Thursday 6/4/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 4

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CHICAGO CUBS (27 - 24) at WASHINGTON (29 - 24) - 7:05 PM
JAKE ARRIETA (R) vs. GIO GONZALEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1414-1577 (-281.0 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1357-1490 (-255.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
GONZALEZ is 114-79 (+30.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 113-76 (+32.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
ARRIETA is 13-5 (+8.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

JAKE ARRIETA vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
ARRIETA is 0-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 5.81 and a WHIP of 1.581.
His team's record is 3-3 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.0 units)

GIO GONZALEZ vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
GONZALEZ is 3-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.39 and a WHIP of 0.956.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

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CINCINNATI (22 - 29) at PHILADELPHIA (21 - 33) - 7:05 PM
ANTHONY DESCLAFANI (R) vs. AARON HARANG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 42-67 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 42-67 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 507-574 (+29.6 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 392-347 (+59.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 76-97 (-30.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-0 (+2.6 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)

ANTHONY DESCLAFANI vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
DESCLAFANI is 0-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 8.44 and a WHIP of 1.313.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

AARON HARANG vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
HARANG is 3-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 3-2 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-4. (-3.3 units)

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NY METS (29 - 25) at ARIZONA (25 - 27) - 9:40 PM
MATT HARVEY (R) vs. JEREMY HELLICKSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 3-14 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
NY METS are 98-79 (+34.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Thursday since 1997.
NY METS are 61-41 (+18.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 89-125 (-31.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 757-668 (-88.6 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
ARIZONA is 89-125 (-31.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 33-54 (-20.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 34-67 (-28.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MATT HARVEY vs. ARIZONA since 1997
HARVEY is 1-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.97 and a WHIP of 1.589.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

JEREMY HELLICKSON vs. NY METS since 1997
HELLICKSON is 0-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 19.62 and a WHIP of 2.725.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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ST LOUIS (35 - 18) at LA DODGERS (31 - 22) - 10:10 PM
MICHAEL WACHA (R) vs. CARLOS FRIAS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 20-36 (-19.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 20-4 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 60-30 (+21.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 35-18 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 35-18 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 29-13 (+14.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 58-43 (+12.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WACHA is 9-1 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
WACHA is 6-0 (+6.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season. (Team's Record)
WACHA is 9-1 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 2-1 (+0.7 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

MICHAEL WACHA vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
WACHA is 2-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 1.86 and a WHIP of 0.776.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)

CARLOS FRIAS vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
FRIAS is 1-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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OAKLAND (22 - 33) at DETROIT (28 - 26) - 1:05 PM
JESSE HAHN (R) vs. SHANE GREENE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 22-33 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 5-14 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
OAKLAND is 20-31 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 79-73 (-17.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 6-15 (-12.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
OAKLAND is 22-34 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 17-7 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
DETROIT is 1-8 (-8.0 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
DETROIT is 38-41 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 47-52 (-19.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 52-53 (-18.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-2 (+0.7 Units) against DETROIT this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

JESSE HAHN vs. DETROIT since 1997
HAHN is 1-0 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.556.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

SHANE GREENE vs. OAKLAND since 1997
GREENE is 0-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 6.35 and a WHIP of 1.411.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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BALTIMORE (23 - 29) at HOUSTON (34 - 20) - 2:10 PM
WEI-YIN CHEN (L) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 6-16 (-9.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BALTIMORE is 189-314 (-103.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
HOUSTON is 34-20 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 34-20 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 20-13 (+7.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
HOUSTON is 21-13 (+12.7 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 23-14 (+8.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
KEUCHEL is 26-14 (+17.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KEUCHEL is 25-13 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 123-99 (+27.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 175-199 (+40.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 29-15 (+15.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 109-87 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 56-42 (+16.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 59-48 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHEN is 55-34 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
CHEN is 22-11 (+12.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 4-2 (+2.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

