3 Early NBA Storylines and Trends

Three Early NBA Trends and Storylines

We are about 20 games into the 2015-16 NBA season, and despite the Golden State Warriors dominating the court and the headlines, this year's edition of the Association has many underrated plot twists and turns to keep even casual fans interested. With the usual stars out in full force (LeBron, Curry, Durant, Davis, Szczerbiak...) and some young blood added to the mix (Wiggins, Towns, Skinny Kyle Lowry) the NBA looks to be in good hands going forward. Today we'll take a look at some of the story lines dominating the league and delve deep into reasons, longevity and hype factor that drive each story. 

1) Golden State EVERYTHING

MVP already? Crown his ass.

I don't care if this is the most talked about story in the NBA and possibly sports right now. What the hell are you supposed to do when one team has effectively broken a sport?! As of right now the Warriors are 21-0 and Steph Curry is running away with the MVP vote (while also jumping about 3 spots per day in GOAT conversation).  Let's start with league MVP Curry. He is averaging 32 ppg, 6 apg and 5 rpg while shooting 53% from the field, 46% from three and 93% from FT. The only thing we DO know about stopping Steph Curry is, you can't stop Steph Curry! So how the hell does this work, and who has a shot at beating this team? Well the best thing I can tell you is, it's the regular season. The Warriors are going to have to play a good team from the Western Conference from the second round on in the playoffs. A team with depth like the Los Angeles Clippers might have the chance to hang with the Warriors for 7 games. Much like the Spurs last few years, Golden State relies on the pick and roll to create matchup problems, leading to wide open threes. The one team that caused the Spurs problems during their latest run was the OKC Thunder. The Thunder were able to matchup with their small ball lineup and with their insane athelticism (Russell at the one, Durant at the four and Ibaka at the 5) the Thunder were able to switch on every screen and slow down San Antonio. These two teams could eventually foil the GS run this season, but it's all about winning a seven game series in the playoffs. Golden State has dominated the regular season thus far, but could one of these teams catch them in the playoffs? Probably not, but let's slow this train down before we eliminate every team out West.

Can it be sustained?
Going undefeated? No! But Golden State will certainly finish with the one seed barring some massive injury or suspension.

Draymond has been causing matchup issues all year...he knows

The Big Question:
"What is the rest of the league going to do to slow this team down?"
Well a few things have been tested, and failed. The Clippers and Cavs both tried sending double teams at curry, but he's too good of a passer (as is the rest of the team) to be bothered by that. The Clippers recently tried getting physical with Curry as Chris Paul hounded him for an entire half. Turns out that didn't work! Not only is Curry stronger now, but this is not a one dimensional team! If Curry is getting "roughed up" he's going to become a creator and find other ways to dominate the game. So what's next? Foul him while he's inside the three point line? I don't think so. The only way a team will have a chance is if they go equally as small and are able to switch every screen. Let Draymond take 10 footers and drive to the hoop one on one maybe? Just don't let him get the ball off a pick and pass out a wide open corner three. Free layups, no threes? It's radical, but it might just work!

2) Paul George and the Indiana Pacers

The video of George's leg breaking should never be viewed

The fact that Paul George is playing basketball is great. He was the hot young superstar that was going to be the next guy to dethrone LeBron James. Hell, he had passed up Kevin Durant as the number two guy in the league. Well all that went out the window during a Team USA exhibition game in which PG's leg snapped in half in one of the most gruesome injuries since Shaun Livingston did the same. Well, not only is YG Trece back, he's better than ever!!! George is averaging 27 ppg, 8 rpg and 4 assists as well as playing All NBA First Team defense. Oh and he just dropped a career high 48 on the Utah Jazz. Having George back and dominant is great for the league and fans of silky smooth scorers around the world. With George's suprising play comes another suprise: The Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have opened the season as a top four team in the East while picking up wins against the Bulls, Clippers and Heat. Head coach Frank Vogel has moved his squad from the slow, plodding defense first vanilla fest to a run and gun, three shooting, deep benched machine! With PG at the helm, a slew of scorers to help take the load off (Monta Ellis, Rodney Stuckey) a resurgent CJ Miles and a solid defensive big man rotation, the Pacers could be one move away from once again being a thorn in LeBron's side.

Can it be sustained?

Not sure. Will PG be playing at the same level at the 60 game mark? Can guys like CJ Miles and Monta Ellis be depended on for a whole season? Something tells me this team is going to hit a rough patch around the All Star break, but maybe they could pull together a trade to add another name to this squad.

