Craig Davis
Friday's Lineup
20 Dime – THUNDER
10 Dime – PACERS
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER --- Okay, so they got their doors blown off a few nights ago in Denver. It was bound to happen. Think about it... a young team that struggled to get to double-digit wins last year is now a playoff contender in the Western Conference the following year?? And they've been playing incredible basketball since the All-Star Break, beating the Mavericks right out of the gates and winning six of their last nine to start their post-All Star break season. I think the beating they took in Denver only makes them hungrier tonight. I'll admit, I follow this team as much as I follow the Mavericks, and I've noticed they are really starting to play as a team, even though Kevin Durant is clearly their star. The great thing about Durant, though, is that he doesn't act like it. He's the ultimate players' player, trying to get everyone involved on every possession, he's not afraid to play defense, and he loves to rebound.
And playing in Oklahoma City... it's not like there's a bunch these players can do to get in trouble. They hang out a lot together and I think that makes them play more like a team than just about any franchise in the NBA. This team is usually about as focused as you could expect them to be on game day, but for some reason either the thin air got to them or they simply lost focus... because this wasn't the same group we've seen much of the season. Denver had their way with OKC and took a 9-point halftime lead and turned it into a 30-point win. The great part about getting blown out is that the starters got to sit on the bench and watch the fourth quarter. Nothing more refreshing than getting some rest up in the mountains... which leads me to believe they will be fresh and ready to get that focus back tonight.
Oklahoma City has won the last two times it visited the Clippers, including once by 40 points last year. The Thunder also feel they owe the Clippers for an early season loss in Oklahoma City, 101-93, in which the Thunder shot just 38% from the field and converted just 3 of 20 from three-point land. The Clips shot 48% from the field and Baron Davis scored 24 points... when's the last time that happened?? The bottom line is, as well as the Clippers have played at home recently, they are running into the wrong team at the wrong time. Thunder by 10.
INDIANA PACERS --- I'll admit, this play is more against Denver than it is for Indiana. But here's the way I see it... Denver just slaughtered playoff-bound Oklahoma City by 30. Indiana has been routed by the Lakers and Trail Blazers in back-to-back games. The Nuggets have Portland coming in in two days... the same Blazers team that whipped the Nuggets the last time they played. The simple analysis here is: I know Indiana sucks. I know Denver is likely to be the 2 or 3 seed in the Western Conference. But how often do we see the better team NOT cover the number?? It happens all the time and I feel this is a spot for it to happen again. Indiana has nothing to lose, especially after taking back-to-back beatings, and I feel they'll play looser and more comfortable without pressure. Denver, on the other hand, will look at this as a sandwich game and I just don't see how they'll take the Pacers seriously. It might look ugly early, but in the end the Pacers will get this thing to single digits and get inside the double-digit Vegas line.
BOUGHT, PAID, CONFIRMED....good luck guys!
Friday's Lineup
20 Dime – THUNDER
10 Dime – PACERS
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER --- Okay, so they got their doors blown off a few nights ago in Denver. It was bound to happen. Think about it... a young team that struggled to get to double-digit wins last year is now a playoff contender in the Western Conference the following year?? And they've been playing incredible basketball since the All-Star Break, beating the Mavericks right out of the gates and winning six of their last nine to start their post-All Star break season. I think the beating they took in Denver only makes them hungrier tonight. I'll admit, I follow this team as much as I follow the Mavericks, and I've noticed they are really starting to play as a team, even though Kevin Durant is clearly their star. The great thing about Durant, though, is that he doesn't act like it. He's the ultimate players' player, trying to get everyone involved on every possession, he's not afraid to play defense, and he loves to rebound.
And playing in Oklahoma City... it's not like there's a bunch these players can do to get in trouble. They hang out a lot together and I think that makes them play more like a team than just about any franchise in the NBA. This team is usually about as focused as you could expect them to be on game day, but for some reason either the thin air got to them or they simply lost focus... because this wasn't the same group we've seen much of the season. Denver had their way with OKC and took a 9-point halftime lead and turned it into a 30-point win. The great part about getting blown out is that the starters got to sit on the bench and watch the fourth quarter. Nothing more refreshing than getting some rest up in the mountains... which leads me to believe they will be fresh and ready to get that focus back tonight.
Oklahoma City has won the last two times it visited the Clippers, including once by 40 points last year. The Thunder also feel they owe the Clippers for an early season loss in Oklahoma City, 101-93, in which the Thunder shot just 38% from the field and converted just 3 of 20 from three-point land. The Clips shot 48% from the field and Baron Davis scored 24 points... when's the last time that happened?? The bottom line is, as well as the Clippers have played at home recently, they are running into the wrong team at the wrong time. Thunder by 10.
