NBA Top 3 Locks Wednesday

PHI +7.5 vs ORL

Have you seen the Sixers play lately?? Ever since they traded for Ish Smith they actually have a competent NBA team on a nightly basis! It's insane what a few veteran players will do for a squad isn't it?? Love this line for two reasons; the Magic don't blow anyone out and the Sixers are 4-8 since trading for Ish!! Taking these points all day, and wouldn't be surprised if Philly pulls the upset.

OKC -9.5 vs CHA

The Hornets were able to turn things around on MLK after a two week long nose dive, but that only happened in double OT and Kemba had to drop 52!! Tonight they get to see what a real basketball team looks like in the Thunder. Rus and KD continue to be two of 5 best players in the league and the rest of their shitty role players haven't looked nearly as shitty of late. Thunder win this one in a rout.

CHI +7 vs GSW

Hopefully the Bulls are able to show that an eastern conference contender can actually execute down the stretch, sorry Bron. Dubs had everything and then some go right against Cleveland, look for them to take a step back and lose a close one tonight in Chi town.

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 Tuesday

WAS +5.5 vs OKC

It's the return of KD to the city that he helped build! That's right the nations capital, that wouldn't be here if not for Mr. former MVP. Though all the talk tonight is going to be about his chances of returning home after the end of the season, what they should be talkin about is the Wizards backcourt. Sure, they need to cut down on some turnovers, but these guys have been playing really well all season. The backcourt of Wall/Beal combine for 60 as the Wizards out play the Thunder in DC.

UTAH +6 vs CLE

For whatever reason Gordon Hayward plays really well whenever he plays against LeBron. Inevitably it always leads to the "has Hayward arrived??" convo on ESPN; followed by average output the rest of the season for Gordon. But at least it's fun to talk about for a few days. Plus Cleveland is on a mean heater right now...they have to be due for a confusing loss soon.

NYK +8 vs TOR

First off I owe Kristaps Porzingis's family and friends an apology. I thought he was going to be terrible. I really never expected him to do much of anything at all in the league and figured he would be back in Europe come February. Today he is averaging 12 and 9!! And looks like he legitimately belongs in an NBA rotation. So in honor of the Zinger...I'm taking the Knicks tonight.

MIN +2 vs CHA

Weird line alert!! Wolves are clearly the better team which is a line no one would have said at the beginning of the season. Wiggins is playing at a very high level, coming off of back to back 30 point games and the rest of the team is playing up to their potential. They have beaten legitimate good teams, don't be surprised if this one isn't even close.

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! 

Monday Macho Madness!

POR (+2.5) @ WAS
Catz does not like this line and that's fair. Portland is certainly a good team, but good enough to beat a Washington that has started to come together after collapsing post All-Star Break? I'm not too sure myself, but when these situations arise, I look at two things: 1) Conference: The Blazers are 24-14 against the West this year on their way to 44 total wins thus far. That is impressive considering the injuries to the PDX roster. 2) Point Discrepancy: Not a very telling stat anymore with all the analytics out there, but still useful. The Blazers are +5 points while the Wizards are barely hanging in there at +1.4. The Wiz have a knack for playing and winning close games, so this one should be a close, playoff environment type of game.

TOR (+5.5) @ IND
This is probably a trap game. I've been all over Toronto since last year, but this year, eh. They have cooled recently and when you take a look at their numbers, something just ain't right. The Raptors are a pitiful 15-20 against teams with a record above .500. 8 teams in the West top that record. Indiana is in the same boat, but they also weren't expected to win shit this year. Either way, 5.5 is too much for Toronto and I think something wonky is going on with Roy Hibbert. ROLL IT!


ATL @ SAC (+5)
This makes me more uncomfortable than leaving my girlfriend in a room with Bill Cosby! Sac Town was BLOWN THE FUCK OUT by Atlanta last week, but Catz brought up a good point. Atlanta is going to be playing Golden State tomorrow or some shit, so they basically don't care about this game. Roll the big Sac!

CHA (+5) vs. UTAH

I know the Jazz have recently become the Seahawks of the NBA with a whole slew of "Johnny come lately" fanz showing up right when the team gets hot and all of a sudden everyone has been down with Rudy Gobert from the beginning. But your boy B Catz isn't quite ready to drink the Jazz kool aid quite yet, especially with the return of Kemba giving the Hornets a boost when they were already playing well. 5 points is way too many points in this one and the Jazz are due for a letdown after their recent hot streak. HORNETZ ALL DAY!

LAL (+18) vs. GSW

This is easily the highest line I've personally seen all year. Based on that principle alone I have to roll it, HAVE TO!! Sure the Lakers are probably going to get smoked out by a Warriors team that's rested and hungry, but they also play Atlanta tomorrow night, so I am expecting them to look past the Lakers just enough to let this line cover. 12 point Warriors win.

