Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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11-30-20 | St. John's v. Boston College | Top | 97-93 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
My 10* Rivalry Rout of the Month is on St John's at 6:00 ET. The St. John's Red Storm of the Big East will take on the ACC's Boston College Eagles in a non-conference, neutral-court game in Uncasville, Conn. The Red Storm are off to a 2-0 start (beat Saint Peter's and LaSalle), while the Eagles are 1-1, losing to No. 3 Villanova 76-67 before rebounding to defeat Rhode Island, 69-64.(2-0).St John's is coached by Mike Anderson, who is in his second season in Queens. He's had success wherever he's been, going 89-41 in four years at UAB, 111-57 in five years at Missouri and 169-102 in eight years at Arkansas. Anderson took over a recently struggling St John's program last season and went 17-15, giving him his 18th consecutive winning season as a head coach (zero losing seasons). Jim Christian had an excellent six-year run at Kent St, winning 20-plus games each year and averaging 22.8 wins per season. He took on the challenge at TCU and failed miserably, going 56-73 in four seasons. He returned to the MAC with Ohio U but 24-10 and 25-12 seasons brought only NIT and CIT postseason appearances. It was then on to BC and in six seasons, he's had just ONE winning campaign, going 75-119 overall. Anderson lost LJ Figueroa (14.5 & 4.5) to Oregon but THREE newcomers have already made HUGE contributions in the team's 2-0 start. Vince Cole is a 6-5 two-time junior-college All-American and was named the MVP of the Lapchick Tournament, as he averaged 20.0 points on 46.2 percent shooting on three-pointers. Freshman guard Posh Alexander averaged 12.0-5.0-3.0 in the two wins and 6-10 JC transfer Isaih Moore (but with a 7-6 wingspan) chipped in 10.5 PPG and 8.0 RPG. There's all sorts of depth in the backcourt with Williams (9.5) and freshman Addae-Wusu (8.0 & 3.5). The 6-6 Earlington has opened adding 9.0 & 4.5 plus Anderson is waiting for 6-8 wing Julian Champagnie (9.9 & 6.5 last season) to return (missed two straight games due to a sprained ankle and PG Rasheem Dunn (5 points / 5 assists in the opener) to recover from a concussion. Speaking of hoping to get a key player back on the court, Christian waits to see how bad the foot injury that forced guard Jay Heath to miss BC's second game is. Heath had 16 points on 7-for-14 shooting s Villanova and was BC's leading scorer last season (13.1 PPG). Guard Thornton (12.7 & 3.4 APG) plus a trio of frontcourt players will also be missed (trio combined to average 27.8 & 13.0). Two key returning players are Wynston Tabbs, a third-year guard who missed half his freshman year and all of last season due to left-knee surgery. However, Tabbs (13.5 & 5.5) produced the first double-double of his career, getting 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Rhode Island (he averaged 13.9 PPG as a freshman). Up front it's the 6-8 Steffon Mitchell, who has made 84 starts and is averaging 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds this season plus the 6-7 Felder (8.0 & 4.0). BC has played the better competition so far but I really like the group Anderson has at St John's, especially when Champagnie gets healthy. This was a healthy rivalry back in the old days, when both teams were members of the Big East in its glory years. However, the Big East is now a basketball-only conference and BC has moved to the ACC, where competing is VERY difficult (see Christian's record at the school above). St John's wins this one comfortably in an 'old school' rivalry! Good luck...Larry |
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11-29-20 | Rhode Island v. San Francisco | Top | 84-71 | Win | 100 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
My CBB 10* Oddsmaker's Error Game of the Month is on Rhode Island at 5:30 ET. San Francisco went 22-12 last season in head coach Todd Golden's first season and the Dons have opened 2-1 playing at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct. The 1-2 Rhode Island Rams (21-9 last season) will be their opponents, as both teams will be playing a FOURTH since Wednesday (five-day stretch). San Francisco lost its opener 76-68 to UMass-Lowell but then won back-to-back games. The first win came 79-68 over Towson but then came a shocking 61-60 win over No. 4 Virginia as a 15-point underdog. Rhode Island opened its season with losses to No. 18 Arizona St (94-88) and Boston College (69-64) but picked up its first "W" on Saturday, beating USF 84-69. The Dons lost two key players from last season in leading scorer Mineland (14.4 & 4.7) and huge center Lull (11.9 & 7.6). This year's team revolves around senior PG Bouyea (18.0 & 5.6 APG), junior SG Shabazz (16.7) and 6-9 junior Ryuny (10.3 & 5.0). The Rams lost guard Dowtin (13.9-3.5-3.2) and forward Langevine (10.1 & 10.3) to graduation plus guard Martin (12.8 & 7.1) transferred to UConn. However, PG Fatts Russell (18.8 PPG and 4.6 APG last season) returns along with SG Shepard (17.1). Russell (16.7-3.7-4.0) is off to a solid start, as is Sheppard (13.1). A pair of 6-7 forwards have started well too, as Walker starts (10.3 & 5.7) and Johnson (8.3 & 4.3) comes off the bench. The Mitchell twins share time at center with Makhi averaging 5.7 & 5.3 and Makhel averaging 5.0 & 2.7. Shooting guard Carey is a Syracuse transfer and he's averaging 9.3 PPG. I believe Rhode Island is the better team by a fairly wide margin and is catching San Francisco off it HUGE upset of Virginia, when the Cavs shot 3 of 12 from behind the arc and San Francisco countered by going 13 of 28. NO repeat effort here by the Dons and the Rams win by double digits! Good luck...Larry |
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11-28-20 | Virginia Tech v. Villanova -8.5 | Top | 81-73 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout Game of the Month is on Villanova at 8:00 ET. No. 3 Villanova will look for its third consecutive victory to open the season when it takes on Virginia Tech in a newly rescheduled game at Uncasville, Conn on Saturday night. The 2-0 Wildcats captured the 2K Empire Classic with an 83-74 win over No. 18 Arizona State on Thursday, after opening its season with a 76-67 win over BC. The 1-0 Hokies won their season opener with a 77-62 home victory over Radford. Va Tech head coach Mike Young is in his second season with the school, after a record-setting 17-year tenure as the head coach at Wofford. The Terriers posted a 30-5 overall record in 2018-19, including a perfect 18-0 mark in Southern Conference play, and registered a convincing 84-68 win over Seton Hall in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Young built the Terriers into one of the Southern Conference's preeminent programs and a perennial NCAA Tournament participant. He guided Wofford to five NCAA Tournament berths over his last 10 seasons and five Southern Conference championships. However, the Hokies were just 16-16 overall in Young's first season at Blacksburg, losing almost two-thirds of their ACC games (7-13). Landers Nolley was selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team in leading the Hokies in scoring (15.5 PPG) last season but after the season he announced he was transferring to Memphis. More bad news came when the 6-6 Horne (7.6 & 4.2) also transferred. Sophomore guard Tyrece Radford (10.2 & 6.2) is both the team's leading returning scorer AND rebounder! However, Young thinks this team will improve because of some experienced graduate transfers. Guard Cartier Diarra averaged 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists at Kansas State last season, and helped them to the Elite Eight in 2018. He will play both guard spots, sometimes alongside Wabissa Bede, who returns after averaging 5.2 PPG and 5.5 APG. Diarra had eight points and Bede nine vs Radford. 6-9 Iowa graduate transfer Cordell Pemsl, 6-7 Delaware transfer Justyn Mutts and 6-7 Keve Aluma, who followed Young from Wofford, add depth and size. Pemsl and Mutts contributed nothing in the win over Radford but Aluma led the team with 19 points. Jay Wright lost Saddiq Bey (16.1 & 4.7) to the NBA (was a first-round NBA draft pick). However, four double digit scorers from last year's team returned. The 6-9 Robinson-Earl (10.5 & 9.4) was one of those four and he's been dominant in the first two games, averaging 23.0 & 9.0. He was joined by a trio of double-digit scorers last season and they are all back. SG Moore is averaging 15.0 & 6.0, PG Gillespie 13.0-3.5-5.5 and the 6-7 Samuels checks in at 7.0 & 7.0. Caleb Daniels transferred in from Tulane and is now eligible. He averaged 16.9 PPG in his last season at Tulane and has averaged 14.0 & 4.0 the first two games. Villanova's preseason ranking of No. 3 was its highest since the 1995-96 season but the Wildcats have yet to "put it all together" in their first two wins. My bet says the THIRD time (game) will be the charm," as Mike Young still has plenty of "work to do" with this Va Tech team. "Blowout Alert!" Good luck...Larry |
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11-27-20 | Seton Hall +6 v. Louisville | Top | 70-71 | Win | 100 | 7 h 12 m | Show |
My 10* Ultimate Underdog is on Seton Hall at 4:00 ET. Louisville is hosting what will likely be the biggest university-run non-conference event during the 2020-21 college basketball season. It's called the Wade Houston Tipoff Classic and joining the Cardinals are Seton Hall, Western Kentucky, UNC Greensboro, Winthrop, Arkansas-Little Rock, Duquesne, Evansville and Prairie View A&M. The nine teams will play 18 games over a 10-day stretch from Nov 25 to Dec 4. Louisville opened with an easy 79-44 win over Evansville on Wednesday, which replaced Southern Illinois in the field (Salukis drops out due to COVID issues). Carlik Jones had a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds in his first game with Louisville. He's a graduate transfer from Radford and was last season's Big South Conference player of the year (20.0-5.1-5.5). 6-7 swingman Samuelson added 17-6-5, 6-8 freshman Traynor 11 & 5 and 6-8 sophomore Slazinski 10 & 4. This will be Seton Hall's first game and the Pirates enter the current season with high hopes. Seton Hall believed it could have made a run to the Final Four behind All-American guard Myles Powell (21,0 & 4.3) last season, before COVID-19 shut things down. The Pirates were 21-9 and ranked 15th in the country after finishing tied for first in the Big East with a 13-5 record. Powell is now in the NBA but OUTSTANDING head coach Kevin Willard has plenty to work with as the new season opens. PG Shavar Reynolds averaged just 4.2 PPG playing limited minutes last season behind Powell but Willard is counting on Reynolds to set up backcourt mates Bryce Aiken and Takal Molson, first-team All-Big East selection Sandro Mamukelashvili, wings Jared Rhoden and Myles Cale, plus 7-foot-2 center Ike Obiagu. Aiken had an outstanding run at Harvard but announced that he would transfer to Seton Hall for his senior season, choosing the Pirates over Maryland, Michigan and Iowa State. Aiken played just seven games during the 2019–20 season before being sidelined with a season-ending injury but averaged 16.7 PPG in those seven games. The 6-11 Mamukelashvili averaged 11.9 & 6.0 last season and is primed for a big season plus expects MUCH more help from the 7-2 Obiagu.
Here's the rub. Louisville is the host team but attendance for Wednesday's game was just 2,956 at the 22,090-seat KFC Yum! Center with COVID-19 measures in place. As for Seton Hall, the Pirates KNOW all about playing quality opposition. They played 10 ranked teams last season, winning OUTRIGHT over four, top-10 opponents, while losing by just three points to then-No. 3 Michigan St and by two points to then-No. 11 Oregon. Chris Mack was terrific at Xavier and is now coaching Louisville but Willard matches up well. Take the points but an OUTRIGHT win by Seton Hall will be NO surprise. Good luck...Larry |
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11-26-20 | Gonzaga -3.5 v. Kansas | Top | 102-90 | Win | 100 | 8 h 25 m | Show |
My 10* No. 1 vs No. 1 play is on Gonzaga at 1:30 ET. Kansas was ranked No. 1 in the final poll of the unfinished 2019-20 CBB season and will open this season on Thanksgiving Day at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida against Gonzaga, which finished No. 2 to Kansa last season but opens No. 1 in the AP's preseason poll this year (Kansas is No. 6). respectively, in the polls. Key losses for Kansas are PG Devon Dotson (18.1-4.9-4.0) and the seven-foot Udoka Azubuike (13.7 & 10.5). Two 6-5 guards are back, junior Ochai Agbaji (10.0 & 4.2) and senior Marcus Garrett (9.2-4.5-4.6), one of the nation's top defenders. Joining the backcourt are newcomers Tyon Grant-Foster (a JC transfer) and blue-chip prospect Bryce Thompson. Up front, 6-10 junior David McCormack (6.9 & 4.1) and the 6-8 Justin Wilson (who has bounced back after suffering a broken ankle as a freshman last season). will be tasked with filling Azubuike's shoes. "I don't think we're an unbelievably athletic team," head coach Bill Self said. "I thought initially we could get out and pressure, but I think we can play to our length from a depth standpoint. Could we press some? Zone some? Yeah, I think we could do that, but I have not really thought about how to take advantage of our depth, other than to play hard and force others to defend." "It's a great honor to be selected No. 1," Bulldogs head coach Mark Few said. "We understand that it is more a reflection of what our program has accomplished over the years and hope to play up to that standard as we start our season." The Bulldogs hated to see Filip Petrusev (17.5 & 7.9), last season's West Coast Conference Player of the Year, decide to forgo his final two years of eligibility to pursue a professional career overseas but SF small Corey Kispert (13.9 & 4.0), a preseason All-American, and guard Joel Ayayi (10.6-6.3-3.2) both return. Few has recruited a talented freshman class, one which includes guard Jalen Suggs, a top-10 prospect who is the program's highest-ranked recruit ever. Suggs led his Saint Paul, Mn high school to three straight state titles before COVID-19 ended last season prematurely. Mark Few has done everything but win a national championship since taking over the Gonzaga program for the 1999-2000 season. He has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in every season during his tenure as head coach and holds the record for the most consecutive tournament appearances since starting as head coach at 21! His career record at Gonzaga is 599-124 (.828), which is an average of 28.5 wins per season. Is this Gonzaga's year to "win it all?" That's getting way ahead of ourselves but a "W" here gives him a nice round number of 600 career wins. That's my bet and the Zags also get the ATS win. Good luck...Larry |
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11-25-20 | UCLA -2.5 v. San Diego State | Top | 58-73 | Loss | -120 | 15 h 23 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Month is on UCLA at 10:30 ET. The UCLA Bruins and the San Diego State Aztecs open their respective 2020-21 seasons Wednesday night at Viejas Arena in San Diego. It's a meeting of two excellent head coaches as Mick Cronin of UCLA and Brain Dutcher of SD State will go mano-a-mano. Cronin began his coaching career at Murray St, leading the Racers to two Big Dance appearances in three years. He got the Cincinnati job to begin the 2006-07 season but after four years, had just a 61-68 record. However, NINE consecutive NCAA Tourney appearances, as his Bearcats posted a 235-78 (.751) record. He moved to Westwood last season and his Bruins got better as the year progressed and was playing their best ball when the season was shut down. Brian Dutcher has more than 30 years of coaching experience, including 18 seasons as an assistant to Steve Fisher, first at Michigan and then at San Diego St. Dutcher joined then-interim coach Fisher in 1989 when Michigan won the national championship. He is credited for having a central role in recruiting the Fab Five to Michigan and for bringing Kawhi Leonard to San Diego St. Dutcher was named San Diego State's "head coach in waiting" in 2011.[Following Fisher's decision to retire, Dutcher was formally named as his replacement on April 11, 2017. The Aztecs won 22 and 21 games in his first two seasons but last season, the team opened 26-0 with impressive road/neutral site wins over BYU, Creighton, Iowa, and Utah State. SD State finished 30-2 and ranked No. 6 when the season shut down. Mick Cronin’s first year as UCLA's head coach ended 19-12, including a 12-6 Pac-12 record, good enough to get the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. UCLA wouldn’t get their chance to win the tournament though as the Pac-12 tournament and subsequently the NCAA tournament were cancelled on the same day back in March. The good news for the 2020-21 season for UCLA is that it brings back almost its entire team from last year, only losing Prince Ali (6.8 PPG) as a graduating senior. UCLA is led by senior SG Chris Smith, who was named the Pac-12 Conference's Most Improved Player of the Year last season after averaging a team-high 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds. "Somebody I expect to have a monster season," UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. "It's imperative for us that Chris competes for Pac-12 Player of the Year and All-American status, and he's consistent every night." The 6-10 Hill (9.0 & 6.9) and 6-9 Riley (8.8 & 4.5) are the team's two-best frontcourt players, while big guards Jaquez (8.9 & 4.8) and Campbell (8.3) join Smith on the perimeter. Dutcher brought in transfers Malachi Flynn, Yanni Wetzell, K.J. Feagin, and Trey Pulliam, to mesh returnees Matt Mitchell, Jordan Shackel, Nathan Mensah, and Adam Sieko, as the Aztecs put together one of their best season's in program history last year. However, the Aztecs lost MWC player-of-the-year Malachi Flynn (17.6-4.5-3.1) to the NBA while Yanni Wetzell (11.6 & 6.5) transferred to Vandy and Feagin (9.1) has finished up his time with the program. The good news for Brian Dutcher is that Matt Mitchell (12.2 & 4.8) flirted with the NBA draft but returned, G]guard Jordan Schakel (10.0 & 3.4) is back plus the 6-10 Nathan Mensah is healthy after playing just 13 games last season when he averaged 6.9 & 6.8 in about 20 minutes. Help also figures to come from Terrell Gomez, a transfer from CSU-Northridge after leading the Matadors with 19.8 PPG. Here's the rub. UCLA is ranked 22nd in the preseason AP poll, while SD St (30-2 last season and ranked 6th in the final poll) was NOT included in the preseason top-25. I have often pointed out that poll rankings can be misleading but it's not often that linemakers are fooled and they made UCLA a small road favorite, despite playing at one of the toughest road venues in college hoops. I have little doubt that Dutcher will produce another strong season but UCLA was on a 5-0-1 ATS run when last season was shut down, plus ended the season on a 4-0 ATS run on the road. I'm taking the Bruins here! Good luck...Larry |
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11-25-20 | Clemson -4 v. Mississippi State | Top | 53-42 | Win | 100 | 13 h 51 m | Show |
My 9* Tourney Takedown is on Clemson at 8:30 ET.
