Posts by Dana Baker2

jopa10 said:Nice job sniffing out that under—this thing is definitely cruising past 230 points.🤣😂

Yeah, I jumped on that one too.🤣
What kind of game was that? Seriously—the defense? It’s like they showed up just to stretch their legs and go through the motions instead of playing a high-stakes game for a playoff spot. Absolute joke. These teams are too clever for their own good—playing lazy seven-second offenses and then acting like they don't even want to be on defense. If they actually had any real talent on the roster, they would've hit 150 by halftime. Total embarrassment.😂

Alex Turner2 said:enough with Carmelo—he’s seriously washed up lately🤷

Against those garbage Cavs? He won't even see 20 minutes of floor time.

Otherwise, Howard's season is basically over—looks like Indiana is just going to cruise through the first round.😁

Dana Baker2 said:1.65 on the Spurs? Are you kidding me? 🤷
Sure, they’ve got their third game in three days—but let’s be real—the "old guys" spent the entire last quarter resting last night, and they sat out the whole second half the night before.

On top of what I already mentioned for today— James is going way over 27.5. grabbed:
New Orleans under 85.5./Memphis (-8.5) — Let's go.
Seems like a pretty obvious pick to me. New Orleans is absolutely gutted with injuries—they’ve been dealing with this all season long. They're missing Okafor, Kaman, Jack, and Ariza. Last season, even Gordon was out, and honestly, I have no clue what's going on with him lately. That's an entire starting lineup missing. In their last game, they barely scraped together 75 points against the Bobcats in what was a frankly embarrassing performance. Sure, they pulled off a surprise 13-point win over Memphis a couple of days ago, but don't let that fool you. The Grizzlies are definitely going to make them pay for that. Especially since Memphis is fighting for that 4th seed—and their schedule is looking perfect right now.

Charlotte-Chicago under 180.5./Charlotte under 83.5—let's go.
Charlotte is light years behind the rest of the league—especially without Maggette, Augustin, and Williams in the lineup. Sure, they might burst for 80 points here and there, but they aren’t going to touch the Bulls. Chicago is missing Deng and Rose, which is definitely going to hurt their offensive rhythm, but defensively? They should still be plenty solid. Especially after that massive embarrassment against the Wizards.

Warriors vs. Lakers — 2.1 for the Warriors. Taking it./Lakers (-6.5)
The Lakers got absolutely humbled last night—and if they actually want to hold onto a decent spot in the West, they cannot afford another massive stumble tonight. Golden State is also getting absolutely decimated by injuries. With Curry and Bogut already sidelined, and now Lee out for the rest of the season, it looks like Jefferson is sitting this one out too. That leaves them with basically nothing offensively besides Wright and Thompson, maybe some production from Robinson or Rush off the bench. Defensively? They’re non-existent. Look, I know the Lakers have been shaky on the road lately, but they seriously need to pull this one together.

Boston’s got some serious questions hanging over Rondo, Pierce, and Pietrus. With Allen—who’s definitely an OIT. Przybilla and Crawford are officially out in Portland., a Felton and Batum? I'm not buying it., a Houston's looking shaky—Camby and Dalembert both seem like massive question marks right now..
If they don't show up—they're done. Period. Dallas and Utah both pulling off wins—finally.If they play like that in Boston, they probably should be looking at the under 92.5. Honestly—you just have to wait for the official confirmation first.

Sure, it was a total disaster of a night—enough to make you want to scream—but I’m not letting it get to me. Gotta find some mindless distraction to kill the time, just like usual.🙂🙂🙂
And that’s how it goes—Memphis gets absolutely gutted, giving up 31 points to the Hornets' third string in the fourth quarter. Pathetic. 🙂🙂🙂 Man, I should've at least taken the spread instead of the under. My bad.
It’s just not happening—no matter how much you want it to. What kind of game are they even playing?

1.65 on the Spurs? 🤷
Yeah, it's their third game in three days—but the "old guys" sat out the entire fourth quarter last night, and the whole second half the night before.

