ironwalker4 said:Ricky is honestly just driving everyone crazy at this point! Like, whenever you catch his interviews on late-night shows or watch his stand-up, it’s always the exact same thing. He laughs way too hard at his own jokes, even when they've become super stale, and he doesn't even seem to realize it.
The last truly great series he did was Office & Extras, but everything else he’s touched lately—like the Ricky Gervais show or An Idiot Abroad—is either total Pilkington vibes or just plain bad, like Life's Too Short.
Well, it sounds like you clearly haven't checked out his absolute best work yet!
I'm talking about the XFM podcast, plus, obviously, the legendary Office & Extras.
And regarding the Globe; he definitely brought a much-needed dose of sarcasm to the whole thing, if you ask me. It really cut through all that stuffy Hollywood glamour.
I honestly feel like I’m overdoing it sometimes; it seems like every tenth post could probably skip the deep dives, but hey, I just love sharing my takes and trying to help out whenever I can!
Nikola Vucevic/12.5 under 1.85
Looking at this Matchup, facing off against Lopez & Blatche in that first game was just way too much for a talented guy like Nikola Vucevic who's still finding his footing. He couldn't find any rhythm against the second guy, so he definitely wasn't going to have an easy time against the first one either.
Looks like Dwyane Wade is feeling a bit under the weather, so he’s sitting out the Miami Heat shootaround today.
Woodson mentioned he might stick with the same starting lineup tonight, but honestly, it all hinges on what the Mavericks decide to do. If they decide to roll with Brand and Kaman, then Woodson probably will go bigger.
The Wolves are being super quiet about whether Barea is actually going to play. He didn't say a word after the shootaround, and the team hasn't given much away besides saying he's still day-to-day.
On the bright side, we should see Anthony Davis back from that concussion and Austin Rivers back from his finger injury—they're both expected to suit up and be in starting lineup for Hornets!
Roger Phillips said:The New Orleans-Philadelphia total is looking like an under at 181.5
Andrew Davis will probably suit up for the New Orleans Hornets (he might be a bit banged up, but he's definitely playing) either way, if you ask me, the odds are heavily leaning toward the under...
If I missed anything or totally misread the situation, please jump in and set me straight early!😛
Actually, Davis isn't playing. And neither is Jerry Richardson for Philly.
Regarding the pick itself, Philly had a pretty rough shooting percentage over their last two games, but keep in mind they were playing against the NYK, who are looking really sharp right now. I don't think they'll be that bad from deep tonight. The Hornets lack some depth, but they actually have a slight edge in the frontcourt since Kwame Brown & Andrew Bynum are out, even though Al Jefferson and Andrew Hawes are holding things down there. On the flip side, Philly has a much more potent backcourt. Oh, and by the way, Doc Rivers is out for the NOH.
All in all, I'm riding with the under. But let's keep it moderate. Good luck! 😉
On the other side, you can't really count on Morris & Blake to lock things down defensively. But man, Lou Williams is absolutely cooking right now, averaging 20.8 PPG!
Since they're playing at home, and given that Richard Jefferson isn't exactly looking to go crazy from deep lately (especially since he's staring down a matchup with Dwight Howard, so I don't see him letting it fly too much) along with Nicolas Batum, I really think Lou is going to grab a few extra shots beyond his usual average.
Man, Hill is really struggling out there. He’s definitely not at a hundred percent right now. But hey, I’ve got a feeling Parker is going to be absolutely dialed in today! I honestly think Hibbert is going to be playing like he's up against Tim Duncan; it’s gonna be a massive grind.
ps. Green is out. Young is getting the start. Manu won't be seeing more than 20 minutes on the floor.
Honestly, I’m just going off pure vibes here! It’s a totally fresh squad, they're playing in a brand new arena, and they’ve got that home-court advantage on their side.
Plus, you can't deny they've definitely got the experience to back it up.
Total value here. Since Manu is out, the Spurs are gonna have to step up their game big time. If Westbrook plays some aggressive defense on Tony—and honestly, I totally think he will—I’m expecting San Antonio to really struggle and fade out during that fourth quarter.
