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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: 85 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
7/07/05 2005 NBA Draft Recap and Analysis
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.
While this year’s draft lacked the talent, excitement, and panache of previous years, it still had its moments. Even though there was no Povel Podolzine limping to the stage, no Jalen Rose in Pinstripes, no Michel Lampe waiting in the Green Room, and no Shawn Kemp nailing a groupie on stage, there were still jokes to be made, careers to be started, and paternity suits to be filed. What we’ll remember from of this year’s draft is players coming out early and not getting drafted, Dick Vitale’s blatant xenophobia (and that doesn’t mean fear of Xena the Warrior Princess, who I find rather charming), and Jay Bilas’s not so hidden or subtle love of “length” and “long” players. As always, I am here to break it down for you pick by pick.
1. Andrew Bogut-Milwaukee Bucks: I have to admit, I like Bogut. I don’t like like him, but I think he has a chance. Taking Bogut first highlight’s the main problem with this year’s draft which is that it was very very weak, like Police Academy 4 or this year’s NBA Finals. They should have just started at pick 15 and then this all would have made sense, seriously. If you just add 15 to the number each player was taken, I think you’ll feel much better about how things unraveled. As for Bogut, the only full game I saw him play was at the beginning of the season when the Utes lost to Washington. I had never heard of him but I was very impressed with his game and thought he could be a steal for a team picking around 15-20 and hoped my Celtics could wind up with him somewhere around there. So there you go, the draft should have started at 18. I also have to admit I felt the same way about him as I did Luc Longley when he was coming out of school so that can’t be good. Put Bogut down for 10 points and 7 boards per game in his rookie year. On the bright side, Bogut is the best Australian player taken since the immortal Ben Pepper was selected by the Celtics in 1997. Shane Heel anyone?
2. Marvin Williams-Atlanta Hawks: To be honest, I don’t understand this Marvin Williams thing at all. I get that he apparently has a ton of potential, but he only averaged 11 pts and 7 boards in college. Plus the Hawks have Josh Smith who I believe is the same player only with more talent. I don’t know but based on Atlanta’s history of not drafting an all-star in 21 years, you gotta think they know what they are doing, right?
3. Deron Williams-Utah Jazz: I was all set to talk about how it is apparently pronounced like “Darin” and not “De-Ron” but then they showed his girlfriend and I didn’t care about how you pronounce his name. She was smoking hot, kid and all. If he’s getting that before he is even in the league, imagine what he is going to do when he gets bankrolled. Thumbs up to the Jazz on this pick.
4. Chris Paul-New Orleans Hornets: Everybody seems to love Chris Paul and New Orleans needs all the help it can get. While this may mean more bench time for my man Dan Dickau, it should help the Hornets in the long run. I am not a huge Paul fan and question his maturity, but I guess it’s a good pick, I mean who else were they going to take, Raymond Felton?
5. Raymond Felton-Charlotte Tar Heels: He’s fast, he can play D, and he forces up more bad shots than Antoine Walker. But hey, he’s a Tar Heel so apparently Carolina fans are going to start going to the games or something. If it all works out, I hear the Bobcats will coax Serge Zwicker and Dave Popson out of retirement.
6. Martell Webster-Portland TrailBlazers: This is my favorite pick of the first round for 4 reasons: 1. It was the start of Jay Bilas’s Shakesperean double entendres as he referred to young Martell as “really long.” 2. Martell’s grand mother was wearing a dilapidated chef’s hat, no really, she was. 3. Martell was referred to as “a young Dale Ellis” which is not the kind of potential I think you want in the number six pick unless you are drafting for the Roanoke Dazzle. 4. When he was interviewed by Stuart Scott he sounded like he had put a “banana in the tail pipe” if you know what I mean which is always good for laughs. Add in the fact that he is going to the JailBlazers while at the same time opening up a whole career’s worth of Mr. Papadapolis jokes and you have my pick of the night.
7. Charlie Villaneuva-Toronto Raptors: This brings me back to other great early draft picks such as Chris Washburn and William Bedford. Wow, Rob Babcock outdid himself this year by taking a guy who has no work ethic and plays the same position as every other player on the Raptors, but hey, Jay Bilas did call him “long” so he’s got that going for him. Best case scenario, he’s John Wallace, worst case scenario he’s Charlie Villaneuva, you can figure it out.
