Dec 16 - NBA

Can I get a witness? 3-0 with my picks last night. Lets go for the ol' 6-0 streak. Here the picks:

Cleveland Cavs (-5.5) vs Philadelphia 76ers

Pick: Cavs by 6

Toronto Raptors vs Orlando Magic (-11)

Pick: Magic by 20 (really, no joke)

Charlotte Bobcats vs Indiana Pacers (-3.5)

Pick: Bobcats with the points

NBA Record: 35-28

Dec 15 - NBA

Yea, so its been about a week since my last update. Just got lazy/forgetful about making my picks. Anyways, here are today's 3-pack:

Toronto Raptors vs Miami Heat (-7)

Pick: Heat by 8

Sacramento Kings vs Portland Trailblazers (-6.5)

Pick: Blazers by big

New York Knicks vs Charlotte Bobcats (-5)

Pick: Bobcats by 6

NBA Record: 32-28

Dec 9 - NBA

Another 1-2 day. Ho hum. Anyhoo, here the picks:

Game1: Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks (-10)

Pick: Hawks by 11

Game2: Portland Trailblazers (-5.5) vs Indiana Pacers

Pick: Blazers by 6

Game3: Golden State Warriors (-2) vs New Jersey Nets

Pick: Nets at home, with the points

NBA Record: 30-27

DEC 8 - NBA

Forgot to put up picks last night. My bad. But I did go 2-1 on Sunday so thats a good sign. Anyhoo, here are todays:

Game1: Cleveland Cavs (-7.5) vs Memphis Grizzlies

Pick: Cavs by 8

Game2: Orlando Magic (-7) vs LA Clippers

Pick: Magic by 8

Game3: Denver Nuggets (-3) vs Charlotte Bobcats

Pick: Nuggets by 4

NBA Record: 29-25

Dec6 - NBA

Another 1-2 day. Ho-hum. Here the picks:

Cleveland Cavs (-7.5) vs Milwaukee Bucks

Pick: Cavs by 8

Miami Heat (-1.5) vs Sacramento Kings

Pick: Heat by 2

Washington Wizards vs Detroit Pistons (-3)

Pick: Wiz plus the points

NBA Record: 27-24

DEC 5 - NBA

Game1: Atlanta Hawks vs Dallas Mavericks (-4)

Pick: Hawks plus the points

Game2: Utah Jazz (-7.5) vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Pick: Jazz by double digits

Game3: Denver Nuggets vs San Antonio Spurs (-3.5)

Pick: Spurs by 4

NBA Record: 26-22

DEC 4 - NBA

CAN I GET A WITNESS?!?!?!?!?

First time going 3-0 for a day and Im feelin' fine. 5 games above .500 and Im looking for more. Here the picks!

Game1: Indiana Pacers vs Utah Jazz (-8)

Pick: Jazz by 9

Game2: Dallas Mavericks (-5.5) vs Memphis Grizzlies

Pick: Mavs by 6

Game3: Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers (-11.5)

Pick: Lakers by big

Reasons:

Take the Jazz to win by double digits at home. Jazz play well at home and although they are without players like Matt Harpring because of injury, they should get enough scoring out of their dynamic duo of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.

Take the Mavs to win on the road in Memphis as they have been playing good basketball of late. I see them winning by about 10 points, they have too much scoring talent and the Grizz wont have a response the scoring of Dirk Nowitzky and Jason Terry.

Take the Lakers big at home. There is a danger that the Heat beat the spread late in the 4th, but I still like Los Angeles to cover 12 points. This game should be done by the 3rd.

NBA Record 25-20 (no bullshit :) )

Week 13 - NFL

Well, still at .500 after going 2-2-1 last weekend. Pickums next!

Game1: New England Patriots (-5.5) vs Miami Dolphins

Pick: Pats big

Game2: San Diego Chargers (-13) vs Cleveland Browns

Pick: Chargers big

Game3: Minnesota Vikings (-4) vs Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Vikes by a TD

Game4: Philadelphia Eagles (-5.5) vs Atlanta Falcons

Pick Eagles by a TD, maybe more

Game 5: Houston Texans vs Jacksonville Jags (-1)

Pick: Jags in a close one

Reasons: I like the Pats to win on the road as a result of the drumming that they received last weekend. I would have taken the Dolphins had Ronnie Brown been in the backfield with Ricky Williams on Sunday, but with his injury, the running load will be too much for Williams imo.

I like the Chargers to win big on the road in Cleveland because, well, the Browns are just a bad ballclub right now. Simple as that.

Take the Vikes to win on the road in Arizona since right now they're playing some of the best football in the league. Expect Adrien Peterson to have a big day on the ground for the Vikings and TE Visanthe Schiancoe to score a TD or two off of playaction in the redzone.

Take the Eagles on the road in Atlanta. Bet that one big. The Falcons will be with their starting QB and RB as Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are both expected to miss the game with injuries.

Take the Jags to win at home against Houston. Houston dont travel all to well while the Jags tend to play well in Florida. Expect Maurice Jones-Drew to have a good game on the ground against the mediocre Texans defense.

NFL Record 6-6

Dec3 - NBA

Hey-Hey. Ho-Ho. Look who just went 2-0. This guy. Right here. Two thumbs. Yes, I know I rhymed Ho with Oh and it was lame, but who cares! Im 2 games above .500. Lets start to cushion that lead. Here the picks!

