NBA Tuesday Bangers!

MEM (-3) @ LAL
The Grizz might be completely decimated by injury right now, but they still have enough firepower to beat a D League Lakers team coached by the second worst coach in the league. The Grizz have beaten the Lake Show 9 times in a row and though today might be close as Kobe is probably sitting out (FG% automatically up 3%), the Grizz have done a great job pushing towards the playoffs with new acquisition Lance Stephenson.

CHA @ BK (+6)
This is one that is really outside of my comfort zone. Charlotte is one of the few teams I trust to get the cover consistently this year and tonight they should EASILY, EEEAASSSILLLY cover against a Nets franchise that has fucked up so badly that they can't even tank! Brook Lopez is still expected to play tonight and Charlotte just used all their energy to beat the Spurs in an incredible comeback. So let's roll with the Hornet's let down game theory and take Brooklyn.

MIA (-9) @ NO
Classic overreaction to Anthony Davis being hurt, but I don't care. The Pels WITH Anthony Davis were terrible this year. The Heat are healthy right now somehow, but the Pels seem to be missing half their roster again. Take the Heat, the Pels have thrown in the towel.

Monday Pre Tourney Picks

Dal @ Cha -6.5

Before we start banging out Vegas for billionz during the tourney, we might as well nail some NBA tail right?! The Hornets have really come together post all star break and look like a team that might make a second round push in the east. Dallas on the other hand has been god awful and even Rick Carlisle's masterful coaching can't save them from average talent and an aging superstar. 

Det +1.5 @ Was

Every time I look at the Pistons games they're covering the damn spread! Well tonight is no different! Andre Drummond is going to murder the 'zards bigs and SVG will keep Detroit playing well through the start of the playoffs. 

Cle -4.5 @ Uta

This one is rough because I hate LeBron and the cavs. But it's hard to ignore the fact that they've been great through this "are the cavs imploding stretch" whilst the Jazz don't look good enough to make the 8 seed in either conference. I guess that's what happens when you play Shelvin Mack too much! 

NBA E. Coli free picks!

WOOO!! Took a nice day off yesterday and let Nutz handle the picks so I could find my mojo. Good news, I found it!! Lets roll some picks!!

BKN -7 vs. PHI

Philly brought in Colangelo to turn this franchise around and what do they do?? Go out and get BLOWED out by 51 points by the Spurs, who were resting most of their star players!!! Unbelievable. I'm assuming Jerry had to have himself a nice tall glass of whiskey followed by two ambien after witnessing that performance. Now usually when a team gets mauled like that, I would say something like, these guys are pros they will rebound next game. But, we are talking about a team that has maybe four pros, maybe...Brooklyn on the other hand has really only had success against Houston (2-0), but a visit from the Sixers is always a nice way to spend a Thursday night.

LAC -1.5 vs. CHI

A tale of two franchises with complete opposite seasons so far. Chicago started out hot and have recently gone ice cold especially in the fourth quarter as Jimmy Butler is their only reliable scoring option. The Clippers started slow and really went downhill after blowing a game against the Warriors, but of late seemed to have a rhythm and are back to doing things that we expect from Lob City. A big key to their success has been a healthy JJ Reddick who really helps spread the floor for their big men to operate in the paint.

ATL +7.5 vs. OKC

People are really sleeping on what a terrific season Kevin Durant is having shooting the basketball, mostly because Steph Curry is having the best season of all time across the country. With that being said this is a terrible match up for the Thunder, because the Hawks have the guards to match up and slow down the duo of Westbrook/Durant. Last time they played, Jeff Teague took over down the stretch and propelled Atlanta to 106-100 victory, and don't be surprised if we see a repeat effort in this one.

NYK vs. SAC -6

This is me completely selling off all my Knicks stock and burning all of my gear. After teasing me earlier this season by looking like a competent team, the Knicks have lost 7 of 9 and most haven't been competitive. My guess is they need a coaching change as it is very clear Fisher isn't ready to be a professional coach, and Phil Jackson needs to go back to his farm in Montana and smoke peyote. I genuinely don't like laying this many points to a team as bipolar as the Kings, but it will have to do