Kawhi will probably spend the start of the game glued to Durant, which gives OKC a massive edge right out of the gate. I'm thinking Jax might take over that matchup to take some of the pressure off the incredible Leonard, who just keeps getting better and better every single night. I'm expecting him to absolutely tear it up offensively!
It’s gonna be a nail-biter, but man, I’m really hoping OKC can pull off a late surge in the final frame to snatch this one!
The Brooklyn Nets starters are looking like Sundiata Gaines, MarShon Brooks, Gerald Green, DeShawn Stevenson, and Jordan Williams. I’m totally expecting a low-scoring grind here because of those injuries! Honestly, without any rebounding presence, I don't see the Nets breaking past 90.5 points easily.
(88.5) - Miami under 1.85
It's the exact same story with Miami as it is with the Nets. Without their big three on the floor, Miami just doesn't have anyone left to carry the scoring load!
(100.5) - Golden State Warriors under 1.85
When you look at the bench depth they have compared to the San Antonio Spurs, it's pretty clear. Golden State is already playing thin, so in my opinion, they aren't going to clear this margin.
Not gonna overthink it too much today—I'll save all the deep dives and heavy analysis for the playoffs!
Alright, here's a quick rundown of some interesting updates for you guys!
- Mike Brown mentioned that Kobe Bryant will not play tonight in Sacramento, so heads up on that!
- It looks like a rough night for the roster because Deron Williams, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, and Shelden Williams are all out tonight at Toronto.
- Spoelstra says he has no choice but to play Haslem and Miller tonight, though he did mention it won't be much rotation there.
- Man, the Heat are feeling it—LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are all out for Miami Heat tonight vs. Washington Wizards.
- And finally, Rick Carlisle said that Jason Kidd (resting) will sit out against the Hawks.
Looks like Rondo, Allen, and Pietrus are out for tonight's matchup. Plus, Doc hinted that KG and PP might be sitting too. Even though Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are actually healthy as can be, it’s looking pretty likely they're just gonna rest.
That's the kind of intel you really gotta factor in! No fluff, just facts.
NOLA has been playing at home lately; they’re sitting at 6-3 at the crib, though they went 3-2 on that back-to-back stretch. HOU is hitting the road with a 4-3 record; they were 2-2 when dealing with those back-to-backs. HOU is scoring about 98 points per game, but they're also giving up just as many. NOLA puts up 89 but ends up giving up 93. What’s really wild is that over their last 7 home games where they were actually the underdogs, NOLA has covered the spread every single time—they are a straight 8-0 against the spread at home!
So, yeah, HOU is still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot. But obviously, they’ve gotta win all 4 of their remaining games, and they need both Utah and Phoenix to drop at least one game each; side note, Utah and Phoenix are actually facing off in Salt Lake City soon.
Now, let's talk about this specific matchup. HOU's defense has been looking pretty shaky recently; they’ve been coughing up about 107 points over their last 5 outings. On the flip side, you've got this young squad that plays some gritty defense and definitely has upside. Coach Williams has been leaning heavily on Amin lately, while keeping Ari on the bench. Honestly, I think HOU has the edge in the frontcourt right now since they don't have Kaman in the mix. Camby, Scola, Dalembert, Patterson & Parsons should be able to outwork NOLA's Watkins, Smith, and Amin in the paint.
Looking at the backcourt, I’d say HOU holds the advantage there too. With Martin out, Dragic is really carrying the load and putting on some great shows by running the offense so smoothly. When you pair him with Lee and Lowry, that trio makes for a super respectable perimeter lineup. Then again, Eric Gordon will likely suit up tonight, which gives NOLA a nice little boost. Vasquez has stepped up as a decent solution at point guard while Jack is out, but Belinelli and Henry are honestly just average players.
All things considered, I’m leaning toward Houston here. They are fighting for their lives to make the playoffs, so they’ve got a better roster and they are definitely more motivated than their opponents. NOLA isn't feeling any pressure and doesn't have that desperate hunger, so they're mostly just experimenting and testing out different guys from the bench.
I really think Houston's frontcourt is going to be the deciding factor. Between dominating the boards and having a solid perimeter game, they should be able to cover the spread easily.