 |
AC TITTICOCK'S WEEKLY FREE NBA BASKETBALL PICKS AND WINNERS
|
AC's Wagercom 2007-2008 NBA Picks Season Record
Wins: 113 Losses: 101 Ties: 4
NBA Picks Winning Percentage: 53%
NBA Playoffs Only Record
Wins: 22 Losses: 12 Ties: 0
NBA Picks Winning Percentage: 65%
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 has had 4 consecutive winning seasons picking NBA games against the spread making you money including the VIG. AC does this out of the kindness of his heart and for the naked pictures of your girlfriends you send him as a token of your appreciation. So enjoy the columns and the picks..
AC'S NBA 2008 NBA DRAFT RECAP & ANALYSIS:
The NBA Draft is over and what a night it was. Portland made about forty-two trades, Darrell Arthur got to play the role of Maciej Lampe by being the last man in the green room (and oddly enough “Maciej Lampe” is polish for “Brady Quinn”), and Jay Bilas dropped the homoerotic term “length” for his new found bon mot, “wingspan.”
Lucky for all of you AC is here with his usual draft analysis, though this year AC was still hung over from the Celtics’ winning the World Championship so his interest in the draft was somewhere between Cedric Benson’s interest in sobriety and Mike Myers’ interest in making a good movie. That said, the award winning draft recap is still the best way to keep abreast (and yes I said breast) of the incoming rookie class, even if this year’s draft will go down as one of the worst ever in terms of talent (and yes I mean it).
On to the picks:
1. Derrick Rose-Chicago Bulls: The Bulls made the wise decision and took the surest thing in the draft. Michael Beasley may have more upside poential, but Rose’s game is solid enough to make a Materials Scientist have wet dreams (Shout out to Willard Gibbs. Can I get some free energy in the house?). The best things about Derrick Rose are that he doesn’t wilt under pressure, he’s not a small point guard, and he has a tattoo of something called Poohdini (which I don’t think is Winnie the Pooh going Houdini on Tigger, but I am no expert). Even though the Bulls have Kirk Hinrich at point guard, Derrick Rose was still the best fit because he will be about thirteen times better than Hinrich. Plus the NBA now favors teams with good point guards and Rose generally seems like he wants to win.
The big risk is that Rose will be playing in his home town and we all see how that worked out for Eddy Curry, so beware (of course Eddy Curry also sucked, which may have something to do with it). All in all, a good pick, but more importantly, the right pick.
2. Michael Beasley-Miami Heat: Beasley put up what we call Nintendo numbers in his Freshman year at Kansas State. He scored 26 points per game, led the nation in rebounding, shot 53% from the floor, and bedded the entire Kansas State cheerleading squad (Ok, I made that last one up, but I don’t have proof either way). Beasley has all of the tools to be a premier post-up player with range that can take him almost out to the NBA three point line. Some people question his goofiness and desire but teaming him up with Dwyane Wyane Wade should get him open shots and give him someone who can take the pressure off. The Heat are all of a sudden as intriguing as the presidential election, something good could come of it, but in the end we’ll all probably be disappointed.
3. OJ Mayo-Memphis Grizzlies: I loved this pick when it was made because it was initially the TerribleWolves™ who selected Mayo and Minnesota needs a point guard like Britney Spears’ sister needed a diaphragm. While Mayo can play the one or the two, he is going to best with the ball in his hands. However, once the Grizzlies traded Kevin Love for Mayo, I realized OJ was going to be a bust. Call it the curse of Chris Wallace. Wallace’s talent evaluation and track record is worse than Helen Keller’s singing, so just mark it down that Mayo is going to be a bust and move on. As an aside, wouldn’t you have assumed that OJ was short for a name staring with “O” and a Junior? Turns out it stands for Ovinton J’Anthony and I promise I am not making that up. Just J’awesome.
4. Russell Westbrook-Seattle SuperSonics: This is what I call the indie film pick, and if you’ve seen the movie Juno (or Pulp Fiction for those of you from back in the day), you’ll know what I mean. You see Juno was a nice little movie that surprised people who had no expectations, but then those people talked it up a bit too much and it eventually got built up like it was the best movie ever made (and we all know the best movie ever made is either Rushmore, Dr. Strangelove, or Corn Fed Booty, but I digress). Needless to say, that led most movie viewers to be disappointed as it was really just a slightly above average film.
