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AC TITTICOCK'S WEEKLY FREE NBA BASKETBALL PICKS AND WINNERS
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AC's 2005-2006 NBA Picks Season Record
Wins: 72 Losses: 55 Ties: 3
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
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 completing the 2004-2005 season.
NBA WEEK 17 COLUMN & FREE PICKS:
The NBA trade deadline has passed and much like everything else in the NBA this year, it was a bit of a fizzle. The NBA could really stand to titivate itself (and yes titivate is my new favorite word, and no it unfortunately has nothing to do with boobies). With only two major trades over the past week, the NBA general mangers definitely put the “dead” in deadline (drumshot please). However, as your NBA guru, I will break down each trade and rate the winners, the losers, and the lesbians (surprisingly the lesbians all rate very highly).
Detroit gets: Kelvin Cato and a future 1st round draft pick
Orlando gets: Carlos Arroyo, Darko Milicic, and the egg on Joe Dumars’s face
It is too early to know how this trade is going to turn out because there is still the 5% chance that Darko will morph into a full fledged NBA basketball player instead of a full fledged paper weight. However, my initial reaction is that this is probably going to wind up in Detroit’s favor. You have to first assume that the Darko draft is a sunk cost and accept that Dumars screwed that up horribly. However, he has afforded himself a “do over” by getting Orlando’s #1 pick next year which could still be in the lottery, though the amount of protection on it is unclear. All it cost him was a non-playing Darko and a replaceable Carlos Arroyo. I can sort of understand why the Magic made this gamble, but then again, I can also understand why some people dig golden showers so you can do with that as you wish.
New Orleans/OKC gets: Marc Jackson and Linton Johnson
New Jersey gets: Bostjan Nachbar
You all know AC has been a loyal Marc Jackson fan since his days with the Vonteego Cummings’ Warriors so I am always interested in his whereabouts. Apparently this trade frees up money for the Nets to sign Tim Thomas if he is cut by the Bulls while giving the Hornets two crappy players for their one (I guess it was a volume play for them). If I were the Nets, I might have just dealt for Tim Thomas and done it the easy way, but that’s just me. As they say in Bostjan Nachbar’s native Slovenia, “who gives a crap.”
Seattle gets: Earl Watson, Bryon Russell, and a second round pick
Denver gets: Reggie Evans, Charles Smith (and not the Charles Smith that played for the Knicks or the one who ran the point at Georgetown and played for the Celtics), Ruben Patterson, and Ruben Patterson’s parole officer
Portland gets: Voshon Lenard and Brian Skinner
Sacramento gets: Vitaly Potapenko and Sergei Monia
Thank goodness someone finally traded for Earl Watson so I don’t have to read those trade rumors anymore. Now if someone could just trade for Nene the NBA beat writers would be completely out of filler and might have to do some real work. To be honest, I am not sure there are any winners in this trade. Watson is a decent point guard, which Seattle needs but they have bigger problems than that while Denver gets some rebounding help and whatever it is that Ruben Patterson brings (and I know you are all thinking 14 year old girls is the answer to that, and yes you are right). Portland clears cap space and gets to fire the 3 child endangerment lawyers on their payroll now that Ruben Patterson is gone, so I guess they come out ahead there. Finally, Sacramento gets Vitaly “I must break you” Potapenko to spar with Ron Artest in practice. All in all the worst, most meaningless, big trade in NBA history. Couldn’t they have somehow managed to work Rick Brunson in to this?
Heat get: Derek Anderson and a replacement hip to be named later
Houston gets Gerald Fitch and a possible trade exception
Uh, Derek Anderson is still in the league? What are you going to tell me next, Tony Delk is as well? Ok, I know Delk is on Atlanta’s bench but that doesn’t make it right. Speaking of benches, that is where Anderson will spend most of his time in Miami. The Heat are a train wreck waiting to happen, keep your eyes on them but don’t get too close.
Cleveland gets: Flip Murray
Seattle gets: Mike Wilks, a future second round pick, and cash
I kind of like Ronald “Flip” Murray and think he may be able to help the Cavs out especially with Larry Hughes still hurt. Mike Wilks is a dime a dozen so I guess the Sonics weren’t going to sign Murray, don’t know, seems odd. Maybe with the cash they got Seattle can buy some tissues for the Seahawks fans still crying about the Super Bowl. Waaaaahhh.
Philadelphia gets: A second round draft pick this year
Cleveland gets: Lee Nailon and a second round draft pick next year
Now this is truly bizarre. The Sixers, traded Lee Nailon in order to be able to move down in the draft. The draft pick they are getting from Cleveland will presumably be worse than the one they give up since they are much worse than the Cavs. So Lee Nailon is so bad that Sixers had to get worse to get rid of him. I guess they couldn’t cut him because he is under a multi year deal which begs the question, why did Billy King sign Lee Nailon to a multi-year deal? Please, somebody look into this.
