SERVICE PLAYS FOR WED. 2/13
- Thread starter GIANTS007
- Start date
Why is everyone hating on Giants today. Wow. The guy contributes a lot here. So his line is off abit. He gives a line (he could have a dumb local or something). It's not like he is saying I had Detroit at -3 LN so I was a winner. He posts his plays and his lines. I take em for what their worth.
On a personal note, to avoid this type of stuff, I always post my plays when I post them with worse lines than what I actually got, just to avoid this type of nitpicking, but I think everyone needs to lighten up a bit. If we were talkin about Roqqin Riq or something, that might be different:142smilie (JK Riq, ya know I love ya)
Anyway, good luck to all us losers today.:0corn
Actually Lockloser he never posts his lines with his plays. I actually wish he would. I am not hating on him. I agree with you that he does contribute alot to this site and I appreciate all of his posts.
****BOOTLEGS PERSONAL PLAYS****
---CBB----
(7*) CREIGHTON -8
(7*) LONG BEACH ST -5
(7*) ILLINOIS ST -6.5
(6*) FLORIDA -13.5
(6*) SYRACUSE -4.5
(6*) DAVIDSON -5.5
(5*) VCU -15
(5*) DRAKE +3.5
(5*) NEBRASKA -4
---NBA----
(8*) TEASER: LAKERS -3.5, BOSTON -3.5
(6*) UTAH -6
(6*) TEASER: PORTLAND +10.5, DENVER +10.5
OVERALL
64 - 58 - 2
+48 UNITS
AS ALWAYS GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
---CBB----
(7*) CREIGHTON -8
(7*) LONG BEACH ST -5
(7*) ILLINOIS ST -6.5
(6*) FLORIDA -13.5
(6*) SYRACUSE -4.5
(6*) DAVIDSON -5.5
(5*) VCU -15
(5*) DRAKE +3.5
(5*) NEBRASKA -4
---NBA----
(8*) TEASER: LAKERS -3.5, BOSTON -3.5
(6*) UTAH -6
(6*) TEASER: PORTLAND +10.5, DENVER +10.5
OVERALL
64 - 58 - 2
+48 UNITS
AS ALWAYS GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
I wasn't hating on Giants, I was hating on 007 Opinion. They said they got an early line & the early line was -6. I respect Giants & thank him for posting, just surprised with that line by that service, didn't make sense.
HAHA.....Steve 007Opinion is Giants, but I'm sure none of us meant anything personal against him.
:00x1
:00x1
I hear you. I think the "007 opinion" is Giants though. His tagline is "giants007".
Anyway, no biggie. GL 2 all 2day.
Anyway, no biggie. GL 2 all 2day.
Wolkosky Milan
464-361-16 last one hundred sixty six days
134-92-3 last fourty seven days!
3-1 Yesterday
Today:
10* CHARLOTTE -1
10* MEMPHIS +9?
10* SACRAMENTO +9?
10* DEN/ORL UNDER 219?
10* POR/DAL UNDER 184?
464-361-16 last one hundred sixty six days
134-92-3 last fourty seven days!
3-1 Yesterday
Today:
10* CHARLOTTE -1
10* MEMPHIS +9?
10* SACRAMENTO +9?
10* DEN/ORL UNDER 219?
10* POR/DAL UNDER 184?
Drew Gordon Writeups
Drew Gordon Writeups
Drew Gordon Writeups:
Today's Games...
1. 200,000♦ Maryland
2. 50,000♦ Duquesne
3. 50,000♦ Drake
4. 50,000♦ Warriors
1. Maryland- Shame on you if you haven't been watching this Terrapins team over their last 4 games! Since losing to Duke 93-84 on their home floor, Maryland has reeled off 4 wins in a row SUATS, including outstanding road efforts at Georgia Tech and Boston College! Now its payback time, as the Blue Devils are excellent at Cameron Indoor, and most likely win this game, but not be nearly as much as Vegas wants you to believe, and I'll prove it to you...
