Posts by James Taylor3

wiredcanyon39 said:@James Taylor3 go ahead and go all-in—I’ve got the exact same double bet.

Lawrence Castillo76 said:If James Taylor goes all-in, we're all going down with him—I'm just riding with the Clippers, no Dallas for me.

Go mess with someone else.
I’m not putting any money down, though both should realistically pull through.
🙂

Keith Moore21 said:I thought your two cents might be right, but I'll pass—the Clippers have screwed me over in similar spots a few times this season, even if they really should win tonight. And while Dallas should technically handle the Golden State Warriors, I worry if those three-pointers start falling, things could get messy... anyway, good luck if you do play.👍

I don't know—I think both should slide through fairly easily. The quality favors Dallas and flop City, the motivation is there, the form is solid, and unlike their opponents, they aren't dealing with injuries.

I have a feeling Terry might actually take down the Warriors tonight.

Not the best call, Keith Moore21. 👍

My money is on the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Clippers taking easy wins today.

With Kevin Love out, plus Rubia and Ridnoura, the Minnesota Timberwolves are likely looking at the worst roster in the league right now. The Clippers are in great shape, while Minnesota has been struggling through a 7-8 skid. With Mo Williams coming back, they should be able to handle the Timberwolves. Sure, they played a tough one against Oklahoma City Thunder last night, but it doesn't matter—against a Minnesota squad this depleted, the Clippers are heavy favorites. They have a deep, talented bench, and since Minnesota played last night, they won't have any rest advantage. Besides, if things aren't going the Clippers' way, they can always resort to their favorite move: flop City. 😬

The Mavericks aren't quite in the playoff hunt safety zone yet, and tonight they head to face the Golden State Warriors—the same team that blew them out by 24 just a month ago. You can bet they’ll be motivated to settle the score, especially since a win would do wonders for their standings. The Warriors don't really have much riding on this season; they lack a clear leader, and they were busy playing the Portland Trail Blazers last night while Dallas sat out and rested. I think a full-strength Dallas takes this one comfortably.

Part of me wants to put some money down... 😁

Keith Moore21 said:James Taylor3, what kind of nonsense is this? 🤣
Nice call on the win, but I didn't have the guts to put money on it...
And the Houston Rockets really did me dirty—they couldn't even take it from the Utah Jazz at home. Gordon Hayward dropped 29 points, honestly, give me a break... all that matters is they beat the Los Angeles Lakers in L.A., right when I actually needed a Lakers win. Of course... everyone in the NBA is out of their minds. 🙂 🙄

No clue—I was just posting the odds, then suddenly those hieroglyphics popped up. 🤷

The Houston Rockets, in my opinion, are alongside the Orlando Magic the most unpredictable teams in the league. 😁

James Taylor3 said:There’s some talk that the Trail Blazers might have to play without Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season—since he's effectively out, and this injury isn't helping matters either.

I don't know—looks like Nicolas Batum won't be there tonight either, which leaves Portland pretty thin on defense and size.

In my estimation, if they sit both those guys, the lineup looks something like this:

Nelson Felton - Tim Crawford - Paul Matthews - DK Hickson - Dan Przebilla

Lee seems like a solid option, and Chuck Wright could potentially step up—he’s about 10 cm shorter than Matthews, who is actually a decent defender, but whatever...

I'm not sure where the limit is, but maybe it would be better to play more big men in this game. Felton and Crawford aren't defensive players at all, Hickson isn't anything special on that end either, so everything falls on Matthews—who handles a lot of assignments—and Thrilli, who can grab a board when needed, even if he's prone to individual errors.

Keith Moore21 said:199.5 🤷

James Taylor3 said:Oof, that's a lot. I thought it would be closer to 5 or 6 players, but hey, if the opportunity opens up, anything is possible.

Batum ended up playing, but the defense was still leaking everywhere. On the bright side, Nata Robinson dropped 19 points with great shooting. 🤣

Lee objectively outplayed Hickson, who proved to be a great addition offensively.

An easy cover. If only they had played it that way—maybe went all in. 😬

EDIT: What happened to the text? These characters are unreadable. 😕

Keith Moore21 said:199.5 🤷

Ouch—that's a lot. I expected it to be down by maybe 5 or 6 points—but then again, if things really open up out there, we could easily see even more.