For today, alongside LeBron James over 27.5, I’d take:
New Orleans under 85.5/Memphis (-8.5)
Seems like a pretty lock to me. New Orleans is absolutely decimated by injuries (honestly, all season long)—they're playing without Emeka Okafor, Erik Kaman, Jack, and Luis Ariza. Even Aaron Gordon missed the last one; no clue what's going on with him. That’s a completely broken lineup! Last game they barely scraped 75 points against the Charlotte Hornets in a pathetic showing. They did pull off a surprise win against Memphis a few days ago by about 13, but the Grizzlies are definitely going to make them pay for that. Especially since they're hunting that 4th seed and the schedule is perfect for them.

Charlotte vs Chicago betting line
The Hornets are way out of their league, especially without Al Maggette, Brendan Augustin, and Deron Williams. They might break 80 points once in a blue moon, but they won't keep up with the Bulls. Chicago is missing Luol Deng and Derrick Rose, which will tank their offense, but their defense should hold up—especially after that massive embarrassment against the Washington Wizards.

Golden State Warriors vs LA Lakers: 2 1.4/Lakers (-6.5)
The Lakers got humbled last night, and if they want to stay relevant in the West, they can't afford another slip-up tonight. Golden State is also hit hard by injuries. On top of Curry and Andrei Bogut being out, Claxton Lee is done for the season, and it looks like Richard Jefferson is out tonight too. Their only offensive threats left are Chase Wright and Klay Thompson, plus some bench depth from Al Jefferson and Joseph Rush. Defensively? They've got nothing. Even though the Lakers aren't great on the road, they have to take this one.

Boston has Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, and Matt Pietrus questionable (plus Allen Iverson is definitely out). Portland is missing Zydrunas Przybilla and Tim Crawford, while Nelson Felton and Evan Batum are questionable, and Houston has Houston Camby and David West listed as questionable.
If those guys don't suit up, Dallas and Utah should cruise to wins, and Boston would probably go under 92.5. Gotta wait for official confirmation first.

Dana Baker2 said:I'd take it today:

Josh Smith over 19.5.
Joe has been the undisputed leader of the Hawks all season—absolute dominance at his position. If the game stays on track—meaning, if those calculations everyone keeps bringing up don't actually happen, which I honestly doubt—this shouldn't even be an issue. Plus, you’ve got Johnson struggling with his form and Pachulia being out of the rotation, which leaves Atlanta’s offensive options looking incredibly thin. I didn't catch last night's game, so I can't say what went down, but we know how this works: Atlanta has its total blackouts while the Raptors tend to have these random flashes of brilliance. Still, in a balanced matchup like tonight, I just don't see how the home team and Johnson can let Joe slip through.🤷

Look, Joe usually drops 27 to 30 points against Toronto—what happened last night was just a total shooting meltdown. That kind of stuff rarely happens two nights in a row, so I’d be pretty careful betting on the under.🧐

Chris Paul over 19.5.
It’s been proven time and time again—if Paul doesn't step up, the Clippers are in serious trouble. Especially when they're facing the heavy hitters. These matchups usually turn into high-scoring shootouts, and Paul's been hitting them—dropping 26, then 13 (on a shaky 3/12 from the field), and most recently 31 against OKC.

Durant over 26.5.
Not much needs to be said here. Durant is Durant—when it’s time to step up, he delivers. He didn't exactly choke last time (22 points), and you can bet he’ll be looking for revenge in LA. He was already dropping over 30 in those first two games.

I’d just add to what everyone else has already been saying— Washington under 87.5The way they look right now? Against Chicago, they’re lucky if they even hit 80.

Pathetic. Joe is the biggest disappointment of them all. After being at 8 in the first, he’s sitting at 15 following that Hawks game—and they were well over 100.🙂
That game in LA was absolutely mental. Honestly, just like half the other matchups last night.
What were the Bobcats and Hornets even doing out there last night? Playing handball? 😂 12-8 in the third!