The Big Question:

"Can you trust Paul George after his last dance with superstardom?"

2013-14 was a rough year for George, the Pacers and everyone else involved. The collapse was spurred on by Roy Hibbert turning into the worst player in NBA history, Lance Stephenson doing all the Lance Stephenson things you don't want Lance Stephenson doing (you know what I mean) and Paul George just kind of fading into the background. After being anointed the second best player in the NBA, PG let a lot of people down with his very average play during the second half of that season. He seemed to return to form during the playoffs, but just couldn't reach that next level when his team needed it during the conference finals against LeBron and the Heat. That series culminated with PG scoring 7 points in a 23 point blowout to end the season. The basketball world might need to see George go off in the playoffs before accepting him as their basketball savior again. 

3) The Eastern Conference Sludge Pool of Mediocrity

Derek Rose is a big part of the Bulls identity crisis

Early on this season, it seems like the East has finally gained some ground on the West. Well...maybe. If anything, things have just gotten muddled and confusing. The Raptors may have taken a step back, the Wizards DEFINITELY took a step back, the Bucks haven't made a leap, the Celtics, Magic and Pistons are fun, young upstarts that pose no threat as a 7 or 8 seed and the Hornets are owned by Michael Jordan. Hell, if you look at the top of the Conference, the Cavs aren't a "sexy" team by any means (especially with the injuries). The Bulls are going through an identity crisis at the moment and the Heat have some glaring weaknesses despite a strong roster. So what the hell are supposed to make of all this?

Can it/will it be sustained?
History tells us yes. The Cavs are going to be at the top and barring some crazy meltdown/locker room cancer issue, the Bulls will be too. The Heat should be in the top 3 as well, but you can't count them in because of health issues. It looks like another top heavy year in the East.

The Big Question:
"Will the East correct itself?"
Teams like the Raptors and Wizards have too much star power to be middle of the pack in the East. Those two teams should be competing for a three seed at least, but it appears that coaching is getting in the way of that. Whether it be via trade or coaching change, one of these teams will compete for the three seed and have people talking by the All Star break.

NBA Win Streak

OKC (EVEN) @ CHI 

B Nutz fillin in for B Catz today. As stated, the Catz (with a little consultation with yours truly) has gone 6-0 the last two days. Helluva run! We'll start this off with an easy one. OKC was getting points earlier, but I still like it. Westbrook and Durant are too much to handle, especially after a loss. After last night there were some questions about OKC not fully comprehending their new offensive system. I call BS. The problem is that they have a bunch of terrible talent around their two mega stars, if one of them is off, the team is screwed. I'm expecting a trip dub out of Westbrook tonight and a 40 burger from Durant. Even though we're not getting points, let er' buck!!!

CHA (+4) @ DAL

Despite putting together the whitest roster in basketball, the Hornets have amassed enough talent to give most teams trouble on a nightly basis. Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson are a good enough 1-2 punch on offense, while having a guy like Nic Batum on defense allows for a weaker interior D. Dallas is grasping for any sign of life from their beat down team. Wes Matthews is on a minute restriction, Chandler Parsons is on a minute restriction and Dirk...well Dirk is just restricted by age. Take the points. 

UTA @ DEN (+4) 

Good God is Emmanuel Mudiay bad at at shooting! The future all star (that's right) has not found his shot, but he has impacted the game in other ways through the beginning of this season. His passing and court vision have been apparent and head coach Mike Malone has his young point guard pushing the tempo every night. Throw in Gallo and the human trade asset Kenneth Faried and you've got yourelf a fun squad to bet on! 

NBA bounce back picks

WAS vs ATL (-6) I liken this pick to sticking your finger back in an electrical socket after it shocks the fuck out of you. You know the old saying "get burned once, shame on me, dust yourself off and get back on the horse!"...or something like that. Anyway, the Wiz don't need this game and will be more than happy to take a 1-1 spilt back to chocolate city. Hopefully the triples fall and ATL is able to even up the series. MEM (+10) vs GSW Well the last time they played the line was 10.5 which the Warriors ended up covering...so that extra .5 is the different maker right?? Game changer!! Hopefully the Grizz muck it up, feed the post and are able to keep this game close enough to cover.

Round 1 NBA

ATL vs. BKN (+4.5)

This pick is more of a "what I want to see" rather than a likely to happen cover. Atlanta has not looked like the team that rolled through the regular season a few months ago, whereas Brooklyn actually did things that made sense these last few games. Well, everything except playing Deron Williams more than 5mpg. If Brooklyn somehow ties this series up at two, I will definitely be that guy in the office telling everyone within earshot that I called that shit like two weeks ago.