This is similar to Westbrook who wasn’t even a top 100 prospect coming into the year and then put together a terrific season which had people lauding his skills because those skills were so much better than expectations. The problem is expectations were for an at best mediocre player and thus playing like a better than mediocre player caused cognitive dissonance and the only way to explain it was that Westbrook was a star. Like Juno, Westbrook is good, but not that good, and he has simply been hyped up too much because expectations were so low or non existent. He went from a great sleeper pick to an overrated lottery pick in three months.
The real story is that he is six foot four and doesn’t really have a position. This of course will make him fit right in with Seattle’s reach on Jeff Green last year who also does not quite have a position and isn’t that good.
5. Kevin Love-Minnesota TerribleWolves™: Let’s see, Sebastian Telfair is your starting point guard and you already have one of the better offensive young power forwards in the league in Al Jefferson, so why would you pass up/trade a potential star point guard (OJ Mayo) for a questionable power forward whose best skill is outletting defensive rebounds to point guards streaking up the court. Seriously, who is Kevin Love going to throw those patented chest passes to? Also, will there be a worse defensive front court than Jefferson, Love, and Ryan Gomes? Their front court will be more porous than Britney Spears’ vagina. I actually do like Kevin Love, and think he will be a solid pro, but this team is just a bad fit for him. Love on Memphis and Mayo on Minnesota is much better for both teams but this is what happens when Kevin McHale and Chris Wallace trade amongst themselves to see who will be the smartest guy on the short bus.
6. Danillo Gallinari-New York Knicks: There were four things I loved about this pick:
1. We got to witness Dick Vitale’s first anti-Euro basketball player rant. This is always the highlight of my draft night. Not only did Vitale besmirch all Euro players, but he broke out the kryptonite to all supporters of European players: Darko Milicic. Vitale is the Don Cherry of the NBA when it comes to the non-North American players. I fully expect him to be volunteering for border patrol any day now.
2. I am not sure whose English I had a harder time understanding in the post pick interview, Danilo Gallinari’s or Stephen A. Smith’s.
3. We got the classic NY fan boo on draft night. Always a good time.
4. We learned this is the 3rd straight year that an Italian was drafted in the first round and after a quick check, I verified that the other Italians were Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli, and you wonder why NY fans booed.
I have no idea if this Galinarri guy will be any good, but I am excited to watch the impatience of the Knicks fans, it really should be exciting for everyone.
7. Eric Gordon-LA Clippers: I swear Eric Gordon looked like a taller version of Webster. This seems like a bit of a stretch here as Gordon faded a bit towards the end of the season but then again when have the Clippers screwed up in the draft? Umm.
8. Joe Alexander-Milwaukee Bucks: The annual Mike Mammula pick goes to the Milwaukee Bucks who selected work out freak Joe Alexander despite the fact that Alexander put up about seven good games in three years at West Virginia. Add in that the Bucks earlier in the day traded for small forward Richard Jefferson, who is not only better than Alexander but plays the exact same position, and you have the most perplexing pick of the night. Apparently the Bucks decided to go with no GM this year to cut costs.
One more thing, the Bucks have not drafted a US born player in the first round since 2003 and coincidentally they have not had a winning record since 2002-2003. Hmm, maybe that is not such a coincidence.
9. DJ Augustin-Charlotte Bobcats: Wow, that’s about all I can say is wow. The Bobcats reached for a point guard here even though they already have Raymond Felton who is marginally average but good enough that the Bobcats should have looked for a big man. Michael Jordan the GM is so bad he probably agreed with selecting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan the player in 1984.
10. Brook Lopez-New Jersey Nets: I don’t know about this pick as Lopez is slower than one legged-turtle with a cast on. Sure he’s big and has a nice enough touch, but his lack of lateral quickness will be tough to hide in the NBA unless he gets to cover Dikembe Mutombo every night. Color me unimpressed, which I hope is a nice light blue because that matches my eyes.
11. Jerryd Bayless-Portland Trail Blazers: This pick initially made no sense since it was made by the Pacers who had just traded for TJ Ford, but with the trade to the Blazers, I like this pick. A Brandon Roy-Jerryd Bayless backcourt has a lot of promise. Another seemingly good move by Portland. And can we get the official pronunciation of Jerryd? Is it like Jered, Gerrod, Gerard, Jerod, Jerry-d, or Jared? Anyone?