First and foremost, Its hard to ignore the outstanding play guard Greivis Vasquez over the Terrapins 4-game win streak. When he's not scoring 25 like he did versus Virginia or at Boston College, he's dishing out 15 assists like he did against N.C. State! Guys, this Maryland offense is firing on all cylinders because of Vasquez, averaging 82 ppg on a ridiculous 54% shooting (43% from 3-point) over their last 5 games!
Second, while both defenses are solid, I have several issues with the Blue Devils defense. First, they allow opponents to shoot almost 45% at Cameron Indoor, which against an offense like Maryland could easily cost them the game. Also, Duke does a good job of masking their weak interior with great perimeter players. But, the fact of the matter is forward James Gist and Bambale Osby should have a field day down-low on both ends of the court. Between the two of them, they have more blocks (105) than the entire Blue Devils roster combined (97)!
Finally, you know there's a couple games coach Gary Williams circles on his calendar every year - North Carolina and Duke. The Terrapins already went into Chapel Hill and beat the Tarheels outright 82-80! If oddsmakers think that a surging Maryland team, in payback mode, should be double-digit dogs in this spot, that's their prerogative. I couldn't disagree more, as I can easily see the Terrapins keeping this game competitive, especially under the circumstances mentioned above.
Bottom line, expect a high-scoring ACC showdown tonight in Durham, but in the end, the Blue Devils defense has too many holes to slow the dynamic and red-hot Terrapins offense. Also, there's no question after losing to these very same Blue Devils at College Park a little over two weeks ago, that Maryland has a strong motivational edge here. Terrapins grab the cash at Camroon Indoor Wednesday!
Take Maryland plus the points over Duke as your top-rated play of the day.
2. Duquesne- While many still remember the Flyers 14-1 record and subsequent # 14 ranking in the nation, those days are long gone for this Dayton team. Injuries to their frontline, especially F Chris Wright, have hurt this team tremendously. While they've been able to maintain defensive integrity, their offense has not been able to recover from the loss of Wright, and that'll hurt them again tonight against a red-hot Dukes squad.
Speaking of red-hot, this Duquense offense put together two of the strongest offensive performances I've seen all year in back-to-back routs of St Joseph's and at La Salle, dropping 102 & 101 points respectively! And the scary part was they scored 101 points at La Salle without second-leading scorer and leading distributor Kojo Mensah in the lineup! He'll be back tonight, and so will the Dukes offense!
Match ups are also an issue for the Flyers, who without Chris Wright have little to match up against an excellent Dukes frontline, led by ultra-athletic forward Shawn James and his 14 ppg, 7 boards/game, AND 88 blocks on the season! F Kieron Achara has also picked up his play recently, scoring 21 points and swatting 5 shots at La Salle! Brian Roberts may be the best offensive player on the court, but the Dukes have edges at almost every other position, plain and simple.
Bottom line, Dayton is clearly treading water without Chris Wright, and facing a suddenly surging Duquesne squad isn't going to help their troubles. Huge edges in the frontcourt, and the a high-octane Dukes offense led by Kojo Mensah can and will keep this game close, with the outright upset a definate possibility.
Take Duquesne plus the points over Dayton in this A-10 match up.
3. Drake- I've been listening to the media say all week: "If Drake is going to lose a conference game, its going to be at Southern Illinois Wednesday." Okay, but let me ask you one question: What has Drake done to make you think they'll lay an egg at the Salukis house tonight? Not only did they beat the Salukis by 10 in their own house, but they've won 21 straight games, going 16-5 ATS over that span, including 7-2 ATS over their last 9 road games!
Guys, if their outright road win at Illinois State 73-70 Tuesday wasn't good enough to convince you, then nothing will! Drake did it the same way they've done all season, with razor sharp offense, and rock-solid defense. Granted, the Redbirds shot 54% for the game, but in the second half, the Bulldogs came to life, limited them to 32 points, while dropping 44 of their own to get the outright road win.