Lawrence Castillo76 said:I’m taking Portland at 1.7—straight up against a broken Warriors squad. Even if the Blazers are shorthanded tonight without Aldridge, they should pull this off—their roster depth still outclasses the visitors. I’ll also take Lee over 20.5 points; with Aldridge out, it’s a decent play, even if I generally avoid player props—and he hasn't been particularly hot against Portland lately.

There’s talk that the Blazers might be without Aldridge for the rest of the season—the guy is completely spent, and that injury isn't going away easily.

It looks like Batum might miss tonight too, which hurts Portland's defense and leaves them thin in the paint.

With both of them sidelined, here’s how the lineup likely shakes out:

Felton - Crawford - Matthews - Hickson - Przybilla

Lee looks like a solid option, and Wright could potentially see some minutes—he has a 4-inch height advantage over Matthews, who is actually a decent defender, but well... things happen.

I'm not sure where the line sits, but an over on total points seems like a reasonable move. Felton and Crawford offer zero defensive presence, and Hickson isn't much of a stopper either—leaving everything on Matthews, who’s stuck guarding much larger players, and Thrill, who can make a play but is prone to mental lapses.

Lawrence Castillo76 said:The Nets might actually pull an upset tonight at +5.5—that looks tempting to me. They aren't playing for much lately, but they’ve found their rhythm. As for Philly, I have nothing good to say—personally, they're a team I can't stand.

It looks like Philly is wrapping up this season exactly how they started the last one.

I don't get how you can hate them—they are essentially the prototype for cohesive team play: balanced, even-handed, and built on ten players who all contribute equally.

That’s why they’re easily in my top five favorite teams.

My ranking: Portland, Dallas, Indiana, Memphis, then Philly.

The five I can't stand:

Lakers, Knicks, Atlanta, Orlando, and New Jersey.

Given the Nets' current injury situation, I'm leaning toward Philly in tonight's matchup.

Arthur Hill2 said:Let me drop my picks for the next 12 hours—just some gut feeling:

Knicks +9.5
Caramelo over 25
Bosh under 17
Deron to win the duel against Piercom

I’d probably just take Bosh—same as you—and bet against everything else. 🤷

Dana Baker2 said:Panda, Tsigi, what’s the verdict on Jamison? Lawrence Castillo76 thinks he won't hit the over again.😁
I don't see anyone else on this Cleveland roster capable of scoring besides him—not with Irving gone.
Plus, the matchup isn't exactly a disaster.🙂

No clue—I haven't really been following Cleveland this season. But without Irving, he's likely going to hunt his own shot, which is his bread and butter. Charlotte doesn't have much of a defense, so an over is possible—but then again, don't take my word for it.

analoghound21 said:I’m with you regarding Anthony—I don't see him getting back over the line that easily anytime soon. 🙂

...though I have to disagree on Miami. Personally, I'd take the Heat over the Knicks any day. 😛

On another note... after watching Indiana last night (where the Raptors covered the spread), seeing Tony B. acting like he calls the shots again tonight in D.C.... is there some kind of magic at play here? 😬

Hard to say. The Celtics and especially the Knicks don't look convincing on the road, and they're facing one of the toughest home teams in the league tonight. 🤷

That friend of yours, Tony B., is an interesting character. 🤣

graniteotter6 said:Melo is facing Kikaku for the second straight time—and the guy is playing like he’s absolutely dialed in. 🙂

I agree. ☕

I expect Goozer will put up some serious numbers tonight—regardless of whether Rose Wind actually takes the floor.
The Bulls win routinely. ☕

Miami is going to settle the score with the Celtics for that blowout from a few days ago—and I suspect LeBron James might drop a few buckets of his own. He has a reputation for disappearing when the lights get bright, and with Dwyane Wade returning to the lineup tonight, it just means fewer looks for the leading scorer. Plus, between Kevin Garnett and Jussieu Bass, he won't be getting much help out there either. 🤣

Dallas could dismantle Sacramento—though likely not until the second half. I'm still picturing their games from last season, where the Kings would start hot from deep only to have Dallas claw their way back once things settled down. Pretty sure that's how it went—not that I've gone back to double-check the stats.

graniteotter6, I’d put my money on the Kings tonight. 😁

Cousins is playing out of his mind—he'll handle Jordan and Evans easily enough.

I have a feeling Jimmer might knock down a few threes, too. 😉

Seriously, the Clippers aren't exactly my Favorite tonight, especially after that grind against the Lakers last night. Besides, if I recall correctly, the Kings have been solid at home.

Signing off. ☕

Arthur Hill2 said:Howard asked management to fire the coach. Management took the hint. Let's just say the vibes in the locker room aren't exactly great right now 🙂.

