Posts by James Taylor3

That's just how it is.

Man... that was a rough outing for Memphis... Honestly, I expected them to put up a much better fight.

Look, I get it, but I just had to get this off my chest. 😁

I might actually tune into the Super Bowl tonight—just to see what the hype is about and why it’s supposedly the biggest event on the planet.

boldgull20 said:Nobody is even watching that stuff—it’s Super Bowl day. Honestly, who cares about those two games? They aren't worth a damn right now.

I’ve been scanning the Memphis sports outlets, local fan blogs, and even some forums—not a single mention of any injury or anything similar.

Tony Allen is inexplicably out for Memphis. 😕

There was absolutely nothing mentioned regarding his injury. 🤷

28w/28l ; +25,119 units; ROI: +9.27%

Boston - Memphis
Pick: Memphis

Odds: 2.75

Bookmaker: Fortuna

Bet: 4/10

Completely lost focus on the NBA for a moment. 🤦

Quick breakdown. Memphis has been playing sharp lately—they have a solid roster specifically built to cause trouble for the Celtics. Former Celtic Tony Allen should be excellent at shadowing Ray Allen. Pierce is likely going to struggle against a much stronger Gay. With Bassa out, the Celtics' frontcourt relies heavily on Garnett and a declining O'Neal. Gasol could realistically dominate Jermaine, and I'm not sure Speights can handle Garnett on defense.
Rondati's return is a significant boost for the Celtics; he’s essentially their only major advantage over the Grizzlies and their playmaker Conley, who is decent enough.
Boston's bench is looking desperate without Bassa, whereas Memphis's depth—led by May’s recent strong form—isn't bad at all. I think Memphis takes this, and Fortuna is tempting us with these high odds.

Thomas Cook54 said:I'm expecting a blowout against Toronto tonight—which should mean LeBron sits most of the second half. My pick is Miami spread and LeBron under...

Be careful with that logic—in these types of blowouts, starters usually only get a breather during the final 4 or 5 minutes, which isn't much at all.

Starters typically only sit out the fourth quarter if there's a lead or deficit of 30+ points.

Besides, Miami is a squad where three players account for 70% of their average 103.5 points per game—nearly 70% total—so LeBron can hit that threshold even with reduced minutes.🤷

Plus, LeBron's shooting percentage this season is ridiculous—sitting at 55.1%. That’s the best mark in the league for positions 1 through 3 (it's expected that bigs in the 4 and 5 spots would naturally shoot higher than perimeter players).

3 out of 4 today—not bad at all.
San Antonio absolutely crushed Oklahoma. Not that I'm bitter or anything, but for the sake of my parlay, it would've been nice if they hadn't slumped so hard. 😁

Luol Deng is in the starting lineup tonight.

Anyway—I'm taking the Chicago Bulls -5 at 1.98 for a 6/10 confidence level.🙂

Alex Cook said:He dodged them by a wide margin. 😁

I took your Minnesota pick for a single, then tacked it onto a parlay with the Wizards vs Clippers over and an OKC contra. I wasn't looking to overextend today—I'm in a brutal slump. Out of my last 23 singles, only 4 hit. 🙏 If I go all-in tonight, half my bankroll could vanish within a week. 🙏

Yeah, you've always been shaky with Minnesota. 😁

That single streak of yours is quite something. 😬

I went too big today, and now I'm still debating whether to touch the Bulls—might just throw a bet their way. 🙂

Good call on those struggling Knicks; they look desperate. Plus, after the first period, Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudemire, and Tiago Splitter all rack up two fouls apiece.

An easy -12.

I'd be better off if I'd gone with the Philadelphia double, as I originally intended.

Arthur Hill2 said:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEFBECsE-gk

🙂

🤣

Alex Cook said:Am I really the only one who doesn't trust those mindless Knicks?

in before: you are

It’s not that I have excessive faith in them—it's just that the Nets are abysmal, which is why I went with a 4/10. 😁

What’s your play?

New York vs New Jersey
Pick: New York -6.5

Coefficient: 1.943

Wager: 4/10

I haven't been watching the Knicks much lately—though the word is they’ve finally found their rhythm. This is a squad that should be looking at a lock for the playoffs, not wasting time messing around with teams like the Charlotte Hornets or the New Jersey Nets. New Jersey is still dealing with a laundry list of injuries, which isn't helping. They have Deron Williams and maybe two other serviceable guys; everyone else is essentially filler. They're even thin enough that they had to bring in Andrew Bogut just to fill out the roster. 🤣
The Knicks are always tough at MSG, and we might see Baron Davis step up tonight. Regardless, New York is simply the superior team—both as a unit and in terms of individual talent. Jason Smith should be able to contain Morrow's perimeter game, Amare Stoudemire should handle Ryan Anderson, and Tyson Chandler will likely control the paint against the Nets' third center (since Brook Lopez and Zoran Planinić are sidelined). Plus, Deron Williams won't be driving to the hoop as often tonight—Chandler is a stout rim protector, and his defense could be the deciding factor... again.
Furthermore, New York has taken the last seven matchups (including preseason), which includes two wins this year—one at home and one on the road.
To be fair, the Knicks are playing their third game in three days—a classic "back-to-back-to-back"—but the Nets aren't exactly rested either. They're on their third game in four days, which is its own kind of grind.