If I were betting today, I’d take:

Josh Smith over 19.5.
Joe has been the Hawks' undisputed leader all season—absolutely dominating his position. If the game stays even—meaning if those calculations people keep bringing up don't actually happen, which I honestly doubt—this shouldn't even be a conversation. You've also got Johnson struggling with his form and Pachulia out of the lineup, which leaves Atlanta’s offensive options looking incredibly thin. I didn't catch last night's game, so I have no clue what went down there, but Atlanta is prone to these massive blackouts while the Raptors tend to catch lightning in a bottle. Still, in an even matchup like tonight, I just don't see how the home team lets Johnson outplay Joe...🤷

Look, Joe drops 27 or 30 against Toronto most nights—last night was just a complete shooting disaster. That kind of slump rarely happens two games in a row, so if you're looking at the under, be careful.🧐

Chris Paul over 19.5.
It’s been proven time and time again—if Paul doesn't step up, the Clippers are in deep trouble. Especially when they're facing the heavy hitters. These matchups usually turn into high-scoring shootouts, and Paul has been dropping 26, 13 (on a rough 3/12 from the field), and that 31-point outburst in his last game against OKC.

Durant over 26.5.
Not much to say here. Durant is Durant—when it’s time to step up, he steps up. He didn't exactly go hard last season (22), so you can bet he's looking for payback in LA. He dropped over 30 in each of his first two games.

I’d just add to what everyone else has been saying— Washington under 87.5The way they look right now? Against Chicago, they'll struggle to even hit 80.

Dana Baker2 said:Detroit under 87.5.
When you're playing against the Chicago Bulls, nobody really manages to bully them—and by "nobody," I mean absolutely nobody. 😁...especially those weaker teams from the East. Detroit is proving that point—they’ve been putting up 83 (home), 77 (away), and 68 (away) against Chicago this season. Since I don't see the Bulls pulling away with an early blowout, I'm expecting solid defense all night long. My money is on the Pistons under.

Charlotte-Boston under 183.5./Charlotte under 87.5.
Boston is on a brutal stretch of games and fatigue is definitely starting to set in. After that embarrassing showing against the Toronto Raptors, they absolutely cannot afford a slip-up here. Even though their offense is struggling big time, their defense is solid—they’ve been locking teams up and keeping opponents under 90 points. In fact, 9 of the last 10 Celtics games have gone under 183.5. Since the Bobcats are basically the worst team in the league right now, I don't see them hitting 90 points, but I also don't expect a massive Boston blowout given how packed their schedule has been lately.

Portland under 102.5.
Sacramento is at home, and even though their defense is absolute trash, they can take on pretty much anyone—including a gutted Portland squad that clearly doesn't care about winning anymore. Honestly, I don't see the Blazers being able to clear this margin in what should be a relatively even game, especially without LaMarcus Aldridge. Looking at their last seven outings, they only went over once (that was at home against the Golden State Warriors), and when they played the Kings, they put up 92 on the road and then 101 at home twice—but again, that was with Aldridge actually on the roster.

I see there’s zero breakdown on the point totals or the over/under for the LA Lakers vs Dallas game...😕 I don't know why they're just sitting around waiting—honestly. I’ve got something in mind, but I'm not about to go talking just for the sake of talking without being sure.

Also, it’s pulling at me. LeBron James over 26.5I don't know, man—what is even going on with Dwyane Wade? Word is he's playing, but I'm not buying it.🤷 In that case, I’d step in and handle this myself.

I'm feeling this one too. 👍

Well, screw this—to hell with luck and to hell with me too!🙂🙂
Honestly, I’m at a loss for words—I don't even know what else to curse at this point!
With five seconds left on the clock, Matthews nails it to put Portland at 103. If the goal was just to foul their way through the end, fine—but he’s sitting on 7-of-9 from deep. Instead, Sacramento plays it smart and decides they aren't letting him take that shot.🙂
They put up 16 threes... honestly, it’s a miracle they even managed that.
So, from here on out, I'm just sticking to the analysis—I'll leave the actual betting to you guys.😁😢

EDIT: Looks like Detroit is officially out too.🤣 After Chauncey Billups keeps missing those free throws like it's his job—I don't even know if overtime points count toward the team total, but honestly, who cares? If they do, that’s just one more massive, pathetic failure to add to the pile...

