posted February 17, 2009 at 15:00 EST in NBA Articles
Eastern Conference NBA Betting - Second Half Predictions
by Tim Furious
Did anyone notice that the All-Star game looked more like a real game than the joke it has been in the past? Overall, I really enjoyed the weekend, aside from being too drunk/stupid to realize that they didn’t even televise the H-O-R-S-E competition at night while I scrambled trying to figure out who won. I also loved winning off bets on the Sophomore Team led by Kevin Durant in the face of everyone screaming, “It’s Rose, Mayo, Beasley…how can you bet against these guys?!?!” Because I’m Tim Furious, jack hole! That’s why!
The second-half is upon us and it’s going to be a rousing race to the finish. But there are seven things that I’m keying on as my focal points as I prep for the potential of NBA Playoff betting. I’ve also been ordered by the line movers at HQ to stop bothering the props guys with ideas like, “Can we get a line on how many times Rasheed Wallace is going to snap at reporters in the second half? I’ve set it at 17.5, just so we can’t have a push. Hello? Hello?! Damn, they hung up again.” Same thing happened when I recommended a prop bet on how many times Allen Iverson smiles after getting blown up by Derrick Rose against Chicago. Like, how can he laugh at himself? “Man I get paid for being over the hill and sucking while the country’s in a recession? That’s hilarious!”
Anyways, here’s what to look for when counting how many dollars you’re willing to lay down on your Eastern Conference bets. And yes, my veiled attempts at humor are once again fueled by my unrelenting addiction whisky and the tired addiction I’ve developed to watching Simpsons episodes online that is keeping me up till 5am every night. It’s sad, I know. The life of a writer is a lonely one…unless you have an internet connection! Ha! Suck on that, Hemmingway!
1. The Trade Deadline
My personal Judgment Day every year. I have so much invested in these guys emotionally (because again, outside of this gig, I have no life) that seeing where players like Amare Stoudemire go on Thursday at 3pm is more important to me than convincing myself than a cup of coffee is a full breakfast because it has caffeine in it.
So where do you start? Simple – three guys are the focal point of trades in the NBA. Wally Sczerbiak expiring deal has been the topic of ongoing discussion lately. But with the Cavaliers standing at 33-18 ATS this season, do the Cavs want to screw up the chemistry that they’ve already instilled? The real question is whether or not they can bank on Lebron’s limitless ceiling to take them to a title this season. If they can do that, then they don’t need to trade Wally. If it’s not enough, however, they’ll be kicking themselves in the butt.
Amare has been a hot topic in recent walks, although the Suns just came out and said that all the offers they’ve been given are “underwhelming”. Ironically, this is a time when I wish Isaiah Thomas was out there running the Knicks, because he’d be throwing his booming popcorn business and his first born at the Suns to bring Amare to the Big Apple right now to run with D’Antoni. Amare is a 29-9 guy, which drops to about 15-9 when you consider how many points he gives up defensively. But the cellar dwellers out there are insane to pass up on an available superstar like Amare. My bet is that he moves by Thursday in a huge deal when a team panics and overpays for the sulking star.
Now a topic I visit way too often. Toronto sent O’Neal to Miami for Shawn Marion. The idea is that Bosh-Marion-Bargnani is enough for Toronto to compete with. Really? Honestly? Even if Marion does decide to pull up his socks for his former GM, the Raptors don’t have the size or longevity to give their fans a confidence boost. Something is brewing in that genius mind of Colangelo…and none of us are ready for it.
2. What The Hell Does A Labrum Do Anyways?
It turns out that a labrum is something in the shoulder that holds all the joints together. So it’s like pushing the speed limit with 2-of-5 bolts fastened in to your front tire. With Elton Brand out, you can bet that the Sixers return to being the tour-de-force that they were last year for the betting community. He was slowing them down with his heavy contract, 87-year old knees and inability to play up-tempo basketball.
But the real question is how this affects the Orlando Magic. Jameer Nelson is out with a similar injury, although it’s not as severe. With him out, it’s unknown whether the Magic can sustain a rip roaring 11-3 ATS record they built before the All-Star break. My guess is that this team is in for the slump to end all slumps, and Howard’s loss to Krypto-Nate at the Dunk contest is a foreshadowing of the doom to come in Orlando.
3. Wade For MVP?
Say what you want about Wade, but he’s single handedly carried his team to fifth best in the Eastern Conference. And this is with Michael Beasley sucking up too many minutes and Haslem failing at his attempts to play center. With O’Neal on board, this opens up the floor for Wade. The T-Mobile sponsored athlete is putting up some crazy numbers, and while the Heat gain credence in the NBA standings, Wade’s value in the NBA futures will begin to gain steam. For those of you not keeping track, Wade is averaging 28-7-5, and his assists will only go up with O’Neal in town and Beasley moving to his natural position.
4. Fire More Coaches!
The NBA is the most unstable job in the USA, unless you work in the automotive industry. Jerry Porter was the latest coach to go down in flames after he was replaced by Gentry in Phoenix. So who’s next?
5. Does Boston Still Have “It”?
For the most part, it’s virtually ridiculous to dismiss the Celtics as contenders. In a seven-game series, with a defensive mastermind behind the bench and a thirst for a dynasty fueling the malicious Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are a team that is as dangerous as it could get.
However, recent losses in big games have you wondering if the Celtics can stand up to the thundering Magic, the surging Heat or the Cavaliers in the end? Are they a flash in the pan, or do they have the mettle to return to the biggest stage in the NBA? They’re certainly rewarding their degenerates with a 31-24 ATS record, but going just 16-12 ATS at home could be a sign that the Celtics are beginning to lose a step…whatever the reason may be.
6. End Of An Era In Detroit
GM declaring bankruptcy. The Red Wings losing in the playoffs (eventually). The Lions going winless. The Detroit Pistons falling back down to Earth. Detroit has officially been rocked. All you can if you’re in Detroit is just close your eyes and pray that it’s over soon. Or, you could just pick up and move to a real city that isn’t crumbling at the seams like Jennifer Aniston’s career.
7. Can The Cavs Count On LeBron?
I wrote about it earlier, but does LeBron have the Jordan-esque ability to raise the game of his entire team. He’s found a running mate in Mo Williams, and Big Z is still one of the more underrated big men in the league, but who else on that team is going to contribute? If the Cavs fail to trade Wally at the deadline, the pressure is officially on LeBron to pull this team through to the title. Honestly, nothing else will suffice in the hopeful town of Cleveland, especially as the clock ticks to LeBron’s eventual departure. Can he answer all that pressure? Because when you truly consider it (playing for his hometown team, the surrounding core of the Cavs, NYC calling him to his true home, fulfilling his destiny as the heir to Air, meeting the mounting and impossible mountain of hype), he’s got a lot to deal with. It’s a plate fit for only a true King. It’s time for Lebron to prove that he’s deserving of that crown because Kobe proved at the All-Star game that he isn’t yet the true King of the NBA.