OKC (+5.5) vs. DAL

Don't care if they are playing the Monstars or the Globetrotters anytime Rustle, Hustle, and Man-Muscle Wesbtrook (thanks Simmons and Cousin Sal) is getting points, I have to take it. Westy has been a triple double machine as of late, and while KD is expected to miss another week or so, there is no reason to expect his production to slip. Plus if his fuckin teammates could actually hit shots he would have easily had a triple double last game. Thunder not only cover, they win this game outright.

NBA and NHL Tuesday Night

2014-15 NBA Record: 20-15

Mr. Nutz:

OKC @ MIL (-3)

I'm sorry if I'm beating a dead centaur here, but I hate the Oklahoma City Thunder. Especially when they don't have the leagues most valuable player with no real position, Russell Westbrook. The Thunder are relying on Reggie Jackson, HEAVILY, along with Sebastian Telfair and Serge Ibaka. I don't care, just take the points every night from here on out. The Bucks have a Greek Freak who coach Jason Kidd told to be "more aggressive" after he put up a career high 18 points last week. Let's not forget, Jabari Parker is due for a 35 point game and I think tonight is the night. After Larry Sanders knocks Serge Ibaka out with a bottle of Ciroc, I think this one will be over for the Thunder. 

CHA @ POR (-7.5)

I have been all aboard the "bet on Portland to win/cover at home" train for a while now and it is paying off. The Blazers feed off of their hipster, microbrew sipping, passive-agressive fans and have a very deep, talented roster. With two legit stars and a supporting cast that can hang with some starting fives in the league, the Blazers have been criminally underrated for a while now. Tonight they take on the Hornets, which is the team that has Kemba and Lance (Right....? Let me check.....Yep). The Hornets just dropped a terrible one to the Lakers on Sunday and I don't think they're ready for this West Coast swing. Nic Batum should have a very steady game tonight to compensate for the 35-19 Al Jefferson will be putting up. Keep riding the Blaze train!

SAS @ GS (-7.5) 

How easy is it to say, "The Spurs are getting SEVEN points?!!! Sign em up! Cash it!" tonight? Very, very easy. So easy, in fact, that I absolutely refuse to do it. I love the Spurs and was super pumped that they won the title last year, but they are not into full season swing right now. As a lot of people have done before, I compare them to the New England Patriots. They take a few weeks to figure things out, people start freaking out and BAM, they flip the switch and dominate the regular season. They aren't there yet and Pop is damn sure not going to send his guys out there to ball out in an early November game on a back-to-back. Some guys will be sitting, or there will be very limited minutes. The Warriors have been awesome this year and I expect them to kill it tonight.

Catz:

ORL (+10.5) vs. Toronto

This was a last second flip-flop that my editor is probably going to get pretty upset about. I just had to admit to both myself and to the loyal readers of Dirty Picks that I am not sold on the Raptors quite yet. I think they have totally over-achieved thus far and are due to come back towards the pack eventually. Well, eventually starts tonight. The Magic are not a good team, I repeat, the Magic are not even a decent team. They are probably one of the worst three teams in the league, playing on the road. This pick makes no sense, that's why you have to roll it!! Sit on the edge of your seat as Aaron Gordon jacks up awkward looking jumpers from the elbow, clanging enough bricks to build a house three little piggies could live in! This is a ballsy pick that if you are smart you may want to throw in a teaser with the Memphis game to ensure a cover.

LAL vs. MEM (-10)

GRINDHOUSE!!! This is my crush team of the season so far, even surpassing my hometown PHX Suns. I love the way they muck up the paint and force teams to do things that they are not comfortable doing. If they can get even a decent amount of scoring from their role players, they are going to be more than okay. This Lakers team on the other side? They suck. They got lucky last night playing against a terrible road team and were barely able to squeeze a win out of that. Tonight? Not so lucky, this one is going to be a defensive clinic as the Grizz force the Lakers into shooting an astonishing 25% from the floor!!

SAC (+6.5) vs. Dallas

The Kings so far this season have not fucked me. That's huge. I am going to keep riding them until they fuck me, much like the strategy I had with the Cavs until they busted that wide open last night. But, the Kings have done enough to retain my trust for now, and I will keep riding them until they screw me.

Sugar's Super Sweet Hockey Lockz

Minnesota (-125) @ New Jersey

New Jersey is having problems finishing games right now.  They have held leads in both of their last 2 games and lost.  My fellow writer BJ AKA Mr. Nutz would like you to believe that 'Sota is the real deal this year.  While I'm hesitant to acknowledge that, largely because they compete in the West, I do think they are superior to almost every Eastern Conference team.  Minnesota on the road.

Colorado @ NY Islanders (-140)

I never bought into the little fling of the islanders being some elite level team.  This isn't the MLB; teams don't go from garbage to elite over a summer.  Except Colorado last year which was all a big misunderstanding. (See current NHL standings). I think the Isles are solid at home though. Watch for Tavares to snip one bar south.

Pittsburgh @ NY Rangers 

OVER 5.5 (EVEN)

This games got OVER graffiti'd all over it.  The Cros show vs Rick Nash and Company? Please. It's free money.  Watch for Malkin to bury, Crosby to have probably 3 assists and a goal while Rick Nash scores 2 or 3 or 4.