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 Friday Freak Fest

BKN +3.5 vs. NYK

NYC is in for a big weekend with tonight's match up in the Garden; followed by the Jets and Giants squaring off at Metlife on Sunday to decide once and for all which franchises truly own the Big Apple. Alright, so maybe that applies a little more in the NFL than the NBA since they play all the time, but either way the one thing we can all agree on is the NHL again dropped the ball (puck) by not scheduling the Rangers/Islanders to make this a three league effort. Oh well NHL, have fun fighting the MLS for that fourth spot in the pro league power rankings the rest of the season. Love grabbing the points here, Brooklyn is a surprisingly feisty team currently riding a 2 game win streak against a Knicks team that is equally hit or miss on any given night. Whenever you have a toss up game you have to take the points, especially when that game is a battle of New York supremacy and it features twin brothers (Robin and Brook Lopez) starting on opposite teams.

MIL +6.5 vs. DET

You know if given this many points in a game featuring two teams that are basically the same I am forced to take it. It's like when you give a dog a piece of meat; it doesn't matter if that dog just finished off a double steak bowl with extra guacamole from Chipotle, he's gonna eat the meat. The Bucks are way better on paper than they are on the floor, but they should be able to do enough to keep this game close against a very top heavy Detroit squad.

HOU +5.5 vs. DAL

If you take the records out of the equation here and based this squad on the talent each team has, Houston would be favored by at least 4 or 5 points. I just don't think Dallas has the legs to be able to grind out a victory here. I'll tell you how this game is going to go. Dallas comes out firing and opens up a huge lead in the first half, only for that horrible Houston offense of James Harden driving to the basketball and throwing his hands in the air leading to 30 free throws for him in the second half as they come back and win by 4 in the end. Its not going to be pretty, but it will get the job done, like a chicken burrito with no guac from Chipotle (we aren't even sponsored by Chipotle, I'm just really hungry).

CLE -4.5 vs. NOP

We switched our game up recently and started throwing one chalk pick in with our usual points grab just to balance things out and fluff up the overall record. Most nights, including yesterday, we end up going 3-1 which looks way better than the 2-1 that was the norm for the first few months of the season. Tonight the chalk pick is the NBA present against the NBA future; aka the match up between LeBron and Anthony Davis. And while they won't guard each other on the floor, you can bet their legacies will be measured against one another for the rest of eternity. The Cavs are coming off a game where LeBron turned the ball over 9 times and you know he won't let that happen again, especially against a weak back court like New Orleans. The Pelicans have gotten healthier lately with the return of Tyreke Evans, but they aren't close to being back to the team that snagged the 8th seed last season. Grab the points and watch LeBron do to Davis; what Kobe used to do the King, tell him "look here young blood, it ain't quite your time to run the league" maybe next year for the Brow

NBA on TNT picks

OKC vs. MIA +3.5

If you listen to the podcast, you would know that Brandon and I are not very high on this Thunder team. Sure they have two of the best seven players in the league, which is usually enough to be considered a title contender right? Unfortunately for the good people of Oklahoma the rest of their team is so bad that it might not matter come playoff time. They are desperate for a third scorer to step up and no one seems interested in filling the spot. They were in such a bad place this off-season that they had to match a ridiculous contract offer to Enes Kanter even though he isn't a great fit for them. This has basically become a bad relationship where the guy (Thunder front office) goes out and buys a mangy puppy (Enes Kanter) in order to stop the girlfriend from leaving (Kevin Durant). Well, it ain't working OKC, maybe you should have gotten a hamster or something. Also this old, veteran Miami team only shows up for big games, and there aren't much bigger than OKC on TNT.

ORL +4 vs. UTA

The Magic have to the biggest surprise in the league thus far. Everyone knew they had the talent, and if they could just find a coach who get the most out of them they would be off and running. Well, they have a good coach in notorious hard ass Scott Skiles, who has implemented his no nonsense approach and instilled discipline in a squad that desperately needed a identity. Now they seem to have it as a defensive grind squad that does just enough offensively to win ball games. Also Evan Fournier has taken the leap from unknown foreign bench player who ran through models like candy bars (I'm assuming) to a most improved player of the year candidate. On the Utah side, their identity just hurt his knee and will be out indefinitely in Rudy Gobert. Enough for me to take the points on this one.

SAS -2.5 vs. MEM

I hate everything about this line, the Spurs should be favored by at least 8 points here. The only thing I could think as to why Memphis is given a shot in this game, is because the Spurs don't have the big man to slow down Marc Gasol who might go off for 35 and 15. But did you see what San Antonio did to the Bucks last night?? They held them to 70 points total, and I would argue that Memphis has way less talent than Waukee does, and the Bucks suck. 