Game1: Boston Celtics vs San Antonio Spurs (-1.5)

Pick: Celts with the points

Game2: Houston Rockets (-2.5) vs Golden State Warriors

Pick: Warriors

Game3: Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets (-8.5)

Pick: Nuggets by 9

Reasons: I like the Celts to win since they are the deeper squad and arent banged up with injuries. I like the Warriors to win at home since they have some rest and the Rockets dont have a great interior scorer (Scola is good, not great). And I like the Nuggets to win at home in the thin Denver air by double digits since they have a deeper squad than the Heat do.

NBA Record: 22-20

Dec2 - NBA

Back to .500. Start the year anew. Time to grab that cupcake and pick some winners! I unno what Im talking about....anyway, here the picks!

Game1: Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks (-9)

Pick: Hawks by double digits

Game2: Memphis Grizzlies (-2) vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Pick: Grizz by the triple

Game3: Indiana Pacers vs Sacramento Kings (-2)

Pick: Kings by the triple

NBA Record: 20-20

Dec1 - NBA

Its a new month and we are in the black! 1 game above .500 after going 2-0-1 last night with my picks. Time to continue the trend going forward. Here the picks:

Game1: Phoenix Suns (-6.5) vs New York Knicks

Pick: Suns by 7

Game2: Boston Celtics (-3.5) vs Charlotte Bobcats

Pick: Celts by 4

Game3: Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets (-14)

Pick: Warriors plus the points

Reasons:

In the Suns/Knicks game, I like the Suns to win comfortably. There is the danger that the Knicks play well for D'Antoni since he is going to be playing his former ballclub. However, I just think the Suns are playing too well right now to not beat the Knicks by a double-digit margin.

In the Celtics/Bobcats game, I like the Celtics to win. Charlotte at home is pretty tough and keep games close, but I just feel that the Celtics should be able to win this game on the road and with the spread fairly small, Im treating it as a pickem game.

In the Warriors/Nuggets game, I like the Warriors to beat the 14 point spread. Although the Warriors are coming off a win last night and the thin Denver air makes for a fatigue factor, I just think the Warriors will close the spread late in the 4th.

NBA Record: 19-18

Nov30 - NBA

Alright, 2-1 last night and only a game under .500. Time has come to flip this burger. Here the picks:

Game1: Chicago Bulls vs Milwaukee Bucks (-2)

Pick: Bucks by 3

Game2: Indiana Pacers vs Golden State Warrior (-2.5)

Pick: Warriors by 3

Game3: Memphis Grizzlies vs Utah Jazz (-10)

Pick: Jazz by 11

Reasons: I like the Bucks to win at home for coach Scott Skiles as he faces off against a former ballclub in the Chicago Bulls. Bucks generally keep games close and with the spread in this game being so small, I figure that the Bucks should be able to squeak out a win against the Bulls.

I like the Warriors to win at home against the Pacers once again in a close one. Golden State will be playing at home against a team that plays a similar style of basketball as they do. I just think that the Warriors win this game and since the spread is so small, I treat it like a pickem situation.

I like the Jazz to win comfortably at home. There is a danger with the Grizzlies that one of their stars get hot and score 30 points (ie/ OJ Mayo, Zach Randolph). But at the same time, this is a Jazz team that executes well at home and should win this game easily. The question is only by how many points. Im thinking that its in the double digits.

NBA Record 17-18

Nov 29 - NBA

So went 1-2 last night, to bring the overall record to 2 games under .500. Time to turn the ship around right here, right now. Here are the picks:

Game1: Orlando Magic (-6) vs New York Knicks

Pick: Magic

Game2: Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder (-2.5)

Pick: Rockets with the points

Game3: Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Clippers (-3.5)

Pick: Grizz with the points

NBA Record: 15-17

NOV 28 - NBA

Went 2-1 last night, putting me just a game under .500 for the year. Hopefully we get 2 winners (at least) here and bring the record into the positive. Here the picks:

Game1: Charlotte Bobcats vs Washington Wizards (-3.5)

Pick: Wiz by 4

Game2: Los Angeles Lakers (-9.5) vs Golden State Warriors

Pick: Lakers by 10

Game3: Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5)

Pick: Mavericks plus the points

Reasons:

In the Bobcats/Wizards game, I like the Wizards to win this game at home. Although Charlotte plays very good defense at all positions on the floor, they are 0-8 on the road. Contrast that with the good overall scoring from the Wizards and I like them to cover 4 points, but just barely.

In the Lakers/Warriors game, I like the Lakers to win comfortably in this game. The Warriors just wont have the answers inside for Laker bigmen like Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The depth will be a problem for the Warriors to deal with as well since they like to play with a shortened bench while the Lakers can easily go 8-9 deep into their roster.

In the Mavericks/Cavaliers game, I like Dallas to win on the road. They have been playing good basketball of late (8-2 in their last 10 games) and are a good road team (7-3 thus far this season). Cleveland lost last night to the Bobcats on the road and may have been looking forward to this game so they may just play some great basketball tonight and blow out the Mavs. But, I still like Dallas to keep this game close considering the level of competition and how well they have played all year thus far.

November record: 14-15

Week 12 - NFL

So, I went 2-3 last week, but this Thursday went 2-1 to bring my overall NFL spread pick record to 4-4. Lets try and pick winners for this weekend and get in the black!