MIL (+8.5) vs. CHI

This could be classified as "Nutz and Catz: Super Fish Line of the Week", but hold on a few more lines we will get to the real stink shortly. Milwaukee is such a fun team to watch play, mostly because the Greek Freak doesn't comply with the rules of gravity/nature that apply to nearly all other mortals. With all that being said, this line could definitely be dangerous. You know Chicago is going to come out super motivated after last games buzzer beater loss, and the Bucks swagger could lead to a ton of jacked up threes...but I still like the 8.5 here. These games have been far too close not to take this many points at home.

MEM vs. POR (-3)

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: NUTZ AND CATZ SUPER STINKY FISH LINE OF THE DAY!! This line has such a pungent, sour smell that I might wrap it up in a grape swisher and smoke it! Seriously though folks, why is Rip City favored by three? What does Vegas know that the rest of us aren't privy to? One thing I've learned is always do the opposite of what Vegas is hoping, as the saying goes "Overpriced, tacky hotels don't get built on the back of good teams getting points!". I'm sure that's a saying, but either way Portland is definitely winning this game, probably in blowout fashion.

Double D NBA Picks!

CATZ

CHI (+1.5) vs. WAS

The Wizards are having themselves a little spring free fall over the past few weeks. Lucky for them they play in the East which features all of one title contender (sorry Atlanta). Meanwhile on the other side of things we have the Bulls who fancied themselves a title contender as well until recently when D Rose and Jimmy Butler were knocked out for at least a month. So why would I take the Bulls you ask? Because I actually really like this offense when it runs through a now healthy Joakim Noah. He's gonna catch the ball at the free throw line, pivot, and fire an entry pass to Gasol on the inside or Mirotic sitting in the corner ready to splash when needed. Look for Noah to have no less than 15 dimes tonight and most likely a very Joakim type game (13 pts, 12 rebs, 15 dimes) as the Bulls continue to ruin the Wizards season and Randy Whitman's seat gets hotter. 

BOS (+10) vs. CLE

How are you gonna give a Brad Stevens coached team that features Isaiah Thomas coming off the bench ten points!! Oh, they're playing against Cleveland? Is LeBron out? Naw, alright well I guess ill just bank on Boston fighting for a playoff spot while Cleveland has their spot engraved in stone. Hopefully the Celtics do just enough to keep this one close and don't get blowed out.

MR. NUTZ

UTA (+8) vs MEM

It really pains me to bet against the Grizz, a team that might win the West this year. The thing is, Utah is and has been undervalued all year. They have a young squad with some players that can definitely hang in the NBA. Hell, if they were in the East they would be a playoff squad. The Jazz have covered 7 of their last 8 while the Grizz are something like 3 for their last 10. This should be a pretty low scoring game where the Jazz are able to keep it close in a loss.

MIL (-5.5) vs DEN

Damnit  I was way more confident in this pick before Brian shaw was fired. He's one of the worst coaches I've ever seen and the team had clearly given up on him weeks ago. Tonight, they may be so overjoyed by the lack of B Shaw that they come out and dominate. This shouldn't happen as the Bucks are rolling this season and need the win to snap a 2 game skid and try to overtake Washington in the playoff race. 

Super Tuesday!

NBA Picks

SAC @ NO (-3)

Everybody loves Sac Town right now, and for good reason. DeMarcus Cousins is very, VERY good. He's franchise player good. Unfortunately, Anthony Davis is All-Time Great good. The Brow has put together an incredible season thus far, including a 28 point, 9 rebound, 3 blocks, 2 steals performance. You know what other number he put up? 0. As in 0 assists. The Brow might be a black hole, or he's just so good that he doesn't need to pass. Either way, he's really, really good and with Eric Gordon out for the forseeable future (again), Davis should have a few extra shots to work with. And Rudy Gay can't keep this up! Stop it Rudy!