Columbus @ Washington (-200)

Honestly I feel bad for the Jackets.  They're suffering from an injury problem that I really haven't seen before in the NHL. Oh wait just kidding yes I have, last year. The Detroit Red Wings went through the same if not worse injury problems and still made playoffs.  Figure it the fuck out Columbus. Stop sucking.  Most likely they won't read the DP blog before their game tonight (their mistake), won't get that message and will still play like a junior team tonight.  Caps roll at home in a much needed confidence booster.

Winnipeg @ Montreal 

UNDER 5 (EVEN)

I don't really know what this Jets' team is all about. They started off horrible then randomly went off a 6 game win streak and took down some of the best teams in the league.  The common theme with their games though is they hold the other team to 1 or 0 goals.  With Montreal struggling to puck the biscuit in the basket I think the under is solid here.

San Jose (-155) @ Florida

Do I really need to sell you on this pick?

Edmonton @ Nashville (-190)

Nashville is solid.  They're veteran led with a good group of young guns.  Edmonton is Edmonton. I think the Preds roll at home. Watch for Mike Fish(er) to bury one and point to his celeb wife, Carrie Underwood, in the crowd.

Dallas (-120) @ Arizona

Dallas is good. Arizona isn't. That's really all there is.

Sizzlin' Saturday Picks

NBA Pick

Remember a couple days ago when I said the Spurs were "DONE" as in D-O-N-E take it out of the over before it catches on fire DONE? Yeah, well I was still right. The Spurs are DONE and no amount of reverse jinxing I do can fix that. They have no way of containing the athleticism and chaos of the Thunder 2 more games. I don't expect much from Scott Brooks, but I do expect less Kendrick Perkins tonight. More than likely Pop will pull his guys in the 3rd quarter and try to get the win at home. 

But then I remember how much I hate the Thunder. 

Things like "Kendrick Perkins usually starts" and "Kevin Durant is our best player" start creeping in my mind and I realize the Thunder don't even know who they are! Through sheer power, luck and Dark African Magic, the Thunder have somehow found themselves on the doorstep to the Finals. Knowing that this team doesn't make Russell Westbrook the first scoring option and face of the franchise is baffling to me, especially when KD is standing sadly in the corner waiting for the ball like a pre schooler who just dropped his cupcake. 

The Spurs have it all figured out (what we're supposed to think). Their lineup is like some sort of Animorph or Transformer that can change to attack whatever the defense throws at them. They have the best coach in basketball (maybe in Pro Sports), never satisfied and always looking for ways to improve. Unlike OKC, they realize when their Star (Timmy Big D Duncan) is no longer the on-court star he once was. So they leave Tim as the billboard star while running everything through Tony Parker. This organization deserves another shot at the title and I think they get it tonight when they close out the Thunder in front of their morbidly obese fan base. This series has been somewhat boring in the sense that these games are blowouts, but if theirs any team that can steady the boat on the road, it's the Spurs. 

San Antonio Spurs (+3) at OKC Thunder (OVER 206.5) (WINNERx2)

Free Thursday Picks

NHL Pick

Montreal @ New York (-185) (WINNER!)

The last game between these two was one of the most exciting games of these playoffs.  The Habs came out on top in what was a high scoring affair. Montreal now faces the daunting task of playing in The Garden in a must win situation. My pick is the Rangers. They've looked solid for most of this series and have only really been beaten one time. (The other loss was in overtime on a flakey goal.) I have no idea what happened to King Henrik last game but he was not himself. Tonight's a new night though and I'm sure the Lundqvist we all know will be back between the pipes. Rangers roll at home and head to the finals. 

NBA Picks

OKC (+5) at San Antonio (UNDER 206.5) (L) (WINNER!)

I buried the Spurs in my last article, and I'm going to do it here again. They are not built to beat the OKC Thunder, and the problem comes with the second best active NBA player being on the court. That's right, Russell Westbrook is going to make sure the Thunder win this series and head back to the finals. You can point the Spurs being rested (they were getting blown the fuck out, let's not forget that) or going back home, but that doesn't really matter to a veteran team like San Antonio. A young team, like the Thunder or the Suns can feed off a crowd's energy and use those momentum swings to win games. The Spurs are far beyond that and can perform away from home just as well as they can perform at home, look at the Portland series. This series is over and maybe it won't be tonight, but the Thunder have this one in hand. Look for Russ and his trusty sidekick KD to put this one away, tonight, shocking everyone but me. 

The End of An Era

A Dy-Nasty No More

SA at OKC (-2.5) (UNDER 207.5)
I hate the Thunder. You should know this by now, guy that reads mildly popular, random blogs on the internet. As soon as Serge Ibaka returned from his "injury" I knew the Spurs were DONE. That's right, the Spurs dynasty has come to a close in the most ironic way possible. For all their team ball, pass first mentality, it's an out of control point guard and a once in a lifetime scorer killing them. For all the great coaching and exploiting weaknesses, they can't find a way to exploit mismatches in the post. Last, but not least, for all the quiet, no nonsense monotony, it's the wild, explosive and energy driven dynamism that has really exposed the Spurs. When it comes down to it, Tony Parker can't beat Russell Westbrook and neither could Chris Paul. Tim Duncan can't take over a game and score 40 anymore. Manu Ginobli, once very much like Westbrook where you would have to take the good with the bad, is less good now and a little more bad (probably 65/35). When you couple that with the Spurs lack of athleticism beyond Kawhi Leonard, the writing is on the wall.

