Tag Archives: basketball

Young Guns Looking to Overpower the Veterans

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

8:00 PM ET, April 13, 2013

FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

Coverage: NBATV

This is more than likely going to be a preview of the first round in the Western Conference playoffs, as the 4^th seeded Clippers take on the 5^th seeded Grizzlies in what can only be described as a battle in the paint. This game is also the last of the regular season for both teams; the Clippers look to win the series 3-1. Memphis lost their first two games in LA but won last week at home and has all the intentions of doing it again here.

The Clippers will look to get the ball down low as they usually do, but that is where this game will get interesting. The Grizzles have one of the best interior defenses in the West, making moving the ball and outside penetration difficult. In my opinion, the Clippers will have to rely much more on their shooting game than their “lob city” game as they are known. The Grizzlies are an older team that needs rest, but they also need to stay limber and gather excitement heading into the playoffs. A win in their last regular season meeting would really help them get into the feeling for round one.

YOUR INSIDE SCOOP…

I know that the Clippers younger, faster and better in transition… but they lack a lot of experience and they don’t have that outside shooter that can get red hot and burn other teams. They are -2.5 in this game and the public is all over them and I can see why. I also know that the Grizzlies are very talented on the inside as well as more experienced, they have a way of turning it on at the right time and I think that they will really cause the Clippers some issues in the post. I like the Grizzlies to tie the series up and use this win as fire for their first round battle.

Four Still Standing

The Road to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship continues on at 5Dimes. Wager and then watch as Final Four action gets underway this Saturday as Louisville takes on Kentucky at the Superdome in New Orleans at 6:00PM ET. Then, the action continues at 8:45PM ET as Ohio State takes on Kansas.

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The Nuggets Look to Get Back on the Winning Track

Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies
8:00 PM ET, February 17, 2012
FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
Coverage: Sport South

Over the course of the last 2 years the Denver Nuggets have overwhelmed the Memphis Grizzlies, beating them 7 of the 9 times they have met. For this next meeting, the Grizzlies will be waiting in their own den. The Nuggets have been struggling all month long, trying to figure out their new identity after losing so many players to the Chinese leagues. The Nuggets will have to reevaluate their current situation to see what they can change to make a late run for the post season, seeing how this is a reduced 66 game season.

The Denver Nuggets, after jumping out of the gates winning 8 of their first 11 games, have gone a measly 8 and 8, and currently having lost 5 games in a row. They rank first in the league in offense scoring. On average, they score 104 points a game. They allow just over 100 points on defense, which ranks them in the lower part of the NBA, 27^th overall to be exact. They are lead by ex-Knick, Danilo Gallinari, who is scoring 17 points a game. The entire team is making efforts, no player is leading the team in more than 1 category, which is very impressive to see.

The Memphis Grizzlies, after going on their amazing 7 game winning streak in the middle of January, have lost 7 of their last 10 games. They have lost mostly to teams on the non post season end of the line. They are lead by Rudy Gay, who averages 18.6 points a game. Help does come from point guard Mike Conley, who leads the team with 6.9 assists and 2.4 steals. Ranking 8^th overall in defense, they have their bases pretty well covered on that end of the ball. They do need to find a way to get their shoots to fall, especially given the loss of all-star Zach Randolph for the season, thanks to a torn ACL.

This is the chance Memphis has been waiting for. They have the depleted, confused and weakened Nuggets coming into town and they may be able to beat them straight up. But in order to accomplish that, they will have to protect the ball as well as the court. They can not allow the Nuggets to run the tempo and slow down the fast break opportunities. I like the Memphis Grizzlies to serve up a great game and come away with the win. This will bring them that much closer to evening out this very one sided series.

Both Coming Off Hard Losses

Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz
9:00 PM ET, January 28, 2012
Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Coverage: NBA TV

Looking to get back on track…that is the main goal for both of these two Western Conference teams. As the Sacramento Kings prepare to travel to Utah to take on the Jazz, they also look to end a poor record that has eaten away at their self esteem since the season began. The Jazz are trying to get over an overtime loss to Toronto. They go into this game knowing they have the upper hand against the Kings, given the fact that in the last two years the Jazz have won 4 of their 7 meetings.

The Sacramento Kings are having some inner issues that they are trying to work out, such as the attitude problems with their young center, DeMarcus Cousins, and the firing of their head coach just a few weeks ago. Currently 6 and 13, they rank 24^th overall in offense. They come in dead last on defense, which has always been a problem for the Kings. The Team is lead by Marcus Thornton, who is averaging 16.4 points a game along with 1.5 steals. Helping Thornton on the floor is Cousins, who is averaging 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game.

The Utah Jazz are lead by all-star Al Jefferson, who is averaging 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots a game. They are 10 and 6 and have lost only 3 games out of their last 12. Even though no one is talking about them, I see them coming from behind and making a run at the playoffs. Ranking 9^th overall in offense and 15^th in defense, they still have areas to improve on. But 5^th in the NBA in rebounding does say a lot. They tend to crash every board and they hustle as much as they can.

