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

[CNOTES]

NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (523) GOLDEN STATE@ (524) PORTLAND | 2016-05-07 20:35:00 - 2016-05-07 20:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 62 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+38.1 units)

NBA > (521) TORONTO@ (522) MIAMI | 2016-05-07 17:05:00 - 2016-05-07 17:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 7 Wins and 22 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.15 units)


NBA > (521) TORONTO@ (522) MIAMI | 2016-05-07 17:05:00 - 2016-05-07 17:05:00
Play ON TORONTO using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 31 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (+14.35 units)


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


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (521) TORONTO@ (522) MIAMI | 2016-05-07 17:05:00 - 2016-05-07 17:05:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Home games when tied in a playoff series
The record is 4 Overs and 21 Unders for the since 1992 (+16.6 units)


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


NBA POWER LINES


NBA > (523) GOLDEN STATE @ (524) PORTLAND | 2016-05-07 20:35:00 - 2016-05-07 20:35:00
Line: GOLDEN STATE BTB PowerLine: GOLDEN STATE9
Edge On: GOLDEN STATE (6)

 

[CNOTES]

5/6 - YESTERDAY'S RESULTS: 2 - 2
OVERALL: 48 -57


SATURDAY, MAY 7


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


TOR at MIA 05:00 PM

TOR +5.5


U 186.0


GS at POR 08:30 PM

GS -3.5


O 212.5

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Raptors (56-26) at Heat (48-34)
Date: May 07, 2016 5:00 PM EDT

(AP) - Game 2 became a big missed opportunity for the Miami Heat.


Going home could help ease their disappointment.


Either the Toronto Raptors or Miami will move within two wins of a trip to the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday, when the Heat host Game 3 of their knotted-up series.


The Heat had a fourth-quarter lead in Toronto on Thursday in Game 2, only to see it - and a chance for what would have been a 2-0 lead in the series as it heads back to Miami - disappear in an overtime loss. The Heat won the series opener in overtime after Kyle Lowry's half-court shot at the end of regulation.


'That's the playoffs,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'Things can happen in one game and you'll look totally different another game. Nothing's guaranteed. Momentum doesn't carry over. We've already proven that we can have a great offensive outing and then the next night it might be different. That's the playoffs. That's what happens in competition.'


Miami has a 13-2 home record since the beginning of March with the only losses coming to Charlotte, including one in the first round.


Toronto got a home split to start the second round despite ongoing struggles from Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, an All-Star backcourt that has shot a combined 35 percent from the field and 45 percent from the foul line so far against the Heat. Even though the postseason issues for Toronto's backcourt have been well-chronicled, the Heat cannot expect Lowry and DeRozan to keep missing at this rate.


'I've gotten so many phone calls and texts from people that just care about me in general, fellow NBA players and friends of mine,' said Lowry, the first player in the last 60 years to have nine consecutive games of shooting under 40 percent with 10 or more shot attempts in each contest, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. 'They're supportive.'


The Heat have held Charlotte and Toronto under 100 points in seven consecutive games now, which would seem to be a strong sign given that Miami has topped 100 points in 18 of its last 19 home games.


Then again, neither the Heat nor the Raptors put on anything that would resemble an offensive showcase in Games 1 or 2. Miami committed 20 turnovers in Game 1 and had 21 in Game 2.


'If we don't turn the ball over 20-some times, we'll be fine,' said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, averaging 20.5 points and 4 turnovers in the series. 'Offense is fine. We can't keep giving up 20 turnovers a game. That limits us a lot.'


At some point, fatigue will likely start being a factor - if it isn't already. Saturday's game will be the fifth in nine days for the Raptors, the eighth in 15 days for the Heat. Lowry has played 89 minutes in the first two games of this series, DeRozan has played 84. For the Heat, Joe Johnson has played 83 and Luol Deng has logged 81.


The bigger issue for Miami is Toronto's biggest player.


Jonas Valanciunas is a 7-foot, 255-pound problem for the Heat. He's shot 68 percent in the two games, averaging 19.5 points and 13 rebounds - at times getting the best of Miami center Hassan Whiteside.


'He's been big,' DeRozan said. 'You can honestly see who's the dominant big out there when it comes to rebounding and scoring. JV's doing a lot for us. We need him to continue to keep doing it.'




SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1


Heat at Raptors
Tue, May 3 Final 102 to 96
Recaps


GAME 2
Heat at Raptors
Thu, May 5 Final 92 to 96
Recaps


GAME 3
Raptors at Heat
Sat, May 7 - 5:00PM EDT


GAME 4
Raptors at Heat
Mon, May 9 - 8:00PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Warriors (73-9) at Trail Blazers (44-38)
Date: May 07, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

(AP) - First it was a chest cold, then it was a fourth-quarter dry spell. The start of Damian Lillard's playoff series against the Golden State Warriors has been rough.


And as Lillard goes, often his Trail Blazers teammates follow.


Portland is down 2-0 in its Western Conference semifinal series against the defending NBA champions. And it certainly won't get much easier when the series shifts north Saturday - even though presumptive league MVP Stephen Curry is unlikely to return from a knee injury.


Curry did work on the side while the Warriors practiced Thursday but couldn't yet do any of the scrimmaging that the medical staff and coaches want to see before he is cleared to return.


'It's tough to see him playing Saturday,' coach Steve Kerr said. 'He's gotten better and better each day.'


In fact, Kerr said 'probably not' when asked about Curry playing Saturday. Game 4 on Monday is still a conceivable option if Curry keeps making good progress.


That game won't mean as much if the Blazers don't win Game 3, but Lillard and his team have a history of stepping up after getting knocked down. In fact, that's been the theme of their whole season.


'I know the kind of guys I'm running with. Besides that, we've answered the call all season long. We've been in bad positions time and time again, and we've never shied away. We've never not answered the call. I don't see why this time it would be any different,' he said.


Lillard, who averaged 25.1 points and 6.8 assists during the regular season, scored 25 points in the Blazers' 110-99 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday night, including 17 in the third quarter. But the Warriors held him scoreless in the crucial final period when they came from behind to win, outscoring Portland 34-12. The Blazers only scored six points over the last 5:21.


With a day off Wednesday, Lillard let the loss digest.


'After the game I was pretty frustrated by not being able to finish that game. Yesterday I didn't even want to see a basketball,' he said. 'I wasn't even gonna watch the playoff game until I heard Cleveland was hitting a bunch of 3s. So I wanted to see for myself, but I didn't even want to have nothing to do with basketball after that game.'


In the series opener, Lillard started cold but eventually scored 30 points in a 118-106 loss. The Oakland native admitted later to battling a cold afterward. On Thursday, he said he was healthy.


A two-time All-Star, Lillard was snubbed this year. How did he respond? By dropping 51 points, including nine 3-pointers, in a 137-105 victory over - wait for it - the Warriors. Lillard shot over Curry at will in that Feb. 19 victory, one of just nine losses for Golden State in a record-setting 73-win season.


Knowing the Blazers are capable will be key Saturday night.


'We'll have bounce. We came back after 0-2 against the Clippers (in the opening round) and came with a lot of energy in Game 3. We know how important Game 3 is,' Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. 'Having energy, having bounce, at the Moda Center, with our crowd? That's the least of our concerns."


Lillard also struggled in the opening two games against the Clippers in the first round. Portland came back to win the next four to win the series, but the Clippers were hurt when top scorers Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were knocked out with injuries.


The Warriors also get credit for Lillard's struggles after making defensive adjustments on both Lillard and C.J. McCollum, particularly the play of Festus Ezeli.


