Breaking Down The Spelling Bee
Contributed By Vegas Sports Informer
Spell “Addictive Gambling”! V-E-G-A-S, S-P-O-R-T-S, I-N-F-O-R-M-E-R. That’s right! It’s here the 2009 Scripps Spelling Bee started on Wednesday, May 27 and ends tomorrow. Young nerd herds from across the US and Canada will have to out-spell over 250 other middle school students. The Spelling champ will take home the trophy (not the Stanley Cup, but I’m sure the ratings will be better then the NHL Playoffs), $35,000 in cash, bragging rights, and a free season package to Doc’s Handicapper the Vegas Sports Informer WNBA season package.
BetUS.com has posted odds on the 2009 Scripps Spelling bee and I posted some props that maybe just maybe other sites might use for next year’s spelling bee.
Here are the odds and a quick overview of these odds:
Gender of Winner
Male -130
Female -110
(Number of spellers: 293 – Male: 150; Female: 143)
Age Range (shocking too see these ages)
3 nine-year-olds (all 3 still wet the bed) 114 thirteen-year-olds
13 ten-year-olds 78 fourteen-year-olds
27 eleven-year-olds 1 fifteen-year-old (dating one of his teachers)
57 twelve-year-olds
Length of Winning Word
Over 9 ½ Letters -130
Under 9 ½ Letters -110
Winner to Wear Glasses
Yes +120
No -160
(Last year winner had glasses)
Will a contestant faint during the Spelling Bee
Yes +300
No -500
(Seems like this happens every year and with a big price on the “No” I took a shot. Maybe the Jonas Brothers will be in the crowd.)
Will a contestant vomit during the Spelling Bee
Yes +400
No -700
(You chalk bettors lay this price because this never happens. Unless they are serving liver and onions for lunch)
Will a parent yell at moderator
Yes +400
No -700
(This should be will a parent follow the moderator outside a beat the crap out of him for making his/her kid cry on TV.)
Will any contestant be disqualify for cheating
Yes +500
No -1000
(I’m hoping no one does until my kid gets in this because I would tell junior “Cheaters always win!”)
Number of Syllables of Winning Word
Over 3 ½ -120
Under 3 ½ -120
Will the Winner be an only child
Yes +250
No -400
(Forty-four spellers are only children. The remaining 249 spellers have 247 sisters and 224 brothers among them. If Mexico was in this the number of sister and brothers would be tripled)
Will the Winning Word be a
Verb +250
Noun -125
Adjective +350
Adverb +400
Any Other +700
Here are some that I think would be good for next years props on the 2010 National Spelling Bee:
Winner to have a mustache
Yes +200
No -400
(Seems like any male that wins has a mustache and last year I did see some females that needed my razor after the show.)
Will the winner every work at a McDonalds restaurants
Yes -200
No +400
Will any contestants work as a Race & Sports book ticket writer in Las Vegas
Yes +1000
No -1500
Will any female contestant pull a “Juno” in high school
Yes +600
No -900
Will any past winners bag groceries
Yes +500
No -800
Will any 2009 contestant be in a porn movie
Yes +700
No -1000
LeBron or Kobe? One Man Weighs In
By Nolan Sinclair
Everywhere you look people are comparing LeBron James and Kobe Bryant trying to decide which of the two are the best basketball player on the planet. Whether it is an advertisement by vitamin water or any five-minute clip from SportsCenter you hear one of their names mentioned. I figured that it was time for me to rant and rave like the rest of the world on which one I feel is better.
Let me begin by saying that neither are as good as Michael Jordan, and they will not be as good as Michael Jordan when it is all said and done. MJ is MJ and there will never be another! Thank you.
Now, on to the debate:
Read More
Some Nuggets On The Nuggets
Contributed by Nolan Sinclair
This Denver Nuggets team has a lot of things going for them. They are playing outstanding basketball, they get to wear the best uniforms in the league, and they get to play in front of some HOT cheerleaders 
(especially Kimberly Bull, and Caty Sue Greene). 