This game will be interesting to see just how much the Kings bench will help during the game. They will need to have a great game and stay away from fouling, because they are going to get charged on every other play by these Jazz players. Defense and turnovers will be something to watch for, as well as points on fast break options. The Kings will need to get up and down the court and establish themselves. If they are not successful at doing that, they will fall short yet again. My pick is the Jazz at home, wanting to get back after that horrible loss a few days ago.

Can The Cavs Pull Off An Upset?

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
7:00 PM ET, January 21, 2012
Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Coverage: Sport South

This game has all the potential for an upset based on just how well the Cavaliers have been communicating. They have also found ways to wreak havoc on teams such as the Lakers, the Jazz and the Pacers in overtime. Not to mention, the Atlanta Hawks have not had an easy time against the Cavaliers in the past, winning 4 of the 7 games over the last 2 seasons. The Hawks have a 7 and 1 record this year. The Hawks obviously want to continue their impressive winning record, but Cleveland is going to try their bet to not let that happen.

The Cavs have made some smart draft choices, such as point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving was the #1 pick overall and has made a quick name for himself throughout the league. He has led his team in scoring with 17.7 points a game as well as 5.2 assists and almost one steal per game. The Cavaliers rank 11^th overall in offense, but fall short on defense allowing 96 points a game ranking them 20^th overall.

The Atlanta Hawks are on a hot winning streak and they like it. They can show off a different all around player every night. They have so much young talent that they don’t have to depend on only one guy to show up night after night. Ranking 6^th in the league in offense as well as 6^th overall in defense, they are making themselves heard throughout not only the ATL, but the basketball nation. They are led by high scorer, Joe Johnson. Johnson averages 18.9 points a game and seems to enjoy watching his fellow teammates, especially Josh Smith, fly through the air and score at will.

The Cavaliers will have their plate full tonight. Defense will be important for them as they rotate their guards around deep zone coverage. Watching for the shot as well as the lob makes things that much harder to defend. They will have to play smart and collected. The Hawks on the other hand, will have to make it a point not to get over confident. They can’t assume anything, because if they do, they will be in for a surprisingly long afternoon. I like the Hawks in the game, but by no more than 3. I would not be shocked if the Cavaliers came through with the win.

Desperate For a Victory!

Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics
7:30 PM ET, January 20, 2012
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Coverage: CSNN

The Suns and the Celtics – here we have two teams that are in desperate need of a win. Both with horrible records this season, something neither of these two teams is accustomed to having. The Phoenix Suns as well as the Boston Celtics both hold losing records. Both teams look seriously confused at this time. Over the last two seasons, the Suns have won 3 out of their last 4 meetings with the Celtics. None of that matters as this game will simply be won by the team that has the better shooting night.

The Phoenix Suns are in uncharted waters, with losing on the road being their Achilles Heel. This will prove to be more than just another game… this has become a must win for the depleted franchise once held so high. There is a problem with your basketball team when the team’s leading scorer is your center, Marcin Gortat, who is averaging 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and almost 2 blocked shots a game. Their all star point guard, Steve Nash, is averaging 10.1 assists a game. The Suns are ranked in the bottom half in almost every category except assists. In assists they come in 14^th overall, 19^th in defense, 16^th in offense and this is their worse year rebounding – ranking them 23^rd overall in the league.

The Boston Celtics have lost all ability to win a basketball game, having to depend on a different scoring leader every night, and the inconsistencies of the starters has raised a high level of concern among the Celtics fan. To be honest, the best players have been coming off the bench. Consistency wise, the big three are having a difficult time finding any kind of rhythm and it’s following them back to the defensive end of the court. Once known as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, they have allowed almost 93 points a game while only scoring 90 on offense, ranking them 26^th overall. The most shocking part of their game is rebounding, pulling down 38 balls a game, ranking them 28^th out of 32 teams in the NBA.

There will be no do´s and don’ts tonight. Both teams must do everything right and very little wrong in order to get the job done. Both teams will have to protect the ball while figuring out how to get everyone involved. Since I can only pick one team, I will admit a small amount of favoritism to the Boston Celtics for being the home team and still having a handful of fans that support them in their quest for the youth pills. I think the Celtics need to get their season back on track and try for a late run to the playoffs.

Two Undefeated Teams Remain

We are so far into the college basketball season it is incredible to think that we still have two teams that are undefeated. The two teams with perfect seasons more than deserve it. Until recently there were three undefeated teams in college basketball, the third team was Baylor. The Baylor Bears lost their undefeated record when they got smacked around by the Kansas Jay Hawks in a game that actually looked way too one sided. I was disappointed by the way that Baylor performed, but everyone knows that there is a difference in conference game play and playing on the road.

Baylor, even with a loss to Kansas, will most likely drop a little in the standings, but should be ranked among the top ten teams – perhaps even the top five. Baylor now has the same record as the Kentucky Wildcats, who are 17-1 for the season. Kentucky is ranked second behind Syracuse.