'They are so explosive and they run really good stuff, I mean, it's hard to guard. You have to cover a lot of floor against Portland, and I thought between Festus and Draymond (Green), those guys did a great job of protecting the feed and moving and handling the pick-and-roll on top,' Kerr said.


Ezeli came up big in Game 2, scoring eight points, grabbing six rebounds and blocking a shot in nearly 13 minutes after not even getting into Game 1.


'I'm always ready. I'm always prepared,' Ezeli said. 'I brought energy to the team. Hopefully moving forward there's more situations where I'm needed. It takes a little while. The injury's behind me now. Every time I'm on the court, I'm just trying to get that momentum, I'm trying to get my rhythm back."


Ezeli played in only 46 regular-season games, having undergone arthroscopic knee surgery Feb. 8 and not playing again until April 3.


On Tuesday, his contributions were clutch as the Warriors had to rally back from an early 17-point deficit and trailed 87-76 going into the fourth for their largest deficit all playoffs heading into the final 12 minutes.


Klay Thompson keyed the comeback with 10 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and hit at least five 3-pointers for a fourth consecutive game. He scored 37 in Game 1 as he continues to step up in Curry's absence.


So has Green, averaging 20 points, 13.5 rebounds, 9 assists and 3.5 blocks in the series.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1


Trail Blazers at Warriors
Sun, May 1 Final 106 to 118


GAME 2
Trail Blazers at Warriors
Tue, May 3 Final 99 to 110
Recaps


GAME 3
Warriors at Trail Blazers
Sat, May 7 - 8:30PM EDT


GAME 4
Warriors at Trail Blazers
Mon, May 9 - 10:30PM EDT


GAME 5
Trail Blazers at Warriors
Mon, May 16 - 9:00PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack


-- 167,227 people went to the Kentucky Derby; to see a 2:01.37 race.


-- Kershaw-Dickey in Toronto yesterday had to be a tough game to ump the plate.


-- May 30-31 Pirate-Marlin series was moved from Puerto Rico to Miami because of the Zika virus problem in central America.


-- There are 108 stitches on a major league baseball.


-- Aaron Hill hit three HRs, knocked in seven runs as Milwaukee came back from a 6-2 deficit to beat the Reds 13-7 in ten innings.


-- In NHL history, when a series has been 2-2, the Game 5 winner has gone on to win 190 of 243 (78.2%) series.


**********


Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Happy Mothers' Day......


13) Whats wrong with the people who run the Memphis Grizzlies?


Three years ago, Memphis went 56-26, lost in Western Conference final; they showed their gratitude for the franchise's best-ever season by firing coach Lionel Hollins.


Yesterday, the Grizzlies fired coach Dave Joerger, after he led injury-ravaged Griz to a 42-40 season. You don't think thats impressive? Memphis used 28 different players this year, the most any NBA team has ever used in one season and yet they still made the playoffs. And they fire the coach. Wow.


12) Bartolo Colon homered last night in San Diego, making him the oldest player in major league history (42) to hit his first home run. Colon took 31 seconds to round the bases; don't think he was showboating, he just doesn't move very fast.


11) Sounds like major leagues are going to expand to 32 teams soon; Montreal, Mexico City mentioned as possible franchise homes. 32 teams would make it easier to schedule; not sure where all the new pitchers are going to come from, though.


10) Saw something I've never seen in a major league game last night.


Cincinnati's speedster Billy Hamilton was on second, he tries to steal third. Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy throws to third, but the third baseman doesn't cover the base. I've seen guys not cover second base, but never third; it looked like Little League.


9) Willie Mays turned 85 this week; one of the greatest players ever, he hit 660 home runs in his career and played a great centerfield.


8) San Diego Padres have never had a no-hitter; Colin Rea got into the 7th inning with one Friday night, but had to settle for a 5-3 win. Yoenis Cespedes rolled a single thru the shift-vacated right side of the infield to get the Mets' first hit.


7) In doubleheaders, the home plate umps do not work the other game. Feel bad for the home plate ump in Baltimore today, who did two games on the bases yesterday. I'm guessing the strike zone might be a little large this afternoon.


6) Orioles' SS JJ Hardy's mom played on the LPGA tour; his dad was a professional tennis player.


5) Portland 120, Golden State 108-- I'm guessing Steph Curry's leg feels a little bit better than it did 24 hours ago.


4) Toronto 95, Miami 91-- Three games in this series were decided by a total of 14 points, with two of them going to overtime. Kyle Lowry had 33 for the Raptors after he went 10-35 from the floor in the first two series games.


3) Week or so ago, we talked about how quickly Bruce Boudreau would have a new coaching job after Anaheim Ducks fired him despite his 409-192-80 career record. Boudreau also has a 1-7 career record in Game 7's of playoff series. Minnesota would probably be happy just to get to Game 7 of a playoff series.


2) Quick baseball notes:
-- White Sox have a 5-game lead, Cubs have a 7.5-game lead in their divisions.
-- Giants are only 17-15, but they're in first place.
-- Arizona ownership has to be sick to be 14-18 after all the money they spent this winter. Luckily for them, they're only three games out of first place.
-- Angels' 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay was a real gut-wrencher; watching it happen, the loss just seemed more important than one game. Halos have already lost their three of their top pitchers to injury- a lost season looks like a real possibility.


1) RIP Howard Garfinkel, 86, an iconic figure in basketball who co-founded the Five-Star Basketball Camp and helped thousands of basketball coaches/players further their careers. Mr Garfinkel was a beloved figure who dedicated his life to hoops. RIP, sir.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA


Sunday, May 8


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


As LeBron and the Cavs go for the sweep, they have covered in seven straight meetings against the Hawks. They're 5-point road faves for Game 4.


Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks (+5, 203)


Cavaliers lead series 3-0


The Cleveland Cavaliers are putting on a 3-point shooting show and are on the verge of sweeping the Atlanta Hawks for the second straight postseason. Cleveland made 21 3-pointers on Friday - four shy of its record-setting performance in Game 2 - and looks to finish off the host Hawks in Sunday's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.


Backup forward Channing Frye knocked down seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points in Friday's 121-108 victory, which marked the Cavaliers' 11th consecutive postseason win over the Hawks. Cleveland has made 61 3-pointers in the series -- the most through three games of any playoff series in NBA history. "We have some great shooters," Cleveland forward LeBron James told reporters. "The reason why we have great shooters is because that ball is popping - the ball has energy behind it, and guys feel confident when the ball gets to them that they can just let it go." Atlanta was outrebounded by a 55-28 margin in Game 3 but coach Mike Budenholzer downplayed the differential by saying "we outrebounded them in the first game and lost. I think what matters more is who scores the most."


TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC


LINE HISTORY: With their backs up against the wall, the Hawks have opened as 5-point home pups for Game 4 and the line has yet to move off that number. The total opened at 202 and has been bet up to 203. Check out the complete line history here.


ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (64-25, 42-44-3 ATS, 45-44 O/U): Frye's performance was easily the best postseason showing of his career as his previous best effort was 20 points in 2010 when he played for the Phoenix Suns. He said teammate James Jones told him to shoot more because he's not a good passer and James has also been urging him to hoist more long-range shots. Three other Cavaliers topped 20 points - James had 24 points and 13 rebounds, point guard Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and power forward Kevin Love made five 3-pointers while contributing 21 points and 15 rebounds.