I really don't want to believe anything I just wrote, and hopefully I'm wrong, but these perennial greats always have some foil that ruins everything! Look at the Patriots: Basically the same team, same rules, same result. They looked unbeatable, like some machine of a franchise that did everything right. UNTIL THEY PLAYED THE JETS. Seriously?! The Jets and Mark Sanchez?! Something about that team shut the machine down and stopped the march to greatness. Hell, throw the Giants in there too! The Spurs just can't do it. The Thunder are too quick to close out, they have too much length and create too many chaotic situations for the Spurs. San Antonio relies on instinct, chemistry and smarts to make up for shortcomings, but when Westbrook decides to take on a double team and not pass to Durant in the corner, there's no "smart" play! At that point, you need to match the athleticism to weather the chaos. I love Pop and the Spurs, but unfortunately, I think this is it. Serge "The Spurs Killer" has swung this one.
Ibaka

NBA Playoff Winners

OKC (+4) at LAC over 213.5  (WINNER!) (WINNER!)

I will be real honest with you folks out there, this is not a pick that I would "bet the house on". This series is a tough one to call as these two teams are pretty evenly matched. It is hard to say if the post Durant MVP speech will wear off tonight and the Clippers from game 1 show up, or if we see near triple doubles from both Westbrook and Durant again. I am going to side the Thunder for this game and hope that it does not bite me in the ass. Really I am just backing Hustle Westbrook here and hoping that he brings a huge game and not one of those classic, "fuck everyone else I got this shit even though I have one of the best players in the league on my team" games. Clips and Thunder engage in quite a fun scoring romp, which ultimately I think that the Thunder win, possibly even a double OT, instant classic thriller.

IND at WAS (-4) (UNDER 184) (L) (WINNER!)
Now this right here is a tough pick! People love the Wiz in this series and have written of the Pacers, for good reason. Are we supposed to believe that the Pacers are "back" now that they won a game on the road against a solid opponent? Is the Andrew Bynum stink gone, or still lingering in the nostrils of every man in that locker room? For Catz and I, this is an easy pick. The Pacers need to win 2 games in a row against a team that is over .500 to be respected again. Expect a horrible let down game from the Pacers in which they score 81 points. 

BONUS AFL PICK!!!

PITT at SPOKANE (+3.5) under 97.5

I am not really sure why the line setters out there think that this Pitt team can travel up into the frozen tundra hell hole that is Spokane and win this game, but apparently they do. I will happily take the Shock and watch them teach Pitt a thing or two about playing in the Arena League. I do think however, that despite the offensive fire power of the Shock that Pitt is able to keep this game under 97.5 points. Shock win, Pitts D and effort keep it under 97.5.

Dirty NBA Playoff Picks

LAC (+5) at OKC (UNDER 215) (L) (WINNER!)
This game definitely has a lot of OKC showing up and Durant celebrating his MVP with a huge blowout win potential. But I just can't wrap my head around the game swinging that drastically in the other direction. Do I think CP3 hits 8 threes and goes 12-14? No way, but the Thunder are not five points better than Lob City. Don't be surprised if this game turns in to a grind it out, slow it down possession based game that keeps it under 215 combined points. 

WAS (+4.5) at IND (UNDER 187) (WINNER!) (WINNER!)
Usually in this situation, we would advise you to go with the team that has been catching flack for the past few days. Usually in this situation, we would say, the Wizards are everyone's favorite team all of a sudden and that's bad for the ego. USUALLY, we would tell you that this game os set up for an epic Pacers bounce back where they hold the Wiz to 75 points. WELL, that ain't happenin. We've been waiting the entire playoffs for the Pacers to play like a playoff team and things just seem to get worse and worse. Tonight. Expect a close, defensive battle where the Wiz easily cover 4.5 and maybe lose. This series isn't over, but if the Wiz win tonight, they're going to take the Pacers home and go to town on them like a Greg Oden slampiece. 

NBA Picks

NBA Round 2

WAS (+4) at IND (UNDER 183.5) (WINNER!) (L)
The Washington professional basketball team rolls into Indiana tonight looking to set the tone of this series. I'll tell you what, the Pacers better have woken up, ate their big ole bowls of cereal and hit the stadium ready to play, because this Wizards are rested and ready to rock. The Wizards ripped through a defensive juggernaut in Chi Town, and the Pacers aren't that much different from Chicago. Seriously how are they going to cover John Wall? Put PG24 on him, so that Bradley Beal gets open jacks all night?? Good luck. I'm looking at a high scoring game by the Wiz in which could very well be a blowout game and maybe 80 points from the Pacers if they are lucky. 

