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AC TITTICOCK'S WEEKLY FREE NBA BASKETBALL PICKS AND WINNERS
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AC's 2004-2005 NBA Picks Season Record
Wins: 111 Losses: 83 Ties: 4
NBA Picks Winning Percentage: 57%
Record updated Saturdays and Mondays
Contact AC at ac@wagercom.com or post your questions/comments on the Wagercom Message Board
Read AC's Bio
6/23/05 NBA Championship Picks Game 7
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 improved that to a 57% winning percentage against the spread this season.
So here is the problem, San Antonio came into this series hitting on all cylinders and playing like Mike Tyson circa 1990. They were knocking people out and raping beauty pageant contestants (ok, maybe they weren’t doing that but you know what I mean). They even had me predicting sweep. Then they blew Detroit out of two straight games, like Tyson destroying Larry Holmes and every other Mitch “Blood” Green that was around. As an aside, Mitch Green really needs his own reality show, seriously. I guess I should be happy enough Bobby Brown has one, but maybe the two of them could do a variety hour or something else for the kids.
Anyway, when the Pistons started fighting back ala Buster Douglas, the Spurs simply folded. Seriously, take away Horry’s supernatural performance from Game 5 and this series is over. The Pistons should have won 4 straight. They have outplayed the Spurs in every aspect since Game 2, including whining, technical fouls, and best post-game interviews. Not to delve into this too much, but the interview after Game 6 with Mike Tirico and Rasheed Wallace where Rasheed was sitting down with his championship belt around his shoulder will go down as my third favorite interview of all-time, just behind the Terry Glenn Boston Sports Final interview in 2001 and the Freddie Mitchell local Philadelphia Sports show interview about 2 months ago. There are not words to describe how surreal those were. The Terry Glenn piece should be in the broadcasting hall of fame, no joke.
Anyway, in order for the Spurs to win tonight, 4 things need to happen:
1. Duncan needs to get more shots and hit his free throws. I know, not real original, but it is the truth. It’s to the point where I can tell if he is going to make a free throw or not by the amount of time it takes him to release. Watch closely. When he goes up smooth in one motion, it will go in, and when he pauses and almost double pumps, the ball clanks off the rim.
2. Nazr Mohammed needs to remember how to play. I haven’t seen someone fade this fast since Lindsay Lohan. What’s that? She’still famous? Give it another year.
3. Manu needs to continue to slash to the hole. Enough said.
4. Tony Parker needs to run run run. Billups, Hunter, Prince, Dantley, Kid Rock, and Francois Mitterand have all done a number on Parker over the last 4 games. He has been stymied and the Spurs need his energy to win.
For the Pistons to win, they need 4 things to happen:
1. Billups has to continue to play with ice water in his veins. People can talk about Horry all they want but Billups has been doing it all series. He is clutch.
2. Stay away from stupid technical fouls when the Spurs make their run. We know the refereeing sucks, seriously, we do, now shut up and play.
3. Continued strong play from McDyess and Hunter. The starters need some rest and McDyess has really stepped it up.
4. Ben Wallace has to continue to play tough defense. Maybe Larry Brown can tell him San Antonio threatened not to feed him, don’t know, but he has to be a monster.
So which is more likely? Tough call but I am going to stick it out with the Pistons. I know, this is quite a reversal from when I was touting a Spurs sweep but if Lindsay Lohan can turn herself so unattractive in a manner of weeks, certainly I can change my mind.
NBA Picks for Thursday - Championship Game 7:
Detroit +4.5 at San Antonio:
Honestly, either Duncan comes up huge or the Pistons win. I can see the Spurs jumping out to a big lead, Detroit clawing back by half-time, and then it coming down to the wire. Just be careful of a Spurs blowout, could happen if Duncan is really fired up. The Pistons may lose but I like getting the points.
Detroit at San Antonio Over 174.5:
Deciding games are usually low scoring due to the jitters but the Spurs are going to need to run and get some transition hoops.
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Check the current point spreads and game lines.
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