Speaking of offense, therein lies the problem for the Salukis, for as good as their defense is at home, their offense is average at best, scoring just 60 ppg on 41% shooting over their last 5 games! That includes some real weak offensive efforts at home against Evansville (MVC doormat) and Creighton (not as good as Drake). Falker, Shaw, and Mullins are the core of the Salukis offense, but all three are inconsistent at times, and none of them are what you'd consider "goto" players.
Bottom line, the Bulldogs are simply the better team here. Yes, I know, they haven't won at Southern Illinois in 12 years, but when was the last time you remember a more complete, focused, and fundamentally sound Drake team coming into Carbondale?! Expect a competitive contest here, but in the end, the Bulldogs have proven time and again, trust them and they will deliver the cash!
Take Drake plus the points over Southern Illinois in this MVC match up.
4. Warriors- While we have yet to see the ramifications of the blockbuster trade made by the Suns, one thing we do know for sure is they'll miss Shawn Marion in tonight's high-octane game at Golden State.
Clearly, Marion was tired of being the "garbage man/third option" for the Suns, and he took his versatility and defensive toughness to South Beach. Now the Suns have to deal with having very little athleticism that's willing to play defense. In other words, you can count on Raja Bell, but Diaw, Stoudemire, Nash (getting old, too small), Hill (too old), and Barbosa among others are not the least bit interested in doing anything but putting up points, period.
In a game where points will be scored in bunches, its hard to imagine the Suns slowing the Warriors at any point in this game. Golden State is averaging a ridiculous 112 ppg in Oakland, and much like their last two meetings, I believe they'll simply outscore the Suns. 129-114 & 124-119 are the final scores of their last two meetings, both in Oakland, and I expect more of the same tonight.
Another huge factor to consider is the match ups, as the Suns no longer have Marion to slow down a red-hot Stephen Jackson, who dropped 41 points against a rock-solid Wizards defense two days ago. With Jackson playing well, the Warriors are extremely tough to beat, because their backcourt of Davis and Monta Ellis has been phenomenal this season.
Bottom line, this game is akin to a sprint, except the Warriors do it better, and don't have to deal with losing the most versatile player on their roster. Shawn Marion's absence is felt loud and clear tonight, stirring up speculation that the talented swingman was much more important than the Suns obviously gave him credit for. Golden State protects it's house and grabs the cash in this marquee Western Conference match up!
Take the Warriors at home over the Suns in this NBA showdown.
Drew Gordon Writeups
Drew Gordon Writeups:
Today's Games...
1. 200,000♦ Maryland
2. 50,000♦ Duquesne
3. 50,000♦ Drake
4. 50,000♦ Warriors
1. Maryland- Shame on you if you haven't been watching this Terrapins team over their last 4 games! Since losing to Duke 93-84 on their home floor, Maryland has reeled off 4 wins in a row SUATS, including outstanding road efforts at Georgia Tech and Boston College! Now its payback time, as the Blue Devils are excellent at Cameron Indoor, and most likely win this game, but not be nearly as much as Vegas wants you to believe, and I'll prove it to you...
First and foremost, Its hard to ignore the outstanding play guard Greivis Vasquez over the Terrapins 4-game win streak. When he's not scoring 25 like he did versus Virginia or at Boston College, he's dishing out 15 assists like he did against N.C. State! Guys, this Maryland offense is firing on all cylinders because of Vasquez, averaging 82 ppg on a ridiculous 54% shooting (43% from 3-point) over their last 5 games!
Second, while both defenses are solid, I have several issues with the Blue Devils defense. First, they allow opponents to shoot almost 45% at Cameron Indoor, which against an offense like Maryland could easily cost them the game. Also, Duke does a good job of masking their weak interior with great perimeter players. But, the fact of the matter is forward James Gist and Bambale Osby should have a field day down-low on both ends of the court. Between the two of them, they have more blocks (105) than the entire Blue Devils roster combined (97)!