LAC (+5) at OKC (UNDER 213) (WINNER!) (L)

The Clips are not 5 points worse than the Thunder. The key to this series is sadly going to be DeAndre Jordan. If DJ can stay in the game and hassle Westbrook at the rim, the Clips will be able to outshoot the Thunder.  Tonight, I think Doc Rivers keeps the Clips in it until the final possession. 

NBA Playoff Picks

The Catz Presents: Bizarro Playoff Picks

Yesterday, I tried to take control of my picks and put a ton of effort in, only to be rewarded with a 1-3 night. Well you know what playoffs? Fuck you. Today I'm gonna switch things up a little bit and give great reasoning on what I truly believe and then throw my pick in the opposite direction. Apparently my intuition is dead wrong this spring, so I'm gonna go completely against it (warning:this definitely means my intuition will be right today!).

IND at ATL (+2.5) (OVER 188) (L) (L)
My thoughts here were two-fold. One, there's no way that ATL takes two in a row in this game against a team that was 33-7 at one point right?? Pacers looked good in game 2, so why wouldn't they come out and turn it on in game 4? Second thought, well neither of these teams are offensive juggernauts (especially the Pacers) so it's absolutely stay under 188!! Take the Hawks (+2.5) and the over and watch the Pacers win by 50 in a 100-50 blowout.

SA at DAL (+3) (UNDER 200) (L)(WINNER!)
First off why is this series only on game 3? It feels like these times haven't played in three weeks, which is great for both teams because they are old as fuck. Now as far as the picks are concerned, San Antonio absolutely wins this game right? I mean it's the Spurs, no way does a decent Mavs team go up 2-1 on the 1-seed Spurs right?? Well they do today, and two of the best offenses in the NBA don't combine for 200 points! Do I believe this? Hell no, but we gotta hit a few knuckle-curves against the ace that is Vegas (a little baseball lingo for all the non-athletes out there).

MIA (-4.5) at CHA (OVER 187.5) (WINNER!) (L)
I've been on this Bobcats team all season like a frat boy on a drunken 18 year old freshmen at her first kegger. I really think they come out and give it their all at least one time this playoffs and steal one from the Heat before they lose the next two. Also these teams are known for their swarming defense and it definitely ends up 86-84 or something like that. So good luck with these two picks, they are terrible.


OKC at MEM (+3) (OVER 188.5) (P) (L)
This one might the worst pick I've made so far. There is absolutely no way the Grizzlies win 3 in a row against the MVP and his 2-seed Thunder team right? Even if they do manage to score the upset this game doesn't go into the high 90's right? Right??? Fuck me this is gonna be a rough day.

NBA Playoffs

NBA Wednesday Picks

After a long day of soul searching aka taking mushrooms and wandering around Joshua Tree for a day. Bobby Catz is back to give the people what they want. Some high quality NBA playoff picks

IND (-2) at ATL (OVER 186.5) (L) (L)

Atlanta played really well through six quarters of this series. Then in the second half of game 2, they got absolutely shit housed by the Pacers. While its still too early to anoint the Pacers as being back, Monday was the closest they have looked since January. Paul George will build on the momentum he was able to establish in game 2 and come out of the gates hot, putting this team on his back and carrying them to a game 3 victory. Don't think that won't make this game competitive and push the total under though. The Hawks can shoot the rock, and I expect a lot of points on both sides.

LAC (-2) at GSW (OVER 213.5) (P) (L)

The Clippers rebounded in a huge way to even this series at a game a piece. The biggest reason for that was the play of Blake Griffin, who was able to play more than 19 minutes this game. Look for this trend to continue as the Dubs have absolutely no answer for Griffin. However, unlike the last game I do expect this game to stay competitive throughout, pushing the combined total into the 215-230 range.

OKC at Memphis (+2.5) (OVER 189.5) (WINNER!) (WINNER!)

BJ: Consider my horn "tooted" after last nights gloryhole of a day! 5-1 in the NBA has been more rare around these parts than getting an in depth hockey analysis! First off, let me tell you that Catz had the reigns today and I pulled them away just to steal this pick. He really wanted to roll with the Thunder tonight and who can blame him? The Grizz looked throughly outmatched in game 1, and pulled one out of their bear asses 2 nights ago. But this is the grindhouse! The Thunder have to go in a play mistake free, physical basketball and everyone in the world is looking at that Thunder (-2) and saying, "2 points?!! That's it!" You're damn right, because this one is coming down to the wire, 10 seconds left on the clock, Grizz have a 96-95 lead, Westbrook gets the inbounds, screen from Ibaka, Durant crosses baseline and HE'S WIDE OPEN, WESTBROOK TAKES THE CONTESTED MID RANGE JUMPER THE GRIZZLIES WIN!!! 

NBA Playoff Picks

NBA Double Dip Monday

MEM at OKC (-350) under 190 (L) (L)
The Grizzlies looked very overmatched in game 1 against the Thunder. There is no reason this will change tonight as the Thunder look to take the 2-0 lead in the series before they head out to Memphis. Also I'm taking the under because I think this one is going to be even more of a defensive battle than the first matchup. Thunder win, Grizz struggle to score and keep this one under.

GSW at LAC (-420) over 212
In our second matchup we have the Warriors coming off a big game one victory looking to steal home court from the Clippers in this series. Blake Griffin fouled out in only 19 minutes in game one, something that absolutely can not happen tonight. I think the Clips make this a statement game and put on a clinic on scoring the basketball. Dubs give a good effort, but the Clips win and this one goes over.

Season Premier/Finale Sunday

Free NBA Picks

Wake up everybody!! It's the biggest night on television since that time they showed OJ eluding police in a white Bronco! Tonight is one of those bittersweet nights where one great thing ends, and another great thing starts in it's place. The conclusion of Shameless rolls onto Showtime tonight at 9ET and although this might be the weakest season they have had so far, historically the final episode is the gut punch/cliffhanger episode. While you are watching Fiona and Lip handle the Gallahger clan, make sure to record the two HBO premieres so you can watch them later. Game of Thrones has taken the nation by storm, and even if you read the books and know what's coming it's still exciting to watch it all play out and see what tweaks the HBO series will make to the source material. After that be sure to watch the new series from comedy legend creator Mike Judge (Office Space, King of the Hill) called Silicon Valley. I don't know that much about the premise of the show, but it stars two of my favorite comedians Kumail Nanjiani (side note: if you aren't listening to the Indoor Kids, you are fuckin up!) and Tj Miller. Both of these shows should give you at least two and a half hours ignoring your kids and making sure that your Sunday morning at work can at least be spent recapping what went on the lands of Westeros. After such a lengthy preview of what's going down tonight, you would probably think that I'm just gonna throw some NBA picks in as a little footnote, well once again you don't know the Bobcat. 

OKC (-140) at PHX (L)
Terrible matchup for the Suns, and possible first round preview if the Spurs stumble in the next few games. Look for a rested Westbrook to come out and light up the Suns backcourt as Durant quietly scores more than 25 to keep his consecutive game streak going.

NY (+7) at MIA (L)
Why am I picking the Knicks to cover this game? That is literally a question I don't have an answer to and I'm sure I'll end up watching this on my breaks going what the fuck is JR Smith doing?? The only silver lining is Melo loves playing against Lebron and always seems to bring his "A" game. Hopefully Wade sits again and the Knicks pull a shocker here.

LA (+16) at LAC (L)
Another game that has more potential to go wrong than the recent healthcare plan Obama rolled out. Last time these two teams met the Lakers got absolutely shithoused. I'm thinking this is a revenge game that shows they are still the Lakers playing in their home stadium and will at least try to not make this one a 50 point blowout. Lakers lose by 8.

ATL (+8) at IND (WINNER!)
Just like the Game of Thrones season premiere the Pacers postseason is much anticipated. You never know what Pacers team is going to show up, and if they play anything like they have over the last two months don't be surprised if the Bulls, Nets or mystery team X pulls the upset. All I know in this game is that the Pacers do not cover spreads, Hawks probably lose, but the smart bet is they cover.

HOU (-675) at DEN (WINNER!)
Dwight Howard could play tonight for the Rockets! Even if he doesn't do not expect this Nuggets team to pull the upset. Houston is at full strength, while the Nuggets are just counting the days until the offseason.

MEM at SA (-7) (WINNER!)
This is a terrible matchup for the Grizz. The Spurs always pack the paint and take away the inside options of Z-Bo and Gasol while allowing Prince and Tony Allen as many open 15 foot jumpers as they want. Don't be surprised if this game is an absolute blowout and the Spurs win 115-76.

DAL (-6) at SAC (L)
The Mavs have been in full blow playoff mode for several weeks and looked like they could give a team some trouble in the playoffs. The Kings are melting down like they do at this point every year, and despite another great year from Demarcus Cousins they are close to the bottom once again. Expect a big night out of Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon as the Mavs win comfortably in Sac town.

UTAH (+11.5) at GS (L)
I have no justifiably reason for picking the Jazz to cover this spread, if I were you I would stay farther away from this game than the Republican Party does from African Americans. Pick Golden State to win this game by forty and ignore this.

NO at POR (-625) (WINNER!)
This game is gonna be close and do not be surprised if Anthony Davis puts up a 32-15-8 line to score the upset. Hopefully Lillard and LMFAO do just enough to stave off the Pelicans and get a victory.

There you are an extended look at tonight's NBA action and a viewing guide for some television action after 5. Have a great night out there and remember stay away from that Jazz pick!