SAC +1.5 vs. BOS

I hope for the sake of this pick that someone tells DeMarcus the Kings are underdogs against the Boston Celtics at home, because Boogie would be very pissed off, if he knows what a spread is that is. Either way I think against the undersized Celtics, DeMarcus has a monster game, and the league leader in assists Rajon Rondo shows the Boston faithful what they lost when they traded him to Dallas last season.

NBA King Kristaps Picks

ORL +8.5 vs CLE

This line could end up going really bad for both me and Orlando. LeBron seems to be super motivated by what the Warriors are doing down in San Fran, and despite major loss to injury already this season, the Cavs are playing a premiere level. Meanwhile the Magic are learning the hard way that Scott Skiles is not messing around and I believe almost every major player on this team has found themselves on the bench in the fourth quarter this season. I'm going to take my chances with a depleted Cavs team, but this is by no means a lock.

SAC +4 vs CHA

I have no idea how the Kings were able to turn it around after getting off to a horrible start the first ten games. George Karl and Cousins have a very strange love/hate relationship; where they get in to fights constantly, but it seems like they respect what each other bring to the table. Well, at least Karl does, it's unknown if Boogie respects anyone ever. Look for the Boogie train to have a monster of a game tonight against a slow, getting older by the day Al Jefferson.

NYK +4.5 vs MIA

Uh oh!! You know you've made it big time when opposing teams are calling you out before the game. So welcome to the show Porzingis!! The Heat came out and said lets see how he does when a team actually guards him, which is both a shot at the Zinger and all the other teams in the league apparently. Because of all this extra attention paid to shutting down the Zinger, tonight is the night Melo goes off for close to 50 against the team  that should trade for him before the end of the season. Maybe tonight's masterpiece of Melo will be enough to convince Riley to pull the trigger. Either way, Knicks win this game and the Zing train rolls on.

NBA Pod & Picks

The Spread is up for this week! Rob and Brandon break down the early NBA storylines. How good are the Warriors? What's wrong with Houston? Way too early playoff predictions, hot takes and more this week on The Spread!




MIL +3 vs WAS

Word on the street is Bradley Beal will probably miss tonight's game as he is still nursing an injured shoulder. Either way grabbing the points here with Waukee is a good call. Bucks are coming off a hard fought win against the Cavaliers and should be able to translate those positive vibes into a win against the Wizards in chocolate city.

DEN +6 vs NOP
I made the mistake of betting the over the other night when the Nuggets played the Suns, and then watched Jameer Nelson jack up terrible three after terrible three en route to a thirty point blowout loss. You know what helps a team get their confidence back? Playing the always injured lineup that the Pelicans like to trot out. Sure Anthony Davis is playing really well like he was supposed to do, but he is not getting any help, at all...zero. Take the points here.


TOR +10 vs GSW
Upset pick of the day!!! If you listen to the podcast you already know this is my upset special of the day (if you don't, click the link below and treat yourself to some aural pleasure). The Warriors should have lost to the Nets a few nights ago and tonight definitely has the feel of a letdown game for the Dubs. If the Raptors can get just enough defensively out of Kyle Lowry and Demarre Carroll they should have enough to do the unthinkable and beat the Warriors on their home floor no less!!

NBA Weekend Money Grab

MIN +7 vs IND

Love absolutely everything about this Wolves team. Missing Rubio is definitely affecting them because they are forced to play Andre Miller heavy minutes when he should have retired four years ago. Wiggins has made the leap though, and getting this many points against a team that struggles to score? Sign me up.

NYK +6.5 vs CLE

If you ever find me on a street corner begging for money, it's because I have a hard time separating my love of New York sports teams and actual good bets. Lost big on the Jets last night and am just crazy (or stupid) enough to double up on the Knicks against the defending eastern conference champs. Spare some change?

NOP +9.5 vs TOR

Imagine if the Pelicans actually fielded a complete line up on a night to night basis? Might they have a shot at the 8th seed. Yep. Would Anthony Davis look like the MVP candidate he is rather than the guy having to do too much for a undermanned team? Yep. Oh well. Stupid bet here, but I'm grabbing points on the brow.

NBA FRIDAY!