Game 1: Miami Dolphins (-3.5) vs Buffalo Bills

Pick: Miami by 4

Game2: Arizona Cardinals vs Tennessee Titans (-3)

Pick: Titans to beat the spread

Game3: Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings (-10.5)

Pick: Vikings by 11

Game 4: New England Patriots vs New Orleans Saints (-1.5)

Pick: Saints by 2

Game 5: Washington Redskins vs Philadelphia Eagles (-9)

Pick: Eagles to beat the spread

Reasons:

In the Dolphins/Bills game, I expect the Dolphins to be able to run on the Bills. Ricky Williams had a great game last week, rushing for 119 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns. I like him to run for 100 yards this week as well considering fellow Dolphin running back Ronnie Brown is still battling injury. As well, the Dolphins played last Thursday and have had a long rest heading into this week to prepare mentally and physically for the Bills.

In the Cardinals/Titans matchup, I like the Titans to win through ball control. Much has been written about the Titans turnaround since Vince young took over quarterback duties with the team going on a 4-game win streak. I believe that the streak continues with the strong run game the team possesses. Chris Johnson has run well for the Titans and in combination with Vince Young, the Titans are playing good football - as good as any other team in the league. Add to the fact that Kurt Warner is coming in a little banged up and I like the Titans to win at home.

In the Bears/Vikings game, I like the Vikes to win by 2 touchdowns. The key for me is the fact that the Vikings are playing at home. When they play at home, they have the significant advantage of the crowd noise playing against the snap count of the opposing QB. Their defense thrives in that environment and will all over Bears QB Jay Cutler.

In the Patriots/Saints game, I like the Saints to win by a large margin. The Saints at home have the advantage on offense of playing on turf with their offense. I just dont expect the Patriots to have enough firepower to keep up with the Saints.

In the Redskins/Eagles matchup, I think the Eagles bomb the Redskins out of the water. Again, I dont think the Skins offense can put up 2 or 3 touchdowns necessary to keep in range of the Eagles who should be able to put up 28 points at least.

NFL Record 4-4

Nov 27 - NBA

Alright, split the two-game set last night, so Im still 2 games under .500. Lets get a winner tonight to cut down that deficit. Here come the picks!

Game1: Dallas Mavericks (-2.5) vs Indiana Pacers

Pick: Mavs by 3

Game2: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Portland Trailblazers (-11.5)

Pick: Blazers by big

Game3: Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics (-9.5)

Pick: Celts by 10

Reasons: In the Mavs/Pacers game, I like Dallas to win comfortably and the fact that the spread is only 3 points, to me, makes for good value. Dallas need only worry about keeping Danny Granger of the Pacers in check, since the Pacers supporting cast of Troy Murphy and TJ Ford have been lackluster thus far this season. As a result, Shawn Marion of Dallas is the key to this game for Dallas since he'll likely draw the assignment against Granger all night.

In the Grizzlies/Blazers game, once again I will take Portland to cover a big spread at home. As stated before in my Portland picks, the Blazers at home are one of the toughest teams in the L and against a Grizzlies team that doesnt offer too much in the way of defense, I expect the Blazers to win comfortably by 13, 14 points.

In the Raptors/Celtics matchup, again, Im taking a big spread with the Celtics to cover 10 points. Obviously, its a risky pick considering the hot-cold nature of the Toronto Raptors - one night they can take on the world, the next night they play like uninspired pussycats. For me, I think playing in Boston, the Raptors will show up and make it competitive for a while, but I expect the Celtics defense to eventually wear down the Raptors and come away with a good win. Expect a big game also from someone on the 2nd unit for the Celtics like Eddie House. Raptors dont cover the perimeter all too well and Eddie House is one of the best and streakiest 3-point shooters in the league.

NBA Record 12-14

Nov 26 - NBA

Went 2-1 last night, so thats encouraging. Hopefully, I go 2-0 tonight to bring the record back to .500. Anyways, here are my picks!

Game1: Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks (-3.5)

Pick: Falcons by 4

Game2: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz (-7)

Pick: Utah by 8

Reasons: In the Magic/Hawks matchup, I like the Hawks to win for several reasons. First off, the team at home is one of the best in the league thus far this season, going 7-0. Their defense should be solid against the better offensive options for the Magic as Al Horford and Josh Smith should be able to keep Dwight Howard and Vince Carter of Orlando in check . If they do that, Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams for Atlanta should be able to put up enough points to win this game by 7 or 8.

In the Bulls/Jazz game, I like the Jazz to win. Utah at home is one of the best teams in the NBA historically. Bulls are struggling coming into Salt Lake City, having lost their last 3 games, and their losing ways should continue to haunt them tonight.

NBA Record: 11-13

Thansgiving - NFL

With the US Thanksgiving weekend just about here, I figure I put my picks up for that day. Hopefully it gets me out of the hole. Anyhoo, here are the picks!

Game1: Green Bay Packers (-10.5) vs Detroit Lions

Pick: Lions plus the points

Game2: Oakland Raiders vs Dallas Cowboys (-13.5)

Pick: Cowboys by 2 converted touchdowns

Game3: New York Giants (-6.5) vs Denver Broncos

Pick: Broncos plus the points

Reasons:

In the Lions game, I like Detroit to keep the game relatively close considering that theyre playing at home, on a shortened week, in front of a national audience. Detroit doesnt have too many options on offense, but they did put up 38 points last week (albeit against the lowly Cleveland Browns). I dont think they put up just as many points, but I do believe that they keep it within a touchdown.

In the Raiders/Cowboys game, I think its a statement game for the Cowboys, who are in that perennial dogfight they call the NFC East. Oakland, is well, just bad. I dont think they put up more than 14 points this weekend.

In the Giants/Broncos game, although the Broncos are on a 4-game losing streak, I think they can turn it around this week. Again, shortened week for the players having played just last Sunday and the Giants have to travel to the West Coast and play in the thin air of Denver. I think the game is a close one, within a field goal.

