Recap: Call me a perfectionist if you like, but I'd nominate last night for one of the more frustrating 2-1 days in recent memory, and I think most of you agree. We somehow hung on with a narrow cover on the Pistons, the Cavs not only covered, but won, but Indiana, the largest of the 3 plays, allowed the Spurs to go on an 11-0 4th quarter run that put the game "out of the money" and the Pacers couldn't get back in there. Still, 3-1 to start the season, and that's, more or less, how we wanted to start!
Today: NO PAID PLAY TODAY - DON'T LIKE THE NBA LINES, AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO FORCE A PLAY! So, first, listen to the SEASON PREVIEW PODCAST HERE:
Next, get the DAN BEBE NBA 2010-2011 SEASON PASS HERE:
Finally, read the blog!
Sports Wagering: NBA
Washington Wizards @ Orlando Magic (-13.5) with a total of 192;
You can go ahead and mark this one down as a win for John Wall, not because they're necessarily going to get a "W" in the game, but because the Wizards made TNT in the first week of the season. How about that, eh? In any case, this is a team that is going to be improved this year by a decent amount, but still not in the same world as the Magic. Orlando is definitely in the running for deepest team in the NBA, and my guess would be that they spent the offseason working on ways to deal with the Boston Celtics and getting pissed off at the Heat. It's a nice turn of events for a team that was dealing with disappointment after their playoff exit, since, suddenly, they can use the "no respect" schtick to get them through another regular season. Orlando is going to be solid. Washington is a team on a learning curve. I like the moves they've made, and I like their young frontcourt, too, but this game is a total crapshoot. Washington could lose by 30, or they could hang in there and take it down to the wire. What I don't see happening is a game decided by a number right around the spread. It has "extreme" result written all over it. So, my advice is...PASS on the side, DON'T tease an NBA game, especially not this one, and slight lean to the OVER.
Phoenix Suns @ Utah Jazz (-6) with a total of 209.5;
Well, we have a decent idea of what to expect from the Suns, but not a great idea of what to expect from the Jazz. In the middle of the season, I'd be all over Utah coming off that horrific loss in Denver to open their season, but in the early going, the ability of a team to bounce back is less about motivation and more about actually having some solid team chemistry. Utah, it would seem, might need another week or two to figure each other out. And it wasn't like Denver shot 60% in a freak hailstorm of threeballs. Utah just shot 39%, and flat out stunk against a team that's not really known for its defense. This is also one of those teams, Utah, that Phoenix might be able to score against in the 4th quarter. Utah plays some decent defense, but not like Portland. On the flip side, Jason Richardson went off in their opener, and without his ridiculous game, Portland would have been up 15 long before the final horn. So, who's to really say how this one is going to go. TNT lined up a pair of crapshoots, in my opinion, and while I do feel Utah has the horses to win (namely, Deron Williams, since Steve Nash isn't going to be even remotely close to able to stop him), Phoenix should be able to hang in there. Slight lean to UTAH, slight lean to the OVER.