This youthful bunch seems to have given Chauncey Billups his step back as the vet was starting to slow a bit in his final days with the Pistons. But throughout this season and during the playoffs you can see that Mr. Big Shot still has plenty of tread left on his tires. Billups is averaging 22 points and seven assists a game a while only turning the ball over 1.6 times per contest. That is what you need out of your point guard in order to win a Championship.
Along with Billups, Carmelo Anthony (formerly of THE CUSE!) has stepped up his game these playoffs. Melo is playing some of the best basketball of his career and you can see a new swagger emerging. Not only is Carmelo scoring at will but also he is playing some solid defense, and this is something he is not really known for. He has taken it upon himself numerous times this series to “D” up on Kobe Bryant, even going as far as telling his coach to “give Kobe to me.” Now don’t get me wrong, Melo isn’t doing that good a job on Kobe, but I love the fact that he is trying to make this his team and he is leading by example. Good stuff! One thing to keep on eye on however is the fact that in the last two games Anthony has had to leave with a different bump or bruise. Last night he twisted his ankle and had to be removed from the game, only for a short period however. If this series goes seven games these little nagging injuries could begin to take their toll.
I have to tip my hat to George Karl. He has done an outstanding job of leading this Nuggets team throughout this season. The way that he transformed his bunch of tattooed balla’s into not only a high-octane offensive squad, but also a gritty, gusty defensive ball club is extremely impressive. Karl has also done a great job rotating his bench in and out of games always having fresh legs and a positive mesh of players on the floor at all times. Denver has the best bench in the league, which always helps, and Karl has kept them motivated and happy with solid minutes. Earlier I talked about how Carmelo told his coach to let him “D” up on Kobe Bryant and Karl obliged. Many coaches would be too stubborn to listen to their players and they would want to make all executive decisions, but Karl didn’t bat an eyelash and it paid off, at least for a possession or two, until Kobe took over, but at least he listened to his team.
My one complaint about Denver, and there has to be at least one, is the dirty play of Dahntay Jones. His play on the defensive end reminds me of that scumbag that always played down at the park in your hometown. The grabbing, the holding, the pushing, and now the tripping, is getting ridiculous. The NBA let Rajon Rondo get away with his hooliganism in the series with the Bulls and now they are letting Jones get away with it as well. I know that the league is reviewing the trip on Kobe last night, and if they have any hair on their stones they need to fine and or suspend Jones for a game. I mean come on! He tripped Kobe Bryant; this is the best player in the league for goodness sakes.
Good and bad aside this Nuggets team and their coach deserve a lot of credit for the way they are playing and if you haven’t watched much of their games in these playoffs I suggest you do so.
Archive Madness: MLB Interleague Play
I stumbled upon this old story of mine from 2006 and thought it was worth a re-post. It’s an oldie but goody from back when I was, you know, a real writer instead of a hack. Maybe that’s harsh, but this one one of my first stories with Doc’s Sports and came pre-handicapper. Anyway, thought it was entertaining, so there you go:
Boxers or briefs? Blondes or brunettes? Elvis or The Beatles?
There are plenty of these little tests that can be given to a man that will give a sense of his soul. With baseball, there’s really just one fundamental question to which the answer gives us a peek into your psyche: American League or National League?
If you’re an American League Guy, you are likely a meat-and-potatoes kind of man. You are impressed by explosions, destruction, and the humiliation of others who are weaker than you. Your virtues include dependability and straightforwardness. You’re probably not the type of guy who’s going to skip out on a $120 bar tab laced shooters and brews. You’ll suck it up, pay, and then puke out the side door as you leave.
If you’re a National League Guy, you are likely a more cerebral sort of man. You have a keen appreciation for the subtle nuances of sport, fate, architecture and the hydrogen bomb. You are in a constant state of thought and calculation regarding your surroundings, and are sometimes prone to anxiety attacks both in large crowds or when alone. Also, you’re probably a womanizer and a great wing man on a Saturday night.