INDIANA PACERS --- I'll admit, this play is more against Denver than it is for Indiana. But here's the way I see it... Denver just slaughtered playoff-bound Oklahoma City by 30. Indiana has been routed by the Lakers and Trail Blazers in back-to-back games. The Nuggets have Portland coming in in two days... the same Blazers team that whipped the Nuggets the last time they played. The simple analysis here is: I know Indiana sucks. I know Denver is likely to be the 2 or 3 seed in the Western Conference. But how often do we see the better team NOT cover the number?? It happens all the time and I feel this is a spot for it to happen again. Indiana has nothing to lose, especially after taking back-to-back beatings, and I feel they'll play looser and more comfortable without pressure. Denver, on the other hand, will look at this as a sandwich game and I just don't see how they'll take the Pacers seriously. It might look ugly early, but in the end the Pacers will get this thing to single digits and get inside the double-digit Vegas line.
BOUGHT, PAID, CONFIRMED....good luck guys!
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BEN BURNS
6*: BURNS NHL PERSONAL FAVORITE MAJOR MISMATCH
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS-ML vs Canucks
8*: BURNS EARLY BLUE CHIP TOTAL BLOWOUT
UNDER-140 (Delaware vs VCU, 2:30 TIP in Colonial Conference Tourney)
9*: BURNS TOP NON-CONFERENCE BEST BET
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS +3 1/2 vs LA Lakers
10*: BURNS HUGE PLAY ALERT, SHOCKER GAME OF THE MONTH
NEW JERSEY NETS +10 vs Orlando Magic
BEN BURNS
6*: BURNS NHL PERSONAL FAVORITE MAJOR MISMATCH
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS-ML vs Canucks
8*: BURNS EARLY BLUE CHIP TOTAL BLOWOUT
UNDER-140 (Delaware vs VCU, 2:30 TIP in Colonial Conference Tourney)
9*: BURNS TOP NON-CONFERENCE BEST BET
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS +3 1/2 vs LA Lakers
10*: BURNS HUGE PLAY ALERT, SHOCKER GAME OF THE MONTH
NEW JERSEY NETS +10 vs Orlando Magic
March Madness now Minus 39.8 Units in 4 days
NBA MINUS 107 Units YTD
4* #804 CHARLOTTE/L.A. LAKERS Under
Two of the best defenses in the NBA both check in off of
uncharacteristically bad performances, which means a much sharper
focus here. And with some other key factors in play we have excellent
value for this setting.
The Lakers were embarrassed defensively at Miami last night. They
allowed the Heat to score at last(least) 25 points in three of the four
quarters, and then 15 more in the O.T. period, allowing 52.5 percent
shooting. Five different Miami players scored at least 12 points, and
Kobe Bryant summed it up succinctly - <i>?We just couldn?t get a
stop.?</i> For a team that is tied with Boston for #1 on our best set
of defensive ratings it means a lot of pride taking the court
tonight, and they are capable of locking down a struggling Charlotte
offense that has only scored more than 94 points one time in the last
10 games. But at the same time there are some weary Los Angeles legs
that can impact have an impact on their perimeter shooting, keyed by
Bryant going 45 minutes last night.
Meanwhile Charlotte is off of a similar embarrassment, allowing 104
points on 53.5 percent shooting at Boston on Wednesday, with the
Celtics knocking down 10-16 triples and dishing out 27 assists. That
is a slap in the face for a team that rates #5 on our best defensive
ratings, and there is no fear about them being able to respond ? in
their last two games on this court they held the Mavericks to 89
points and the Cavaliers to 93. In Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace
they are among the few teams that can match up to Bryant (he was held
to five points, on 2-12 shooting, on the west coast in the first
meeting this season), and given the current struggles of his own
offense, Larry Brown makes defense and tempo (Charlotte plays at the
27th slowest pace in the NBA) the cornerstones to his game plan.
Dave tried this Under when the teams last played in Los Angeles last month at a 5* level to take it in the ARSE in the final two possessions of the game when the lakers could have run the clock out but Farmar dunked the ball with 5 sec to go and charlotte hit a 3 at the buzzer to put the game over by 1 point !!
4* #821 OKLAHOMA CITY over L.A. CLIPPERS
The Thunder might have played their worst game of the season at
Denver on Wednesday night, falling behind by as many as 41 points
before losing 119-90. But in terms of adjustments there is nothing to
see there. It was a tired team having to deal with the altitude in a
back-to-back setting, and their 8th game in 12 days, and the legs
simply weren?t there. But instead of a downgrade a game like that can
actually turn out to be a plus going forward. And here is why.