ABOUT THE HAWKS (52-39, 45-45-1 ATS, 41-50 O/U): Atlanta attempted to shake things up in Game 3 by inserting Thabo Sefolosha into the starting lineup and bringing shooting guard Kyle Korver off the bench. The move helped Korver as he made five 3-pointers while scoring 18 points - he averaged five points over the first two contests - while center Al Horford also had a breakout performance with 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting and expressed that more moves are necessary. "We're fighting for our playoff lives right now," Horford told reporters. "At this point, we have to do some changes, because what we've done hasn't worked."


TRENDS:


* Cavaliers are 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Hawks are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a SU loss.
* Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last five road games.
* Under is 5-0 in Hawks last five when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.






San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder (+1, 198)


Spurs lead series 2-1

Oklahoma City small forward Kevin Durant could be playing his final home game as a member of the franchise when the Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs in Sunday's Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. Durant has been coy about his postseason free-agent intentions and an Oklahoma City loss on Sunday would present the Spurs with the opportunity to close out the series at home in Game 5.


Durant isn't interested in discussing whether or not he will return to the Thunder and also scoffed at questions pertaining to how the team will need to win at least one more time in San Antonio to win the series. "We play Sunday," Durant said at Friday's postgame press conference. "We play Sunday. We can't worry about going to San Antonio. We've got another game here." Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard was the Game 3 hero with 31 points and 11 rebounds in a 100-96 victory while power forward LaMarcus Aldridge continued his strong series with 24 points and eight rebounds. Aldridge is averaging 34.3 points and shooting 63.1 percent in the series.


TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT


LINE HISTORY: The Thunder have opened Game 4 as slight 1-point home pups and have remained at that number. The total has been bet down one point from its opening number of 199 to the current 198. Check out the complete line history here.


ABOUT THE SPURS (73-16, 49-40 ATS, 37-50-2 O/U): Veteran point guard Tony Parker scored 19 points in Game 3 after averaging 4.5 over the first two games and also contributed eight rebounds and five assists in a strong all-around effort. "It was great," Parker told reporters. "I got a couple of more shots than usual. Just have to be aggressive. It's all about the team. Kawhi and LaMarcus, they were unbelievable. I just had to do my part." Leonard's 30-point outing was his second of the postseason and he is averaging 23.3 points in the Oklahoma City series.


ABOUT THE THUNDER (60-30, 41-48-1 ATS, 43-47 O/U): Standout point guard Russell Westbrook had 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Game 3 but his five turnovers and porous 10-of-31 shooting stood out in a four-point loss. "Too many shots," Westbrook told reporters. "I've got to do a better job getting guys shots. I've got to get other guys involved, especially to beat this team. Even though I had some shots I usually make, I've got to read and find ways to get guys shots. I take the blame." Durant only took 18 shots (making 10) while scoring 26 points and red-hot power forward Serge Ibaka (15 points on five 3-pointers) could have received more attempts (eight overall, six from 3-point range).


TRENDS:


* Spurs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Conference Semi finals games.
* Thunder are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Under is 14-2 in Spurs last 16 road games versus a team with a winning home record.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Long Sheet


Sunday, May 8


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


CLEVELAND (64 - 25) at ATLANTA (52 - 39) - 5/8/2016, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 100-85 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 83-57 ATS (+20.3 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
ATLANTA is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games when leading in a playoff series since 1996.
ATLANTA is 7-24 ATS (-19.4 Units) in the second round of the playoffs since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 11-6 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 11-6 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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


SAN ANTONIO (73 - 16) at OKLAHOMA CITY (60 - 30) - 5/8/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 155-114 ATS (+29.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 49-40 ATS (+5.0 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 72-55 ATS (+11.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 39-48 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 26-35 ATS (-12.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 12-8 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-10 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
12 of 20 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


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







NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up


Sunday, May 8


Atlanta-Cleveland (C 3-0)
Cavaliers won their last ten games (9-1 vs spread) vs Hawks, covered last four played here, winning by 2-12-8-13 points. Six of last series tilts in series went over total. Cleveland made 21-39 on arc in Game 3, have made a ridiculous 61-115 on arc so far in series. Hawks went 16-34 from arc Friday night, led by six after third quarter, still lost by 13. Atlanta won six of last seven home games, but they're just not good enough here.


Oklahoma City-San Antonio (SA 2-1)
San Antonio won eight of its last 12 games with Oklahoma City, but Spurs lost two of last three games in Oklahoma, losing by 19-6 points; Westbrook was 10-31 in Game 3; Thunder ench held its own, but Spurs hit 10-19 on arc and took back home court edge. Six of last eight series games stayed under total. Spurs won eight of their last nine games, with four wins in row on road- they covered six of their last eight. Thunder is now 21-72 on arc in this series.


Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 7-5, over: 6-6








NBA


Sunday, May 8


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


3:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ATLANTA
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing Cleveland


8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
San Antonio is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Oklahoma City is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Dunkel


Sunday, May 8




Cleveland @ Atlanta


Game 525-526
May 8, 2016 @ 3:30 pm


Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
127.751
Atlanta
120.389
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 7 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 5
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-5); Over


San Antonio @ Oklahoma City


Game 527-528
May 8, 2016 @ 8:00 pm


Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
129.194
Oklahoma City
125.677
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 3 1/2
193
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 1
198
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-1); Under

 

[CNOTES]

Cavs looks unstoppable as they eye another playoff sweep
May 8, 2016


ATLANTA (AP) This is what LeBron James envisioned when he returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers.


Everyone healthy.


Players all around capable of sharing the load.


A team that looks very much like a potential NBA champion, even though the 73-win Golden State Warriors could be lurking at the end.


''I've always believed we were destined for something great,'' James said.


The Cavaliers will look to wrap up their second sweep of these playoffs when they take on the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, one of two games on tap for Sunday.


In the West, the San Antonio Spurs are up 2-1 and can build a commanding lead over the Thunder after reclaiming the home-court edge with a victory Friday night in Oklahoma City.


That still looks like a competitive series, the last two games decided by a total of five points.


The Hawks, on the other hand, have been no match for the Cavaliers. Even with their best performance of the series in Game 3, they were incapable of standing up to a team that beat them inside and out, complementing the Big Three of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love with a 27-point effort from Channing Frye.


Coming off a record 25 3-pointers in Game 2, Cleveland was nearly as good from the outside with a 21-of-39 showing beyond the arc, led by Frye knocking down 7 of 9. If that wasn't bad enough for Atlanta, the Cavaliers finished with a commanding 55-28 edge on the boards, as James, Love and Tristan Thompson also reached double-figure rebounds.


It added up to a 121-108 victory that pushed the Hawks to the brink of elimination.


''They just took it to another level,'' Atlanta center Al Horford said. ''If they keep shooting it like that, they're going to be unstoppable.''


That's what James had in mind all along.


A look at Sunday's games:


---


Cavaliers at Hawks, Cleveland leads series 3-0. 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC.


A year ago, the Cavs nearly pulled off their first title even though Love missed most of the playoffs with a shoulder injury and Irving went down in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a fractured kneecap.


Now, with Irving fully recovered and Love looking more comfortable in his role, the Cavaliers breezed past Detroit in four straight games and are on the verge of sweeping the Hawks out of the playoffs for the second year in a row.


Frye's emergence means the Hawks can't just worry about the Big Three. In the final period of Game 3, the 6-foot-11 forward was on the court with the 6-foot-10 Love for nearly the entire quarter, setting up all sorts of matchup issues for the Hawks. The Cavaliers closed on a 22-5 run.


Rookie coach Tyronn Lue, who took over at midseason after the firing of David Blatt, has pushed all the right buttons in the playoffs. If all goes according to plan in Game 4, the Cavaliers will wrap up another series as quickly as possible and give themselves plenty of extra rest before the conference final.


That could prove more beneficial if the Cavs return to the NBA Finals.