CHI (+4) at DEN

There's no pleasing Catz. Yesterday he asks me to pick a fav for him and of course I picked the Mavs. He then proceeds to write the pick up, throw more shade than a palm tree in Miami and tell me how much he hates the pick! Then forces me to re-write it and claim it as my own! Needless to say, I was more embarrassed than a Chili's waiter after getting low-grade mashed potatoes thrown in my face. So today I decided to take the points, as Catz has been doing (well I might add) lately, and what do I get? "Whoooooaaa broooo that's a gnarly ass pick. Rose, Hinrich and Gibson are out, noooooo way. Now excuse me while I go catch some gnar waves." So I just don't know where to turn. Either way, Chicago with all back up players is 10x better than the Thuggets. This team sucks and that is a reflection of the worst coach in the league, Bryan Shaw. The man decided that his team, which has a geographical advantage, should slow it down and play defense! What the fuck?!! How does that make sense?! You have one of the fastest PG's in the league, a bunch of shooters, tons of wing players and a few athletic bigs. Why would you slow it down? Sorry, I hate this team. If Gasol and Rose play, they win by 20.

Catz: Giving the Bulls four points on the road against Denver? This can't be a real line right? This just seems to easy, which probably means Denver runs and guns its way to a thirty five point victory, but there is no way I am not taking four points with Thibs against whoever the hell coaches the Nuggets.

DET (+3) vs. MIL

Initially I did not want to make this pick at all. Then I started looking at some numbers and realized that the public loves Milwaukee in this game!! Not at a 51-49 split either, multiple sites have the Bucks favored by the public at 97-3 type spread!!! That is way too high for two teams that aren't very good. For some reason people think that Milwaukee is the Harlem Globetrotters all of a sudden, and while they are improved, they certainly aren't good enough to not take the points and Detroit here. Just don't jack any triples J Smoove, and for god sakes someone get Jeanette Mccurdy aka ICarly on the phone; Andre Drummond has become a shell of himself since he stopped pounding the former Disney star like a mallard duck! 

NBA Playoff Picks

It it time for the Catz, to venture back in to the deep end of the swimming pool. Lately I have been relying on the advice of others when I was making my picks and then blaming them when things went horribly, horribly wrong (see last night game 3 Hawks vs. Pacers). So today, I shut my phone off, deactivated my facebook, and flipped off my neighbors, because this is solo Catz pick time!

CHI at WAS (-2.5) over 181 (L) (WINNER!)

The Wizards have absolutely outplayed the Bulls in this series, and Nene is actually making the DPOY Noah look like an average defender at times. Meanwhile in the backcourt, John Wall and Bradley Beal are consistently getting in the paint, while the Bulls are relying on DJ Augustine to do the heavy lifting. I think the Wizards look to put their foot on the throats of the Bulls tonight as a fired up Wiz team scores some points and gets the win.

TOR at BKN (-4.5) under 191 (L) (L)

This one is a classic Nets bounce back game. This is an old team and it is hard for them to get two wins in a row, but two wins in three games? Very doable. Couple that with the fact that they are returning home after splitting the first two games in Toronto, and you have a recipe for a big Nets win. I think this one plays out as a defensive struggle, with each team taking their punches and the Nets pulling away late in the fourth.

HOU at POR (-2) (UNDER 215) (L) (L)

Well first off I don't appreciate Catz firing shots at me in some backhanded way when I called the only two wins we had last night. But that's cake mix through the escalator at this point. Earlier this week I predicted Portland would win this series in 7 games. In no way did I see PDX stealing 2 in Houston and dominating the shit out of the Rockets with mid range jumpers. Tonight, the Houston Fragile Psyche's have to play in front of one of the wildest crowds in the NBA. I expect a lot of fatigue on both sides, so this one is going to come down to Damian Lillard and Nic Batum carrying the Blazers. Last note: Dwight Howard is coming off one of the best games of his career and Houston still lost....

Tuesday Mortal Sin Playoff Picks!

NBA Playoff Picks!

Another night of game 2's in the NBA.  In the first game of these series the road team scored the upset in each contest. Tonight, shits gonna swing back in the home teams favor.

ATL (+7.5) at IND over 186.5 (L) (L)
Absolutely a no-brainer. Indiana will probably come out and attempt to play their best game of the season, but this just isn't a championship caliber team. Whatever the fuck is going on in their locker room is obviously carrying over to the court, and the results are terrible. Pacers will probably win, but the Hawks will have another good showing in Indiana.

WAS (+5.5) at CHI under 180 (WINNER) (L)
Again we have another game where I think the home team wins, but keeps it close enough to cover the spread. I think this is a very slow, very low scoring affair that sees both teams struggle to score 80. Chi Town probably gets the win here, but don't be shocked if Chocolate City takes a 2-0 lead going back home. 

BKN (+4.5) TOR under 190.5 (L) (L)
Brooklyn!!! Is in the building! Why bet Brooklyn in this game? Is it their experience? The fact that they have a legit ten man rotation? Nope none of those things, bet the Nets for no other reason besides the fact that they have destroyed Dirty Picks this season. You know the old saying? If you can't beat em, join em. Nets cover and keep this one under.