Interleague play – the Major League’s answer to cross-dressing – begins its 10th tour with this weekend’s slate of games. We’ll get to enjoy the Cross-town Classic, the Battle of the Beltway, the Lone Star Shootout and the Show-Me Series, as the “natural rivals” take their shot at one another for intra-city or intra-state bragging rights.
The National League leads the all-time series 1,104-1,096, and has won the season series five times. The best interleague team to date is by far Oakland at 95-63 (.601). The National League’s best cross-over team is Florida at 87-63 (.580).
On the one hand, interleague play in cities like Chicago and New York will be spectacular this weekend. These backyard grudge matches may be incidental in the divisional standings but are critical to your standing at the deli or in the break room on Monday. Those cities will be electric from Friday to Sunday, and the Break From the Norm will be appreciated by most fans.
On the other hand, this sideshow interrupts things just as the divisional battles were starting to heat up. And let’s not forget that for every White Sox-Cubs barnburner we also get such dramatic and heated “natural rivalries” as Toronto and Colorado (the Snowshoe Series?) or San Diego and Seattle (the Starbucks Series?). Also, we’ll have to endure at least two dozen horrendous match ups waiting down the road (Kansas City-Pittsburgh or Tampa Bay-Washington, anyone?).
(Oh yeah, and count how many times you hear the term “purists” this weekend. When overweight, sanctimonious sportswriters use that term to describe people who don’t like interleague play, they must mean Klansmen and World War I veterans. “Purists” likely can’t eat corn on the cob and think technology peaked with the hoola-hoop. Seriously, who are these people?)
Regardless of your stance or feeling on interleague play, it’s here to stay. Attendance is up 13.3 percent at these games so apparently the fans are in favor of it. In fact, here is a random sample of some of the interleague conversations you may eavesdrop on during some match ups this weekend:
Boston (23-15) at Philadelphia (22-17)
Sox Fan: “So, you hate New York, huh?”
Phils Fan: “Yeah. You hate New York too, right?”
Sox Fan: “Ab-so-friggin-lutely.”
Phils Fan: “Cool. Um, wait. Does that mean we hate each other?”
Sox Fan: “Um…”
Cincinnati (23-17) at Detroit (26-13)
Reds Fan: “Hey, is that a Rob Deer jersey?”
Tigers Fan: “Uh, yeah.”
Red Fan: “Sweet.”
Tigers Fan: “Is that a Chris Sabo jersey?”
Reds Fan: “Sweet.”
(Moment of uncomfortable silence)
Reds Fan: “So you’re like a real Tigers fan? I thought you guys were a myth, like unicorns.”
Tigers Fan: “Hey, can you believe both our teams are above .500 in May!!!”
Reds Fan: “Thanks for the jinx, numb nuts.”
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, San Pedro, and Malaysia (17-23) at Los Angeles Dodgers (21-20)
Dodgers Fan: “What’d I miss? Damn, bottom of the fourth already?”
Angels Fan: “Tonto perezoso. Por qué hace no usted obtiene aquí y sostiene su equipo.”
Dodgers Fan: “Uh, come again?”
Angels Fan: “Nevermind, usted cerdo capitalista blanco.”
Dodgers Fan: “Hey, I’ll give you a dollar if you go buy me a beer and a dog, and then walk out and wax my car. How about it? Four shiny quarters.”
Angels Fan: “No me insulte delante de mi familia. Quizá si usted había preguntado antes Guerrero estaba arriba.”
Dodgers Fan: “Ah, forget it. Look at the time. Gotta run if I want to beat the traffic.”
Baltimore (19-22) at Washington (13-27)
Orioles Fan: “Listen, if you take away net neutrality, something fundamental to the democratic and open nature of the Internet, the telecommunications conglomerates are going to run roughshod over the consumers.”
