4-1 on the NBA playoffs up 4.76 units
Warriors +1 at -110 for 4 units. Durant has put his team on his back with some contributions from Iggy and Green.. tonight he gets some more help. Steph stops missing his layups, Klay shoots better, and the Warriors take a 3-1 series lead. Curry played horribly and the Warriors still took Houston to overtime in Game 3.
4-0 on the NBA playoffs up 9.26 units
Blazers at -150 for 4.5 units. The sequel to the quadruple-overtime game happens tonight some 40 hours after the last game finished. Will Barton stepped up big for Denver in 3 of the overtimes and the 4th Quarter. Him gaining some confidence gives the Nuggets an extra piece to play. Rodney Hood stepped up a little more than Barton did though. Hood took advantage of Jamal Murray in the post a few times and then Denver adjusted, which forced Hood to shoot some 3s. He was 2/3 from deep. Hood sat on the bench for almost an hour of realtime, but when he was called on he delivered.
Jokic has to be a little tired after playing 65 minutes in Game 3. The Joker’s 65 minutes were the most minutes ever played by a 7-footer in a playoff game. McCollum matched his career playoff high with 41 points, while playing a franchise playoff-record 60 minutes. Jamal Murray’s inability to guard bigger guys in the post, and smaller guys on the perimeter is a problem. C.J. and Damian are too quick for him, but Rodney Hood and others are too big for him. When Murray is on the court, Denver’s defense is worse. When Murray is off the court, Denver’s offense is worse. Quite the conundrum. Gary Harris plays great defense, but he hasn’t been able to shoot. Denver seems to lack two way players. Mason Plumlee and Monte Morris have not been playing well this postseason. They were solid in the regular season, but their decline has been noticed as the competition has ramped up. Plumlee has the second worse DRTG for Denver in the playoffs. Portland’s role players outplay Denver’s and Portland shoots better from deep for the 3-1 series lead.
3-0 on NBA playoffs up 6.48 units
Blazers at -180 for 5 units. Damian Lillard’s first game back in Portland since one of the best playoff shots of the millennium. Denver shot about 20% from 3 and about 60% from the foul line in their Game 2 loss at home.. now they go on the road. Portland adjusted their defense after Game 1 and it seemed to work. Damian did not play that well in Game 2. He will tonight. Enes “rhymes with Penis” Kanter and Rodney Hood stepped up in Game 2. C.J. McCollum hit a late 3 when the Nuggets pulled within 7 to push the lead back to double digits, which sealed the game.
The Nuggets had 14 4th-Quarter offensive rebounds.. but it wasn’t enough to get the win in Game 2. The Blazers got a little complacent on the boards when they were up big. I like that as a Portland backer tonight because they now know they can’t let up. Also, Jamal Murray will be playing with a thigh injury and he is not 100%. He was struggling a little bit in the 4th Quarter of Game 2. If the Blazers contain Jokic like they did in Game 2 they will win.. but even if they don’t, they can still win behind great shooting games from Damian or C.J. or both.
2-0 on NBA playoffs up 4.26 units
Raptors ML at -225 for 5 units.
Bucks/Rockets parlay risking 5 units to win 2.35 units. Jazz don’t seem to have the playoff rhythm they had last season (I know it has only been one game). Houston’s ability to stop Mitchell showed up in Game 1 and I expect that to continue. Gilbert Arenas knows a lot about shooting. Pun intended. He had this to say about Utah’s defense on Harden –
Dumb as f**k… You giving a guy who leads the NBA in free throws made and taken a walk to the basket. What’s even dumber… he’s left-handed so that means his step-back that no one can stop… is going right. If you wanna minimize his game, push him to his left which is his strength. Dribbling with your strong and pulling up is not natural.
That will take away his step back, it takes away his pull-up, so he has to drive all the way, which u can load up. From that standpoint, he will euro, left/right getting to the middle. Or he will do a running floater off going left which is also unnatural.
Defenders… pushing a player to his weak hand is actually his strong hand for pull-ups/hizzy’s/crossovers and step-backs. His strong hand is his get to the basket hand. So in reality, if he can shoot the ball, you giving that player more options.
If he can’t shoot then pushing him to his weak hand is a great thing. Knowing he can’t pull-up too, you’re less likely to go for any fake.”
I would love for Gilbert to be on Players Only, but it seems they only allow boring players on that broadcast..
Bucks -15 for 2 units. Bucks won the first game by 35. Giannis dunked from just inside the free throw line. Guy is a freak. Andre Drummond waived off Antetokounmpo’s 3-point attempt when the Pistons were down 38. Antetokounmpo made the 3. Drummond has not earned the right to disrespect a future MVP like that. Pistons may or may not have Blake in this game, but even if they do.. I still like the Bucks to cover at home.
Also, Congrats to Denver for winning their first playoff game since April 30th, 2013. I love Jokic.
Waiting on my Hornets over 35.5 and Bucks over 47.5 wins money before I bet big again. NC State being up 2 with the ball and 10 seconds left but still losing took a lot out of me. Tough when a redshirt senior turns the ball over on an inbound pass instead of calling a timeout. I don’t like Garrison Mathews of Lipscomb.