NFL record: 2-3

Nov 25 - NBA

Bah! That blew. Went 0-3 last night, digging myself back into a hole. Let's try and rebound tonight and get back in the positive. Heres the picks!

Game1: Milwaukee Bucks vs. New Orleans Hornets (-2.5)

Pick: Hornets by 3

Game2: Toronto Raptors vs. Charlotte Bobcats (-2.5)

Pick: Raps with the points

Game3: Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets (-4)

Pick: Mavs with the points

Reasons: With the Bucks and Hornets, I like the Hornets to win a close game. Since firing their former head coach Byron Scott, the Hornets have played better basketball, particularly at home. For example, in their last 2 home games against the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks, the Hornets beat both teams by comfortable margins (7 and 8 points, respectively).

With the Raptors and Bobcats, I like the Raptors to win the game outright. Despite having to play last night against the Indiana Pacers, I like the matchups provided to the Toronto Raptors bigmen in this game. Raptors forward Chris Bosh and center Andrea Bargnani should have a favourable matchup against Tyson Chandler who will have to be drawn outside onto the perimeter.

With the Mavs and Rockets, I like the Mavs to win that game outright as well. I just think the Mavs have the scorers to outwork the defense that Houston provides game-in, game-out. I expect the Rockets to keep the game close, but eventually someone on the Mavericks is bound to go on a scoring streak (whether its Jason Terry or Dirk Nowitzky) that the Rockets just wont be able to match.

November Record: 9-12

Nov. 24 - NBA

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Went 2-1 once again last night to bring the overall record back to even terms. Time to get into the positive with today's slate of 3 games....here be the picks!

Game1: Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors (-5)

Pick: Pacers with the points

Game2: New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers (-13.5)

Pick: The Lakers by 14

Game3: Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards (-2.5)

Pick: The Wiz by 3

Reasons: In the Pacers/Raptors game, I like the Pacers against the spread. I think Toronto wins this game, but the game goes down to the wire. With the game being so close, I think 5 points is too much for a Raptors team that doesnt play defense all that well. Expect a big game from Pacers forward Danny Granger since the Raptors always seem to give up big games to good scoring wingmen.

In the Knicks/Lakers game, yes, that is a huge spread to be giving up, but I still like the Lakers to win that game against the spread. The Knicks wont have anyone to stop Lakers bigmen Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, both of whom should have strong games. Add to the fact that the Lakers defense will force most of the shots from the perimeter and that the Knicks will have to travel across the country and I see the Lakers winning by 20 tonight.

In the Sixers/Wizards game, I'm treating it like a pickem game. As such, I like the Wizards to beat the Sixers outright. The game should be a close one, but I like the offense that the Wizards have better than the Sixers. Antawn Jamison should have a nice night as he goes up against Elton Brand, who will be forced to play out of his comfort zone on defense on the perimeter.

NBA record: 9-9

Nov 23 - NBA

Woot woot! Came out with a winning record for the first time in a couple of days. Lets hope this is a trend. The games.....

Game 1: Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies (-5)

Pick: Memphis by 6

Game 2: Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trailblazers (-7)

Pick: Portland by 8

Game 3: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers (-5.5)

Pick: LA by 6

Reasons: Pick the Grizzlies because at home they play pretty well and Sacramento without Kevin Martin aren't scoring too many points. Pick the Blazers since at home they're one of the best in the league. Pick the Clippers because they are the lesser of two evils when compared to the Timberwolves, plus they're playing at home.

November record: 7-8

November 22 - NBA

another day, another 1-2 record...no explanations today, just the picks

Game 1: Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Bobcats (-1)

Pick: Bobcats

Game 2: OKC Thunder vs. LA Lakers (-9.5)

Pick: Lakers by 10

Game 3: Orlando Magic (-3) vs. Toronto Raptors

Pick: Toronto plus the points

November 21 - NBA

Alright, 1-2 last night, gotta turn this ship around....the pickums!

Game 1: Atlanta Hawks (-4.5) vs. New Orleans Hornets

Pick: Atlanta by 5

Reasons: Atlanta played last night and there is a risk of them coming out flat on the road, but this Hawks team has been playing great basketball thus far this season. They really have a good balance to their team, especially in terms of scoring with so many options available.

Game 2: Washington Wizards vs. San Antonio Spurs (-7.5)
Pick: Wizards plus the points

Reasons: The Wizards are finally healthy after getting back Antwan Jamison into the lineup. The Spurs on the other hand are beat up as they may play this game without the services of both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker out of the game. As a result, I dont see how Tim Duncan alone can defeat a team like the Wizards with their scorers, let alone be the favourite coming into the game.

Game 3: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trailblazers (-13)

Pick: Portland by big

Reasons: Yes, thats a big spread for anyone, but the T-Wolves are going into one of the tougher home arenas in the NBA against a team that is defensively strong and offensively can put points up on the board. Not to mention the fact that Minnesota doesnt have too many offensive options outside of center Al Jefferson (who should be held in check by the presence of power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and center Greg Oden) and I can see Portland winning this by 20. The only danger with this game being such a large spread is that the T-Wolves make a late charge and lose the game by less than 13.

IN SUM

Atlanta (-4.5)

Washington (+7.5)

Portland (-13)

November Record: 4-5

November 22 - NFL

(Spreads taken from PROLINE POINT SPREAD on Friday, November 20)

Going to pick games against the spread but instead of 3 games (as per norm in the NBA section), I'm going to go with a nice 5 game sheet. Here be the pickums!