Nationals Fan: “Any sort of federal legislation would just be an impediment to the free market system. I trust that the corporations will do what’s best for the people.”
Orioles Fan: “You’re kidding, right?”
Nationals Fan: “No. Not really.”
Orioles Fan: “How can you trust these telecom companies after they’ve willingly allowed The Administration to undergo their illegal domestic spying program?”
Nationals Fan: “Why are you siding with the terrorists?”
Orioles Fan: “Wha…what?”
Nationals Fan: “I have a cousin in Homeland Security. I don’t want to have to tell him that I have season tickets next to a communist.”
Orioles Fan: “What are you talking about, you sociopath?”
Nationals Fan: “Whiner.”
Orioles Fan: “Jerk.”
Questions or comments for Robert? E-mail him at robert@docsports.com.
Busk’s Breakdown Of Interleague Play
It is that time of the year again on one of our nation’s holiday weekend where interleague baseball comes to a city near you. While the game is the same, for the most part, beside the obvious designated hitter distinction and the managing that comes with it, handicapping the clubs during Interleague play is much different.
For most of the year during normal National and American league play you do have historic rivalries; most notably Yankees/Boston, Cubs/Cardinals and a few others. But the one thing that I like most about interleague play is that it has brought some new rivalries to baseball that match a lot of inner city teams. It has created the Subway Series between the Mets/Yankees, the Freeway Series between the Dogers/Angels, the Battle of the Bay between the Giants/A’s and of course the Crosstown Classic with the Cubs/White Sox. This also opens up some \ quieter series that gives some teams that are basically out off it already like Washington/Baltimore a competitive weekend.
There are some challenges to handicapping these games. You won’t have deep stats with some pitchers against opposite league lineups or how a pitcher fares in a certain ballpark where he has made multiple starts. But while the history of some of these series may be small there still is some info there if you look hard enough but also understand in certain situations. Although with teams meeting once every three years some of these stuff might just be out dated.
You will have teams over the weekend that will have a little extra jump in their step and while handicapping baseball is for the most part the same I do believe you need to use more of a feel this time of the year and understand that rubber games might be a little more important in some of these series. Handicapping interleague can be curve ball to the best of them out there. But like always keep your discipline and understand that interleague is out of the box and maybe more of a out of the box approach will help you get through.
Team-By-Team Interleague Records
By Robert Ferringo
Here is an examination of how teams have done in Interleague play over the last two, five and ten years:
Peavy Is Not Going To Chicago
By Robert Ferringo
Yeah, Jake Peavy isn’t going to Chicago. At least, not to play with the White Sox.
The White Sox and the Padres have, according to published reports, reached a “tentative” deal to move San Diego ace Jake Peavy for two of Chicago’s top three prospects. Peavy has a no-trade clause in his contract so right now he is the only thing standing in the way of the deal.
But in my humble opinon, Peavy isn’t going to go to the White Sox in this deal. And unlike the bobbleheads that are opining about it today, I’m willing to bet on it.
According to an AP story, Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, said that Jake, “still has a strong preference to stay in the National League.” On top of that, it’s not as if the White Sox are some World Series contender at the moment. The White Sox are 17-22 entering Thursday’s action – and they are getting their asses kicked 8-0 at the moment by the Twins – and are in fourth place in the good American League Central. That actually makes them worse than the third-place Padres (18-22).
And why would Peavy leave one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the Majors, Petco, to go battle the wind, the elements, and the designated hitter in an American League park?
And what’s more, what the hell are the Royals thinking? Do they think that Clayton Richard and “some dude” is the best that they can do for one of the four or five best pitchers in the Majors? Really?
According to San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Tom Krasovic, in a Yahoo Sports article, the “deal is not imminent” and it’s more likely “that peavey will start for the Padres on Friday against the Chicago Cubs at Peco Park, according to people close to the pitcher.” So Peavy isn’t going anywhere.