''In the playoffs, every possession counts, every possession is hard,'' Lue said. ''The least amount of games we play, the better for us and the better for our bodies. It could mean a lot for us down the stretch.''


---


Spurs at Thunder, San Antonio leads series 2-1. 8 p.m., TNT.


Russell Westbrook's demeanor after the Thunder's Game 3 loss spoke volumes.


The sometimes surly point guard was contrite and downtrodden as the impact of his mistakes weighed on him following a 100-96 defeat. He scored 31 points but made just 10 of 31 shots.


''It starts with me,'' Westbrook said.


He will need to be more efficient in Game 4 to give the Thunder a chance to regain their footing in the series. In a 98-97 victory at San Antonio, Westbrook made just 11 of 25 shots but kept the Spurs on the defensive with his energy and relentless attacking.


In the latest game, Westbrook got to the rim at will but missed a bunch of shots he usually makes. He blamed himself for not passing more.


''I've got to do a better job of putting guys in position to score,'' he said. ''Especially to beat this team, you need to find ways to move the ball around, and that starts with me. I've got to do a better job of that leading into the next game.''


Westbrook also committed three of his five turnovers in the fourth quarter.


''Lock in. Take responsibility when the ball is in my hands and make plays for my teammates,'' he said. ''I didn't do that.''

 

[CNOTES]

Sunday's Tip Sheet
May 7, 2016


Eastern Conference – Game 4
Cleveland at Atlanta (ABC, 3:35 p.m. ET)
Cavaliers lead series 3-0


After setting an NBA record with 25 baskets from 3-point land in Game 2 last Wednesday, the Cavaliers followed up that effort with 21 bombs from downtown on Friday as they defeated the Hawks 121-108 in Game 3 as 2 ½-point road favorites.


The game was closer than the final score indicated and much tighter than the 25-point blowout in Game 2 but a loss is a loss and the Hawks are all too familiar with this result versus the Cavaliers. Including Friday’s setback, Atlanta has now dropped 10 straight to Cleveland and it’s a dreadful 1-9 against the spread in those losses.


The series isn’t over yet but with Cleveland opening as a 5 ½-point road favorite for Game 4 on Sunday, it appears the oddsmakers have lost hope in Atlanta.


Including Friday’s setback, the Hawks are now 1-3 both SU and ATS as home underdogs this season and all three losses were 10-plus points.


VegasInsider.com NBA expert Kevin Rogers believes it's hard to go against Cleveland when they're ready to advance, especially lately.


He explained, "The Cavaliers are 1-0 in close-out games in this year's postseason, plus they went 3-0 both SU and ATS in close-out games of the 2015 playoffs. Three of those victories occurred on the road -- Detroit in the first round this year plus victories against Boston and Chicago last year. Since 2011, LeBron James-led teams have compiled a 14-4 SU and 11-7 ATS mark when trying to clinch a series, but two of those losses came with his team (Heat) leading 3-0 on the road in the first round in 2011 and 2012."


It should also be noted that in his playoff career, LeBron has been in 10 series where his team has built a 3-0 series lead. Those teams finished off the sweep eight times while capturing victories in five games in the other two series.


Atlanta has dropped three consecutive games during the regular season four times. After the third loss, the Hawks rebounded with four emphatic wins and three came by double digits while the offense posted 112, 103, 127 and 103 points.


The team total on the Hawks for Game 4 is 99 ½ while the Cavaliers have a number of 104. After watching Cleveland put up 123 and 121 points, it’s hard not to go against them, especially when a guy like Channing Frye hits 7-of-9 from 3-point land for the Cavs and finishes with a career-high 27 points.


The Hawks got a great performance from an outsider in Game 1 when backup point guard Dennis Schroder erupted for 27 points in 29 minutes. Since then, he’s only played a combined 26 minutes while posting 13 points. I know Jeff Teague has played better in the last two games but Schroder has a different gear and will likely be the starter in Atlanta next season.


After two straight ‘over’ tickets in this series, oddsmakers opened Game 4’s total at 202 and it’s been bet up to 203. Despite Friday’s shootout, Atlanta has watched the ‘under’ go 12-3 in 15 home playoff games under Mike Budenholzer. And since LeBron rejoined the Cavs, the club has watched the ’under’ go 8-3-2 in road playoff games. Even though the trends could have you leaning low, the recent offensive fireworks can't be ignored.


The Cavaliers have played at 3:30 p.m. ET six times this season and have posted a 6-0 mark in these spots, which includes a 106-101 win over Detroit in Game 1 of their first round series. Atlanta has gone 2-2 in afternoon games.


For those believing the Hawks can become the first team in the NBA to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games, then check out 5Dimes.eu and grab a generous return of 65/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $6,500).


If necessary, Game 5 will take place on Tuesday from Quicken Loans Arena.


Western Conference – Game 4
San Antonio at Oklahoma City (TNT, 8:05 p.m. ET)
Spurs lead series 2-1


San Antonio opened this series with a wire-to-wire blowout in Game 1 but it’s been nothing but close calls in the last two games. The Spurs earned a 100-96 victory on Friday against Oklahoma City as 2 ½-point road favorites and the outcome came down to the final quarter.


The Thunder led 81-77 with seven minutes remaining in the fourth but were outscored 23-15 and San Antonio earned 11 of those points from the free throw line. OKC couldn’t buy a shot from 3-point land (0-for-5) during this span and turned the ball over three times while looking stagnant on offense.


Looking at the big picture, this best-of-seven matchup has become a game of 2 on 2 with Leonard and Aldridge clashing with Durant and Westbrook.


San Antonio won that battle Friday as Kawhi Leonard led the team with 31 points and 11 boards, which came after a 14-point effort in Game 2’s loss. LaMarcus Aldridge dropped in 24 points on Friday and he’s averaging 34.3 points per game in this series. Those numbers are much needed for San Antonio since it appears that “Father Time” has caught up with Tim Duncan (4 PPG, 4 RPG) a bit earlier than most expected.


All of the blame for OKC is usually pointed at Russell Westrbook, and that criticism is sometimes deserving. He finished with 31 points in Game 3 but he took 13 more shots than Kevin Durant (18) and that includes an ugly 3-of-10 performance from 3-point land. KD finished with 26 and only took six attempts in the fourth quarter.


Westbrook owned his play in Game 3. "Execution. That starts with me," Westbrook said. "I've got to do a better job of executing and putting guys in position to score the basketball, especially late. And especially against good defense. You've got to find ways to move the ball around and that starts with me, so I've got to do a better job leading into the next game."


Fast forward to Sunday’s key matchup and the Spurs have been installed as short road favorites (-1) over the Thunder and that’s a real tricky number to handicap.


Oklahoma City has gone 2-0 both SU and ATS off a loss in this year’s postseason and it should feel confident at home versus the Spurs. The Thunder have gone 11-3 against San Antonio in their last 14 meetings at Chesapeake Energy Arena and that includes a 5-2 record in the playoffs.


However, the Thunder are underdogs and their numbers when catching points haven’t been great at the betting counter. OKC is 2-12 as an underdog this season and that includes a 0-2 mark at home.


Even though this venue hasn’t been kind to San Antonio, Gregg Popovich’s team is 8-2 in its last 10 playoff games on the road which includes three victories in this year’s postseason.


The total for the first three games in this series closed at 200 and the ‘under’ has cashed in the last two games. Overall, the ‘under’ has cashed in six of the past eight meetings between the pair. Sunday’s number is hovering around 198 and that’s the lowest total that these teams have seen since a Christmas Day affair in 2014. That game went ‘over’ the number, easily.