Finally, you know there's a couple games coach Gary Williams circles on his calendar every year - North Carolina and Duke. The Terrapins already went into Chapel Hill and beat the Tarheels outright 82-80! If oddsmakers think that a surging Maryland team, in payback mode, should be double-digit dogs in this spot, that's their prerogative. I couldn't disagree more, as I can easily see the Terrapins keeping this game competitive, especially under the circumstances mentioned above.
Bottom line, expect a high-scoring ACC showdown tonight in Durham, but in the end, the Blue Devils defense has too many holes to slow the dynamic and red-hot Terrapins offense. Also, there's no question after losing to these very same Blue Devils at College Park a little over two weeks ago, that Maryland has a strong motivational edge here. Terrapins grab the cash at Camroon Indoor Wednesday!
Take Maryland plus the points over Duke as your top-rated play of the day.
2. Duquesne- While many still remember the Flyers 14-1 record and subsequent # 14 ranking in the nation, those days are long gone for this Dayton team. Injuries to their frontline, especially F Chris Wright, have hurt this team tremendously. While they've been able to maintain defensive integrity, their offense has not been able to recover from the loss of Wright, and that'll hurt them again tonight against a red-hot Dukes squad.
Speaking of red-hot, this Duquense offense put together two of the strongest offensive performances I've seen all year in back-to-back routs of St Joseph's and at La Salle, dropping 102 & 101 points respectively! And the scary part was they scored 101 points at La Salle without second-leading scorer and leading distributor Kojo Mensah in the lineup! He'll be back tonight, and so will the Dukes offense!
Match ups are also an issue for the Flyers, who without Chris Wright have little to match up against an excellent Dukes frontline, led by ultra-athletic forward Shawn James and his 14 ppg, 7 boards/game, AND 88 blocks on the season! F Kieron Achara has also picked up his play recently, scoring 21 points and swatting 5 shots at La Salle! Brian Roberts may be the best offensive player on the court, but the Dukes have edges at almost every other position, plain and simple.
Bottom line, Dayton is clearly treading water without Chris Wright, and facing a suddenly surging Duquesne squad isn't going to help their troubles. Huge edges in the frontcourt, and the a high-octane Dukes offense led by Kojo Mensah can and will keep this game close, with the outright upset a definate possibility.
Take Duquesne plus the points over Dayton in this A-10 match up.
3. Drake- I've been listening to the media say all week: "If Drake is going to lose a conference game, its going to be at Southern Illinois Wednesday." Okay, but let me ask you one question: What has Drake done to make you think they'll lay an egg at the Salukis house tonight? Not only did they beat the Salukis by 10 in their own house, but they've won 21 straight games, going 16-5 ATS over that span, including 7-2 ATS over their last 9 road games!
Guys, if their outright road win at Illinois State 73-70 Tuesday wasn't good enough to convince you, then nothing will! Drake did it the same way they've done all season, with razor sharp offense, and rock-solid defense. Granted, the Redbirds shot 54% for the game, but in the second half, the Bulldogs came to life, limited them to 32 points, while dropping 44 of their own to get the outright road win.
Speaking of offense, therein lies the problem for the Salukis, for as good as their defense is at home, their offense is average at best, scoring just 60 ppg on 41% shooting over their last 5 games! That includes some real weak offensive efforts at home against Evansville (MVC doormat) and Creighton (not as good as Drake). Falker, Shaw, and Mullins are the core of the Salukis offense, but all three are inconsistent at times, and none of them are what you'd consider "goto" players.
Bottom line, the Bulldogs are simply the better team here. Yes, I know, they haven't won at Southern Illinois in 12 years, but when was the last time you remember a more complete, focused, and fundamentally sound Drake team coming into Carbondale?! Expect a competitive contest here, but in the end, the Bulldogs have proven time and again, trust them and they will deliver the cash!