WEI-YIN CHEN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
CHEN is 3-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.28 and a WHIP of 1.217.
His team's record is 4-0 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.1 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
KEUCHEL is 1-2 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.150.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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MINNESOTA (31 - 21) at BOSTON (24 - 30) - 4:05 PM
TOM MILONE (L) vs. STEVEN WRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 22-48 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in road games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 31-21 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 47-47 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 31-21 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 24-10 (+19.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILONE is 55-33 (+22.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILONE is 53-31 (+21.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILONE is 34-19 (+15.9 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 24-30 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 39-54 (-22.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 46-61 (-31.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 24-30 (-13.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 13-20 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 85-106 (-34.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 25-34 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 47-66 (-22.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 4-2 (+2.8 Units) against BOSTON this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

TOM MILONE vs. BOSTON since 1997
MILONE is 0-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 11.85 and a WHIP of 2.048.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.6 units)

STEVEN WRIGHT vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

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CHI WHITE SOX (24 - 27) at TEXAS (27 - 26) - 8:05 PM
CARLOS RODON (L) vs. YOVANI GALLARDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 27-26 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 66-67 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 369-369 (+35.0 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.
TEXAS is 29-51 (-21.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 43-63 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 18-43 (-27.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 43-63 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 62-95 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 32-50 (-18.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
GALLARDO is 11-21 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

CARLOS RODON vs. TEXAS since 1997
No recent starts.

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
No recent starts.

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CLEVELAND (25 - 27) at KANSAS CITY (30 - 20) - 8:10 PM
TREVOR BAUER (R) vs. CHRIS YOUNG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 11-18 (-9.6 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 7-14 (-9.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
KANSAS CITY is 30-20 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 29-9 (+18.4 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 18-8 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 27-14 (+13.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 30-20 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 93-65 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 93-67 (+15.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
YOUNG is 21-13 (+11.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
YOUNG is 12-5 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
YOUNG is 21-12 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
YOUNG is 13-6 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 302-320 (-70.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 5-3 (+2.3 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.9 Units)

TREVOR BAUER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BAUER is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.22 and a WHIP of 1.735.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.4 units)

CHRIS YOUNG vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
YOUNG is 2-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 0.927.
His team's record is 3-0 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.1 units)

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TAMPA BAY (28 - 26) at SEATTLE (24 - 29) - 10:10 PM
ERASMO RAMIREZ (L) vs. ROENIS ELIAS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 105-111 (-26.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 24-29 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 17-27 (-20.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 12-16 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 145-182 (-51.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997.
SEATTLE is 19-28 (-14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 16-23 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ELIAS is 6-13 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ELIAS is 6-13 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 3-0 (+3.3 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

ERASMO RAMIREZ vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

ROENIS ELIAS vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
ELIAS is 2-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.29 and a WHIP of 1.170.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Marty Foster catering to Under bettors lately

The Under has gone 7-0 in the last seven ball games when umpire Marty Foster is behind home plate. He'll be behind the dish Thursday afternoon when the Boston Red Sox host the Minnesota Twins.

Foster has umpired 11 games behind home plate this season with all seven Unders coming after scorelines resulted in cashed Over bets in his first four.

There has been an average of 7.82 runs scored per game with Foster as home plate umpire.

The total for Thursday's contest between the Twins and Red Sox is presently 8.5.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 4

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CLEVELAND (65 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (79 - 18) - 6/4/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-40 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 48-34 ATS (+10.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 38-25 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Short Sheet

Thursday, June 4

NBA Finals - Best of 7 - Game 1

Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriros, 9:05 ET
Cleveland: 1-9 ATS in road games after scoring 105 or more 2 straight games
Golden State: 29-18 ATS as a home favorite

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday, June 4

Trend Report

9:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. GOLDEN STATE
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Cleveland is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games at home
Golden State is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Stat you need to know for Game1 of the NBA Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 9-0 straight up and 8-1 against the spread in nine games with referee Jason Phillips as part of the officiating crew during the 2014-15 regular season and postseason. Along with Monty McCutchen and James Capers, Phillips is part of the trio that will work Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Cavs and Golden State Warriors Thursday evening.

Phillips has worked three Cavaliers playoff games thus far with the team going 2-1 ATS. The only ATS loss was Game 4 against the Chicago Bulls when the Cavs prevailed 86-84 but failed to cover as 3-point road faves. Cleveland was 6-0 SU and ATS in six regular season games with Phillips on the floor.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals gets underway at 9:00 p.m. ET Thursday evening. The Warriors are presently 6-point home faves.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

FIVE TIPS FOR NBA FINALS BETTING

The 2015 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors gets underway tonight with Game 1 of this best-of-seven showdown scheduled at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Doc's Sports has you covered for all the action with our top five handicapping tips heading into this highly-anticipated showdown.