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10-06-20 | Lakers -7 v. Heat | Top | 102-96 | Loss | -108 | 20 h 14 m | Show |
My 10* NBA Game of the Month is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET. The Miami Heat reached this year's NBA Finals as the East's No. 5 to face the LA Lakers, the West's No. 1 seed. Miami is the first team seeded fifth or lower to reach the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks lost to San Antonio in 1999. The last team seeded fifth or lower to win an NBA title was Houston in 1995, when it beat Orlando as the West's No. 6 seed. Miami used a 13-0 run to take a 23-10 lead midway through the opening period of Game 1 but it was ALL Lakers after that. Anthony Davis scored 34 points and added nine rebounds, while LBJ had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, as the Lakers cruised to a 116-98 win. The Lakers outrebounded Miami 54-36, led by as many as 32 points and made 15 three-pointers. Adding insult to injury, Miami PG Goran Dragic left in the second quarter with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot and PF/C Bam Adebayo left in the third quarter with a shoulder strain. LBJ scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists in Game 2, while Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots on the way to 32 points, as the Lakers beat the short-handed Miami Heat 124-114 (no Dragic and Adebayo). James and Davis were the first Lakers duo to score at least 32 points in a finals game since Game 3 against New Jersey in 2002, when Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant did it. However, the Heat (still without Dragic and Adebayo) "came up big" and beat the Lakers 115-104 in Game 3. Miami's starters outscored the Lakers' starting five 89-51 and Jimmy Butler played "the game of his life," with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Butler became the 21st player to have a triple-double in the NBA Finals but it was just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. Now, it's time for Game 4 on Tuesday. Do we have a series? The Heat come in with a renewed sense of confidence as they look to even the best-of-seven series. "We're going to win," Heat swingman Jimmy Butler said of Game 4. "We're going to compete. We're not going to lay down; we're going to fight back in this thing and even it up 2-2." Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said of his star's big performance after Game 3, "How else do you say it other than Jimmy effing Butler," "This was a very urgent game, and he was doing it on both ends of the court. Just put his imprint on every important part of the game." Alrighty then! Meet Jimmy Butler, the incarnation of MJ. A quick reality check of his playoff history, pre-2020. He had appeared in SEVEN postseasons (for three different teams, Bulls, T-wolves and Sixers) with those teams winning THREE of 10 series, going 24-34 (.414). LBJ played a typical game in Sunday's loss (25-10-8), as he's averaging 27.7-10.7-9.0 through three games. However, the Lakers committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone in Game 3, one more than they had total in Game 2. They finished the contest with 20, James being responsible for eight and Anthony Davis five. Davis, after scoring 34 and 32 points in the first two games, took just NINE shots and finished with only 15 points. LA's other three starters (Howard, Green and Caldwell-Pope), combined for a pathetic11 points on 3-0f-13 shooting (23.1%). LA's complementary players have been an on-and-off situation all season but let me note that the Lakers haven't dropped back-to-back games all postseason. My bet says they don't start here vs a 'wounded' Heat team, even though Miami features "the INCOMPARABLE" Jimmy Butler. Lay the points! Good luck...Larry |
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09-30-20 | Heat v. Lakers -4.5 | Top | 98-116 | Win | 100 | 15 h 47 m | Show |
My NBA 10* Game of the Year is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET. The Miami Heat may be just the East's No. 5 but they are in The Finals against the LA Lakers, the West's No. 1 seed. Miami is the first team seeded fifth or lower to reach the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks lost to San Antonio in 1999. The last team seeded fifth or lower to win an NBA title was Houston in 1995, when it beat Orlando as the West's No. 6 seed. The Lakers cleared enough cap space to lure LeBron James in 2018 free agency and then traded the cache of draft assets they collected in six straight trips to the lottery for Anthony Davis. Owning two of the five best players in the league has the Lakers on the verge of tying the Celtics for the most NBA titles all-time, at 17. While the Lakers own the two-best players in this series, look at the Heat's journey to The Finals. They swept the undermanned Indiana Pacers in the first round (4-0 ATS) and then KO'd two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks in the second round (4-1 SU & ATS) on the strength of a versatile defense and an arsenal of offensive weaponry, They then beat the equally well-balanced Celtics in the conference finals in six games (4-2 SU & ATS) by out-hustling and out-executing Boston. All FIVE starters average in double figures, led by PG Dragic (20.9-4.2-4.7), swingman Butler (30.7-5.7-4.5) and PF Adebayo (18.5-11.4-4.9). SF Crowder (12/3 & 5.7) and SG Robinson (11.5) round out the starting-five, while Kentucky rookie guard Tyler Herro (16.5) has become a playoff star coming off the bench. Switching to the Lakers, it's A.D. (28.8 & 9.3) and LBJ (26.7-10.3-8.9) plus a ever-changing cast of characters that play well one game and then disappear in the next. Kuzma is the team's first player off the bunch and is the only other Laker to average in double digits (10.5), more than two 'TDs' fewer than A.D. and LBJ. Caldwell-Pope (9.9) and Danny Green (8.1) have joined A.D. and LBJ as having started all 15 games of the playoffs LA. Caldwell-Pope, Green and Kuzma are joined by a rotating collection of Alex Caruso, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris and Rajon Rondo, not exactly the kind of supporting cast you would expect on a dominant playoff team. Both teams are 12-3 with Miami going 12-3 ATS, while the Lakers are 9-5-1 ATS. The Lakers can be a disjointed group but A.D. and LBJ are truly a 'Dynamic Duo!' Also, the Lakers are shooting an impressive 49.8% as a team and when they've been favored by six points or less in this season's playoffs, have gone 4-0-1 ATS. My NBA Game of the Year is on the LA Lakers! Good luck...Larry |
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09-23-20 | Celtics -3 v. Heat | Top | 109-112 | Loss | -107 | 14 h 15 m | Show |
My 10* NBA Conference Finals Game of the Year is on the Bos Celtics at 8:30 ET. The Celtics dropped the first two games of this best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals against the Heat, each time blowing significant leads (14 points in Game 1 and 17 points in Game 2). However, they then won Game 3 of the series 177-106, while leading wire-to-wire. That contest was on Saturday, meaning that each team has had a three-day break heading into tonight's Game 4. Which team will be best-served by the layoff? Boston is looking to win consecutive playoff games for the first time since the start of its second-round series against the Toronto Raptors, while Miami attempts to respond to just its SECOND loss of the postseason. Knowing that Game 3 would be followed by three days off for scheduling purposes, the Celtics leaned heavily on their stars in Saturday's crucial win. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker combined for 72 points, each playing more than 40 minutes. What's more, Gordon Hayward took the court for his first game since an ankle injury sustained on Aug 17 sidelined him for more than a month, and played 31 minutes off the bench! The Celtics shot nearly 48.2 percent from the floor and outscored the Heat 60-36 in the paint, leading by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter. Miami is an NBA-best 10-2 SU & ATS this postseason but as Jimmy Butler opined after the team's Game 3 loss, "I think it gets old, playing from behind consistently. Especially against a great team like Boston and what they bring to the table." Butler is averaging a modest 17.0 PPG through the first three games, as PF Bam Adebayo (22.0 & 10.7) and PG Goran Dragic (21.7 & 4.7 APG) have led the way. However, Miami's won with balance scoring this postseason, as all five starters are scoring in double digits plus rookie PG Herro has averaged 14.8 PPG off the bench. I believed Boston to be the better team at the start of this series, while acknowledging that terrific play of Miami up tom this point. It's "put up or shut up" time from Boston tonight (and for me, by the way)! Good luck...Larry |
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09-17-20 | Heat v. Celtics -2.5 | Top | 106-101 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the Bos Celtics at 7:00 ET. No team had played better this NBA postseason than the East's No. 5 seed, the Miami Heat. The Heat were dominant through the first two rounds, going 8-1 SU & ATS. Miami's lone loss was 118-115 (OT) vs Milwaukee in Game 4, when the Heat had the Bucks 'buried' in an 0-3 'hole.' The Heat's team defense has been OUTSTANDING, as Miami has held opponents in its eight wins to an average of just 101.9 PPG. The Celtics are the East's No. 3 seed (won 48 regular season games to Miami's 44) and swept the 76ers in the first round. However, after going up 2-0 vs the Raptors in the second round, they were extended to seven games by the defending champs. The Celtics won Game 7 but only by a 'hair,' when Marcus Smart made what was a game-deciding block with just under one minute left (Boston would win, 92-87). Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals was an excellent one, as the teams made the statement, who needs the No. 1 and 2 seeds for excitement. The Celtics led the Heat by 12 points entering the final quarter and were up 14 early in the 4th. However, the Heat made a dramatic comeback and in OT, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were the heroes. Butler completed the game-winning three-point play with 12 seconds remaining but it was Adebayo's block to deny Jayson Tatum the chance to tie with 3.7 seconds left that garnered the most attention postgame. PG Dragic continued his outstanding postseason play with 29 points and SF Crowder added 22. Butler had 20-5-5 and Adebayo 18-6-9. Let's NOT ignore the performance of rookie guard Tyler Herro (Kentucky), who fell an assist shy of his first career triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) in 40 minutes off the bench. Boston's Tatum led the Celtics with 30 & 14 plus Smart continued his strong playoffs with 26 points in the loss. However, another poor showing by All-Star point guard Kemba Walker really hurt Boston, Walker needed 19 shots (he made just six) to get to 19 points. It was his THIRD straight game failing to reach 20 points while shooting worse than 32 percent. He was 1 of 9 from three-point range. "I'm just playing terrible, to be honest," Walker said. "Not much I can say, but I have to be better. I have to do better for this team on both ends of the floor. I have to make better decisions. I just have to make shots overall." It's only Game 2 but doesn't it feel like a "Make or Break" one for Boston. Reading the Game 1 recap on ESPN.com, it was reported that the Celtics had been 156-1 since the shot-clock era started 65 years ago -- winners of 92 straight -- when leading by 12 or more points going into the fourth quarter of a playoff game. They're now 156-2. There's no real 'gap' between these two teams but n\my bet says Boston ties it up at one-all. Good luck...Larry |
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09-15-20 | Nuggets v. Clippers -7.5 | Top | 104-89 | Loss | -102 | 11 h 12 m | Show |
My 10* Game 7 Decider is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET. The entire NBA 'world' is anticipating a Western Conference showdown between the Lakers and Clippers. Both LA teams took 3-1 leads in their respective semifinal series and the 'Battle 4 LA' seemed all but set in the Orlando 'bubble.' However, the Nuggets have so far, put that 'party' on hold. The Lakers finished off the Rockets handily in Game 5 of their series (119-96) but the Clippers have now blown back-to-back double digit leads in Games 5 and 6 of their series with Denver The Nuggets trailed by 16 points at the half in Game 5 but went on the win 111-105 and "did it again" in Game 6.The Clippers led Denver by 19 points with 22 minutes to go, only to see Denver pull away for a 111-98 victory. Denver won the third quarter 30-16 and the 4th, 34-19. LA head coach Doc Rivers was blunt after the team's Game 6 loss, saying there was 'no secret' to his team's collapses. "There's no secret like potion that something happened," Rivers said on Monday about the Clippers' two blown leads in a row. "The two things that we didn't do, clearly defensively, they shot almost 60% in the second half. The one thing that did stand out, they went to the free throw line like on every play." Denver center Jokic (26.1-9.9-5.5) and PG Murray (26.1-5.1-6.5) have led the Nuggets during the playoffs, as only PF Porter (11.8 & 6.9) joins them in double digits this postseason. In Sunday's contest, Jokic had 34 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, while Murray had 21 points, Gary Harris added 16 and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in with 13. The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 64-35 in the second half. "It was just amazing," Denver head coach Michael Malone told the media after the game. "We had 11 straight stops at one point. Coming into this round they were the No. 1 offense in the playoffs, so I'm running out of adjectives, superlatives, whatever you want to call it to speak on our team because that is a tough, resilient group of you know what. I love our team." Paul George has had an uneven postseason for the Clippers but had 33 points, six rebounds and five steals in Game 6 for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard contributed 25 points, eight boards and five assists but those numbers were below his playoff averages of 29.4-9.6-5.5. "Just gave up the lead again, pretty much," said Kawhi, who made 8 of 18 shots and 3 of 5 three-pointers. "They came down and either scored or got fouled in the third quarter, and we couldn't buy a basket. That's how they came back." So here we are in the FOURTH Game 7 of the 2020 playoffs and naturally, the Nuggets are again part of the story. Denver played two seven-game series in the 2019 playoffs (1-1) and came back from a 3-1 deficit in their first round series to oust the Jazz. The Nuggets will be trying to become the first NBA team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in back-to-back series. As Nuggets center Nikola Jokic said, "To us, Game 7 is just another game. Truthfully, the 'weight' of a Game 7 contest will weigh more heavily on the Los Angeles Clippers. They are attempting to advance to their first-ever Western Conference final and they are 0-7 in franchise history in previous attempts to get there. The "difference" this time around? The Clippers never had a player like Kawhi Leonard before. He was the Finals MVP for the Spurs in 2014 and then repeated that performance last year in leading Toronto to that franchise's first-ever NBA title. Can he lead the Clipps to the 2020 title? That's NOT the question here. However, my bet says he helps the Ciphers erase the above-mentioned 0-7 record by leading them to a double-digit win in Game 7. Good luck...Larry |
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09-15-20 | Heat v. Celtics -1.5 | Top | 117-114 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
My 9* Game 1 Series Opener is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET. No team has played better this NBA postseason than the East's No. 5 seed, the Miami Heat. The Heat have been dominant through the first two rounds, going 8-1 SU & ATS. Miami's lone loss was 118-115 (OT) vs Milwaukee in Game 4, when the Heat had the Bucks 'buried' in an 0-3 'hole.' The Heat's team defense has been OUTSTANDING, as Miami has held opponents in its eight wins to an average if just 10.19 PPG. The Celtics are the East's No. 3 seed (won 48 regular season games to Miami's 44) and swept the 76ers in the first round. However, after going up 2-0 vs the Raptors in the second round, they were extended to seven games by the defending champs. The Celtics won Game 7 but only by a 'hair,' when Marcus Smart made what was a game-deciding block with just under one minute left (Boston would win, 92-87). All five Miami starters are averaging in double digits, led by swingman Butler (21.8-5.6-4.2), PG Dragic (21.1-4.4-4.8) and PF Adebayo (16.2-11.7-4.8), who is shooting a team-best 54.1% among the Miami's six double-digit scorers. Kentucky rookie Herro chips in 14.7 PPG off the bench. Boston hasn't "missed a beat" after Gordon Hayward went out with an injury in the team's first playoff game. Marcus Smart has started in his place and is averaging 13.1-5.5-4.2 this postseason. The team's "Big 3" of Tatum (25.3 & 10.1), Brown (21.0 & 7.6) and Walker (19.6 & 5.3) has been excellent (Note: Walker's had his ups and down). The Celtics 'rode' their stars hard down the stretch of their semifinal series with Toronto, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart each playing north of 40 minutes in the final two contests. However, the Celtics haven't played since Friday, so fatigue should NOT be ANY factor. As for Miami, the Heat have been idle since Sep 8. Could the layoff 'cool' them off (couldn't resist that one!)? I'm on Boston in this one. Good luck...Larry |
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09-11-20 | Celtics -2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 92-87 | Win | 100 | 12 h 47 m | Show |
My 10* 2nd Round Game of the Year is on the Bos Celtics at 9:00 ET. The Toronto Raptors won the franchise's first-ever NBA title behind the spectacular play AND leadership of Kawhi Leonard. However, Kawhi left for the Clippers and starting SG Danny Green left for the Lakers. The cupboard was hardly left bare though, plus Nick Nurse won Coach of the Year honors in 2019, his FIRST as an NBA head coach. The Raptors finished this year's interrupted regular season with a 53-19 record, giving them the East's second-seed (note: Toronto owned a better regular season record than ALL Western Conference teams. The Raptors drew a tough second round matchup in the third-seed Celtics, who have given Toronto "more trouble" this season than ANY other team. Toronto promptly fell behind 0-2 in its best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal against Boston and few would have imagined the series going seven games. However, that's EXACTLY where we are as of Friday. Toronto 'stole' Game 3 with a winning three-pointer at the buzzer and then took Game 4, 100-93. An angered Boston team routed the Raptors111-89 in Game 5 but Toronto stayed 'alive' with a thrilling 125-122 double-OT win in Game 6. Reserve SG Norman Powell scored 15 of his 23 points in the OT periods. His three-point play with 38.8 seconds left gave the Raptors a four-point lead and his free throws with 5.0 seconds remaining helped Toronto hold on. Kyle Lowry was brilliant in scoring 33 points in 53 minutes. Joining Lowry in playing 50-plus minutes in Game 6 were Siakam (54 minutes), VanVleet (51) and OG Anunoby (50). FOUR of Boston's five starters also logged 50-plus minutes, with Brown adding 31 & 16, Tatum 29-14-9 and Smart (23-11-10), who recorded his second-career triple-double. A name you just didn't read was that of PG Kemba Walker. He played 52 minutes but was just AWFUL, scoring only FIVE points on 2 of 11 shooting. "Just a bad offensive night for me, terrible offensive night for me," Walker said. You think? I'm a big fan of the Raptors and with the top-seeded Bucks KO'd already, Toronto may just think its path to a return trip to the NBA Finals is wide-open (note: The winner of this series better be VERY afraid of the red-hot Heat). However, in watching and reviewing this series, I have concluded that Boston IS the better team. The Raptors are 7-0 in Orlando against all other opponents but just 3-4 vs the Celtics. In fact, after Boston's 111-89 Game 5 win, the Celtics owned FOUR wins over the Raptors by 15 or more points this season while the rest of the NBA, combined, has ONE! Lowry (36.9& overall / 30.0% on threes) and VanVleet (33.7% / 29.8%) have NOT shot well most of this series and I wouldn't want to rely on them here. One could argue that Tatum (23.5-10.0-5.0) and Brown (20.7 & 8.8) have been the two-best players in the series plus Smart (12.8-5.4-5.8) has started the last nine games (for Hayward), including posting a line of 15.7-6.7-5.0 vs Toronto. As for Walker, after a subpar showing in Game 4, he responded with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting in the blowout victory in Game 5. Want a bonus prop bet? Take the OVER in Walker's posted point total for Game 7. More importantly, make a "Big Play" on the Celtics in this Game 7. Not for nothing, the Celtics are 23-9 all-time in Game 7s. Good luck...Larry |