Take Drake plus the points over Southern Illinois in this MVC match up.
4. Warriors- While we have yet to see the ramifications of the blockbuster trade made by the Suns, one thing we do know for sure is they'll miss Shawn Marion in tonight's high-octane game at Golden State.
Clearly, Marion was tired of being the "garbage man/third option" for the Suns, and he took his versatility and defensive toughness to South Beach. Now the Suns have to deal with having very little athleticism that's willing to play defense. In other words, you can count on Raja Bell, but Diaw, Stoudemire, Nash (getting old, too small), Hill (too old), and Barbosa among others are not the least bit interested in doing anything but putting up points, period.
In a game where points will be scored in bunches, its hard to imagine the Suns slowing the Warriors at any point in this game. Golden State is averaging a ridiculous 112 ppg in Oakland, and much like their last two meetings, I believe they'll simply outscore the Suns. 129-114 & 124-119 are the final scores of their last two meetings, both in Oakland, and I expect more of the same tonight.
Another huge factor to consider is the match ups, as the Suns no longer have Marion to slow down a red-hot Stephen Jackson, who dropped 41 points against a rock-solid Wizards defense two days ago. With Jackson playing well, the Warriors are extremely tough to beat, because their backcourt of Davis and Monta Ellis has been phenomenal this season.
Bottom line, this game is akin to a sprint, except the Warriors do it better, and don't have to deal with losing the most versatile player on their roster. Shawn Marion's absence is felt loud and clear tonight, stirring up speculation that the talented swingman was much more important than the Suns obviously gave him credit for. Golden State protects it's house and grabs the cash in this marquee Western Conference match up!
Take the Warriors at home over the Suns in this NBA showdown.
Frank Rosenthal
NBA HOOPS
515 HORNETS-6 SB+
518 WOLVES+9 SB
OVER 200 SB++
524 WARRIORS-1.5 SB
OVER 232 SB+
530 INDIANA U-3.5 SB
532 DUKE-11 SB+
OVER 157 SB+
546 SO FL+5 SB
557 ND+5.5 SB
OVER 150 SB
570 FLORIDA-13 SB+
598 TEXAS TECH+2.5 SB
604 NW+9 SB
GOOD LUCK!
NBA HOOPS
515 HORNETS-6 SB+
518 WOLVES+9 SB
OVER 200 SB++
524 WARRIORS-1.5 SB
OVER 232 SB+
530 INDIANA U-3.5 SB
532 DUKE-11 SB+
OVER 157 SB+
546 SO FL+5 SB
557 ND+5.5 SB
OVER 150 SB
570 FLORIDA-13 SB+
598 TEXAS TECH+2.5 SB
604 NW+9 SB
GOOD LUCK!
Wunderdog nba 5 unit pick today
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Game: Memphis at Philadelphia (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Philadelphia -9.5 (-110) (risk 4 to win 3.6)
We had the Grizzlies last night as a home dog, and they came through to win outright, but tonight we go against them. Even with Gasol, the Grizzlies were 4-19 on the road and in the 19 losses, 12 of them have come by 11 points or more - they just haven't been competitive. They have lost each of their last four on the road by at least 11 points. They have not responded well coming off a home win as a dog, as the last two times they went on the road they lost by 18 and 27 points. The Sixers are playing better now than they have at any point this season, and have not failed to cover in each of their last eight games and have won four straight. Their last three games against teams with a losing record have resulted in 21, 17 and 43-point wins. These teams are heading in opposite directions, so we will go with the hot hand and back the Sixers here.