Game 1: Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants (-6.5)

Bet: Giants by 7

Reasons: Giants are coming off their bye week and get time to rest up. They return to the field at home against a Falcons team that is going to miss the backbone of their offense in Michael Turner, who is likely out of Sunday's game with a high-ankle sprain.

Game 2: Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (-9.5)

Bet: Jags by 10

Reasons: The Bills are spiraling after the firing of head coach Dick Jauron. They go up against a Jacksonville team who play considerably better at home than they do on the road (3-1 at home vs. 2-3 away). Their run game under Maurice Jones-Drew has been strong all year (860 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns - hes already outperformed his numbers from last season) while they always seem to get good production from wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker playing at home (28 receptions for 464 yards and 4 touchdowns over 4 games).

Game 3: Indianapolis Colts (-3.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens

Bet: Ravens plus the points

Reasons: Indianapolis barely squeezed out of their game against the Patriots with their undefeated record intact. This week, I dont believe that they will be as lucky. Baltimore's defense isnt what it used to be, but playing at home with the loud crowd should help in slowing down the Indy offense. We should see a lot of Baltimore running back Ray Rice in this game to keep Indy quarterback Peyton Manning off the field. I expect the game to be close and so I'll take the points.

Game 4: New York Jets vs. New England Patriots (-10.5)

Bet: New England by 11

Reasons: The Jets find themselves in the unenviable position of having to travel to New England and face a team that lost a game under questionable circumstances. For a whole week, people have been questioning Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his decision to go for the first down on 4th and 2 on their own 29 yard line with less than 2 minutes left in the game rather than punting. With that said, Coach Belichick and the Patriots will come into this game motivated and look to make a statement to the rest of the NFL. Add to the fact that the Jets have lost 5 of their last 6 games and this game has blowout written all over it.

Game 5: San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers (-6.5)

Bet: San Francisco

Reasons: The Niners and Packers defense should be able to keep both offenses in check. In addition, running back Frank Gore will be featured throughout the game as I expect the Niners to not want to get Alex Smith in too many 3rd and long situations considering his propensity to give up the turnover and Green Bay's aggressive defensive schemes.

IN SUM

Giants (-6.5)

Jaguars (-9.5)

Ravens (+3.5)

Patriots (-10.5)

Niners (+6.5)

NFL Record: 0-0

November 20 - NBA

So, I went 1-2 on last night's slate of games. Hopefully we'll rebound tonight and go 3-0. Here be the picks!

Game 1: Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors (-2.5)

Bet: Toronto by 3

Reasons: Toronto comes home after a lengthy road trip out west. They always play their best games at home and considering the spread, I treat it as a pickem game. With that said, I think Toronto wins outright with a strong performance by Bargnani who will force Jermaine O'Neal to defend him out on the perimeter.

Game 2: Washington Wizards vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5)

Bet: Washington

Reasons: Washington struggles on the road (1-4) but the addition of Antwan Jamison back in the lineup really helps. I dont think Washington wins this game, but I do believe that they keep the game close and dont allow the Thunder to cover the 7 point spread.

Game 3: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics (-6)

Bet: Boston by 7

Reasons: The big match up for me to watch tonight will be at point guard. The Magic will gravely miss the presence of Jameer Nelson on both ends of the court and Boston point guard, Rajon Rondo, should have a big, stat sheet-filled game. This is the type of game that Boston seems to thrive in where they're met with a stiff test and play the perfect game on offense and (especially) on defense.

IN SUM

Toronto (-2.5)

Washington (+6.5)

Boston (-6)

November Record: 3-3

Season Record: 3-3

November 19 - NBA

Went 2-1 for the first day, so Im pleased with the results. Wouldve been 3-0 if it werent for the Pacers putting up an egg in the 2nd half of their game, but those are the ropes. Anyways, 3 games on the slide tonight in the NBA, so lets make them picks!

Game 1: Phoenix Suns (-7.5) vs. New Orleans Hornets

Bet: Phoenix by 8

Reasons: New Orleans are a game in since firing Byron Scott. They have a stiff test tonight in the Suns who are 6-2 on the road. They played each other less than a week ago in Phoenix with the Suns winning by 20 points. I expect a similar result tonight as the Hornets just dont have enough ponies to run with the Suns

Game 2 : Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs (-5)

Bet: Spurs by 6

Reasons: Two teams that have played last night, play tonight in San Antonio. The Spurs are a tough team at home (4-1) and didnt travel all too far away for their game last night was in Dallas. The game should be close until the end where I see San An taking the lead for good.

Game 3: Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers (-9.5)

Bet: LA by 10

Reasons: Chicago comes into LA on a 2 game winning streak, but tonight their backs are against the wall in LA. The Lakers at home have been lights out (6-2 record), and being on primetime should bring out the best of the Lakers on both ends of the court. A 10 point cover is more than enough for me - I expect the Lakers to win this one comfortably by 13, 14 points.

IN SUM

Phoenix (-7.5)

San Antonio (-5)

Los Lakers (-9.5)

November Record: 2-1

NBA Season Record: 2-1

(note: records are against the spread)

NBA - November 18th

(Lines taken from PartyBet.com)

Game 1: New York Knicks (+6.5) at Indiana Pacers (-6.5)

Bet: Indiana by 7

Reasons: Indiana and New York have played each other beforehand and Indiana came away with the victory on the road 101-89 (on November 4). Although the Pacers are coming from the road after a game in New Jersey, they are coming off a win, and right now, the Knicks just arent all that good.

