18-16-1 on NBA in 2017 up 7.22 units
61-53-2 on NBA in 2018 up 9.28 units
1-1 on NBA this season down .09 units
I am going to separate this season from last year’s “2018” numbers as to not be misleading. I thought the 76ers would play a little better than they did last night. Their offense was pretty bad, but maybe that is a credit to Boston’s defense. Fultz only had 5 points in 25 minutes. The Celtics have now won 15 out of the past 17 regular season matchups between these two. Embiid said after the game “They always kick our ass. So this is not a rivalry.”
The Warriors took care of business and beat the Thunder. Oklahoma City was without Westbrook and Andre Roberson. Steven Adams is still a beast. The refs were awful in this game. They called a clear path foul and Schroder, when Schroder did not even touch Curry. Quinn Cook got called on a 3-point shooting foul against Raymond Felton. The fact that Felton’s NBA career has lasted this long is impressive (Roy Williams knows point guards), but he is not a 3-point threat. Cook looked at the ref like “You know I don’t even have to close him out if you are gonna call a foul like that holmes.”
Hawks +3 for 3 units. Knicks are awful without Porzingis. Kevin Knox will not start. 3rd year pro Taurean Prince is going to toss some cookies and have a great season for the Hawks. He averaged nearly 10 more points a game last season than he did his rookie year. Trae Young will play well in his first appearance at MSG. Jeremy Lin will be back where Linsanity started tonight. Vince Carter goes back to MSG tonight too, where he used to work the Knicks as a Net. Hawks are supposed to love every game this year, but I like taking the points here as New York already has some drama and is not at full strength. I don’t know where NY is going to get their points from without Kristaps (Enes Kanter I guess).
Timberwolves +2.5 for 2 units. Jimmy Butler is going to go off. That is all. Don’t believe me? Watch this “interview”. Man is on one recently.
Nuggets -1.5 for 4 units. Denver is just better than the Clippers. The Staples Center will be fairly quiet with the Dodgers playing and everything else in LA. Denver has missed the playoffs the past two season by one game. They will come out hot this season. Jokic and Jamal will step up. A healthy Paul Millsap will add a lot to a team’s defense that struggled last season. Gallinari and Gortat don’t scare me. Lou Williams could always get hot and drop a 40 bomb, but I like Denver to win this one easily.