7-5 on parlays up 18.76 units
Virginia/Michigan/Simona Halep for 3 units to win 7.24 units.
FSU +8.5/Michigan/Virginia/Simona Halep/Francis Tiafoe +1.5 sets/Roger Federer for 1 unit to win 10.14 units.
These plays are either WTA/ATP Miami or NCAA tournament events. Parlays are the only thing keeping me afloat so I will start sharing them more. Just have to be able to stomach some losses with parlays as they are less likely to win. If both of these lose I am waiting till my NBA season long bets gets paid and using that on the Masters and Final Four.
I want to focus on the ref, but If you want to see the injury here it is.
That Official was ruthless! 🙏 #Nurkic.. pic.twitter.com/bfHVzK8qig
— JOR-G (@JORGMUZIK) March 26, 2019
@JORGMUZIK is right. Tyler Ford is the referee that trips on Nurkic’s BROKEN LEG!! I know ref’s are blind and seemingly always bet on the team I don’t bet on, but are they deaf too!! You could literally hear his leg snap. Paul George’s injury is the only injury NBA injury I can think of that comes close to this and Tyler Ford just tripped over his BROKEN LEG!! I feel for Rip City as Nurkic has been one of the best centers in the league this season. His size is imperative for Portland, especially since they no longer have Ed Davis as a backup (David is averaging 8.7 rebounds a game on the Nets this season and had 14 rebounds last night against his former team). Get well Nurkic. You hate to see this happen, especially as a team is gearing up for the playoffs. I hit a baby deer with my 4runner the other night. That fawn’s awareness is still better than Tyler Ford’s awareness. Unreal ignorance from that ref.
70-62-2 on NCAAB last season and went up 8.95 units
38-40-1 this season down 29.95 units
Tennessee/UNC/Virginia Tech/Virginia Parlay risking 10 units to win 9.92 units. Iowa struggles defending the paint. Tennessee’s offense is great at scoring down-low. Cincinnati had problems getting into the paint once Iowa started pressing, but when they did get inside they scored. Iowa made enough 3s and pressed well enough to rattle Cincinnati for the win. Tennessee won’t let that happen. Iowa has no one that can guard Admiral Schofield. UNC got “lucky” here because I think Utah State was the tougher matchup for the Tar Heels. UNC scored 95 points against Syracuse’s zone. Washington runs a zone defense. UNC is shooting under 30% from deep in postseason play. They shoot better today and get the win.
Virginia Tech played Liberty in an exhibition game this season and won by 16. This is the first time VT has played another school from Virginia in the NCAAs. Liberty’s Caleb Homesley had 30 points in their win over Mississippi State. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kerry Blackshear of Virginia Tech will be too much down-low for the Flames. Also, Justin Robinson felt “better than expected” for VT.
UVA plays an Oklahoma team that was red hot in the first round. The Sooners have already made it further this season than they did with Trae Young last season. Trae Young hit the game winner last night in the Hawks win over the 76ers. UVA struggled in the first half against Gardner-Webb, but they turned it on in the second half to avoid losing to a 16-seed for the second time. Oklahoma lost by 20 to Wisconsin. UVA is a better version of the Badgers. I don’t think the Sooners have a matchup advantage anywhere on the court, take the Cavaliers.
Duke -13 for 7 units. UCF has Tacko Fall and that’s about it. VCU struggled against them because VCU doesn’t have a big man taller than 6-foot-8. Tacko said he will not allow Zion to dunk on him.. why would you say that? Has he seen Zion play? UCF coach Johnny Dawkins was a Duke player and long-time assistant. Dawkins was the 1986 national player of the year for Duke as a senior. Zion will be the 2019 national player of the year as a freshman. Fran Fraschilla tweeted: “In the minds of Jay Bilas, Tommy Amaker and Coach K himself, there might not be a Duke dynasty without the commitment of Johnny Dawkins to the Blue Devils in 1982. The hoops world will come full circle on Sunday.”
Plenty of storylines in this game, but Duke’s depth and ability to limit UCF’s inside presence gets them the double digit win.
Buffalo at +163 for 7 units. Buffalo is one of the best offensive teams in college basketball. Senior guard C.J. Massinburg played great in the first round for Buffalo. Jarrett Culver’s shot selection has been suspect this season in the Texas Tech games I have watched. Culver should drive over and over again in this one. If he settles for 3-point shots, Buffalo should consider themselves lucky. I think this will be a close game and there is value in the underdog.
70-62-2 on NCAAB last season and went up 8.95 units
37-39-1 this season down 36.43 units
North Carolina -22/Virginia Tech parlay at +120 for 12 units.
Buffalo/Washington – Utah State over 135 at +154 for 12 units.
Jim Valvano said it best Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.
70-62-2 on NCAAB last season and went up 8.95 units
37-39-1 this season down 22.43 units
Cincinnati at -198 for 14 units. Jarron Cumberland. That is all. Once this wins, I’ll post more plays.