Home-Court Advantage

Home-court advantage in any NBA playoff series is huge, and that fact is only magnified when it comes down to the NBA Finals. Cleveland ended the regular season with a home record of 31-10 straight up, while Golden State lost only two games SU at home all season long.

Through the first three rounds of this season’s playoffs, the Cavaliers were 6-1 SU in seven previous home games while Golden State was 7-1 SU at home. What bettors need to keep in mind is each team’s record against the spread on their home court. According to ATS records this season, Cleveland is an even 24-24 ATS on its home court, and Golden State is 29-19-1 ATS at home. Recent betting trends tend to favor the road team a bit in this matchup with the Cavaliers going 4-7 ATS in their last 11 home games and the Warriors going 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games at home.

Injuries and the Betting Odds

Both of these teams have gotten a bit nicked up during the course of these playoffs, and heading into Game 1 there are a few injury concerns for each side. Kyrie Irving is not listed on Cleveland’s latest injury list, but he has missed some time in the postseason with nagging injuries to his foot and knee. Golden State’s current injury list on Covers has Klay Thompson listed as “probable” for Thursday night after suffering a concussion in the series against the Houston Rockets, and Marreese Speights is still listed as “questionable” after missing his last eight games due to an injured calf.

The bottom line in a series this big is to keep a careful watch on the injury lists as the series wears on. Neither team will try and tip their hand when it comes to injuries, so there may be some last-minute swings to the betting odds if a big-name player sits or plays as a game-time decision.

Over and Under Betting Trends

Many times you can find some solid value in the betting odds for the total lines for the NBA playoffs, and this series should follow suit. There has been a clear advantage for a play on the “under” for both these teams in the postseason so far.
Game logs for the Cavaliers have the total going over in their last two games against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, but prior to that the total actually stayed under in eight of their previous 12 playoff games. The trends for Golden State paint the same picture with the total staying under in 11 of its first 15 postseason games.

Tale of the Tape: James vs Curry

Both of these teams have a quality starting lineup and solid depth on throughout their bench, but this series will most likely come down to which one of their superstars plays the best. This will be LeBron James’ fifth straight appearance in the NBA Finals, and he has led Cleveland in this season’s playoffs with a team-high 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists a game. Stephen Curry has led the way for Golden State with 29.2 points and 6.4 assists a game, and he is shooting 43.7 percent from 3-point range through his first 15 playoff games.

The biggest difference between the two is the past experience on the NBA’s biggest stage. This edge clearly goes to James, and it may actually be a deciding factor in which team goes on to win this season’s title.

Betting Trends: the Intangibles

Past betting trends can’t predict the future, but they can offer clues as to what might happen in both Game 1 and this series as a whole. According to Covers, Cleveland is 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games against a team from the West, and it is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games against a team from the Pacific Division.

The Warriors have failed to cover in five of their last six games against a team from the Central Division, but they are 20-8-2 ATS in their last 30 home games against a team with a SU winning record on the road.

Head-to-head in this matchup, Golden State has a SU 7-2 edge in the last nine meetings, and it is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games between the two. The total has stayed under in the last three meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Finals Betting Trends
Sportspic

Cleveland Cavs

Cleveland is 7-13 SU & 12-8-1 ATS as a Playoff road Dog, including 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS as a road Dog this 2015 postseason

Cleveland is 9-11 Over/Under as a Playoff road Dog, including 0-3 Over/Under as a road Dog this 2015 postseason

Cleveland is 16-4 SU & 10-10 ATS as a Playoff home Favorite, including 6-1 SU & 3-4 ATS as a home Favorite this 2015 postseason

Cleveland is 13-7 Over/Under as a Playoff home Favorite, including 5-2 Over/Under as a home Favorite this 2015 postseason

Golden State Warriors

Golden State is 5-14 SU & 12-7 ATS as a Playoff Dog, including 1-0 SU & 1-0 ATS as a road Dog this 2015 postseason

