Larry Ness
Guaranteed Pick
Game: Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers Apr 11 2008 7:00PM
Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers
Reason: The Pacers are surely trying hard not to miss the playoffs for the second straight season, after being a "playoff regulars" in the East since 1990 (made the postseason 16 of 17 years until last season). Indiana has won NINE of its last 12 (8-4 ATS) and has even gotten O'Neal (14.4-6.9) back these last five games, after the team's long-time star missed 33 games (team was 12-21). O'Neal is coming off the bench (averaging just under 20 MPG), scoring 8.6 PPG and grabbing 4.2 RPG. Granger (18.9-6.0) and Dunleavy (18.8-5.3-3.4) have been the team's best two players all season but it's also hard to ignore other contributions. Detroit reject Flip Murray and third-year guard Travis Diener have filled in nicely at the point for Tinsley (11.9-8.4 APG). Up front, the 6-11 Murphy (12.3-7.2) ALWAYS plays hard (and pretty well, too) plus starting center Foster (6.4-8.7) is just a 'banger!' However, I think the team's playoff hopes will be "all but crushed" in this game. The Pacers trail the Hawks by two (with four left) and the Hawks visit the pathetic Knicks tonight, while the Pacers will try to make it a 3-0 season-sweep over the Sixers with this game in Philly. The 76ers stood at just 18-30 on Feb 4 but a win the next night at home vs Washington sparked a 22-8 run (21-9 ATS), which currently has the team at 40-38, one game behind the Wizards for the fifth playoff spot in the East and one game ahead of the seventh-place Raptors. Do-everything SF Iquodala (20.1-5.4-4.7) and PG Miller (17.0-6.9 APG) lead the way, but there are more than a few "unsung heroes" on this team. Guards Green (12.3) and Williams (11.4) have been very good and all center Dalembert has done this year is average a double-double (10.8-10.3) plus play great defense. Evans (5.4-7.8) is the staring PF, while 6-8 rookie Young (7.8-4.2) and 6-7 third-year player Carney (6.0) have played pretty well off the bench at the small forward position. Philly is 13-3 SU at home (includes wins over Dallas, Orlando, San Antonio, Denver and Detroit) during its current 22-8 run, covering 11 of its 13 home wins. Meanwhile, since winning at Philadelphia on Jan 21, the Pacers are just 4-12 SU and 5-10-1 ATS on the road. Even in the team's recent 9-3 run, just four of those games were on the road, with the Pacers winning at Chicago and Milwaukee (big deal!), while losing at Boston and New Jersey. Indiana has plenty to play for but so does Philly. Catching Washington for the No. 5 seed would be nice but NOT falling to the No. 7, which means the 76ers would get the Pistons in this first round, is MORE important. The 76ers want this game every bit as much as the Pacers, especially with Washington and Cleveland up next.
LEGEND PLAY
Phi 76ers
Guaranteed Pick
Game: Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers Apr 11 2008 7:00PM
Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers
Reason: The Pacers are surely trying hard not to miss the playoffs for the second straight season, after being a "playoff regulars" in the East since 1990 (made the postseason 16 of 17 years until last season). Indiana has won NINE of its last 12 (8-4 ATS) and has even gotten O'Neal (14.4-6.9) back these last five games, after the team's long-time star missed 33 games (team was 12-21). O'Neal is coming off the bench (averaging just under 20 MPG), scoring 8.6 PPG and grabbing 4.2 RPG. Granger (18.9-6.0) and Dunleavy (18.8-5.3-3.4) have been the team's best two players all season but it's also hard to ignore other contributions. Detroit reject Flip Murray and third-year guard Travis Diener have filled in nicely at the point for Tinsley (11.9-8.4 APG). Up front, the 6-11 Murphy (12.3-7.2) ALWAYS plays hard (and pretty well, too) plus starting center Foster (6.4-8.7) is just a 'banger!' However, I think the team's playoff hopes will be "all but crushed" in this game. The Pacers trail the Hawks by two (with four left) and the Hawks visit the pathetic Knicks tonight, while the Pacers will try to make it a 3-0 season-sweep over the Sixers with this game in Philly. The 76ers stood at just 18-30 on Feb 4 but a win the next night at home vs Washington sparked a 22-8 run (21-9 ATS), which currently has the team at 40-38, one game behind the Wizards for the fifth playoff spot in the East and one game ahead of the seventh-place Raptors. Do-everything SF Iquodala (20.1-5.4-4.7) and PG Miller (17.0-6.9 APG) lead the way, but there are more than a few "unsung heroes" on this team. Guards Green (12.3) and Williams (11.4) have been very good and all center Dalembert has done this year is average a double-double (10.8-10.3) plus play great defense. Evans (5.4-7.8) is the staring PF, while 6-8 rookie Young (7.8-4.2) and 6-7 third-year player Carney (6.0) have played pretty well off the bench at the small forward position. Philly is 13-3 SU at home (includes wins over Dallas, Orlando, San Antonio, Denver and Detroit) during its current 22-8 run, covering 11 of its 13 home wins. Meanwhile, since winning at Philadelphia on Jan 21, the Pacers are just 4-12 SU and 5-10-1 ATS on the road. Even in the team's recent 9-3 run, just four of those games were on the road, with the Pacers winning at Chicago and Milwaukee (big deal!), while losing at Boston and New Jersey. Indiana has plenty to play for but so does Philly. Catching Washington for the No. 5 seed would be nice but NOT falling to the No. 7, which means the 76ers would get the Pistons in this first round, is MORE important. The 76ers want this game every bit as much as the Pacers, especially with Washington and Cleveland up next.
LEGEND PLAY
Phi 76ers
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