NBA Picks

Last Night: 4-1-1

BJ's Wet & Wild Wednesday Winner!

GS (-3.5) @ CHI (L)

Last night we were very successful! We look to continue our NBA hot streak with a bundle of NBA picks. Let's start it off with the Golden State Warriors coming out of Chicago with a win. Usually, betting against a depleted Bulls team is a bad idea. Tonight, the Warriors are going up against a Chicago squad that had to play 48 tough minutes against Atlanta. Look for a tired Bulls squad to slow down near the fourth quarter as the Splash Brothers lead GS to a victory. 

Filthy Pickz Sugar probably shouldn't let his mom read

By Bobby Catz

Hou at LAC (-5.5) (W)
Houston had a great night against Sacramento less than 24 hours ago. Harden scored 46 and barely played in the fourth. However, these clippers are a horse of a different color. CPthrizzle has integrated back into the lineup seamlessly and Blake Griffin looks more and more like the mailman every day. The Clippers are getting contributions across the board and will even get a boost from newly acquired Glen "the biggest baby" Davis. The Rockets played last night like they expected to lose today, so give the five and half points and watch the Clippers cruise.

GS at CHI over 186.5 (L)
Historically I am not great at calling over/unders. You might say my ability to choose correctly is on par with American hockey teams looking to get wins over the Canadians, not good. However, lately, I've been feeling myself a little bit (seriously, ask my editor) [EDITORS NOTE: confirmed, he is feeling himself] even though this game is between two defensive powerhouses; look for the dubs to score about 115. That means if the Bulls can get to just 75 points we have a winner here! Doesn't that make you feel better? Joakim, Dunleavy, DJ Augustin, and Carlos Boozer can score 75 right? Right? Fuck....

NO at DAL (-7) (W)
The Pelicans were supposed to be an offensive juggernaut this season, but somehow have gone the other way. They can't find scoring from anyone but Anthony Davis, and the biggest shocker Eric Gordon is injured again! Seriously Eric Gordon takes more days off than Raymond Felton's nutrition coach! Look for Dirk Nasty and the boys to roll early and often in this one.

B--B-BONUS PICK!!!
ATL (+3) at BOS (L)
Last night, Atlanta kept it close with a Bulls team that they had no business competing against. Good news for the Hawks, the Celtics are not the Bulls. Atlanta has a mean three guard rotation in Jeff Teague, Louis Williams, and Shelvin Mack. Couple that with the outside shooting of Kyle Korver and you got yourself a dangerous team to give three points to. The Hawks bounce back here and get the big W against the Celtics.

Thursday Streakers

Streak for the Cash

On Wednesday we went 2-2 as we continue to be mediocre at streaking. As the great European philosopher French Montana once said, "ain't worried about nothin." So we're back with more picks for dat ass.

First pick: Men's Hockey - Group A: Who will win this matchup? (WINNER!)
Choice 1: Slovakia

Choice 2: United States

USA! USA! USA! That's all we got! Seriously though, take the US, they are going to win.

Second pick: Luge (Team Relay): What will be the event result? (L)

Choice 1: Canada Gold, Silver or Bronze medal

Choice 2: Any other result

Do not bet against Canada in a nonviolent sport which is held on ice, snow or maple syrup. It will not end well. Take Canada and you'll be on a W2.

Third pick: PGA Northern Trust Open (Pacific Palisades, CA): Which player will card the lower front 9 score? (Holes 1-9) (W)

Choice 1: Keegan Bradley or tie

Choice 2: Jason Duffner

OR TIE! That is the key here, when these guys tie with horrible scores, you will thank us. Bradley ftw.

Fourth pick: Brooklyn Nets @ Chicago Bulls: Who will win this matchup? (WINNER!)

Choice 1: Brooklyn Nets

Choice 2: Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have found some sort of identity since losing Derek Rose and trading Luol Deng. They still play great defense and they still have the best coach in the league. Take them in this low scoring game, Boozer is back!

Fourth pick: NCB: What will be the GAME RESULT? 

Choice 1: San Diego wins or single digit loss

Choice 2: @ Saint Mary's win by double digits


Watch out for this barn burner! 2 WCC teams goin at it! Take San Diego, they might even win the way games are going this week! (L)

Thirsty Thursday NBA

With last night's 2 banger, we are now 10-2 on NBA picks. Pretty solid, but there's still time to add to that number before the All Star break.