Game: San Antonio at Cleveland (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 5 units on Game Total UNDER 180.5 -110 (risk 5 to win 4.6)
We watched these teams go at it last year in the NBA Finals and they play ugly defensive games. They played four games in the playoffs, two in the regular season and four of the six failed to get out of the 160s, and the average of the six games was 166.1 points per game. Their matchup earlier this year was also another UNDER. San Antonio has played 16 games against the NBA's top 12 defensive teams, in terms of points allowed, and have played 13-3 to the UNDER! Cleveland has been 12-4 to the UNDER against these same 12 teams. That is 27 UNDERS in 32 tries, and head-to-head these teams have played very low scoring games. This one is going to be ugly and low scoring once again.
Game: Sacramento at Houston (8:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Houston -8.5 (-110) (risk 3 to win 2.7)
The Rockets are on fire right now. They stand at 16-3 in their last 19 and have rattled off seven straight while covering six and are 14-6 ATS in their last 20. They also have the revenge factor in their favor as they will try to avenge an earlier loss to the Kings. Their last three wins, all at home, have resulted in double-digit margins. The Kings are on the down-swing after a 10-4 run, their best of the season, but have since been just 1-3. This is still a team that has only won on the road seven times all year and has lost nine of these road games to teams .500+ by double-digits. Think the Rockets are in the zone right now and another double-digit win is in order.
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Game: Memphis at Philadelphia (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Philadelphia -9.5 (-110) (risk 4 to win 3.6)
We had the Grizzlies last night as a home dog, and they came through to win outright, but tonight we go against them. Even with Gasol, the Grizzlies were 4-19 on the road and in the 19 losses, 12 of them have come by 11 points or more - they just haven't been competitive. They have lost each of their last four on the road by at least 11 points. They have not responded well coming off a home win as a dog, as the last two times they went on the road they lost by 18 and 27 points. The Sixers are playing better now than they have at any point this season, and have not failed to cover in each of their last eight games and have won four straight. Their last three games against teams with a losing record have resulted in 21, 17 and 43-point wins. These teams are heading in opposite directions, so we will go with the hot hand and back the Sixers here.
Game: San Antonio at Cleveland (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 5 units on Game Total UNDER 180.5 -110 (risk 5 to win 4.6)
We watched these teams go at it last year in the NBA Finals and they play ugly defensive games. They played four games in the playoffs, two in the regular season and four of the six failed to get out of the 160s, and the average of the six games was 166.1 points per game. Their matchup earlier this year was also another UNDER. San Antonio has played 16 games against the NBA's top 12 defensive teams, in terms of points allowed, and have played 13-3 to the UNDER! Cleveland has been 12-4 to the UNDER against these same 12 teams. That is 27 UNDERS in 32 tries, and head-to-head these teams have played very low scoring games. This one is going to be ugly and low scoring once again.
Game: Sacramento at Houston (8:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Houston -8.5 (-110) (risk 3 to win 2.7)
The Rockets are on fire right now. They stand at 16-3 in their last 19 and have rattled off seven straight while covering six and are 14-6 ATS in their last 20. They also have the revenge factor in their favor as they will try to avenge an earlier loss to the Kings. Their last three wins, all at home, have resulted in double-digit margins. The Kings are on the down-swing after a 10-4 run, their best of the season, but have since been just 1-3. This is still a team that has only won on the road seven times all year and has lost nine of these road games to teams .500+ by double-digits. Think the Rockets are in the zone right now and another double-digit win is in order.
Dave M@linsky comp 4* play
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GAME: New Orleans Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks Feb 13, 2008 8:00PM
SPORT: National Basketball Assoc.
PICK: New Orleans Hornets
Offered at: -5.5
REASON FOR PICK: 4* NEW ORLEANS over MILWAUKEE
On Monday in our RIM SHOTS column we focused on how we would be putting the Milwaukee Bucks under a microscope, now that they were finally getting a lot of injured players back in the lineup. One of the more intriguing remarks in that piece was coach Larry Krystowiak talking about how having everyone back could be both a blessing and a curse (?The same thing that will make you laugh will make you cry?), the latter in turns of finding enough playing time to keep everyone happy. Now one game later, an ugly loss to the lowly Clippers in which there was yet another late-game collapse, we see even more from Krystowiak that matters -
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We've got some agendas creeping in. Good teams don't have that. I'd be lying to say we're not down. There's no doubt about that. It's easy to start separating and it's happening. We need to put an end to it."
