SERVICE ACTION FOR WED. 2/27
- Thread starter GIANTS007
- Start date
---WRITE UP--------
To go to a 6* rating in the NBA means that we must have both performance levels and consistency levels that we can trust. It is rare, but we get that here, and with part of the concept coming from a positive sub-category of our season portfolio we will not hesitate to pull the trigger.
We have had a great deal of success playing Boston Under this season, with the marketplace never fully accepting that the Celtics were at their strongest on that end of the court, as visions of Pierce-Allen-Garnett offensive showcases filled their heads. The chemistry has been outstanding on the defensive end, and pacing of the games has been slow, as it should be. When you have great half-court offensive talents you are supposed to get into your sets whenever possible, and when you have some aging veterans you also do not need to be pushing the pace more than is necessary during the regular season. In Tom Thibodeau they have arguably the MVA (Most Valuable Assistant) on any coaching staff in the league, with his ability to create defensive game plans made easier by having a corps of veterans that understands them. It all adds up to excellent value in general for tonight?s purpose, but recent events have made it even better.
Boston got caught up in a pair of track meets at Golden State and Denver immediately after the All Star break, which badly skews both the numbers and the perceptions. It was a difficult scheduling sequence, with little time to prepare for the Warriors and none for the Nuggets, and the final scores showed. But what did it set up for us? An easy 4* Under at Phoenix on Friday, an easy 4* Side at Portland on Sunday, and another easy 4* Under against the Clippers on Monday. Now they return to their home court for the first time since February 13, and they do it in a setting that calls for defense once again ? the legs are going to still be heavy off of that western tour, but at least there was a day of film study to prepare for LeBron James and company.
Cleveland provides the ideal foil here, both in terms of matchups and value. The Cavaliers have played a pair of Over?s in the first two games since adding Ben Wallace and others, but that creates a misleading impression. The Cavaliers were in against the weak defenses and uptempo styles of Milwaukee and Memphis, which created much different flows from what we will project going forward. As we expected to see the defense was solid, allowing 42.9 percent shooting in those games, but they fell at Milwaukee, and created a higher final score, because the Bucks were 32-37 from the free throw line last night. Now for tonight.
The Cavaliers are not expecting Zydrunas Ilgauskas to be able to go because of a respiratory infection, and with that being the case, James is surrounded by the most offensively inept starting lineup in the NBA ? Wallace, Anderson Varejao, Delonte West and Devin Brown. Those other four combined for 30 points in 107 minutes last night. But that is an outstanding defensive group, particularly in the front-court. And while Wally Szczerbiak will be a tremendous offensive force off of the bench, we do not fear him in that regard here. Szczerbiak turns 31 next week, and the 38 minutes he played last night were his season high. That taxes him in a back-to-back situation, particularly after he played 32 vs. Memphis on Sunday. So there are no easy counters anywhere for Cleveland offensively against this class of defense, but there is the ability to get down and guard the Celtics, and turn it into a battle that way. That is what we expect to see ? a physical grinder of a game that will resemble playoff time, with a slow tempo and points not easy to come by.
Bob Akmens
LA Clippers/Po.T'blazers Un.183
G'town/St.Johns Un.120
Va.Canucks/Col.Avas Ov.5.5
COMP PLAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONFIRMED!!!!!!!!!
LA Clippers/Po.T'blazers Un.183
G'town/St.Johns Un.120
Va.Canucks/Col.Avas Ov.5.5
COMP PLAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONFIRMED!!!!!!!!!
Deano's Free B
Deano's Free B
Josh Dean
2/27/08
***35Dimes out today***
Record: 79-63 OA-- -- >36-31-2 NBA<
Top Picks: 30-18-2
15* Utah -1
15* Iowa St. +13.5
---------------------------
5* Charlotte +7.5
FREE B: TEXAS A&M
Deano's Free B
Josh Dean
2/27/08
***35Dimes out today***
Record: 79-63 OA-- -- >36-31-2 NBA<
Top Picks: 30-18-2
15* Utah -1
15* Iowa St. +13.5
---------------------------
5* Charlotte +7.5
FREE B: TEXAS A&M
Last edited:
Akmens confirmed
NHL
Sharks u 5
NBA
Cavs u 194
College
W Kentucky u 136
Wyoming o 140.5
W Virginia u 141
Gave the Tigers again in MLB
NHL
Sharks u 5
NBA
Cavs u 194
College
W Kentucky u 136
Wyoming o 140.5
W Virginia u 141
Gave the Tigers again in MLB
Dr. Bob
NBA Opinion/Possible Best Bet
L.A. CLIPPERS (-2) over Portland
The Clippers were crushed the other night by Boston, but the Clips apply to a solid 137-80-3 ATS home bounce-back situation that plays on teams that lost by 20 points or more at home in their previous game. Los Angeles also applies to a 150-86-2 ATS bounce-back situation. Portland has been struggling the past month or so, going just 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games but the Clippers aren?t as good without big man Chris Kaman, who is out again tonight, and my ratings based on current personnel favor the Clippers by just ? a point. I?ll lean with the Clippers at -2 or -1 ? and I?ll take Los Angeles in a 2-Star Best Bet at -1 or better.