Speaking of Chris Washburn, does anyone know that Charles Shackleford was sleeping with the stripper that Rae Carruth killed? How was this not publicized more? And yes I know Chris Washburn and Charles Shackleford have nothing in common except I meant to google Washburn and typed Shackleford instead so now you all know how my mind works.
8. Channing Frye-New York Knicks: Once again Isiah does not disappoint. Frye has a chance to be a very good NBDL player, which is actually the only league Isiah has not failed in yet, so then again, maybe Frye won’t do well there either.
9. Ike Diogu-Golden Shower State: I actually like this pick. I think Diogu has a decent game and if he gets himself into shape can help out the Warriors team, no joke.
10. Andrew Bynum-LA Lakers: Congrats to young Andrew who was so surprised to be picked this early that they had him seated in the general crowd. But hey, if he can jump as high as his mom did, maybe he has a chance. I do wonder what is going to happen to him the first time Kobe yells at him in practice, and it will happen. Kobe doesn’t seem to me to be the nurturing type, unless you consider forced sodomy as nurturing and not just romantic.
11. Fran Vazquez-Orlando Magic: Interesting fact, Fran Vazquez is Spanish for Rafael Araujo. Or is Rafael Araujo Portugese for Fran Vazquez? ESPN needs to get Fran Fraschilla to clarify this.
12. Yaroslav Korolev-LA Clippers: Korolev is another symbol of the growing strength of the NBA in Russia as Yaroslav follows in the footsteps of other top Russian draft picks such as Viktor Khryapa and Sergei Monya. If he is just twice as good as both of them combined, he may break the Clippers 12 man rotation. Interesting tidbit from the draft though, even though young Yaroslav used a translator while being interviewed, his English was still better than Charlie Villanueva’s.
13. Sean May-Charlotte Tar Heels: May was the heart and soul of the national champions. If properly motivated, he can be a 15-20 points, 10 rebound guy, kind of like Brian Williams before the crazies. However, he is more likely to be the next Mel Turpin or John “Hot Plate” Williams. If he was out of shape in college, what is going to happen when he signs his first big contract? Two words, Krispy Kreme. I’d love to take the over on 350 pounds as his weight 2 years out.
14. Rashad McCants-Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves end the run of UNC players in the draft and prove without a doubt that new General Manager Rex Chapman really does have input into their player selection as McCants has bust written all over him. McCants is going to make Joe Forte look like Kenny Smith.
15. Antoine Wright-New Jersey: I have to be honest here, I have no idea who Antoine Wright is, which may or may not be a good thing. But it’s nice to see the Wright’s went with the traditional spelling of Antoine and eschewed such nouveau fads as Antwan, Antawn, An’twan, and Anatwain. There is just something special about the classics.
16. Joey Graham-Toronto Raptors: Wow, if this weren’t Rob Babcock picking I would say it is a great pick but you know Babcock has something sneaky up his sleeve. Graham can ball, flat out.
17. Danny Granger-Indiana Pacers: Larry Bird knows talent. He has consistently made great value picks and this should be another one of them. Bird is like the anti-Isiah in that he actually succeeds in his basketball endeavors.
18. Gerald Green-Boston Celtics: Wow, Green slid all the way down to my boys. Look, I know nothing about Green other than what I have read. He is supposed to have a ton of talent and also be a bit of a head case and very immature. That said, if he is half as good as scouts say, he could be the steal of the draft and Danny Ainge is a smart, albeit crazy, guy. This could be a bust but definitely worth rolling the dice. Just hope Green doesn’t start hitting the clubs with Paul Pierce. Oh yeah, Bilas referred to him as “long.”
19. Hakim Warrick-Memphis Grizzlies: Jerry West loves drafting seniors from successful college programs (except for Shavlik Randolph, not even West is that out of touch), too bad Warrick is too thin to play inside and too lousy of a shot to play outside.
20. Julius Hodge-Denver Nuggets: So he is already balding and spent about 8 years at NC State where he started as Rodney Monroe’s back-up, none of that matters. Julius has a nice little game and you have to respect a guy who talked trash in his NBA workouts, twice calling out Rashad McCants when McCants pulled out of one on one drills with him. Julius also wins props for the best dressed draft pick with his Herve Villechaize white suit. To quote a friend of mine as Hodge was shaking David Stern’s hand, “I wish he would say “Dee Plane Boss, Dee Plane.”” Overall, a nice pick for the Nuggets.