The frustrations are understandable ? in back-to-back home losses to the Clippers and Knicks, the Bucks could manage only 32 4th quarter points combined against two of the weakest defenses in the league. But finding a fix may be a long way off. This looks like a team that has already mentally packed it in for the All Star break, and the reaction from point guard Maurice Williams to what Krystowiak said indicates as much -
"Like I said, everyone has a difference of opinion. He's entitled to his opinion. If that's the way he feels, that's the way he feels. That's his opinion and that's not necessarily true. That's an opinion and the way he sees things. He has a right to that opinion. Just like every other guy has the right to their own opinion. I'm not saying they're right and I'm not saying they're true. Some people's opinions are stronger than others, put it like that. ? It's 15 different people, 15 different personalities, 15 different lifestyles and 15 different whatever. That's not even including the coaches. So obviously you're going to have a difference in opinion. There's only five people that can play and so many minutes to go around. ... That's the reality. We have to fight through it and try to stay together."
While the Bucks are having an awful time getting in sync, there is not a team in the league playing with a better chemistry than the Hornets. Having had two days off before last night?s win at Chicago we do not see any fatigue issues at all here; only a team on a winning streak that can fully exploit the very weaknesses that the Bucks are showing. Chris Paul should have no difficulty breaking down a defense that lacks cohesion, while an under-rated New Orleans defense (6th in the NBA in per-possession efficiency) puts the clamps down on the other end to gradually break this game open.
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GAME: New Orleans Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks Feb 13, 2008 8:00PM
SPORT: National Basketball Assoc.
PICK: New Orleans Hornets
Offered at: -5.5
REASON FOR PICK: 4* NEW ORLEANS over MILWAUKEE
On Monday in our RIM SHOTS column we focused on how we would be putting the Milwaukee Bucks under a microscope, now that they were finally getting a lot of injured players back in the lineup. One of the more intriguing remarks in that piece was coach Larry Krystowiak talking about how having everyone back could be both a blessing and a curse (?The same thing that will make you laugh will make you cry?), the latter in turns of finding enough playing time to keep everyone happy. Now one game later, an ugly loss to the lowly Clippers in which there was yet another late-game collapse, we see even more from Krystowiak that matters -
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We've got some agendas creeping in. Good teams don't have that. I'd be lying to say we're not down. There's no doubt about that. It's easy to start separating and it's happening. We need to put an end to it."
The frustrations are understandable ? in back-to-back home losses to the Clippers and Knicks, the Bucks could manage only 32 4th quarter points combined against two of the weakest defenses in the league. But finding a fix may be a long way off. This looks like a team that has already mentally packed it in for the All Star break, and the reaction from point guard Maurice Williams to what Krystowiak said indicates as much -
"Like I said, everyone has a difference of opinion. He's entitled to his opinion. If that's the way he feels, that's the way he feels. That's his opinion and that's not necessarily true. That's an opinion and the way he sees things. He has a right to that opinion. Just like every other guy has the right to their own opinion. I'm not saying they're right and I'm not saying they're true. Some people's opinions are stronger than others, put it like that. ? It's 15 different people, 15 different personalities, 15 different lifestyles and 15 different whatever. That's not even including the coaches. So obviously you're going to have a difference in opinion. There's only five people that can play and so many minutes to go around. ... That's the reality. We have to fight through it and try to stay together."
While the Bucks are having an awful time getting in sync, there is not a team in the league playing with a better chemistry than the Hornets. Having had two days off before last night?s win at Chicago we do not see any fatigue issues at all here; only a team on a winning streak that can fully exploit the very weaknesses that the Bucks are showing. Chris Paul should have no difficulty breaking down a defense that lacks cohesion, while an under-rated New Orleans defense (6th in the NBA in per-possession efficiency) puts the clamps down on the other end to gradually break this game open.