Free NBA Picks

Thursday Tongue Tease

It's a TNT Thursday double header featuring four of the top teams in the Western Conference. Because of that we have decided to stay away from the spreads because these games are all toss ups and instead go with the surest thing we can find going over the lines! For tonight's teaser we will be using a five point tease which will all but a guarantee a two bet victory and tons of happy followers. (L)

SA at OKC over 208 teased to 203 (L)
I shouldn't have to do any explaining here. Both of these teams are offensive powerhouses and actually the original line of 208 seems a little low. I mean, yeah it's a big game and usually in these situations the teams tend to slow the pace and concentrate on individual possessions more, but do you really want to take under 201 when KD and Westbrook are on the floor looking to send a message? I didn't think so. Look for this one to be a high scoring affair as the Thunder snap the 18 game winning streak and show that whoever comes out of the west will have to get through OKC.

DAL at LAC over 211.5 teased to 206.5 (WINNER!)
The Clippers are coming off a tough fight against the Suns and return home to find a rested Dallas team at their doorstep. Dallas as I've said multiple times has to treat every game like it is a do or die matchup because the race for the 8th spot is incredibly tight. This one is not going to feature a lot of defense and the score should definitely end up in 115-113 shot fest.

NBA Picks

Tuesdays Tenacious Tsunami Throwdown

Today's games were harder to pick than the struggle of acting like you are interested in engaging in casual coworker office conversation. Nevertheless sometimes you just have to grip it and rip it.

DAL at GS (-5) (WINNER!)
Steph Curry has been hobbled with a quad injury as of late, but the Warriors continue to roll anyway. Tonight they welcome in the Dallas Mavs who feature the second most dangerous man in German history. Betting against Dirk always makes me pee my pants a little bit, but the Warriors have been playing too well of late to ignore this cover. Look for the Warriors to shoot the lights and out and defend the shit out of the two headed Dirk/Monta Ellis combo, leading to an easy 15 point win.

MIL (+14.5) at MIN (WINNER!)
This game is like one of those jumpers that JR smith shoots after he scores a couple of buckets. Right when it leaves his hand you go "what the fuck" only for him to drain it and you act like you knew it was going in the whole time. The Bucks are not what you would call a good basketball team, but the Wolves aren't exactly the 2002 Red Wings either (Sugar shout out!!!). Look for this game to be tightly contested throughout with the Wolves making little runs, but never being completely able to blow the Bucks out. Wolves win by 7-10 and the Bucks get the cover.

HOU at OKC (UNDER 217) (WINNER!)
My record with picking over/ unders correctly isn't exactly what you would call "great"; but if you think that's gonna stop me from picking this game, then you don't know the Bobcat. Every once in a while you have to take some risks, like when you see that the expiration date on your milk was three days ago, but you say fuck it and drink that shit.Tonight's game is going to have a playoff like atmosphere to it. Usually in the playoffs teams focus extra hard on the defensive end and it leads to some pretty close low scoring games. That is exactly what is gonna happen tonight. Look for the Thunder to control this game from the tip and for the combined score to land somewhere in low 200's.

BJ's Fat Over/Unders

POR at MEM (UNDER 196.5) (L)
These teams usually play pretty close to this line and have recently finished right above it. Memphis is coming in well rested, and nobody in the NBA is better at making teams play their style than the Grizz. Marc Gasol & co. will try to make it hard on LaMarcus Alrdidge down low, while Mike Conley and Tony Allen will wear down Damian Lillard. It's going to take solid ball movement to beat the Grizz and on the other end, prepare for long, slow possessions. This one is risky, but this will be a playoff style slugfest. Look for 93-91 as the final.

BOS at IND (OVER 192.5) (L)
Another risky one! The Pacers are in a slump and need to snap out of it, fast. The Celtics meanwhile are still coasting along, allowing just about anybody to put up 100+ points on them. Rondo should help their offense flow a little better, but against an hostile, desperate Pacer team, don't expect too much. This should be Indian 103-Boston 91, so take the over and let's see if the Pacers can round into playoff form. 

NBA Picks

Miami at San Antonio (-3) (WINNER!)

We all know this is a rematch of last year's epic finals and all that noise. What we don't know is how Coach Pop is going to approach this game. The way I see it, there are two options:
1) He plays to win tonight and keeps Parker, Duncan and Ginobli in the game.
2) He rests starters and plays his bench because Greg Popovich doesn't give a fuck what you think.
I'm going with option 1. The Spurs are 1.5 games back from the 1 seed and are ready to make their playoff push. They need to at least keep the 2 seed in order to play a PHX, MEM, or DAL in the first round. Tony Parker has once again started playing out of his mind and I expect the Spurs to win this one at home.
Bobs Topless Thursday Thunder Take
OKC(-6) at PHX (L)
Tonight the Thunder squad roll into P-town looking to continue their recent run of destruction. Russell Westbrook posted a triple-double in his last game in barely twenty minutes of game time. Look for him to continue his Desolation of Smaug tonight against the Suns. The only shot the Suns have tonight would be Goran Dragic going absolutely bonkers against an elite defender like Westbrook. The chances of this happening are about as good as the Red Wings being taken seriously as a professional hockey team. The Suns have not been blown out of a game all season, expect that to happen tonight. The combination of Durant, Ibaka and Westbrook will combine for 90 points, 40 rebounds and 22 assists, embarrassing the Suns and handing them their worst home loss of the season.

LAC (-11) at LAL (WINNER!)
The revenge of the little brother game. Remember how the Clippers were a joke for years and years while the Lakers were busy winning titles? Well now it's the Clippers who are title contenders and the Lakers are a couple of Montana puck sluts (yeah it's rough). Tonight is another opportunity for the Clippers to give a little payback WWE style. Look for Blake Griffin to hit Pau Gasol with a chair, Jodie Meeks to get Russian suplexed a few times, and Robert Sacre to have his feet on the top ropes as he pins Chris Paul for the upset. Just kidding the Clippers will roll with huge games from Blake and CP3; Lakers fans will be busy on the message boards discussing how different the team will be next year with Joel Embiid and Carmelo Anthony (seriously it's gonna happen, it's the Lakers).

NBA 2K14 Simulation

That's right! I've given up on advanced stats and metrics, the eye test and doing that thing where I pull winning teams out of a hat. Today, we're going to try something different. We are going to put a bet down, based on a simulated game of NBA 2K14.

Why do this? Well, as a gambler, when you're down on your luck,  you need to try anything. Granted, last night we killed it and really don't need to resort to gimmicky gambling techniques. Besides, it's our blogs and your money, so fuck you!

Without further ado!

The New York Knicks @ The Oklahoma City Thunder

-9.5, 200.5

First things first, any time you can take a top 8 Western Conference team against any team from the East that doesn't have "Miami" or "Pacers" in their name, DO IT. I don't care what the spread is, just do it. My initial prediction would be to take the under and lay the points. I hate watching the Knicks play. If you bet against them, Earl Smith III is guaranteed to kill you with a meaningless, garbage time, bullshit 3 at the end of the game. If you take the Knicks, Sir Earl will definitely shoot 15 contested 20 ft jumpers, making somewhere around 12% of them. No worried. Kevin Durant is here to save the day. We know KD steps his game up when he's facing another superstar. Say what you want about Carmelo Anthony, the man can score the basketball. Look for Durant to continue his scoring tear and show everyone why he, not 'Melo, is the most unstoppable scorer in the game. Of course this means that Earl Smith III will want to show everyone that Earl Smith III is the most unstoppable scorer in the game, so expect a barrage of contested J's and a third quarter benching for the Knicks inked up, socialite. 

BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS! This is an NBA 2K simulation, not a slightly thought out betting analysis! 

Let's go over the first half: The Knicks came out hot and opened up with a 13-3 run to start the game. It was none other than Earl Smith III knocking down 2-4 3PT shots in the first half to go along with literally nothing else! 'Melo chipped in with an efficient 8 points and  5 rebounds on 4-5 shooting while Raymond Felton led the way with 9 points, 6 assists, 5 Big Macs, 3 rebounds and a steal.

For the Thunder, Jeremy Lamb contributed a Smithian effort of 19 points on 15 shots in 16 minutes! Lamb was 5-12 from deep as the Thunder tried to take advantage of a lackadaisical Knicks defense. Reggie Jackson (despite letting Raymond Felton's fat ass put up LeBron numbers) had 15 points and 7 assists in the first half. Kevin Durant struggled form the field going 1-4 on his way to 5 points, but was able to get his teammates involved towards the end of the half, wracking up 5 assists. Somehow, even computer simulated Scott Brooks still finds a way to let Kendrick Perkins play basketball, well done 2K. The Knicks dominated with 22 points in the paint and 23 rebounds compared to 12 and 15, respectively, for the Thunder. 

HALFTIME

NYK 53-OKC 51

At the end of 3, it was NYK 76-OKC 72. Through a sheer combo of shooting tons of threes and OKC not giving the ball to Kevin Durant, the Knicks were able to get their swag meter completely filled, resulting in a 3 to end the quarter. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Earl may have switched brains at half. It was all Knicks in the fourth as Tyson Chandler scored 10 points on Computer Kendrick. With 1 minute left, KD hit a 3 to bring the game within 5, but 'Melo answered by driving and drawing a foul from Serge Ibaka. Down 7 with few options left, Reggie Jackson dribbled the ball off a screening Computer Kendrick to effectively end the game. 

RAYMOND FELTON ended the game as the MVP with 15 points, 14 assists and 4 rebounds!!! Earl, who just wanted to get the fuck out of OKC and back to the strip club, chipped in 16 points on 6-11 shooting. Tyson Chandler dominated the fourth quarter on his was to a 15-10 night and 'Melo finished with 23 points, 10 boards and 3 steals.

For the Thunder, Lamb finished with 23 points and was ineffective the whole second half. Reggie Jackson added 21 points and 12 assists, but will never live down the shame of letting Raymond Felton dominate him for 48 minutes. Durant got things going late, probably a little too late. He finished with 18 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Thabo Sefolosha was the least valuable player, putting up 3 points on 6 shots, adding 2 rebounds and a turnover in 36 minutes. 

FINAL

NYK 102-OKC 93

According to 2K: Take the under (200.5) and the Knicks ML!

Check back for analysis after the real game!