12. Jason Thompson-Sacramento Kings: Here is what I know about Jason Thompson: He went to Rider, he is six foot eleven, he averaged a double-double two years in a row playing against such powerhouses as Canisus, Siena, and Marist, and he had a monster 1982 for the Pittsburgh Pirates (ok, that was a different Jason Thompson, but you got anything else?). But hey, he’s probably better than the Kings’ first round pick from last year, Spencer Hawes, so he’s got that going for him.
13. Brandon Rush-Indiana Pacers: I like this move for the Pacers, mainly because they also acquired the underrated Jarrett Jack from the Blazers along with Rush for Jarryd Bayless. Rush is too passive to ever be a star in the NBA but throw him in Jim O’Braindead’s awful offense system where kickouts for three pointers are key and he could have a nice little career. Plus the Pacers have now re-united the three Rush brothers as Kareem is a back-up shooting guard and JaRon is working concessions.
14. Anthony Randolph-Golden State Warriors: To say Randolph is a little skinny is like saying Dolly Parton is a little busty (and yes i just kicked that old school). Randolph is six foot ten and weighs under two hundred pounds which is almost an impossibility. I like that he was confident in his interview and there is some precedent for guys this skinny in the NBA such as Chris Bosh, but if you’re a Warriors fan you have to be a bit nervous that his biggest flaw was said to be that he is “going to have to learn the game.”
15. Robin Lopez-Phoenix Suns: I fully expect the National Organization for Women to file a sexism case with the Supreme Court since the female Lopez twin, Robin, went after the male twin, Brook. Whatever happened to the equal rights movement?
16. Marreese Speights-Philadelphia 76ers: I loath this pick and only 75% because it took me four times to correctly spell Marreese. The other 25% is because Speights sucks. Speights averaged a mere 14.5 points and 8 rebounds as the only halfway decent player on Florida this year, not quite first round numbers if you ask me (but then again, why would anyone ask me?).
17. Roy Hibbert-Indiana Pacers: Congratulations Indiana, you just drafted Ben Gillery with a three foot hook shot. If it makes you feel better, Hibbert was nicknamed “big stiff” in his first few years at Georgetown. I am willing to bet that is the best thing he will be called in Indiana.
18. Javale McGee-Washington Wizards: Continuing the run on overrated big men, the Wizards draft a seven footer who averaged fewer than eight rebounds a game at Nevada. That’s right, at Nevada. At least we got to learn that Javale’s mom played in the WNBA which means Javale is also an ACL injury waiting to happen.
19. JJ Hickson-Cleveland Cavaliers: Why didn’t anybody tell me the new rules of NBA scouting? If you are over six foot nine and averaged fourteen points and eight rebounds a game, you get selected in the middle of the first round. Seriously we’ve just had five consecutive big men taken who averaged between thirteen and fifteen points and six and a half to seven and a half rebounds. Unbelievable. Is college talent really that thin?
20. Alexis Ajinca-Charlotte Bobcats: Ajinca averaged a whooping five points per game in France and even when you convert that from Euros you still get a crappy ballplayer. All I can think is that Michael Jordan banged Ajinca’s mom back when Jordan was on the Dream Team and he owed her a favor. From now on Ajinca will be known as the black Frederic Weiss.
21. Ryan Anderson-New Jersey Nets: I think I liked him better when he was named Tom Guggliotta. On the bright side, I get to break out my annual list of the last thirteen tall white guys taken in the first round of the draft: Chris Kaman, Nick Collison, Curtis Borchardt, Troy Murphy, Michael Bradley, Chris Mihm, Joel Pryzbilla, Mark Madsen, Scott Padgett, Raef LaFrentz, Roebert Swift, Spencer Hawes, and Jason Smith. At least the Nets will have LeDong in two years.
22. Courtney Lee-Orlando Magic: I can tell you everything I know about Courtney Lee using zero words and zero hand signals. In fact, I know more about Zoroastrianism than I do about Courtney Lee and before I just googled it, I thought Zoroastrianism was the name of Zoro’s concubine. Good pick I guess.
23. Kosta Koufos-Utah Jazz: Now playing the role of Greg Ostertag, Kosta Koufos. Koufos inherits the big white stiff role on the Jazz first made famous by Mark Eaton. It is in the Mormon canon though that the Jazz must have one crappy big white guy on their team per season, so that explains this move. Feel free to read it for yourself.
24. Serge Ibaka: This is my favorite pick of the night and not just because we learned that DJ Mbenga was also from the Congo (but apparently Ndudi Ebi was not, though can we really be sure?). This is my favorite pick because in the last few drafts the Sonics have wasted first round selections on Mouhamed Saer-Sene, Johan Petro, and now Serge Ibaka. Perhaps someone should tell Seattle GM Sam Presti that they’re not drafting a soccer team.