21. Nate Robinson-New York Knicks: The Knicks got Robinson in the Quentin Richardson deal and as much as I think Isiah is a moron, I am a huge Robinson fan. In the game I alluded to earlier in which I saw Bogut play against Robinson’s UW team, Robinson was the best player on the court. Yeah he is undersized, yeah he will have trouble guarding the bigger point guards, and yeah he will be learning from the passless wonders Marbury and Crawford, but he is stronger and bigger than Earl Boykins and Earl has made a nice little career for himself (pun intended). I don’t know if Robinson will ever be a starter but he will be a solid change of pace guard, a better Robert Pack if you will(which of course is almost like being the smartest kid on the shortbus but what can you do?).
22. Jarret Jack-Portland Trailblazers: The Blazers got Jack in a draft day trade for Linas Kleiza and Ricky Dirty Sanchez. Jack now gets to fight last year’s #1 pick, Sebastian Telfair for playing time while also becoming the answer to the trivia question, “along with Sebastian Telfair, who was the other guard in the JailBlazers all-time worst point guard rotation?”
23. Francisco Garcia-Sacramento Kings: Rick Pitino, the man who drafted Chauncey Billups in the first round and then traded him 4 months later for Kenny Anderson, the man who signed Greg Minor to a long term contract (yes that Greg Minor), the man who drafted every Kentucky player eligible, and the man who singlehandedly ruined the Boston Celtics, has said Garcia has the best pro potential of anyone he has ever coached. You may want to take that evaluation with a grain of salt.
24. Luther Head-Houston Rockets: I am usually all for players named after body parts (my favorite being the immortal Rusty Kuntz of baseball fame) but Head is pretty unspectacular. If ever Bilas should have called someone “long”, this was his chance.
25. Johan Petro-Seattle Supersonics: Who knew Petro was black? Seriously, I don’t know if I was more surprised by this or Khalil Greene of the San Diego Padres being white. I know nothing about this guy but C’est la Vie.
26. Jason Maxiell-Detroit Pistons: The big question is do you think Maxiell can make more money in the NBA than he did in his four years at Cincinnati?
27. Linas Kleiza-Denver Nuggets: Kleiza wins my annual Dan Dickau award for name that sounds most like a venereal disease. As in, “After I nailed that skank, I got a rash on my nads and when I went to the doctor he diagnosed me with a severe case of linaskleiza.” As for his NBA chances, you have to worry when Fran Fraschilla says Kleiza “is not a good transition athlete and is not always coachable.”
28. Ian Mahinmi-San Antonio Spurs: You know the draft is thin when a former volleyball player who averaged 5ppg, is taken in the first round. As an aside, when did France get all of these tall black guys? Can someone check if Shawn Kemp toured there about 18 years ago?
29. Wayne Simien-Miami Heat: I have been sitting here for 10 minutes trying to think of something funny, interesting, or insightful to say about Simien but can’t think of anything. Perhaps someone can put that in his obituary one day.
30. David Lee-New York Knicks: This gave me the biggest laugh of the night as Isiah went for the big white stiff. Just when I thought Isiah was starting to learn with Nate Robinson, he goes and does something like this. Brilliant, just brilliant.
Round 2 (speed round, 2 sentences or less):
31. Salim Stoudamire-Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks are now 2 players away from having a Championship caliber team, problem is those two players are Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.
32. Daniel Ewing-LA Clippers: I still don’t know the difference between him and Dahntay Jones and I am guessing Elgin Baylor doesn’t either.
33. Brandon Bass-New Orleans Hornets: The WhoreNets (A much more fitting name for New Orleans) gamble on the hometown boy to bring fans to the games. I say they just turn over half time to the Girls Gone Wild folks, but that’s just me.
34. CJ Miles-Utah Jazz: Imagine being 18 years old, making several hundred thousand a year, and having to live in Utah as a minority. It has to be like winning the lottery and finding out your ticket was denominated in pesos.