EZ Winners
3 STAR: (580) ST. LOUIS (-9) over George Washington
(Risking $330 to win $300)
7PM Central Time
As most of you guys know I hate to lay points, but I think this is a great spot. George Washington is coming off of their biggest win of the season, a 57-54 home win over Dayton in their last game, now they hit the road where they have not won a game all year. St. Louis will be fired up for this one. In their first meeting at George Washington, the Billikins were embarrassed in a 20-49 loss. This is a great time for them to catch GW in a letdown spot after beating Dayton. All nine of GW's road losses have been by double figures and this includes a 10 point loss to Maryland-Baltimore City! The Colonials are only 3-13-1 against the spread in their last 17 road games against a team with a winning home record. I look for St. Louis to get their revenge here, lay the points!
NBA
2 STAR: (527) WASHINGTON (+3) over LA Clippers
(Risking $220 to win $200)
9:35PM Central Time
This is the last game of a four game western road trip for the Wizards. Washington in currently 0-3 on their trip, but they have been very competitive in all three games at Denver, Phoenix and Golden State. I think they have a chance to sneak up on what should be a tired Clippers team. This is the Clippers first home game after a 12 day, 7 game east road trip where they were 3-4 winning their last game against Milwaukee on Monday. The Clippers are only 1-12 against the spread in their last 13 games following a straight up win. The Wizards are 17-8 against the spread in their last 25 games as a road underdog and 2-1 against the spread on this current road trip. Take the points!
I had leans on Toledo and Dayton in college and the Knicks in the NBA but decided to go with what I felt were the two strongest plays.
Marc Lawrence
Big 12 Game of the Year
Analysis: Play On: Texas Tech
Note: Red Raiders make the home debut under new head coach Pat Knight in a great winning situation at the United Spirit Arena where they are 10-0 this season. For openers Tech takes the court with revenge from being eliminated from last year's Big 12 conference tourney by the Wildcats, a 66-45 defeat, the lowest point production of the season by the Raiders. Kansas State enters off a revenge win over Oklahoma State with another revenge game up next against Missouri. We like the fact that KSU is just 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine games after battling the Cowboys. And the fact that Texas Tech has never lost a Big 12 home game against the Wildcats, going 5-0 SU & ATS. The clincher comes from an Awesome Angle that supports winning teams as dogs off a loss against an opponent off win if the home team has won at least 30 of its previous 40 home games and won 20 or more games last season. These teams are 12-4 ATS since 1990, including 7-0 ATS if the opponent covered its last game by 5 or more points. Look for TTRR to make it a good Knight for Pat in his home debut this evening. Texas Tech is our Big 12 Conference Game of the Year.
Big 12 Game of the Year
Analysis: Play On: Texas Tech
Note: Red Raiders make the home debut under new head coach Pat Knight in a great winning situation at the United Spirit Arena where they are 10-0 this season. For openers Tech takes the court with revenge from being eliminated from last year's Big 12 conference tourney by the Wildcats, a 66-45 defeat, the lowest point production of the season by the Raiders. Kansas State enters off a revenge win over Oklahoma State with another revenge game up next against Missouri. We like the fact that KSU is just 1-7-1 ATS in their last nine games after battling the Cowboys. And the fact that Texas Tech has never lost a Big 12 home game against the Wildcats, going 5-0 SU & ATS. The clincher comes from an Awesome Angle that supports winning teams as dogs off a loss against an opponent off win if the home team has won at least 30 of its previous 40 home games and won 20 or more games last season. These teams are 12-4 ATS since 1990, including 7-0 ATS if the opponent covered its last game by 5 or more points. Look for TTRR to make it a good Knight for Pat in his home debut this evening. Texas Tech is our Big 12 Conference Game of the Year.