Minnesota vs Houston
Pick: Minnesota -2.5

Coefficient: 2.12

Wager: 5/10

Minnesota has become a fan favorite this season for two main reasons. First, there's the Spanish youngster Ricky Rubio, whose flashy assists keep everyone entertained. Second, there's Kevin Love—a walking double-double machine who has been playing lights out this year. With the return of Baron Davis and John Wall, and moving Gorica Peković into the starting center role (thanks to Zoran Miličić being out), they've turned into a legitimate squad rather than a punching bag. They sit at 11-12 right now, sniffing around playoff contention. Tonight, they have a chance to hit the .500 mark for the first time since 2007, so motivation will be high. Houston has historically dominated this matchup, winning 16 of their last 20, but Minnesota hasn't been this competitive in years.
They've split their meetings twice this season, with each team taking one win. Interestingly, Minnesota's coach is David Adelman, who spent the last four years coaching Houston—he knows them inside and out, which could be a major advantage tonight.
Houston is the home team and tends to struggle on the road. I expect Minnesota to capitalize, especially if they lean on the production from Kevin Love.

Keith Moore21 said:Here’s James Taylor3’s take—now I might have to include Oklahoma City Thunder too. 😬
Just a quick heads-up, Sefolosha is listed as doubtful...

I know—that’s exactly why I mentioned it, assuming he actually plays. 😁

They can probably handle it without him—unless you decide to bet on them.

If you play them too, we can both just toss our tickets in the trash. 😬

Anyway, I'm out. Bye.

25w/27l ; +15,867 units; ROI: +6.35%

San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder +3.5

Odds: 1.893

Unit: 6/10

It doesn't matter if they had a grueling game against the Memphis Grizzlies last night—even if Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook had to grind out 43+ minutes—or if they're facing a Spurs squad that’s 12-1 at home. I’m taking +3.5 on Oklahoma City Thunder @ 1.893 via Pinnacle. Oklahoma City Thunder is the superior squad here—younger, more physical. Westbrook’s athleticism makes back-to-back games a non-issue for him. Under the rim, Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka can handle Taurean Blair and Tim Duncan. Durant will likely have a field day with Richard Jefferson, and honestly, the Oklahoma City Thunder bench holds more depth than San Antonio's. It'll be interesting to see how Tony Parker manages Westbrook's energy. This feels like a very generous line for the best team in the West. Add in the possibility of Sefolosha returning to the lineup tonight, and it's even better...

I’m skipping the betting today—just don't have the bandwidth to dive deep into the matchups. I might throw something together live if I can stay awake tonight.

The current state of affairs—while predictable—remains frustratingly stagnant. One would expect more decisive action by now, yet we find ourselves circling the same exhausted arguments. It is a repetitive cycle, really. [User Name] says:
Go get some sleep and stop stressing over Portland—I told you already: this loss isn't anything out of the ordinary.🤷

It’s not really an issue—I’m used to missing. 🤣

I'm heading out—alright then.

A minor setback for Portland—those road trips really take a toll.

placideagle said:The bread is baked—is your shift finally over?

I still need to grab some jelly donuts before I call it a night. 😬

The Portland performance in the second half was honestly abysmal.

Jamal, give me a break.

Brian Barrett5 said:That’s just how it works, James Taylor3—you have to take the Portland pick.

Absolutely. 😉

25w/26l ; +22,867 units; ROI: +9.41%

Sacramento Kings vs Portland Trail Blazers
Pick: Portland -3.5

Odds: 1.98

Betting Shop: Pinnacle

Wager: 7/10

The Sacramento Kings are sitting second to last in the West—26th overall—with a dismal 6-15 record. They’re in a complete tailspin, having dropped five straight, and they've managed just two wins in their last ten. Offensively, they're struggling, averaging a meager 90.6 points per game, while their defense is essentially a sieve, giving up a league-high 101.9 points. They also surrender the most rebounds in the league. It's been 13 games since they even cracked the 100-point mark. Thornton should be returning tonight after a decent break—he's the team's second leading scorer. Of course, we know players rarely hit the ground running immediately following an injury. Sacramento is young, inexperienced, and arguably the youngest squad in the league—which usually translates to a lack of mental toughness (looking at you, Evans and Cousins). They'll be without Hayes in the frontcourt tonight. They give up far too many points in the paint, which is exactly where Portland excels. LaMarcus Aldridge has been playing at an elite level this season; it would be a genuine shame if he missed out on All-Star honors. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 8.5 rebounds (including 3 offensive boards), and 2.7 assists, all while shooting an efficient 50% from the field. Paired with Camby, he forms a formidable duo under the rim. Wallace is excellent on both ends of the floor—and given the chatter that he only performs well at the Rose Garden, he'll likely be extra motivated tonight to silence the critics on the road. Felton is inconsistent—more "cold" than "hot," really—but he provides necessary pace and flow.
Portland dominates at home, though they haven't been great on the road (3-8). Still, they have a chance to fix that record tonight, especially since Sacramento is such a subpar unit. The only real absence for Portland will be Batum, but Babbitt should step in and make the most of the opportunity.

Portland has absolute dominance in this matchup: they've beaten the Kings in 11 of their last 12 meetings. This season, they handled them twice—once by 22 points and once by 12—both times looking easy while scoring over 100 points.

The biggest threat to Portland will be the young center Cousins. Despite his size, he's surprisingly quick. In previous matchups, he gave the otherwise stout defender Camby quite a bit of trouble.

Portland is highly motivated to snap their road losing streak. They have the better roster, the deeper bench, and the superior coaching. This -3.5 spread is the right play.