Brooklyn Nets @ Chicago Bulls (OVER) 182.5 
This is by far my least favorite pick of the year. You can always depend on Chicago to play slow and beat the hell out of their opponent. Especially an opponent that plays at a slow pace. The Nets technically have guys that can score the basketball, and with Carlos Boozer probably returning, 183 seems a little too low, even for the Bulls and Senior Citizen Nets. Take this one, don't watch, and don't be mad at me if it's 35-36 at half. (L)

Jurassic Park: Toronto

BJ's NBA Wednesday

We have been on a heater lately with our NBA picks. With an overall record of 8-2, I can only hope that I don't completely fuck this up tonight. With that being said, we have one NBA pick today as we focus more on College Hoops tonight.

Atlanta @ Toronto (-6) (WINNER!)

Just a few months ago, I thought it was over for Toronto. They smartly traded Rudy Gay to the dumbest team available and promptly started winning. The ball moves around the perimeter, they have solid athletes on the wing and tough, young big in Jonas Valenciunas. Atlanta, coming off a grind of a game versus Chicago, has finally started falling apart without Al Horford. Being bruised and broken by the Bulls and then traveling to Toronto to run and gun with the young Raps does not sound like my cup of tea. The only problem here is the Hawks are statistically better than the Raptors. They are more efficient on both ends of the court and, generally, take better shots. A lot of that data has to be thrown out, though, due to the Gay trade and Horford injury. Take Toronto tonight and hope Paul "Big Butter" Millsap takes the night off.

Bob's Basketbal Bonanza B-B-BONUS!!!

Cle (+8) at Det (WINNER!)

  Much like the city of Detroit, the hopes for this team are slim to none. Despite looking good over the last several weeks and the breath of fresh air the new coaching staff has instilled; the fun ends tonight. Giving anybody eight points against the Pistons is dangerous, unless they were playing the Bucks maybe. Couple that with the mini-resurgence of the cavaliers and you have yourself a game to win some money on. Anthony Bennett has actually looked like a number one pick in the last couple of games, and is destroying this reporters prediction that he would become the next Ndudi Ebi. Pistons probably still win this game by five, but they do not cover the spread!

Tuesday NBA Picks

Bob's Tuesday Garbage Picks

Heat (-3.5) at Suns

   Usually when you are wondering what team to bet on, you think about the stars. In this case, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Goran Dragic should swing the balance of this game right? Well that's more screwed up than Jamarcus Russell at a Three Six Mafia concert.

  Today we focus on one player who will impact this game outside of the usual suspects and give the Miami Heat a win and cover against the team which I hold season tickets to (what's up ladies: 360.515.1152): Gerald "dunk nasty" Green. 

  Coming off a very disappointing season in Indiana, he has rebounded quite well for the Suns this year.  Shooting a respectable 43% from the field and 37% from deep doesn't exactly awe you from a numbers standpoint but, he's also doing that while jacking up almost 8 three's a game. If he hits half of those threes a game, the suns can compete with anybody in the NBA. In addition he is an incredible dunker and his electrifying in traffic dunks hype up the crowd and the home fans to almost riot level mentalities. On the other hand the old Gerald has reared his ugly head at times this season. His passing hasn't improved since he entered the league (2005!!) and his career average of 2.0 assists shows his lack of playmaking. Couple that with mind numbingly dumb reach fouls and complete lack of understanding of game situations and you are left with a player that takes a lot more off the table than he brings. 

Tonight, I have Gerald getting frustrated by Dwayne Wade on the defensive end leading to him jacking unnecessary triples on offense and never finding a rhythm, leading to crucial turnovers in a game that will come down to a few possessions. Look for this game to be close throughout and for the heat to pull away in the final five minutes of the fourth to cover the 3.5 (WINNER!)

BJ's Dirty Pick's for Dirty Chicks

Atlanta vs Chicago (UNDER 186.5)

This game is worse than Andrew Wiggins' star potential. The best thing about it will be Kyle Korver keeping his streak alive with another three, followed by the Atlanta fans immediately leaving the arena. Why take the under? Atlanta is the type of team that will score big when playing a faster paced team like Miami or San Antonio. They also tend to clinch their buttcheeks when playing against defensive teams like Indiana or Memphis. Chicago on the other hand ONLY plays at their pace. In fact, I don't think they are capable of any scoring anomalies. Take the easy under and treat yourself to a nice Hungry Man Dinner. (WINNER!)