Lawrence Castillo76 said:Still nothing official, but look for the #Celtics to be without Ray Allen, (ankle), Paul Pierce (toe) and probably Kevin Garnett (rest) 2nite. about 1 hour ago

Are you kidding me?!🙂
And I took the Charlotte Bobcats under. I just can't catch a break with Boston.🤣

Drew Palmer66 said:Turiaf and Haslem are both OUT.

Haslem is playing!😍

Detroit under 87.5
Nobody really manages to blow out the Bulls—well, actually, nobody 😁—and it’s even harder against the weaker teams from the East. Detroit is proving that point; they’ve put up 83 (H), 77 (A), and 68 (A) against Chicago this season. Since I don't see the Bulls pulling an early blowout, I expect solid defense all night, which points toward the Pistons under.

Charlotte-Boston under 183.5/Charlotte under 87.5 Boston
Boston is stuck in a heavy stretch of games and fatigue is definitely setting in. After that embarrassment against the Raptors, they can't afford a slip-up here. Even though their offense struggles sometimes, their defense is legit—they've been holding opponents under 90 consistently. 9 of the last 10 Celtics games have stayed under the 183.5 mark. Given that the Bobcats are the worst team in the league, I don't see them hitting 90, and I also don't see Boston running away with this early given their packed schedule lately.

Portland under 102.5
Sacramento at home can take on pretty much anyone, even a depleted Portland squad that has zero ambitions left. I think the Blazers, without Aldridge, just won't clear this line in what should be a relatively even game. In their last 7 outings, they only went over once (at home against the Warriors), and against the Kings, they scored 92 (A), 101 (H), and 101 (H)—and obviously, Aldridge was on the roster for those.

I noticed there's no breakdown for the team totals or the over/under for the LA Lakers-Dallas game...😕 Why the wait?🤷 I've got something in mind, but I'm not going to call it blindly.

Also, James over 26.5 is tempting, but I'm unsure about Wade—supposedly he's playing.🤷 If that's the case, this might be a winner.

stormyseal9 said:Orlando under 98.5 1.85

I'm feeling this one too. 👍

Dana Baker2 said:Picks for today (my bankroll is looking a little thin so let's be careful...🙂):

LeBron James under 26.5 EDIT: dropped to 1.70
We all know the big stars step up when things get intense, and that’s definitely the case with this guy. He’s had two brutal games in the last three days—especially that one last night. I don't see that desperate Bobcats defense keeping it close enough for him to stay on the floor forever, so I doubt he'll have to play massive minutes. Expecting maybe 25. Also, looking for Dwyane Wade to take a few more shots.

Andrew Bynum over 20.5
For this one, we really need an update on Kobe Bryant, but even with him in, I think we hit this. Bynum’s shooting has been pretty shaky the last two games (though he made up for it on the glass😁), but tonight against the Denver Nuggets, he should find some breathing room. Denver scores plenty, but their defense is a sieve. Their frontcourt rotation is mediocre at best—active, sure, but defensively questionable. Honestly, their main interior presence is just rookie Oskar Vesely. I don't see how Samuel Koufos or Jaونا McGee can actually stop Andrija.

Portland Trail Blazers (+2.5) vs Dallas Mavericks
Portland has basically checked out of the playoff race. LaMarcus Aldridge is likely out for the season, so they're basically playing for pride now. They’re running a rotation of about six "real" players, which makes it hard to match the depth of the Mavericks, especially with Olumide Mahinmi and Jason Kidd back in the mix. The Trail Blazers played well in both previous matchups in Dallas—lost the first by only 3, and took the second in OT. You can bet Dallas is fired up to settle the score. Even if the Mavericks aren't exactly peaking, they're slowly climbing into a better playoff position and Kevin Love is helping.