So we are now left with two undefeated teams, Syracuse and Murray State. Syracuse is ranked first in the nation with the perfect record of 20-0. They are currently 7-0 in Big East play which is just as impressive due to the fact that the Big East is one tough conference. The Orangemen will have to defend their perfect season, this Saturday, against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame whom are 11-8 for the season and 3-3 in Big East play. So far this season, the closest game for Syracuse was when they beat the then ranked number nine Florida Gators by four points.

The second undefeated team, The Murray State Racers, are 18-0 for the season and 6-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference. They are currently ranked number ten in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and number twelve in the AP Top 25. I have to say that I am not that impressed with this team. The teams they have played have not been that notable, with the exception of the Memphis Tigers who were ranked 20th when they played. The Racers have had two close calls, a seven point win against UAB and a 70-67 squeaker by San Francisco.

Putting aside the fact that Murray State plays in a weak conference, it is still impressive to be undefeated. After all, winning eighteen straight games takes merit and some good basketball playing! Their next opponent will be Morehead State on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if they can keep the streak alive and keep rising in the rankings.

Big Ten Matchup between Michigan and Indiana

For all you Big Ten fans out there, you can`t miss this game that is being played on Thursday at 9pm ET between the Michigan Wolverines and the Indiana Hoosiers. It will be aired live on ESPN2. Just in case you are not a Big Ten fan, that is not an issue here! As long as you enjoy watching great basketball, then this is the game for you… they are Ranked 13^th and 12^th in the Nation.

For those of you out there that have been out of the loop - the Indiana Hoosiers are probably one of the hottest teams in the nation and they are going to be one of the contenders to win the Big Ten. And not only that, but also to make an extremely impressive run in the NCAA Tournament as long as they keep playing the way they have been so far. This Indiana team has beaten some of the best teams in the nation already. They, first of all, knocked off number one in the nation, Kentucky, on December 10^th by a score of 73-72. This past December 31^st, they beat number two in the nation, Ohio State, by a score of 74-20.

The only team they have lost to is Michigan State, in Michigan, who were ranked 17^th in the nation. They lost the game by a score of 80-65. It was a disappointing loss for the Hoosiers because they were on a roll and had won a nice twelve games in a row. This match against Michigan will be a big test for Indiana, but in their favor, they will be playing at home and that will for sure make a big difference coming down the stretch.

Both of these two teams love to shoot three pointers, so it will interesting which of the two come out firing strong first. I feel that the team that takes the early lead will be the team that leads the whole way. There is nothing tougher for a team to fall behind and then have to make a comeback against a team that shoots three pointers just as well as they do. I think if you really want to make a bet on this game, then bet the team total of Indiana going over or the over for the game.

Boston Looking To Keep Up Good Mark

Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics
7:30 PM ET, January 6, 2012
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Coverage: CSNN

This game will have a slight twist to it, given the fact that highly coveted free agent David West, who was highly pursued by the Celtics, decided to sign with the Pacers. This will all hit home Friday night in the Garden. In retrospect, it was probably for the best, given the recent surgery on his knees. We all know Boston has too many injuries to go shopping for more. West has averaged 12.3 points a game and 8 rebounds, but newcomer Brandon Bass will remind the Celtics once again why they wanted him first.

The Indiana Pacers are off to a great start this season having won 4 out of their first 5 games, with that one loss coming New Years Eve against the Detroit Pistons. Remarkably, the Pacers rank 2^nd overall in defense keeping their opponents under 88 points a game. Tied with Chicago for first place in their division, the Pacers look to extend their good start with a big win on the road in Boston. Danny Granger leads the Pacers in scoring with 17.5 points a game while the big man, Roy Hibbert, is bringing down nearly 11 rebounds a game. Indiana confirmed that center, Jeff Foster, who is in his 12^th season, is currently addressing a back problem that has him listed as day-to-day.

The Boston Celtics have turned the page on their 0 – 3 season start to now 3 – 3, not only winning their last 3 games but not allowing their rival to score more than 92 points. After everyone criticized them for not showing up on the defensive, it seems like they took it to heart and showed everyone why they are the masters of the D. Pulling off back to back wins over the Wizards, the Celtics are going to get at least two days of down time before their next outing. Ray Allen has lit it up early this season connecting on 55% of his 3 pointers, hitting six Monday night against Washington with his mom in the crowd.

Thanks to Rajon Rondo’s efforts, the Celtics are ranked 4^th overall in the assists category, helping his teammates not only score more, but look great scoring. Given the fact that the Pacers have a great defense, playing in the Garden is different. Playing in Madison Square Garden, there is more pressure. The big three just have too much experience and know how to get by, and will take advantage of all the bodies they have. Key point for the Pacers will be not to turn the ball over and also protect the post player, double team them as much as possible, without giving away the open shot. I like Boston to keep its winning streak alive and stay perfect at home.

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