The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has adjusted their series odds to San Antonio at minus-900 (Bet $100 to win $11) while the takeback on Oklahoma City has ballooned to plus-600 (Bet $100 to win $600.)


After this game, the series heads back to San Antonio on Tuesday for Game 5.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cavaliers (57-25) at Hawks (48-34)
Date: May 08, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

Though a potential NBA Finals rematch remains far off, the Cleveland Cavaliers appear well-equipped to counter the defending champions' perimeter prowess if it occurs.


A second consecutive prolific 3-point display has the hot-shooting Cavaliers in position to sweep the Atlanta Hawks for a second straight year entering Sunday's Game 4 of this one-sided Eastern Conference semifinal.


A change in venues didn't at all alter Cleveland's devastating marksmanship from beyond the arc. After hitting an NBA playoff-record 25 3-pointers in 45 attempts during a 123-98 home rout in Wednesday's Game 2, the Cavaliers went 21 of 39 en route to a 121-108 win and a 3-0 series lead Friday at Philips Arena.


After J.R. Smith, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving did most of the damage in Game 2, Channing Frye added another element to Cleveland's already formidable offense Friday. The veteran forward finished 7 of 9 from 3 in amassing a playoff career-high 27 points, complementing 24 each from James and Irving and Kevin Love's 21 and 15 rebounds.


The Cavaliers acquired Frye from Orlando at February's trade deadline to bolster their outside shooting, a glaring weakness when ousted by Golden State in last June's Finals. Cleveland shot just 29.3 percent from 3-point range for the six-game series while the Warriors averaged 11.8 3s in their wins.


'We brought him here to shoot,' James said. 'And shoot and shoot and shoot.'


It's safe to say the Cavaliers have addressed the problem. They're averaging 16.9 3s and a scorching 46.6 percent from distance during this postseason.


"When the ball is moving, we have some great shooters," James said. "When we have great shooting, the ball is popping and it has some energy behind it."


The Hawks simply haven't been able to keep up. They held a 101-93 lead with 9:14 remaining in Game 3, then missed six of their next seven shots as Frye and James led Cleveland on a game-changing 20-3 run.


"For the first three quarters, (we) felt really good about what we had going," center Al Horford said. "I think they just took it to another level in the fourth there. They really just got hot and for us, at the end of the day, if they're shooting it like that, they're going to be unstoppable."


Atlanta did have its best offensive performance of the series, shooting 16 of 34 on 3-pointers and 48.8 percent overall after being held to 39.9 percent in the first two games. Kyle Korver, held to 10 points while starting Games 1 and 2, had five 3s and provided 18 points off the bench.


However, the Hawks were outrebounded 55-28 as Cleveland owned an 18-9 advantage in second-chance points. Horford, who recorded 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting, had just one rebound and was a minus-26 on the court.


Still, a surprising inability to defend the perimeter remains Atlanta's biggest challenge. The Hawks held opponents to 33.8 percent on 3-pointers - sixth-best in the league - during the regular season and limited Boston to 30.7 percent in the opening round.


"There are times when in transition, particularly in the first two games and a little bit (Friday), (defense) was a major problem," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I think that's when they are getting their most open looks."


It's an area the Hawks will need to improve quickly to avoid the same fate as last year, when the Cavaliers swept Atlanta in the East finals.


Cleveland has now won 11 straight playoff games against the Hawks, one shy of matching an NBA record for consecutive postseason victories over a single opponent. The Cavaliers tied the mark with their opening-round sweep of Detroit.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1


Hawks at Cavaliers
Mon, May 2 Final 93 to 104
Recaps


GAME 2
Hawks at Cavaliers
Wed, May 4 Final 98 to 123
Recaps


GAME 3
Cavaliers at Hawks
Fri, May 6 Final 121 to 108
Recaps


GAME 4
Cavaliers at Hawks
Sun, May 8 - 3:30PM EDT


GAME 5
Hawks at Cavaliers
Tue, May 10 - 7:00PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Spurs (67-15) at Thunder (55-27)
Date: May 08, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Russell Westbrook is willing to find out if less means more to help the Oklahoma City Thunder.


The star guard is thinking shooting less and passing more as the Thunder try to knot their Western Conference semifinal series at two games apiece Sunday in Oklahoma City.


While Westbrook had 31 points in Friday night's 100-96 defeat to the Spurs, he needed 31 field-goal attempts to get there. He admitted that contributed to the Thunder lacking an offensive rhythm for most of the contest despite erasing a 15-point halftime deficit.


'Too many shots,' said Westbrook, who ranked ninth in the NBA with 18.1 shots per game. 'I've got to do a better job getting guys shots. I've got to get other guys involved, especially to beat this team. Even though I had some shots I (usually) make, I've got to read and find ways to get guys shots. I take the blame.'


Twenty-five shots may be the cutoff where the Thunder sink or swim. Including the playoffs, the Thunder are 7-8 when Westbrook takes at least 24 shots, but that record changes to 1-5 when he puts up 27 or more. In those 15 games, he's also a better facilitator for his teammates on the lower end of that range of shots - Westbrook has a 2.33 assist-to-turnover ratio taking 24 or 25 shots but a 1.81 mark with 27 or more attempts.


'We know he's going to be very aggressive,' Spurs guard Tony Parker said. 'They go down, we know he's going to be extra aggressive, so we just make sure that everybody's paying attention to weak side defense. He's coming at us. That's who he is. He's got a lot of energy, and he's just going to keep attacking.'


Westbrook was 11 of 25 in Oklahoma City's Game 2 victory.


That doesn't mean the Spurs can slack off Kevin Durant, who has been effective when he's gotten the ball. He's gone 19 for 30 inside the arc over the last two games - 21 for 37 overall - and made all five of his shots in the paint Friday night.


The Spurs likely will keep attacking through LaMarcus Aldridge. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting, but that was an improvement for the Thunder after Aldridge torched them for 79 points on 75 percent shooting in the first two games. While he was slightly out of sync, the forward also appears prepared to make adjustments to what made the Thunder relatively more successful.


"They pick their spots when they double," said Aldridge, whose eight baskets came from 13 feet out or further Friday. "When I tried to go quick to the baseline, they doubled early and I think that's their scheme - if I try to go baseline, then they're going to double team me. Other than that they played me straight up."


San Antonio was held to 20 points in the paint - the only other time it scored that few dating to the 2000-01 postseason came in 2004 against the Los Angeles Lakers - after racking up 90 in the first two games. But proving their versatility, the Spurs connected on 10 of 19 from 3-point range in the Game 3 victory as they continued to be ruthless from deep.


"They made tough 2s, they made 3s," Durant said. "We did a good job of making them shoot tough shots, but they made them."


The Spurs have connected at a 45.8 percent clip from beyond the arc in the postseason, well above their 37.5 percent mark for the season.


The series returns to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Thunder at Spurs
Sat, Apr 30 Final 92 to 124
Recaps


GAME 2
Thunder at Spurs
Mon, May 2 Final 98 to 97
Recaps


GAME 3
Spurs at Thunder
Fri, May 6 Final 100 to 96
Recaps


GAME 4
Spurs at Thunder
Sun, May 8 - 8:00PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Handicapping Sweeps
May 7, 2016




The NBA Playoffs often find many twists and turns when it comes to handicapping the postseason.


One of the more enlightening is when teams are winless in a series and are about to be swept.


How do they respond?


We put the question to our all-knowing, well-oiled database and the results are clearly definitive.


Take a look.


These are results for teams in Game Four of a playoff series, down 0-3.