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09-10-20 | Lakers v. Rockets +5 | Top | 110-100 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Hou Rockets at 7:00 ET. Houston's "small ball" won out in Game 1 of this series, as the team's excellent trio of guards dominated the game. Harden scored 36 points, Westbrook 24-9-6 and Gordon 23. Here's the 'autopsy.' Houston pulled away in Game 1, outscoring the Lakers 27-18 in the fourth quarter to lead by as many as 19 points in a comfortable 112-97 victory. Houston held the Lakers to 97 points, 42.2 percent shooting from the floor, including 11-of-38 from three-point range (28.9%). The rebounding numbers were even (41-41), a big win considering the Rockets are so undersized plus shot 27 FTs to LA's 19, the result of being more aggressive. The Rockets also scored 27 points off of 15 Lakers TOs. "I think it's the speed," LBJ said after the game. "They play with a lot of speed both offensively and defensively. And you can watch it on film and you can see it on film; until you get out there and get a feel for it [you cannot comprehend it]. That's what we did tonight. We got a feel for their speed, and we should be fully aware of that going into Game 2." LA took a 67-51 lead at half in Game 2 but Houston won the 3rd quarter 41023 to take a two-point lead into the 4th. LA prevailed by holding the Rockets to 17 points in the final period to win (AND cover), 117-109. The Lakers shot 56,6% as a team in Game 2. Game 3 was again close, as the teams were tied entering the 4th, However, the Lakers again won the decisive final period (30-20) to win 112-102. Again, LA shot 55.1% as a team, overcoming Harden's 33 points and Westbrook's 30. The Rockets haven't been able to beat the Lakers or Warriors come playoff time in recent years and losing Game 4 to fall behind 3-1 in this series, will surely be a 'death nell.' The Rockets played extremely well offensively for lengthy stretches this series but momentum has turned in the fourth quarter in each of the last two games, as the Lakers' defense has held Houston to just 17 and 20 points, respectively. Here's the two key stretches in those games. Trailing 92-90 entering the final period in Game 2, the Lakers held Houston to 2-for-8 shooting and forced two turnovers during a 14-4 run to take the lead. Then, with the score tied at 82 at the close of the third quarter of Game 3, the Rockets missed 4 of 6 shot attempts while committing three turnovers during the decisive stretch that fueled a 17-5 Lakers rally. Houston needs Harden, Westbrook and Gordon to reprise their Game 1 efforts offensively and for the entire Houston team to play defensively like it did in Game 1, as well. LBJ and LBY make one fabulous duo but the rest of the Lakers can easily 'go in the tank. NOT sure Houston can win THREE of the next four and take this series but Game 4 is clearly a "MUST-WIN" situation for them. I'm taking the points but predict a SU Houston win. Remember, LA's three starters (other than AD and LBJ) scored a combined 14 points in Game 2 and just EIGHT points in Game 3. Good luck...Larry |
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09-08-20 | Heat v. Bucks +3 | Top | 103-94 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 50 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET. The Milwaukee Bucks owned the NBA's best regular season record in the 2019-20 season (56-17) for the second straight year (went 60-22 last season). The Bucks fell in the Eastern Conference finals last season to Toronto, losing FOUR straight after taking a 2-0 lead. The Bucks looked disinterested in the Orlando bubble, as they finished their eight-game schedule 3-5 and were then shocked by the eighth-seed Magic in Game 1 of their first round series. However, the Magic really never had the talent to stay with the Bucks, who promptly won FOUR in a row with an average margin of victory of 14.0 PPG. The Miami Heat, who finished 12 games worse (44-29) than Milwaukee in the regular season, swept the Pacers 4-0 in the first round and then shocked the Bucks in Game 1 of this series. Many (most?) felt like it would be no more than a blip, with Milwaukee 'righting the ship' much like they did vs the Magic. That was NOT the case though, as Miami won Games 2 and 3 as well, taking a 3-0 lead. All are aware that no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 playoff series deficit to win but the Bucks 'gutted out' a 1118-115 OT win in Game 4, to extend the series at least ONE more game. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his ankle in Game 3 and his status was uncertain entering Game 4. Giannis would score 19 points in just 11 minutes but he re-injured the ankle and never returned after leaving in the second quarter. Milwaukee prevailed behind Khris Middleton's 36 points (8 rebounds and 8 assists), who played 48 minutes. Milwaukee starters Lopez (42) and Bledsoe (40) also reached the 40-minutes of playing time mark, while Miami players felt as if they 'let their guard down' after Giannis left the game. That sets the stage for Game 5. Miami is well-coached by Erik Spoelstra (he's VERY under-appreciated) and all five starters are averaging in double digits, while rookie Herro comes off the bench to chip in 14.8-4.5-3.0. Swingman Butler (22.4-5.0-4.0) and PG Dragic (21.6-4.5-6.0) have been superb, while the ever-improving PF Adebayo(16.6-12.4-5.1) leads the team in rebounding AND assists. Make no mistake, this Miami team is for real. However, I'm still NOT ready to concede the series to the Heat. If Giannis can go, Miami also has five double-digit scorers (four starters plus backup Hill off the bench) and solid depth off the bench. Obviously, the health of Antetokounmpo remains the primary storyline. The Bucks have listed him as questionable for Game 5 and it will almost assuredly be a game-time decision. "We know he's laying it on the line out there for us," Middleton said of Antetokounmpo after his terrific Game 4 effort. "His ankle's already in bad shape. ...Hopefully, we'll have him back again for the next game. But, if not, we still have to play as hard as we can. We've got to fight every night to keep on playing." I'm clearly hoping that Giannis plays but I'm on the Bucks, either way. Good luck...Larry |
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09-07-20 | Clippers -9 v. Nuggets | Top | 113-107 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET. The Denver Nuggets came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Utah Jazz in the first round and then with ONE day off between that grueling series and Game 1 of their second round series with the LA Clippers, got manhandled 120-97. Denver shot an abysmal 9 of 36 on threes (25%) and the team's two stars, center Nikola Jokic and PG Jamal Murray both fizzled. Jokic was held to a line of 15-3-3 and Murray scored only 12 points, shooting 5 of 15 from the floor (2 of 8 from three-point range). Kawhi led LA with 29 points, while George (19), Morris (18) and Harrell (15) all added solid support. However, Denver has a knack of getting its opponents out of their comfort zone and did just that in Game 2. Murray (27) and Jokic (260 bounced back with excellent games but more importantly, the Nuggets adjusted their defense to collapse inside and block the passing lanes back outside. The change resulted in the Clippers' Kawhi Leonard delivering his worst performance of the playoffs so far. Kawhi just missed a triple-double (13-10-8) but was an AWFUL 4 of 17 from the floor. His teammates didn't fare very well either, as after shooting 57.1% as a team in Game 1 (including 41.7% on threes), the Clippers shot just 40.9%, including 28.1% (9 of 32). The series is tied at one-all as it resumes Labor Day evening. The Nuggets have been in three previous playoff series the last two postseason and all three have gone SEVEN games. Are we headed for another seven-game series in this one? Some worrisome news for Denver is that it announced Sunday night that Jokic was listed as questionable for Game 3 with a sprained right wrist. The Clippers twice had a one-game lead on the Dallas Mavericks only to see their opponent even the series. However, LA bounced back from a Game to loss to Dallas to win 130-122 and after a Game 4 loss, routed the Mavs 154-11 to go up 3-2 (closed out the series in Game 6. "We will be better for Game 3," George told reporters. "There's no pep talk for it. It's the playoffs. We got to be ready. We've got to come out a lot stronger and we'll be up for the fight." Leonard's run of scoring at least 29 points in each game of the playoffs ended Saturday in Game 2. Anyone really NOT think he'll be a 'MONSTER' in Game 3? Lay it. Good luck...Larry |
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09-06-20 | Rockets v. Lakers -5.5 | Top | 109-117 | Win | 100 | 12 h 36 m | Show |
My 9* Weekend Wipeout is on the LA Lakers at 8:30 ET. Here's what I wrote in my Game 1 analysis of Hou/LA on Friday. The Blazers were a 'sexy' pick to upset the Lakers at the start of the playoffs and after Game 1, 'tongues were wagging!' The Lakers shot just 35.1 percent from the floor, including 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!) in Game 1 but then won FOUR straight from Portland. It sure didn't hurt the Lakers that Lillard dislocated the index finger on his left hand in Game 2 and was never the same. However, LA averaged 123.3 PPG in the four straight wins, while shooting 52.2% from the floor in that span. A.D. averaged 29.8-9.4-4.2 in the series, while LBJ chipped in 27.4-10.2-10.2. Is LA's 'dynamic duo' enough to lead the Lakers to the title this postseason? LA is well-rested (last played on Aug 29) as the team gets set to meet the Houston Rockets. The Rockets needed all SEVEN games to get past OKC and just finished off the Thunder on Wednesday, edging them 104-102. Harden led Houston in scoring vs OKC, averaging 29.7-6.3-8.0 but his three-point shooting was way off most of the series (31.3%). Fellow superstar Russell Westbrook finally returned for Game 5 of the team's first round series and averaged just 14.7 PPG, about HALF his regular season average of 27.2 PPG. Without center Capela (13.9 & 13.3) since late January, the Rockets have turned to a 'small ball' philosophy and have gone 19-13 (team was 29-18 when Capela was lost for the season). FOUR more Rockets average in double digits in support of Harden and Westbrook, while starting PF Tucker chips in 8.6 & 7.7 and some VERY tough defense. We saw last night with the Clippers routing the Nuggets (LAC were my Las Vegas Insider play), a team coming off a tough seven-game series with just one day before facing a well-rested formidable opponent can get 'steamrolled!'. One team got steamrolled alright but it was the Lakers, NOT the Rockets. Houston's "small ball" won out, as the team's excellent trio of guards dominated the game. Harden scored 36 points, Westbrook 24-9-6 and Gordon 23. Here's the 'autopsy.' Houston pulled away in Friday night's Game 1, outscoring the Lakers 27-18 in the fourth quarter to lead by as many as 19 points in a comfortable 112-97 victory. Houston held the Lakers to 97 points, 42.2 percent shooting from the floor, including 11-of-38 from three-point range (28.9%). The rebounding numbers were even (41-41), a big win considering the Rockets are so undersized plus shot 27 FTs to LA's 19, the result of being more aggressive. The Rockets also scored 27 points off of 15 Lakers TOs. "I think it's the speed," James said after the game. "They play with a lot of speed both offensively and defensively. And you can watch it on film and you can see it on film; until you get out there and get a feel for it [you cannot comprehend it]. That's what we did tonight. We got a feel for their speed, and we should be fully aware of that going into Game 2." I have my doubts regarding LA's title hopes (will A.D. and LBJ be enough) but I won't hesitate to lay the points in this classic bounce-back spot for the Lakers. Good luck...Larry |
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09-04-20 | Bucks -5 v. Heat | Top | 100-115 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 53 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET. The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 56-17, TWELVE games better than the Miami Heat. However, the Bucks are in REAL danger of getting bounced out of the playoffs during the Eastern Conference semifinals, as the Heat have won both Games 1 and 2. Milwaukee jumped out to a 40-29 lead at the end of the first quarter on Monday but it was ALL Miami after that, as the Heat turned that 11-point deficit into an 11-point victory (115-104). The Heat were the team to get off to a quick start in Game 2, leading 38-29 at the end of the first quarter. Miami's lead was 90-86 entering the fourth but Milwaukee had the lead back on the very first possession of the final quarter. Middleton was fouled on a three-point try, He made the first two free throws and the rebound of the third was controlled by the Bucks. Kyle Korver made a three-pointer off that rebound to cap a five-point possession for Milwaukee, which had the lead again at 91-90 for the first time since 14-13. However, the Heat then scored 13 of the next 15 points to not only reclaim the lead but push it to 103-93 with 7:50 left. Miami led by SIX with 27 seconds left but almost let it slip away. I'm sure everyone saw the frantic few seconds but in the end, Miami won 116-114 (and deservedly so). Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 23.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists vs Miami, after averaging 31.8-16.0-6.0 in the first round. Teammate Khris Middleton is averaging 25.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists, an improvement over his first round performance when he averaged just 15.0 PPG on 33.5% shooting. Speaking of shooting performances, the Bucks shot 28.0 percent (7 of 25) in Game 2. If they DON'T improve, they'll NEVER get back in the series. Miami's Jimmy Butler scored 40 points in Game 1 (a career playoff-high), while PG Dragic scored 27 and PF Adebayo added 12-17-6. Butler had just 13 points in Game 2 but his final two points (two FTs with 0:00 on the clock), secured the victory. All five Miami starters scored in double digits on Wednesday, led by PG Dragic's 23 points. He's scored at least 20 points in all six playoff games to lead Miami's SIX double-digit scorers this postseason with a line of 23.5-4.5-4.8. That balance has Miami 6-0 SU & ATS in the 2020 postseason. Milwaukee went an NBA-best 56-17 on the season. The Bucks have been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. The Bucks showed no interest in their eight regular season games in the bubble but after a Game 1 'hiccup' vs Orlando in this is the playoffs, the Bucks won FOUR straight by an average margin of 14.5 PPG. The Bucks are in an 0-2 'hole' vs Miami and they've 'earned' that position. Maybe I'm 'spitting into the wind,' but I will NOT dismiss the NBA's best team over the last two seasons. Lay the points. Good luck...Larry |
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09-03-20 | Raptors -1 v. Celtics | Top | 104-103 | Push | 0 | 9 h 19 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 6:30 ET. The Raptors shot poorly in Game 1 vs the Celtics (36.9% overall, including 25% on threes in going 10 of 40). Boston jumped out to a 39-23 lead at the end of the first quarter and cruised to a 112-94 win. The Raptors NEEDED to improve their play (AND shooting) in Game 2 and while Toronto struggled again (especially from three-point range), the Raptors had a 12-point lead in the late third quarter and took an eight-point lead into the final period. However, Boston DOMINATED the fourth quarter and outscored Toronto 32-21 to earn a 102-99 win and take a 2-0 lead in the series. Marcus Smart made FIVE 3-pointers in just a span of 3:04 in that final period, totaling 16 of his 19 points for the game in that span. "We're pretty pissed right now," Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said after the defeat "We're down 0-2. But we have to go back and look at the film and understand what we've done wrong and look at what we can do better." Lowry shouldn't need to look at the film, as the box score tells us that he and VanVleet have combined to shoot a 'DISGUSTING' 6 of 35 (17.1%) from three-point range in the first two games!! Smart has filled in for the injured Hayward and has averaged 14.4 & 5.2 in his five starts (20.0 PPG in two games vs Toronto), while the trio of Tatum (27.2 & 9.3), Walker (22.-4.3-4.8) and Brown (19.8 & 6.0) just keep on keepin' on! I guess one could just 'close the book' on Toronto in this series by noting that Boston has had Toronto's number all season, winning FIVE of the six matchups. In the bubble, Toronto is 0-3 against Boston and 11-0 against everyone else. However, call me stubborn (that would be fair), but I like this Toronto team and its head coach Nick Nurse. The Raptors lost the first two games against the Bucks in the conference finals last postseason but won FOUR straight on their way to an eventual NBA championship. Yeah, Kawhi is now a Clipper but Toronto took Boston 'to the wire' last time, despite another HORRIFIC shooting performance, My bet says "the THIRD time's the CHARM!" Good luck...Larry |