Game 2: Toronto Raptors (+8.5) at Utah Jazz (-8.5)

Bet: Utah by 9

Reasons: Utah has been off since Saturday and the 4 days rest will help them against a tired Raptors squad who have come off a loss to the Denver Nuggets last night (130-112). They'll have to continue to deal with the thin air of Salt Lake City and the Raptors have historically been a team that has performed poorly on their West Coast road trips. Dont take the points, take the Jazz.

Game 3: New Jersey Nets (+9.5) at Milwaukee Bucks (-9.5)

Bet: Milwaukee by 10

Reasons: The Nets are a complete mess right now, not having won a game so far this season. They lack a consistent scoring threat (in the last 5 games, they have averaged less than 80 points). They're on the 2nd game of a back-to-back and going into Milwaukee, who have been one of the league's more pleasant surprises. Expect the Bucks to score in excess of 95 points, and thus, more than covering the spread.

IN SUM:

Picks:

Pacers (-6.5)

Jazz (-8.5)

Bucks (-9.5)

November Record : 0-0-0

Season Record: 0-0-0

New Direction....sorta...

Sorry havent been updating this blog too often - been sidetracked by other things in life. However, I will be back doing daily blogs - but with a certain twist. As of today, I will start to post bets on 3 games selected that I believe will be winners based on a betting spread. For those who do not know what a spread is, refer below:

(Taken directly from Wikipedia)

Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event, where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome...A spread is a range of outcomes, and the bet is whether the outcome will be above or below the spread.

So, as an example, say we were going to bet on a game in the National Basketball Association involving the Los Angeles Lakers (2008-09 NBA Champs) and the Los Angeles Clippers (worst team in the league). Rather than putting up money as to who would win the game straight up (with most people betting that the Lakers would win), sportsbooks will put up a SPREAD as to the amount of points one team has to beat the other by in order for it to be considered a "win" on the gambling side.

- Take note, betting lines are often written out as fractions in order to prevent draws (this is because

teams in the NBA cannot score 1/2 or 0.5 points).

- So, lets look at an example of a betting line, taken from the popular online sportsbook PartyBet.com:

(again note, on PartyBet, instead of using a "spread" they use a "handicap" - same concept, different

terminology)

Taken from November 18, 2009: CHA Bobcats v PHI 76ers +3/-3

- Here, the spread means that the Philadelphia 76ers are required to defeat the Charlotte

Bobcats by 3 points to be considered a win. Any other scenario resulting in the 76ers not

winning by more than 3 points results in a win for anyone who bet for the Charlotte Bobcats.

- Note here, a tie can result if the 76ers win by exactly 3 points, in which case you

win nor lose.

Although I will not actually use money in these scenarios, my hope is that by posting this blog over the course of the year, I'll see whether or not I could have made money in the long haul. As well, I'll find out where my strengths lie in terms of sports analysis (whether it be soccer, football, baseball, or basketball....MMA and boxing will be considered when big events come to the fold).

By making 3 bets, (each of which will be valued equally, meaning I would theoretically put the same amount of money on each bet), I'll either win or lose that day, for the most part. I'll keep a running tally of my record throughout the year, and will post a monthly spreadsheet that will show the results of the month - so theres no hiding in whether Im a total tool or a prognosticating god.

Yea, this was longer than I would have hoped for...ah well....let the games begin!

2009 NBA Draft: A General Discussion

With the 2009 NBA Draft a mere 4 days away, I felt it was time to state some of my positions on players in the upcoming draft:

- Blake Griffin is easily the best player in this draft. Projections of Griffin as a young Antonio McDyess are spot on in terms of his offensive skill set and athleticism. I personally liken him right now as a hybrid of Nene and Amare Stoudamire - soft hands inside, good at working for inside position because he is so strong, always running down the floor, and always attacking the basket when he has the ball in his hands. That combination of size, physicality, athleticism, production, work ethic, and character are all that you want out of a young player and the Clippers would be foolish to deal their pick unless they get a superstar back. But then again, this is the Los Angeles Clippers, and if any team could screw up something so easy, it would be them.


- The most interesting spot in the draft with be the 2 spot and what the Memphis Grizzlies do with it. Most would like to believe that the pick should be between either Spanish-born point guard, Ricky Rubio, or UConn Center Hasheem Thabeet. However, I would like to argue that neither is a good fit for the Grizz and that they should instead choose the Arizona State product, James Harden.

First, why not Rubio? For starters, the Grizz already have a point guard to groom in Mike Conley, Jr. To draft Rubio essentially means that they have given up on Conley, who they drafted 2 years ago at the 4 spot and is still only 21 years old (will be 22 by the end of the year). Adding Rubio essentially casts Conley to the side and means a wasted pick was made.

Secondly, drafting Rubio will not result in any additional wins. He is a project if you draft him and it will take at least a year (I think maybe 2) for him to adjust to the NBA game and fill out physically (not to mention adjusting to the North American culture and English language). Add to the fact that he'll be playing the hardest position to learn in PG and you have yourself a player who will not yield immediate results. Harden is a polished scorer who, despite being a dud during the March tournament, was the 2nd best player in college basketball behind Griffin.

Third, and most importantly, if you want to upgrade your PG position, you do not have to look outside if youre the Memphis Grizzlies. Rather, you have a perfect solution to your point guard position if you believe that Mike Conley isnt the answer - that is OJ Mayo. Mayo, since high school, had played the PG position. At 6-5, he would have excellent size for the 1 spot. And offensively, he has great scoring ability to go with good vision on the court. Shift him to point guard, draft Harden as your shooting guard, couple those two with Rudy Gay at small/power forward with Marc Gasol at center and you have a young, exciting, athletic lineup to build for the future.

