NBA SUN 032209 early thoughts - value hunting (NO PICKS INSIDE)

[easterntimezone]

No real flex on the Philadelphia/Sacramento contest - I am looking forward to Portland tomorrow tho' when these same 76ers take on the Blazers, who showed a little moxie in ending their recent run out east w/ a little character in taking care of business against teams they OUGHT to have beaten. Young team that's matured some and lying in the grass, waiting...

Be back in a sec w/ some reflections on today.

 

[burnetto57]

burnetto57

burnetto57

I am just gonna let my U216 for the game ride out. BOL with your play tho!

have nothing to 'back this up, but when I saw that # for 2H, I thought 2 things - they were originally 'suppose' to score around 215 and that # is abt 1/2 that, the 1H scoring was 'exceptionally' low - so 2H may be much higher and, finally, I wondered if this wasn't a sort of sucker bet for those who picked either side of the Game O/U. We'll see. :00hour

 

[Truckin']

What are the numbers (%s) on the side and the total??? And how stacked is the public?

77/23 spread
88/12 ml
82/18 over
72/28 exotics

at 8:59

GL

 

[granpa]

I am just gonna let my U216 for the game ride out. BOL with your play tho!

Thanks. Wish all FG unders were this easy!!

 

[Theboundbook]

I took under on qtr half and game in Sac and Phil half and 1st qtr only.... Looking to take Sac 2nd half and have them cover with the ref's help!

 

[easterntimezone]

Awful call on the Timberwolves; anemic offense and it weren't for Thunder showing no heart on defense in the latter part of the game, really would have been left looking exposed as such :moon:

Cavs scare their side backers once more w/ the very real possibility of a backdoor cover. W/o LeBron, no lead is safe... Wondering if Danny Ferry is subconciously trying to field a Cavaliers team in the image of Jordan's Bulls:

LeBron = Michael
??? = Scottie
Zadrunas = Cartwright/Wennington
Verajao = Rodman -> replete w/ the abysmal free throw shooting faculty
Williams = BJ Armstrong
Gibson/West/Wally = Scott Kerr and what have you...

And that is why the Cavs can't win a championship at present - there's no real true 1A, let alone 2 - and until they're able to import one, when LeBron steps off the court, opposing teams are able inch their way back including scrappy young squads like Memphis. The priority would be someone who can create his own shot like a Brandon Roy and not a Chris Bosh, who would be more like a 2, NOT a 1A such as Pippen. Just random thoughts assembled while watching the final minutes of that game.

Spurs are not going to win this year and won't unless Buford, Poppovich and the San Antonio braintrust realize that it's SO much harder to reload on the fly than rebuild. Lowry is a true point for Houston - Brooks an undersized shooting guard.

New Orleans controls the tempo vis-a-vis Chris Paul - the Warriors acquiesce by playing their patented NO defense once more.

Hope all did well... Sat this one out, but interesting nonetheless.

 

[easterntimezone]

I did place a standard soccer unit on the ML, but I won't lie, you made some good points and stopped me from taking Liverpool -1. Oh well, shit happens. :shrug:

Must say that probably no one expected a 5-0 drubbing! From what I saw in the first 40 mins, Villa had some good spells but couldn't capitalize and their defensive frailties as you outlined in your post did them in.

Hope you enjoyed every minute of that as a Reds supporter though! Title race is truly back on again.

That's my bad, PNP - it's on me. And my apologies.

I'm actually more excited about the outcome b/c of what it promises for Arsenal w/ regards to the Champions League than for the Reds; I fully expect that Ferguson will have exhibited enough scorn towards his players that they'll be chastened schoolboys aiming to please him after the international break.

 

[BIGWave]

Time to call this one I'm afraid...

time of death...3:25 of 3Q...

Look your notes fellas, this was the right ticket! No worries, Tomorrow is another day.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!
Funny stuff man.........
The forbidden "O"s got us today.........

Take it for what it's worth KB...I'd play Sac +5 before I played NOH -8.5

IMHO

I actually tickled NO-8.5 seeing another who seems to know the language well. :0corn

 

[axp59]

Hope all did well... Sat this one out, but interesting nonetheless.

A wonderful read. Your observations and comparison to the Bulls may be right on the money ETZ. Can the Cavs go all the way this year? Who presents the toughest match up? Is this year's NBA champ coming out of the East? Thanks ETZ.

 

[chrisb02us]

Awful call on the Timberwolves; anemic offense and it weren't for Thunder showing no heart on defense in the latter part of the game, really would have been left looking exposed as such :moon:

Cavs scare their side backers once more w/ the very real possibility of a backdoor cover. W/o LeBron, no lead is safe... Wondering if Danny Ferry is subconciously trying to field a Cavaliers team in the image of Jordan's Bulls:

LeBron = Michael
??? = Scottie
Zadrunas = Cartwright/Wennington
Verajao = Rodman -> replete w/ the abysmal free throw shooting faculty
Williams = BJ Armstrong
Gibson/West/Wally = Scott Kerr and what have you...