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09-02-20 | Heat v. Bucks -5 | Top | 116-114 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mil Bucks at 6:30 ET. he Milwaukee Bucks knew the Heat would be a tough opponent, as Miami had won TWO of three regular season meetings between the two teams plus the Heat were coming off an impressive 4-0 sweep of the Pacers (also 4-0 ATS), in which they held Indiana to just 100.8 PPG. The Bucks sure didn't want a repeat of their Game 1 opener against Orlando in the first round, when the 14-point underdog Magic shocked the Bucks, 122-110. Milwaukee jumped out to a 40-29 lead at the end of the first quarter on Monday but it was ALL Miami after that, as the Bucks turned that 11-point deficit into an 11-point victory (115-104). Milwaukee needs to 'hit reset' here in Game 2, much like the Bucks did in immediately turning the tables on the Magic, romping 111-96 in Game 2 of that series (the first of FOUR straight double-digit wins). Miami's Jimmy Butler scored 40 points in Game 1 (a career playoff-high), while PG Dragic scored 27 and PF Adebayo added 12-17-6. Giannis just missed a triple-double (18-10-9) but made just 4 of 12 FTs, contributing to Miami outscoring Milwaukee 25-14 from the line (note: Giannis had averaged 30.6-16.0-6.0 vs Orlando. The good news was Middleton played his best game of the playoffs with 28 points and Brook Lopez chipped in 24 points. Here's the rub, "short & sweet!" Milwaukee went an NBA-best 56-17 on the season, while Miami was a much more modest 44-29. Milwaukee's been the NBA's best team in each of the last two seasons (went 60-22 last year) and losing streaks have been RARE! How rare? Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 season, the Bucks had gone a remarkable 29-1 SU and 23-7 ATS after a loss, BEFORE losing three straight right before the shutdown. The Bucks showed no interest in their eight regular season games in the bubble but this is the playoffs. As noted, off that Game 1 loss to Orlando, the Bucks won by 15. Here, there is no double-digit pointspread to cover, so expect the Bucks to win "with room to spare!" Good luck...Larry |
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09-01-20 | Celtics v. Raptors -1 | Top | 102-99 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Tor Raptors at 5:30 ET. The Toronto Raptors were DOMINATED by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their second round series, 112-94. All five Boston starters finished in double digits, with Tatum and Smart leading the way with 21 points apiece. Meanwhile, Toronto starters shot a combined 4 of 25 from three-point range, including 3 of 16 by VanVleet and Lowry. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse summed up the defeat saying, "Tough day for us, right? Nothing was much fun out there today. They were great. We weren't very good. So we're going to have to bounce back." I guess maybe this was no surprise. Boston has now won seven consecutive Game 1s, the longest such streak for the Celtics since taking 11 consecutive 1-0 series leads between the start of the 1985 playoffs and the 1987 NBA Finals. As for Toronto, the Raptors have lost Game 1 in 14 of their last 18 series! Want more? Toronto is 0-2 against Boston at Disney, losing by a combined 40 points and not leading for a SINGLE moment in those two games. BTW...The Raptors are 11-0 at Disney against everybody else! I 'bit' on Toronto in Game 1 and 'got burned' but I will NOT shy away from playing them here in Game 2. The Raptors' starting-five against the Nets consisted of guards VanVleet (21.3-4.0-7.8) and Lowry (12.5-7.0-4.8), SF Anunoby (9.0 & 5.5), PF Siakam (20.8-7.8-4.8) and center Gasol (6.3 & 4.5). PF Ibaka (19.8 7 10.3) and SG Powell (17.5-4.-4.5) both had HUGE series coming off the bench. I noted how poorly Van Vleet and Lowry shot in Game 1 and I'll add Siakam's poor effort (13 points on 5 of 16 shooting plus only 3 rebounds and 2 assists) here. Ibaka had 15 & 9 and Powell 10 points but combined to shoot just 8 of 22 from the floor (36.4%). Boston did EVERYTHING right in Game 1 plus got a HUGE game from undersized center Theis, who 13 points and 15 rebounds. Can they possibly play that well again and can Toronto possibly play that poorly again? The Celtics are now 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in the postseason but my bet is that we see the Toronto team we've seen for most of this season in this one, the team that was 57-19 SU and 44-31-1 ATS prior to Sunday's Game 1. Good luck...Larry |
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08-31-20 | Rockets v. Thunder +6 | Top | 100-104 | Win | 100 | 16 h 36 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the OKC Thunder at 9:00 ET. The Rockets and the Thunder were each 44-28 in the regular season and met in this first round series as the West's No. 4 (Hou) and No. 5 (OKC) seeds, respectively. Houston won Games 1 and 2 easily but OKC rebounded with a 119-107 OT win and then a 117-114 victory. The Rockets had excellent opportunities to win in each of those two games but were eventually done in by poor three-point shooting and the terrific play of OKC's PGs Schroder and Paul (duo combined for 111 points in the back-to-back wins). Game 5 was played Saturday and the good news for Houston was that Russell Westbrook made his first appearance in the series. Westbrook was NOT a big factor with a line of 7-6-7 in 24 minutes. The key was Harden breaking out of a shooting slump by making 11 of 15 shots (31 points), while Covington scored 22 points (he had averaged just 8.0 PPG the first four games). As for OKC, the Thunder starters shot 1 of 21 on threes, while the entire team made only 7 of 46 (15.2%). Paul was "off his game" (16-6-3), while Schroder was tossed after playing just 21 minutes (he did have 19 points). OK, has Houston re-established itself with Game 5's 114-80 rout? Was Game 5's 'ugly' shooting performance by OKC due to Houston's D or did OKC just 'stink out the joint?' Not only did Paul and Schroder under perform but rookie Luguentz Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari were all "worse than AWFUL.' Dort, whose defense has contained Harden for the first three games of this series, made just 3 of 16 shots. Gilgeous-Alexander was 2-for-8 for four points and Gallinari missed all five points while scoring ONE point. Note that Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 17.0 PPG on the season, while Gallinari averaged 15.2. I believe OKC bounces back in a big way here and remember that while both teams went 44-28 during the regular season, OKC was also an NBA-best 44-28 ATS, while Houston was only 33-39. Take the points and don't be surprised if we are headed for a Game 7. Good luck...Larry
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08-30-20 | Celtics v. Raptors -2 | Top | 112-94 | Loss | -110 | 43 h 51 m | Show |
My 10* Series Opener (Bos/Tor) is on the Tor Raptors at 1:00 ET. I first posted this back on Wednesday (a scheduled Thursday tip-off) but as EVERYONE knows all games scheduled from Wed-Fri were postponed due to a protest by NBA players. This Game 1 is now slated to be the first of THREE games played on Sunday. NOTHING about my game analysis has changed! The Celtics and Raptors are BOTH coming off 4-0 sweeps, Boston taking down longtime rival Philadelphia, while the Raptors cruised past the over-matched Nets. PF Tatum (27.0 & 9.8) is just 22 and SG Jaylen Brown (21.5 & 5.8) only 23. That duo, along with vet PG Kemba Walker (24.3-4.3-3.8), have led the way for Boston. The loss of SF Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1 in the regular season) was lost after an injury in Game 1 and remains out for this series. Marcus Smart was inserted into the starting lineup for Hayward and averaged 12.0-4.0-3.0. The Celtics used their center combo of Theis (8.5 & 3.8) and Kanter (5.5 & 6.0) successfully against Philly. The Raptors' starting-five consists of guards VanVleet (21.3-4.0-7.8) and Lowry (12.5-7.0-4.8), SF Anunoby (9.0 & 5.5), PF Siakam (20.8-7.8-4.8) and center Gasol (6.3 & 4.5). PF Ibaka (19.8 7 10.3) and SG Powell (17.5-4.-4.5) both had HUGE series coming off the bench. Lowry is battling an injury (he's listed as day-to-day) and as his above numbers indicate, they are down from his season averages of 19.4-5.0-7.5. Boston has won THREE of the four meetings with Toronto during the regular season, including a 122-100 rout on Aug 7. However, I believe that only serves as extra-motivation for the defending champs. Obviously, a 100%-healthy Lowry would be preferred (maybe the extra rest will help?) but VanVleet has become an elite player and is a more consistent shooter than Lowry. The Celtics didn't miss Hayward vs the Sixers but his absence will be felt against this foe. The Raptors, led by Kawhi, won the franchise's first-ever title last season but sans Kawhi (as well as Danny Green), this year's Toronto team looks every bit a contender for back-to-back titles. I will back them in a big way in this Game 1. Good luck...Larry |
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08-29-20 | Thunder v. Rockets -4.5 | Top | 80-114 | Win | 100 | 25 h 2 m | Show |
My 10* NBA Game of the Month is on the Hou Rockets at 6:30 ET. The OKC Thunder had to like their chances against the Houston Rockets heading into this first round series, as former Thunder star Russell Westbrook (27.2-7.9-7.0) was expected to be sidelined for the entire series with a quad injury (more later). However, the Rockets would dominate the first two games of the series, winning 123-108 and 111-98. Harden (29.0-8.0-6.0) led the way but FIVE other Houston players averaged double digits in the first two contests. Meanwhile, the Thunder shot just 44.2 percent as a team. Veteran Chris Paul just missed a triple-double in Game 1 (20-10-9) but he recorded an 'ugly' minus-36 rating in Game 2 (14-6-2), the WORST of anyone on the court! Another big key to OKC's lack of success was the play of backup PG Dennis Schroder, who missed the first six of OKC's first eight games in Orlando. He was back for this series but he averaged just 9.5 PPG and 4.5 APG the first two games (he averaged 18.9 & 4.0 in the regular season). However, as the series resumes on Saturday for Game 5, it's all tied at two and Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder are two of the biggest reasons behind the Thunder making this a best-of-three series. Paul and Schroder, the Thunder's starting and backup PGs, were not often on the floor together for most of this season. However, Oklahoma City head coach Billy Donovan has elected to go to a small lineup, with those two being the primary beneficiaries. Paul and Schroder combined to average 26.5 points and shoot 39.7 percent from the floor as OKC fell behind 0-2 but in the last two games, the duo has combined to average 55.5 points, while shooting 52.6 percent (Paul's had 26 points in both Games 3 & 4, while Schroder chipped in 29 and 30 points, respectively. Houston has leaned heavily on a small lineup since the trade deadline, making up for what it lost in rim protection by switching relentlessly on "D" and wearing opponents down on the perimeter. It worked perfectly in Games 1 and 2. However, in the OT of Game 3, Donovan took out center Steven Adams and went with a lineup where 6-foot-10 Danilo Gallinari, the best three-point shooter on the Thunder, was their biggest man on the floor. Speaking of three-point shots, the Rockets have set a playoff record this series for most three-point attempts. They 58 from behind the arc in Monday's loss to break the record they had set with 56 tries in Game 2. Harden remains Houston's leader, averaging 32.0-7.8-8.8 but with this Game 5 being pushed back from Wednesday to Saturday because of the protests, Russell Westbrook is expected to play. Westbrook went through full-speed, 5-on-5 action on Thursday and looked "as explosive as ever." All reports are, he WILL play. Plus, as noted above, FOUR others are averaging in double digits. The big surprise has been 12-year veteran Jeff Green. he was signed by the Houston Rockets to a 10-day contract on Feb 18, 20202, after being waived by Utah. The Rockets announced that they had signed Green for the remainder of the season in late February and he's been Houston's second-best player this series, averaging 19.3 PPG. Yes, OKC has won back-to-back games but Houston could have won either one. Houston led by four points into the 4th-quarter in Game 3 and led by FIVE (102-97) with less than one minute to go. House tied the game at 104-104 with 9.5 seconds left but missed the second free throw. The game went to OT, where the Thunder outscored the Rockets 15-3. In Game 4, Houston led by one with about 1 1/2 minutes left (108-107) but lost 117-114. In the end, the Rockets need Harden to "come up big." He went 6-for-13 from behind the arc in the opener but he's lust 11-for-39 (28.2 percent) from behind the three-point line over the last three games. I expect "just that." The bonus is the likely return of Westbrook. How much he actually contributes is unknown but either way, expect the Rockets to make it a convincing win in Game 5. NO late-game missteps in this one! Good luck...Larry |
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08-25-20 | Mavs v. Clippers -6.5 | Top | 111-154 | Win | 100 | 11 h 55 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET. The seventh-seeded Dallas Mavericks were considered a long shot to get past the second-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in this best-of-seven series. However, despite injuries and ejections, the Mavs find themselves tied at two-all with the Clippers, turning this into a best-of-three series. Luka Doncic put the Mavericks on his shoulders in Game 4, despite playing on a tender left angle and with Kristaps Porzingis (averaged 20.4 & 9. 5 during the regular season) out with a sore right knee. He led Dallas back from a 21-point first-half deficit and capped a 43-17-13 triple-double by hitting a game-winning three-pointer at the overtime buzzer in a 135-133 Maverick victory. In the process, he became the youngest player in NBA history with a 40-point triple-double during the playoffs. LA's Kawhi Leonard had 32 & 9 for the Clippers and has been his usual dominant self this series, averaging 33.0-10.0-5.0, while connecting on 50 percent of his shots. However, LA's other superstar (Paul George), has seemingly 'lost his cape!' George is averaging a modest 15.3-7.3-3.8 through four games, while shooting an abysmal 29.0 percent, including 22.2% on threes. The Clippers would likely be on the verge of closing out the series, if George had played to expectations. Instead, the Clippers are faced with a HUGE Game 5. However, let's NOT forget that even with an under-performing George, LA built a 21-point lead in Game 4 vs Dallas. The good news for Dallas is Porzingis had an MRI following the game on Sunday and the results were negative. However, Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said Monday that he is still a game-time decision for Game 5. The NBA playoffs rarely produce a "surprise champion" and there were (are) very few who didn't believe that this year's champion would come from a 'pool' of just four teams. Those being Milwaukee and Toronto in the East and the two LA teams in the West. The Raptors have already swept their first round opponent, while the Bucks and Lakers (the league's two No. 1 seeds) both lead their respective opponents, 3-1. OK Clippers, it's your turn to "turn it up a notch." I'm laying the points! Good luck...Larry |
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08-24-20 | Lakers v. Blazers +7.5 | Top | 135-115 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 55 m | Show |
My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Por Blazers at 9:00 ET. The Blazers went 6-2 in the Orlando 'bubble' and then secured the No. 8 seed in the West by beating the Grizzlies 126-122 in the Play-In game. Portland has been led by Bubble MVP Damian Lillard. Talk was, the Lakers could be had, after some lackluster play in their eight games in Orlando, pre-playoffs. The Lakers clinched the West's No. 1 seed back on Aug 3 and then went just 1-4 (0-5 ATS) the rest of the way, needing a Kyle Kuzma shot at the buzzer to capture their lone win. Lillard had 34 points in Game 1 vs the Lakers, leading a balanced attack that saw McCollum score 21 points while center Jusuf Nurkic (17.9 & 11.8 in Orlando) added 16 & 15. Nurkic's backup, Hassan Whiteside, chipped in 7 & 8, with his plus/minus of plus-13 ranking 2nd to only Lillard's plus-19 for the game. Defensively, Portland held the Lakers to 35.1 percent shooting from the floor, including 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!). A.D. had 28 & 11 and LBJ added his 24th career playoff triple-double (23-17-16) but LA's dynamic duo combined to shoot 1 of 10 on threes. LA's starters shot a combined 3 of 23 on threes. Kuzma, LA's only other consistent scorer during the regular season, added 14. LA's center combo of McGee and Howard (10 points / 13 rebounds) was outplayed by Nuric alone, not even adding in Whiteside's contributions. All of a sudden, the Lakers DID look very vulnerable, while Lillard and the Blazers were becoming 'the story' of Orlando. However, things can turn on a dime in the world of sports. I made a HUGE play on the Lakers in Game 2 and they responded with an 111-88 win. LBJ had a modest line of 10-6-7 but A.D. had 31 & 11 plus the Lakers shot 47.8% as a team. Nurkic contributed just 9 & 8, while Lillard and McCollum combined for only 31 points and shot 2 of 12 on threes. The big story entering Game 3 was Lillard's health, as he had dislocated the index finger on his left hand in the third quarter. Lillard had 34 points in Game 3, while McCollum added 28 but Nurkic was again a non-factor (10 & 7). Meanwhile, LBJ bounced back with a line of 38-12-8 and A.D. wasn't far behind (29-11-8). Overall, LA shot 50.0% as a team in the 116-108 win. So here we are in Game 4, where the Blazers can square it at two-all, or LA can open up a commanding 3-1 lead. I'm not sure that Portland can even the series but taking the points looks very 'juicy.' Lillard can still "make the plays" with his injured left hand but the Blazers will NEED Nurkic to play MUCH better plus the bench CAN'T contribute just EIGHT points again, like it did in Game 3. When LBJ and A.D. play like they did in Game 3, the Lakers "two-man" team looks good enough to win a championship but I still see the Lakers as having way too many 'holes.' After all, even with 'monster' games from their two superstars AND a 28-18 edge in made FTs, the Lakers only won Game 3 by EIGHT points. I expect this contest to come "right down to the wire," taking more than a 'TD' seems HUGE! Good luck...Larry |
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08-24-20 | Pacers +6.5 v. Heat | Top | 87-99 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 28 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Ind Pacers at 6:30 ET. Miami recorded its THIRD straight win over Indiana with a 114-92 rout on Aug 10 in Orlando but the Pacers finally bested the Heat with a 109-92 on Aug 15. That broke a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. However, all games are being played in Orlando, there IS no home court edge to go along with that No. 4 seed. The Heat controlled most of the play in each of the first two games of this series, winning 113-101 and 109-100. Miami then did so again in Saturday's 124-115 Game 3 on Saturday, a contest that was heavily impacted by free-throw shooting. The Heat went to the line 52 times and made 43, whereas the Pacers attempted just 28 foul shots and made 21. Miami has successfully held T.J. Warren to 19.7 PPG, after he averaged 31.0 PPG in the eight games prior to the start of the playoffs. The Pacers remain without their best player, Sabonis (out for the year), who averaged 18.5-12.4-5.0 before getting hurt. However, Malcom Brogdon has shined, averaging a team-best 24.3 PPG in the series, while also leads all clubs in assists with 33 through three games. Oladipo has also looked "more like himself" the last two games, scoring 22 and 20 points, respectively. Miami's basically gone to a seven-man rotation and the Heat have ridden balanced scoring to take a 3-0 lead. FIVE players are all averaging 15-plus points. The group includes starters Butler (24.3-6.0-4.7), Dragic (22.7-5.7 APG), Adebayo (15.3-8.7-5.0) and Duncan Robinson (15.0), plus Kentucky rookie Herro (16.7), who comes off the bench. NO way the Pacers come back to win this series but four-game sweeps are rare when featuring comparable opponents. The third-seeded Celtics completed a sweep over the sixth-seeded 76ers on Sunday but failed to cover. This is a 4 vs 5 matchup (remember, Indiana is the 4-seed) and I see the Pacers bringing their "A-game" to this win or go home contest. Upset alert? I wouldn't call an Indiana win here an upset. Take the points. Good luck...Larry |