Now, why not Hasheem Thabeet? Its quite simple - hes too big. Now, being big in basketball isnt so much a problem than a blessing. However, playing the up and down style that Memphis plays, with their athletes in Gay and Mayo, one wonders how a 7-3 center will hold up for 82 games. Now, Thabeet did play a similar style for UConn, but 82 games is a big number and I'd be willing to bet dollars for doughnuts that he'd have trouble trying to sustain that pace. (NOTE: I do not think Thabeet will be a bust (Im actually quite high on the player), but on an up and down team, just beware that youre really going to hurt him in the long run.)

So really, my pick if Im the Grizz is Harden at the 2 (feel free to quote me on that).


- Put me on the Stephen Curry bandwagon, but place a little asterisk on my ticket since I think he needs to be placed in the right situation to succeed. If he finds himself on a team that is deliberate on offense/a team that is half-court oriented, Curry will encounter a number of growing pains. He'd be exposed more frequently on defense against stronger point guards in the league whether its off the dribble or in the post. Fans and coaches will become more frustrated with his performance and echoes of being a "bust" will slowly echo through NBA arenas.

HOWEVER, if Curry finds himself on a free flowing offense that gets up and down and creates transition opportunities, he will find his groove quickly in the NBA. Curry would be playing a similar style of basketball that he has played at Davidson, where as a PG, he was able to lead breaks and either take shots himself or find his teammates running down the floor.

Thats why, if Im a Knicks fan, the opportunity of drafting Curry has me salivating at the idea. Curry will need to develop into a point guard and (1) learn how to turn the ball over less while (2) develop the ability to know when to take shots and when to involve ones teammates - sorta like how Chauncey Billups developed as a point on offense - coming in as a shoot/score-first PG who has since become a great leader who knows when to get his teammates involved. Curry already has the clutch shooting ability and scoring sense that Billups has on offense, he just needs to learn the intricacies of playing point guard which comes with time. Under Mike D'Antoni, he'll get to learn under a coach who has been a point guard in the NBA and has coached good scoring PGs like Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa. In the end, I really believe if he goes to the Knicks, Curry could be the next Chauncey Billups or Mike Bibby on offense. Curry's basketball IQ, work ethic, and shot making ability make him one of the more intriguing picks in the draft and I see more boom than bust out of him.


- Just some general comments on players:

Players I like:

Tyreke Evans: Great Scorer, explosive, doesnt have a shot yet but that first step of his is NBA calibre

Earl Clark: Nice size for a small forward, good ball handling skills, and good production across the stat line

Jeff Teague: Another combo-guard whos trying to learn to play point like Curry, not as good a shooter but a much better player in terms of getting to the lane and scoring; the concern is how he develops his "drive and dish" point guard skill.

Jrue Holiday: Not a great scorer, but what he does on defense will make him a PG for a team
that wins at least a conference title. Sorta like a Derek Fisher-type of PG.

Dionte Christmas: Good spot shooter, knows how to defend his position, was a star in college and should carve out a spot as a fringe starter.

Dante Cunningham: Reminds a lot of Ryan Gomes but with a little more size. 13-8 career isnt bad for a 2nd rounder.

Jonny Flynn: I originally had him down as someone I was down on, but I have to rebut myself and say that if he finds himself on a team that will emphasize running and aggressive penetration (like the Kings who may take him at #4), then Im all for it. Despite his size, he's one of the stronger athletes in the draft and in that type of running system, he'll get to utilize his athleticism a lot on offense and in transition.

Players Im Down on:

Ty Lawson: More likely to become a career backup as a point guard than the starter he was in college at UNC....will be better on a team that plays a more open offense than a half court offense....fringe starter if anything.

Dajuan Blair: I actually like what Blair brings to the table (gritty, physical, defense, rebounding), the problem is with his arithmetic knees...may be out of the league within 10 years/never give you 82 games.

Darren Collison: Refer to Lawson...fringe starter but more of a defensive specialist ala Chris Duhon.

Austin Daye: 6-10, 190 pounds is just too frail. Definitely a project that youre looking to develop for a year or 2 physically (but he is an older sophomore at 21)...if he adds 20-25 pounds, he may be a Rashard Lewis clone but as it stands right now hes far from an NBA level player.

- The Happy Artist

NBA Finals Analysis and Prediction

Lakers v. Magic

The Overview

The Lakers/Magic Finals of '09 may not be as sexy as the Kobe-Bron Finals, but its still going to be a great one to watch.

In terms of how the Magic matchup with the Lakers, outside of Kobe, I think that they have an advantage at every other position on the court. At point, I take Alston over Fisher. Alston is old, but he still has a good first step and can penetrate the lane. Fisher has lost a bit on the defensive end and its shown since the Houston series with both Aaron Brooks and Chauncy Billups both scoring well and penetrating the lane against Fisher. I expect that if Fisher is not shooting the ball well, we'll see a lot of Farmar and Brown playing defense on Alston early and often.

With Hedo and Rashard, the Lakers are faced with the dilemna of who Ariza and Gasol will check on defense. Whoever Gasol is left defending, thats going to be a huge mismatch for the Lakers to deal with since both Hedo and Lewis will force Gasol out on the perimeter and ultimately out of his comfort zone inside. If he plays either too tight, he'll get blown by on the first step. If Gasol gives up too much room, both are capable of sticking that 3-ball and you only have to ask LeBron and Cleveland what happens when Orlando gets hot from outside.