Golden State is 12-7 Over/Under as a Playoff road Dog, including 0-1 Over/Under as a road Dog this 2015 postseason

Golden State is 9-4 SU & 5-8 ATS as a Playoff home Favorite, including 7-1 SU & 3-5 ATS as a home Favorite this 2015 postseason

Golden State is 2-11 Over/Under as a Playoff home Favorite, including 0-8 Over/Under as a home Favorite this 2015 postseason

Head-to-Head Match-Up

Golden State and Cleveland are tied 18-18 SU during the last 36 meetings

Cleveland leads 20-16 ATS during the last 36 meetings

Golden State and Cleveland are tied 3-3 SU during the last 6 meetings

Golden State leds 4-2 ATS during the last 6 meetings

Golden State is 2-1 SU & ATS during the last 3 meetings played at Golden State

1-2 Over/Under the last 3 games played at Golden State

Cleveland is 1-0 SU & ATS during 2015 in games played at Cleveland (Cavs won, 110-99, as -3 point home favorites on 2/26/15)

Golden State is 1-0 SU & ATS during 2015 in games played at Golden State (Warriors won, 112-94, as -13 point home Favorites on 1/9/15)

Player Injuries

Cleveland

[F] 04/27/2015 - Kevin Love out for season ( Shoulder )
[C] 12/24/2014 - Anderson Varejao out for season ( Achilles )

Golden State

[G] 05/29/2015 - Klay Thompson "?" Thursday vs. Cleveland ( Concussion )
[F] 05/26/2015 - Marreese Speights out another 1-2 weeks ( Calf )
[C] 05/03/2015 - Ognjen Kuzmic out indefinitely ( Ankle )

 

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SPORTS REPORTER

BEST BET
CLEVELAND over *GOLDEN STATE by 4
Golden State intrinsically it seems is the better team. They are nearly unbeatable at home, they are great holding teams to a poor shooting percentage and they are deep at guard and can bring in former All Stars as forwards. Andrew Bogut has to stay healthy but he has been solid. But they are not perfect. They have had a tendency to not value the ball and they must do that if they want to control the tempo in this series. Considering the layoff, both teams could come out a bit rusty and that will favor Cleveland and give them a shot to quiet to home crowd if they can get out to an early lead and control the tempo. You can bet your bottom dollar that LeBron is sick and tired of hearing how Steph Curry is the best shooter of all time and that the King is only 17% from long range in the playoffs. That last stat can be easily fixed if LeBron just goes to the hoop. Bogut is a good defender but really not a shot blocker. Granted the regular season is the regular season, but when Cleveland played this team for the first time this year they were in the midst of losing 9 of 10, LeBron didn’t play and the guy that started for LeBron had 0 points. And the ball stuck with 13 assists. When Cleveland got revenge on the Californians the Cavaliers won the battle of the glass, the Splash Brothers were 10 for 30 combined and LeBron had 42 and 11 boards. This is the game to get because if they can, then the Warriors will be tight as a drum for the second game. CLEVELAND 104 – 100


7:05
RECOMMENDED
CHICAGO CUBS (Arrieta) +115
at Washington Nationals (G. Gonzalez)
These two offenses have seen better days but given that the Cubs are healthier and are facing their preferred side, they are the pick. The Cubs are hitting lefties to the tune of 5.4 runs per game in their eight chances and will look to build on that against a pitcher in Gio Gonzalez who is not at his best right now. He has a 5.94 ERA in his last three outings with the only good one coming against a horrible Phillies team. He has nice recent numbers vs. the Cubs but their personnel is much bet- ter than last year. Jake Arrieta is in for a nice day. Washington has been banged up all year and they just aren’t putting runs on the board. They have been held to three runs or fewer in 10 of their last 12 games with seven of those featuring two or fewer runs. They are just not in a good place right now and that should cost them.