LAL +3.5 vs BKN

The only team not worth watching this season  is the Nets. They might have the bleakest outlook of any team long term...and the short term isn't much brighter. I fully expect Lopez and Johnson to be traded at some point in the season, because this team isn't close to contention even in the East. The Lakers on the other hand are stacked with a few promising young guns and one cranky old superstar that just needs to hang it up already. They are at leas fun to watch, and that is basically the only reason I'm grabbing the points here.

DET +4.5 vs PHX

A game that I will be sitting second row at in less than 6 hours!! So excited to watch the monster that is Andre Drummond unleashed on the suspect Suns front line. The Suns could very easily win this game, but I expect it to be close enough that 4.5 should be an easy cover.

DEN +17.5 vs GSW

Just too many damn points!!! Sure it's the Warriors against a team that desperately wants to be the Warriors but doesn't have the talent..but still. Too many damn points.

NBA season opener

CLE +4 vs. CHI

The King getting points on opening night?? Yes, please!!! LeBron already said how excited he is to play in front of the POTUS and you know when the King is excited he likes to put on a show. I expect the Cavs to put this one away easy.

DET (+7) vs. ATL

One of these teams getting points is bound to shit the bed and lose by 15...chances are it is going to be the Pistons. Love Van Gundy, love this roster, but it's probably to early to expect them to do well against a team that obliterated the East last season. Proceed with caution on this pick.

NO (+9.5) vs GSW

My favorite line of the night and the game I am most excited to watch!!! Sure Anthony Davis and this roster is going to make the Cavs team that made the finals last year look like the 2002 Red Wings, but Anthony Davis!! Dude took a huge leap last year and is only expected to get better. Look for his coming out party to be the biggest one that has ever hit San Francisco...wait a second, maybe not. But the Pels definitely cover. 

NBA Finals Game 4

GSW vs. CLE (+3)

The Cavs are up 2-1 in this series, but if you watch SportsCenter or listen to ESPN radio you would probably think the Warriors are up 3-0!! LeBron is literally having an all time great series, not just for an NBA player, but for any athlete in the history of organized sports. The dude is absolutely obliterating the Dubs, and has taken 2 of 3 games to prove it. Sure these games have been closer than they probably should of in the end and the Warriors are absolutely terrifying anytime they take the court mostly due to the shooting prowess of the Splash bros. BUT THE CAVS ARE UP 2-1!! Give them some credit here. LeBron is playing out of his gourd, his supporting cast is playing excellent d and Delly is playing way above his pay grade. Yet the Warriors are still giving three points?? No way. This is one of those prove it lines, until I see some leadership and an all around performance from the Warriors, I have to keep rolling the Cavaliers. Oh by the way, its at home....Cavs win by 20.

NBA Finals Game 3

GS (-1.5) at CLE 

This NBA finals has been one for the ages thus  far (not really), but as far as gambling goes, one of the most predictable. People were hyped into a game one upset pick before the series started which resulted in an easy Warriors pick and cover. Game 2 saw the national media picking Golden State to win by 40 because Kyrie Irving was out. You literally couldn't watch ESPN or listen to a podcast without hearing how bad the Cavs would be. Game 3 has less of an obvious tell, but I think this will be the game Golden State finally starts to come around. The Warriors came out flat in game one probably because of nerves and sucked in game 2 because they thought it would be a cake walk. Not today. They're going to come out and play like the best team in basketball. LeBron is going to turn in a turnover heavy game tonight so expect a shit ton of fast break points. Mark it down chief. 

Cavs vs Hawks

CLE +1.5 vs ATL

I made the mistake the other night of betting against Cleveland, and then I watched JR Smiff hit some of the dumbest shots in the history of organized basketball. While I don't expect JR to replicate his astonishing game 1 feats, I actually expect a better team performance from the Cavs. Throw in that Demarre Carroll won't be hounding LeBron all night, and you have a recipe for a 2-0 Cavs lead heading back to the mistake by the lake.