I also doubt that this will have much of an impact on Peavy when he’s on the mound either. In fact, if it does impact him I bet that it even sharpens his focus and makes him that much nastier when the Cubs come to town this weekend. I’m not sure if I will have my money down on the Padres in that one, especially after the Cubs beat their asses in Wrigley earlier in the month, but I surely won’t be betting against him.
Lone Rangers Atop A.L. West
By Indian Cowboy
How ‘bout my (insert southern twang) Rangers? Tejas has finally come into its own this year and are looking to break away from their perennial sub .500 performances due to lack of pitching. But, this year, similar to the Royals rotation being built up season by season, the Rangers have done the same thing with their own respective rotation. Yes, I am excited about the Rangers playing well currently because I have a big future play on them at Over 73.5 wins. But, I am also genuinely excited for this team as any team that has talent that is finally coming to its realization is always encouraging to see.
On May 7th this team was 15-13.
Then, the surge came:
This team took two of three from the White Sox. When division play resumed, this team ransacked the Mariners by winning 7-1, 6-5 and 3-2. The Rangers then hosted the Angels at home and defeated them 10-8, 5-3 and 3-0. You notice that the Rangers are putting up runs, but by far it has been their pitching that has allowed them to win these ballgames.
Now, as we enter May 20h, the Rangers have a record of 23-15. More impressively, the over/under is 17-19 which shows the Ranger’s pitching finally coming to fruition as well.
Here is how the division currently looks like:
1. Texas Rangers: 23-15
2. LA Angels: 20-18
3. Seattle: 18-22
4. Oakland: 14-22
Granted, the Angels will make a run as John Lackey has returned, Jared Weaver is pitching well, and there will be other key elements of their rotation returning over the next two months. In fact, I expect the Angels to do very well at home when they host the Rangers. But, make no mistake about it; this is not a fluke season for the Rangers.
This team is 3rd in runs in the league with 5.65 per game, 6th in batting average, 1st in OPS at .829, 1st in home runs with 62, 5th in stolen bases with 29, and has plenty of depth on the bench both on offense as well as the fact they have stud pitching in the minors just waiting to be unleashed into the majors. Tack on the fact that at 4.54 they are 15th in the league in ERA, which is a huge improvement from previous years, they are 8th in the league in WHIP at 1.38, and 9th in the league in errors and you can see that this team has a sound balance. All the Rangers have to do is be mediocre in pitching and their power/speed on offense will push them to the finish line.
What’s scary is that this pitching staff has a lot of seasoned vets who are gaining more confidence as the season goes on. The Rangers have played eight of their last 10 ‘under’ over the past two weeks. That tells me that even though the Rangers have played well up to this point their pitchers are still exceeding their expectations. And since everyone quickly jumps on the ‘over’ for this team because of it’s mammoth offense there is plenty of value left on the ‘under’ with this club.
Eastern Conference Finals Breakdown And Boogie
By Nolan Sinclair and Robert Ferringo
Well, here we are: the NBA’s Final Four. After the Pistons, Heat, Hawks, Celtics, Mavs, Hornets, Jazz, and Rockets all decided they were ready to hit the pool we are left with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic, the L.A. Lakers, and the Denver Nuggets. Let’s be honest with ourselves though. What we are really left with is LeBron versus Dwight and Kobe versus Chauncey.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there are many great players that I didn’t mention – Carmello, Pau, Rashard Lewis, and Mo Williams to name a few – but the first four listed are the ones that are going to win and lose games for their teams. And each team has a story line that many of us have followed throughout the playoffs and it will continue to unfold in these last three series.