And that is why the Cavs can't win a championship at present - there's no real true 1A, let alone 2 - and until they're able to import one, when LeBron steps off the court, opposing teams are able inch their way back including scrappy young squads like Memphis. The priority would be someone who can create his own shot like a Brandon Roy and not a Chris Bosh, who would be more like a 2, NOT a 1A such as Pippen. Just random thoughts assembled while watching the final minutes of that game.

Spurs are not going to win this year and won't unless Buford, Poppovich and the San Antonio braintrust realize that it's SO much harder to reload on the fly than rebuild. Lowry is a true point for Houston - Brooks an undersized shooting guard.

New Orleans controls the tempo vis-a-vis Chris Paul - the Warriors acquiesce by playing their patented NO defense once more.

Hope all did well... Sat this one out, but interesting nonetheless.

That's a very good read. For my sake, I hope the Cavs can go all the way w/ the missing Pippen piece. I am not sure where you're from, but we in Cleveland are starving for a championship like none other. The Cavs are our best bet, then the Indians, and lets be honest, the Browns, well, the Browns are just comic relief around here.

 

[easterntimezone]

A wonderful read. Your observations and comparison to the Bulls may be right on the money ETZ. Can the Cavs go all the way this year? Who presents the toughest match up? Is this year's NBA champ coming out of the East? Thanks ETZ.

I don't think the Cavs can - the Celtics right now may be enjoying less of the spotlight, but w/ the playoffs coming 'round the corner and Boston getting ready to reconfigure its full roster, resembling a wounded animal that's not only dangerous and powerful, BUT also knows 1sthand what it's like to go through the ups and downs of winning it all... I give LeBron credit - he carried his team all the way up to the championship round against San Antonio, but talent prevailed there - as in a greater abundance.

Orlando - SO addicted to the 3 pointer; what happens when defense gets ratcheted up in the playoffs and 3s are contested each and every time; will their shooters be as deadeye as they have been? Magic = pretenders.

 

[Griffin8s]

A wonderful read. Your observations and comparison to the Bulls may be right on the money ETZ. Can the Cavs go all the way this year? Who presents the toughest match up? Is this year's NBA champ coming out of the East? Thanks ETZ.

Toughest match up will be LA of course asuming Cavs make is past Boston in the playoffs. ( Man I sound like I'm kissing your a$$ say that about Boston but I'm not) if Boston is healthy. I'm a Cleveland fan and all Cleveland fans of any team football,baseball, etc understand our black cloud that seems to strike late in any season.

Nice play by the way tonight eveyone!!

 

[easterntimezone]

That's a very good read. For my sake, I hope the Cavs can go all the way w/ the missing Pippen piece. I am not sure where you're from, but we in Cleveland are starving for a championship like none other. The Cavs are our best bet, then the Indians, and lets be honest, the Browns, well, the Browns are just comic relief around here.

Not from Cleveland, but you do have my empathy - diehard sports fans from an embattled rustbelt state (that boasts a hardworking character) deserving of a championship.

 

[axp59]

Your insight is certainly making this C's homer optimistic. Thank you for your thoughtful response ETZ.

 

[Griffin8s]

Sorry to step on your toes there ETZ, I thought when I first read it Ax was posing a general question to anyone. Been out all day and reading fast to catch up on the latest.

 

[chrisb02us]

I can't even laught at Sacramento anymore, I am just out of breath. I am not one to give up on a play so early, but this one is looking dead in the water. Do the Kings even have 5 players on the court?:mj16:

 

[easterntimezone]

Your insight is certainly making this C's homer optimistic. Thank you for your thoughtful response ETZ.

Most welcome Ax. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the current incarnation of the Celtics (if pressed, my loyalties lie more w/ the Bird/Parrish/McHale/Johnson/Ainge/etc. era), gotta call it like it is. My sentimental support remains w/ the Sonics when Nate McMillen played for 'em after graduating from NC State. Even though they were in the Left Coast and me on EST.

 

[granpa]

Sac/Philly

Sac/Philly

Would seem either Philly has decided to play defense as they did against LA the other night or Sac is just worse than usual tonight.. :shrug:

 

[easterntimezone]

Sorry to step on your toes there ETZ, I thought when I first read it Ax was posing a general question to anyone. Been out all day and reading fast to catch up on the latest.

No worries, G - the more to the party, the better!

:toast:

 

[chrisb02us]

Fellas,

I have to call it a night here. The wife has been more than patient w/ me these last 4 days, as I have been in front of the TV for 12 hours a day watching the madness. I'll be back tomorrow, but not till around 6:00 EST, got the day job to attend to. It's been fun, and here's to making that winning ticket a regular thing. Thanks again Ax for bringing me over here; love the vibe.