A night like that for a playoff contender can be a good thing because
it means a chance for the starters to get some rest. No one was on
the court for more than Kevin Durrant?s 26:36, so we can expect a
positive physical energy when they take the court tonight. And from
the standpoint of mental focus this one can be special. One of the
keys to Oklahoma City developing so quickly is the chemistry and
savvy that has developed on the court far beyond the years of
experience of the roster, largely because the right pieces are in the
right places. So look at how they have responded to defeats this
season ? how about a sparkling 17-4 ATS, games in which they have
beaten the pointspread by a collective 163.6 points. Now they bring a
rare high level of focus against the downtrodden Clippers. Instead of
it being a night to coast they bring the intensity to make up for
Wednesday?s ugly loss, and with only a game at Sacramento on deck
Sunday, and then two more days off, there is absolutely no
look-ahead. Having won their last 15 games against opponents with
losing records, they have the discipline on the court to exploit the
weaknesses that they will be up against.
The Clippers bring plenty of those weaknesses. This is just a
make-shift group of impending free agents that will spend more time
jockeying for individual statistics down the stretch than Team W?s,
and they are ripe to be whipped by exactly the kind of sound
fundamental play that the Thunder bring to the table.
NBA MINUS 107 Units YTD
4* #804 CHARLOTTE/L.A. LAKERS Under
Two of the best defenses in the NBA both check in off of
uncharacteristically bad performances, which means a much sharper
focus here. And with some other key factors in play we have excellent
value for this setting.
The Lakers were embarrassed defensively at Miami last night. They
allowed the Heat to score at last(least) 25 points in three of the four
quarters, and then 15 more in the O.T. period, allowing 52.5 percent
shooting. Five different Miami players scored at least 12 points, and
Kobe Bryant summed it up succinctly - <i>?We just couldn?t get a
stop.?</i> For a team that is tied with Boston for #1 on our best set
of defensive ratings it means a lot of pride taking the court
tonight, and they are capable of locking down a struggling Charlotte
offense that has only scored more than 94 points one time in the last
10 games. But at the same time there are some weary Los Angeles legs
that can impact have an impact on their perimeter shooting, keyed by
Bryant going 45 minutes last night.
Meanwhile Charlotte is off of a similar embarrassment, allowing 104
points on 53.5 percent shooting at Boston on Wednesday, with the
Celtics knocking down 10-16 triples and dishing out 27 assists. That
is a slap in the face for a team that rates #5 on our best defensive
ratings, and there is no fear about them being able to respond ? in
their last two games on this court they held the Mavericks to 89
points and the Cavaliers to 93. In Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace
they are among the few teams that can match up to Bryant (he was held
to five points, on 2-12 shooting, on the west coast in the first
meeting this season), and given the current struggles of his own
offense, Larry Brown makes defense and tempo (Charlotte plays at the
27th slowest pace in the NBA) the cornerstones to his game plan.
Dave tried this Under when the teams last played in Los Angeles last month at a 5* level to take it in the ARSE in the final two possessions of the game when the lakers could have run the clock out but Farmar dunked the ball with 5 sec to go and charlotte hit a 3 at the buzzer to put the game over by 1 point !!
4* #821 OKLAHOMA CITY over L.A. CLIPPERS
The Thunder might have played their worst game of the season at
Denver on Wednesday night, falling behind by as many as 41 points
before losing 119-90. But in terms of adjustments there is nothing to
see there. It was a tired team having to deal with the altitude in a
back-to-back setting, and their 8th game in 12 days, and the legs
simply weren?t there. But instead of a downgrade a game like that can
actually turn out to be a plus going forward. And here is why.
A night like that for a playoff contender can be a good thing because
it means a chance for the starters to get some rest. No one was on
the court for more than Kevin Durrant?s 26:36, so we can expect a
positive physical energy when they take the court tonight. And from
the standpoint of mental focus this one can be special. One of the
keys to Oklahoma City developing so quickly is the chemistry and
savvy that has developed on the court far beyond the years of
experience of the roster, largely because the right pieces are in the
right places. So look at how they have responded to defeats this
season ? how about a sparkling 17-4 ATS, games in which they have
beaten the pointspread by a collective 163.6 points. Now they bring a
rare high level of focus against the downtrodden Clippers. Instead of
it being a night to coast they bring the intensity to make up for
Wednesday?s ugly loss, and with only a game at Sacramento on deck
Sunday, and then two more days off, there is absolutely no
look-ahead. Having won their last 15 games against opponents with
losing records, they have the discipline on the court to exploit the
weaknesses that they will be up against.
The Clippers bring plenty of those weaknesses. This is just a
make-shift group of impending free agents that will spend more time
jockeying for individual statistics down the stretch than Team W?s,
and they are ripe to be whipped by exactly the kind of sound
fundamental play that the Thunder bring to the table.