Here is a closer look at the Eastern Conference Finals, how each team got here and what they need to do if they want to take home the NBA title:
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Odds to win the NBA Finals: 1/2
Starting Five: Mo Williams, Delonte West, LeBron James, Anderson Varejao, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Injuries: No injuries to report (Ben Wallace is a little banged up, but will play in Game 1)
Current O/U streak: 3-7 in last 10
Current ATS streak: 11-0-1 in last 12 (Have covered 5 of last 6 double digit lines, including a push)
The Cavs are lead by LeBron James and Coach of the Year Mike Brown. Their clamp-down defense is perfect for the playoffs as they suffocate their opponents from every position. The best part about their defense is that once they cause a turnover they get the ball out quick to one of their guards, who in turn get it to LeBron and they are out and running, and normally scoring.
Most teams understand the fact that defense wins championships and Cleveland really gets it. This has been proven time and time again as Cleveland swept the Pistons and the Hawks with little problem. The Cavs have yet to give up 90 points this post season. Yes, you read that correctly, 90 points. Cleveland was 6th in the NBA in the regular season in team defense and now they are even better. That is bad news for the rest of the teams.
This Cavs team is fortunate in that night in and night out they trot out an all-star at both the guard and forward position, and a former all-star at center. If this Cavs team wants to win the NBA finals they need to make sure they don’t get too complacent. They have to understand that taking a night off doesn’t cut it in the playoffs, and thus far they have shown the desire necessary to win. LeBron was devastated after his 45-point performance in their Game 7 loss to the Celtics last year and he wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. But I think this Cavs team is poised and ready to rip through the Magic and whoever their opponent may be out of the West.
One stat that really jumps out at me heading into the series with Orlando is rebounding margin. Orlando is at -0.62 and the Cavs are at 10.12. Cleveland is averaging four more rebounds a game and giving up eight less than the Magic. If Orlando continues to shoot poorly from the outside, less than 35 percent, they are going to get blown out of the gym.
The one downside to the Cavs that always worried me is their free throw shooting. It has been a thorn in their side in years past and these playoffs haven’t given me reason to improve my opinion. Cleveland is currently shooting 73.8 percent from the line, good for 12th out of the 16 teams that made the playoffs. Yet not all is lost as L.A., and Orlando, two of the other three teams in the final four, are ranked 13th and 14th out of the 16 teams. I guess it just looks like Cleveland’s year.
Orlando Magic:
Odds to win the NBA Finals: 12/1
Starting Five: Rafer Alston, J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
Injuries: Jameer Nelson
Current O/U streak: 3-7 in last 10
Current ATS streak: 6-4 in last 10
When I think about why the Magic will not win the NBA Finals it comes down to one thing, coaching. No team in the history of this league has won a title with a Hobbit for a coach. The Orlando Magic have the unfortunate pleasure of being run by Frodo Baggins on a cocaine binge. Stan Van Gundy can’t get out of his own way and the only reason this team is still standing is because Kevin Garnett wasn’t playing for the Celtics.
Now, I know that the Magic lost Jameer Nelson and this is a much more significant injury than people think as they were playing as good as anyone with him in their line up. But come on. How the hell do you not get Dwight Howard the ball almost every time down the floor? This is a man that can dominate the inside by himself and open up the floor for the rest of his teammates to hit open jump shots.
Orlando is extremely talented and they can play with any team, as they have difficult matchups all over the floor. But they just don’t have the moxy to put any of these remaining teams away. And plain and simple that comes down to coaching. If Orlando beats the Cavs I will be the first to say I was wrong and I don’t do that often, but I am comfortable that I won’t be saying that after this series. They don’t have a strong enough backcourt and they don’t have a good coach. And you just don’t winin the playoffs without guards or coaching.
What (Else) To Look For In the Western Conference Finals
By Nolan Sinclair and Robert Ferringo
Yes, yes, I know that I’m a little late to the party here and that the Lakers already leapt out to a 1-0 lead on the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. But here is still a quick breakdown of how L.A. and Denver shake out. And if last night is any indication, this may be a long series.