35. Ricky Dirty Sanchez-Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets continue the run on high schoolers but no word as to if they are contemplating also taking Sanchez’s half-brother, Lucky Pierre Sanchez.
36. Ersan Ilyasova-Milwaukee Bucks: Not only do I have no idea who this guy is, but I think Dick Vitale just had a heart attack as two high schoolers and an international player were drafted in a row while Shavlik Randolph was anxiously awaiting for his phone to ring.
37. Ronny Turiaf-Los Angeles Lakers: Bilas just called him long so he’s got that going for him, plus now that he is in LA, should Vanilli ever want to stage a comeback, Turiaf will be close by.
38. Travis Deiner-Orlando Magic: They really should have started this draft at the 20th pick.
39. Von Wafer-Los Angeles Lakers: Answer to the age old question, what happens when Von Hayes and a sugar wafer procreate?
40. Monta Ellis-Golden State Warriors: He benched 185 pounds one time in the Chicago pre-draft camp, I did it 12 times to warm-up the other day. This can’t be good for the Warriors.
41. Roko Ukic-Toronto Raptors: Babcock with his second good pick in a row. From what I hear, this guy is a gamer.
42. Chris Taft-Golden State: The best thing I can say about Taft is that he is a poor man’s Mark Blount. The worst thing I can say about Taft is that he is a poor man’s Mark Blount, but Bilas did call him long.
43. Mile Ilic-New Jersey Nets: Little known fact, Mile’s real name is Kilometer but he changed it to Mile when he came to the US for the draft.
44. Martynas Andriusevicius-Orlando Magic: I liked him better was he was simply called Jon Koncak.
45. Louis Williams-Philadelphia 76ers: A buddy of mine googled Korleone Young after this pick and informed me that Korleone has played in both China and Turkey, which I guess means he is now not fluent in 3 different languages. Bilas did say Williams had length though.
46. Erazem Lorbek-Indiana Pacers: I think Dick Vitale just blew a gasket.
47. Bracey Wright-Minnesota Timberwolves: More proof that Rex Chapman is involved in this draft.
48. Mickael Gelabale-Seattle Supersonics: Gelabale closes out the run on Frenchmen. His name also sounds like the request Lance Armstrong makes when he goes to a masseuse for a happy ending, “gel a ball.”
49. Andray Blatche-Washington Wizards: The Wiz jump into the draft with a high schooler and we all know how well it worked out the last time they did that.
50. Ryan Gomes-Boston Celtics: Everyone thinks this is a steal but I have seen Gomes play and he is an undersized 4 and a poor shooting 3 which may be a problem in the NBDL.
51. Robert Whaley-Utah Jazz: Whaley went to somewhere called Walsh college, where apparently they accept applications filled in with crayons. Burnt Sienna anyone?
52. Axel Hervelle-Denver Nuggets: After Axel Foley, Hervelle may be the most famous Axel in North America (and yes that is my second Beverly Hills Cop reference, and no it is not 1986).
53. Orien Green-Boston Celtics: A former Florida Mr. Basketball and streetball legend goes to the Celtics where he can practice his patented big dipper and ursa minor moves.
54. Dijon Thompson-New York Knicks: No word on whether or not he is bringing his brother, Grey Poupon Thompson, to New York with him, but Bilas did call him long.
55. Lawrence Roberts-Memphis Grizzlies: Traded from the Sonics to the Grizzlies for some second round picks and Jerry West’s last bit of sanity.
56. Amir Johnson-Detroit Pistons: I guarantee I will never type the words Amir Johnson again.
57. Marcin Gortat-Orlando Magic: Traded from the Suns to the Magic for cash on draft day. What they didn’t disclose is that the cash amounted to $7, all in pennies.
58. Uros Slokar-Toronto Raptors: Now they’re just making names up at the end of the draft to see if anyone is still paying attention.
59. Cenk Ayol-Atlanta Hawks: See what I mean about making names up?
60. Alex Acker-Detroit Pistons: This year’s Mr. irrelevant brings down the house as Jay Bilas commends his length.
So there you have it, 60 picks, a ton of “length,” three Frenchmen, and many misguided underclassman who came out early. This draft will likely produce two all-stars at best and will go down as one of the weaker drafts in NBA history. But hey, we’ll always have Gelabale.
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