25. Nicholas Batum-Portland Trail Blazers: C’est magnifique.
26. George Hill-San Antonio Spurs: Some little known facts about Hill’s alma mater IUPUI: 1. It is a partnership between Indiana University and Purdue University. 2. Their alumni account for 85% of Indiana's dentists. 3. Nobody has ever been there or even cares about it. That said, Hill is the most famous thing to come out of IUPUI since a cow pie which looked like the Virgin Mary in 1994.
27. Darrell Arthur-Memphis Grizzlies: After slipping to pick 27 on some questionable reports about his kidney, Arthur was traded about sixteen times until he wound up on the Grizzlies. I was all ready to call this pick a steal but like OJ Mayo, there is obviously something terribly wrong with Arthur since Chris Wallace wanted him. Let’s just hope his mom doesn’t fall as far as he did when she is eligible for the NFL draft later this year. I don’t know if any of you saw her but she looks like she would make an all-pro blocking fullback.
28. Donte Green-Houston Rockets: Donte was initially drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies but was traded to Houston and thus escaped the Inferno that is a team put together by Chris Wallace. Houston may only be purgatory but it is better than hanging out in Cocytus.
29. DJ White-Seattle Supersonics: Detroit traded this pick for two second rounders so the Sonics must see something in White. What I see is a guy who was consistent for four years of college but never quite broke out the way he was supposed to. That said, he averaged more points per game than any of the crappy big men taken fourteen through twenty in this draft so I guess this is a good value pick.
30. JR Giddens-Boston Celtics: This finally answers the question what would happen if Tony Allen and Marcus Banks had a kid and then let Ricky Davis raise that kid. I don’t know what I love more about this pick, the fact that ESPN showed his needs to improve as “professionalism” or that he and Paul Pierce can compare stab wounds in the locker room. Having lived through the aforementioned Tony Allen, Marcus Banks, and Ricky Davis experiences, I don’t have high expectations for this pick (though I do have expectations of this pick getting high), but worth the risk at thirty.
Round 2: As always, this is the speed round, 2 sentences or less.
31. Nikola Pekovic-Minnesota TerribleWolves™: Petra Nemcova is pretty hot so I wonder if that is who McHale thought he was drafting. Otherwise, I’ve got nothing on this one.
32. Walter Sharpe-Detroit Pistons: Grabbing a 21 year old here who averaged 14 and 7 at UAB seems like a steal, doesn’t it? And by steal I mean the opposite of a steal.
33. Joey Dorsey-Portland Trail Blazers: If anyone can tell me the difference between Joey Dorsey and the TerribleWolves’ Chris Richard, I will buy them a free hair braiding.
34. Mario Chalmers-Miami Heat: Everyone thinks this is a solid pick for the Heat but since we know everyone is an idiot (as noted by 90%+ of the experts picking the Lakers to beat the Celtics in the Finals), I am sure this pick won’t pan out. Luckily for Mario he will get to play his way out of the league as the point guard-less Heat will hand him the starters spot so it is for him to lose.
35. DeAndre Jordan-LA Clippers: I can’t think of a better pick for the Clippers than someone who was described by Jay Bilas as having no offensive skill set and can’t shoot a free throw. For the Clippers sake they better hope DeAndre can play DeFense.
36. Omer Asik-Chicago Bulls: And with this pick the run on Turkish players begins. Somewhere Hedo Turkoglu is smiling.
37. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute-Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks continue to build up their stable of small forwards by adding Mbah a Moute to first round pick Joe Alexander and just acquired Richard Jefferson. Fyi, there is a reason Milwaukee sucks.
38. Kyle Weaver-Charlotte Bobcats: Kyle’s hometown is Beaver, Washington (and I promise I did not make that-up) which interestingly enough is located just south of Gunt Falls, Washington. All of this might explain his predilection for snatches as he averaged 1.7 steals per game.
39. Sonny Weems-Chicago Bulls: I find it fitting that a man whose name is an anagram for “snowy semen” goes to the coldest city in the NBA.
40. Chris Douglas-Roberts-New Jersey Nets: I like CDR, I really do, but then again I also liked college scorers from big time programs like JJ Redick, Troy Bell, and Julius Hodge, so what do I know?