New York gets: Steve Francis
Orlando gets: Trevor Ariza, Penny Hardaway’s expiring contract, and a hearty laugh at Isiah Thomas
What more can be said about this? No really, I am at a loss for words. Even Scottie Pippen gave it to Isiah which I believe is like Jayson Williams calling Dick Cheney a bad hunter. You all have read my two plus years of Isiah jokes so instead of piling on with everyone else, I will just refer you to every other publication in current circulation to read about Isiah’s current folly. I believe even the Iraqi Times is giving it to Isiah.
So instead, let’s focus on how this makes the Magic better. They now have a ton of cash to spend in 2007 to go along with Dwight Howard, a rapidly improving Jameer Nelson, whomever they draft in the lottery this year, and a potentially improved Darko Milicic (though I would not count on this). When you add in the fact that it is easy to recruit NBA players to move to Orlando, the Magic are in a great spot to be a contender in 2-3 years. Of course, that doesn’t mean their twin GMs of Otis “My Man” Smith and Dave Twardzik will execute on this plan, but they have Orlando well positioned for improvement.
Ok, I can’t completely leave it at this. I have to admit that I am giddy about the prospects of watching a Marbury-Francis backcourt with perennial all overrated Jamal Crawford backing them up. It is like watching figure skating and waiting for the fall. You know it is going to happen, it is just a matter of when and how badly. I wonder if wearing a Francis Knicks Jersey in New York in 3 years is going to be like wearing a Bagwell Red Sox jersey in Boston, painful to all.
Bonus Section: My Continued Infatuation with ESPN.com Chats and the Questions They Wouldn’t Answer
Guest Eric Karrabell:
eric, does it bother you that chuck klosterman also writes for espn.com since I believe he is functionally brain dead?
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Is chuck klosterman the worst writer in history or just a worthless piece of crap?
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From: chuck klosterman Location: Uranus
duh, i am stoopid. people like read my poopie. puke my socks?
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Guest Rob Neyer who was late to his chat
Maybe rob quit after reading one sentence of chuck klosterman’s espn blog.
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if chuck klosterman were a tree, what kind of tree would he be? I would say a stupid one, but you might disagree and say a dead one. either way, he sucks.
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if rob neyer and chuck klosterman were in a room, how would you tell them apart? One smells like crap and is an idiot and the other one is rob neyer.
So without further ado, on to this weeks picks:
NBA FRIDAY FREE PICKS:
Washington at Cleveland -5.5:
Not my favorite game of the night because the Wizards have been playing well and are the kind of offensive team that gives the Cavs trouble. However, the Wiz rarely win on the road and Cleveland is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Sixers. Plus they just traded for Lee Nailon. Ok, that was a joke, but take the Cavs and hope they can play some defense.
Denver +2 at Minnesota:
Blount + Banks + Ricky Davis = Short the Wolves for the rest of the year. I am willing to lay 3-1 odds on Kevin McHale being the next GM fired.
San Antonio at Memphis Over 169.5:
I know, Memphis is on the second night of back-to-back games and the Spurs can play some D. I also know I lost the over the last time these two teams played. Still, they should break 170 and if they don't each team should be forced to watch the entire game tape followed by a Ray Romano stand-up routine.
Philadelphia at Milwaukee -3.5:
The Bucks are 3-0 against the Sixers this year and you know what they say about trying to beat a team 4 times in a row, right? Actually, I don't know either but I am going to stick with the 3-0 team until proven otherwise.
NBA SATURDAY FREE PICKS:
It was a disappointing Saturday night and for that I apologize. Picking games after the All-star break is always a challenge, like lasting for more than 5 minutes of a Taylor Rain film. Tonight I will do better as I know you all need extra cash for your late night Popeyes run.
Saturday Night Picks:
Seattle +15.5 at Miami:
I don’t care who is playing, I will always take 15.5 in the NBA. Ray Allen may or may not play but the Sonics should keep this within two touchdowns.
Milwaukee -1.5 at Atlanta:
I hate this game more than you know. Taking Milwaukee on the road in the back end of a back to back game is such a bad idea. Then again, Atlanta is due for a bad game. Take the Bucks and hope they come to play, unlike last night when they laid an egg.
Chicago at Philadelphia Over 201.5:
Both teams like to score and only Chicago likes to play defense. Hope the Bulls decide to take the night off and Igoudala can stay on fire.
New York +9.5 at Washington:
Don’t ask, really just leave me alone.
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