Howard is dealing with a minor injury
.

I don't know—personally, I wouldn't call this an alarming situation. All this talk about bad chemistry and locker room drama is a bit much, considering Howard has been driving everyone crazy all season by constantly listing everywhere he might go next. 🤷

Van Gundy isn't going to risk his job by benching Howard; if he does that, he’s basically handing management a reason to let him go. 🤷

The reports say Howard is healthy and listed as "probable" for tonight. After whatever irritation the media has caused him, he might actually put up a massive performance. Granted, he's facing Chandler, who has defended him quite well this season, but when Howard is truly locked in, he’s nearly impossible to stop.

I wouldn't base a pick on "bad relationships," though it wouldn't be shocking if the Knicks walk away with the win. These two teams are among the most volatile in the league—nothing would surprise me, whether it's the Magic shooting 70% from three or the Knicks coughing up 30 turnovers.
The odds seem realistic to me; they reflect the actual state of both rosters.

As for Howard's injury, we all know he doesn't miss games often. In the NBA, you don't typically play unless you're fully ready, especially heading into the playoffs.

wiredcanyon39 said:Betting on Memphis back-to-back is really the only logical play here. Today they’re facing the Clippers at home against a bottom-tier playoff contender before running into a Spurs squad that's been playing surprisingly well lately.

Give me a break—they play in the same arena. There isn't any distinction between home and away there. 🤣

Looks like last night was a productive haul for Detroit. 👍

Is nobody talking about Memphis tonight? 😕

They’re playing lights out—GS is struggling, and I just noticed Memphis has already swept them three times this season.

Besides, this game is basically a non-event for GS, whereas Memphis is in a dead heat for a Western Conference playoff spot.

shadowjackal27 said:went with Bosh over 17.5—given how much LeBron James got blown out

What exactly are you getting at with that comment? 😕

James Taylor3 said:DeMarcus Cousins might actually show up tonight. 🤷
He’s a nightmare to guard—despite his lanky build, he’s incredibly explosive. Even elite centers like Al Jefferson struggle to stay in front of him, and I highly doubt Big Ali, who isn't exactly a defensive powerhouse, is going to pull anything special out of the bag on the defensive end.

I think the Celtics are going to walk all over the Timberwolves. Minnesota is missing three or four key pieces—basically their top two players—so they're shorthanded. Sure, they have Luke Ridnour, but who’s actually going to provide any spacing from deep? Wes Johnson has been a disaster, Darko Miličić is gone, and Peja Peković isn't in the picture either. Plus, Kevin Garnett can make life miserable for Kevin Love, and it looks like John Beasley is out tonight too. It could get ugly for Minnesota. I’m putting my money on the old Boston faithful. 😁

Of course—everything goes smoothly whenever I’m not playing.

I’m not sure what the cap was for DeMarcus Cousins, but it certainly wasn't as high as 27 points—which is exactly what he dropped last night.

The Boston Celtics cruised through that one—a routine 21-point blowout. It looks like Kevin Garnett had Al Jefferson completely figured out, too—probably just babysitting him out there.

Nice work by me. 🙄

goldenranger59 said:Look, jumping in here—I think Utah takes the win against Sacramento today at 1.4 odds. Utah is solid at home and they’re fighting for a playoff spot; they can't afford a slip-up tonight. I’m also leaning toward Big Ali going over his points line—it's set at 19.5, which feels like a lock given he dropped 26 just a few days ago. Generally speaking, the Kings struggle when defending physical players in the paint and at the high wing, so I expect him to hit that over.

I'd also say Cousins could go crazy tonight. 🤷
He’s a nightmare to guard—despite how he's built, he's wiry and explosive. Even centers better than Jefferson have trouble staying with him, and I doubt Big Ali, who isn't exactly a defensive specialist, will provide much resistance in the paint.

I also expect the Celtics to walk all over Minnesota. The Wolves are missing 3 or 4 key pieces—their top two playmakers are out—and while they have Ridnour, who's going to provide the shooting? Wes Johnson is a disaster, Miličić is gone, Peković is out, Garnett can make life miserable for Kevin Love, and it looks like Beasley is out tonight too. It could be a total blowout. I'm sticking with my old Boston favorites. 😁

graniteotter6 said:Portland-NOP Under 185.5

The last three games this season:
161, 180, 160 🤷

Those late-game threes and rebounds really screwed you over.