All results are since 1991 and are SU (Straight Up), ATS (Against The Spread), and in Over/Under total sequence unless noted otherwise.


Home:
24-41 SU and 27-35-3 ATS
32-31-2 Over/Under
23-21-2 ATS as an underdog
3-14-1 ATS as a favorite


Away:
2-7 SU and ATS
10-1 Over/Under
2-7 ATS dog
0-0 ATS favorite


As you can see it’s out with the old and in with the new when it comes to teams staving off elimination in Game Four of a best of seven playoff series – especially when favored to win.


FYI: Underdog of more than eight points are 0-6 SU and 1-5 ATS while teams off an ATS win are 0-6 SU and 0-5-1 ATS.


Meanwhile, games with an Over / Under total of more than 210 points are 5-1 OVER.


There you have it.


Another edge to add to your handicapping arsenal this postseason.


The above results include outcomes from this year's postseason when the Cavaliers and Spurs swept the Pistons and Grizzlies respectively in the first round.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA ATS


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in All games when leading in a playoff series
The record is 12 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.65 units)


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in Road games when leading in a playoff series
The record is 19 Wins and 4 Losses for the since 1992 (+17.2 units)


NBA > (527) SAN ANTONIO@ (528) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-08 20:05:00 - 2016-05-08 20:05:00
Play ON OKLAHOMA CITY using money line in Home games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9 units)


NBA > (527) SAN ANTONIO@ (528) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-08 20:05:00 - 2016-05-08 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO using money line in All games as a favorite
The record is 51 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (+26.2 units)


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


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (527) SAN ANTONIO@ (528) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-08 20:05:00 - 2016-05-08 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO ?>in the first halfin Road games against Northwest division opponents
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the this season (+9 units)


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play AGAINST ATLANTA ?>in the first halfin All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 6 Wins and 18 Losses for the this season (-13.8 units)


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


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 17 Overs and 49 Unders for the this season (+30.3 units)

NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 10 Overs and 32 Unders for the this season (+21 units)


NBA > (527) SAN ANTONIO@ (528) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-08 20:05:00 - 2016-05-08 20:05:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 28 Overs and 70 Unders for the last three seasons (+39.2 units)


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin Home games in all playoff games
The record is 13 Overs and 41 Unders for the since 1992 (+26.7 units)


NBA > (525) CLEVELAND@ (526) ATLANTA | 2016-05-08 15:35:00 - 2016-05-08 15:35:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin All games on Sunday games
The record is 68 Overs and 129 Unders for the since 1992 (+54.2 units)


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


TOP POWERLINES


NBA > (527) SAN ANTONIO @ (528) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-05-08 20:05:00 - 2016-05-08 20:05:00
Line: OKLAHOMA CITY1 BTB PowerLine: OKLAHOMA CITY-1
Edge On: OKLAHOMA CITY (2)

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack


Eight schools that might bolt if the Big X expands from 10 to 12 teams.........


-- Cincinnati-- By far the most logical choice to switch leagues.


-- Central Florida-- Remember, conference changes are most always football-related.


-- Houston-- Old SWC rivals with the Texas schools


-- BYU-- Mormons have seen the light; going independent was a mistake.


-- South Florida-- UCF is by far the better Florida (close to Disney) option.


-- Memphis-- If they switch, Tubby Smith will be familiar with new league.


-- UConn-- Storrs is 7.5 hours from Morgantown, which off the beaten path itself.


-- Boise State-- Out of the way in a different direction; highly doubtful.


**********


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


13) Lets see the analytics people quantify this with a number......


Packers' WR Randall Cobb graduated from Kentucky Sunday; one of the people who was there cheering him on was teammate Aaron Rodgers- how cool is that?


Rodgers did a Kentucky Derby/graduation weekend. One of the things the analytics people do not get is the value of friendship/camaraderie within a team. It just can't be quantified, but on Sundays in the fall, stuff like this matters.


12) Washington Nationals have a problem and if they don't fix it, Bryce Harper will walk 200 times this year.


Harper came to the plate seven times Sunday; he walked six times and got hit by a pitch the other time. The Cubs do not respect Ryan Zimmerman, so they won't pitch to Harper. Washington has to put Daniel Murphy or Anthony Rendon right behind Harper, which will encourage opponents to pitch to Harper.


11) You look at Bartolo Colon, thriving at age 42 with a body made for slow-pitch softball, and one thing becomes obvious: baseball players overtrain.


10) Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas is done for the Miami series with a sprained ankle, which is bad news for Toronto; they're +39 when he has been in the game, -37 when he has been off the floor.


9) Speaking of Miami-Toronto, why was Dwyane Wade taking jump shots during O, Canada before Game 3? Apparently he is a stickler for a shooting routine he has, and the timing of the anthems was going to interrupt that, only Wade kept shooting to maintain his routine. Thats his story and he's sticking to it.


8) Mets 4, Padres 3-- San Diego got hosed badly when pitcher Andrew Cashner was called out at the plate while trying to score the tying run in the sixth inning, then the replay people did not overturn the call, when Stevie Wonder could've seen the guy was safe. Even the Mets' TV guys said Cashner should've been called safe.


How San Diego had bases loaded and none out in 8th inning and couldn't score, so the carping about Cashner's play takes a back seat to that, but the play cast doubts on the replay system and if there are some umps who are reluctant to overturn calls.


7) Padres have now played in ten series and the lost the last game in all ten.


6) Golfer James Hahn won the Wells Fargo tournament yesterday; he had missed his previous eight cuts and last played on a Sunday on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb 7).


5) Chicago Cubs are first team since the '84 Tigers to start a season 24-6.


4) College basketball transfers:
-- Que Johnson goes from Washington State to Western Kentucky
-- Devin Watson goes from San Francisco to San Diego State.


3) Washington Huskies hired Michael Porter Sr as an assistant coach last week; it seemed a little odd, since Mr Porter was an assistant girls' coach in his last job, but to reinforce faith in life having no coincidences, we find out that Michael Porter Jr is the #3 ranked player in the class of 2017. Wonder where he will go to college?


2) Thunder 111, Spurs 97-- Series is tied 2-2. Now things get interesting.


1) Looks like Sacramento is going to hire the coach Memphis fired. Memphis wants to hire the coach Indiana fired; shouldn't Indiana hire the coach Sacramento fired?

 

[CNOTES]

NBA

Monday, May 9

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

Blazers' Damian Lillard was tremendous in Game 3 and he'll need to be equally as good moving forward for Portland to have any chance in this series vs. Golden State.

The Miami Heat and the Portland Trail Blazers both face must win games at home Monday night to avoid 3-1 series deficits. We have all of the angles covered with our NBA Playoffs betting previews.

Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (-5.5, 189)

Raptors lead series 2-1

Kyle Lowry found his shooting stroke and the Toronto Raptors jumped back into the driver’s seat in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Lowry scored 29 of his 33 points in the second half of Game 3 and will try to put together two solid games in a row when the Raptors visit the Miami Heat for Game 4 on Monday.

