Monday 5-20-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions 05-20-2019 in NBA

The Golden State Warriors made big third quarter runs a staple of their success over the last five seasons, and the Western Conference finals is proving to be no different. The Warriors used their patented second-half surge to take a commanding 3-0 lead on Saturday and can book their fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals with a win when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers for Game 4 on Monday.

Golden State trailed by as many as 18 points late in the second quarter and went into the half down 66-53 on Saturday before outscoring the Trail Blazers 29-13 in the third and opening things further in the fourth en route to a 110-99 triumph. "We've been down this road before many times," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "We've been up 2-0 quite a bit and I don't think we've been that great in Game 3s over the years. That's all we talked about the last two days was we have an amazing opportunity to seize control here. That's what I think this was about, respecting our opponent, knowing the magical run they have been on, how tough they are to beat in this building, and understanding that this is the game." Portland, which squandered a 15-point halftime advantage in Game 2, totaled 33 points in the second half of Game 3 and put the loss squarely on the offense. "Our offense fell apart," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters. "We missed some shots. Took some tough shots. Didn't move the ball as well. They were scoring, so we were taking it out of the net. Didn't get any transition. So, I said at the beginning of the series, to beat Golden State, you've got to be able to score. Scoring 33 in the second half is not going to do it."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Golden State power forward Draymond Green scored a postseason-high 20 points to go with 13 rebounds and 12 assists on Saturday in his third triple-double of the playoffs. "I don't even know what to say about Draymond," Kerr told reporters. "He was like a wrecking ball out there. He was just destroying everything in his path. The pace that he was generating was incredible, and it just seemed like he never got tired. ... It's one of the best games I've ever seen Draymond play." Green helped key the third-quarter rally while superstar Stephen Curry poured in a game-high 36 points to reach 30 for the fourth time in as many games since star forward Kevin Durant (calf) went down.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: All-Star point guard Damian Lillard has yet to get rolling offensively in the series and struggled to 19 points on 5-of-18 shooting in Game 3. "I think the double teams, obviously the trapping is designed to get the ball out of his hands, so he doesn't have the same freedom," Stotts told reporters of Lillard. "I think they are good one-on-one defenders. You know, some of it's missing shots. You know, he gets to the rim and he hasn't finished around the rim as well, but I don't know if it's one thing." Lillard is shooting 32.6 percent from the floor in the series and committed 14 turnovers in the first three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors C Damion Jones made his first start of the postseason on Saturday and went scoreless while committing three fouls in three minutes.

2. Portland SG CJ McCollum is 6-of-22 from 3-point range in the series.

3. Golden State SF Andre Iguodala (lower leg) left Saturday's game and is scheduled for an MRI exam on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 112, Warriors 110

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Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Preview and Predictions 05-20-2019 in MLB

The Boston Red Sox fell short in their first test against the Houston Astros over the weekend but managed to salvage the finale and stay above .500 as they put the pieces together. The Red Sox will try to avoid looking ahead to another showdown in Houston next weekend when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday in the opener of a four-game series.

Boston, which is beginning a stretch of 14 of 17 on the road, dropped the first two over the weekend to the Astros but battled back from an early deficit to earn a 4-3 victory on Sunday and improve to 24-22. The Red Sox are still trying to figure out the structure of the bullpen since the offseason departures of Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel and may have found someone to pitch in high-leverage spots in right-hander Marcus Walden, who came on with the bases loaded in the sixth and got out of the jam before handing it off to Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman. The Blue Jays dropped 13 of their last 18 games but are coming off a 5-2 victory at the Chicago White Sox on Sunday and will play the next seven at home, where they are 8-13. The weekend against the Astros helped make it clear that the Red Sox are one elite starter short of the team they were last season, and they are set to add just such an arm on Monday, when left-hander David Price (elbow) comes off the injured list to make the start opposite well-traveled righty Edwin Jackson.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (1-2, 3.75 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Edwin Jackson (0-0, 3.60)

Price was riding a string of four consecutive solid starts when he went down but was winless in his last three outings. The former Cy Young Award winner surrendered three runs on seven hits in six innings at the Chicago White Sox on May 2 before going on the injured list. Price made four starts against Toronto in 2018 and earned the win in all four, posting a 2.63 ERA while striking out 25 in 24 total innings.

Jackson set a major league record by appearing for his 14th team when he made his Blue Jays debut at San Francisco on Wednesday. The 35-year-old allowed three runs - two earned - on six hits and a walk in five innings while striking out a pair in the no-decision. Jackson last faced Boston as a member of the San Diego Padres in 2016 and is 3-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 15 career games - 12 starts - against the Red Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays rookie 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered four times in the last six games.

2. Workman earned his first career save on Sunday.

3. Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers is 1-for-16 with five strikeouts in the last four games.

Prediction: Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 3

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Oakland Athletics vs. Cleveland Indians Preview and Predictions 05-20-2019 in MLB

The Oakland Athletics will try for a second straight day to extend their three-game winning streak when they begin a three-game series at the Cleveland Indians on Monday. After taking the first three contests in Detroit by a combined 28-6 margin, the A's had a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning Sunday before the game was suspended due to rain.

Oakland has won four straight series against the Indians, including two of three in a matchup at home earlier this month. Cleveland cruised to a 10-0 win over Baltimore on Sunday to take three of four from the Orioles and it has tied its high-water mark for the year at five games over .500. First baseman Carlos Santana has homered in consecutive games for the Indians and has eight RBIs over his last seven games. He and his mates will take aim at A's veteran Brett Anderson, who starts the series opener opposite Carlos Carrasco for Cleveland.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson (4-3, 4.41 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (4-3, 4.18)

Anderson has completed six innings in each of his three May starts, allowing exactly four runs in each of the last two. He served up three home runs in a loss at Seattle on Tuesday after getting through the previous six outings without allowing a single homer. The 31-year-old has spun 12 scoreless innings in his career at Cleveland's Progressive Field and owns an 0.82 ERA in five career starts versus the Indians.

Carrasco has not allowed a run in 12 innings over his last two starts -- both against the Chicago White Sox -- while recording 12 strikeouts and zero walks. He is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA at home this year and owns a 2.89 ERA in seven career matchups (six starts) against the A's. Slugger Khris Davis is 1-for-12 with nine strikeouts against the 32-year-old from Venezuela.

WALK-OFFS

1. The A's will complete the suspended game with the Tigers on Sept. 6 in Oakland.

2. Indians SS Francisco Lindor has multiple hits in five of his last eight games.

3. Oakland is 57-20 against American League Central teams since Aug. 23, 2016.

Prediction: Indians 5, Athletics 4