NBA Playoffs Round Two

NBA Round 2

CHI vs. CLE (-4)

Catz: Yeah I get general public, Kevin Love is out for the rest of the playoffs. I know it, you know it, the rest of the NBA knows it. You know who else knows it? LeBron James. Who is LeBron James you ask? He's only the best player in the NBA over the last twenty years (fuck you Mamba) and he's been spending his week hearing the same nonsense over and over again. How are the Cavs possibly going to win a title without K Love knockin down triples and grabbing boards?? Well I spoke to LeBron (editors note: he didn't [Real editor's note: that wasn't a real editor's not, just Catz]) and he said "Shit, I dragged a sorry Heat team to the last four finals in a row, you think I'm worried about some bitch ass D Rose with his glass knees??" So there you have it. If the King feels comfortable telling me that in a private interview (editors note: again, he's never talked to LeBron [Again, not a real editor's note]), I feel comfortable taking the Cavs as four point favorites.

 

Nutz: I totally agree with Catz here. I love Thibs, but the Bulls aren't the juggernaut everyone though they would be. D Rose is due for an injury and Joakim Noah is being held together with duct tape at the moment. The only issue the Cavs will have is with Pau dominating Cleveland's interior D. Kyrie has a chance to really fuck things up if he plays with a "K Love is out, I gotta do twice as much work!" attitude, but I think he's reigned things in. Oh, and is David Blatt a really good coach? Might be time to start the convo.

LAC vs. HOU (-6)

Catz: Chris Paul is questionable for this game!! Lets just put it this way, if the Clippers are forced to play Austin Rivers more than 15 minutes this game (and they probably will have to) this game is going to be a blowout win for Houston. Plus the Clippers are exhausted after a tough game seven win over the defending champs; while the Rockets are rested, healthy and ready to bang.

Nutz: I hate Doc Rivers. His constant complaining and dramatic statements are annoying as hell, not to mention he might not be a good coach. He hasn't won shit since Thibs left and he was bailed out by the best PG of the last 15 years to beat the Spurs. The Clips have been relying on Matt Barnes and Big Baby a little too much. Harden is going to be LIVID that he didn't win the MVP. Look for Deandre to foul out early and Harden to go for 55 tonight. 

SOOOoooOooOOOoOOOPer Sunday Picks!

After rebounding fairly well last night (2-1), I've decided to stop telling my followers to go against whatever picks I make in order to win. With that being said, don't be mad if you end up taking out that second mortgage on your home because of the Bobcat.

IND at CLE (+5.5) (WINNER!)
The rational NBA fan looks at this game, sees the Pacers at the top of the Eastern Conference and the Cavs at the bottom. Easy pick right? Well don't be so quick there skippy, the Pacers are one of the worst teams at covering spreads despite their overall record. They consistently let teams not named the Heat hang around and have rarely blown teams out. On the flip side the Cavs front office has to have noticed that the Waiters/Irving combo is not going to work going forward. Each guard plays noticeably better when the other one sits, and if you don't think they regret not taking Oladipo this past summer then you don't know the NBA. Expect that Cavs to keep this one close even though it scares the shit out of me to back a team that can't even make the playoffs in the Leastern conference.

MIN (+4) at BK (L)

You know the old saying; fool me once shame on me, fool me twice, fuck Sugar (sorry bud). I've consistently gotten my picks for and against the Nets wrong. Either I back them because I acknowledge they are a solid ten man team and they get blown out at home, or I say I can't support a team that starts Shaun Livingston at shooting guard and they beat the Heat three times in a season! Seriously there is no winning when it comes to picking Nets spreads. So if I were you I would go to a bank, take out a loan for 35,000g's and place it all on the Nets, because this pick is sure to come back and bite me in the ass. If you still want to pick the Wolves just know that in my upcoming article on the ten biggest disappointments of the NBA season I have Ricky Rubio ranked seventh. Good luck out there! 

TOR (-4.5) at ORL (WINNER!)
This line looks a little too low for my liking that makes me think Vegas is just waiting for people to jump all over the Raptors only to watch them get blown out by thirty. However we have had success backing the Raptors all season and I'm not going to stop now. Look for Kyle Lowry to put on a clinic for rookie of the year candidate Victor Oladipo as the Raptors win big in the Magic kingdom.


BJ's Bonus Grind Pick

Memphis @ Portland (Under 189) (L)
Both teams are fighting for their playoff lives right now. I expect a nice Grit n Grind type of game from Memphis, while Portland goes to its bread and butter of LaMarcula (He'll suck the life out of your defense!!) in the post. Portland likes to get up and down and give up a shit ton of points, but I think their will be a limited amount of possessions. Either way, Bread n Butter vs Grit n Grind should be awesome!