Lowry was shooting 30.8 percent through the first nine postseason games and went 2-of-14 from 3-point range in the first two games of the semifinals before breaking out with five 3-pointers in the second half on Saturday. “I’ve got a guy to my left, he’s probably my biggest supporter, and backbone to me right now,” Lowry told reporters in reference to All-Star teammate DeMar DeRozan. “And he said ‘Just keep going.’ He’s always going to ride or die with the decisions I make, and my teammates too. So just go out there and take the shots I’ve taken all year.” The Heat decided to ride or die with Dwyane Wade at the end of Game 3 and left Goran Dragic, who led the team in scoring in the first two games of the series, on the bench down the stretch. Wade matched Lowry with 29 of his game-high 38 points in the second half but Joe Johnson missed a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds and the Raptors sealed the 95-91 win at the free-throw line.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Heat opened as 5.5-point favorites and the line hasn't move as of Sunday afternoon. The total opened at 188.5 and was bet up slightly to 189. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (62-30, 48-44 ATS, 44-47-1 O/U): Toronto hung around in Game 1 and earned an overtime win in Game 2 despite Lowry’s struggles in part because center Jonas Valanciunas controlled the middle with a pair of double-doubles. The 7-0 Lithuanian added 16 points and 12 rebounds in 22 minutes in Game 2 before leaving with a sprained ankle and is considered day-to-day. “We may not look pretty, but we have gritty guys, they’re going to play hard and compete, that’s something that we have as an identity,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. “It may not be the way everybody wants it to be done, but you’ve got a bunch of competitors in there. Now our thing is, we’ve been all year long, next man up, whoever that may be and (Saturday) it was Kyle and he got the lid off the bucket.”

ABOUT THE HEAT (53-39, 49-42-1 ATS, 37-54-1 O/U): Miami center Hassan Whiteside lasted only six minutes into Game 3 before going down with a right knee injury, and his status for the rest of the series is up in the air. The centers being out of the game opened things for the perimeter players but Dragic, whose 3-pointer in Game 2 forced overtime, was left on the bench after a late Heat timeout that resulted in Johnson’s missed 3-pointer. "It's not fun," Dragic said. "Of course, I would like to be (in the game), but that's a coaching decision, so I respect it. It is what it is."

TRENDS:

* Raptors are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Heat are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 home games.
* Under is 7-0 in Raptors last 7 road games.
* Under is 7-1 in Heat last 8 overall.



Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers (+5, 214.5)

Warriors lead series 2-1

The Portland Trail Blazers are back in the series after a win in Game 3 and look like a different team in front of their home fans. The Trail Blazers will try to even the Western Conference semifinals at two wins apiece when they host the top-seeded Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Monday.

The availability of reigning MVP Stephen Curry has been looming over the entire series, and the star guard is inching closer to a return. Curry (knee sprain) played 2-on-2 before Game 3 but was on the bench in street clothes when the game started and had to watch Portland guard Damian Lillard bury deep 3-pointers and spark his team to victory while rallying his teammates and the home fans. “I didn’t think it was on me to go win the game or anything, but I did think it was my job to come out and be aggressive from the start,” Lillard told reporters. “A lot of times, the team will go as I go. That goes for more than just scoring the ball, that means how focused I am, how accountable I’m holding myself.” The Trail Blazers are undefeated at home during the playoffs and went 17-of-30 from 3-point range in the 120-108 victory.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 4.5-point favorites on the road for this critical Game 4 matchup - by Sunday afternoon the line had been bet up to Warriors -5. The total opened at 214 and has been steady since its release. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (79-11, 51-37-2 ATS, 48-41-1 O/U): Golden State grabbed a 28-22 lead after the first quarter of Game 3 but fell off the pace when Draymond Green and Klay Thompson went to the bench to begin the second and never managed to get back over the hump. “We didn’t keep that same edge,” Thompson told reporters. “We got away from our game plan at times, especially on the offensive end, too many one- or two-pass shots. We’ve got to wear these guys down with five more passes and make those guys work out there playing big minutes, but we’ll make the adjustment Monday.” Curry will ramp up his practice work on Sunday and could be available in some capacity on Monday.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (49-42, 48-43 ATS, 48-43 O/U): Portland got a huge boost on Saturday from small forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who went 8-of-9 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, to give Lillard some much-needed scoring support. “He had 23 points on nine shots, he shot it with confidence,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters of Aminu. “I thought defensively, he was solid. You’ve got to be able to score against Golden State. If you don’t score, they’re such an explosive offensive team that you’ve got to be able to score and I liked his aggressiveness a couple times on drives to the basket and obviously going 4 for 5 from three.” Aminu is averaging 17.3 points on 59.4 percent shooting in the series.

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Trail Blazers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 7-1 in Warriors last 8 road games.
* Over is 9-0 in Trail Blazers last 9 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
* Over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, May 9


Toronto @ Miami

Game 529-530
May 9, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
119.029
Miami
126.588
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 7 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 5 1/2
189 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-5 1/2); Over

Golden State @ Portland

Game 531-532
May 9, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
130.860
Portland
123.975
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 7
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 4 1/2
215
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-4 1/2); Under




NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, May 9

Toronto at Miami, 8:00 ET
Toronto: 5-15 ATS in all playoff games
Miami: 10-3 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs opp as a home favorite

Golden State at Portland, 10:30 ET
Golden State: 24-10 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent
Portland: 16-31 ATS after allowing 105 points or more 2 straight games




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, May 9

Miami-Toronto (T 2-1)
Three series games decided by total of 14 points; two went to OT, road team won two, but Valanciunas (ankle) is done for series. Miami lost six of last eight games with Toronto, including three of last four in Miami. Home side won eight of last 12 series games overall. Seven of last eight Miami games stayed under total, as have nine of last 11 Raptor games. Lowry had 33 in Game 3 after going 10-35 from floor in first two games; Raptors are +39 with Valanciunas on floor, -37 with him on bench. and he is out for series now.

Portland-Golden State (GS 2-1)
Golden State won eight of last ten vs Portland, and covered 10 of last 13 but Curry isn't expected back here. Blazers are 8-5 in last 13 games, with seven of last 11 staying under the total. Golden State won nine of its last 12 games, covered eight of last ten- under is 7-4 in their last 11 games. Warriors won three of last five visits to Portland. Over is 7-2 in last nine games between these two teams. Lillard had 40 points last game; Blazers were +25 in 30:00 with Cal alum Crabbe on floor.

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 26-18, Over: 13-31
Second round: Favorites: 8-6, over: 7-7




NBA

Monday, May 9

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

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MIAMI
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games
Miami is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Toronto
Miami is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Toronto

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games on the road
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Portland's last 9 games when playing Golden State
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, May 9

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

TORONTO (62 - 30) at MIAMI (53 - 39) - 5/9/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in all playoff games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 174-217 ATS (-64.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 47-61 ATS (-20.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MIAMI is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
TORONTO is 72-49 ATS (+18.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 7-7 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 7-7 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

GOLDEN STATE (79 - 11) at PORTLAND (49 - 42) - 5/9/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) off an upset win as an underdog this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 50-37 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 39-30 ATS (+6.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-36 ATS (+7.4 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 74-60 ATS (+8.0 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 57-39 ATS (+14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-44 ATS (+16.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 10-4 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 10-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
11 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[CNOTES]

Monday's Top Action
May 9, 2016



TORONTO RAPTORS (62-30) at MIAMI HEAT (53-39)


Eastern Conference – Round 2
Tip-off: Monday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Miami -5.5, Total: 190.0


The Raptors will be looking to take a 3-1 series lead when they face the Heat in Miami on Monday.


The Heat hosted the Raptors in Game 3 and Toronto ended up winning that one 95-91 as a 5.5-point road underdog. The Raptors now have control of this series and could really improve their chances of advancing by defeating Miami on Monday night.


A 3-1 lead with two games left to play in Toronto would likely be insurmountable for the Heat, so they’ll be playing with a lot of desperation in this game. One thing worth noting is that the Raptors are an impressive 72-49 ATS in a road game where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points since 1996. The Heat, meanwhile, are 16-7 ATS after having lost two of their past three games this season.