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08-23-20 | Nuggets +3.5 v. Jazz | Top | 127-129 | Win | 100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
My 10* "signature" LEGEND Play is on the Den Nuggets at 9:00 ET. Utah missed a great opportunity to 'steal' Game 1 against the Nuggets (lost in OT), when even Donovan Mitchell's 57 points weren't enough. However, everything has clicked for the Utah Jazz on offense and defense these last two games. The Jazz have overwhelmed the Nuggets on both ends of the court in back-to-back games, averaging 18 made three-pointers per game, while shooting 45 percent or better from behind the arc in both Game 2 and Game 3 wins. The Nuggets are a mess on defense (have allowed 124.3 PPG in the series) plus have struggled to find a consistent rhythm on offense the last two contests. After scoring 135 points in Game 1's OT victory, Denver has been held to 96.0 PPG in the two losses (Nuggets averaged 111.3 PPG during the regular season). Denver continues to miss two starters, SF Barton (15.1-6.3-3.7) and SG Harris (10.4), who happens to be the team's best perimeter defender. Are those losses too much to overcome? I am NOT ready to concede that. Jokic was his usual self in the first two games (28.5-10.4-4.5) but he had just 15 points in Game 3. Jokic had a breakout postseason last year and I expect a HUGE game from him here. PG Murray and the ever-improving Michael Porter Jr. should also be MUCH better in Game 4. Mitchell had those 57 points in the Game 1 loss but in Utah's two wins, scored 30 and 20 points. Center Rudy Gobert (20.0 & 9.3) has at least played Jokic to a draw so far and PG Mike Conley had a HUGE game on Friday. Conley led Utah with 27 points in its Game 3 romp (returned from a two-game absence), shooting a career-best 7-of-8 from three-point range. However, Conley has been erratic all season, shooting only 40.9% during the regular season, including 37.5% on threes. It's my bet that Utah will NOT replicate its performance from the last two games, when the team shot 51,7% (20-of-44 on threes) and 51.2% (18-of-37 on threes), respectively. Denver gained valuable playoff experience by playing in two, seven-game series in the 2019 postseason (beat the Spurs / lost to the Blazers) and I expect them to lean on that here. Expect Jokic and Murray to be "at their best" as the Nuggets tie this series at two-all. Take ANY points available. Good luck...Larry |
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08-23-20 | Celtics v. 76ers +8 | Top | 110-106 | Win | 100 | 4 h 7 m | Show |
My 9* Division Game of the Month (Atlantic) is on the Phi 76ers at 1:00 ET. The third-seeded Boston Celtics hope to complete a playoff-series sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers (No. 6 seed) Game 4 of their best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon. he Boston scored Game 3's final 10 points on Friday, walking away with a 102-94 win. Here's how the game turned down the stretch. Embiid gave the 76ers their last lead of Game 3 at 94-92 on two free throws with 2:14 remaining but with the 76ers having a chance to add to their lead, he attempted a cross-court pass out of a double-team. The ball was intercepted by Marcus Smart and turned into a three-point play by Jaylen Brown for a 95-94 advantage for the Celtic. Philly had a chance to retake the lead on their next possession but Embiid's off-balance jumper was blocked by Jayson Tatum, who was then fouled in the open court, resulting in a clear-path infraction and two free throws. He made one and when Kemba Walker buried a 20-footer with 1:05 left on the Celtics' ensuing possession, Boston was up four and headed to a commanding series lead. And so it goes. Boston's Hayward was lost for the series in Game 1 but Boston has produced a trio of 20-point scorers in this series, Tatum (26.7 & 8.0), Brown (23.3 & 6.0) and Walker (21.7-4.3-3.7). Smart has replaced Hayward in the starting lineup the last two games and has averaged 12.0-6.0-2.5. Philly began the series with Simmons and Embiid has been the 'big dog,' averaging 30.0 & 13.0. Regular starters Richardson (17.7 & 4.0) and Harris (14.3 & 11.0) have played well enough, as has Milton (14.7), who has replaced Simmons. Phily was counting on Horford to step up his game come playoff time but that hasn';t been the case. He's averaging 30.7 MPG (has started two of the three) but is averaging just 5.3 & 6.3 (averaged 11.9 & 6.8 in the regular season. Many feel as if the 76ers are 'toast' and that head coach Brett Brown "is as good as gone." However, the 76ers have had real chances to win in BOTH Games 1 and 2. Philly had a chance to win Game 1, leading 79-75 into the 4th quarter and trailed by just THREE with under a minute to go in the game. I've also detailed the team's late-game collapse in Game 3, above..Embiid was dominant in the first half during Game 3, racking up 22 points and 10 rebounds while going 6-for-11 from the floor. However, he would shoot just 1-for-9 from the floo in the second half, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Here's the rub. Embiid's been the MVP of the series in the first halves, averaging 19.0 points on 59.4-percent shooting while adding 8.7 rebounds. However, he's been held to 29.2-percent shooting in the second halves, scoring 11.0 and grabbing a modest 4.3 rebounds.Boston/Philly is the league's oldest rivalry (the franchises are meeting for the 21st time in the postseason) and the simple fact is that the Celtics last swept the 76ers in a playoff series was back in the 1957Eastern Finals, when the franchise played as played as the Syracuse Nationals. I 'm NOT predicting that the 76ers can come back and win the series but I will NOT count them out of salvaging a pride-saving win in Game 4. I want ALL those points! Good luck...Larry |
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08-22-20 | Rockets v. Thunder +3.5 | Top | 107-119 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout is on the OKC Thunder at 6:00 ET. The OKC Thunder had to like their chances against the Houston Rockets heading into this first round series, as former Thunder star Russell Westbrook (27.2-7.9-7.0) was expected to be sidelined for the entire series with a quad injury. So far, NOT so good for OKC, as Houston has won handily in each of the first two games, 123-108 and 111-98. Naturally, Harden (29.0-8.0-6.0) has led the way but FIVE other Houston players have averaged double digits in the first two contests. The most surprising of those five is 12-year vet Jeff Green, who the Rockets acquired in late February from Utah. Green's averaging 18.5 PPG and only Harden is averaging more rebounds than Green's 6.5 per. The Rockets have never been known for their defense but the Rockets have held the Thunder to 44.2 percent shooting by rotating with determination. Chris Paul NEEDS to step up for OKC. He just missed a triple-double in Game 1 (20-10-9) in Game 1 but he recorded an 'ugly' minus-36 rating in Thursday's defeat (14-6-2), the WORST of anyone on the court! What can the Thunder do to turn things around? How about utilize 6-11 center Steven Adams more. He's averaged 12.5 & 11.2 and his size leaves the small-ball Rockets with few options to stop him. The 6-10 Danilo Gallinari has led the way for OKC averaging 23.0 PPG and Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 20.0 & 5.0. It's great to have reserve guard Dennis Schroder back (he missed all of OKC's first eight games in Orlando), as while he's averaged just 9.5 PPG and 4.5 APG in this series, he averaged 18.9 & 4.0 in the regular season. Here's a couple of things to note about OKC. The Thunder were the NBA's best pointspread team during the regular season, going 44-28 (compared to Houston's 33-39 mark). What's more, the Thunder have some positive playoff history on their side in situations like this. OKC has won Game 3 in each of the FIVE previous instances in which it fell into an 0-2 series hole. Can you say SIX in a row? Good luck...Larry |
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08-22-20 | Pacers +5.5 v. Heat | Top | 115-124 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 28 m | Show |
My 9* PERFECT STORM is on the Ind Pacers at 3:30 ET. Miami recorded its THIRD straight win over Indiana with a 114-92 rout on Aug 10 in Orlando but the Pacers finally bested the Heat with a 109-92 on Aug 15. That broke a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. However, with all games being played in Orlando, there IS no home court edge to go along with that No. 4 seed. The Heat have controlled the play in each of the first two games of this series, winning 113-101 and 109-100. The teams will trade benches and wear different colors for Game 3 but the Pacers will need more than that to get back in this series. The Heat have shut down T.J. Warren in the first two games, after he had averaged 31.0 points PPG on 57.8 percent shooting, including 52.4 percent with three-pointer, However, Warren's been held to 18.0 PPG (48.5 percent overall / 40.0 percent on threes), as Miami's gone up 2-0 in this series. It's not just Warren, as the Pacers have been held to just 100.5 PPG, the second-lowest total through two games of all 16 teams! Miami's gone with basically a seven-man rotation, led by the do-everything Butler (23.0-5.0-5.0) and veteran PG Dragic (22.0-4.5-5.5). SG Robinson (15.0), rookie guard Herro (15.0-4.0-3.5) and PF Adebayo (12.0-7.5-5.0) join Butler and Dragic in double digits (note: Herro is coming off the bench). The Pacers are without arguably their best player, Sabonis (out for the year), who had averaged 18.5-12.4-5.0. However, guards Brogdon (19.5 & 9.5 APG in the two games) and Oladipo (13.0 PPG but just 31.3% shooting) are MORE than capable. The 6-11 Myles Turner (13.0 & 8.5) has held his own up front, even without Sabonis. Here's the rub. Brogdon and Oladipo combined for 39 points in Game 2 (that's the good news) but shot a combined 9 of 29 from the floor (obviously, the bad news). Do I think Miami is the better team, yes! However, NOT by much and I'm taking the points with the team that's down 0-2. This series in NO way resembles the Toronto/Brooklyn mismatch or the Boston/Philly series, where the 76ers look as if they've "packed it in" for the season. No surprise at all to see Indiana win. Good luck...Larry |
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08-21-20 | Clippers -4.5 v. Mavs | Top | 130-122 | Win | 100 | 16 h 1 m | Show |
My NBA 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the LA Clippers at 9:00 ET. Luka Doncic scored 42 points while adding seven rebounds and nine assists in his first-ever playoff game this past Monday. However, it wasn't enough to keep the Mavs from losing 118-110 to the Clippers for the fourth straight time in the 2019-20 season. However, the Mavericks finally found success against the Clippers on Wednesday, despite Doncic being limited to 28 minutes due to foul trouble. That said, Doncic still managed 28-8-7. Fellow starters Porzingis (23 & 7) and Hardaway (17) both played well but the key was three Dallas players off the bench. Trey Burke (16), Seth Curry (15) and Boban Marjanovic (13) combined for 44 points on 19-of-28 shooting (68%). As for the Clippers, Kawhi scored 35 points and added 10 rebounds but fellow superstar Paul George had just 14 points on 4 of 17 shooting (2 of 10 on threes). LA was just horrific from beyond-the-arc, making just 10-34 (29.4%). Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said the following of the Mavericks performance in Game 2. "They had such a great rhythm against us. Every single guy on their team had confidence with the basketball. They were the more physical team. They played harder. They attacked us. We didn't respond well." Looking ahead to Game 3, Rivers expects his club to play tougher defense and move the ball better in Game 3. He was disappointed that his starting-five combined for seven assists on Wednesday. "That's not how we've played all year," Rivers said. "If we play like that, we can't win." OK, here's the rub. Why should we NOT expect this Kawhi and George led team to respond and bounce back. No way the Dallas trio of Burke, Curry and Marjanovic combine for 44 points again plus note that while Porzingis had 23 & 7 in Game 2, he's playing through right knee soreness. The Clippers are viewed by many as a possible NBA Finals participant (that group includes me) and I expect a championship-like performance from Kawhi and George. Lay the points as the Clippers win "with room to spare." Good luck...Larry |
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08-20-20 | Blazers v. Lakers -6.5 | Top | 88-111 | Win | 100 | 15 h 14 m | Show |
My 10* 1st Round Game of the Year (West Conf) is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET. The Blazers went 6-2 in the Orlando 'bubble' and then secured the No. 8 seed in the West by beating the Grizzlies 126122 in the Play-In game. Portland has been led by Bubble MVP Damian Lillard, who has averaged in the 10 games the Blazers have played in Orlando. He had 34 points in Game 1 vs the Lakers, leading a balanced attack that saw McCollum scoring 21 points while center Jusuf Nurkic (17.9 & 11.8 in Orlando) added 16 & 15. Nurkic's backup, Hassan Whiteside, chipped in 7 & 8, with his plus/minus of plus-13 ranking 2nd to only Lillard's plus-19 for the game. Defensively, Portland held the Lakers to 35.1 percent shooting from the floor, including and 15.6 percent from three-point range (5 of 32!). A.D. had 28 & 11 and LBJ added his 24th career playoff triple-double (23-17-16) but LA's dynamic duo combined to shoot 1 of 10 on threes. LA's starters shot a combined 3 of 23 on threes. Kuzma, LA's only other consistent scorer during the regular season, added 14. LA's center combo of McGee and Howard (10 points / 13 rebounds) was outplayed by Nuric alone, not even adding in Whiteside's contributions. The Lakers' time in the NBA bubble has been nowhere near as intense as the Blazers'. The Lakers clinched the West's No. 1 seed back on Aug 3 and since that time, the Lakers are just 1-4 (0-5 ATS) and needed a Kyle Kuzma shot at the buzzer to capture their lone win. Portland was a 'sexy' pick to upset the Lakers and after Game 1, the Blazers have LA's full attention. Portland has won SEVEN of its last eight games but during the Blazers' stay in Orlando, they never had to face the same team twice, much less face the same team in consecutive games. That changes here in Game 2. "It's one game," Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. "I was pleased with our competitive spirit. We didn't make shots. ... I think we can shoot the ball better than we saw tonight." The Lakers CAN'T shoot any worse than in Game 1, right? I've never been completely 'sold' on this LA team but I'm "all over" them here in this bounce-back situation. Good luck...Larry |
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08-19-20 | 76ers +5 v. Celtics | Top | 101-128 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 56 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Phi 76ers at 6:30 ET. The third-seeded Celtics prevailed 109-101 in the series opener against the sixth-seeded 76ers, led by Jayson Tatum (32 & 13) and Jaylen Brown (29). However, it was no 'walk in the park.' In fact, it was much to the contrary. Philly's Joel Embiid made a 22-footer on the first possession of the fourth quarter, as the 76ers took an 81-75 lead. However, Embiid (26 & 16) did not make a field goal over the final 11:36 of the contest, as Boston outscored Philadelphia 34-20 the rest of the way. The Celtics rotated fresh bodies on Embiid and will attempt to employ the same strategy here in Game 2. However, some bad news came Boston's way out of Game 1. Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1 during the regular season) suffered a Grade III right-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter and is out for the rest of the series and could miss the next round as well if the Celtics get that far. Marcus Smart (12.9-3.8-4.9 in the red season will likely replace him in the starting lineup but that further weakens the Boston bench. Smart scored just two points (0-5 FGs) off the bench in Game 1 and while Stevens used SIX bench players during the game, the group totaled a meager EIGHT points. In contrast, Philly's Alec Burks had 18 points off the bench, all by himself. Horford and Harris combined for 15 rebounds and 14 assists in Game 1 but shot a combined 9 of 22 from the floor (including 0-4 on threes), scoring a total of 21 points. That duo will HAVE to contribute more points but overall. The 76ers enjoyed a 50-43 advantage on the boards but the "deciding factor" in Game 1 was the fact the Celtics committed just SEVEN turnovers, compared to the 76ers' 18. Another nail-biter is expected and I'm taking the points. A Philly win would NOT be a surprise. Good luck...Larry |
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08-18-20 | Blazers v. Lakers -5.5 | Top | 100-93 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 60 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the LA Lakers at 9:00 ET. The Lakers enter their first round series with the Blazers as the top seed in the Western Conference but I'm sure most have heard "the chatter." The eighth-seeded Blazers, one of the hottest teams in the bubble and led by Damain Lillard (the bubble's most outstanding player), are a dangerous squad and a tough matchup for LA. The Lakers pretty much had the No. 1 seed locked up when they arrived in Orlando and the Lakers played like a team with nothing to prove. LA went 3-5 SU and a money-burning 1-7 ATS in their eight games! In contrast, the Blazers had work to do when they arrived in Orlando, needing to catch Memphis for the No. 8 seed, or stay within four games of the eight-seed, which would force a play-in. Portland went 6-2 and was able to earn the No. 8 seed, when Memphis went 2-6. That forced a play-in situation in which the Blazers and Grizzlies met last Saturday. A Portland win would give them the final playoff spot, while a Memphis win would force a winner-take-all game on Sunday. Lllard continued his outstanding play last Saturday, scoring 31 points and adding 10 assists, as the Blazers made a Sunday game moot, with a 126-122 win. Lillard had averaged 51.3 points in his three previous games before Saturday, including a career-high tying 61 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Aug 11. Backcourt partner McCollum, who has clearly been affected by a nondisplaced fracture in his back. added 29 points. Center Nurkic had missed all games in the regular season but the COVID-19 stoppage of play allowed him to return in Orlando. He averaged 17.6-1.3-4.0 as Portland went 6-2 plus added 22 points and 21 rebounds in Saturday's seed-clinching game with Memphis. The Lakers are led by the dynamic duo of A.D. (26.1 & 9.3) and LBJ (25.3-7.8-10.2) but BOTH played erratically in LA's 3-5 effort. LA's only other double-digit scorer this season has been reserve forward Kyle Kuzma (12.8 & 4.9) but Dion Waiters, who was signed prior to the bubble, has averaged 11.9 PPG in 23.5 MPG here in Orlando. The Lakers have started McGee (6.6 & 5.7) with Howard (7.5 & 7.3) coming off the bench at the center position and the combo has been 'quietly' effective. I have my doubts about LA's ability to "win it all" but after basically 'sleep-walking' through the team's first eight games, I expect A.D. and especially LBJ, to "put Portland in its place" in Game 1 of this series. "Lay it!" Good luck...Larry |