9:40
RECOMMENDED TOTAL
UNDER 8
New York Mets (Harvey) at Arizona (Hellickson)
Matt Harvey returns to the scene of his major league debut when he struck out 11 D-Backs in just 5.2 innings. On paper, it looks like Harvey struggled in his last start but he really just had an unlucky three batter span. He allowed four runs but only six hits and struck out 11 in eight innings and should be ready to get back on track today. Jeremy Hellickson is usually an over target of ours but we have to give credit where credit is due: He is pitching well right now with a 3.37 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in his last three starts. The Mets offense isn’t great, and is much worse on the road this year, scoring only 3.2 runs per game. Look for them to struggle here.

 

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POWER PLAY WINS

Power Play Of The Day

Golden State Warriors -6

 

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Where the action is: NBA bettors love Cavs moneyline in Game 1
By Jason Logan

Most sportsbooks online or in Las Vegas have seen similar betting patterns on Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.

With a week off between the conference finals and the championship opener, early money took the Cavaliers at +6 for Game 1 in Oracle Arena, trimming a half point from the spread to +5.5. But as tipoff got closer, action on the Warriors balanced that handle and even has some spots returning to their original home side number of -6.

And then there are the sportsbooks in Reno, Nevada. Those markets in northern Nevada draw plenty of action from Bay Area bettors, who flood the window with nothing but Warriors bets and pack the book with blue and gold for the NBA Playoffs.

“It’s unbelievable. The way someone described it to me in one of those games against Houston, on a Saturday or Sunday, was like a Super Bowl crowd out there,” Steve Mikkelson, director of race and sports at the Atlantis Resort Casino in Reno. “Every time the Warriors would score, the crowd erupted.”

Mikkelson says he’s dealing the highest odds on Golden State to win the NBA championship in the entire state, opening the Warriors at -255 and currently dealing -245 while most books in Las Vegas and online has Golden State around -200. His spread for Game 1 opened at Warriors -6 and has stayed -6 while others have dropped to -5.5 with money on Cleveland. That’s not the case in Reno.

“We absolutely draw a ton of Warriors money,” says Mikkelson. “We try to keep it within reason and try not to give up an easy scalp but that Warriors money just keeps coming in.”

The one trend that is common across the board – in Reno, Las Vegas and online – is the amount of attention the Cavaliers’ moneyline has seen to win the Game 1 outright. Mikkelson says it’s about the only Cleveland bet coming through the window at his book, and some online markets currently hold 70 percent of all moneyline wagers on the Cavs.

“The real exposure on this game is on the Cavs moneyline,” Peter Childs of Sportsbook. “Most of our customers aren’t interested in laying a big price on the Warriors to win this game, they’d rather bet the Cavs +190 or +185 and put their faith in LeBron (James) to get it done in Game 1 of the Finals.”

Cleveland has also been the bet of choice to win the NBA Finals for most books. William Hill sportsbooks in Nevada are seeing more money on the Cavaliers at a 3/1 rate and is dealing the series price at Golden State -210/Cleveland +180. Nick Bogdanovich, director of U.S. trading for William Hill, says both wiseguys and the betting public are on the underdog.

“Action is really big. Really big on the Best-of-Seven series. The most I’ve seen (on the NBA Finals) in a long time,” . “For the game itself (Game 1), the action is mostly two-way. But for the series, it’s all Cleveland. The public has been all over Cleveland since we opened and while it’s tough to tell where the sharps stand for Game 1, I imagine there are some pro bettors on Cleveland to win this series.”

As for Game 1’s spread, books are jumping between Golden State -5.5 and -6, which Bogdanovich is confident will be the closing line – not going down to Warriors -5 or -6.5. Online books are reporting even two-way action on Game 1’s pointspread with some leaning toward Cleveland in terms of tickets written and handle. The Game 1 total is also bouncing back and forth between 203.5 and 202.5. However, there are some books moving up to 204 points for Thursday’s opener.

“For the total, the majority of our wagers taken have been on the Over, around a 75/25 split, but the sharper ones have grabbed the Under,” John Lester, lines manager for Bookmaker. “Not surprisingly, the public loves the Over in Game 1. We moved all the way down to 202 last week but now we’re back to the opener of 204.”

The Cavaliers and Warriors split their two meetings this season, 1-1 SU and ATS but stayed Under the total in both matchups. Game 1 of the NBA Finals has gone 2-6-1 O/U over the past nine seasons while NBA title games have a 19-29-3 Over/Under count (60.4 percent Under) since 2006.