Here is a quick look at the two teams involved in the NBA Western Conference Finals:
Los Angeles Lakers:
Odds to win the NBA Finals: 3/2
Starting Five: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Trevor Ariza, and Pau Gasol
Injuries: No injuries to report
Current O/U streak: 2-8 in last 10
Current ATS streak: 5-5 in last 10
The L.A. Lakers have become a team that only plays hard when they need to. When they faced off against the Jazz in Round 1 they played hard in the first half of games, ran out to huge leads, and then sat back to coast to a victory that was closer than it should have been. In the second round they met up with a rag tag bunch of Rockets who were without arguably their best player, then without their two best players, and it went to seven games. L.A. would just sit and watch both the Jazz and Rockets outplay them for quarters or games that didn’t seem important, but when they needed to turn it on they would. If they try this versus the Nuggets they will be in deep, deep, trouble.
This Lakers team is fortunate that they are playoff tested. They have one of the winningest coaches in NBA history, they have one of the best basketball players on the planet, and they have one of the better sixth men in the country in Lamar Odom. Home court advantage should play a huge role in this series as the Lakers were 36-5 on the year at home while the Nuggets were just 21-20 on the road. And that home edge should be critical, because it really takes some moxie to come into L.A. and take down the Lakers, especially in the postseason.
One thing is for certain, this Lakers squad has learned a lot about themselves this post season. They have learned that if they want to win it all they have to change their motivation in that they are ready to play night in and night out for every second that ticks off the clock. If they do this that have a great shot at winning the title. What it boils down to is if this Lakers team wants to win, they can and will. Something to remember is the fact that the Lakers are 2-0 versus Cleveland, both by double-digit victories. I apologize for getting ahead of myself as the Lakers will have to play extremely well to get by Denver, but I would love to see a Kobe/LeBron final.
Denver Nuggets:
Odds to win the NBA Finals: 10/1
Starting Five: Chauncey Billups, Dahntay Jones, Nene, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin
Injuries: None of importance
Current O/U streak: 6-4 in last 10
Current ATS streak: 10-0 in last 10
This Nuggets team is the dark horse of the NBA playoffs. At 10/1 they are a great value as they have playoff leadership, scorers, playmakers, depth, and athleticism. The Chauncey Billups trade has placed the Nuggets squarely on the brink of the NBA finals and their entire team is ready to take the next step.
Outside of the Cavs, and truthfully, just a little bit less, the Nuggets are the hottest team in the playoffs. The way they have transformed from just an offensive-minded team to one that is focusing their attention to the defensive end of the floor shows that they are ready and able to win. Denver is only giving up 95.5 points per game this post season. That is down over five full points from the regular season. They have been physical near the basket and they aren’t taking possession off, which has helped them rip off some blowout wins.
A significant factor of their matchup with the Lakers will be if Carmelo can improve offensively versus L.A. Carmelo is averaging just under 15 points a game versus the Lakers while the Nuggets went just 1-3 in their four meetings. Denver is one of the deepest teams in the NBA as they can bring three different players off the bench that can completely change a game with their specific talents. JR Smith is an absolute scoring machine that could have won Sixth Man of the Year if it hadn’t been for the outstanding season of Jason Terry. And don’t even get me started on Chris Anderson. I LOVE HIM! In my first story of the year I described him as a man that looks like he was attacked by a kindergarten class on acid. They went berserk with crayons and gel, and they transformed the “Bird Man” into a shot blocking, defensive genius. I saved the Nuggets bench for last because I firmly believe they have the best bench of the remaining teams. If Denver has any shot at all to beat the Lakers and move on they will have to dominate the bench matchup.
Like I said in the beginning of this description of Denver, keep an eye on these Nuggets, as they are the dark horse and a great value at 10/1. And this series comes down to one thing: do you think that Denver can gear up and get a win in L.A. or do you think that the Lakers have a better shot at stealing a game in Denver, where teams have just been getting wrecked? Figure that out and you’ll figure out who is in the NBA Finals.
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