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08-17-20 | 76ers v. Celtics -5.5 | Top | 101-109 | Win | 100 | 10 h 48 m | Show |
My 10* Playoff Opener is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET. The Celtics and 76ers 'tipped off' their respective seasons back on Oct 23, with the 76ers taking care of the Celtics 107-93. It was a nice confidence-builder for Philly, as the Celtics had gone 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS in their previous nine meetings with Philly. Now, almost NINE months later, the two longtime rivals open against each other in a #3 (Boston) vs #6 (Philadelphia) first round series from the Orlando 'bubble.' Al Horford joined Philly (from Boston) in the off season and the 76ers did win THREE of the four meetings with Boston this season, seemingly turning the tide. However, this series will take on a different complexion in the playoffs, as Philly's All-Star guard Ben Simmons (16.4-7.8-8.0) has been sidelined following knee surgery. Is the loss of Simmons that BIG of a deal? Not all think so. Here's what Boston head coach Brad Stevens noted. "In the games that Simmons hasn't played, they're the No. 1 offense in the league," said Stevens. "The spacing, the shooting around [Joel] Embiid posting, the ability to play big with both Embiid and Al (Horford). ... A bunch of shooters around them makes them very tough." The 76ers went 4-4 during the seeding portion of the NBA season restart, ending on a 2-3 stretch in the games without Simmons. Still, as Stevens alluded to, the team surpassed 100 points in each of those contests, with Horford slotting into the starting lineup in a bigger look. Embiid's a stud (23,0 & 11.6), Harris (19.6 & 6.9) is an excellent SF and Horford (11.9-6.8-4.0) has always been more valuable than his stats indicate. The Celtics have two young stars (superstars?) in Jayson Tatum (23.4 & 7.0) and Jaylen Brown (20.3 & 6.4). Both have had "career years" in the 2019-20 season, while the FA signing of PG Kemba Walker (20.4 & 4.8 APG) has been HUGE. No one in Boston misses Kyrie. Gordon Hayward (17.5-6.7-4.1) is playing like he did three years ago and Marcus Smart (12,9-3.8-4.9) has become a team leader, as well as the team's best defender. Boston's center duo of Theis (9.2 & 6.6) and Kanter (8.1 & 7.4) don't get much respect, but they make up a solid combo. Don't include me as one who buys into the theory of Philly being better off with Simmons. As for Boston, the Celtics were pretty much 'locked into' the No. 3 seed when the restart began but played well in 'the bubble.' They lost their first game to the Bucks 1189-122 (note: game was tied with 1:30 left) but then went 5-1 over their next six, including FOUR straight, before resting their starters in a 96-90 loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday. I'm laying the points! Good luck...Larry |
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08-15-20 | Grizzlies +6 v. Blazers | Top | 122-126 | Win | 100 | 28 h 3 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mem Grizzlies at 2:30 ET on Saturday. The NBA season resumed back on July 30th in an Orlando 'bubble.' Each team would play eight games and those W/L records would be added to each teams' record as of the shutdown. A typical 16-team playoff season would follow, as all teams would be seeded 1 through 8 based on their overall record, with a lone exception. If the 9th-seed finished within four games of the No. 8 seed in either conference, those two teams would meet in a "play-in" situation. The No. 9 would need to beat the No. 8 seed in back-to-back games to earn the final playoff spot, while the No. 8 seed would need to win only once. Win Game 1 and that would end things, or win Game 2, if needed. The 'battle' for the West's final seed saw the Grizzlies begin the restart with a record of 32-33, which gave them a 3 1/2 game edge over the 29-37 Blazers. The Kings and Pelicans were each 28-36 (also 3 1/2 games back), while the Spurs checked in at 27-36 (4 games back) and the Suns at 26-39 (6 games back). Most expected the Blazers to be the biggest challenger to Memphis and Portland did go 6-2 in Orlando. However, the surprising Suns 'ran the table,' going 8-0. Memphis struggled right from the start in losing its first four games and SIX of its first seven but the team's 119-106 Thursday night win over Milwaukee guaranteed the Grizzlies at least the No. 9 seed. Phoenix routed Dallas 128-102 on Thursday and awaited the result from Portland's game with Brooklyn. Portland could claim the No. 8 seed with a win but the Blazers would miss the postseason with a loss. The Blazers eked out a 134-133 win, leaving the Suns out of luck despite their 8-0 record in Orlando (Memphis claimed the final spot with the same record as Phoenix due to its 3-1 record over the Suns on the season). That sets the stage for Saturday's game and Portland can claim the West's final playoff spot (and a date with the Lakers) with a win. Lose, and the teams meet again on Sunday, in a winner-take-all scenario. The Blazers are led by the dynamic backcourt duo of Lillard and McCollum. Lillard's been brilliant, averaging 37.6 PPG in Orlando, including 51.3 PPG over Portland's last three games. McCollum is averaging 20.1 PPG but his play has clearly been affected by a nondisplaced fracture in his back. The Blazers went 53-29 last season and made it all the way to the West Finals, before getting swept by the Warriors. However, Portland was suffering through a disappointing season filled with injuries and bad breaks, along with sloppy, inconsistent play. However, the COVID-19 forced break allowed the return to health of center Jusuf Nurkic and PF Zach Collins. Nurkic's been excellent (17.6-10.3-4.0) and Collins (6.3 & 7.1), steady. The real surprise in Orlando has been Gary Trent Jr, who owns a career average of 7.6 PPG, but has averaged 16.9 PPG in Orlando. Memphis went just 2-6 in the bubble, often struggling. The loss of Jaren Jackson Jr. (the team's second-leading scorer) really hurt but the team's 3½-game cushion heading into the restart helped keep them in the playoff race. Facing elimination with a loss on Thursday, the Grizzlies played their best game in Orlando. Ja Morant (12-13-10) and Jonas Valanciunas (26-19-12) became the first Grizzlies teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game, while shooting guard Brooks scored a team-high 31 points in the win over the Bucks. Morant has averaged 19.0-5.6-9.9 in the bubble, Brooks 20.1 PPG and Valanciunas 15.3 & 11.5. Conventional wisdom says Portland will advance (needs just ONE win, while Memphis must win TWICE) and Lillard has surely been Orlando's brightest star. However, Memphis beat Portland 111-104 in the teams' only regular season meeting and when these two teams tipped off against each other in the Orlando 'bubble,' Portland eked out a 140-135 win in OT. I'm taking the points and would not even be a little shocked if Memphis forced a game on Sunday! Good luck...Larry |
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08-13-20 | Bucks v. Grizzlies +1 | Top | 106-119 | Win | 100 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
My 10* Seeding Decider is on the Mem Grizzlies at 4:05 ET. All the postseason matchups in both conferences are set with the exception of which team will face the West's top-seeded Lakers in the first round, after the completion of Wednesday's games. The 34-39 Portland Trail Blazers currently own the No. 8 seed but the 33-39 Memphis Grizzlies, the 33-39 Phoenix Suns (perfect 7-0 in 'the bubble') and the 32-28 San Antonio Spurs (looking to reach the postseason for the 23rd consecutive season) all still have a chance to compete in the play-in series to determine the eighth spot in the West entering Thursday's pivotal slate of games. The Grizzlies, a woeful 1-6 in the bubble, are the FIRST of the above four teams to take the court on Thursday (4:05 ET), as they face the Milwaukee Bucks. Memphis holds the ninth-seed in the West, a half-game behind Portland and technically tied with Phoenix but the Grizzlies own a tie-breaker advantage over the Suns. As for San Antonio, the Grizzlies are percentage points ahead of the Spurs, .458 to .457. If Memphis wins, the Grizzlies will earn at least the No. 9 seed and if Portland loses, would earn back the No. 8 seed. The Grizzlies can also earn an invitation to the play-in series in the ninth position even with a loss, if both the Suns AND Spurs also lose on Thursday. If nothing else, the Grizzlies do control their own fate. The 56-16 Milwaukee Bucks own the NBA's best record and have had little motivation here in the bubble. The Grizzlies will not see likely MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in this must-win game, as he will serve a one-game suspension after he head-butted Washington's Moe Wagner following an offensive foul and verbal exchange in Tuesday's 126-113 win. Truth is, Milwaukee would have likely rested him in this meaningless game and head coach Mike Budenholzer just may play his other starters very little, as well. Jaren Jackson Jr, the Grizzlies' 2nd-leading scorer, tore the meniscus in his left knee earlier in the bubble and is out for the season. Still, Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunis and Grandon Clarke are all double-digit scorers. ONE win and Memphis gets to play on. That's the bet. Good luck...Larry |
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08-12-20 | Clippers v. Nuggets +5.5 | Top | 124-111 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Den Nuggets at 9:05 ET. The Los Angeles Clippers can clinch the West's No. 2 with a win tonight over the Denver Nuggets (Denver is currently the No. 3 seed). However, Kwahi Leonard has said it matters little if LA is the No. 2 or No. 3 seed heading into the NBA playoffs. "There's really no homecourt advantage, no fans out there, no travel," said Leonard, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I definitely think the healthiest teams usually win it all. Guys that have the full roster, have a good bench. Hopefully we can get everybody back and if we can get a rhythm going with the guys that are here that usually play, then we'll see what happens." It's hard to argue with his logic. The 47-23 Clippers hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Nuggets with two games remaining, while Denver is 1 1/2 games ahead of the 44-26 Houston Rockets, who own the No. 4 seed. The Clippers are just 3-3 in the Orlando 'bubble,' after losing 129-120 to the Nets on Sunday (LA allowed the rag-tag Nets to shoot 55.3% from the floor). George sat out that game, while Kawhi had 39 points. Under these circumstances, one never knows when Kwahi or George will play. Maybe George will play and Kwahi will sit. We KNOW that PGs Shamet and Beverley remain out and that while PF Montrezl Harrell (18.6 & 7.1 has returned to the bubble, he won't play against the Nuggets because he is being quarantined, Harrell could return for Friday's regular-season finale against the Oklahoma City Thunder, coach Doc Rivers said. The Nuggets last played Monday night, losing 124-121 to the Lakers, when Kyle Kuzma made a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in the game. "I couldn't be more proud of our group," Denver coach Michael Malone told the media after the game. "I thought we played extremely hard. That's the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The fourth time we've played them. Every game has been a battle, it's gone down to the wire. For us to sit our starters that whole fourth quarter and to have the guys on the bench out there giving them all they could handle and lose a heartbreaker is always tough but (I'm) just so proud." EIGHT Denver players scored in double figures, led by reserve guard PJ Dozier with 18 points and forward Michael Porter Jr, who finished with 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting. Porter has "come into his own" here in Orlando, averaging 23.8 & 11.2. SF Barton (15.1 & 6.3) and SG Harris (10.4) remain out but PG Murray has returned the last two games to average 18.5-8.0-5.5. Then there is center Jokic (20.7-6.7-8.5). Denver knows it will almost assuredly have to beat both LA teams to reach The Finals and after that hard-luck loss to the Lakers on Monday, I like the Nuggets' chances here. Especially getting almost a 'TD.' Good luck...Larry |
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08-10-20 | Raptors +6 v. Bucks | Top | 114-106 | Win | 100 | 9 h 53 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Tor Raptors at 6:30 ET. The Bucks (55-15) have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the second season in a row, despite uneven play in the 'bubble' (Milwaukee is just 2-3 SU and ATS). The Raptors lost Friday for the first time since the season restart (122-100 to the Boston Celtics) but they rebounded Sunday afternoon with a 108-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference at 50-19 (4-1 SU & ATS in the 'bubble.'). Milwaukee has been the East's best regular season for the last two seasons but the Raptors ARE the defending champs and have given every indication that they are ready to make a run at back-to-back titles. How much can this game really mean to Milwaukee? The Bucks have won the two previous meetings between the teams this season, 115-105 at home on Nov 2 and 108-97 at Toronto on Feb 25. There is no denying the Bucks have struggled at times since the restart, as if not for a 'miracle' comeback vs Miami last Thursday, the Bucks would be just 1-4 ATS. Meanwhile, the Raptors sport a terrific seven-man rotation with guards Lowry, VanVleet and Powell plus frontcourt players Siakam, Anunoby, Gasol and Ibaka. In particular, VanVleet (19.4-4.2-6.8) has been outstanding. Giannis Antetokounmpo should win his second straight MVP award (he's spectacular) but he's listed as probable due to a toothache (DON'T downplay that!). Either way, I'm "all over" Toronto with the points in this one! Good luck...Larry |
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08-09-20 | 76ers v. Blazers -2.5 | Top | 121-124 | Win | 100 | 13 h 54 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout is on the Por Blazers at 6:35 ET. The Philadelphia 76ers are 42-27, which currently leaves them as the East's No. 6 seed. However, they are just a halg0game back of Miami and Indiana, which are tied for the No. 4 seed. The bad news for Philly is that Ben Simmons suffered a dislocated left kneecap during Wednesday's victory over the Washington Wizards. Philadelphia announced that he will undergo a procedure to remove a loose body from the knee. There wasn't an immediate timetable announced but it's likely that the 76ers won't see Simmons on the floor again until the 2020-21 campaign. Portland suffered a costly 122-117 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, even though Kawhi was rested by LA. The loss drops them 1 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies (currently eighth-place team in the West). Just as much of a concern is that the Blazers are just a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns plus one game in front of the New Orleans Pelicans for the play-in berth (9th-seed). Yes, Portland is playing the second of back-to-back games but ALL the motivation lies with them. This is almost a "must-win." A victory for Portland would be HUGE, as Memphis is playing Toronto (Grizzlies are 7-point underdogs) plus the Spurs and Pelicans are playing each other (one team HAS to lose). Portland has seen the return from injury of two key performers. Center Jusuf Nurkic is finally back on the court and he's averaged 19.6-11.4-4-5.2 in five games. Also, PF Zach Collins is back, averaging 7.0 & 7.4 in about 27 minutes per game. Portland relies heavily on one of the NBA's best backcourts in Lillard and McCollum but don't dismiss the contributions of Carmelo Anthony. He's been a HUGE surprise all season. Then there is second-year pro Gary Trent Jr, who has a career average of 7.5 PPG, but is averaging 20.6 PPG "in the bubble." Damian Lillard scored 22 points but was taking blame for Saturday's loss. He missed two free throws with the Blazers down by one with 18.6 seconds left and was off the mark with a three-pointer that could have tied the score with 9.5 seconds to play. Lillard tied his franchise record with 11 three-pointers and scored 45 points in Portland's 125-115 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Expect a HUGE game from him here and lay the 'short' price with Portland. Good luck...Larry |
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08-08-20 | Bucks v. Mavs +5 | Top | 132-136 | Win | 100 | 11 h 53 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the Dal Mavs at 8:35 ET. The Dallas Mavericks have lost THREE of their first four games in the Orlando 'bubble.' The team played three straight highly competitive contests (a 153-149 OT loss to Houston, a 117-115 loss to Phoenix and then a 114-110 OT win against SA), before getting blown out 126-111 by the Clippers on Thursday. The 41-30 Mavs are almost 'locked into' the West's No. 7 and their likely first-round opponent will be the Clippers (not exactly something to look forward to). The Milwaukee Bucks are an NBA-best 55-14, although they've played back-to-back 'curious' games. The Bucks lost 119-116 to the injury-riddled Nets on Tuesday, as 19-point favorites (the contest ranks as the NBA's largest point spread upset in 27 years and according to ESPN, teams favored by 19 or more had gone 49-2 SU over the past 30 years). They then fell behind by as many as 23 points to the Miami Heat on Thursday (Heat were without Butler and Dragic), only to come back to earn the 130-116 win (AND cover!). Milwaukee is just 2-2 since the season resumed. A closer look into that loss to the Nets reveals that Giannis only played the first half as head coach Mike Budenholzer decided to rest some of his starters (no Milwaukee starter played more than 20 minutes against Brooklyn). Not sure I want to guess what Budenholzer's strategy will be these last four games, as the Bucks have wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. As for the Mavs, they could sure use a confidence builder. Completing a two-game season sweep of the Bucks may be "just what the doctor ordered." Dallas ended Milwaukee's 18-game winning streak 120-116 back on Dec 16 on the Bucks' home floor. Revenge for Milwaukee? As noted above, do they really have any motivation for that? There hasn't been a better 'one-two punch' in Orlando than Doncic (32.8-11.0-9.8) and Porzingis (30.3 & 10.0) and I'm expecting another OUTRIGHT win. I had OKC plus-6 in that 105-86 of the Lakers on Weds and Boston plus-3 in its 122-100 win over Toronto, last night. Good things always come in threes! Good luck...Larry |
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08-07-20 | Celtics +2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 122-100 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