College Opinions
Iowa (+2) over PENN STATE
Iowa is an underrated team since pointguard and leading scorer Tony Freeman started playing in early December and Penn State is an overrated team since losing star Geary Claxton early in their Janauary 15th blowout loss to Wisconsin. Using games for both teams for the entire season would yield a fair line of Penn State by 4 ? points, but using only Iowa?s games with Freeman and Penn State?s games without Claxton results in a line of Hawkeyes by 1 ? points in this game. I?ll lean with Iowa based on the line value and I would take Iowa in a 2-Star Best Bet at +3 points or more.
DUKE (-15) over Georgia Tech
Duke has always performed well against mediocre or bad teams, as the Blue Devils are 92-38-3 ATS in regular season games after a victory when facing a team with a win percentage of .650 or less. The Blue Devils also apply to a 201-95-8 ATS home favorite momentum situation if they remain a favorite of 15 points or less. My ratings favor Duke by 17 points, so there is also some line value on the side of the Blue Devils. My only problem with this game is that Georgia Tech is 10-1 ATS in 8 seasons under coach Paul Hewitt after losing 4 or more consecutive games, so I do expect the Yellow Jackets to play hard. I?ll still lean with Duke at -15 points or less.
NBA Opinion/Possible Best Bet
L.A. CLIPPERS (-2) over Portland
The Clippers were crushed the other night by Boston, but the Clips apply to a solid 137-80-3 ATS home bounce-back situation that plays on teams that lost by 20 points or more at home in their previous game. Los Angeles also applies to a 150-86-2 ATS bounce-back situation. Portland has been struggling the past month or so, going just 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games but the Clippers aren?t as good without big man Chris Kaman, who is out again tonight, and my ratings based on current personnel favor the Clippers by just ? a point. I?ll lean with the Clippers at -2 or -1 ? and I?ll take Los Angeles in a 2-Star Best Bet at -1 or better.
College Opinions
Iowa (+2) over PENN STATE
Iowa is an underrated team since pointguard and leading scorer Tony Freeman started playing in early December and Penn State is an overrated team since losing star Geary Claxton early in their Janauary 15th blowout loss to Wisconsin. Using games for both teams for the entire season would yield a fair line of Penn State by 4 ? points, but using only Iowa?s games with Freeman and Penn State?s games without Claxton results in a line of Hawkeyes by 1 ? points in this game. I?ll lean with Iowa based on the line value and I would take Iowa in a 2-Star Best Bet at +3 points or more.
DUKE (-15) over Georgia Tech
Duke has always performed well against mediocre or bad teams, as the Blue Devils are 92-38-3 ATS in regular season games after a victory when facing a team with a win percentage of .650 or less. The Blue Devils also apply to a 201-95-8 ATS home favorite momentum situation if they remain a favorite of 15 points or less. My ratings favor Duke by 17 points, so there is also some line value on the side of the Blue Devils. My only problem with this game is that Georgia Tech is 10-1 ATS in 8 seasons under coach Paul Hewitt after losing 4 or more consecutive games, so I do expect the Yellow Jackets to play hard. I?ll still lean with Duke at -15 points or less.
- Nov 28, 2007
- 8,587
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I AM WITH YOU ON THAT GIANTS....I HAVE LOST 3 IN A ROW ON TEXAS A&M. I JUST DONT SEE HOW THIS TEAM CAN BE LAYING SO MANY POINTS AND EVERYONE ON THEM .....:shrug:
- Nov 28, 2007
- 8,587
- 18
- 0
ROQQIN RIQ JUST HAS ONE PLAY TODAY THAT HE ABSOLUTELY LOVES.....KENTUCKY - 6 HAMMERTIME......GL :Yep: :Yep:
