Since training camp opened this year for the NBA players have been complaining about the new microfiber composite basketball that David Stern demanded be the new basketball for the league. Well, after so many complaints and even proof the ball was causing injuries on stars such as Steve Nash and Jason Kidd the NBA has changed their mind. On January 1, 2007 the NBA will return to the old leather model. This situation stunk from jump and I’m really surprised Stern waited this long, but I’m sure he needed to look and act like he was in charge as long as possible. Will this help the NBA game overall though? I think this is the point they should be more focused on, but what the heck do I know!

[eminimall]

Alrighty, here are the picks for tonight.

• Dallas -4 2*
• Dallas/Char over 192 1*
• Orlando -3.5 1*
• SA/Portland over 183.5 2*

There, that ought to do it. Will be back shortly to update record.

Was a tad under the weather yesterday, so I didn’t get to look at the games nearly enough to get a good idea, so I took the day off. Tuesday was sooooo close, but no cigar. The Rockets decided to play a game of backyard HORSE the last 3 min of the game, and couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn. That’s ok, not off by much, and those things happen. Just to update the ol’ record:

• Chi/Dallas over 189.5 2* WIN
  
• SA/Hou over 177 1* LOSS
  
• parlay Chi/Dall over 189.5 / SA/Hou over 177 1* LOSS

total units for Tuesday: -.2
total units to date: +.8

Record

• 3-1
• parlays 1-1

Now for tonight. Thursdays kinda suck because of the exclusive deal with TNT, so you only get 2 games, which is ok during football season. But after football season, you ALWAYS get stuck watching the boring azz Spurs or some other BLAH team. Wait…where was I…oh yeah..back to the point. With two games on the schedule tonight, I see one that I really like”

• Chi/Hou over 180.5 2*

That’s all for tonight. I’ll let Stonecold handle the football game, as I am a much better watcher than capper for football.

edit: I am going to go ahead and post all my projections for tonight, but the only one I’m playing is the one listed above. Hou -5.5, over 180.5, Sac +5, and under 201

Good night last night. Got back in the black. Will update record shortly, just wanted to get these up in time.

2 stand out to me tonight

• Chi/Dallas over 189.5 2*
• SA/Hou over 177 1*
• parlay Chi/Dall over 189.5 / SA/Hou over 177 1*

edit to update record

so last night, we guessed I was down about -4*’s. at the end of the night, it was reversed and was up 1*. the wins went like this:

• Sea/NJ Sea +3 2* WIN 2*’s
• Orl/Bos Orl -1 1* WIN 1*
• Parlay Sea+5/Orl-.5 1*(bought the hooks for the parlay) WIN 2*’s

overall +1*
nba record

• 2-0
• parlays 1-0

Ok, Ok, so my hockey picks weren’t all the best. Believe it or not, I didn’t start doing poorly until I started posting them. So now, with the NBA, I hope I don’t jinx myself again. I’ll give it a go for about a week or two, and if I start to slide…well, I won’t. I don’t care to take the time to back and figure out how many units I am down, I am going to estimate it at -4*’s. So I am starting out in the hole. It’s all good though.

Tonight, with a small slate, I’ve got a few picks that I feel pretty good about.

• Sea/NJ Sea +3 2*
• Orl/Bos Orl -1 1*
• Parlay Sea+5/Orl-.5 1*(bought the hooks for the parlay)

Now, let’s go and take the man down!
No picks on the MNF, I’ll leave that to Stonecold. But I’m hoping he is at least pulling for the Panthers!

The nine time NBA champion coach died today at the age of 89. He also was the general manager of the Boston Celtics in the 70s and 80s and they won seven more titles. It is always sad when icons pass away, but they are also never forgotten.

Breaking news: Red Auerbach

Paul Pierce signed a $59 million dollar extension with Boston yesterday. This extension in theory will keep him a Celtic through 2010-2011, but wasn’t it just last year he was in all the major trade talks? I also remember hearing rumors this summer of him being part of a big trade with the 76ers for Allen Iverson. Call me silly, but I don’t think Paul Pierce will take the Celtics to the promise land and I sure wouldn’t have locked him in for another three years at that price point.

Two days after the huge announcement that “Big Ben” Wallace will be a Bull next year comes the news of a Tyson Chandler trade to the New Orleans Hornets. Chandler who has 5 years and $50 million remaining on his contract was traded for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith to help ease the Bulls payroll now that Wallace is aboard. Many analysts already felt the Bulls could win the East with the addition of Wallace so I wonder how they feel after this most recent move? My personal opinion is this trade further improved the Bulls, but they are not ready to step up and win the Eastern Conference this coming year.  I do feel the moves are setting things up for a legitimate shot in two to three years.

The saga continues with the New York Knicks and Larry Brown and it probably won’t subside for quite some time.  As we all know by now, he was fired yesterday and replaced by Isiah Thomas after a 29-53 record in his first year with the Knicks.  New York had a payroll of close to $125 million yet there team was full of has-beens and washed-up rejects.  The Knicks have also stated they will not pay the $40 million remaining on Brown’s contract because they fired him due to just-cause.  Knicks management feels strongly they will win because Brown supposively didn’t hold up his end of the contract in many ways.  My, my, my, this is going to get real ugly and then we can look forward to an even uglier Knicks season this coming year!