AC TITTICOCK'S WEEKLY FREE NBA BASKETBALL PICKS AND WINNERS

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2/05/05 Week 14 NBA Picks

AC's outlook on the NBA is an entertaining original column featured here at Wagercom. If you are prone to NBA betting or even just an NBA fan, make sure you come back often to read his articles and free NBA Basketball picks against the spread. AC will be providing us with a weekly outlook during the basketball season including free NBA Basketball picks on some of the weekend games each Friday and Saturday.

Our NBA expert AC wrapped up the 2003-2004 NBA betting season with a 51% winning percentage against the spread on his basketball picks after 190 games and has greatly improved that to a 57% winning percentage against the spread so far this season.

And that my friends, is why I love sports.

In other news, bye bye Rudy T, we hardly knew thee. In a bizarre twist to the soap opera that is the LA Fakers, head coach Rudy T resigned due to “personal reasons.” Interestingly enough, I looked up “personal reasons” in the dictionary and the definition said “having to deal with the dumbest player and biggest jerk in NBA history, Kobe Bryant.” Ok, so I made that up, but that is not the point. I am sure King Kobe played some part in Rudy T’s decision to leave health reasons or not, so well done Kobe, that’s two coaches in less than a year.

Anyway, who really wants to hear about the Lakers? They play some guy named Tierre Brown about 20 minutes a night, the next big thing Luke Walton doesn’t get off the bench unless the other 11 players develop ecoli and a fan misses a lay-up during half-time to join the team, and the back-up shooting guard right now is Tony “John” Bobbitt. Wow, that is bad, no wonder Rudy ditched them. Interestingly enough while I have no idea who Tierre Brown is or where he played in college (apparently somewhere called McNeese State, gesundheit), he has joined my Udonis Haslem (demolish anus) all anagram team as Boner Writer. Even with a healthy Kobe Bryant, did anybody think the Lakers were going anywhere with Chris Mihm as the starting center and Chucky Atkins running the point? It’s like gunning for an academy award with Jennifer Aniston and anybody from the cast of Soul Plane.

However, Rudy T’s departure leaves us guessing which coach will be next to go. Never fear, I’ve got odds on the top 3 coaches to be fired or resign next (and this doesn’t include Herb Williams since he is not really the Head Coach).

Maurice Ass Cheeks, Portland Trailblazers, odds 4-3:

The thing is, I actually like Mo Cheeks. I think he’s done a decent job with a bunch of me first slackers. Zach Randolph can not be easy to coach and when you add in Darius Miles, who if he isn’t high every game seriously needs some help, you have too many problems. To be fair, Cheeks usually gets his players to play aggressively for him as noted by the fact that somehow Joe Pryzbilla has been averaging double digit rebounds after warming a bench for the last 36 years. The problem is that the Blazers players are simply not coachable and a change just needs to be made. Cheeks has had several run-ins with players lately and I bet in the next two months he packs it up and resigns and finds a new head coaching job before the start of next year.

Mike Dunleavy Los Angeles Clippers, odds 10-1:

I’ve never understood how this guy keeps getting jobs. He wasn’t particularly good with the Lakers, got nothing out of the Bucks, led the Trailbalzers to a bunch of playoff exits, and now he is back to mildly underperforming with the Clippers. He is the most average of average coaches at best and at worst he is just plain bad. His record is 426-444 in 11 seasons making the playoffs in 6 of those seasons and going 31-28 in the post season. He is so mediocre which means he is able to slide by without people realizing how bad he is. He’s gone after this year as the Clips have a bunch of talent but have seemingly hit the wall. Look for them to lobby for Phil Jackson and I just made that up but it actually sounds like a good idea.

Jim O’Brien Philadelphia 76ers, odds 15-1:

If he hadn’t signed a long-term deal, he would be first on the list. O’Braindead is simply the worst in game coach in the NBA and yes that includes Rick Adelman, Byron Scott, and even the great Dick Vitale. I have been over this time and time again, Jim O’Brien has no idea how to substitute, teach offense, or develop young players. He and Iverson are already at odds and it is only going to get worse. Maybe he will get fired and then Isiah will hire him. That would be brilliant and perhaps make my year as it would cripple the Knicks for at least another decade (although it’s not like Isiah needs help doing that).

So there you go, the three coaches most likely to be out next. Now to replace them, it would be great if one of these teams took a chance on somebody who hasn’t had one already. It would be great if somebody gave DJ (Dennis Johnson, not Wagercom.com’s dj) a job but I would even settle for Nipsy Russell rather than a retread like Del Harris or Doug Moe.

On to Friday's Free NBA Picks:

Yep, I’m going to the well again. The Celtics finally put a good game together for 48 minutes against the Nets the other night and may have turned the corner. The Magic have been struggling a bit and I don’t think this is the night they put it together. Look for the Celtics to run them out of the building early, otherwise, they will be in trouble. Take the Cs though and enjoy the running game.

Houston at Minnesota -2:

Yao is a lot like Garnett only without the jumping, mobility, or leadership qualities. In other words, take the Wolves. I am a bit worried by the low spread. It signals somebody knows something I don’t so beware of this game for injuries. I am making this bet based on two healthy teams even though Cassell sat out the second half in a blow out loss to the Suns. As an aside, after that loss Garnett was quoted as saying, "You have some clouds in your coffee sometimes, it's not easy right now." Can somebody tell me what he is talking about?

New York at Sacramento -10.5:

Ok, so this game worries me a bit as well as the Knicks are not that bad. Don’t get me wrong, they are going to lose but 10.5 is a lot to give a team that can sometimes put up points, especially after 3 big losses in a row. However, the Kings are playing tough right now and should roll early. The question is whether or not they will be able to keep it up in garbage time. I am guessing they will.

Charlotte at Portland Under 191.5:

I hate the under but I hate both of these teams as well. Just hope Zach Randolph continues to slump

On to Saturday Night’s Picks:

2-1 last night as the Kings-Knicks game should be expunged. I make my picks early in the day and say that they assume no injuries or game time scratches. The Kings scratched Mobley and Webber at game time and still won by 1. You don’t think they would have won by 9.5 more with them? The 10.5 line was predicated on them playing so the game I bet on never really happened. Therefore, 2-1 thanks to the Wolves eating a fatty down the stretch.

Detroit -4 at New Jersey:

I can’t remember the last time I won betting on the Pistons and giving points. Oh yeah, how about today?

Indiana -4 at Atlanta:

Why is this line so low? Really, I have no idea. I am picking this game assuming Tinsley and Foster don’t play, if they play, it’s all bonus.

Chicago at Miami Over 195.5:

I don’t know, I like points and so do the Heat. Wade is going for 35.

Golden State at Denver -11:

George Karl has the Butt Nuggets playing hard and the Warriors are really really bad. 11 points is a lot but would you rather Charlotte +14.5 at Seattle? I didn’t think so.

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