Then on the inside, Dwight has the advantage against Bynum. Bynum's been shaky and unproductive in most games these playoffs and he'll need to be huge for the Lakers to have a shot in the Finals. Bynum needs to lean on Dwight and force him as far away from the basket when the ball enters the post so that Dwight needs to put the ball to the floor to get his shot inside. At the same time, Bynum needs to limit the offensive boards Dwight gets based on his strength and athleticism.

For the Lakers, they have the clear advantage at shooting guard with Kobe against Pietrus/Lee. The challenge for Orlando will be who they counter against Kobe when Pietrus gets into foul trouble. You would have to imagine that Pietrus gets the primary duty of defending Kobe, but who does Van Gundy go to when he gets into foul trouble. Lee is a mere rookie and far from a great defender while Anthony Johnson is undersized and will be eaten alive in the post. Me thinks that Hedo would be the one to take defensive responsibilities against Kobe, but we'll wait and see. Hedo's a capable defender but at the same time you dont want him to defend Kobe too much for fear of losing him to foul trouble as well.

How this series goes down?

I see this series going one of two ways:

1) If Kobe dominates the ball while getting production from Odom and/or Gasol, Lakers win the series in a romp (I say Lakers in 5). Gasol and Odom will be key for this series. Kobe will give you 35-40 points a night and Bynum will do his best but Dwight will still get you 25 and 20, so the difference maker will need to be (at least for the Lakers) Odom and Gasol. When either Gasol or Odom go for 20 and 10, the Lakers are just too much and always win. When they go 20 and 10, it usually means that either player is getting good inside position for their team and theyre making a lot of easy 8 footers inside the paint. It really opens up the perimeter and penetration game for the guards and once that team is confident on offense, they start to pick it up on defense. If Gasol and Odom show up in the series, the Magic have no shot at winning the title imo.

2) Orlando applies the same strategy that they did against Cleveland and win the Finals in 6 games (Orlando in 6). What do I mean by this? I think Orlando forces Kobe to beat them every night while trying to limit the production of everyone else. Like they did with LeBron and the Cavs, Orlando will force Kobe to become a scorer while limiting everyone else. That means allowing Kobe to score upwards of 50 points a night. Limit Kobe's ability to be a facilitator on offense and more of an individual scorer.

Remember: the "magic" numbers (no pun intended) for Gasol or Odom are 20 and 10. If Orlando can limit both guys to under those numbers it means that players like Ariza, Fisher, or Bynum need to be the 2nd fiddle on offense. It also means that Gasol and Odom are playing timid and not trying to look for their shots inside; it means that Dwight is imposing himself on both sides in the paint. If Orlando does this, they have a huge shot of pulling the upset especially if they continue to shoot the same way they did against Cleveland, and with their explosive scorers (Hedo, Pietrus, Rashard, and Alston), they give themselves that rock to go along with the slingshot.

The Decision

At the end of the day, as much as I like Orlando and want them to win, I think LA is playing too well to not take the Finals. Heres the thing, I think that if Orlando is going to win this series, a lot of things have to roll their way: Dwight needs to stay out of foul trouble (difficult when Kobe slashes to the net and/or Gasol is looking to be aggressive inside), their shooters need to continue to shoot the ball well from outside (not impossible, but at the same time harder with the pressure of the NBA Finals and the Lakers defense in your face), and they need to steal a game at Staples Center while holding home court (again, not impossible to do, but not betting against it). In the end, I think LA wins both their home games to start with Orlando winning game 3. Then game 4 goes to the wire with LA squeaking by and in game 5, LA wins game 5.

The key for Orlando is to split the first two games in LA. Thats going to be crucial since winning 3 straight at home will be too daunting a task for them to complete. If they split the series 1-1 going home to Orlando they have a better chance at winning the series since they'll have the next 3 at home. Split that series 2-1 and they'll have 2 shots at winning the title (albeit in LA).

Well, theres my pick: LA in 5...but hoping the Magic comes away with the Larry O'Brien trophy in 6 (or 7).

Hello and Welcome!

Hello and Thanks for viewing/reading up on my blog!

Im doing this for several reasons, but primarily as a record of my views/opinions/analysis of the game of basketball (both on the collegiate and NBA levels). I'll be primarily giving my views on games that I see (usually Raptor games, but if I can catch games on TNT or ABC/ESPN, I'll talk about it too) and players/roster moves that teams should or shouldnt make (again Raptor-centric, but I'll put an opinion out on any team really).

Things about myself:

- Lifelong Raptor fan but a basketball fan since I was young.

- Favorite players right now:
Tim Duncan (the Big Fundamental - the most unhearalded superstar ever in the NBA)
Deron Williams (hes not Chris Paul but then again CP3 doesnt have the crossover that Deron does...)

- Favorites all time:
Charles Barkley (how could a man at 6-5 dominate among the trees of the NBA?...plus hes awesome on Inside the NBA)
Mark Price (the original Steve Nash except he played defense....just saying)
Reggie Miller (no man has taken more late game shots and made them than he has....Greg Anthony still has nightmares of him...)
Hakeem Olajuwon (greatest center of all-time....enough said)



Anyways, enough from me...hopefully you'll have a good time on here and we can just shoot the sh*t about anything on the greatest sport in the world...

Take Care,

The Happy Artist


PS: "Why call yourself 'The Happy Artist'?"
Well, my last name roughly translates in Spanish to The Happy Artist....If you can figure out what my last name is.....well then I hope good karma befallens onto you and your household....