NBA Picks for October 31'st
Afternoon and evening fellas. The NBA and the best sport in the land tips off tonight. Can't wait for college, but a big fan of the NBA as well. Anyways, here's my best bet for tonight;
BEST BET: ROLL WITH ME ON UNDER 208 in the NBA nightcap of the LA Lakers @ Phoenix.
Guys, I want to share with you one of my early season thoughts on playing totals. As a former cager, basketball is 2nd only to baseball in superstition and not wanting change. The NBA and it's politicians agreed this year to use a "technologically advanced" new ball that is designed to absorb sweat and have that "used" feel that shooting guards and small forwards across the country just love. Well, the new ball has been dissected and insulted since it came out. DWade, Rip, Billups, and some other of the league's best guards have said it will affect both their shooting and passing until they get used to it. So, early in the year, teams that have good perimeter shooting (the Suns and Lakers..Kobe still hasn't met a shot he doesn't like) will not light it up like year's past. Remember last year we slammed the Suns over early..well this year I'm going the other way. Word out of Phoenix is that the Suns will try to "blueprint" the Mav's title series run of last year by stepping up the defense. They will still play their frenetic type of basketball, but you'll see a better defensive effort and more stability now that the bench and it's players are defined.
Kobe will go off tonight, but I think you'll see a gradual pull away from the Suns in the 2nd half.
NBA record 0-0 ATSs
Play #1: ROLL WITH ME ON UNDER 208 in the Suns/Lakers.
stats and trends:
Last year's matchups:
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Date Matchup Line Total ATS Result
10/22/06 PHO 91 @ LAL 94 NA NA/O
10/15/06 PHO 99 @ LAL 91 NA NA/O
05/06/06 LAL 90 @ PHO 121 PHO -5.5 206.5 PHO/O
05/04/06 PHO 126 @ LAL 118 PHO -6 206 PHO/O
05/02/06 LAL 97 @ PHO 114 PHO -7 206 PHO/O
04/30/06 PHO 98 @ LAL 99 LAL -1.5 207.5 PHO/U
04/28/06 PHO 92 @ LAL 99 LAL -2.5 210.5 LAL/U
04/26/06 LAL 99 @ PHO 93 PHO -5 214.5 LAL/U
04/23/06 LAL 102 @ PHO 107 PHO -7 216 LAL/U
04/16/06 PHO 89 @ LAL 109 LAL -8.5 215 LAL/U
Interesting note in tonight's game and one of the reasons I'm on the under:
Player News
On Sunday, two days before the season opener, Kobe Bryant was figuring out just how much he could "trust" his knee. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Bryant practiced with the starters and compared the process to dipping a toe in the water to see how cold it was. He declared his knee better than the day before. "I think it's the best I've scrimmaged," Bryant said. "I scrimmaged like this a couple practices ago that we had here (at Staples Center). But it was much stronger today."
(Updated 10/30/2006).
Injury Report
Knee - Questionable for Oct. 31 vs. Phoenix
(Updated - 10/30/06)
Fantasy Analysis
The Lakers haven't determined whether Bryant will play Tuesday against Phoenix, but the sight of him fighting for a rebound with forward Brian Cook, then rising again to put back the ball was encouraging. For the time being, Bryant will rely more on his outside shot and less on his quickness. He has had trouble turning the corner and accelerating off the knee. How much Bryant would be able to play Tuesday is another question. The final decision will likely come on Tuesday, continue to monitor this situation
I have a re-constructed knee from 3 knee operations. I'm tellin ya right now that if Kobe does play, they will slow down the frenetic pace and set up the infamous triangle. They will get their "showtime" fast break opportunities, everyone does against the Suns, but I still see them slowing it down a bit to utilize Kobe in 1/2 court sets.
Good luck boys..the UNDER 208 is the play for me.
WELCOME BACK NBA>>>>COLLEGE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
posted by pc7588
8 replies
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The play is UNDER 208 1/2..line has gone up a 1/2 point.
ROLL WITH ME ON UNDER 208 1/2
posted by pc7588
Oct. 31 2006 7:24am -
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Goodluck PC I love the under play also.
I was thinking maybe Laker +4.5 might have good value also man. GL
$$$
posted by close_call
Oct. 31 2006 11:25am -
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PC,
Just a question for you. I haven't been following hoops at all (yet) but I did read an article in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend about the new ball they are using. It mentioned that despite players "not liking it," average scoring in the preseason was up something like 4% over last year's preseason.
Can anyone verify? Anyway, I'm just throwing this out ot the board. Total plays might be a little dicey in the early going.
posted by bdogg
Oct. 31 2006 11:57am -
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OH SNAP$$$
In reference to the new ball, scoring was up in the pre season, but remember starters averaged a gaudy 17.8 minutes per contest. Translation: lots of scrubs playing "loose" (as in the refs didn't call much and the games were 22 minutes shorter than average) trying to make the team. And from what I saw of the pre season, there is a lot of controversy. Something like that might get in a shooter's head.
Anyways, Kobe is probably playing tonight, but I don't expect a 40 point effort. Look for the Lakers to slow it down tonight in order to keep it close. They simply can't run with the Suns like some other Western teams. For the Lakers to win, they need to buy in to Phil's schemes. The biggest being that Defense is the key to a successful offense.
Man I can't wait for the season to start....enjoy the games.
Oh yeah..just an opinion but I'll take the over in the bulls game if it drops to 187.
posted by pc7588
Oct. 31 2006 3:16pm -
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Like i said, i don't know jack about the subject. just wanted to bring that to your attention. and it sounds like you got it covered.
GL
posted by bdogg
Oct. 31 2006 3:31pm -
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i couldn't agree with you anymore pc. i think the under is a good play at 208 1/2. hopefully a litttle bit slower tempo and opening night as well. guys shouldn't be shooting lights out on first night. also, public all over suns right now (i just can't bring myself to bet the fakers, those fuckers lost me loot last year) which means lakers will probably cover which in turn i believe will point to an under game.
2 unit play for me under 208 1/2.
gl
posted by jtmoney16
Oct. 31 2006 3:40pm -
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i like reasoning behind under... its solid... but i just dont play totals first week
as for me, got no plans to play big tonight. so hard to pick anything, I would be a bit hard pressed to like phoenix on road with all the history from last yr, but at -4 they are only play I am considering tonight.
so put me down, 1* Rock n rolling suns -4
posted by tq
Oct. 31 2006 5:09pm -
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ah sonofa*
guy i use quiet a bit for totals is on under in both games tonight...
i'm off suns sides, and pick riding the under, 1*
what the hell, win together or lose together aint that right girls??
posted by tq
Oct. 31 2006 5:41pm