C Jonas Valanciunas (Ankle) is likely out for the remainder of the series for Toronto and Miami will likely be without C Hassan Whiteside (Knee) in this game. C Chris Bosh (Blood Clot) also remains out for the year for the Heat.


The Raptors are coming off of a huge victory and PG Kyle Lowry (15.5 PPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG in playoffs) finally came through for Toronto in that one. Lowry finished the game with 33 points on 11-for-19 shooting from the field and 5-for-8 shooting from the outside in the win. He had been just 2-for-14 from three in the previous two games, so it’s important that he continues to knock down shots the rest of this series. Lowry was a 38.8% shooter from the outside during the regular season, so perhaps he’ll start to creep towards the norm moving forward.


It’s important that he and SG DeMar DeRozan (18.6 PPG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) are able to score moving forward. With Valanciunas out, this team is going to need more from its backcourt.


C Bismack Biyombo (4.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG in playoffs) is a player to watch as well. He’ll draw the start for the Raptors in Game 4 and the team will need him to bring a ton of energy on both ends of the floor. He’s a very good rebounder and should also be able to protect the rim moving forward.


The Heat are also going to need a lot out of their backcourt in the remainder of this series, as the team is not very sure when Whiteside will be making a return to the court.


SG Dwyane Wade (21.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.6 APG in playoffs) was unstoppable last game, finishing with 38 points, eight boards and four assists in 36 minutes of action. He’ll need to put forth a similar performance on Monday and it should be possible. Wade has had a lot of success going to the bucket and he’s also shooting very well from the outside, which is an added bonus for somebody that didn’t really shoot any threes during the regular season. PG Goran Dragic (15.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.7 APG in playoffs) will need to be better in Game 4 for Miami. Lowry torched him in Game 3 and the Heat desperately need him to hold his own in that matchup.


PF Luol Deng (15.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG in playoffs) must also step it up for Miami. He had just four points in 39 minutes of action in Game 3 and that is not going to cut it moving forward. Deng was a big part of Miami’s first round victory and will need to start knocking down some outside shots in this series.

 

[CNOTES]

Monday's Tip Sheet
May 9, 2016


Eastern Conference Game 4
Toronto at Miami (TNT, 8:00 p.m. ET)
Raptors lead series 2-1


After splitting two overtime games in Canada, the pair played to another close call in Game 3 on Saturday and Toronto came out on top with a 95-91 victory over Miami as a 5 ½-point road underdog.


All-Star Kyle Lowry finally found his shot for the Raptors and finished with 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Dwyane Wade posted a game-high 38 points for the Heat in the loss and has easily been the best player on the court in this series.


The bigger news coming out of Saturday’s outcome was on the injury front and both teams were deeply affected in the middle. Heat center Hassan Whiteside sprained his knee and is listed as day-to-day but he’s not expected to play Monday. Since he’s awaiting a huge offseason contract, most are assuming you won’t see him for the rest of the series. Also, Toronto announced on Sunday that its center Jonas Valanciunas will miss the remainder of the conference semifinals with a sprained right ankle.


The loss of Whiteside (28 blocks) will certainly affect the Heat defensively and a trio of Udonis Haslem, Josh McRoberts and Amar'e Stoudemire will have to fill those big shoes.


Valanciunas isn’t necessarily known for his defense but you could argue that he’s been the best Toronto player in this series. Prior to getting hurt, he was averaging 18.3 PPG and 12.7 RPG against Miami.


For what it’s worth, the Raptors went 16-6 without the big man during the regular season while the Heat were 6-3 without Whiteside.


Advertisement



Even with key injuries to both sides, Miami opened as a five-point home favorite for Game 4 and that number has been pushed up to 5 ½ at most betting shops as of Monday morning.


Considering the underdog has gone 2-1 straight up and 3-0 against the spread in this series, I’m a little surprised that Miami has caught the early attention. I understand that they face a must-win situation but the Heat have gone 3-2 at home in the playoffs and including the results from this series, Toronto has won seven of the last 10 encounters between the pair.


For those believing that Miami won’t drop three straight, make a note that Charlotte beat them three consecutive times in the first round before the Heat rallied to win Game 6 and 7. The money-line for Monday has the Heat listed at minus-240 (Bet $100 to win $41) while the takeback on Toronto is 2/1.


The total for Game 4 opened at 188 and after the injury news came out on Sunday afternoon, the ‘over’ caught received attention and pushed the number up to 189 and even 190 at a few outfits. The ‘under’ has gone 2-1 in the first three games and the lone ‘over’ connected in Game 1 thanks to the bomb from Lowry that forced the extra session.


The obvious handicap is that both teams are going to push the pace with small ball since the big men are out and that will lead to easy buckets. While I agree with that theory, neither of these teams are the Golden State Warriors.


Miami started the playoffs with 123 and 115 against Charlotte in the first round but has averaged 92.6 points per game since then which has resulted in a 7-1 ‘under’ record. Toronto has seen the ‘under’ go 8-2 in the postseason, which includes a 4-0 record on the road.


After Monday’s contest the series heads back to Toronto with Game 5 taking place from Air Canada Centre on Wednesday.


Western Conference Game 4
Golden State at Portland (TNT, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Warriors lead series 2-1


Portland came to play last Saturday as it captured a 120-108 victory over Golden State as a three-point home underdog. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 40 points, which included an eye opening 8-of-13 effort from 3-point land. Portland hit 57% (17-of-30) from 3-point land as a team and they also made 23-of-29 free throws, compared to just 10 freebies from Golden State.


The Warriors got great efforts from Draymond Green (37 points) and Klay Thompson (35 points) but it wasn’t enough to overcome the 3-point shooting barrage from Portland.


Reigning MVP Steph Curry hasn’t played in this series and early report had him scheduled to play on Monday but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr listed his status to ‘doubtful’ for Game 4. Curry has missed six of the last eight playoff games for the Warriors and the team has gone 4-2 without him.


Even though Curry is in doubt tonight, the oddsmakers opened Golden State as a 4 ½-point road favorite for Monday. The Warriors are minus-210 on the money line with Portland listed at plus-180.


I wouldn’t be shocked to see Portland even up this series just based on what we’ve seen from them in this year’s playoffs. The Trail Blazers are 4-0 (3-1 ATS) at home in the playoffs and that shouldn’t be surprising since they went 28-13 SU and 21-20 ATS at the Moda Center during the regular season.


They’ve been fortunate to face some short-handed squads but wins are wins and if they continue to shoot a ridiculous percentage from 3-point land, the Blazers can play with anybody.


While Portland has been a great investment at home this season, backing the Warriors after a setback has been better. Golden State has gone 10-0 following a loss this season and it’s produced a 6-3-1 against the spread mark in those situations. The offense of the Warriors has been very sharp in these spots, averaging 120.2 PPG.


In the first round, Golden State pasted Houston 121-94 in Game 4 after dropping a one-point decision (97-96) to the Rockets in Game 3.


Knowing that the Spurs and Thunder are locked up at 2-2 in their conference semifinal matchup, I believe Golden State will have a greater sense of urgency on Monday and look to close out this series as quickly as possible.


Road favorites have gone 13-4 in this year’s NBA playoffs and have produced a 10-7 mark versus the number.


The adjusted series price has Golden State listed at minus-3000 while Portland is a 12/1 longshot.


The total for Game 4 has been pushed up to 214 after the first three games ranged from 210 to 212. The ‘over’ has gone 2-1 in this series and could easily be 3-0 if Portland didn’t lay an egg in the fourth quarter of Game 2.


The pair will square off in Game 5 on Wednesday from Oracle Arena.