AC TITTICOCK'S WEEKLY FREE NBA BASKETBALL PICKS AND WINNERS

Contact AC at ac@wagercom.com or post your questions/comments on the Wagercom Message Board

Read AC's Bio

4/23/05 NBA Playoff Picks - Week 1

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 56% winning percentage against the spread so far this season.

The playoffs are here and I am as giddy as Shawn Kemp in a whore house and as excited as Tractor Traylor at an all you can eat Chinese buffet. To help you all out I am going to break down each of the eight first round playoff series.

New Jersey Nets vs. Miami Heat:

If Dicky “Stone Hands” Jefferson comes back the Nets can make a run at this. Problem is, no matter how hard they try they are still running out one of those crappy Collins kids against Shaq. Plus, Kidd may be good but his defense has slipped and Dwyane Wayne Wade will blow by him like Tony Parker did Gary Payton last year. Add in the fact that Vince Carter will get hurt in the first or second game and cry his way through the rest of the series and you have more than enough reasons for a Heat victory. At least the Nets don’t need to worry about an Eddy Curry type problem with VC as he has no heart.

Heat in 5

Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons:

The Sixers are not a very good team and the Pistons are. Unfortunately, that is all you need to know. Special thanks to Jim O’Brien for ruining Philly’s season.

Pistons in 4

Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics:

Tough match-up for the Celtics as Indiana plays with a lot of heart and the Celtics seem to lack that. From a talent standpoint the Celtics should win in 5, which is why I am picking them in 6. Watch for Al Jefferson to have a break out series and watch for Stephen Jackson and Ricky Davis go back and forth at each other. Should be an entertaining series unless ‘Toine decides to shoot threes.

Celtics in 6

Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls:

Yeah, the Bulls are missing Curry and Deng but they play hard regardless of who is on the floor. The Wizards have a ton of talent but don’t seem to really play together and that is going to hurt them. The Bulls will advance to the second round and then announce MJ will be joining them for the rest of the playoff run.

Bulls in 6

Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns:

The Grizzlies are in playoffs? No really, when did this happen? Did Fratello quit and let someone else coach? The Grizz are really not very good and that will show when Phoenix wins by an average margin of 97 points, give or take 90.

Suns in 4

Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs:

This series should be better than the Finals. The two best teams in the league face off and unfortunately for the Nuggets, their run is going to end early. Tim Duncan is back and Tim Duncan has to be pissed about losing early on last year. The Spurs are tough all around and the Nuggets are still learning to play together. Who is going to take the crunch time shot for them? Melo? Kenyon? Nene(and yes that was a joke). Next year is the Nuggets and this year is one more hurrah for the Spurs.

Spurs in 6

Sacramento Kings at Seattle Supersonics:

If Peja is healthy, the Kings should run away with this. I haven’t shown the Sonics respect all year and I am not going to start now. The Kings backcourt is tough with Bobby Jackson back and their frontline has been strong. Brian Skinner and Danny Fortson are likely to tangle at least once so Skinner better hope Fortson doesn’t hit him with one of his pigtails or the matching purse he has to go with them. Seriously, what is the deal with the pigtails? Does he know it’s for chicks?

Kings in 5

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks:

The Rockets are good but the Mavericks have seemingly figured it out. Yao is playing more like Jeff Ruland than Shaq and other than McGrady, the Rockets are rolling out 79 average shooting guards. Dirk is going to take over but it won’t be a sweep. And can someone tell me how Avery Johnson gets a head coaching job and Dennis Johnson is sitting at home?

Mavericks in 6

Free NBA Picks:

Sunday's Picks:

1-2 last night thanks to the Kings boneheaded play in the last 30 seconds. No need to force up a three but I guess that is why Rick Adelman never wins anything. The first games of playoff series are always the hardest to judge, keep that in mind with today’s picks.

Memphis at Phoenix Over 204:

Phoenix should come out running to prove to critics that their style can work in the playoffs. The Suns should put up 115 or so, so hope the Grizzlies show up.

Washington at Chicago Under 194:

The Wizards like to score but the Bulls can play some D. We’ll see which style wins out but I am betting on the Bulls.

Denver +8 at San Antonio:

This game scares me but what can you do? The Spurs are going to win the series but you have to believe the Nuggets can hang with them. This is why I hate picking the first game of a playoff series, you really need to see the teams match-up with something on the line first.

Saturday's Picks:

Warning, I just got up after playing poker until 6:30am so I may not be thinking clearly, then again, I may be in the zone.

Houston at Dallas -4.5:

This series will be interesting except for the fact that Houston is like the 1995 New York Knicks and is boring to watch. Van Gundy should be fired for making the NBA less exciting than a Ray Romano stand up routine and less desirable than being lucky Pierre. The Mavs are going to come out bombing. Watch McGrady go nuts in the first quarter and then double down on the Mavs.

Indiana at Boston -3:

Everything is pointing to a Celtics choke in game 1. They are overconfident, they aren’t really that good, Doc Rivers still doesn’t have a set rotation, Indiana is going to be hungry, and Paul Pierce was out a strip club until 4 am (ok, that part was false but did I ever tell you about running into Tony Battie at 1am in the bathroom of a boston club? Good time, good times). In short, screw the choke and bet with ‘Toine. Gulp.

Sacramento +4 at Seattle:

This may be a sucker bet but I haven’t believed in Seattle all year so now is not the day to start.

contact AC at ac@wagercom.com or post your questions/comments on the Wagercom Message Board

To sign up to receive this column each week by email simply click on: info@wagercom.com, put your email address in the message box and hit send.

Check the current point spreads and game lines.