NBA Playoffs Picks: Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans Game Three

NBA Playoffs Picks: Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans is a huge sports town. You might think of it as Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras, Hurricanes, and gumbo – maybe a strip club and drinking in the streets – but I think New Orleans Saints games or the sold-out Smoothie King Center giving the New Orleans Pelicans enough of an edge to beat the Spurs in the last game of the season to secure a playoff berth.

The New Orleans Pelicans have given the Warriors a game twice now, and with some energy in the home building they’ll ...

NCAA March Madness Picks: Gonzaga vs Duke

NCAA March Madness Picks: Gonzaga Duke

I loved this region, and I loved Duke to win it. I think theyre the better team and we’ve been on them from the start to give Kentucky a run. I think this will be an interesting test for them.

Gonzaga has been on a nice run. They’re a solid team and they can fly under the Vegas radar a bit because the public doesn’t tend to think of them as a powerhouse. They’ve been strong all tournament and Duke has a history of underperforming in games they look like they should win.

This is ...

NCAA March Madness Picks: WVU vs Kentucky

NCAA March Madness Picks: West Virginia vs Kentucky

I still think Kentucky is the best team in basketball and I was unimpressed by the way West Virginia finished their win last week. Pressing the court the entire game, even after a miss, is not going to confuse the talented Kentucky Wildcats. All that is going to happen in this game is that Kentucky is going to get a lot of open looks and use their size and talent to dominate this game.

I can’t see West Virginia keeping it close or causing any problems for UK. I think Kentucky runs away ...

NBA Picks: Philadelphia 76ers at LA Lakers

The end of the Kobe Bryant era is slowly coming upon us while rebuilding efforts in Philadelphia continue to stumble. The result is a battle of two of the worst teams in basketball, but with limited NHL action and a strong signal from the computer, this is one of my only plays that isn’t a March Madness game.

With both teams playing such poor basketball, there’s some value in the spread here for the road team. I expect a close game where either team can win, and that gives the 76ers some value here. ...

NBA Picks: San Antonio Spurs at Milwaukee Bucks

The Spurs are legitimate. They’re deep, they’re well-coached, they’re experienced, they’ve got leadership, they’ve got top-end talent. There really aren’t many flaws with this team, they play defense, and you can expect them to show up where they need to.

The Bucks aren’t terrible, but I don’t expect them to hang with the defending champions. There’s a good amount of value in the line here at -4.5 and the Spurs should show up here as they contend in a heated playoff race in the West. With both teams playing the night before, fatigue ...

NBA Picks: Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat

NBA Picks: Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat

I wrote you guys a beautifully articulated prediction for tonight’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, but it got lost somehow while I was posting and now I have to rewrite it. Apologies if this one ends up a little shorter, but the keys to my analysis remain the same…

I love Lebron James. I think he will go down as the greatest player to ever play NBA basketball when all is said and done, and his blend of size, speed, and strength is unprecedented. He’s fun to watch, a good ...

NBA Picks: San Antonio Spurs at LA Clippers (+3)

NBA Picks: San Antonio Spurs at LA Clippers (+3) The computer gives a strong underdog value signal here, and with only two games on tap tonight I agree with the Z-Code algorithm. The Los Angeles Clippers are a strong team, starting to turn a corner after a little bit of a slide. The San Antonio Spurs, despite the dynasty being in tact, have been a little slow this year. I think the speed of the Clippers, at home, as underdogs, has some value here for sure.

There is no question this is a battle of elite teams and either is ...

NBA Picks: Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Pelicans

NBA Picks: Philadelphia 76ers at New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans aren’t necessarily a playoff threat right now in a loaded Western Conference, but they are definitely a strong team. They have a 14-5 record at home and are above .500 this season. Moreover, they might have the best forward in basketball in Anthony Davis. I don’t think the 76ers will be able to stop them here.

The Philadelphia 76ers are an abomination unto the game of basketball. The rebuilding effort hasn’t gone well for Philly and they’ve truly fallen off in the last couple years. While I think Anthony ...

NBA Picks: Indiana Pacers (-2.5) at Detroit Pistons

NBA Picks: Indiana Pacers (-2.5) at Detroit Pistons Yesterday I went out on a limb, featuring a weak computer signal because I thought LeBron James would be a little less sentimental in Miami than he was. Today, to make it up to you guys, we’ll feature a basketball game that the computer likes. With the algorithm as hot as it’s been in recent weeks, I’m confident in this one.

The Pacers are the much better team here, even as injuries pick away at the core that made them so dominant the last couple years. This defense is built form the inside ...

NBA Picks: Christmas Special – Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat The Return of the King: Lebron James Returns to MiamiLeBron James is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, and he returns to Miami to face his old teammates like they used to do with Shaq and Kobe. I’m excited to watch this younger, faster, better team mop the floor with the aging Miami Heat. I think that’s exactly what you’ll see from the Cavs on Christmas Day.

Here, even if it wasn’t for James, the game fits our system parameters. Cleveland has all sorts of momentum, while the Heat are ...