My 10* Eastern Conference Game of the Month is on the Bos Celtics at 9:05 ET. The Toronto Raptors had won four straight when the NBA season was shut down due to COVID-19 and have added THREE straight wins in the Orlando 'bubble.' The Raptors' seven-game winning streak is an NBA-best and Toronto (49-18) takes on the 45-23 Boston Celtics Friday night, knowing a win will clinch the East's No. 2 seed. The Celtics are 2-2 in Orlando but have won two of the three meetings with the Raptors this season. The Celtics last played on Wednesday, routing the under-manned Nets,149-115. Boston shot 56.8 percent from the floor, including making 20 of 39 three-point attempts. SEVEN players scored in double digits, a group which didn't include PG Kemba Walker. Walker sat out to rest his sore left knee but is expected to play against Toronto. With Walker playing, Boston features five double-digit scorers, led by Jayson Tatum (23.3 & 7.0) Toronto has SIX players averaging in double digits, led by Pascal Siakam (23.3 & 7.5). Toronto is currenting receiving excellent production from guard Fred VanVleet, who scored a career-best 36 points in Monday's 107-103 win over the Miami Heat and followed that up with 21 points and 10 assists in Wednesday's victory over Orlando. A concern could be PG Lowry, who was 2-for-9 shooting effort against Orlando and leaving him 4 of 17 from the floor over the past two games (just 22 points), after scoring 33 points (along with grabbing 14 rebounds) in Toronto's 107-92 rout of the Lakers. I'm really starting to 'warm' to the idea that Toronto has a legitimate chance at repeating as NBA champs this year (minus Kawhi) but I don't like them here. I noted that Toronto can clinch the East's No. 2 seed with a win but practically, the Raptors have already clinched the No. 2 seed. The only way for Toronto to NOT earn the No. 2 seed would be to lose each one of its final FIVE games, while the Celtics win each of their remaining FOUR. Not happening! For me, the motivation edge here is with Boston, who could take the series (3-1) from Toronto with a win and give them some extra confidence in a possible matchup with the Raptors in the Eastern semis.. Any points are just a bonus! Good luck...Larry |
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08-06-20 | Blazers -3 v. Nuggets | Top | 125-115 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
My 10* Western Conference Game of the Month is on the Por Blazers at 8:05 ET. The Denver Nuggets are 2-1 since the restart after earning a 132-126 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The victory gives them a 45-23 record, just a half-game back of the Clippers for the West's No. 2 seed. The Nuggets are right back on the court tonight, taking on the Portland Trail Blazers, who are also 2-1 in the NBA's Orlando 'bubble.' Portland is off an impressive 110-102 win over the Rockets on Tuesday and with Memphis losing all FOUR of its games since the restart, find themselves just ONE game back of the West's No. 8 seed. Denver returned to play missing THREE key starters and I'm not sure when any of them will return. PG Murray (18.8 & 4.8 APG) has a hamstring problem, SF Barton (15.1-6.3-2.7) has a knee issue and SG Harris (10.4) is bothered by his hip. Jokic (20-4-10.1-7.0 on the season) is 'the center of attention' (pardon the pun) but the team's 'hero' has been Michael Porter Jr. The PF had just 11 points in the team's 125-105 opening loss vs the Heat but he's scored 67 points and grabbed 27 rebounds in Denver's last two games (both wins). While Denver has lost key players to injury, Portland has seen the return from injury of two key performers. Center Jusuf Nurkic is finally back on the court and he's averaged 22.0-12.3-4.3 in three games. Also, PF Zach Collins is back, averaging 7.0 & 7.0. Portland relies heavily one one of the NBA's best backcourts, Lillard (28.8-4.4-8.0) and McCollum (22.5-4.2-4.4) but don't dismiss the contributions of Carmelo Anthony. He's been a HUGE surprise all season, averaging 15.3 & 6.3. Then there is second-year pro Gary Trent Jr, who has a career average of 7.0 PPG, but is averaging 18.0 PPG "in the bubble." Both teams have plenty to play for here but Portland is rested and the Blazers are still trying to secure a playoff berth (NOT the case with Denver). The Nuggets are 3-0 against the Blazers this season and have won NINE of the last 10 meetings but the Blazers are way more healthy and again, are playing for their postseason 'lives!' Lay the small spot. Good luck...Larry |
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08-05-20 | Thunder +6.5 v. Lakers | Top | 105-86 | Win | 100 | 8 h 36 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the OKC Thunder at 6:30 ET. The Lakers clinched the top seed in the Western Conference with Monday's win over Utah and have little to play for these next five games (note: LA Lakers is in the playoffs for the first time since 2013). Meanwhile, the 41-25 OKC Thunder enter this game holding down the West's No. 6 seed, two games better than the Dallas Mavs (No. 7 seed). More importantly, the Thunder know that the fourth-seed is still in realistic reach, as the Rockets and Jazz are both 42-25, a half-game up on OKC. as well. Anthony Davis has averaged 38 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Jazz but he had just 14 points (on just seven FG attempts) in LA's 107-92 loss to Toronto. LeBron James (24.4-8.0-10.4 on the season) teams with A.D. but only reserve forward Kyle Kuzma (12.5) has averaged more than 10 points on the season. Dion Waiters, a recent signee, has averaged 10.0 PPG in LA's three games of the restart but he's shooting just 40.7%, including 21.4% on threes. OKC has no one in the class of A.D. and LBJ but while backup PG Dennis Schroder is missed (he left the NBA bubble for the birth of his second child Monday morning), the Thunder have been more than competitive with an NBA-best 41-25 ATS mark. Gilgeous-Alexander (19.4 & 6.0), Gallinari (19.2 & 5.4) and Paul (17.8-4.9-6.8) are all capable of "big nights" plus the center duo of Adams (11.0 & 9.4) and Noel (7.6 & 5.0) is at least the equal of LA's duo of McGee and Howard. The points are a bonus in this one, as I'm calling for an outright OKC win, just like what the Raptors did (see above). Good luck...Larry |
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08-04-20 | Celtics -3.5 v. Heat | Top | 106-112 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 58 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Bos Celtics at 6:30 ET. The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are both 1-1 in the NBA's restart, leaving the 44-22 Celtics 2 1/2 games up on the 42-25 Heat with only SIX games left on the schedule as the teams battle for the East's No. 3 seed. Boston last played Sunday, holding off Portland 128-124, in a game they once led by 24 points! Miami played yesterday afternoon and lost a tough one, 107-103 to Toronto. Miami lost the game from the three-point line, shooting just 14 of 45 (31.1%), while allowing Toronto to connect on 16 of 32 (50.0%). Boston's best player, Jayson Tatum, was a brutal 2-of-18 from the floor in Boston's seven-point loss to Milwaukee last Friday but he rebounded to score 34 points plus add a career-high eight assists in the Sunday win over Portland. The third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has increased his scoring average in each of his three seasons; from 13.9 to 15.7 to 23.4. PG Kemba Walker is on a minutes-restriction as he fights his way back from a knee injury but had 16 points (19 minutes) in the loss to Milwaukee, then added 14 points in 22 minutes against Portland. Jaylen Brown added 30 points against the Blazers (had 22 vs the Bucks) and Gordon Hayward added 22. The Celtics' bench is led by guard Marcus Smart, who is one of the best defenders in the league and also averages 13.5 PPG. Backup Center Enes Kanter averages 8.1 points and 7.6 rebounds. The Heat are led by the all-around talent of Jimmy Butler (20.2-6.6-6.1) but also have SEVEN more players scoring in double digits. That group is led by Bam Adebayo (16.2-10.4-5.1), an All-Star for the Heat this year, plus veteran PG Goran Dragic (16.2 PPG & 5.1 APG). Adebayo had a quiet game, producing 10 points and eight rebounds vs Toronto, while Dragic had 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. It should be noted that Miami was 24-9 through the end of December but since the calendar moved to 2020, has gone a pedestrian 18-16. I will also bring up the fact that the Heat are 5-6 this season without rest but 37-19 with at least one day between games. The Celtics are 2-0 against the Heat this season, winning 112-93 on Dec 4 and 109-101 on Jan 28. Boston takes a FIVE-game regular-season winning streak against Miami into this contest and extends it to SIX straight, giving them a 3 1/2 game lead for that No. 3 seed with just FIVE games remaining. Good luck...Larry |
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08-02-20 | Blazers v. Celtics -4 | Top | 124-128 | Push | 0 | 9 h 25 m | Show |
My 10* NBA Game of the Week is on the Bos Celtics at 3:35 ET. The Portland Trail Blazers edged the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night 140-135 in OT. The win ups Portland's record to 30-37 and leaves them 2 1/2 games behind the 32-34 Grizzlies for the last available playoff spot in the Western Conference. Portland's chase of Memphis resumes on Sunday, when the Blazers face the 43-22 Boston Celtics. The Celtics own the third-best record in the East but after losing Friday 119-112 to Milwaukee, aren't chasing anyone. With just seven games remaining, Boston trails Milwaukee by 10 1/2 games and Toronto by 6 1/2 games in the East. The Celtics' concern now is staying ahead of the 42-24 Miami Heat, who they lead by just 1 1/2 games for the third-seed. Portland expects its guard duo of Lillard and McCollum to lead the way each game and McColum scored 33 points with Lillard adding 29 and nine assists in the OT win over The Grizz. The really good news was the return to play of 7-foot center Jusuf Nurkic, who played his first official game since March 25, 2019. He recorded 18 points, nine rebounds, a career-high-tying six blocks and five assists in 33 minutes as a starter. Starting PF Zach Collins also returned after being out since late October due to an injured left shoulder, adding nine rebounds, seven points and three assists in 37 minutes. As for the Celtics, they fell behind 17-2 to the Bucks on Friday in a 119-122 loss. However, Boston closed the gap to just six at the half and entered the 4th quarter tied. The game was still tied with under 1 1/2 minutes left (107-all), but Milwaukee outscored Boston 12-5 to get the win and cover. All this, with Boston's best player, Jayson Tatum (23.3 & 7.1), shooting just 2-of-18 from the floor (five points). All Star PG Kemba Walker had been out due to an injury to his left knee but scored 16 points in 19 minutes. Head coach Brad Stevens said Walker will still be on a minutes restriction against Portland but Boston will take another 16 points from Walker, here. Brown (22 & 4) and Hayward (17-9-6) both had solid games plus Boston guards Smart (23) and Wannamaker (14) each had strong games off the bench. All games in the Orlando 'bubble' are neutral-site contests but it should be helpful to look at teams' road record before the stoppage of play. Portland was just 11023, while Boston was solid 20-12. Boston's a significantly better team and don't expect Tatum to go 2-of-18 again, or for Portland to shoot 53.8% as a team (Blazers are shooting 64.2% on the season). Lay the points with Boston. Good luck...Larry |
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08-01-20 | Lakers v. Raptors +4 | Top | 92-107 | Win | 100 | 15 h 13 m | Show |
My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Tor Raptors at 8:30. LBJ noted that finding a rhythm on offense might take time for the Los Angeles Lakers. One could say that was the case for the Lakers on Thursday, as they escaped with a 103-101 win over the Clippers. The Lakers shot only 39.0% from the floor, including 11-36 (30.6%) on threes. A.D. led the way with 34 points (eight rebounds), while LBJ (16-11-7) and Kuzma (16) were the only other Lakers in double digits. The win gives the Lakers a 50-14 record, while increasing their edge in the Western Conference standings to 6 1/2 games over the Clippers with only SEVEN seven contests remaining in the abbreviated regular season. Toronto is the defending champions and owned the league's third best record at 46-18, when play was halted in March. However, the Raptors are a distant second in the Eastern Conference behind the 54-12 Milwaukee Bucks. This contest marks Toronto's first game of the restart. James scored the winning basket inside with 12.8 seconds left, converting after getting the rebound of his own missed shot. He also forced Paul George to miss a game-winning three-point attempt at the final horn. "I love having the ball in my hands late in the game, tie game, being down, being up," said James. However, he struggled on offense, shooting only 6-for-19 and committing five turnovers. LA is without starting PG Bradley, who opted out of the restart. His perimeter defense will be missed. The Lakers have gotten decent production from their two-headed center duo, as starter McGee averaged 6.8 & 5.8 and Howard adds 7.4 & 7.3. The Raptors completed the last of three scrimmages last Tuesday, taking a 117-106 loss against the Phoenix Suns. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 17 points while Norman Powell added 14. Fred VanVleet finished with 13, and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and seven assists. Of course, the defending champs no longer have Kawhi (also, Danny Green signed with the Lakers as a FA) but the roster is loaded with quality players. More importantly, all are healthy and available for the restart. Up front it's PF Siakam (23.6 & 7.5), SF Anunoby (11.4) plus a center combo of Ibaka (16.0 & 8.3) and Gasol (7.6 & 6.3). Toronto's guard trio of Lowry (19.7-4.8-7.7), VanVleet (17.6-3.8-6.6) and Powell (16.4) match up favorably against ANY backcourt in the league. The Lakers are off an emotional win over the Clippers and I see no reason for them to be laying points here vs the Raptors, who have beaten the Lakers 10 straight times! The Lakers last defeated Toronto back on Nov 30, 2014. Take the points! Good luck...Larry |
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07-31-20 | Kings -3 v. Spurs | Top | 120-129 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 7 m | Show |
My 10* NBA Restart Opener is on the Sac Kings at 8:00 ET. The Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs are two of the 22 teams playing in the Orlando 'bubble.' Just nine teams compete in the Eastern Conference, while tonight's participants are among 13 Western Conference teams still competing. The Kings are 3 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final Western Conference spot while the Spurs are four out with just eight games to play. Catching the Grizzlies (currently the 8th-seed) is a stretch but both teams still have a chance to stay with four games of the 8th-seed, which could get them into a two-game "play-in" situation. San Antonio's task was harder with the news of power forward LaMarcus Aldridge being lost to season-ending shoulder surgery. The Spurs have made the playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons but will need a strong finishing kick to keep that streak alive. Meanwhile, the Kings are looking to avoid missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season and are currently in a virtual tie with the Portland Trail Blazers for the 9th-seed, a half-game up on the Pelicans and Spurs. Sacramento PF Marvin Bagley III (foot) will miss the rest of the season but realistically, it's NOT a big deal. He averages 14.2 & 7.5 but has played in only 13 of the Kings' 64 games. More notably. PG De'Aaron Fox (20.4 & 6.8 APG) is ready to play after tweaking his left ankle earlier this month plus SF Harrison Barnes (14.7 & 4.8 ) recently rejoined the club after testing positive for COVID-19. Luke Walton has a VERY deep team and recently said that the Kings have fared better this season when Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.5) starts at SG, while Buddy Hield (19.8-4.8-3.1) comes off the bench. He's indicated that will again be the pecking order against San Antonio. SG Bazemore was a late-January pickup and in 21 games has averaged 10.3 PPG. Frontcourt depth comes in center Holmes (12.8 & 8.3) and PF Bjelica (11.9 & 6.4). Popovich has indicated that with Aldridge out, veteran guard DeMar DeRozan (22.2-5.6-5.6) could see time at power forward. He would join center Jakob Poeltl (5.3 & 5.3) and the lineup arrangement would include PGs Dejounte Murray (10.7) and Derrick White (10.4) as starters along with SG Bryn Forbes (11.2). SF Gay (10. & 5.4) will be a valuable contributor but losing center Trey Lyles (6.4 & 5.7), who started 53 of 63 games, to an appendectomy is the kind of under the radar injury that will be a bigger than expected loss. This is NOT "your father's Spurs" and Coach Pop is staring right at his first-ever losing season as a head coach. The Kings have won FOUR of their last five meetings with the Spurs and the reason is, they are the BETTER TEAM. Lay the 'short' price! Good luck...Larry |
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03-11-20 | Georgia +4 v. Ole Miss | Top | 81-63 | Win | 100 | 11 h 49 m | Show |
My 9* Oddsmaker's Error is on Georgia at 7:00 ET.
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03-11-20 | St. John's -2.5 v. Georgetown | Top | 75-62 | Win | 100 | 11 h 34 m | Show |
My 10* Conference Rivalry Game of the Year is on St John's at 7:00 ET.
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03-11-20 | Washington v. Arizona -5 | Top | 70-77 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on Arizona at 5:30 ET.
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03-11-20 | Fordham v. George Washington -2.5 | Top | 72-52 | Loss | -115 | 23 h 41 m | Show |
My 9* Revenge Rout is on George Washington at 3:30 ET.
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03-11-20 | Utah v. Oregon State -3.5 | Top | 69-71 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
My 9* Afternoon Delight is on Oregon St at 3:00 ET.
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03-10-20 | Suns v. Blazers -3.5 | Top | 105-121 | Win | 100 | 13 h 13 m | Show |
My 10* West Coast Crusher is on the Por Blazers at 10:05 ET.
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03-10-20 | Magic v. Grizzlies -2 | Top | 120-115 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 51 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the Mem Grizzlies at 8:05 ET.
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03-10-20 | North Carolina -3.5 v. Virginia Tech | Top | 78-56 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
My 9* Revenge Rout is on North Carolina at 7:00 ET.
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03-10-20 | St Francis PA -1 v. Robert Morris | Top | 67-77 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 49 m | Show |
My 10* NEC Tourney Game of the Year is on St Francis (Pa) at 7:00 ET.
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03-10-20 | Illinois-Chicago v. Northern Kentucky -4 | Top | 62-71 | Win | 100 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on Northern Kentucky at 7:00 ET.
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03-09-20 | St. Mary's +4.5 v. BYU | Top | 51-50 | Win | 100 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
My 10* West Coast Crusher is on St Mary's at 11:30 ET.
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03-09-20 | Raptors v. Jazz -3.5 | Top | 101-92 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 17 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Ut Jazz at 9:05 ET.
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03-09-20 | Oral Roberts v. North Dakota State -1 | Top | 69-75 | Win | 100 | 11 h 60 m | Show |
My 10* Summit League Tourney Game of the Year is on North Dakota St at 7:00 ET.
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03-09-20 | Coastal Carolina v. Appalachian State -4 | Top | 65-70 | Win | 100 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on Appalachian St at 7:00 ET.
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03-08-20 | Iowa v. Illinois -3.5 | Top | 76-78 | Loss | -108 | 11 h 37 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on Illinois at 4:00 ET.
