tuesday

[RAYMOND]

Dallas BEST BET

Dallas coach Avery Johnson prides himself and his team on defense so you know he will be challenging his team to stop Kobe Bryant (who torched them for 62 points in the last meeting). Dallas has double revenge and is playing perhaps its best ball of the year, winning eight straight (7-1 ATS) and Jerry Stackhouse has given them another option off the bench. Take advantage of the fact that everyone has been backing the Lakers recently, meaning the line will be smaller than usual for the Mavs at home.

 

[RAYMOND]

NYK+7

Home dog, with revenge, vs. a favorite playing
a fourth game on a road trip. Regarding the Knicks' last
game on Sunday...:``I know we lost but the way we lost is
a lot better than how we have been losing,'' rookie forward
Channing Frye said. ``We are on the up and up.''

The Knicks may be without leading scorer Stephon Marbury, who
missed his second straight game Sunday with an injured left
shoulder. NO PROBLEM! They'll be missing Marbury all of next
season after he gets traded.

While playing for the Raptors, newly acquired Knick Jalen Rose
struggled in his only game against the Clippers this season,
going 1-for-12 from the field and finishing with six points.
All the more reason for him to go off in this game, because Sam
Cassell can't guard him.

 

[RAYMOND]

Pistons -10

This just clearly is a case of one team being able to consistently outclass its opponent. Detroit has won four straight overall in this series (five straight in Atlanta) with the margins of victory coming by totals of 28 (just 19 days ago at Philips Arena), 27, 6 and 15 points.

Atlanta recently won three straight games, but those wins came at home over the Knicks and Magic and on the road at injury-riddled Charlotte. Not exactly murderers row. Saturday night, they lost by 13 at Washington.

Then bad fortune struck the Hawks in Monday's practice as point guard Ty Lue (fourth on teams in scoring, second in assists) was lost from four to six weeks with a knee injury after a collision with teammate, Esteban Batista. Lue played starters minutes at the point as now Joe Johnson will have to move there some with the ordinary Royal Ivey and rookie Salim Stoudamire picking up more minutes. The Hawks were reported in the paper as "down'' following learning of Lue's injury.

Atlanta plays swiss cheese defense (48.5 percent opponents shooting at home) and I hardly feel they'll be compelled to bounce back from the drubbing Detroit layed on them on Jan. 19 (Hawks are 3-11 SU and 5-9 ATS revenging a home loss).

Detroit has covered six of eight as a road chalk of 9 1/2 to 12 points and the rested Pistons (off two days) will want to get back on track after Saturday's surprise setback to the Pacers (Detroit is 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS off an upset loss this year).

Billups has a sore finger and thigh and could be rested some tonight. But he's got plenty of supporting help and there's a good chance that Lindsey Hunte could be activated as he's seeking to log his first minutes of the year.

It's a big number, but Detroit (opponents shoot just 43.9 percent when the Piston travel) will be up for this task. They're clearly the better team and they will procude this win and cover.

 

[Lee]

These are awesome write ups!! I am tailing you. Thanks for the work.