to-5, Cleveland still at 3-to-1, OKC at an attractive-looking 12-to-1 and the Clips all the way down at 60-to-1.


The news that it was Grade I and not a Grade II also brought sighs of relief in the Bay area, since a more significant sprain would require a six-week recovery, costing him the rest of the season even if Golden State qualified for the Finals. As things stand now, he’ll take a few weeks off, watching his teammates eliminate Houston before likely missing the first few games of a series against either the Clippers or Trail Blazers.


Golden State values Curry’s long-term health and importance above all, so now it likely dodges the bullet of having to protect him from himself, especially since Curry has already proven he’ll push to play at all costs.


“He’s one of the biggest competitors I’ve ever been around,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said of Curry in an interview with USA Today. “That’s what flies so far under the radar for him. He’s so good, his shot is so great, his ballhandling is so great, the oopty-doo, and you forget to look at how competitive he is.


“He’s a (expletive) beast, and that’s what makes him who he is. He wants to be out there. He wants to play.”


That same inner drive that has fueled his ascent in becoming the NBA’s best player could’ve definitely worked against him here, since rushing back could’ve had major repercussions. Paul’s absence means he won’t be tempted, though that doesn’t mean Golden State is out of the woods, just that its task of surviving an ill-timed injury became far more manageable.


As things stand, I’d still look elsewhere in picking an NBA champion despite the Warriors catching a break. Before the slip and knee injury, Curry was returning from an ankle sprain that had cost him two games in the series and became an issue down the stretch, which leaves us to wonder just how much the pursuit of 73 wins will end up costing the Warriors in the long run.


Over the past few months, my concern over just how the energy that the defending champions were expending chasing the immortality the ’95-’96 Bulls had achieved was expressed multiple times. You could see the physical toll it was taking, specifically on Curry, who hadn’t been 100 percent since suffering a bruised lower leg on Dec. 28, then spraining his ankle multiple times over the final months of the regular season.


There have been games where he looked completely gassed, and despite the fact he was able to sit out the fourth quarter of so many games because Golden State had the result in hand, he still logged 2700 regular-season minutes. Now there will be the issue of regaining his rhythm and stamina upon returning, with the Spurs or Thunder taking no pity on him in a potential conference finals.


Golden State is incredibly deep and talented, but I’ve already had the Spurs as my projected winner all season, sticking by them even when the Warriors managed to win two key late games against them in full pursuit of 73 wins. The rationale was always that San Antonio would be the fresher team when late May rolled around due to how they handled the regular-season. Kawhi Leonard averaged 33 minutes per game, same as Curry, but ended up logging just 2380 due to injury. No Spurs player logged more action.


The Warriors will now have to win a few games without their superstar before easing him back in with the bullets flying. I don’t see them surviving this. A wet spot took out Curry, but the pursuit of 73 wins, which seems trivial without a championship to go along with it, certainly played a role. Stick with Golden State to win a second straight NBA title at your own risk, but at least the pursuit for those who have already backed the Warriors lives on.


They don’t have to rip up their tickets the way unfortunate Clippers-backers already have to.

 

[CNOTES]

Walton favored to be Lakers coach
April 27, 2016


The Los Angeles Lakers fired Byron Scott on Sunday Apr. 24 after the two worst seasons in the 16-time NBA champion franchise's history.


Los Angeles went 38-126 under Scott, including 17-65 in Kobe Bryant's farewell year.


Since Phil Jackson left the team in 2011, the team has been led by Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike D'Antoni and Scott.


Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.ag have posted odds on who the next coach will be for the Los Angeles franchise.


Lakers Next Head Coach Will Be per Sportsbook.ag
Luke Walton 3/2
Ettore Messina 3/1
Kevin Ollie 4/1
David Blatt 10/1
Jeff Van Gundy 12/1
John Calipari 12/1
Jeff Hornacek 15/1
Mark Jackson 15/1
Brian Shaw 18/1
Derek Fisher 25/1
Nate McMillian 25/1
Vinny Del Negro 25/1
Jay Wright 40/1
Becky Hammon 50/1
Monty Williams 50/1
Nancy Lieberman 50/1
Phil Jackson 100/1
Magic Johnson 250/1


Odds Subject to Change - Updated 4.27.16

 

[CNOTES]