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03-08-20 | Lakers +2.5 v. Clippers | Top | 112-103 | Win | 100 | 5 h 3 m | Show |
My 10* Division Game of the Year (Pacific) is on the LA Lakers at 3:35 ET.
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03-08-20 | Valparaiso v. Bradley -3 | Top | 66-80 | Win | 100 | 5 h 25 m | Show |
My 10* MVC Champ Game is on Bradley at 2:05 ET.
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03-08-20 | Michigan v. Maryland -4 | Top | 70-83 | Win | 100 | 5 h 1 m | Show |
My 9* Eye-Opener is on Maryland at 1:00 ET.
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03-07-20 | Stanford v. Oregon -7.5 | Top | 67-80 | Win | 100 | 13 h 47 m | Show |
My 9* West Coast Crusher is on Oregon at 11:00 ET.
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03-07-20 | Ole Miss v. Mississippi State -6 | Top | 44-69 | Win | 100 | 10 h 26 m | Show |
My 10* CBB Rivalry Game of the Year is on Mississippi St at 6:30 ET.
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03-07-20 | Wisconsin v. Indiana -2 | Top | 60-56 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 44 m | Show |
My 9* Eye-Opener is on Indiana at 12:00 ET.
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03-06-20 | Santa Clara +3 v. Pepperdine | Top | 73-84 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 49 m | Show |
My 10* WCC Tourney Game of the Year is on Santa Clara at 11:30 ET.
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03-06-20 | Bucks v. Lakers +1 | Top | 103-113 | Win | 100 | 16 h 53 m | Show |
My 9* "Best vs the Best Showdown Play is on the LA Lakers at 10:35 ET.
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03-06-20 | Missouri State v. Indiana State +2 | Top | 78-51 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 48 m | Show |
My 9* Oddsmaker's Error is on Indiana St at 9:35 ET.
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03-06-20 | VCU v. Davidson -4 | Top | 65-75 | Win | 100 | 10 h 9 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on Davidson at 9:00 ET.
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03-06-20 | Heat v. Pelicans -1.5 | Top | 104-110 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Week is on the NO Pelicans at 8:05 ET.
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03-05-20 | 76ers v. Kings -5 | Top | 125-108 | Loss | -103 | 15 h 50 m | Show |
My 10* Weekly Wipeout is on the Sac Kings at 10:05 ET.
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03-05-20 | Oakland v. Green Bay -4 | Top | 63-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 1 m | Show |
My 10* Horizon League Tourney Game of the Year is on Wisconsin-Green Bay at 8:00 ET.
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03-05-20 | Illinois State v. Drake -2.5 | Top | 65-75 | Win | 100 | 10 h 60 m | Show |
My 10* MVC Tourney Game of the Year is on Drake at 7:00 ET.
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03-04-20 | Dayton v. Rhode Island +4.5 | Top | 84-57 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 43 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Rhode Island at 9:00 ET.
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03-04-20 | Virginia -2 v. Miami-FL | Top | 46-44 | Push | 0 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
My 9* Conference Crusher (ACC) is on UVA at 9:00 ET.
Good lucky...Larry |
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03-04-20 | LSU v. Arkansas -2.5 | Top | 90-99 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
My 9* play is on Arkanasa at 7:00 ET.
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03-04-20 | Tulsa v. Temple -2.5 | Top | 61-51 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
My 9* play is on Temple at 7:00 ET.
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03-03-20 | Purdue v. Iowa -5 | Top | 77-68 | Loss | -106 | 15 h 53 m | Show |
My 10* Revenge Game of the Year is on Iowa at 9:00 ET. Full, detailed analysis by 9:00 ET Tuesday morning. |
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03-03-20 | Maryland v. Rutgers -1 | Top | 67-78 | Win | 100 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
My 9* PERFECT STORM is on Rutgers at 7:00 ET.
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03-03-20 | Wake Forest v. North Carolina -7.5 | Top | 83-93 | Win | 100 | 9 h 3 m | Show |
My 9* Weekly Wipeout is on North Carolina at 7:00 ET.
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03-02-20 | Grizzlies v. Hawks -2 | Top | 127-88 | Loss | -106 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Atl Hawks at 7:35 ET.
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03-01-20 | Minnesota v. Wisconsin -5.5 | Top | 69-71 | Loss | -107 | 10 h 4 m | Show |
My 10* Weekend Wipeout in on Wisconsin at 6:30 ET.
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03-01-20 | Raptors v. Nuggets -4 | Top | 118-133 | Win | 100 | 8 h 27 m | Show |
My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Den Nuggets at 6:05 ET.
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03-01-20 | Wichita State v. SMU -1 | Top | 66-62 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 23 m | Show |
My 9* play is on SMU at 4:00 ET.
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03-01-20 | Indiana v. Illinois -5.5 | Top | 66-67 | Loss | -106 | 6 h 25 m | Show |
My 9* play is on Illinois at 2:00 ET.
The Illini are led PG Ayo Dosunmu (16.4-4.3-3.2)/ 6-9 freshman Cockburn (13.6 *& 9.1) and guard Feliz (10.8-4.9-3.0) join him in double figures, while guards Frazier (9.4) and Griffin (9.4 & 4.8), just miss. The 6-9 Bezhanishvili (8.4 & 4.3) works alongside of Cockburn, up front. Griffin had a career-high 24 points to help the Fighting Illini beat Northwestern for the fourth consecutive time, while Dosunmu added 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, to notch his third 20-point game in his last four outings. Kofi Cockburn produced 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to register his 12th double-double of the season.
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03-01-20 | Western Kentucky v. North Texas -6.5 | Top | 72-78 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 24 m | Show |
My 9* play is on North Texas at 2:00 ET.
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02-29-20 | Rockets v. Celtics -1.5 | Top | 111-110 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 3 m | Show |
My 10* LEGEND Play is on the Bos Celtics at 8:35 ET.
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02-29-20 | San Diego State v. Nevada +6 | Top | 83-76 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 40 m | Show |
My 10* CBB Underdog of the Month is on Nevada at 8:00 ET.
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02-29-20 | Arizona State v. USC -3 | Top | 61-71 | Win | 100 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
My 9* play is on USC at 8:00 ET.
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02-29-20 | Utah v. California +1.5 | Top | 79-86 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
My 9* play is on California.
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02-29-20 | Penn State v. Iowa -4 | Top | 68-77 | Win | 100 | 7 h 17 m | Show |
My 9* Eye-Opener is on Iowa at 12 noon ET.
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02-28-20 | Nuggets v. Clippers -5.5 | Top | 103-132 | Win | 100 | 13 h 13 m | Show |
My 10* Game of the Month is on the LA Clippers at 10:35 ET.
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02-28-20 | Kings v. Grizzlies -3.5 | Top | 104-101 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
My 9* Situational Stunner is on the Mem Grizzlies at 8:05 ET.
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02-28-20 | Wright State v. Northern Kentucky -3 | Top | 64-62 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 28 m | Show |
My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Northern Kentucky at 7:00 ET.
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Larry Ness Basketball Top Sides Picks
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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11-30-20 | St. John's v. Boston College | Top | 97-93 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
11-29-20 | Rhode Island v. San Francisco | Top | 84-71 | Win | 100 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
11-28-20 | Virginia Tech v. Villanova -8.5 | Top | 81-73 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
11-27-20 | Seton Hall +6 v. Louisville | Top | 70-71 | Win | 100 | 7 h 12 m | Show |
11-26-20 | Gonzaga -3.5 v. Kansas | Top | 102-90 | Win | 100 | 8 h 25 m | Show |
11-25-20 | UCLA -2.5 v. San Diego State | Top | 58-73 | Loss | -120 | 15 h 23 m | Show |
11-25-20 | Clemson -4 v. Mississippi State | Top | 53-42 | Win | 100 | 13 h 51 m | Show |
10-06-20 | Lakers -7 v. Heat | Top | 102-96 | Loss | -108 | 20 h 14 m | Show |
09-30-20 | Heat v. Lakers -4.5 | Top | 98-116 | Win | 100 | 15 h 47 m | Show |
09-23-20 | Celtics -3 v. Heat | Top | 109-112 | Loss | -107 | 14 h 15 m | Show |
09-17-20 | Heat v. Celtics -2.5 | Top | 106-101 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
09-15-20 | Nuggets v. Clippers -7.5 | Top | 104-89 | Loss | -102 | 11 h 12 m | Show |
09-15-20 | Heat v. Celtics -1.5 | Top | 117-114 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
09-11-20 | Celtics -2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 92-87 | Win | 100 | 12 h 47 m | Show |
09-10-20 | Lakers v. Rockets +5 | Top | 110-100 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
09-08-20 | Heat v. Bucks +3 | Top | 103-94 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 50 m | Show |
09-07-20 | Clippers -9 v. Nuggets | Top | 113-107 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
09-06-20 | Rockets v. Lakers -5.5 | Top | 109-117 | Win | 100 | 12 h 36 m | Show |
09-04-20 | Bucks -5 v. Heat | Top | 100-115 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 53 m | Show |
09-03-20 | Raptors -1 v. Celtics | Top | 104-103 | Push | 0 | 9 h 19 m | Show |
09-02-20 | Heat v. Bucks -5 | Top | 116-114 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
09-01-20 | Celtics v. Raptors -1 | Top | 102-99 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 58 m | Show |
08-31-20 | Rockets v. Thunder +6 | Top | 100-104 | Win | 100 | 16 h 36 m | Show |
08-30-20 | Celtics v. Raptors -2 | Top | 112-94 | Loss | -110 | 43 h 51 m | Show |
08-29-20 | Thunder v. Rockets -4.5 | Top | 80-114 | Win | 100 | 25 h 2 m | Show |
08-25-20 | Mavs v. Clippers -6.5 | Top | 111-154 | Win | 100 | 11 h 55 m | Show |
08-24-20 | Lakers v. Blazers +7.5 | Top | 135-115 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 55 m | Show |
08-24-20 | Pacers +6.5 v. Heat | Top | 87-99 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 28 m | Show |
08-23-20 | Nuggets +3.5 v. Jazz | Top | 127-129 | Win | 100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
08-23-20 | Celtics v. 76ers +8 | Top | 110-106 | Win | 100 | 4 h 7 m | Show |
08-22-20 | Rockets v. Thunder +3.5 | Top | 107-119 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
08-22-20 | Pacers +5.5 v. Heat | Top | 115-124 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 28 m | Show |
08-21-20 | Clippers -4.5 v. Mavs | Top | 130-122 | Win | 100 | 16 h 1 m | Show |
08-20-20 | Blazers v. Lakers -6.5 | Top | 88-111 | Win | 100 | 15 h 14 m | Show |
08-19-20 | 76ers +5 v. Celtics | Top | 101-128 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 56 m | Show |
08-18-20 | Blazers v. Lakers -5.5 | Top | 100-93 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 60 m | Show |
08-17-20 | 76ers v. Celtics -5.5 | Top | 101-109 | Win | 100 | 10 h 48 m | Show |
08-15-20 | Grizzlies +6 v. Blazers | Top | 122-126 | Win | 100 | 28 h 3 m | Show |
08-13-20 | Bucks v. Grizzlies +1 | Top | 106-119 | Win | 100 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
08-12-20 | Clippers v. Nuggets +5.5 | Top | 124-111 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 58 m | Show |
08-10-20 | Raptors +6 v. Bucks | Top | 114-106 | Win | 100 | 9 h 53 m | Show |
08-09-20 | 76ers v. Blazers -2.5 | Top | 121-124 | Win | 100 | 13 h 54 m | Show |
08-08-20 | Bucks v. Mavs +5 | Top | 132-136 | Win | 100 | 11 h 53 m | Show |
08-07-20 | Celtics +2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 122-100 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
08-06-20 | Blazers -3 v. Nuggets | Top | 125-115 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
08-05-20 | Thunder +6.5 v. Lakers | Top | 105-86 | Win | 100 | 8 h 36 m | Show |
08-04-20 | Celtics -3.5 v. Heat | Top | 106-112 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 58 m | Show |
08-02-20 | Blazers v. Celtics -4 | Top | 124-128 | Push | 0 | 9 h 25 m | Show |
08-01-20 | Lakers v. Raptors +4 | Top | 92-107 | Win | 100 | 15 h 13 m | Show |
07-31-20 | Kings -3 v. Spurs | Top | 120-129 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 7 m | Show |
03-11-20 | Georgia +4 v. Ole Miss | Top | 81-63 | Win | 100 | 11 h 49 m | Show |
03-11-20 | St. John's -2.5 v. Georgetown | Top | 75-62 | Win | 100 | 11 h 34 m | Show |
03-11-20 | Washington v. Arizona -5 | Top | 70-77 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
03-11-20 | Fordham v. George Washington -2.5 | Top | 72-52 | Loss | -115 | 23 h 41 m | Show |
03-11-20 | Utah v. Oregon State -3.5 | Top | 69-71 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
03-10-20 | Suns v. Blazers -3.5 | Top | 105-121 | Win | 100 | 13 h 13 m | Show |
03-10-20 | Magic v. Grizzlies -2 | Top | 120-115 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 51 m | Show |
03-10-20 | North Carolina -3.5 v. Virginia Tech | Top | 78-56 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
03-10-20 | St Francis PA -1 v. Robert Morris | Top | 67-77 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 49 m | Show |
03-10-20 | Illinois-Chicago v. Northern Kentucky -4 | Top | 62-71 | Win | 100 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
03-09-20 | St. Mary's +4.5 v. BYU | Top | 51-50 | Win | 100 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
03-09-20 | Raptors v. Jazz -3.5 | Top | 101-92 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 17 m | Show |
03-09-20 | Oral Roberts v. North Dakota State -1 | Top | 69-75 | Win | 100 | 11 h 60 m | Show |
03-09-20 | Coastal Carolina v. Appalachian State -4 | Top | 65-70 | Win | 100 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
03-08-20 | Iowa v. Illinois -3.5 | Top | 76-78 | Loss | -108 | 11 h 37 m | Show |
03-08-20 | Lakers +2.5 v. Clippers | Top | 112-103 | Win | 100 | 5 h 3 m | Show |
03-08-20 | Valparaiso v. Bradley -3 | Top | 66-80 | Win | 100 | 5 h 25 m | Show |
03-08-20 | Michigan v. Maryland -4 | Top | 70-83 | Win | 100 | 5 h 1 m | Show |
03-07-20 | Stanford v. Oregon -7.5 | Top | 67-80 | Win | 100 | 13 h 47 m | Show |
03-07-20 | Ole Miss v. Mississippi State -6 | Top | 44-69 | Win | 100 | 10 h 26 m | Show |
03-07-20 | Wisconsin v. Indiana -2 | Top | 60-56 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 44 m | Show |
03-06-20 | Santa Clara +3 v. Pepperdine | Top | 73-84 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 49 m | Show |
03-06-20 | Bucks v. Lakers +1 | Top | 103-113 | Win | 100 | 16 h 53 m | Show |
03-06-20 | Missouri State v. Indiana State +2 | Top | 78-51 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 48 m | Show |
03-06-20 | VCU v. Davidson -4 | Top | 65-75 | Win | 100 | 10 h 9 m | Show |
03-06-20 | Heat v. Pelicans -1.5 | Top | 104-110 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
03-05-20 | 76ers v. Kings -5 | Top | 125-108 | Loss | -103 | 15 h 50 m | Show |
03-05-20 | Oakland v. Green Bay -4 | Top | 63-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 1 m | Show |
03-05-20 | Illinois State v. Drake -2.5 | Top | 65-75 | Win | 100 | 10 h 60 m | Show |
03-04-20 | Dayton v. Rhode Island +4.5 | Top | 84-57 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 43 m | Show |
03-04-20 | Virginia -2 v. Miami-FL | Top | 46-44 | Push | 0 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
03-04-20 | LSU v. Arkansas -2.5 | Top | 90-99 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
03-04-20 | Tulsa v. Temple -2.5 | Top | 61-51 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
03-03-20 | Purdue v. Iowa -5 | Top | 77-68 | Loss | -106 | 15 h 53 m | Show |
03-03-20 | Maryland v. Rutgers -1 | Top | 67-78 | Win | 100 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
03-03-20 | Wake Forest v. North Carolina -7.5 | Top | 83-93 | Win | 100 | 9 h 3 m | Show |
03-02-20 | Grizzlies v. Hawks -2 | Top | 127-88 | Loss | -106 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
03-01-20 | Minnesota v. Wisconsin -5.5 | Top | 69-71 | Loss | -107 | 10 h 4 m | Show |
03-01-20 | Raptors v. Nuggets -4 | Top | 118-133 | Win | 100 | 8 h 27 m | Show |
03-01-20 | Wichita State v. SMU -1 | Top | 66-62 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 23 m | Show |
03-01-20 | Indiana v. Illinois -5.5 | Top | 66-67 | Loss | -106 | 6 h 25 m | Show |
03-01-20 | Western Kentucky v. North Texas -6.5 | Top | 72-78 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 24 m | Show |
02-29-20 | Rockets v. Celtics -1.5 | Top | 111-110 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 3 m | Show |
02-29-20 | San Diego State v. Nevada +6 | Top | 83-76 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 40 m | Show |
02-29-20 | Arizona State v. USC -3 | Top | 61-71 | Win | 100 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
02-29-20 | Utah v. California +1.5 | Top | 79-86 | Win | 100 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
02-29-20 | Penn State v. Iowa -4 | Top | 68-77 | Win | 100 | 7 h 17 m | Show |
02-28-20 | Nuggets v. Clippers -5.5 | Top | 103-132 | Win | 100 | 13 h 13 m | Show |
02-28-20 | Kings v. Grizzlies -3.5 | Top | 104-101 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
02-28-20 | Wright State v. Northern Kentucky -3 | Top | 64-62 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 28 m | Show |