I'm also eyeing the unders for some of the bottom-feeders. Most of them look like they'll struggle to cover the spread (unless there's a massive blowout early on). I'd go with the Washington Wizards first; facing a New York Knicks team that's tightened up defensively—and without Nene or Devin Booker—I don't see them hitting the over.🤷
The Sacramento Kings are another thought. They beat OKC (106:101) in their only meeting this year, so playing at home gives them extra motivation. Plus, this is just the first of three meetings coming up in the next ten days.
Charlotte under 89.5
Washington under 93.5
Sacramento under 98.5 (99.5 Fortuna)
Toronto Raptors under 85.5

EDIT: Jose Calderon and Jonas Valančiūnas (wait, Kleiz?) are questionable for Toronto tonight. With Andrea Bargnani and Skip Bayless already out, the outlook is clear. Maybe Boston Celtics -6.5 or Boston Celtics over 91.5).

I don't know what kind of idiot I was born as, but this is getting ridiculous. 7 out of 7 winners from this group!
But of course, I throw half my picks away and pick a "lock of the day"—Boston against Toronto without two key players + Skip Bayless being out—and after being up by 12 early in the second half, the guys end up losing by 17!😲 Totally zero interest from them at times. They were lucky to even stay in it at the end.🤣
Never again am I putting a parlay together with odds lower than 1.6. If I even bother with a ticket anytime soon...🙂

Drew Palmer66 said:Dallas isn't even close defensively...
Jeff Hickson, Wayne Babbit, and Tim Crawford are decent enough players...

Nah, I'm actually betting on a Dallas win here!

No, I agree, but the depth is way wider than that.
Hickson isn't exactly an elite defender, Crawford is a zero, and Babbit only started seeing minutes because the Trail Blazers' roster got absolutely gutted by trades and injuries. Props to them, but they can't hold a candle to the Dallas bench (Beabouis, Vince Carter, Baron Davis, Lavoy Allen, Olumide Mahinmi, plus that Chinese player lately). Plus, playing without LaMarcus Aldridge makes that lineup a lot weaker.

Drew Palmer66 said:even without LaMarcus Aldridge, if the bench has some actual quality, Portland isn't bad

Who exactly were you thinking of here? 😁
That Portland squad doesn't even have two decent players coming off the bench! They've got Tim Crawford, who clearly doesn't know what defense means. Honestly, I think the Mavericks should take them easily.

analoghound21 said:don't have any of that here 😢

I don't have a single one either!😂

I thought if you had an online account, you'd be set.

analoghound21 said:Since they dropped the line on the Miami Heat to -14.5 down to 1.70, I'm calling it—I'm taking that. Miami Heat over 104.5

The betting line at the Betting Company is sitting at 103.5.
Personally, I’m keeping a close eye on the Toronto vs Boston matchup. We need to see how the injury situation shakes out first, but if the rumors are true and at least one of those two big names suits up, I think Boston cruises through this easily. Plus, that 91.5 line? Seems way too low to me. I mean, the squad that dropped 115 on the Miami Heat on the road—even without a few key pieces—should have zero issues clearing this margin.🤷 And cover that 6.5 handicap too...
To be honest, over the last few games—aside from the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers mentioned earlier—everything has been hitting the under. But let's be real: without a few key pieces, the Toronto Raptors aren't even in the same league as the San Antonio Spurs or the Atlanta Hawks.

Picks for today (my bankroll is looking pretty sketchy right now...🙂):

LeBron James under 26.5 EDIT: odds dropped to 1.70
Look, we all know the big stars step up when the lights are brightest—that’s just how it works—and this guy is no exception. But he’s been through two absolute grinders in the last three days, especially that mess last night. I don't see the desperate Charlotte Bobcats keeping this game tight enough to force him into heavy minutes, so I doubt he'll have to stay on the floor forever. Expecting around 25 minutes from him. Also, looking for Dwyane Wade to take a few more shots than usual.