NBA ATS


NBA > (709) MIAMI@ (710) CHARLOTTE | 2016-04-29 19:00:00 - 2016-04-29 19:00:00
Play ON CHARLOTTE against the spread in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 23 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.3 units)


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


NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (579) HOUSTON@ (580) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-04-27 22:35:00 - 2016-04-27 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 59 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+35.1 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 12 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+12.05 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PORTLAND using money line in All games in April games
The record is 94 Wins and 127 Losses for the since 1992 (-91.45 units)


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

NBA TOTALS


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Home games second half of the season
The record is 8 Overs and 27 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.2 units)

NBA > (575) CHARLOTTE@ (576) MIAMI | 2016-04-27 20:05:00 - 2016-04-27 20:05:00
The record is 4 Overs and 20 Unders for the since 1992 (+15.6 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play OVER PORTLAND on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 28 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+14.8 units)


NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games against Northwest division opponents
The record is 5 Overs and 17 Unders for the this season (+11.5 units)

NBA > (577) PORTLAND@ (578) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-04-27 22:05:00 - 2016-04-27 22:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Home games against Northwest division opponents
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+8.9 units)

 

[CNOTES]

4/26 - 3 - 1 ( 8 - 2 ) L / 2 Days )
Overall : 36 - 36


WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CHA at MIA 08:00 PM


MIA -5.5


O 194.0




POR at LAC 10:00 PM

POR -2.5


U 196.5




HOU at GS 10:30 PM


GS -9.0


U 213.5

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack


-- Warriors 114, Rockets 81-- Not exactly a prideful effort by Houston.


-- Hornets 90, Heat 88-- Charlotte won three games in row after being down 2-0.


-- Blazers 108, Clippers 98-- Hard to win when your floor general breaks his hand.


-- Nashville 2, Anaheim 1-- Was first-ever Game 7 for the Predators.


-- White Sox 4, Blue Jays 0-- Surprising Pale Hose are 16-6, best record in AL.


-- Marlins 2, Dodgers 0-- Mattingly beat his old team the last three nights.


**********


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


13) NFL Draft is tonight; since 1967, USC (68) has had the most first round draft picks, followed by Miami (58), Ohio State (56), Florida (46).


12) I enjoyed the mock draft on NFL Network this week, despite occasional screaming/yelling whenever Michael Irvin got involved. It was a little bit like a fantasy draft but without the laboring over picks, since mock drafts don't have any accountability, the way real teams or even fantasy teams have.


11) Giants' pitcher Jeff Samardzija was a pretty good WR in college; he scored 27 TDs and averaged 14.5 yards/catch.


10) RIP Ozzie Silna, former owner of the Spirits of St Louis of the old ABA, who reaped a bonanza from the NBA when he agreed to fold the Spirits before the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. One of the greatest business deals of all-time, Silna was paid millions and millions of dollars to do absolutely nothing.


9) Houston Astros are 7-15 and in trouble; its not just that they're losing lot of games, they're playing sloppily and their pitching has regressed.


8) Oakland and Detroit brought up their ace pitching prospects to make starts on Friday. A's will have Sean Manaea starting against Houston, Tigers gave Michael Fullmer the call to start against the Twins in Minnesota.


7) A's signed 36-year old lefty Rich Hill as a starter this year; Hill is 3-0, 1.42 in his first three road starts, but is 0-2, 9.00 in two starts at the normally pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum.


6) Detroit Tigers are paying Texas $6M a year for the next five years, part of the deal that sent Prince Fielder packing from the Motor City. As Billy Beane said to David Justice in Moneyball, "They're paying you to play against them."


5) San Diego Padres are 0-5 when James Sheidls starts on the mound; they've scored a total of six runs in his five starts. Padres are also the only team that hasn't scored a first inning run on the road this season (10 games).


4) Eric Byrnes is the only player (Oakland, 2003) who has hit for the cycle at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Pablo Sandoval is the last Giant to hit for the cycle-- would like to see a clip of the triple he hit.


3) Georgia Tech still owes former basketball coach Paul Hewitt $2.7M; he has not been the coach there since 2011. Quite a deal his agent made for him.


2) Columbia graduate transfer Grant Mullins chose Cal over Michigan; young Mullins is a 6-3 guard who shot 44.1% on the arc last year.


1) Cool thing about the NFL Draft is that no one knows what will happen when these college kids become pros this summer. Flash back to 1998, just as many people liked Ryan Leaf as Peyton Manning. How did that turn out?