41. Nathan Jawai-Toronto Raptors: The Gods must be crazy as the Raptors get all pseudo-aboriginal on the NBA. Jawai is known as the Australian Shaq so I wonder if he ever called out Andrew Gaze in a rap song asking Gaze “How my ass taste?” as Shaq recently did to Kobe.
42. Sean Singletary-Sacramento Kings: He averaged more points per game as an under six foot guard in the ACC than any of the big men taken with picks fourteen through twenty. Just an fyi for all of you keeping score at home (and if you’re keeping score at home, you really need to get out, though not until you finish reading the draft recap).
43. Patrick Ewing Jr.-Sacramento Kings: In his three years at Georgetown Ewing never averaged more than six points, four rebounds, or two assists per game. I don’t even know what to say about this pick except Geoff Petrie must have owed Patrick Ewing a favor.
44. Ante Tomic-Utah Jazz: Apparently Ante Dote, Ante Bellum, and Ante Cedent were still under contact in Croatia. Either way, I am going on record as being Pro Tomic though if you are not a fan, would that make you anti-Ante Tomic?.
45. Goran Dragic-Phoenix Suns: With the run on Euros in full force, Dick Vitale’s head just exploded. For those of you who had 11:10 pm in the office pool, congratulations.
46. Trent Plaisted-Detroit Pistons: I honestly wouldn’t know Trent Plaisted if he gave me a malaria shot on his mormon mission.
47. Bill Walker-Boston Celtics: I thought Walker was a 2 or a 3, but apparently he likes playing #1 on the court best, and for this he may be my new favorite Celtic.
48. Malik Hairston-San Antonio Spurs: I honestly have nothing to add here so let’s just move on.
49. Richard Hendrix-Golden Shower State: I really wish Richard went by Dick and thus he could be Dick Hendrix for a nice little alliteration.
50. DeVon Hardin-Seattle Supersonics: A seven footer who averaged nine points and eight rebounds a game in the Pac Ten. How was he not a first rounder with those stellar numbers?
51. Shan Foster-Dallas Mavericks: I don’t know what I like more about this pick, that Shan is pronounced Shane, or that ESPN showed a clip of him singing a song he wrote which was eerily reminiscent of the tour de force known as “Be My Baby Tonight” written and performed by David from the Real World New Orleans.
52. Darnell Jackson-Miami Heat: I will take all wagers that Darnell does not have a long NBA career. Nothing against Darnell, but he even makes mediocre seem mediocre.
53. Tadija Dragicevic-Utah Jazz: Come on now, nobody is named Tadija. I think the Jazz are making this up just to avoid having to pay a second rounder.
54. Maarty Leunen-Houston Rockets: The extra “a” in Maarty makes his name a wet dream for some lucky Wheel of Fortune contestant who opts to buy a vowel and gets two “a”s for the price of one.
55. Mike Taylor-LA Clippers: Taylor played in the D-League last year which means he will be familiar with his surroundings when he plays in the D-League again this year. Sioux Falls in the house.
56. Sasha Kaun-Seattle SuperSonics: No word on whether or not Rufus will be following him to Seattle.
57. James Gist-San Antonio Spurs: If the Spurs aren’t going to try then I am not either. Shame on you RC Buford.
58. Joe Crawford-LA Lakers: I wonder if the Lakers picked him just so they run him out against the Spurs in the playoffs and have him threaten to fight Tim Duncan.
59. Deron Washington-Detroit Pistons: This guy is a freak of an athlete. I really hope the Pistons NBDL affiliate is the AND1 squad because Deron can fly.
60. Semih Erden-Boston Celtics: I love this pick for so many reasons including that he looks like a deranged serial killer, his name is an anagram for “He need rims,” and he was part of Fenerbahçe Ülker’s two headed center position, along with 36th pick Omer Asik, which won the Turkish league championship. Most of all though, I love this pick because he averaged 6.7 points and 4.3 rebounds for Fenerbahçe Ülker which makes him the Turkish Kendrick Perkins, just awesome.
So there you have it. Another draft, sixty more names to put into NBA lore, and a heck of a lot of disappointment waiting for many teams. But hey, the Celtics are still World Champions and that is all that matters.
Wagercom.com recommends sportsbook.com for all your sports wagering. Click here to join now and receive a generous sign up bonus!
contact AC at ac(at sign)wagercom.com or post your questions/comments on the Wagercom Message Board
To sign up to receive the Wagercom.com Free Newsletter click here.
Check the current point spreads and game lines.
|