Andrew Bynum over 20.5
For this one, we really need to wait for news on Kobe Bryant, but even if he plays, I think we hit this. Bynum’s shooting has been pretty shaky over the last two games (though he's making up for it on the glass😁), but tonight against the Denver Nuggets, he should find some breathing room. Denver scores plenty, but their defense is honestly a disaster. They’ve got mediocre guys playing the big man spots—maybe active, but defensively? Not great. It's safe to say their main presence in the paint is just rookie Anderson. I don't see how one Mehmet Okur or Jaونا McGee can actually contain Andrija Zoric.

Dallas Mavericks vs Portland Trail Blazers (+2.5)
Portland has basically checked out of the playoff race. With LaMarcus Aldridge likely out for the season, they’re basically playing for pride at this point. They’re running a rotation of about six "real" players, which makes it hard to match the depth of the Dallas Mavericks, especially since they've got Olumide Anikwei Mahinmi and Jason Kidd back in the mix. The Trail Blazers played well in both matchups against Dallas—lost the first by only 3, and actually beat them in OT in the second. You can bet Dallas is fired up to get some revenge. Even though the Mavericks haven't been elite, they're slowly climbing into a better playoff position.

I'm also weighing an under for one of the bottom-feeders. To me, none of them look capable of hitting the spread (unless we get a massive blowout in the first half). My first pick would be the Washington Wizards; facing a New York Knicks team that has tightened up its defense—even without Nene and Devin Booker—I just don't see how they cover.🤷
The Sacramento Kings are another thought. They managed to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (106-101) in their only matchup this year, so playing at home should give them that extra edge. Plus, this is just the first of three meetings between them in the next ten days.
Charlotte Hornets under 89.5
Washington Wizards under 93.5
Sacramento Kings under 98.5 (99.5 Betting Company)
Toronto Raptors Under 85.5

EDIT: Jose Calderon and Mehmed Okur are questionable for Toronto tonight. Between Amir Bargnanij and Skip Bayless being out for a while, the writing is on the wall. Might even go with Boston Celtics (-6.5) or Boston Celtics over 91.5).

The smoke keeps rolling in. They’re gonna have to hook up.
Goodnight to anyone still grinding!

Alex Cook said:Jamison is going to be the death of me. This is the third game in a row he’s likely to screw me over.

Same here.🙂
It's unbelievable. Indiana's defense is absolute garbage right now—if they play like this in the second half, the over is an easy win.🤣

Look, I’ll lay out my own take here so you don't get bent out of shape:

Andrew Bynum over 20.5 points
Gasol and Bynum are going to have to carry the Lakers tonight for as long as they can—otherwise, they might just hand the game over. I don't think the Spurs are going to blow this open early, so expect Pau to get some decent minutes. And while Pau will be dealing with a veteran like Duncan—who matches him height-for-height—Blair is going to struggle on the defensive end against Gasol since he's undersized, even if he plays hard. Bynum hasn't been exactly stellar against the Spurs' interior this season, but honestly? These recent ejections should serve as nothing but extra fuel for him.

stormyseal9 said:With those heavy favorites, someone always finds a way to screw you over—so I’d much rather take a spread or a handicap. If I'm going to lose, I want it to be a damn good fight😍. Anyway, the Raptors beat Philly by about 20 on the road, so I'd take that line. Besides, I try not to act like an expert on games I'm not even playing myself; doesn't look smart🤷. Good luck, anyway😉

I'm with you there.
I burned through my Miami bet at 1.30 last night (thank God I wasn't the only one🤣), but like our friend here said—stay away from those odds. They bait you, then you end up losing the "safe" ones and surviving a few 50/50 shots at 1.85
. As for Philadelphia, they've become a total "don't touch" team for me. On paper, they should cruise through this, but I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole
. Already covered my thoughts on Memphis above.
Houston looks like the best value play here, and I don't see why the Spurs shouldn't hold their own either.
But let's be real—there's zero chance all five or six of those heavy favorites actually land.
In my book, it's way smarter to just grab the handicaps on Houston (+5.5) and Boston (+3.5).🤷